We're taking bets that Lowell didn't know what hit it... Year One

I thought it would be fun for people to read the recap of the last 4 1/2 years at UMass Lowell. It may be long & it should be fun. I will be doing this each of the next five days. If you remember any stories and want to include them please post in the comments section.

Building: Leitch Hall
Dean of Students: Ellen Duggan aka THE NUN
Dir. of Res. Life: Larry Siegle
Asst. Dir. of Res. Life: Annie Ciaraldi & Greg Wilder

RDs - B: Barbara Nardone - C: Emily Neal - D: Renee Gately - E: Kristin Lamond(now Costa) - F: Alana Greene(Or as we used to meanly joke "That's Alotta Greene") - Sh: Karen Humphrey-Johnson & Andy Lapp - Sm: Derek Costa

Lowell was not quite ready for the "newbies" Renee & myself. I was very arrogant and thought I knew everything. Renee was graduate coming back. We became fast friends and stuck together through everything. I even convinced her that Kelly was going to beat Richard in Survivor. Her husband Kevin & I bonded by talking baseball. She has always been one of my favorite people and still is today. Costaface was born as GW and I did a great job of teasing Derek. He did love the cake so much. :) Karen left mid year to go to admissions and we brought Andy to Lowell. He had a rough time over in Sheehy, but he was fun to hang with. We dealt with a "Slappy Says" scandal in The Connector, but we did a good job of putting that behind us and firing him. We had a real Casino night that was actually kind of boring. We did nothing for our Opening Week and I knew that had to change. Everyone seemed to deal with my arrogance; although Larry and I got into a bunch of battles. I also started a great relationship with Athletics. Also Mary Connelly, Brenda Evans and THE NUN did not like me. It is tough being on the bad side of a nun. :)

I met the one person who changed how I looked at life in Barbara. She was amazing. I was so sad when I found out she was dating someone. So I innocently helped to break her and her boyfriend up. ;) Breaking her toe helped. We started dating in late September and it was a great time in my life. Remember that being clumsy can work for you especially when you spill a whole glass of wine on you during your first date. We were a pretty good couple and despite our rough ending we had a great beginning. I look back now and it really makes me smile.

My Staff: ARDs - XXXXXX XXXXX & Brianne Standbridge (now Crook) RAs - Dan Brenn, Pat Martin, Nick Parisi, Jose Mercado, Rob Allen, Paul Grande, Billy Olsen, Pha Chhoeun, Erin Conlin, Danielle Cochrane, Shaunna Vargas, Tim Kahlert, Dan Chandonnet

I was taught about the RA toolkit with an island adventure video during RA training and Leitch Love was developed. We had the most fun office on campus with video games, VCR and just about anything you needed. We had a Hall Council that wanted to do midget tossing and mud wrestling as programs. We had so much fun with Rob taking "Fat Pat" under his wing and Pat dropping every class but one and driving the National Escort Van from the Brewery Lot. We had movies outside, pool tournaments inside and Mike Dalli raising hell as our ISO. There was talk of infidelity by certain staff members and we were the center of the O-Pi World. We lost parking in the Big Fox Lot for the Construction of the Rec Center. Miss Charisma taught us all about the wonderful world of drag. It was such a special first semester.

Unfortunately I had to let go XXXXXX and hire Brianne. XXXXXX and I never recovered our friendship after that. (Yes XXXXXX deserved to be let go.) It was one of the worst firings I had until about 11 months later. I will always regret how we were never able to get over it. Brianne did an alright job, but the staff was mad I didn't hire Nick. We got through it though. Paul left mid semester. We lost some of our attitude when he left. :) I then had to counsel EMT Billy out of the job and hired Tim. I loved Billy. He always made me laugh and I still have that giggle doll he got me for Christmas. I hope he and Michelle are very happy. I had to fire Erin for an alcohol infraction. Thankfully it brought one of the greatest people that I have ever met into my life, Shaunna. It was amazing to have seen her grow from a timid freshman to an unbelievable woman. We continued to have fun with people walking on cars and a huge snowstorm. I had to speak to Tim numerous times about his "mouth", but we found out we had a lot in common. Pat and I broke the office window with Jose watching. I found out how much I hate End of the Year Banquets at Jimmy's IV when Rob peed himself and what seemed like everyone on staff got drunk. I think that I learned as much in that year as I ever had before. What a year. What would happen next.

Leitch Love FOREVER!!!