Lornie Bullerwell

Boston

Seeing Himself in Students, Lornie Bullerwell ’69, “Pays it Back” To UMB

When Lornie Bullerwell ’69 entered the Park Square campus of the brand new University of Massachusetts Boston in 1965, he had no way of knowing the incredible education he was about to access. After all, he was part of the Charter Class of incoming freshmen who would pave the way for future generations but who had no upperclassmen that they could turn to for guidance. What Lornie and his fellow students found instead was a robust young faculty ready to mentor and learn alongside their students in the “UMass Boston experiment.”

A “science guy” from a young age, at UMass Boston, Lornie learned alongside bright, young, eager faculty who were thrilled to pass their knowledge onto their new students—professors like Bettina Harrison, Martha (Bethel) Matteo, and Herbert Lipke. And, because the university was brand new, they could be flexible, giving freshmen like Lornie the chance to do very advanced work from the earliest days.

Since graduating 50 years ago, Lornie went on to have a very illustrious career as a Biology teacher and Director of Science Education in the Dedham school district. His teaching style received notice, including a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship at Princeton, where he was recognized as one of the top 50 biology teachers in the country.

Thanks to Professor Bill Hagar, Lornie reconnected with the university in the 1990’s, and once he did there was no slowing him down. Lornie has guided many of his high school students through our doors, co-written multiple published papers with UMass Boston professors, and currently serves on the Board of Visitors and the Alumni Association Board of Directors where he chairs the Scholarship Committee.

Getting to know our students has inspired Lornie to become a loyal donor to the annual fund and establish two estate gifts. One is a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) that will provide a scholarship to Biology majors from Lynn or Dedham. The second is a new bequest as part of his Charter Class’s 50th Reunion gift, which he says “was as simple as emailing my attorney.”

In his work with the Alumni Association Scholarship and through his own philanthropy, Lornie has helped hundreds of students achieve their academic dreams. “The thing I love about this place is the kids are the same as we were back in 1965. They’re of different languages, ethnicities, and colors, but they’re the same… In terms of their ability to tough it out, to make things work, to just drag themselves through whatever problems…they are just amazing. I love them.”

Reflecting on his path from student, to educator, and now volunteer and donor, Lornie remarks: “Much of who I became is due to the education I got from UMass Boston. After my family, this place molded who I am and what I became my whole life. I had a career that gave me back so much. Looking back, it gives me great satisfaction to know that my life made a difference. Maybe the world is a little bit better because of my passage. And now, my legacy is what’s in those kids’ minds, wherever they are.”