On June 2 , 2006 , U.S. Senator Barack Obama from Illinois addressed his commencement speech at UMass Boston to the graduating students . Among other topics , he discussed his keynote address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston . In early 2007 , Chancellor Collins resigned to become chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School , and he was succeeded on July 1 , 2007 , by former interim chancellor J. Keith Motley , who became the university 's first African American chancellor . By December 14 , 2007 , Chancellor Motley presented a 25-year master plan to the UMass board of trustees , who accepted the plan in full . Included in the 25-year master plan was the proposal to erect the university 's first residential facilities that would accommodate 2,000 students , but not with the intention of changing the character of the university from a commuter school to a residential school
2004 Democratic National Convention
2004 Democratic National Convention
University of Massachusetts Boston