On Thursday, September 25, Dr. Maria Vejar-Mason, a Lowell resident, former educator, and small business owner, received the Latino Excellence on the Hill Award from the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus at the Massachusetts State House. She is a dedicated community leader committed to ensuring all children are able to receive a quality education. Dr. Vejar-Mason was nominated for the award by State Senator Ed Kennedy and attended the ceremony with her family.
Dr. Vejar-Mason has been a leader within Lowell’s educational community for decades. She worked at Lowell High School (LHS) for 26 years as a teacher and then as an Assistant Principal. She established two educational scholarships: the LHS Latino Scholarship Fund and the Maria Olimpia Meza (M.O.M.) Scholarship Fund, which award annual scholarships to students who otherwise could not afford higher education. She also serves on the Board of Trustees at Middlesex Community College and was previously a community representative on Lowell Public Schools’ Hispanic Student Success Task Force.
“Dr. Maria Vejar-Mason’s decades of educational leadership and advocacy on behalf of Lowell students are a testament to her passion and commitment to local students and educational institutions,” said Senator Ed Kennedy.
Maria Vejar-Mason immigrated to Massachusetts from Ecuador with her mother in 1975 and moved to Lowell in the early 1980s. She retired from LHS in 2023 and is currently the owner of Galeria de Los Andes Boutique on Merrimack Street in Lowell, which features styles from the Andes region and showcases products made by local entrepreneurs. She is also actively involved in Lowell’s Downtown Business Association.