Saugus celebrates the college degrees of Maureen Whitcomb and her quadruplets with a graduation party By Laura Eisener Sunday afternoon a delightful graduation party was held at the Italian American Club for the last two members of the Whitcomb family who graduated from UMass Lowell this May. An article in The Advocate on Friday, May 22, outlined how five members of a Saugus family, Maureen Whitcomb and her quadruplets, all graduated from UMass Lowell a few years apart, the first generations of their family to get their college degrees! By encouraging each other to achieve their goals, they kept going through tough times and pulled off a spectacular Saugus success story. The family was even mentioned on People.com in an online article written by Sam Gillette and published May 19, 2026, so the story of this Saugus success is now known far beyond Massachusetts’ borders. Maureen worked hard to enable her four children to grow up and attend college. Her two daughters Diana and Colette began attending classes at UMass Lowell first, choosing the school’s Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences. They both graduated in 2023, Diana getting a degree in nursing and Collette in nutritional sciences. Maureen’s son Andrew graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in business and got his master’s degree in business administration from UMass Lowell’s Manning School of Business in 2025. The fourth quadruplet, Bryce, got an associate’s degree at North Shore Community College and then transferred to the Manning School at UMass Lowell and graduated this spring. Maureen had acquired an associate’s degree in marketing from North Shore Community College in 2018, but in the midst of her children’s college years she did not think she would continue until her kids urged her to pursue her dreams. This spring the 62-year-old Saugus woman graduated magna cum laude in the same graduation ceremony with Bryce, fulfilling the family goals. They are not necessarily finished with education yet. Collette also just finished an additional associate’s degree last week at North Shore in Radiology. Andrew is working on his law degree from Suffolk. Maureen is considering a master’s degree. Sunday’s party was attended by extended family, friends and coworkers of all four Whitcombs. Maureen is a town meeting member for Precinct 4, sits on the Housing Authority and works in administration of the Saugus Cable TV channel. Attendees included Town Manager Scott Crabtree and many members of town government and local organizations. In the midst of the partying, it turned out that more honors were in store. She received a citation from the Massachusetts State Senate, and a rare citation from Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll for her achievement. On hand to present these awards were State Representative Sean Reid, who represents the 11th Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (representing Nahant and part of Lynn) and Brendan P. Crighton, Massachusetts State Senator for the Third Essex District (representing the city of Lynn and the towns of Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus and Swampscott). CUTLINES: A FAMILY AFFAIR: Five college graduates – Maureen Whitcomb and her quadruplets – enjoyed a graduation party on Sunday afternoon. Pictured from left to right: Back row: Jake Aldred, fiancé of Colette, Colette Whitcomb (Maureen’s daughter), nephew Jonathan Capone and Maureen’s brother Bill Meader; front row: Maureen’s son Andrew Whitcomb, niece Jiana Capone, 2026 graduate Maureen Whitcomb, son and fellow 2026 graduate Bryce Whitcomb and daughter Diana Whitcomb. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) CITATIONS FROM BEACON HILL: Left to right: State Representative Sean Reid, Maureen Whitcomb and State Senator Brendan P. Crighton after Whitcomb received citations from the Governor’s office and the State Senate. (Photo Courtesy of Maureen Whitcomb to The Saugus Advocate)