A Message from President Joseph E. Aoun

To all members of the Northeastern community:

On June 17, I wrote to let you know about an exciting and transformational opportunity. Today, I’m pleased to share the news that this opportunity has become a reality.

Just hours ago, we reached a definitive agreement to merge with Mills College in Oakland, California. The trustees of both institutions have approved the terms, and President Beth Hillman and I have each signed the agreement.

Through this first-of-its-kind partnership, we will establish Mills College at Northeastern University, to be led by President Hillman. Together, we will launch the Mills Institute, dedicated to advancing women’s leadership and to empowering BIPOC and first-generation students. The Mills Institute will further empower the legacy and impact of the Mills mission for generations to come, and Northeastern is committed to supporting and engaging in this important work.

The beautiful Mills campus will become a flagship of Northeastern’s global network, and serve as a premier platform for our signature experiential education and use-inspired research programs. In the coming years, thousands of students and faculty will learn, teach, live, and make breakthrough discoveries on the Mills campus.

I am thrilled to welcome all Mills students, alumnae, faculty, staff, and friends into the Northeastern community. Students of Mills College at Northeastern will have access to the university’s breadth of experiential, lifelong learning, and student life opportunities. All alumnae of Mills will join Northeastern’s global network of graduates and be eligible for the benefits and opportunities available as members of the Northeastern family. Alumnae will also continue to have access to the Mills Alumnae House located on the Mills campus. Mills faculty and staff will join Northeastern’s diverse community of educators, researchers, and administrators.

Together we have an opportunity to create something truly unique in higher education. We aspire to build a comprehensive, bicoastal university that leverages the complementary strengths of Mills and Northeastern for the benefit of students and society.

Our world is in desperate need of what great colleges and universities provide: knowledge, discovery, innovation, inclusion, and service. By joining together, Mills and Northeastern can reach new heights and have broader impacts on our world. This is our collective mission, our calling, our guiding star.

Sincerely,

Joseph E. Aoun
President