This is part of our coverage of Northeastern’s 2022 Commencement exercises. For more information, including a livestream, photos, and live coverage throughout the day, visit our dedicated Commencement page.

As Northeastern’s newest soon-to-be graduates wrapped up final exams, turned in capstone projects, and picked up their caps and gowns, many reflected on their time at the university. With a mix of jubilation and nostalgia, seniors and graduate students recalled the friends they made, the work they did, and the experiences that shaped them.

And though each student created their own unique Northeastern career, some common themes emerged. Students fondly remembered the global learning and living experiences they shared, the co-ops in which they learned something new about themselves or the world, and the relationships they forged among peers and faculty researchers.

Together, Northeastern students weave a tapestry unlike any other. Here are some of their best memories, in their own words.

Rachel Sigel
Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in bioengineering

I participated in N.U.in Greece in 2017, and the best part is all the relationships I made there. We stayed in touch, and a lot of the people I met were also engineers, so we would see each other in class and hang out outside of it.

My friends and I were also recently debating the best on-campus eateries. Their favorite is Popeye’s, but mine—and this is a true senior memory—was Rebecca’s.

Jasmine Szucs
Bachelor of Science in physical therapy

I just remember sitting in the IV [International Village] dining hall for hours. It was a chance for my friends and I to decompress after a day of classes, and just talk and catch up.

Liam Manning
Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in bioengineering

Some of the memories that stand out are the times when my friends and I would just camp out in Snell [Library] for hours, studying for finals. It was something very of its moment, and I know that in 15 or 20 years I’ll look back and miss those days.

Elina Agrawal
Bachelor of Science in finance and entrepreneurship

Being part of Mosaic really shaped my time here. I got to be surrounded by students who were passionate about building something or leading a startup. It was exciting and contagious—I caught the startup bug myself, and now I want to work with a startup after I graduate.

Kristen Tabia
Bachelor of Science in physical therapy

Being on campus over the summer for co-op was really cool. The weather was beautiful, and we would just lay out a picnic blanket on Centennial Common and spend the day outside.

Faisal Almailam
Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering

The most exciting day for me was capstone day for MEIE [mechanical engineering and industrial engineering students]. I got to see everyone’s projects, and we could show off a year’s worth of work.

Jie Ren
Master of Science in business analytics

COVID-19 and online classes really colored my time here. We got 10 months on campus, though, and tried to do everything we could to have the full Boston experience before heading back home.

Katie Starr
Bachelor of Science in physical therapy

I really enjoyed my co-ops. I did one at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, and one at Faulkner Hospital. Both times, I had the chance to work with people I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise, and learned a lot of soft skills—how you work with people—that are hard to learn inside a classroom.

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