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“You gave us all the foundation and you continue to help us build it,” Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun told the employees Thursday.
Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun celebrated some of the university’s longest-serving employees at a reception Thursday, saying their work forms a solid foundation on which the university can build upon into the future.
“If an institution does not understand and celebrate its past, this institution cannot build a future,” Aoun said at the reception. “Thank you for being here today, and in celebrating you we are celebrating this university and the future of this university. You gave us all the foundation and you continue to help us build it.”
Twenty-four individuals were honored for their 25 years of service to Northeastern during a breakfast at East Village on the Boston campus. The university also celebrated over 600 faculty and staff who are marking their 5-, 10- and 15-year anniversaries.
Last week, Northeastern celebrated the milestones of colleagues in Oakland, California.
“Today we’re here to celebrate you and the extraordinary impact that you’ve had on so many people at Northeastern,” Michele Grazulis, the vice president of human resources told honorees. “Each of you over your 25 years has put your permanent mark on who we are and who we are still becoming.”
During a fireside chat, longtime faculty and staff discussed how the university had become a home for them — full of supportive colleagues, opportunities, academic freedom and more.
Ravi Ramamurti, distinguished professor of International Business and Strategy, came to teach at Northeastern in 1981 while working on his dissertation, attracted by the university’s willingness to let him study emerging markets and the combination of theory and practice that was offered. He figured he would stay for a few years.
“At some point I drank the Kool-Aid,” Ramamurti said.
Linda Allen, also figured she would stay a short time when she arrived in January 1971. But she said she kept getting new opportunities.
“Fast forward — those six months turned into 50 years,” said Allen, a retired associate vice president and registrar. “It just gets in your blood, not only do you drink the Kool-Aid, but Northeastern gets in your blood.”
The panelists’ comments were echoed by 25-year employees honored Thursday.
“I get along with everybody. It is a real collegial atmosphere,” said honoree Bradley Whitmarsh, assistant director of computer services at the School of Law.
In fact, Whitmarsh graduated from the Khoury College of Computer Sciences and credited the co-op program with kickstarting his career at the university.
“It’s why I’m here,” Whitmarsh said, explaining that his co-op employer came to work at Northeastern and recruited him to join the team.
Leroy Jackson Jr., a scholarship academic adviser in the office of Enrollment Management, credited Northeastern students with keeping him at the university for 25 years.
“I’m learning something from them every day,” Jackson said. “I’m passionate about students and I’m doing what I love.”
“I think very few people in this world are passionate about what they do, but I am,” Jackson continued.
Aoun closed the program by emphasizing how the university’s current excellence and identity can be traced back to the honorees’ contributions.
“We are global; but the globalization didn’t start in 2006, it started way before,” Aoun said. “The focus on research didn’t start today, it started years ago. The focus on lifelong learning was done by many of you in various schools.
“I want to thank you and congratulate you,” Aoun concluded.