The Winter Social, held in the Rothwell Student Union, drew faculty and staff from the Oakland and Silicon Valley campuses to usher in the holidays with the university president.
OAKLAND, Calif. — Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun loves the tradition of the Winter Social on the Oakland campus.
“I’m very happy to come every year,” Aoun said at the event. “This is a vibrant community, and this event is a way of thanking the community and sharing my appreciation for everything that is being done here.”
The Winter Social, hosted by Aoun in the Rothwell Student Union, drew faculty and staff from the Oakland and Silicon Valley campuses to usher in the holidays with the university president.
For many, the event is a welcome holiday ritual when staff and faculty can relax, applaud successes and enjoy the casual company of colleagues.
“This is a chance to celebrate the work of the faculty and staff and really thank them for the incredible work they do,” said Mary Ludden, senior vice president for global network and strategic initiatives.
Senior Vice Chancellor for Learning Strategy James Genone recently joined the Oakland campus and was attending his first Winter Social.
“This is a fantastic way to interact with people I might not otherwise run into,” Genone said.
The Winter Social is a chance for the broader Northeastern community to mingle and connect.
“People are spread out across lots of disciplines,” said Daniel Sachs, dean of the Oakland campus, who was joined by Caroline Simard, dean of the Silicon Valley campus.
“Here is where people get to know each other,” Sachs said. “The more we can do that on this campus, the stronger we are not just here but actually in the broader community outside the walls of this campus.”
Karen Nelson, a senior project manager at Northeastern, agreed.
“It’s nice to interact with people I’ve worked with on projects,” she said.
In addition to mingling and engaging in conversation with faculty and staff, Aoun and Ludden also spent the afternoon walking around campus and speaking with students.
“They are excited about the opportunities they have had here while on this campus,” Ludden said. “None of that happens without all of the (faculty and staff).”
Before the Winter Social, Aoun met with students around campus, including Founders Commons dining hall.
Aoun also visited the campus’ lively new state-of-the-art makerspaces, which offer students — as well as faculty and staff — the opportunity to explore new skills, materials and interests.
Weekly trainings ensure users — regardless of their major — gain the knowledge they need to safely explore each tool.
Whether experimenting with ceramics, woodworking, 3D printing or photography, the facilities are designed to inspire creativity, innovation, collaboration and personal growth.
Aoun witnessed that growth firsthand.
Inside the makerspaces, Aoun spoke with two engineering students who were learning how to assemble 3D prints and others who were learning how to use the soldering irons.