Need help finding the bookstore? Or an event to help teach leadership skills? Stephanie Cochrane has you covered.
For most students, their time at Northeastern lasts only a few years — but they are packed with academics, co-ops, and transformative experiences.
At Northeastern’s Toronto campus, ensuring students feel supported every step of the way is the mission of Stephanie Cochrane, director of student services.
In just three years, she has helped grow the student services team from 10 full-time staff members to more than 50, a reflection of Toronto’s rapid rise as one of Northeastern’s largest campuses.
Her team plays a pivotal role in shaping student life, providing essential resources for wellness, skill development, student interest groups, and peer mentorship programs.
“Our goal is to support students throughout their entire journey,” Cochrane said. “We’re here to help them thrive.”
Northeastern Global News recently sat down with Cochrane to learn more about her journey.
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I was going to be a teacher for high school English and philosophy and ended up taking about six years between doing my bachelor of education and going back to school. Then I got into higher education.
I was a student services adviser at a college that worked primarily with international students and that was really where I found the passion for higher education and working with adults, and particularly international students and learners — global citizens, as we call them.
After that I went back to do my master’s of education and was really specializing in higher education and how we can essentially shape our Canadian workforce here with our international and global learners.
Every day is different. Just before this, we were leading a two-hour session with student leaders and peer mentors to teach them leadership skills. Last week, we had a scavenger hunt that we hosted for 60 of our new students to go around and explore Toronto.
Every other week, we meet with everybody on the campus that faces students, such as academic advising, career and co-op advising, wellness, and global learner support. We’re solving students’ issues. We’re responding to their emails and cases that come up.
We’re looking at ways to improve resources that currently exist, overhaul them if needed, and run signature events like orientation — anything (students need) from help finding the bookshop, or help with a mental health crisis.
My favorite part is the students, honestly. That is why I do what I do. It’s student centered, always. I love to see the impact that we have with the students.
I’m usually very overwhelmed with pride at the graduation ceremonies. We have had three graduation ceremonies at three different venues. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into making them go off without a hitch and being able to actually be on the stage and coach our student speakers and then help them with their speech.
That’s definitely a good memory for me. Each of the graduations have been very different and very unique, but working with the student leaders, working with the student speaker and getting to see them cross the stage is definitely a highlight.
Usually I walk through Mount Pleasant Cemetery, which is a very large active cemetery. It’s got massive old trees, lots of natural growth, and right now is the best season to walk through a little bit of nature. Then I take the subway downtown.
And because we’re now in the new campus, we may be starting here at this first Canadian Place campus and then walking or taking transit over to the new campus in the middle of the day, depending on the day.