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A time of reflection for seniors
Members of the Class of 2023 look back on their time at the university and ahead to future endeavors. In anticipation of Sunday’s commencement exercises at Fenway Park, Northeastern Global News invited eight undergraduate students to share their experiences of professional and personal growth.
Commencement is a significant milestone that represents years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. For graduating seniors, it’s also a time of reflection and celebration, a moment to reflect on their accomplishments and look ahead to future endeavors.
Students at Northeastern come from diverse backgrounds and have pursued a variety of academic disciplines during their time at the university. Regardless of their circumstances, each 2023 graduate looks forward to Sunday’s commencement exercises at Fenway Park.
In anticipation of the big day, Northeastern Global News invited eight undergraduate students to share their experiences and stories of personal growth. For some, co-ops have been a highlight, while others focused on how much they have changed during their time at the university.
In some cases, their comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Talk about your co-op and experiential learning opportunities at northeastern.
Breanna McClary
Criminal Justice and Political Science
“I’ve done three co-ops. The first one was in the legal field. The second one was at the Inspector General’s office in Massachusetts. And then my third one was at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in France, that was just absolutely amazing. I’ve really used my co-ops to figure out what I want to do after graduation.”
Om Dabhi
Biology
“I did two co-ops. The first one was at a company called EMD Serono Inc., a big biotech company, like PhRMA, and owned by Merck. The second co-op was at Flagship Labs 75 Inc. where they gave me a lot of work, so that was a very good experience. It allowed me to create mutual connections with biotech companies.”
Veena Vyza
Science and Business Administration
“I realized that I like real-world learning and that was a huge takeaway for me. The best way for me to learn is just to be thrown into an environment where I’m kind of forced to learn new things.”
Kiera Perryman
Design
“I enjoyed my time at Northeastern. I gained a lot of academic knowledge, and career opportunities with co-op. I did three co-ops; that was super helpful for me.”
What is something you can take away from your experience at Northeastern?
Jeremy Rodriguez Canales
Behavioral Neuroscience
“The biggest piece of advice I ever got was that a closed mouth never gets fed. That taught me so much because I’ve not only become an advocate for myself, but I’ve become an advocate for other students, and I love being able to help people who feel like they don’t have a voice.”
Breanna McClary
Criminal Justice and Political Science
“I’ve grown into more of a confident person, and I think my family has seen that growth. In high school, I wasn’t very talkative, like I was a bit quieter. But joining the tour guide organization and joining a capella, I’ve really grown a lot.”
Gabriel Reid
Media Arts and Screen Studies
“I work so much in social justice. That’s something I never would’ve thought of doing before coming to Northeastern to be honest. I wanted to tell stories and I knew I wanted to tell them through illustration and through animation.”
Om Dabhi
Biology
“The journey has been very interesting. I’ve met people that I can call my best friends and that I know that I have for the rest of my life.”
Jason Denoncourt
Chemical Engineering
“It would tie back to my engagement with the community, being in Boston, and being able to volunteer with different local organizations. That tossed me into Boston and showed me more than just Northeastern. I got to see the whole city and the surrounding area too.”
Besides co-ops, did you take part in any volunteer opportunities or clubs on campus?
Jennifer James
Corporate Innovation, Marketing and Communication Studies
“I’ve been very involved in Mosaic, which is the umbrella term for all entrepreneurship organizations at Northeastern. It was great for me to find my calling and have that pave my potential career path. I dabbled in some other communities, but my favorite organization that I was so lucky to be a part of was the Entrepreneurs Club.”
Jason Denoncourt
Chemical Engineering
“I partnered with Youth Enrichment Services Inc. in Boston. I volunteered weekly there. Also, I volunteered at Waterville Valley Adaptive Snow Sports. They teach people how to ski on the slopes, no matter your disability.”
Breanna McClary
Criminal Justice and Political Science
“I’ve been president of an a cappella group at Northeastern. I was also really involved in the tour guide organization. It was important to have outlets to let my natural personality grow.”
Gabriel Reid
Media Arts and Screen Studies
“I am part of Comics and Color, which is an organization here in Boston that focuses on comics made by and about people of color. I’m probably going to keep doing a lot of work with them after I graduate.”
What are your plans after commencement?
Jennifer James
Corporate Innovation, Marketing and Communication Studies
“I’m going to be working at a company called ABM Industries as an innovation analyst. I’m going to be moving to New York for the role. Northeastern uses their services, which is very exciting.”
Jason Denoncourt
Chemical Engineering
“I’m going to travel after commencement. I’m going to Europe for three weeks. I’m going to Vienna, Prague and then cutting through Germany before ending the trip in Copenhagen.”
Kiera Perryman
Design
“I’ll be a program assistant for a Dialogue of Civilization this summer in Switzerland. I’m literally flying out right after commencement.”
Talk about the excitement of commencement.
Jennifer James
Corporate Innovation, Marketing and Communication Studies
“I’m an international student from Dubai, so my family is flying 7,000 miles to be here. My sister lives in London, so she’s flying from there too. I’m super excited. I honestly didn’t think the day would come, but it’s honestly nerve-wracking at the same time. I’m just counting down the days.”
Gabriel Reid
Media Arts and Screen Studies
“I was definitely dreading commencement at the beginning of the semester. Then, as I got closer to finishing my capstone, I was crawling to the finish line. But now I just want to graduate. We’re so close. So it’s kind of scary but really exciting.”
Jeremy Rodriguez Canales
Behavioral Neuroscience
“I’m about to have my degree. I’m a first-generation graduate. I’m just so excited. I’ve always wanted to do this to make the people around me proud, but I feel like I’m at a point right now where I’m just like, ‘I’m proud of myself. I did it.'”
Morgyn Joubert is a Northeastern Global News digital media producer. Email her at m.joubert@northeastern.edu.
Photography by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu.
