Society & Culture Archives

Iva Toguri D'Aquino known to thousands of GIs fighting in the South Pacific during World War II as

His debut novel at age 70 brings Tokyo Rose to life

Northeastern alum Mike Weedall was a tennis professional who became an energy executive, but he really wanted to be a writer. His debut novel, based on the true story of the accused World War II propagandist Tokyo Rose, “delivers a remarkably compelling story of justice denied,” according to Kirkus Reviews.

by Ian Thomsen December 8, 2020

She was Northeastern's first ‘Woman of the Year’

A member of Northeastern’s inaugural class of women in 1943, Grace McKinlay Mattern was an academic trailblazer, winning the very first women’s scholarship and earning the university's Woman of the Year award—not once, but twice. “Northeastern was good to me,” recalls Mattern, who studied math, physics, and German at the university.

by Noelle Shough - contributor and Gregory Grinnell July 9, 2020

Debra Roberts, who received her MBA from Northeastern in 2001, is the first Black person to be elected as a selectperson in Stoughton, Massachusetts, a town 20 miles south of Boston. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

As the first Black selectperson in Stoughton, she wants to prioritize diversity

Northeastern graduate Debra Roberts, recently elected as the first Black member of the governing body of Stoughton, Massachusetts, a town 20 miles south of Boston, has been recognized by the commonwealth for her contributions to the community. She plans to start her three-year term by tackling the lack of diversity in the town’s workforce.

by Irvin Zhang July 7, 2020

Northeastern graduate George Benner has been feeding neighborhood kids in South Boston via his charity, Round Table, since 2008.Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

The neighborhood kids were hungry. He planted a garden.

For years, George Benner—a Northeastern graduate and merchandising director for the Celtic punk band the Dropkick Murphys—has been feeding and supporting adolescents and their families in South Boston via his charity, Round Table.

by Ian Thomsen June 29, 2020

Stephen Lynch, his mother Sara Lynch, and Keith Foulke, former Major League pitcher who closed out the 2004 World Series for the Boston Red Sox, posed for a picture on Feb. 21, 2020 in Fort Myers Florida, where the Red Sox played the Northeastern baseball team at JetBlue Park. Photo courtesy of Stephen Lynch

He tried to retire at 48. It didn’t stick.

Stephen Lynch’s retirement lasted three weeks. The Northeastern graduate had spent nearly 20 years growing a small energy company into a multimillion dollar business, but he still had more to do.

by Linda Matchan - contributor May 4, 2020

Fenbert, other Peace Corps volunteers, and their Senegalese counterparts tought the best practices for planting cashew trees. The climate of this region makes it an ideal region for producing cashews, which are lucrative and nutritious, and Fenbert and his fellow volunteers worked to encourage people to plant cashews. Photo courtesy of Tavish Fenbert

He broke down (language) barriers and built (live) fences in Senegal

Northeastern graduate Tavish Fenbert spent more than a year in Senegal with the Peace Corps, working to protect the country’s natural landscape.

by Kaitlyn Budion March 20, 2020

Ryan Vanderweit, a U.S. Army veteran who earned his master’s degree in sports leadership at Northeastern University, is running the Marathon de Sables to raise money for organizations that support veterans. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

This US Army veteran doesn’t consider himself a runner. So why’s he running 150 miles through the Sahara Desert?

A U.S. Army veteran and certified strength and conditioning specialist, Ryan Vanderweit, who earned his master’s degree in sports leadership at Northeastern, is no stranger to physical challenges. But even he says the 250-kilometer Marathon de Sables is daunting.

by Molly Callahan February 28, 2020

Northeastern graduate Claire Coletti took part in the Falling Walls competition with her proposal for equitable urban centers based on a model she experienced in Germany. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

She dreams of falling walls and better cities

Claire Coletti, who has earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture at Northeastern, has come to see her search for inclusive architecture from the perspective of her transgender identity.

by Ian Thomsen October 8, 2019

Empowdered Sugar celebrates the accomplishments of famous women in pop culture, politics, and history. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

What do Beyoncé, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Sandra Day O’Connor have in common?

All three are featured in Empowdered Sugar, a cookbook created by Northeastern graduate Grace Cuneo Lineman to honor the accomplishments of famous women in pop culture, politics, and history.

by Irvin Zhang September 16, 2019

Toni Morrison’s groundbreaking novels about black history and identity helped to advance issues of civil rights and racial justice. The author was the keynote speaker at an event at Northeastern University in 2013, and afterward, she met with families who’d lost a relative to racial violence. Photo by Mary Knox Merrill/Northeastern University

Toni Morrison’s influence extends beyond literature

Morrison, whose groundbreaking novels about black history and identity opened the door for scores of authors who followed, also helped to advance issues of civil rights and racial justice.

by Molly Callahan August 9, 2019

Society & Culture