alumni

G-Form staff inspect protective equipment throughout the production process at the Smithfield, Rhode Island facility. During the pandemic the revolutionary sportswear company pivoted to make face shields for first responders. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

This former Northeastern hockey star scored with a rebound during the COVID-19 downturn

Glen Giovanucci, CEO of G-Form protective sports gear, was on the brink of bankruptcy one month after the pandemic froze his customer base. But Giovanucci, who earned his business degree at Northeastern in 1983, was able to keep G-Form in play by retrofitting the company to manufacture personal protective equipment in the form of face shields for front-line workers.

by Hillary Chabot July 9, 2021

Ornami founder Yewande Masi, who earned her criminal justice degree at Northeastern in 2009, says she found happiness through a process of elimination—cutting toxic ingredients from her skincare and toxic relationships from her life. Photo courtesy of Yewande Masi

How a boost from Beyoncé helped sustain her skin care business

Yewande Masi, who earned her criminal justice degree at Northeastern in 2009, wanted to sell a mango-butter infused homemade lotion that she originally created for her ex-boyfriend. The all-natural product launched in April 2020, just as the pandemic struck, but her focus on e-commerce and self-care resonated with customers. The $10,000 grant Masi received from ‘Single Ladies’ singer Beyoncé last October didn’t hurt, either.

by Hillary Chabot July 8, 2021

Boston Microgreens co-founder Oliver Homberg inspects the variety of microgreens growing at their South Boston location. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

A sprouting subscription service kept this microgreens farmer growing during the pandemic

Northeastern graduate Oliver Homberg had just collected his first paycheck from Boston Microgreens, a company he started in 2018, when the COVID-19 pandemic shriveled his customer base. A slim operating budget and help from a community of fellow farmers helped him grow again.

by Hillary Chabot July 7, 2021

A close up of bees landing on beekeeper hat

The not-so secret life of bees

Elena Getsios’s beekeeping co-op might have led to her first ever sting at the age of 20, but she’s still sweet on her experience working with bee colonies for Best Bees in Boston’s South End.

by Hillary Chabot May 19, 2021

Left, Rebecca Leeper, an engineering major who graduated in 2019. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University. Center, Young Alumni Advisory Board member Cory Krzanik. Right, Lisa Randall, a journalism major who graduated in 2016. Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Recent grads say giving back, staying connected bring them rewards

Several members of Northeastern’s Young Alumni Advisory Board say Giving Day allows them to express their appreciation to an organization that was pivotal in shaping their lives and careers.

by Hillary Chabot April 7, 2021

Northeastern journalism grad John Simons wants to target disinformation as new executive editor of Time

Class of ’92 graduate John Simons learned to love journalism at Northeastern. Now that he’s become the executive editor of Time, he hopes to counter the current culture of conspiracy theories and lies.

by Hillary Chabot March 23, 2021

The Crystal app helps users learn about the personalities of others to communicate better. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

From jobless and sharing a carton of McNuggets to the Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ list

An app that tells you anyone’s personality from their online profile. A company that developed a new type of composite 3D printing. Business savviness that has resulted in more than $150 billion in sales for Uber, Slack, and Netflix. And tiny robots that can accomplish tasks too tricky for human hands. Forbes has recognized the Northeastern graduates behind these trailblazing ventures.

by Khalida Sarwari December 17, 2019

Gearflow is the first online marketplace for buying, selling, researching, and repairing construction equipment and parts, says Ben Preston, the Northeastern graduate who co-founded the company. Illustration by Hannah Moore/Northeastern University

Ordering household items is easy with websites like Amazon. But what if you need a bulldozer?

Northeastern graduate Ben Preston has co-founded Gearflow, the first online marketplace for buying, selling, researching, and repairing construction equipment and parts.

by David Harbeck June 5, 2019

From left to right: Soudy Khan, Chris Marciano, Ryan Matthew, Matt Stoner, Michelle Stoner, Lucia Marciano, and Mark Munroe of Neuron. Photo courtesy of Neuron.

Designing software and smartphone apps with an architect’s touch

Armed with architecture degrees from Northeastern, four alumni founded a startup that takes a unique approach to the navigation of websites, apps, and other platforms.

by Khalida Sarwari March 7, 2019

‘It’s just such a rush of adrenaline performing in front of a crowd that I absolutely love’

By night and weekend, Kelsey Zimmerer practices and performs as a New England Patriots cheerleader. By day, she is the marketing director at a Boston-based startup that designs custom clothing for men. She’ll be cheering on the field on Sunday when the Patriots face the Los Angeles Chargers in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

by Greg St. Martin January 11, 2019