The Pulse: May 2026
Message From The Dean
This is my favorite time of year at CPS.
There’s something about Commencement that never gets old — watching our students cross that stage, knowing everything they navigated to get there. This spring, we celebrated another extraordinary class of graduates at two ceremonies at Leader Bank Pavilion and I left each ceremony feeling genuinely proud of this community.
This issue of Pulse is a reflection of that energy. You’ll meet a few of our graduates up close — their stories are a reminder of why the work we do here matters. I’m also excited to share the latest Just Jared podcast where I sat down with two graduates to learn about their experience at CPS and how we can work as a community to make it even better. You’ll also find updates from faculty whose research and thought leadership are shaping their fields in real ways, along with profiles of colleagues whose journeys continue to inspire me.
We’re a college built on the belief that learning never stops. The people featured in this issue live that out every day.
Warmly,
Jared
Celebrating Commencement
We’re proud to celebrate the incredible achievements of Northeastern graduates. Over the past several weeks, graduates from across the College of Professional Studies on campuses around the country have come together to mark this important milestone alongside family, friends, faculty, and staff. Congratulations to all of our graduates as they begin their next chapter and continue making an impact in their communities and professions.
Student Events & Opportunities
Get Connected with Student Engagement
Want to stay in the loop on all CPS student events? Check out the CPS Student Engagement website! Not sure where to start or just want to talk to someone who gets it? Chat with a CPS Student Ambassador in your field or on your campus: https://cps.northeastern.edu/current-students/ambassadors/ Scroll to “Chat with our Ambassadors” Click “See More Profiles” on the lower right Click “Ask me a question” on the profile that is right for you and start chatting!
Tap Into The Northeastern Network
Whether you’re a current student, recent grad, or alum, we all have something in common: a desire to connect and help each other. Unique job opportunities, career support, a chance to mentor or seek mentorship, and countless resources are all available to you here, in one place. With over 350,000 alumni worldwide, NUsource makes it easy to find and connect with alumni in your industry.
CPS News
Faculty and Staff
Alumni Give Back: Lam Dance Works Spring Performance
Lam Dance Works is offering a discounted opportunity for CPS faculty and staff to attend FORWARD: Dance Transformed, their spring performance at Emerson Paramount Center’s Robert J. Orchard Stage (559 Washington St, Boston). Led by CPS alum, John Lam, this dynamic performance brings together art, music, and community.
Performances: May 15, 2026 @ 7:00 p.m. | May 16, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m.
Purchase tickets here — and take advantage of these discounts:
- Education discount: Use code EDUCATE30 for $30 balcony tickets (valid through May 16)
- Group rate: $30/ticket for groups of 15+; complete the group form here and the Paramount Box Office will follow up
Congratulations to our 2026 Faculty and Staff Award Winners and Nominees!
At the 2026 Dean’s Toast, Jared Auclair presented this year’s Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards, recognizing individuals whose work has made a lasting impact across the College community. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements in teaching, scholarship, service, student support, and leadership, while also highlighting the dedication and collaboration that continue to strengthen the College of Professional Studies.
Excellence in Teaching: Behnaz Merikhi and Zhi (Richard) He
Excellence in Scholarship: Noor Ali
Excellence in Service: Diane Perez
Excellence in Student Service: Naomi Cottrelle
Excellence in Staff Achievement: Jennifer Turrentine
Values in Action: Mary Ankohmah
CPS Faculty and Staff Reach a New Milestone at Commencement
This year, several faculty and staff members celebrated Commencement not only as employees of Northeastern University, but also as graduates themselves. Balancing work, classes, and everyday life is no small accomplishment, and it was exciting to see colleagues cross the stage and reach this milestone. Congratulations to all faculty and staff graduates on their hard work and dedication.
Mariah A. Hwedi, MS Nonprofit Management
Michael P. Madden, DMSc Healthcare Leadership
Hannah Mahany, MPS Informatics
Kelsey McCunney, MS Applied Psychology
Yana Mommadova, PhD Sociology
Rupinder Mundi, MEd Higher Education Adm
Olivia Reilly, MS Management
Joseph Reynolds, MBA Business Admin
Ashley Wilson, MS Applied Psychology
Northeastern Faculty Publish Research on Transforming Assessment in Higher Education
Northeastern University faculty members Mamta Saxena, Asim Javed, Joe Reilly, and Shannon Alpert have published a new peer-reviewed article, From Compliance to Collaboration: Building a Holistic and Data-Informed Culture of Assessment for Learning Improvement, in Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education’s official journal, Intersection: A Journal at the Intersection of Assessment and Learning. The article highlights how institutions can move beyond compliance-focused assessment practices to create collaborative, data-informed cultures that strengthen student learning and continuous improvement. The journal is indexed in ERIC and serves higher education professionals committed to advancing assessment for learning.
The Latest News from IRB
The quarterly IRB newsletter is a great resource to identify news and information to help researchers navigate the IRB system at Northeastern. Check out the Spring Issue!
Have News for The Pulse?
As this college-wide monthly newsletter evolves, we look forward to hearing from you. Please send an email to [email protected] with a summary of content and links to the full story.
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