Hannah Mahany
Master’s in Professional Studies in Informatics ’26 and CPS Human Resources Associate
Three words encapsulate your Northeastern University experience:
Community-Built| Supportive | Rewarding
What have you had to face and how have you overcome any obstacles?
After working a few admin jobs post-undergrad, I knew I wanted to find my way back into higher ed. I missed the community-building, comradery, and sense of belonging I felt as a student. When I interviewed for my current role at CPS, I felt such an instant connection to my team. Your team dynamic can make or break your work experience and I am so happy that I found such a welcoming community. Separately, I also have family ties to NEU; my grandpa is a Northeastern alumnus and that made joining this community all the more special. One challenge I faced when joining CPS was learning about and understanding the organization a a whole. There are so many moving pieces; roles and departments are constantly changing to better align with University needs. It was a great accomplishment when I finally felt like I understood the ins and outs of CPS in its entirety.
What has your journey revealed to you about yourself?
Working at Northeastern has taught me to slow down and take things as they come. In my previous, more entry-level roles, I’ve always had to get a million little things done in one day; and when I first started at NEU, I wanted to leave each day with my i’s dotted and my t’s crossed. But that is simply not how higher ed rolls, and problems can’t be solved in a single day. And that’s okay!
What are your hobbies?
I love all types of board games, card games, video games, and puzzles. I currently spend my days meeting up with friends to play Cribbage, Catan, Dead by Daylight, Tetris, just to name a few. I also love downhill skiing, especially at Cranmore or Pat’s Peak. Nothing beats those $20 chicken tenders and fries from the ski lodge! When I’m not doing any of those things, I’m usually hanging out with any one of my friend’s lovely cats. I don’t have one of my own, but they are all so near and dear to my heart!
What advice do you have for others considering higher education, either at Northeastern or elsewhere?
Take advantage of the great communities that the university has to offer. Every higher ed institution has fostered its own unique and welcoming environment to help students, staff, and faculty all connect. From affinity groups, to student orgs, to staff/faculty clubs, there are so many opportunities to meet new people that you otherwise would have never known about.
What else would you like to say?
I can’t express how much I appreciate the CPS community. It has been so wonderful getting to know all of you over the past two years and I am so excited for what’s to come!
Olivia Reilly
Masters of Science, Management ’26 and CPS Human Resources Assistant
Three words encapsulate your Northeastern University experience:
Unique| Pivotal | Bouncy
What have you had to face and how have you overcome any obstacles?
The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a major challenge for me. A lot of my friends are not pursing their Masters and so they a lot more free time than me. I’ve learned that the best way for me to combat FOMO is by managing my time well. I’d even go as far to say that time management is my best friend! I write all of my tasks down and allocate time each day to complete them. If I don’t write something down it does not get done. So far this process has worked wonderfully for me!
What were some of your challenges and opportunities?
I was not a student when I joined Northeastern. I originally joined Northeastern in a contract role as a Student Success Coordinator for the NU.in program. This is a program for first year undergraduate students that allows them to go aboard during their first semester at Northeastern. I lived abroad in Berlin, Germany with 125 new Northeastern students. It was WILD. Living in a foreign country with a bunch of 18 year old first year students is not easy, but fortunately my coworkers became my best pals. We still talk everyday even though we don’t work together. That experience introduced me to a new community of friends that I would have never met if I didn’t accept that role. My CPS HR role has given me a similar experience. I have a great team and I laugh with them a lot. Working at CPS has helped me sharpen my professional skills and has prompted some unique challenges. My role has opened me up to new experiences and I look forward to continuing to serve the CPS employee population.
Why are you interested in the degree you’re pursuing? What motivates you?
I am pursing the MS in Management degree at Northeastern. During undergrad I studied communications and I utilize those skills everyday, but I desire a stronger understanding of business. Moreover, working in HR has exposed me to business in a new way. I’m motivated by all of the freedom that I have in this chapter of my life. I don’t have a mortgage, children, or even a dog. Essentially, this is a great time go back to school before my life gets too crazy!
What advice do you have for others considering higher education, either at Northeastern or elsewhere?
Try out working in higher ed! You will meet a lot of forward thinkers and you’ll get to pursue some exciting opportunities.
What are you hoping to do after you graduate? Where do you imagine yourself five years after school?
I always say that I want to be a pop star after I graduate, but unfortunately that is not going to happen. Instead, I want to continue being in a role of service and helping people navigate complex issues. In five years I hope to have a dachshund and to be a hybrid role where I can work from home with the dog on my lap. On a more serious note, in five years I would love to manage a few folks and mentor them. I have had a few great managers and would love to replicate that experience for someone starting out in their career.
What are some of your hobbies and other passions? Where do you find your joy?
My favorite form of meditation is power walking. I walk miles on miles each day after work. I rock out to my music and let my mind take a rest. It is great! I love to travel and have been to quite a few places. Traveling is fun and it keeps me young! I find a lot of joy in spending time with my loved ones. I have a lot of friends from different walks of life in Boston and its been really fun exploring the city with them. My family lives close by so I spend a good chunk of time with them too. I also have a senior dachshund named Cam who I am obsessed with. When I go home I like to snuggle with him on the couch. Life is great with all of them by my side!
What else would you like to say?
I love to meet new people and laugh! Come say hi next time you see me in the office!
Connect with Olivia: LinkedIn
Faculty Spotlight: Robert DeLeo, University Fellow of Public Life
Former MA House Speaker Robert DeLeo came to Northeastern University as a Fellow for Public Life in 2020. Much of his work at the university benefits the CPS Doctor of Law and Policy (DLP) program, offering consultations with students and faculty members. Four years later, he’s all settled in.
DeLeo served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1991 to 2020 and was elected Speaker of the House in 2009. He held that position until 2020, when, after 30 years in the House, he joined Northeastern University. DeLeo’s reputation is that of a man who can thrive in a highly politicized environment with an ease that consistently built bipartisan consensus on a variety of issues throughout his long career. He proactively diversified legislative leadership by appointing many women and minoritized individuals to chair positions during his tenure, with some serving as the firsts in those roles.
At 70, sitting as Massachusetts longest serving House Speaker at the onset of the pandemic, DeLeo knew it was time for his next step, but he couldn’t leave the role without disrupting the state’s legislative process; the entire body was figuring out how to conduct debates without being physically present in the chamber. Once things fell into a routine, DeLeo transitioned to Northeastern, where the university community celebrated his return to his alma mater.
Transition and the Technological Revolution
The transition from serving as a high-ranking government official to that of a University Fellow was stark. DeLeo describes his own technological revolution of moving from a place where a multitude of assistants would print out his emails, review them with him either in person or on the phone, and type out responses for him, to a setting where he had to execute all these administrative tasks himself, for the very first time in his life.
“I had no idea how to work a computer so I had to learn from scratch. It was daunting. I would go in once a week for someone to teach me how to use it, and how to do zoom calls. This was a steep learning curve; I was just used to people telling me where to go to give my speech,” he said.
DeLeo is proud to report that he has adapted. He said, smiling, “They told me I was a pretty good student, but I still have a lot to learn. I encourage people to learn because technology is here to stay and there is no going back.”
Rewiring, not Retiring
When asked what he is proud of while serving in elected office, DeLeo cites a host of accomplishments including passing laws on gun safety, transgender LGBTQ advocacy, and education advocacy that resulted in passing the 2019 Student Opportunity Act (SOA) that made state funding in K-12 schools more robust and equitable.
It is typical for long-serving government officials to register as a lobbyist or a consultant after retirement, because their insider perspective is valuable to so many interests. (A recent Vox article cites that about half of retiring senators and a third of House members register as lobbyists after retiring). For DeLeo, things turned out differently. One of the things he found when he was House Chair and Speaker was that he would be called upon to speak at schools and universities. “I found it so invigorating; I loved talking to the students”, he recalls.
“It was always in the back of my mind, ‘what’s the next chapter gonna hold?’ I decided to go into something I was passionate about, and that was higher education.”
According to DeLeo, Northeastern President Joseph Aoun, proud that DeLeo was an alum, would meet with him once or twice a year to discuss developments in the education sector. DeLeo recounted, “He once said to me, ‘When you leave being Speaker, you know you have to come to Northeastern.’ I looked at him and asked, ‘Why?’ He replied, ‘Because this is your home.’ And that always stuck with me.”
When DeLeo stepped down as Speaker, he got multiple offers from other schools, lobbying firms and law offices. “I looked inward and remembered President Aoun saying that to me; ultimately, I decided Northeastern would be a natural landing place. It was one of the best decisions that I ever made. I genuinely feel like I’m in a special place. When I speak publicly, I’m trying to sell the university, but I’m not doing it because I’m ‘selling the school’; I’m doing it because I believe in it. Sometimes when I drive home, I say to myself, ‘I love this place’.
Growing Up
DeLeo grew up in East Boston and Winthrop and attended Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in colonial-era America and the oldest existing school in the United States, founded in 1635.
His mother mainly stayed at home tending to domestic matters, the children, and a job at the local school’s cafeteria. He said, “She is where I got my compassion for people. In those days they didn’t have free lunch in the schools, but mom made sure everyone got fed. She just gave them food.” He jokes, “I think the statute of limitations has gone now, so I can admit that. She would also go to the donut store to pick up donuts for the teachers. My dad used to say to her “you’re the only person I know who is losing money working.”
DeLeo lived in a ‘three decker’ home, an architectural design mostly built between the 1880’s and 1930’s, known for the ability to provide affordable housing opportunities for a wide variety of working- and middle-class families, in an East Boston Italian American neighborhood. DeLeo describes each floor being occupied by family members; next door, his mother’s sister lived, and right behind their building, his grandmother and his other aunt resided. “I lived in the DeLeo version of the Kennedy compound.” he quipped.
“In those days if there was a neighbor that needed helping, you were there. If someone needed food or clothing, you were there. It was very matriarchal.” he said.
His father worked long hours as a bus boy and a waiter, and he worked his way up to become Matre d’ at the Statler Hilton, now known as the Copley Plaza. DeLeo said, “My Dad worked his way up the hard way and did very well.”
From 1964 to 1973, during the period when DeLeo graduated high school and entered college, America drafted young men for the Vietnam War. DeLeo recalls, “That was an interesting era; I was number 167 in the lottery. I was never called to serve.”
Northeastern: The Perfect Next Step
DeLeo graduated from Northeastern in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. “I can’t say I really knew what was next; I wasn’t like I was looking to go into a particular profession like ‘I want to be a doctor or an engineer’. What attracted me to Northeastern was the co-op experience. After leaving Boston Latin, where the academic curriculum was incredibly challenging, I knew I wanted to do something more hands on. I knew I wanted immediate work experience and freedom to see what everything was all about. Northeastern was my perfect next step”, he said.
DeLeo’s first co-op job was at American Airlines where he managed reservations by phone. He said, “people would call me and say ‘I want to go to Dallas, Texas’ and I had to look for the options by reading out a list of flights and prices. The upside to the job was that I got to travel for free and just pay the taxes on the flights.”
After American Airlines, DeLeo worked for the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and was involved with processing cases for accidents. While there, his interest in the law was piqued.
“One of the greatest things about Northeastern is the experiential learning.” he said.
First Generation Graduate
When DeLeo graduated college, he admittedly thought he was a ‘hot shot’. As the first one in his family to graduate, he describes feeling like ‘everyone would want me to work for them!”. That wasn’t really the case. Liberty Mutual wanted to send him to Hartford for a full time job, but he wanted to go to law school. Around this time, he also considered following his father into the hotel and restaurant business, but his college degree wasn’t exactly valued in the industry. He said, “They were like ‘you graduated college? Great. So what. You’ve got to work your way up’. They weren’t impressed.”
He enrolled in Suffolk University’s law school and attended evening classes while working during the day at the courthouse.
Students & Bagels
DeLeo’s primary role at Northeastern is to provide faculty and students with insights and context around global, national, state and local affairs. Although he does not teach classes, he is frequently invited by professors to speak on various topics or to spend time with students. He serves many programs across the university, working extensively within the Doctor of Law and Policy (DLP) and Doctor of Education (EdD) programs offered by the College of Professional Studies and Northeastern’s Political Science department.
JD LaRock, Professor of the Practice in the DLP program and professor to both DLP and EdD courses, said, “Since [DeLeo] came to Northeastern, he has been present in every single class that I’ve taught. He shares insights and experiences from his own time as a legislature and connects that with the issues we are studying. Those real life stories in policy that you don’t read in textbooks, he brings all of that in the classroom. I couldn’t do that on my own.”
DeLeo also spends a significant amount of time with both undergraduate and graduate students, offering guidance on their studies and dissertations. He provides advice on various topics, such as identifying good places to learn, finding suitable co-op jobs and places to work upon graduation. He said, “Sometimes students want to have more context, such as ‘how did you do this, what was that meeting like, how exactly did this law get passed?’ That’s the major part of me being here, and if I had to pick what I really love, it’s working with the students.”
Jack McDevitt, Professor of the Practice Emeritus at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and CPS Faculty Affiliate, who also served as interim director of the Doctor of Law and Policy (DLP) program, said that he regularly called DeLeo in to consult with both students and professors. He said, “DeLeo has been invaluable to us. For students enrolled in the doctorate program, you absolutely need an expert, and Bob’s done a fantastic job consulting on projects the students are trying to get done. He also helps plan the annual DLP trip to DC, and he arranges for students to meet senators and other people from the White House, including congress people and officials; he organizes all of that every year.”
DeLeo stated, “For the doctoral students, I’ll use my network to bring in speakers and set up people for them to talk to. They say something like ‘I’m doing a thesis on…say, paid family leave,’ and I connect them directly with people working in that field. I also work with undergrads who are very nervous and often ask, ‘What’s the best path?’ I always explain that the path is never straight and always winding.”
“If I was a lobbyist, I would be getting paid a lot more money!” he mused.
In reflecting on the impact that DeLeo had on his faculty and students, Jack McDevitt, Professor of the Practice Emeritus at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and CPS Faculty Affiliate said,
“Alot of students and faculty depend on him; he’s working across the university and has been a real asset. There are a lot of people that are benefitting from his expertise here at the University, but there are more that could.”
Chantei Alves, a Boston Public School special education teacher at the Allison Parks Early Education School in Mattapan is a doctorate student in the DLP Program. She enjoys DeLeo on her dissertation committee as her Second Reader. Her work is focused on mixed method research that looks at different states that have adopted science of reading laws, a body of scientific evidence that informs how students learn to read and write proficiently, into their curriculum, to see its impact on outcomes and teaching practices in early childhood education. She is scheduled to defend her dissertation next spring. She said, “because of Speaker DeLeo’s amazing work with the Student Opportunities Act in Massachusetts, I am so honored to have him as not just an advisor but as a mentor. For me, it’s the perfect pairing. For me personally, he checks in to make sure I’m ok, he pulls me to the side asking how’s it going, and he’s always motivating me, I really appreciate that.”
As testament to DeLeo’s humble disposition to serving others, Alves offers a story recalling the time her cohort took a trip to DC, saying, “We wanted to witness an important pharma case that was happening in the courts so we all arrived in front of the courthouse at like 6 in the morning to get in line to get inside. After waiting for about an hour, we all started talking about how hungry we were, then out of nowhere Speaker DeLeo walks up with drinks and a big bag of bagel egg and cheese sandwiches! Someone joked “thanks Bob, I guess this is a little different than serving in the House eh? And we all laughed. But he is such a servant to us and he doesn’t mind doing it! Without question, he didn’t mind bringing us bagels at 6 in the morning and he doesn’t mind just as generously sharing his time or contact with us in the ways we need. That bagel story really speaks to his character. He’s always making me feel like I’m extremely important to him and that is everything.”
The Power of Education
When DeLeo was speaker, he talked about the need for education, early education and community colleges.
“Many times, people talk about how we can change the trajectories of certain kids. When I saw how statistically children of socioeconomic privilege were doing so much better because they had those opportunities that others didn’t have, we started putting vast amounts of money into early education. It gave kids an equal opportunity in terms of where they could go. Without early education, statistics show that reading levels are lower, high school graduation rates are lower, and the likelihood of incarceration is much higher. I see education itself as one of the best social programs we can implement.
The same goes for community colleges. Everyone has challenges, and some people face obstacles to attending college.
These are the places where we have the opportunity to make a difference for people.”
NU Graduate School of Education: Bridging Innovation and Education for Global Impact
Join us at our Graduate School of Education Community Event.
On Friday, July 26, we’ll be hosting our annual Graduate School of Education (GSE) community event—featuring a panel discussion moderated by Corliss Thompson, PhD, Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Education, followed by a reception where you’ll be able to meet and mingle with GSE faculty, students, and alumni as well as Boston-area educators and community leaders and members.
Our panel will explore innovation in the educational setting on a global scale. There will be time for audience members to ask questions and speak with the panelists.
Event Details
- Date: Friday, July 26, 2024
- Time:10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Northeastern University Alumni Center, 716 Columbus Ave, Sixth Floor, Boston, MA 02120
Meet Our Moderator and Panelists
Corliss Thompson, PhD
She has been a full-time faculty member in the Graduate School of Education at Northeastern University since 2013 and has taught research methods, research design, and social justice courses.
Thompson has been involved with NExT, the Global Network of Experiential Educators, at Northeastern since its inception.
She is passionate about using culturally relevant and experiential approaches in her teaching and mentoring.
Alex Fronduto, PhD
He is an assistant teaching professor at Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Education in the College of Professional Studies. He holds a BS in Chemistry and Premedical and Health Studies, an MEd in Higher Education Administration, and a Doctorate in Health Sciences. His research spans lab-based sciences to educational methods, and he has extensive experience in enrollment management, including recruitment, staff supervision, operations, and marketing. He teaches courses on higher education and supervision, and also chairs and reads dissertations for Doctor of Education students. He is an active member of New England Association of College Admission Counseling and the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and he has presented at their conferences.
Chris Unger, EdD
He is a teaching professor in Northeastern’s graduate programs in education, including the Doctor of Education program. His focus is on learner-centered and agency-focused schooling, educational entrepreneurship, and support of change agents. With over 30 years of experience, he has worked on school, district, and state improvement efforts in the U.S. and South America, including at Brown University and Harvard’s Project Zero. At Northeastern since 2010, he supports doctoral students and promotes learner-centered learning communities. His expertise includes education entrepreneurship, experiential learning, school design, and networking.
Joe McNabb, PhD
He is a professor of the practice in the Graduate School of Education. Previously, he was president of Labouré College for eleven years and a commissioner for the New England Commission of Higher Education. He has served on various boards, including those of teaching hospitals and nonprofits. A founding member of the College of Professional Studies Faculty Academic Council, he is active on numerous committees and chaired the College of Professional Studies All-College Committee in 2023–2024. He has also served on the Northeastern University Faculty Senate and holds editorial roles, contributing to peer-reviewed journals and co-editing two books. He holds a BA from Boston University and a PhD from Northeastern University.
The Spirit of Giving: From Co-op Student to Donor
Alumni Spotlight: Jim Nolan, BA Business & Administration ‘71
Few understand the value of co-op education quite like Jim Nolan.
As a graduate of the College of Professional Studies, BA Business & Administration ‘71, and lifetime career in commercial real estate, Nolan encourages everyone to embrace the practice of philanthropy. His guiding principle is simple yet profound, “engage in giving back in any capacity possible, no matter how small, because every act contributes to a greater good.”
Nolan’s formative years were influenced by his parents’ strong family values and his father’s military career, which involved multiple relocations around the globe and exposed him to many different cultures. He graduated high school at a small school in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, which was mostly populated by expat students, children of employees of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the US Embassy and Joint American Military Mission to Aid Turkey (JAMMAT).
He said, “Coming from the military mindset, I never understood the world of business; I didn’t know there was such a thing as business, and I didn’t know what an entrepreneur was. There is no ‘profit motive’ in the military, there are just missions and objectives. You do whatever it is that needs to be done that day.”
When it was time to submit college applications, Nolan aspired to pursue a career in teaching, influenced by the positive impact of his high school English teacher, Mrs. Vick. His mother’s best friend in Ankara was the daughter of Herb Gallagher, the Athletic Director at Northeastern University at the time. Both she and her husband were Northeastern graduates and their experience with the university inspired Nolan to apply to the School of Education. Despite never having set foot in Boston before, he was accepted.
His first visit to Boston coincided with the start of his first semester as an English major in the Northeastern University College of Education. He said, “I boarded a plane from Turkey, arrived at JFK airport with only $50 in my pocket, purchased a bus ticket, and got off at Copley Square.” He then settled into the dorms located at 129 Hemingway Street, Boston. Upon his arrival, he was greeted with two military footlockers containing everything he owned.
His parents agreed to pay for tuition and board, but Nolan had to earn money for everything else. During his freshman year, he secured a few small jobs, washing dishes at the girl’s dormitory and with Northeastern’s building and grounds when needed. By combining earnings from these jobs, he was able to cover most of his college expenses, graduating with a loan of just $1,200, roughly equivalent to $25,000 in today’s dollars.
The Co-op Experience
In his first year at Northeastern, Nolan met with his co-op coordinator to arrange a work experience. The challenge for the coordinator was that the job had to be related to education and provide room and board. Jim was open to opportunities, and the coordinator recommended he look at occupational therapist roles offered at Fairfields Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Newtown, Connecticut.
“It was a beautiful campus, no gates, every building was a colonial five story building,” Nolan said, remembering his time there. He recalls arriving at the hospital, heading to the administrative building to get the room key, and settling into an 18×12 wide room with a sink and bathroom down the hall. “I unpacked feeling a little strange and went downstairs to the basement rec room. I saw other people there, they were acting a little rambunctious, and I said, ‘holy moly they put me in with the patients.’ But they were the orderlies!”
Nolan’s next experiential work opportunity was with the Aetna Life and Casualty Company in Richmond, Virginia. Again, Nolan met with his coordinator and focused his job search on Virginia, as his parents were relocating from Turkey to live there. While with Aetna Life, he received free room and board, as well as laundry service. After two co-op periods with the company, Nolan realized his interest in business and finance and transitioned out of the College of Education to University College, now known as the College of Professional Studies. He switched his major to Business Administration and Management and added two additional years at Northeastern to complete his degree.
“Giving is a joyful experience. If you are at Northeastern, you have got to be immersed in the programs that are offered and take every advantage that is thrown at you. Then give back.”
Jim Nolan
While he caught up with his new major, Nolan held other positions with the Employers Commercial Union, the Security Insurance Company, the US Post office and Bradley’s Stop and Shop. As he moved closer to graduation, he again called on the assistance of his co-op coordinator for advice and job recommendations. He was recommended to take the Civil Service Examination and apply with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
He spent the next seven years in a variety of positions and responsibilities with the FDIC, the last two years serving as the Assistant Liquidator of American Bank and Trust company in New York. Finally, Nolan decided it might be time to go out on his own.
Going Out On His Own.
After his tenure with the FDIC, Nolan spent the next three years as the Head of Real Estate Acquisitions for a Miami-based company, First Capital. He then had a brief stint as President of MDC Equities in Denver, Colorado. It was in Denver that Nolan met his future partner, and together they co-founded United Trust Fund (UTF), a privately owned real estate investment firm headquartered in Miami. His partner had a connection with a large state retirement fund to provide capital for property purchases, while Nolan’s role was to purchase, manage, and sell the investments. His partner famously said, “You buy the properties, and I will find the capital,” and that is exactly what they did for the next six years, building the name and brand of United Trust Fund (UTF).
Starting essentially from scratch in 1982, Nolan and his partner grew the company to institutional status. To enhance the company’s capital structure, he hired an investment banker in New York. Deloitte and Touche were engaged to conduct a three-year back audit, and an investment offering was prepared. Nolan remarked, “I learned all of this through my Northeastern co-op experience and my time with the FDIC.” A list of 100 institutional prospects was made, and within one-year, Metropolitan Life closed on a 20% interest in UTF.
Nolan successfully built his business while raising his three young children and volunteering his time as a Northeastern alum, attending local college fairs, and actively engaging in numerous nonprofit organizations.
Philanthropy
Nolan’s own family’s value of giving, coupled with his award of the Joseph Mullin Scholarship in his last year at Northeastern, gave him a strong sense of the importance of giving back.
Before he was able to give money, Nolan volunteered his time. He represented the university in the local college admission process, attended college fairs, and met with prospective students to promote Northeastern and its co-op program. He continued in that role for ten years, covering Florida and other parts of the southeastern part of the country.
Eventually, he established the Nolan Family Scholarship for students with learning challenges, starting with a donation of $25,000 and aiming to increase it to $100,000. He has not only achieved this goal but has been able to contribute even more to the fund.
At a dinner in Miami, Richard Freeland, then-president of Northeastern, solicited Nolan to serve on the University’s Board of Incorporators which he served on for more than ten years, actively engaged in the Admission Committee, the Student Affairs Committee, the Building Committee and finally, serving five years on the University’s Financial Affairs Committee.
His breadth of involvement reflects Nolan’s dedication to making a meaningful impact on service and leadership. “When I had time, I gave time; and when I had money, I gave money.”, he said.
“Northeastern co-op provided experience and work ethic for my future and that fueled my desire to give back”
-Jim Nolan
Faces of CPS
Faces of CPS: Eugene Burns
“The greatest revelation is that my intellectual capacity extends beyond my self-imposed boundaries. I want to be known as a thought leader with fresh and innovative approaches to addressing some of the world’s challenges. Northeastern has assisted me in discovering my voice towards that aim.”
Connect with Eugene: LinkedIn
Faces of CPS: Hannah Mahany
“Take advantage of the great communities that the university has to offer. Every higher ed institution has fostered its own unique and welcoming environment to help students, staff, and faculty all connect. From affinity groups, to student orgs, to staff/faculty clubs, there are so many opportunities to meet new people that you otherwise would have never known about.”
Connect with Hannah: LinkedIn
Faces of CPS: Olivia Reilly
“I always say that I want to be a pop star after I graduate, but unfortunately that is not going to happen. Instead, I want to continue being in a role of service and helping people navigate complex issues. In five years I hope to have a dachshund and to be a hybrid role where I can work from home with the dog on my lap. On a more serious note, in five years I would love to manage a few folks and mentor them. I have had a few great managers and would love to replicate that experience for someone starting out in their career.”
Connect with Olivia: LinkedIn
Faces of CPS: Antonio Boyd
“I have been lifted and held up by the Northeastern community and helped others along the way. When we use the word colleague at Northeastern, we mean it. I have also been called to be a leader at Northeastern, either as a student leader or one of the few African American male leaders in my department. I take it very seriously to be an exemplar to the students and faculty I get to serve. Black men only make up 2.5 percent of all doctoral degrees at PWIs and HBCUs. If that number is to increase, it takes a village and role models..”
Connect with Antonio: LinkedIn
Faces of CPS: Mohak Jani
“I’ve encountered various obstacles, including time management difficulties, financial constraints, and adapting to a new cultural and academic environment as an international student. I am inspired by the prospect of continuous learning and personal growth that comes with pursuing an advanced degree. “
Connect with Mohak: Instagram
Faces of CPS: Rhiannon Jacobs
“One challenge I had to overcome while pursuing my master’s was balancing a full time job in addition to a full course load. Being able to successfully manage my time coupled with my interest in the subject matter and applicability to my career allowed me to be successful in both areas.”
Faces of CPS: Jhanvi Patel
“This two-year journey took work. Life isn’t always the same and easy as well. Being an international student away from home and family is the starting hurdle of the journey, a new country, new place, and new people made me intimidated by my decision but the strong will to achieve something special by achieving a degree was so strong it overpowered all my worries and always fuel my hope and courage.”
Connect with Jhanvi: LinkedIn
Faces of CPS: Hairani Armaya Doremi
“From a young age, starting at 15, I began working in Indonesia to support my family. Among my peers, I stood out as the one who abstained from alcohol while working as a DJ—a role that harmonized with my abilities to sing, dance, and host events simultaneously. This multi-talented nature set me apart and posed the challenging question of excelling in multiple disciplines at once.”
Faces of CPS: Vandna Mehta
“My advice is to dive in wholeheartedly. Education is more than a set of courses; it’s a catalyst for transformation. Be prepared to work hard, be open to learning, and be ready to grow not just as a professional but as a person.”
Connect with Vandna: LinkedIn
Faces of CPS: Dayana Alsamsam
“Dealing with personal challenges is incredibly tough. Being far from family during hard times is one of the biggest challenges I have endured. This experience is molding me into a more resilient person; definitely a growth journey.”
Faces of CPS: Attrayee Chakraborty
“As a first-generation international student, I didn’t have many connections in the healthcare industry in the US. By attending conferences, workshops and leading the student chapter of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) at Northeastern as the secretary, I established a great network of professionals aligned to my field of study, along with fostering a community for future international students interested in working in healthcare. “
Connect with Attrayee: LinkedIn
Know someone who would make a great Face of CPS?
If you know someone whose profile should be included here, definitely let us know! We’d love to profile them!
Please email your nomination, referring the person you think would make a great Face of CPS with a brief explanation of why you think they’d be a great fit.
Faces of CPS: Chin-Hua Pan
Hailing from Taiwan, Chin-Hua Pan, embarks on a life-changing odyssey at Northeastern, transcending language barriers with confidence and fueled by a passion for UX design.
“Embracing this newfound confidence, I actively sought out new experiences at Northeastern. I didn’t shy away from unfamiliar territory, and the resulting achievements further solidified my belief in my abilities.”
Connections: Linkedin
Faces of CPS: Sudhamshu Vidyananda
“My journey at Northeastern has helped me to be more resilient, adaptable and to move from my comfort zone. I learnt more about my strengths and how to face the world in a more disciplined way.”
Hailing from Mangalore, Sudhamshu Vidyananda, is embraced by Boston, epitomizes resilience and innovation in his Northeastern journey.
Connections: Linkedin
Faces of CPS: Kartika Ahire
“If I have to reflect on the journey at Northeastern, I will say that Resilience, Connections, and Adaptability skills helped me understand myself more.”
Hailing from Nashik, India, Kartika Ahire embraces the diverse and collaborative spirit of Northeastern, forging a path of resilience and adaptability in pursuing Regulatory Affairs, while finding solace in Boston’s vibrant culture and natural beauty.
Connections: Instagram
Faces of CPS: Godfred Afriyie Owusu
Hailing from Ghana and making Boston home, Godfred Afriyie Owusu exemplifies unwavering determination at Northeastern, transcending obstacles with a stubborn commitment to his dreams, fostering innovation in project management.
“Your dream about what you can make out of Northeastern should be higher than the obstacles you will face while at Northeastern or elsewhere.”
Faces of CPS: Harshal Randad
Hailing from India, Harshal Randad emerges as a transformative force at Northeastern, embodying resilience and seizing opportunities while mastering Project Management, driven by a vision of global impact and continuous growth.
“Northeastern University stood out to me for its exceptional course structure and Co-op program, which were among the many factors influencing my decision to attend.”
Faces of CPS: Swapnesh Tiwari
“The varied experiences at Northeastern, especially as a student ambassador, including interacting with a diverse student body and participating in global experiences, teach adaptability.”
Hailing from India, Swapnesh Satishkumar Tiwari navigates the complexities of academia at Northeastern with reflective insight, leveraging collaborative learning and resilience, carving a path toward healthcare innovation and professional success.
Connections: Facebook
Faces of CPS: Alessandro Zampi
“I liked the Northeastern brand (even though I knew very little about the university) and I liked the subjects it is known for. I also liked what the mascot represents (intelligent, energetic, hardworking).”
Hailing from diverse locales like London, New York, and Boston, Alessandro Zampi won 2024 Staff Excellence Award. A current graduate student in Analytics and Staff Operations Analyst, his dedication enriches both academia and operations.
Faces of CPS: Suqi (Eileen) Wu
Hailing from China, Suqi (Eileen) Wu embodies innovation and creativity. As an alumna of the 2023 MS Digital Media program, she excels as a Product and UX Designer, shaping impactful user experiences globally.
“The co-op program and the experiential learning opportunities, I made lots of friends and became a more professional designer because of this experience.”
Faces of CPS: Minfang Wu
Hailing from China, Minfang Wu unfolds her Northeastern University journey, overcoming barriers, pursuing analytics, and aspiring towards tech excellence.
“The Northeast offers numerous chances, both in terms of career and geographical advantages. As a student, I appreciate this type of learning environment.”
Faces of CPS: Anthony Alsayed
“I was also attracted by the university values and the organizational culture and felt inspired by its leaders and the mission that was based on practical training and research.”
Hailing from Toronto, Anthony Alsayed is the recipient of the 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award, bringing his expertise as a part-time lecturer, enriching students’ learning experiences.
Faces of CPS: Sanover Tasneem
“As a first-generation student, I needed financial support for my education and getting an on-campus position was tough. Applying and securing a co-op was also a big hurdle. Overall, CPS has given me a lot of opportunities to showcase my abilities and use the skills from my past work experience in India. I have just been so grateful for all the good things supporting my life and education here.”
Hailing from Jaunpur, India, Sanover Tasneem is a first-generation college student who now calls Boston home, pursuing a Master of Professional Studies in Analytics, she is graduating in June 2024.
Faces of CPS: Vivek Vaghasiya
Hailing from Gujarat, India, Vivek Vaghasiya is pursuing a Master of Professional Studies in Informatics. He is graduating in May 2024.
“My journey at Northeastern University has been a revelation, showcasing my resilience and adaptability. After graduation, I aspire to secure a role in data analytics or cloud computing, leveraging the skills acquired during my master’s in professional studies in Informatics. In five years, I envision myself in a leadership position, driving innovative solutions and contributing to the advancement of technology in a dynamic industry.”
Connections: Linkedin
Faces of CPS: Jennifer Chavez
Hailing from Boston, Jennifer Chavez Umana is a first-generation college student balancing full-time work, her coursework at school, and personal growth.
“My journey at Northeastern has shown me that I am capable of so much more. I can handle things that I never thought I was able to. Even then sometimes I feel like I still won’t be able to make it through but somehow I always push through.”
Faces of CPS: Christian Cartagena
“Being a Northeastern student has been an inspiring journey. Each completed class shows I am not only a step closer to my goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree but also an achievement added to my collection.”
Hailing from Boston, Christian Cartagena is a first-generation college student pursuing finance, navigating challenges, and finding joy in Boston.
Faces of CPS: Brittni Allen
“I chose to join the NU family because I was very excited and intrigued by programs designed to help more students access educational opportunity. I’ve always had a passion for helping other to reach their goals and this position aligned perfectly.”
Hailing from Miami, Brittni Allen is a first-gen college student thrives at Northeastern, driven by her passion for equal opportunities.
Connections: Linkedin
Faces of CPS: Srisha Rajasekar
Hailing from Singapore, Srisha Rajasekar shares her dynamic Northeastern University odyssey, merging academic excellence, regulatory fervor, and personal fulfillment.
“The evolving regulatory environment presents an exciting challenge, my motivation lies in the impactful role regulatory affairs plays in shaping the future & ensuring the well-being of individuals.”
Connections: Linkedin
Faces of CPS: Oduenyi Uga
Hailing from Boston having Nigerian-American roots, Oduenyi Uga, shares a transformative journey at Northeastern University, overcoming academic challenges while thriving in the digital communication and media realm.
“My journey at Northeastern University has been a profound revelation of my own capabilities and passions. It has underscored the belief that there truly are no limits to what I can achieve when I seize opportunities and commit wholeheartedly.”
YearUp/Roxbury Community College Opportunity Scholarship Recipient, Jennifer Chavez
“My journey at Northeastern has shown me that I am capable of so much more. I can handle things that I never thought I was able to. Even then sometimes I feel like I still won’t be able to make it through but somehow I always push through. My family is a huge support system for me and I know that I wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”
– Jennifer Chavez
Our network spans across the world. Where are you from or where do you consider home?
Home to me is Boston, MA and I am the first in my family to attend college.
Getting a degree while life is happening isn’t always easy. What are some of the challenges you’ve had to face and how have you overcome them?
I am working full-time at a pharmaceutical company, going to school at Northeastern, trying to experience new things in my life and strengthen my relationships. I find myself constantly trying to figure out what I prioritize most in my life. To overcome this I have been learning to overthink less.
What advice do you have for others considering higher education — either at Northeastern or elsewhere?
I recommend them to fully focus on school, especially if they are not working in an industry that matters to them. I think having that sacrifice would make my life easier so I could put all my focus on school. I also recommend having a good mentality that is more focused on discipline than motivation, because motivation comes and goes and sometimes you don’t want to do it anymore.
Discipline is a mental battle but it is a form of self-love for a person’s future self.
Why are you interested in the degree you’re pursuing? What motivates you?
I am interested in the current degree I’m pursuing which is business management, because I have always aspired to be a leader. I like working with people and how to help them reach their goals. Ever since I was young I helped my mom manage the house by helping her with organizing her bills and helping her keep stock of what was in the house. This helped me gain responsibility and helped her because she was working so many hours.
What are you hoping to do after you graduate? Where do you imagine yourself 5 years after school?
I am hoping to keep working in the pharmaceutical industry but instead of working in the lab as an engineering technician, I am hoping to work in a more business-focused role.
In five years, I hope to be in a position where I am a manager or even a director in a field like supply chain or project management.
We know you are more than the person who shows up at Northeastern — what are some of your hobbies and other passions? Where do you find your joy?
Some of my passions and hobbies include going hiking and trying new things. One of my dreams is to travel the world and visit as many national parks as possible. I find joy in spending time with family and loved ones, I take my quality time with people seriously. I just want to be able to experience the world in a way my parents were never allowed to.
Embracing Failure: Diaries of a DLP student
Student Profile: Lindsey Starnes Duch, ‘24 Doctor of Law and Policy
Lindsey Starnes Duch, ‘24 Doctoral Law & Policy student, is the Vice President of Health Policy and Innovation at ALG Senior, the ninth largest senior living operator in the United States. She was recently recognized as ‘Health Policy Leader of the Year’ by the Heart of Charlotte annual awards, an event hosted by Northeastern University and Tryon Medical Partners that recognizes individuals who make a positive impact on the Charlotte community.
The award acknowledged Starnes Duch’s work caring for the region’s senior citizen community during the pandemic. She was solely responsible for the research, implementation and execution of almost 600 COVID-19 vaccine clinics from 2021 through 2023.
Her current role at ALG Senior includes working with lobbyists to help make shifts in state policy as it relates to senior citizens. Relevant issues that bring her to the state capitol include expanding Medicaid, resident reimbursement rates (the number of care hours awarded by that state to pay for residents’ care), and most recently, starting a Medicare Advantage plan for assisted living facilities, the first solely Individualized special needs medical plan for seniors with special needs.
“By definition, if you live in assisted living, you have special needs, but prior to this plan, you were just in a peer insurance-based Medicare plan. ALG Senior is not a provider partners insurance company for this plan. So, let’s say we have a woman who lives in a building and her doctor comes in and says she needs to go to the hospital; prior to 2024, she would have had to leave the facility to go to the hospital and we’d have lost control over her; we don’t know when they will release her or how long they will keep her. Then she gets sent to a skilled nursing facility just for IV management, and while she’s gone, she is exposed to illness/COVID-19 and we’ve caused her all this trauma from being removed from her familiar place until she may eventually not even come home. Now, because we’ve added two new layers of oversight, we can now look at that doctor and say, ‘we’ll do this all in the facility, we’ll give her treatment here, we’re not moving her.”
– Lindsey Starnes Duch
This work took seven years to get approval from U.S. Department of Insurance. Part of the team that spearheaded it underwrote proposals for the model and she is now the cog between a trifecta of physician groups, the insurance company, and the operations system, making it happen.
History & Mentorship
Starnes Duch was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. As a child, her father was an accountant with a demanding schedule. She remembers that, growing up, being together was important. She said, “My father traveled a lot, but when he was home, he was home.”
Starnes Duch grew up attending UNC-Charlotte basketball games with her family. In high school, she participated in dual enrollment, a program that provides opportunities to take college-level courses and earn credit toward future college degrees. She entered UNC Charlotte as a Sophomore. She said, “When I got to college, I realized that you can take as many hours as you want if someone approves it, so I took 21 hours each semester.”
Starnes Duch graduated with a double degree in History and English in just two years. With degrees coming from two separate programs, she found herself managing two different advisors, one in each department, adding an additional administrative element to her educational experience that she credits to her current competencies.
It was during college that Starnes Duch married young and had her first child at 20 years old. Nearing graduation, she knew she wanted to teach, so she became a high school teacher for six years.
Divorce from her first husband imposed the realization that a teaching salary was not going to be sufficient for a single mother providing for her children. She said, “I chose to get married early, and then I grew up. The divorce was scary, but it also allowed me to lean into who I am, who God made me to be instead of living with the choice I made at 18.”
Charlie Trefzger, ALG’s CEO, gave Starnes Duch an opportunity to work for him, albeit unknown to her father at the time, who was also the company’s CFO. She spent her first six weeks there learning her way around the company and attending every meeting she could find, whether it was HR, clinical meetings, or dietary planning meetings. Then she met with Trefzger and reported her findings, including areas for improvement. He told her to go and fix it. This experience awakened a deep interest in the field that led to Starnes Duch’s aspirations going from getting a paycheck to having a career. Caring for the elderly, she realized, was her calling.
Starnes Duch began the work by helping the marketing department get operational systems in place and she also streamlined vendor relationships until she found her home in the clinical department. Working with Dr. O’Neil, the CMO, Starnes Duch learned how complex the field of gerontology truly is. “I fell in love with taking ideas from our medical officer and making them realistic in this impossible environment that is assisted living.” she said. Shortly after, she went back to college, George Washington University (GW) this time, and obtained a master’s degree in gerontology.
“I didn’t really want to focus on gerontology; I wanted it to be a little more translative”
After completing her master’s degree, Trefzger encouraged her to prioritize her education even further. She started to shop programs and had a conversation with her advisor, Leonard H. Friedman from the Milken Institute School of Public Health, who told her that while she can pursue a second master’s degree, obtaining a PhD would deliver the professional gravitas she was after. This resonated with Starnes Duch, who began looking into doctoral programs that would fit her current life and existing obligations as a mother and full-time professional based in Charlotte.
She googled “doctorate programs for assisted living” and one of the first things that came up was the Northeastern University Doctor of Law and Policy program. She immediately thought, “this is the knowledge base Dr, Friedman was talking about, and I don’t have to move to Boston to accomplish this!”
In the thick of the pandemic, July 2022, Starnes Duch entered the Doctor of Law and Policy program. She also gave birth to her third child during her in the program. “You can be tired when you’re dead!”, she jokes.
“Having such a strong mentor was the kingpin. The trust that my mentor Charlie puts in me and the expectations he has of me are equal. Without him, I wouldn’t be here; there would be no ‘Doctor’ in my title.” she said.
Merits of Failure
Starnes Duch doesn’t take the act of failing personally or professionally with negativity. She firmly believes that making a mistake is not a personal setback; It is more a byproduct of experimentation. “Innovation cannot happen without failure. You cannot get better if you don’t plug in something incorrectly. If you take it personally, it will set you back,” she said.
“In our industry, when you’re doing work that effects other peoples’ lives, there are some days you just need to postpone things that aren’t life or death for your own balance. It helps that I have a great support system at work and home. But I found out I can’t do it alone and it’s fine. And failing is also fine! Let’s fail faster so we can identify exactly what was wrong and let’s fix it. As a leader, showing your team that you fail too is powerful because it shows that you are taking chances, and if you never fail you won’t take chances and your team will never take chances,” powerful because it shows that you are taking chances, and if you never fail you won’t take chances and your team will never take chances,”
– Lindsey Starnes Duch
The DLP Program
Starnes Duch, whose experience with the program has been mostly virtual with occasional trips to the Boston campus, describes her experience as being supportive, adaptive and ‘pliable in nature’.
“Program leadership does a great job hearing feedback and saying, ‘We can’t change this immediately, but we can tell you how to accommodate going forward’. They are also extremely adaptive, which was an important attribute in the pandemic.” For example, in 2022, the program suffered a supply chain problem, causing a month-long delay in delivery of core textbooks. The solution that the program team came up with was to manually scan copies of entire books, hundreds of pages, and upload them for students to access. The program carried on.
The program requires all new students to have their first encounter with Northeastern University in person. This sets a personable precedent for the individual student to forge relationships not just with professors but with peers. “This absolutely set the tone for me. The cohort culture has been different for me because I am a traditionally independent learner. But I now realize that having a group of peers that intimately know the stress level you are going through, and who are going through it with you, is the key to success. In my very diverse cohort of 15 students located across the country, we have lost only one person to medical leave – we haven’t lost anyone else because they couldn’t do it or they felt alone or unsupported.”
“You still need to advocate for yourself; if you’re having problems with a professor interaction, you’re an adult and you have to get it resolved. If I don’t particularly love a professor’s personality, or how they deliver expectations, I don’t take it personally, I adjust my approach and focus on delivering to that because the goal is higher than my satisfaction in the process. If I or another student raises a concern, the program leaders are great at addressing that. Collectively, we have all kept our eye on the prize.”
Advice
Asking what advice she would impart to doctoral students, Starnes Duch says that they need to find a person or professor in the program they connect with ‘communication style wise’. She said, “If you have a personal connection, then bombard them with questions. Send them snippets of your writing, tell them what you’re thinking with analytics, and as soon as you’re assigned your board, keep using them because it will alleviate the stress.”
“Now that I’m almost done, I’d say if you’re starting the program, pick the research area you want your focus to be, but don’t limit yourself to what you think your research should be. You’re going to struggle against what your head is telling you to do and what your heart wants to research and you’re going to need your heart to finish. Be open to changing your intended path.”
“Your choices do define you but they don’t limit you. I’m still a mom, I’m still a past teacher, I have all those experiences but they didn’t limit me.”
Call for Proposals: “AI for All” Week, April 1-5
The What.
The Offices of the Provost and Chancellor are organizing a weeklong series of lectures, interactive sessions, and trainings designed for our undergraduate and graduate students across the network to introduce and enhance their knowledge of AI and its many application areas.
“AI for All” week will begin Monday, April 1st with a plenary session. From Tuesday, April 2nd through Thursday, April 4, we want to provide a rich menu of offerings that students will select from across multiple domain areas during 60-80-minute timeslots. While we anticipate most of these will be in 2 sessions from 6:00-9:00 pm Eastern US time, we also encourage events at campuses in other time zones that may be at more appropriate local times. The week will end Friday, April 5 with a closing event to reflect on the sessions and discuss future activities around AI for the university system.
Call for Proposals
We invite faculty and student groups to submit a short proposal to deliver one of the sessions held during the Tuesday through Thursday evening time slots (or at other times, if appropriate). Proposals should describe experiential sessions that will help our students learn about different aspects and applications of AI, showcase faculty expertise and research directions, and student groups engaged in AI-related activities, particularly emphasizing AI in practice. Session content should be 60-80 minutes and can include multiple formats such as collaborations with industry partners and external experts, panel discussions, and hands-on activities.
We will select proposals for sessions that:
- Emphasize experiential learning with interactive experiences for students.
- Include topics at particular skill levels and/or application areas, ensuring an inclusive and enriching set of opportunities for all students, no matter their skill, experience, and/or interests. Topics could range from Generative AI in Arts and Media, AI & Humanics, and Leveraging Neural Networks for Speech Recognition to a Generative AI Tool Overview.
- Are ideally accessible across the university campus network via livecast. We also welcome locally delivered modules, particularly for locations with time zone differences.
Proposals are due by Friday, Feb. 16th using the proposal link. We will route all submissions to the appropriate academic dean, and if the proposer is located at a regional campus, we will also route them to the respective regional dean for review.
Proposers will be notified by Monday, Feb. 26th whether their proposal has been accepted. For those sessions selected, we’ll work closely with the proposer, the academic dean, and the campus dean to ensure scheduling and modality preferences are coordinated.
Please feel free to contact Becky Collet ([email protected]) if you have any questions.
Writing your Problem of Practice & Application Support
This session is designed to help you choose your own problem of practice and write about it in your application to Northeastern. Every student in our program chooses a problem of practice and uses cycles of investigation to find innovative and systematic solutions to create change in their workplace and/or community.
Find more online events: Here