Dean LaBrie congratulates one student on her graduation from the program. Photo by Rick Friedman.
Thursday, July 21 marked the end of Northeastern’s Foundation Year program for a class of students as they celebrated their graduation from the program at the End of Year Celebration.
The event commenced with a welcome from John LaBrie, Dean of the College of Professional Studies, during which he introduced keynote speaker Carol Fulp, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Partnership, Inc. The Partnership, Inc. provides research, training, consulting and convening services to advance multicultural professionals. Fulp challenged the student body to think about their calling, but understand that they have a support team declaring, “We’re so excited by the great opportunities that lie ahead.”
In thanking family and friends who supported the program, Molly Dugan, Director of Foundation Year, told students, “Each one of us has a gift. Give back, that’s what I want each one of you to do.”
Three student speakers delivered heartfelt speeches that further emphasized the community that formed as a result of the program. One student commented, “We learned things about ourselves that we never thought we would.”
Foundation Year is an intensive twelve-month freshman program established to assist underserved City of Boston high school graduates who have aspirations of entering college, but do not have the academic preparation and financial resources to attend and succeed. Foundation Year was developed in close collaboration with the Boston Public Schools and the Mayor’s Office as a means for Northeastern to address the growing and significant college persistence issue facing Boston public high school graduates.
Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) is committed to providing career-focused educational programs that are designed to accommodate the complex lives of motivated learners. Offered in a variety of innovative formats, CPS courses are taught by accomplished scholars and practitioners who have real-world experience. The result is an educational experience founded on proven scholarship, strengthened with practical application, and sustained by academic excellence.
Northeastern University is a global university with a tradition of partnership and engagement that creates an innovative, distinctive approach to education and research. Northeastern integrates classroom studies with experiential learning opportunities in 70 countries, and pursues use-inspired research with a focus on global challenges in health, security, and sustainability.