Northeastern University College of Professional Studies named Josh Kraft, Nicholas President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, its graduation speaker for the College’s spring 2012 graduation ceremony, taking place on Saturday, April 21, 2012.
Photo by Randy H. Goodman
Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, founded in 1893, provide opportunities for children and teens to become responsible citizens and leaders through six core initiatives – Arts; Education; Leadership; Life Skills; Sports, Fitness and Recreation; and Technology – in 10 centers in neighborhoods throughout Boston and Chelsea. Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston serve 14,000 children and teens ages 6-18.
“We’re pleased to welcome a powerful advocate for children, an educator and a leader in the city of Boston to speak to the College of Professional Studies graduates and their families,” said John LaBrie, Dean of the College of Professional Studies. “Josh Kraft shares many of the same passions as our graduates and faculty – for high quality education at all levels, a focus on the needs of urban youth, the power of mentorship and the rewards of perseverance toward challenging goals.”
Kraft has spent 20 years involved in youth outreach at Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. He is the Founding Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston’s Gerald and Darlene Jordan Club in Chelsea, and for 15 years he led the after-school program which now serves approximately 1,000 youth annually. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston describes their mission this way: “Boys & Girls Club of Boston offers a variety of high-impact and affordable programs that enable at-risk youth to mature into productive, caring and responsible adults.” In addition to its year-round programming at clubs in Boston and Chelsea neighborhoods, Boys & Girls Clubs operate Camp Harbor View on Long Island in Boston Harbor, offering four week camp sessions focused on sports and fitness, the arts, leadership development and environmental education.
Kraft will offer insights from his leadership view of youth development and urban education and their critical role in our society. In addition to his role at Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Kraft serves on the Board of Julie’s Family Learning Program in South Boston and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation.
Kraft’s active role in serving community youth extends to his concurrent role as Director of Strategic Partnerships for the New England Patriots Foundation where he oversees numerous initiatives, such as the Community MVP Awards and License Plate Campaign.
Kraft received a Bachelor’s from Williams College, and a Master’s in Education and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
For more information, please visit: http://www.bgcb.org/index.cfm.
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.