The Pulse: July 2025
Message From The Dean
I am profoundly proud of the College of Professional Studies and the remarkable community we have all built together. The past several weeks have been a testament to the power of collective dedication, curiosity, and collaboration that defines us as students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community and business leaders.
From graduation ceremonies across our global campus network, where I’ve witnessed the joy and accomplishment of students who have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone. To the opportunities I’ve had to meet with students who continually come forward with thoughtful ideas about how we can make our college even better. Your voices matter, and your insights continue to shape our path forward. In response to what we have heard from our students, I am excited to announce a new mentorship program now taking applications for Fall 2025.
I also want to acknowledge the incredible milestones our faculty and staff have achieved. The launch of our first-ever staff development conference was a resounding success, creating new opportunities for professional growth and cross-departmental collaboration. Our recurring series of workshops exploring AI and our commitment to ensuring our students are prepared for a world that requires AI fluency, has positioned us at the forefront of innovation, demonstrating our commitment to staying current while maintaining our core values.
As we continue to push boundaries, I want to remind each of you that learning happens everywhere—not just in classrooms, laboratories, or offices. Take time to step away from your work and studies. Walk in nature, spend time with loved ones, pursue a hobby, travel somewhere new, or simply sit quietly with your thoughts. These moments of pause and reflection often lead to our most profound insights and innovations.
Life is meant to be lived fully, and a well-rounded existence makes us better scholars, teachers, learners, and human beings. Your well-being matters as much as your academic and professional achievements.
Thank you for being part of this extraordinary community.
With gratitude,
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Pathmaker Recognition
The Pathmaker Recognition Event is a celebration of persistence, partnership, and promise. Over the past year, students from Northeastern and Bridgewater State University, in collaboration with ElevateBio, MassBioEd, and other partners, have engaged in a transformative experience funded by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC). This moment is about honoring our students’ achievements, spotlighting the partnerships that powered their progress, and setting the tone for Pathmaker’s future impact on the biotech talent pipeline.
This event is open to Pathmaker students, biotech industry and academic partners, local community leaders, and friends.
Symposium on Responsible Procurement
We’re excited to invite you to the upcoming Symposium on Responsible Procurement on Thursday, July 24th, 2025. This year’s symposium promises to be particularly impactful, with a special focus on empowering local small businesses. We’ll be providing a platform for these enterprises to take center stage, sharing their unique experiences, innovative growth models, and valuable insights with our community of procurement professionals, business leaders, and stakeholders.
The day will begin with former Secretary Yvonne Hao engaging in a keynote conversation with Natalia Urtubey (Eastern Bank Foundation) and Nicole Obi (BECMA).
What to Expect:
- Inspiring Success Stories: Hear directly from local small business owners about their journeys, challenges overcome, and strategies that led to their growth
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow procurement professionals, business leaders, and innovative entrepreneurs
- Best Practices Workshop: Learn actionable strategies for integrating responsible procurement practices that support local economic development
- Panel Discussions: Engage in meaningful conversations about sustainable business practices and community impact
Graduate School of Education Residency
The 2025 Boston GSE Residency, hosted by Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Education, is a two‑day in-person event taking place on July 25th – 26th, 2025, at Northeastern’s Boston campus. It’s designed as an immersive experience for educators, doctoral students, and education leaders, featuring workshops, collaborative sessions, and opportunities to connect with peers, faculty, and alumni around educational innovation and leadership.
Global Symposium on Leadership and Project Management
The 4th Annual Symposium on Leadership and Project Management invites scholars, practitioners, and thought leaders to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on leadership and project management. This year’s theme reflects the urgent need for leaders and project managers to embrace agility, sustainability, and ethical decision-making. The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and its profound impact on industries, workforce dynamics, and strategic decision-making have further heightened the need for innovative leadership and adaptive project management approaches.
International Students
Looking for a space to connect with other international students and gain academic and cultural support? The Office of Global Services offers a host of events and services for both incoming and current students.
Students in the News
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Contact [email protected].
CPS News & Research
Global Campus Network News
Keep up with the latest from our colleagues around the network! Check out stories from our campus network where CPS is heavily active in teaching and research.
Faculty & Staff
Comings and Goings
Learn about new faces joining the CPS community, including two new faculty joining our Boston and San Jose campus in July! Mary Dronitsky will be an Assistant Teaching Professor in Regulatory Affairs based on the Boston Campus and Ravikiran Kalluri will be an Assistant Teaching Professor in the MSc. Project Management program based at the San Jose campus. Other Personnel Changes.
Second Annual CPS Data Day
Staff and Faculty across the college participated in this year’s CPS Data Day on May 21. The event explored key data sources, dashboards, and reporting tools to support informed decision-making, while also gaining insights into upcoming 2025-26 data initiatives, and identifying resources tailored to individual roles.
Organized by the Decision Support and Academic Quality Assessment team, Senior Assistant Dean Mamta Saxena shared, “Our ability to navigate, interpret, and apply data insights is crucial in today’s data-driven world. We are all data people. Data drives our decisions, improves outcomes, and fuels innovation—including AI literacy. Own your role in shaping data priorities. Own your growth in data fluency. Own the impact your data engagement can have on your team, organization, and community. Data isn’t just for analysts—it’s for all of us. Let’s lead with it.”
Staff Development Conference
Organized by Mariana Barragan Rios and Mariah Hwedi, this two-day virtual conference included speakers from colleges and departments across Northeastern as well as some external partners. Participants also had the opportunity to earn a Level II Badge in Skills, Technology Exploration and AI in the Workplace.
Day One focused on Leadership & Navigating Change and included engaging and collaborative sessions led by Michael Davis, Bob DeLeo and Jack McDevitt, Mika Morikawa-Zhou (Nourish Engagement), Lisa Macedo (HR Sr Learning Partner) and Meghan Elliott (CPS HR Business Partner) and Richard O’Bryant & Mark Jannoni.
Day Two focused on Skill Development, Technology & AI and included Connie Yowell, John Wilder, Umesh Hodeghatta, Rominder Singh, Caryl Walling, Jenny Mittleman, David Dawson, Heidi Happonen, Denise Reid, Lesley White, and Magali Feruzi.
Voices of AI
The Voices of AI project at Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) is a dynamic series of faculty- and staff-led conversations exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance teaching, research, and professional work. Through sessions ranging from everyday applications of AI to advanced uses in regulatory science and academic research, the initiative invites participants to experiment with tools like Perplexity and Claude, develop AI-informed curriculum, and understand institutional data governance.
Do you 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.
CPS Intranet | Sign Up for Mailing List | Giving at CPS
