I am Northeastern. You are Northeastern. We are all Northeastern and Northeastern is us. Now what does that mean? What does it mean to be a part of a university, to be a part of a global community?
To answer that question, I will first tell you what I think it means to “be Northeastern.” To me, Northeastern is a place of opportunity, where people from all corners of the country and the globe come together and leave to explore the wonders and bounties of our world. Northeastern is a place where friends are made, lessons are learned and students become professionals.
The beauty I see in Northeastern is that every student has his/her very own unique path through this university. No one person will take all of the same classes, get the same co-ops, live in the same residence halls, travel on the same dialogues and have the same experiences. The different journeys we all take creates a remarkably diverse student body that goes beyond race, religion and nationality. This beauty can also be a curse.
Sometimes our community can seem fractured and fragmented. Every semester, I have had a different group of friends because someone is traveling in countries like South Africa, Australia, China and Israel. Each semester is a transition from class to co-op and back. Northeastern is a university on the move. However, our mobility comes with a challenge – how do we move beyond this amazing curse to find the common bonds that connect us all as Huskies?
These bonds are formed around a shared set of community values and goals. Two years ago, a community development survey administered by a comprehensive Northeastern Residential Life task force received feedback from 1,100 students that stated the following, which I believe accurately states what we stand for as Huskies: We value academic success, diversity, global citizenship, service and tradition. Our goals are to have a sense of purpose, justice, openness, discipline, care and celebration. It is in working towards these goals, while holding true to our values, that brings us together as one community.
I have recently become SGA’s vice president for student affairs. My role is to help build and foster the Northeastern community. The “I AM Northeastern Pledge” is something that I have been working on since last spring and is integral in helping celebrate our community. Its goal is two-fold. It is about respect – respecting yourself, your fellow Huskies and your neighbors. Second is pride – we do amazing things at Northeastern, whether in class, on co-op, or traveling around the world, so be proud!
As a Husky, do not stop achieving when you leave the classroom or clock out of co-op. You are and always will be a Husky, so don’t you want to be seen as a professional, an entrepreneur, a friend and a neighbor? Think outside the Northeastern bubble, meet your neighbors and make a difference in the greater community, whether that is Boston, New York or Madrid. Wherever you may go, you are Northeastern!
– Jonas Edwards-Jenks is a third year political science and economics major and the Student Government Association’s vice president for student affairs.
