I’ve seen him in the role of a hard worker and a creative thinker; I’ve known him as a trustworthy confidant and dependable companion; I worked with him as a motivated hall council president and an inspiring global student ambassador (GSA); and I’ve also shot pool, listened to music, watched movies and ordered late-night pizza with him as a regular college student, just like me.
That’s the best thing about Nick Naraghi. He’s not your stereotypical fraternity brother or government representative; Nick is just a regular guy with this amazing ability to lead. He fosters relationships and connections with everyone around him, taking the time to get to know what they think and want and need.
Through those interactions, he finds his muse. He realizes that there’s a job to do, and that he’s going to do it. He never stops working once he has a goal. He never stops delivering on every promise. He’s a leader every day.
Oftentimes he has exceeded my expectations, and he’ll exceed yours, too.
Even before Nick took on a formal leadership role at Northeastern, he was a pioneering leader in Smith Hall. On those first crazy weekends of college, he went out with groups of friends to, let’s say, “explore Boston,” and made sure every one of them got home safely.
I remember someone once yelling “Nick for President!” in praise of his obvious leadership skills. That was before he had decided to run for hall council president.
He did. He won. He killed it.
That year I was elected vice president, and got to work with Nick and the other two members of the Hall Council. We made a great team with Nick’s leadership. He never failed to deliver on every task, and often saved our programs when last-minute disaster struck.
His efforts helped lead our Hall council to be honored with the Resident Student Association’s “Hall Council of the Year” award. Since then I’m pretty sure he has received other awards from a multitude of sources, but certificates and plaques and medals aren’t really what his campaign is about.
It’s about everyday acts of leadership. The little things Nick does to help anyone with any problem, large or small. That not only makes him a great friend – it makes him an unstoppable leader.
That was exceedingly clear over the summer while we both worked with international students as GSAs. He filled the roles required by the position as a teaching assistant and a tutor and a pseudo resident assistant, but he also went above and beyond the job description.
He worked hard to solve problems for the students that had trouble communicating in English. He led programs that the students enjoyed, and related to many of them on a personal, friendly level.
And even beyond that, he helped create a bond between the GSAs. I personally never felt closer to Nick than I did over the summer, and I think the other GSAs would agree. If I ever needed anything, Nick was always there, listening to my sob stories or spotting me for lunch.
It’s like he should be this huge personality, an unreachable leader, too busy for friends, too busy with school and co-op and fraternity events and SGA.
But he’s not. He makes time. He makes himself friendly and approachable in the most honest, sincere way. I’ve never known anyone so powerful and with so much potential and yet so deeply invested in the needs and ideas of others.
I can’t think of a single reason to vote for anyone else.
– Stephanie Wright is a sophomore journalism major.
