Lucy Properzio

Many Communications Studies majors choose to complete co-op rotations with different employers, but Lucy Properzio, class of 2010, took full advantage of her cooperative education experience with Raytheon Company to explore the communications field.

Through the completion of two successful co-op rotations and two part-time rotations, Lucy has achieved over a year of valuable experience working in Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS).

For her first co-op rotation, Lucy worked as Project Lead on Raytheon’s Northeastern University Campus Team. In this role, Lucy developed valuable recruitment and event planning/management skills. She collaborated with an in-house media group to create promotional materials and was able to improve communications around the co-op program. Lucy received an “Individual Achievement Award” for the tremendous results she achieved as a member of this team.

After such a positive experience, Lucy chose to return for her second co-op rotation, this time in Communications & Advertising as a Communications Specialist. She was the first co-op to join this organization – an exciting challenge! In this capacity, Lucy performed at a high level and proved to be an invaluable member of the organizational communications team. She developed and implemented four communications plans for high visibility Raytheon initiatives, and strengthened her writing skills through article creation and publication.

“During my time at Northeastern, the best decision I made was completing all of my co-op rotations with Raytheon,” said Lucy. “The networks I have built and the experience I have gained are truly invaluable.”

Knowing how important experiential education is to individual and professional growth, Lucy has supplemented her co-op experiences with additional internships, part-time employment and international travel. She worked as a Public Relations Assistant Intern at Puma North America Inc., and as a News Writing Intern at The Andover Townsman. Lucy participated in a Dialogues of Civilization study abroad in Australia, and has also found time to volunteer in the Boston community as an active member of the Northeastern University Student Alumni Association (NUSAA).

In an effort to stay connected to Northeastern, Lucy maintains connections with faculty, staff and alumni, and mentors prospective students.

Lucy tells prospective students: “Don’t be afraid of a challenge! Embrace opportunities that stretch your comfort zone and motivate you. If this means traveling and/or moving, do it. If this means joining an industry you don’t know much about, do it. If this means taking a job in recruitment instead of public relations or marketing, do it. You will be surprised how far these decisions will take you in life. Above all, always be yourself and trust your instincts. Be patient and everything will fall into place.”