An Inspiring Week
On March 26, I was given the immense honor of being inaugurated as Northeastern University’s seventh president in a beautiful, moving ceremony. My wife, Zeina, and I, along with our children, family, and friends, were deeply touched by the Northeastern community’s warmth and spirit.
The ceremony marked the beginning of a week in which every facet of the university shone brilliantly for all to see. For those of you who could not participate, I would like to share my reflections about the week we called Northeastern Illuminated.
I should begin by thanking trustees chair Neal Finnegan, BA’61, H’98, and the trustees, as well as George Behrakis, PAH’57, H’98, who chaired the Inaugural Committee, and all his colleagues. Not only did they work hard to make the inauguration a success, they came up with the idea of using the inauguration as a way to celebrate the university. Between the inauguration ceremony on Monday and a gala cultural celebration on Friday were nestled a series of events. Some featured our research and scholarship. Others showcased our talent in music, theater, and the arts. We celebrated our ties to the local and international communities. We hosted events in our new Alumni Center. We demonstrated our prowess in athletics by topping the University of Rhode Island baseball squad 5-4 in eleven innings. Every day inspired greater pride in Northeastern in our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.
Northeastern Illuminated also allowed us to share the Northeastern story with an important audience. On inauguration day, we hosted delegates representing 158 colleges, universities, learned societies, and professional associations. More than thirty college and university presidents and chancellors attended. Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, joined us, as did my former colleague Steven Sample, president of the University of Southern California; Tom Menino, mayor of Boston; and Deval Patrick, governor of Massachusetts. They all spoke about Northeastern in glowing terms: as an exemplar in experiential education, a valuable member of the community, and a driver of the regional economy.
I deeply appreciated the way these guests showed their interest in Northeastern.
I was especially moved during the inauguration ceremony by the greetings I received from representatives of our own community: co-op partner Dan Smith, of Raytheon; Boston’s First Lady, Angela Menino; alumna Barbara Alleyne, LA’70; human resources vice president Kater Pendergast; Student Government Association president Rogan O’Handley; Graduate and Professional Student Association president Simal Gaglani; and Faculty Senate Agenda Committee chair Carol Glod.
During my address, I spoke about being entrusted with the future of our university. I reminded the audience that I cannot succeed alone—that any success will be a shared success that draws on our collective energy, effort, and passion. That is why I especially appreciated the greetings I received from members of our own community, and the sense of shared responsibility they articulated.
This is what Northeastern Illuminated was all about. It was a celebration of Northeastern’s first century of shared success, and the bright promise that awaits us all as we continue to work together.
Sincerely,
Joseph Aoun
President, Northeastern University