Updated 2019 Welcome Booklet

WELCOME TO NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Dear Northeastern University Students, As the standing Presidents of the following student organizations, we welcome you to Northeastern University! As a way to get you acclimated to the University, we, as current students, want to introduce you to campus through the cultural life lens. We encourage you to not only learn more about cultural life on campus and what it has to offer, but also to get involved through various events and activities hosted not only by the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute but also by our various student organizations, affinity group, and National Pan-Hellenic Council.

Learn more about our individual organizations below and the exciting work we’ve done and continue to do. Please visit northeastern.edu/ aai for more information. We look forward to meeting and connecting with you on Friday, September 6, 2019, 4:00pm at the annual Open House hosted by the John D. O’Bryant African American Institut I 40 Leon Street, Boston, MA 02115.

With a warm welcome,

James Tukpah, President of Black Engineering Student Society Gabrielle Grier, President of the Caribbean Students Organization Sasha Sanon, President of Haitian Student Unity Sabie Marcellus, President of Northeastern’s Chapter of the Minority Association of Prehealth Students Danielle Amegashie, President of Northeastern’s African Student Organization Stephanie Wango, President of Northeastern’s Black Student Association Michelle Faulkner, Director of Sisters in Solidarity Julian Yeboah, President of the Unity Gospel Ensemble Danzel Jones, President for the Graduate Student of Color Collective Celeste Fields, President of the Iota Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated David Adubi, President of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND AFFINITY GROUP

BLACK ENGINEERING STUDENT SOCIETY (BESS) I am James Tukpah, a rising 5th-year electrical engineering student and the current president of Black Engineering Student Society (BESS), Northeastern’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Our organization has been on campus since its founding in 1974 and since then we have been working to promote our mission; Believing in Excellence and Striving for Success. In an effort to support this mission, we host a ton of events like BESSgiving, Battle of the Majors, and others! We also give back to the community and students that look like us by volunteering and mentoring. We work hard to not just build a community, but to build a family that you can feel comfortable coming to during your time at Northeastern. From our alumni, to our current students, to any and all future students, we welcome all with open arms regardless of major. It’s important to have a place where you can find support; whether it be professionally, academically, or personally.

That is what we are here for; to be your support, your friends, your BESS family.

CARIBBEAN STUDENTS ORGANIZATION (CSO) My name is Gabrielle Grier and I am the President of the Caribbean Students Organization. Campus life is very exciting as there are many student organizations that have several events throughout the year. It can become very busy, but taking the time to get to know other students and organizations on campus is definitely worth it. Some activities that we host are: Field/Sports Day on September 21st, an annual trip to Montreal in November, Christmas Party in December, and Caribbean week in April where we have a week full of events.

The Caribbean Students Organization is important because it maintains support and exhibits the culture and history of the Caribbean. As we evolve in a global and cultural community, we expose, promote and share the Caribbean culture around campus and beyond. It is important for students to be involved in student life activities because it helps to cultivate connections, build communities and creates different experiences that are valuable in the development of being a student.

HAITIAN STUDENT UNITY (HSU) My name is Sasha Sanon and I am the president of Haitian Student Unity. Our organization is a crucial part of a campus environment that is rich with activities, connections, and support. You’re likely to meet one person from every continent and learn so much about different cultures. Haitian Student Unity adds to that diversity by showcasing our unique Caribbean culture. We have had fashion shows and culture shows to display our art and history. We want to give everyone a taste of “Ayiti Cherie” and bring a new flavor to campus. It’s important for students with unique experiences to come together and thrive. Thus, the best way to accomplish this is to get involved with the clubs and all they have to offer.

MINORITY ASSOCIATION OF PREHEALTH STUDENTS (MAPS) My name is Sabie Marcellus and I am the President of the Northeastern University Chapter of the Minority Association of Prehealth Students, otherwise known as MAPS! MAPS is a club where underrepresented students looking to have a career in the health field go for guidance and support. There are over 240 MAPS chapters across the United States, each of which are supported by a network of minority medical students in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) as well as the minority physicians in the National Medical Association (NMA).

We hold biweekly meetings and events with the students of Harvard, Tufts, and Boston University Schools of Medicine.

During these meetings, students have the chance to meet with minority medical school students to help them understand what it’s like to peruse a career in medicine. Past events have included suturing workshops, mental health workshops, career and specialty exploration meetings, minority medical student panels, minority physician panels, as well as a multitude of volunteering and shadowing opportunities. Additionally, we make sure to sprinkle in some game nights and student mixers with the MAPS and SNMA chapters in the Boston area to ensure that we are able to support and care for one another outside of the typical school environment.

MAPS is an important part of Northeastern University, as it helps to create a diverse group of culturally competent health care professionals. Personally, I was able to network with minority physicians and develop lifelong friendships through MAPS. The meetings and events allow for a foundational level of support for minority prehealth students, as these are the students who will go on to provide for the patients living in

underserved communities and ensure that those patients will receive the best care possible.

Myself and the rest of the MAPS e-board are so excited to meet all of the incoming Huskies, and we’ve worked hard to ensure that you will have great meetings and events throughout the school year! We hope to see you at our first meeting on Tuesday, September 10 at 6PM in East Village Room 002!

NORTHEASTERN’S AFRICAN STUDENT ORGANIZATION (NASO) My name is Danielle Amegashie, the 2019-2020 President of Northeastern’s African Student Organization better known as NASO. We are excited to grow our community and have fun this year! To start the year off we are hosting the first annual Afro-Caribana in collaboration with Haitian Student Unity and the Caribbean Student Organization, a celebration of all our cultures in the heart of campus on Centennial Common on September 7th at 4:00 pm.

Some of our other events include: Battle of the ASO’s, the biggest African dance group competition in the city, No Face No Race, a creative HIV/AIDS awareness event with canvas

and body painting, Africa Night, the Northeast’s largest celebration of African culture with fashion, spoken word, comedy, with a headlining African artist, BKChat, our own take on the viral YouTube series with a panel that answer questions about today’s controversial topics. This year, 2019, is NASO’s 30th Anniversary. We will be hosting a Gala that brings together past and present members to celebrate the successes of the organization.

We welcome people from any background, country and orientation to come to NASO, share in the fun, learn more about our diverse continent and support each other during our time at Northeastern. Being a minority in this school can be difficult at times but I believe the community we are building within NASO helps to make the college transition and experience a great one!

NORTHEASTERN’S BLACK STUDENT ASSOCIATION (NBSA) My name is Stephanie Wango, a third year Business and Communication major from Peabody, Massachusetts. I am this upcoming year’s President of Northeastern’s Black Student Association (NBSA). NBSA is a home for all black students on campus. Through weekly meetings on Wednesdays at 7 and many events throughout the year, NBSA is a space where you can come and be yourself, engage in conversation and fun with others and meet other people in the black community.

Some of our annual events include a fun cookout hosted this year on Sunday September 8th where everyone gets together for an afternoon of food, music, vendors and fun! Other fall events include “Beatless Remixed”, a performance event that features well-known and local headliners.

To kick off the spring semester we host a fun party! We also

host one of the funniest events of the school year, “Hot Chocolate”, around Valentine’s days to discuss love and relationships on a college campus. We end the year off in style at “Evening of Elegance”, a formal party, to say farewell to graduating seniors and give out awards. As a black student, it is important to be around other black students that can relate to you and build bonds that will last post graduation.

SISTERS IN SOLIDARITY (SIS) I am Michelle Faulkner, the Director of Sisters in Solidarity.

Sisters in Solidarity (SIS) is a Northeastern University affinity group for black women and non-binary femmes. Through unity among black students, SIS is a haven where dynamic stories and unique experiences are shared so that we can cultivate an even more meaningful bond between us. We build community through our signature events and meetings that aim to unify and inform black femmes. These include, but are not limited to: “Co-Op Fashion Show”, “Cuffing Season”, “Journaling and Tea, Bonnets and Blankets”, “Girl Code”, “Golden Hour”, “Essential Oils Workshop”, and “SIS’s Clothing Swap!”

As always, the entire SIS E-board is working tirelessly to create and improve our meetings and events for our community to feel heard and embraced.

UNITY GOSPEL ENSEMBLE (UGE) My name is Julian Yeboah, the President of the Unity Gospel Ensemble. This group gathers any and all people who are willing to sing the gospel and songs of praises. Each semester we hold a concert for the community. We sing the songs that we practice over the course of the semester to friends, family, faculty, and members of the surrounding community. Once the concert is over we celebrate by having soul food catered by Slade’s. I joined this group when I was a freshman and have loved it ever since. Being a part of student groups like these allows you to take a necessary break from the school work and lets you refocus your mind and connect with people who will become lifelong friends.

GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATION

GRADUATE STUDENT OF COLOR COLLECTIVE (GSCC) My name is Danzel Jones and I’m a second year Graduate student in the College of Professional Studies. I major in Digital Media with a concentration in Digital Video (Film) here at the University, and serve as the current President for the Graduate Student of Color Collective. Since the majority of our grad students work full time, our group supports the graduate of color student population developing programs and social gatherings to acclimate them to the University. Some of our programming includes the following: Coffee & Conversation A monthly Sunday dialogue that consists of different conversations. Some previous conversations consisted of mental health, college testing scandal, cultural appropriation, etc.

Annual Mixer We host an annual mixer for our grad students which gives them an opportunity to network with other grad students across other educational disciplines.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at neugscc@gmail.com.

NATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCIL

IOTA GAMMA CHAPTER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED My name is Celeste Fields and I am the President of the Iota Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Black Greek sorority founded in 1908 at Howard University, and the Iota Gamma chapter was founded in 1974 at Northeastern University. Each year, our chapter hosts programs and events focused on financial security, personal well-being, giving back to the community, and more! Some of our most popular events are: the “New England Step Fest”, “Sister Circle”, and “Let’s Talk Loans”. It is crucial for us to provide an inclusive and welcoming space for Black women through our programs and events, especially at a PWI. We work endlessly to create spaces that help educate the greater Boston collegiate community and allow college students to give back to the community as well.

In general, campus life at Northeastern is what you make of it!

I would definitely encourage everyone to step out of the box and meet new people, join new organizations, and try something new. There are amazing Black Student organizations on campus that offer great events and programs! If you see an event that you like, go to it! By getting involved you are educating yourself, creating an amazing network, and living your best college life. This is your time to flourish and explore!

BETA ALPHA CHAPTER OF PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INCORPORATED My name is David Adubi and I proudly serve as the current President of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated. Here at Northeastern, it is important to be in an environment that not only challenges one’s intellectual curiosity in the classroom, but to be in a community that encourages students to be dynamic student leaders with their own unique talents. Since December 21st, 1935, The Beta Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated has served as the Metro Chapter of Boston. The Brothers of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated are dedicated to embodying the Fraternity’s motto, “Culture for Service, and Service for Humanity”, while also promoting the Fraternity’s principles of Brotherhood, Scholarship, and Service.

The Beta Alpha Chapter has hosted and continue to host events that push the boundaries of the student body at North-

eastern and develop students as individuals. Programs such as our “Invest Now Workshop” in partnership with Fidelity Investments, “The Barbershop: Free Haircuts and Fellowship”, and the “Homeowner’s Workshop for College students” are only a few examples of the intentionality of our programming and our dedication to growth. By being active amongst the student body at large here at Northeastern, we look to foster an environment from which we all can share parts of ourselves while also learning about others around us. This contributes greatly to enriching the power and uniqueness amongst the student body, and in turn enriches our campus life. It has been said that “a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.’’ This should be our approach as a collective when it comes to engaging in student life activities! Go forth and pave a path in your student body by bringing your own unique skills to this wonderful collective.

JOHN D. O’BRYANT AFRICAN AMERICAN INSTITUTE

40 LEON STREET I (617) 373-3143 I JDOAAI@NORTHEASTERN.EDU

JOHN D. O’BRYANT AFRICAN AMERICAN INSTITUTE

40 LEON STREET I (617) 373-3143 I JDOAAI@NORTHEASTERN.EDU NORTHEASTERN.EDU/AAI