Student Services Augments Northeastern University Experience
Yash Trivedi has organized sustainability campaigns and community clean-ups. He’s attended events hosted by renowned organizations, such as UNESCO, and held events on Toronto’s campus. The Master of Science in Project Management student has even collaborated virtually with his Northeastern University peers in Boston and Seattle.
These impactful experiences were made possible through Trivedi’s involvement with student interest groups, which are supported by the Student Services team at Northeastern University in Toronto.
“Student groups are an excellent way to start networking professionally and making personal connections,” says Trivedi, the President of Project Management group NUPM Toronto and a founding member of sustainability group EcoChampions Alliance. “As involvement in student groups shapes your perspective, it also instills confidence in you because you get to interact with people from all walks of life. Student Services play an important role in helping us establish student interest groups, and they are also our first point of contact for all types of help we need as students.”
What is the Student Services Team?
Director Stephanie Cochrane and Student Services Specialists Ryan Kang and Nausheen Syed make up Student Services, which facilitates a wide range of services covering all aspects of student life. The team works closely with partners across the university to tailor its support to individual needs while also advocating on students’ behalf. Collaborations include departments such as academic advising, co-op and career advising, and student financial services, with wraparound support starting during orientation and continuing through graduation.
“Student Services is dedicated to preparing students for success, both academically and as global citizens,” says Cochrane. “Our mission is to empower all students, foster a sense of community, and promote well-being through collaborative and inclusive experiential learning and programming. We enhance the overall student experience by providing the co-curricular support, resources, and environment they need to excel in their studies, connect with their peers, and develop essential skills.”
In addition to facilitating connections to diverse resources, Student Services hosts extracurricular activities to promote student engagement and development through social activities both on and off campus, student focus groups, peer mentorship, and much more. It also distributes a monthly newsletter with all the latest campus information.
“They have a very strong supportive relationship with students,” says Trivedi. “Whether it’s resources we need, academic issues we are having, or even if we need assistance with immigration questions, we know we can go to them. If we ever worry about anything as students, they are very open and accepting and have our best interests at heart. I’ve also attended events they planned, like going to see the Blue Jays play the Boston Red Sox and visiting a ski resort in Barrie, which was a lot of fun.”
Cultivating Student Interest Groups
One essential role of Student Services is overseeing student interest groups (SIGs). The campus is currently teeming with 17 diverse groups, including ones focused on areas of study such as project management, regulatory affairs, analytics, and biotechnology. Cultural, social, professional and athletic-centred options round out Northeastern University in Toronto’s SIGs. In addition to the sustainability club, the SIGs focus on photography, arts and culture, books and movies, coding, finance, Iranian culture, Black students, outdoor activities, cricket, entrepreneurship and leadership, and management.
“We help the clubs get established, work with them on policies, help them come up with event ideas and execute events by working closely with our operations team, and assist them with engaging students,” says Syed, one of the team’s two Student Services Specialists.
To launch a group, interested students meet with a Student Services team member who walks them through the requirements and proposal submission. Students also receive valuable suggestions, such as creating social media accounts for their groups, designing a logo, and crafting a mission statement. Once complete, the SIG is ratified and launched on the University’s Student Life website.
“Student Services makes setting up a student interest group very smooth,” says Trivedi. “They want to ensure you succeed, so they ask you to justify what you are doing and ask you for verifiable and quantifiable aims. With EcoChampions Alliance, for example, we really wanted to contribute back to Toronto and create positive changes for the environment. Student Services has been very kind in terms of the resources we need to orchestrate events and ensure we get visibility at the campus and organizational levels. They have also recognized our efforts in their newsletter. It’s holistic support.”
Adds Syed, “Because we foster an inclusive community through our various efforts, students have opportunities to grow, thrive, make meaningful contributions to the community, and have fulfilling experiences.”
By: Izabela Shubair