Video and photo credit: Luke Medalla

2025 Outstanding Master’s Student Award in Community Impact


Liang Chen

College of Professional Studies

CPS Graduate Programs, Commerce and Economic Dev

Recognized for fostering collaborative learning and impactful contributions to financial research. Her initiative in creating a peer-led Python study group helped students engage with complex subjects, while her research on “Sentiment Dynamics and Asset Pricing” showcased advanced econometric techniques applied to financial challenges.



Muhammad Elarbi

College of Engineering

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Recognized for his dedication to STEM education outreach and expanding access to technical knowledge for underrepresented students. Through his leadership in the Northeastern University Wireless Club, he designed and led over 50 technical workshops, benefiting university students and Boston Public School students.



Manushi Sharma

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

School of Public Policy

Recognized for her leadership in climate advocacy and policy impact. Her work with the United Nations University – Centre for Policy Research and the Environmental Changemaker Training has empowered young advocates worldwide.


Nominees


Savani Nagarkar

College of Science

Interview


Akash Deepak Sancheti

Khoury College of Computer Sciences

Interview


Izzy Cotenoff

Bouvé College of Health Sciences

Interview



2025 Outstanding Master’s Student Award in Leadership


Simran Pandey

College of Engineering

Department of Chemical Engineering

Recognized for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring the next generation of researchers. Her leadership in bridging computational and experimental research for gut health, mentoring high school students, and founding the Northeastern University Biophysics Student Chapter has left a lasting impact.



Rujavi Ghelani

College of Science

Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Recognized for bridging academia and industry, fostering student engagement, and launching impactful initiatives. Her leadership in founding the Biotech Student Interest Group and launching NU Toronto’s biotech newsletter has created lasting resources for the community.



Annie Ward

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

School of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Recognized for advancing research-driven solutions to gun violence, mentorship, and advocacy. Her contributions to the Center for Crime, Race, and Justice and the Mass Killings Database have influenced policy and prevention strategies.


Nominees


Carlie Chukrallah

Bouvé College of Health Sciences

Interview


Surabhi Bhatt

College of Professional Studies

Interview


Armaan Sait

Khoury College of Computer Science

Interview


Saloni Sandip Shah

D’Amore-McKim School of Business

Interview



2025 Outstanding Master’s Student Award in Teaching


Bridget Dwyer

Bouvé College of Health Sciences

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Recognized for her innovative approach to teaching neurological concepts. As a Teaching Assistant for the Neurology of Communication course, she developed accessible learning methods and collaborated on real-world case studies to enhance student learning.



Vaibhav Kejriwal

College of Engineering

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Recognized for his contributions to research and innovation in teaching. His mentorship and collaboration under Professor Masoud Salehi have reinforced his leadership in academia, fostering a collaborative learning environment.



Jonathan Tarun Rajasekaran

Khoury College of Computer Sciences

Computer Science

Recognized for his dedication to student learning and mentorship. As a TA for Foundations of Artificial Intelligence, he enhanced course effectiveness through feedback collection and structured office hours, demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusive education.



2025 Outstanding Professional Doctorate Student Award in Community Impact


Emilia Nirmala

Bouvé College of Health Sciences

Department of Physical Therapy,

Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences

Recognized for fostering inclusivity and professional networking in the physical therapy community. Her leadership in the DEI Committee for the Massachusetts chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association and as President of Northeastern’s AAOMPT Student Special Interest Group has strengthened support networks for underrepresented communities.


Nominee


Heidi Cheerman

College of Professional Studies

Interview



2025 Outstanding Professional Doctorate Student Award in Leadership


Merissa Spaulding

School of Law

Law

Recognized for her commitment to legal advocacy and social justice. Her leadership in the Legal Skills in Social Context Law Office and mentorship within the Black Law Students Association have strengthened support networks and professional development opportunities for law students.


Nominees


Meera Ravichandran

Bouvé College of Health Sciences

Interview


Katherine King

College of Professional Studies

Interview



2025 Outstanding Professional Doctorate Student Award in Practicum or Clinical Performance


Ali Tarokh

College of Professional Studies

Law and Policy

Recognized for his dedication to refugee advocacy and policy reform. His dissertation on economic self-sufficiency challenges among refugees informs policy change, while his leadership at Trellus and co-founding of the R-Stories podcast amplify refugee voices and drive systemic reform.


Nominees


Matthew Victoria

Bouvé College of Health Sciences

Interview


Elena Kuran

School of Law

Interview



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Arlington


Akash Deepak Sancheti

Computer Science

Recognized for his commitment to student engagement and well-being, fostering academic mentorship, and creating sustainable community initiatives.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Toronto


Sujata Gaimar

Analytics

Recognized for her dedication to student learning, mentorship, and the application of data analytics for social impact. Her leadership in the Data Analytics Society for Huskies (D.A.S.H.) and co-founding the Analytics for Good volunteer group have significantly benefited marginalized communities and refugees.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Vancouver


Panxin (Claire) Liu

Computer Science

Recognized for her leadership in research and development, applying technology for real-world impact, and fostering collaborative innovation. Her contributions in optimizing an embodied Large Language Model (LLM) English-speaking agent in Virtual Reality and her leadership in hackathons demonstrate her ability to drive technological advancements.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Charlotte


Kelly Crowther

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Recognized for her leadership within the Speech-Language Pathology program, fostering inclusivity and engagement, and advancing the field through service and advocacy. Her role as Historian for NUSSLHA and her volunteer work at the Speech and Language Center highlight her dedication to academic and clinical excellence.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Silicon Valley


Richard Yue

Computer Science

Recognized for his pioneering research in computational linguistics and machine translation, mentorship efforts, and leadership in representing Northeastern at national conferences. His contributions at the Experiential AI Institute and NASA Aeronautics Research Institute underscore his dedication to AI advancements.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Oakland


Diya Wadhwani

Computer Science

Recognized for her academic excellence, mentorship, cultural leadership, and advocacy for student well-being. Her work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, President of Junoon, and securing a campus shuttle for students exemplifies her impact on the Oakland campus community.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Miami


Erdun E

Computer Science

Recognized for his leadership in fostering student engagement, mentorship, and technological innovation for social impact. His creation of the Miami Tech Club and the NEU Miami Discord Server has enhanced communication and student collaboration on campus.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Portland


Daniel Kwaning

Analytics

Recognized for fostering student engagement, mentorship, and applying data analytics for real-world impact. His efforts in welcoming new students, networking initiatives, and leveraging

analytics at Nearpeer and Bangor Savings Bank showcase his commitment to community building.



2025 Outstanding Network Student Award in Seattle


Yiwen (Emelina) Wang

Analytics

Recognized for her leadership in creating an inclusive student community, mentorship in technical education, and contributions to real-world problem-solving through technology. Her role as Founder of Tech@Crossroads and her impact as a Teaching Assistant demonstrates her commitment to education and technology-driven change.



Nominees for Outstanding Network Student Award

Areeb Salsabil

Opeyemi Bello

Sam Alyas

Sherin Sajan

Syed Faizan

Yash Trivedi

Ife Akinyele-Peter

Oluwatobi Alao

Priyansh Thakkar

Veera Varuni Radhakrishnan

David Treadwell IV

Anqi Guan

Ivan Kwetey

Shuang Deng

Vidhi Naik

Yijia Ma

Yiwen Wang

Hui Lyu

Benjamin Johnson

Unnati Gaglani

Aakash Mahalingam

Irma Denise Ramirez Soule

Riddhi Gohil