Notable Graduates of Fall 2021

With the end of the semester comes the end of someone’s journey. For the Fall 2021 graduates, it has been a long journey for them, but they made it. While we congratulate all of the graduates that will be leaving Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), here are some notable people that will soon be leaving our halls.

Name: Ankush Vyas

Major: Accounting

Minor: Sociology

Clubs/Organizations:

Independent, Editor-in-Chief

Student Media Board, Treasurer

WZRD Radio, Web Developer

Que Ondee Sola, Contributing Writer

Seeds, Contributing Writer

Geeks and Nerds United, Treasurer

Favorite quote: 

“Power isn’t determined by your size, but the size of your heart and dreams” -Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

What are your goals post-graduation?

“Hello, my name is Ankush Vyas and I am currently a senior at NEIU finishing my undergraduate degree in Accounting with a minor in Sociology. Reflecting through my journey and thinking about the goals I set for myself, I can definitely say that I overachieved most of my goals thanks to the opportunities and environment provided at NEIU. Some of my goals which remain unfulfilled are still achievable outside NEIU, so I’m ambitious to keep pursuing them after my graduation. With only two weeks remaining until graduation, top 3 goals that I have been preparing for are joining the workforce and applying the skills I cultivated during my time at NEIU, support my family in full capacity and keep making my little contributions of making life a wonderful experience for people who lack thereof due to social inequalities.”

What is the one thing you will remember from Northeastern?

“While there are so many things that I will look back on often from my journey at NEIU, the one thing that I will remember are the amazing people I met. Each and every student, faculty, and staff I met taught me invaluable lessons. Most of the interaction I’ve had with the NEIU community has been a positive experience, but even with some of the negative experiences, it has still been a fruitful experience. Perhaps, the most valuable lesson I have learned at NEIU is that oftentimes progress is more important than perfection.”

Your favorite class?

“Despite majoring in accounting, my favorite class would have to be Sociology of Media elective class. I had been working for The Independent as an Online Editor for a while back then, but I didn’t really understand what media really was. This class helped me obtain media literacy skills, develop research skills and improve my writing capabilities. More importantly it helped me understand who I am, what I love doing and ultimately how my actions affect my environment. All the skills and deep knowledge obtained in this class further allowed me to add purpose to how accounting skills can be used for the greater good of the public and, in many ways, helped me prepare for the leadership role of Editor-in-Chief of the Independent.”

What have you done at Northeastern that you haven’t done before (personal, academic)?

“As someone who characterizes himself as a complete sigma personality, I truly outdid myself by becoming visible to the public and taking on leadership roles. I also let myself be completely vulnerable for the sake of a true learning experience and connect with my colleagues and friends. In return, I got so much love and support that I can only imagine getting from my immediate family members. I thought I would graduate by myself, but I can see so many people cheering for me now.”

What have you learned about yourself from being at Northeastern?

“In all modesty, I am a versatile human being. ^_^ <3”

Fan of in-person classes or online classes:

“Each style of learning has its perks and limitations. I prefer in-person classes when the entire classroom is actively engaging with each other rather than just listening to the professor speak up the whole time. I prefer online classes especially during the pandemic because I don’t have to worry about wearing the mask all the time feeling suffocated and not being able to fully focus in the class. It also saves commute time.  If the pandemic wasn’t a thing, I would ultimately prefer in-person classes.”

Name: Ginna Watson

Major: B.S. in Finance

Minor: Data Analytics

Clubs/Organizations: 

Student Government Association, Chief of Staff

College of Business and Technology Student Advisory Council, Vice President

Favorite quote: 

“You may live in the world as it is, but you can still work to create the world as it should be” -Michelle Obama

What are your goals post-graduation?

“After graduating from NEIU, I will be taking a 6-month break to hone my data analytics skills with independent projects and research. Then, in June, I will be joining Northern Trust Corporation in downtown Chicago as a Rotational Development Associate. In this program, I will be getting a flavor of the different areas of Corporate Finance within the company, and after 18 months, I will be taking a permanent position in the same area.”

Your favorite class?

“My favorite class was Accounting 201 with professor Yoon. He is enjoying retirement now, but he made a huge impact on my decision to become a business major. I took accounting in high school, but the way professor Yoon explained the concepts made everything clear and easy to understand; I always looked forward to attending his class. Professor Yoon was also the first instructor who agreed to write a recommendation letter for my Merit Tuition Scholarship application, even though he did not know my background and I was a transfer student at NEIU.”

Fan of in-person classes or online classes

“I learn better in an in-person environment because I like to ask questions when the instructor can answer in real-time, rather than waiting for an email or office hours. I also think the best way to differentiate myself in a class is by participating and interacting with classmates and instructors. Nevertheless, I also enjoy the flexibility that online courses bring; I have enjoyed most of my online classes but would come to campus given a chance.”

What have you done at Northeastern that you haven’t done before (personal, academic)?

“One of the best experiences I had at NEIU was being Chief of Staff for the Student Government Association. I had always been afraid of taking on a leadership role because I do not like confrontation, and I felt my personality was not a good fit for these roles. However, with a little bit of encouragement from President Medina and the guidance of Veronica Rodriguez, I was able to learn how to lead a team of peers. I still have a lot to learn, but this position gave me the confidence I needed to take on more managerial positions in the future.”

What have you learned about yourself from being at Northeastern?

“During my time at NEIU, I learned that I could do great things if I am brave enough to take the opportunities presented and work hard. At first, I made it a goal just to finish my degree. Then, as my grades exceeded my expectations, I decided to try to graduate with Latin Honors. After that, my next goal was to be involved on campus and take on a leadership role. Finally, even though it was not my goal, I was selected to be Commencement Speaker for the December ceremony.”

What is the one thing you will remember from Northeastern?

“I will always remember the meaningful relationships I was able to build during my time at NEIU. The small-sized classes and the community environment made it possible for me to know my professors, classmates, advisors, and staff in a way I wouldn’t have been able to at any other institution. 

Being a student leader also contributed to developing friendships and learning from the people around me. I learned a lot from everyone I met at NEIU; their life stories and experiences were eye-opening, making me want to support causes I may have been aware of but not too interested in being involved. Now,  I want to actively support minoritized communities, especially the Latinx community, through financial literacy and financial planning.”

Name: Usaid Mahmud 

Major: Biological Sciences

Clubs/Organizations: 

Muslim Student Association, President

Favorite quote: 

“Being smart opens doors. Hard work allows you to walk through those doors, and dreams keep you going.”

Your favorite class:

“My favorite all-time class has to go to Anatomy and Physiology 1! Part of this is because of how amazing the human body is, but mainly it was also the amazing professor I had for the course – Dr. Habib. He inspires me to continue learning about human biology, and I am honored and privileged to have him for a second semester in research.”

Fan of in-person classes or online classes:

“As much as I like online classes and its perks, I have to say that there is nothing like in person classes. It really helps with keeping the course authentic and enriching.”

What have you done at Northeastern that you haven’t done before (personal, academic)

“As mentioned before, I am the current president of Muslim Student Association (MSA)! This has been such an honor for me, and I’ve made it a mission to make it an all-inclusive club. We welcome both Muslim and non Muslim students, and we work to educate everyone on the religion of Islam in a peaceful and NON forceful manner. We also host a variety of events such as social gatherings (where people can network) and bake sales (we just cohosted one and raised $675 for refugees!)”

What have you learned about yourself from being at Northeastern?

“I’ve learned to be confident in who I am and the choices I make!”

What is the one thing you will remember from Northeastern? 

“How welcoming the university was! I was in a bad place at my previous university, and needed an education institution that was affordable and had great people! And those great people really are what got me to the finish line. The friends I have made here at Northeastern have helped to get me where I am today.”

Name: Jack Poskus

Major: Communications, Media and Theatre (CMT)

Minor: Media

Clubs/Organizations: 

NEIU Independent, Campus Life Editor

Favorite Quote: 

“There is no light for those who do not know darkness.” – Takehiko Inoue

What are your goals post-graduation?: 

“To take the skills and lessons that I’ve learned from my time at NEIU and apply them to the real world. Also, to be able to channel my creativity through the realm of communication and media.”

What is the one thing you will remember from Northeastern?:

“How welcoming and supportive each student and faculty member has been to me and my peers during my time at NEIU.”

Your favorite class?: 

“CMTM-361: Digital Video Editing with Professor Moran. I loved being able to further my knowledge and skills with filmmaking and editing through Premiere Pro, and because of this course, I’m able to consume film and television through a more analytical lens.”

What have you done at Northeastern that you haven’t done before (personal, academic)?

“I was able to join a club/organization at the collegiate level and was able to collaborate with countless groups and members of the student body.”

What have you learned about yourself from being at Northeastern?

“I realized how much I value human expression through art and media and how big of a role media and entertainment play in my life. Whether it be through visual representations, the spoken/written word or some other tangible work, there’s much more to life than what meets the human eye.”

Fan of in-person classes or online classes: 

“I’m pretty indifferent, but my ideal semester would be half in-person classes and half online classes.”

Name: Crystal Pérez 

Major: English 

Minor: Linguistics 

Clubs/Organizations: 

Que Ondee Sola, Editor-in Chief

Favorite quote: 

“Sunshine all the time makes a desert.”~Arabic Proverb

What are your goals post-graduation? 

“Work with refugees”

What is the one thing you will remember from Northeastern? 

“My painstaking struggles [with] homework and exams.”

Your favorite class?

“Middle Eastern Linguistics Course”

What have you done at Northeastern that you haven’t done before (personal, academic)? 

“Refine my writing, editing, and critical analysis skills.”

What have you learned about yourself from being at Northeastern? 

“That I’m passion-driven.”

Fan of in-person classes or online classes: 

“In-person.”