Skip to content
GIVING DAY is almost here! Make a gift today through April 11 to support CSSH students and programs.
Connect
Stories

How an eight-​​hour car ride helped one freshman find her home at Northeastern

Portrait of student Denise Bates

Freshman Denise Bates, who plans to pursue a double major in Eng­lish and his­tory, “fell in love” with Northeastern’s co-​​op pro­gram and “awe-​​inspiring” campus when she toured the campus for the first time, but she strug­gled inter­nally with how she would regain in New Eng­land the com­mu­nity she’d built back home in Arkansas. An eight-hour car ride to an accepted student event in Texas sealed the deal for her.

One of Denise Bates’ favorite books is Matilda, by Roald Dahl. It’s a story about a young girl who doesn’t quite know what to do with her own unique abil­i­ties and winds up finding strength in her own power and goodwill.

It seems only fit­ting that the North­easten freshman—who has vol­un­teered for years with myriad orga­ni­za­tions built around helping and empow­ering young girls—would iden­tify with Matilda’s story.

I think we all go through that lack of con­fi­dence phase when we’re younger, and reading about this girl who was strong and pow­erful really res­onated with me,” said Bates, SSH’21. “I’ve worked with a lot of kids, but if I see girls espe­cially strug­gling in ways I have in the past, I want to help.”

Read the full story at news@Northeastern.

More Stories

2023 CSSH Outstanding Staff Awards

03.30.2023

‘We have to do this. We absolutely have to.’ Jehovah’s Witness who grew up in Nazi Germany emphasizes need to remember and reflect on the Holocaust

03.29.2023
Northeastern logo

2023 Excellence in Work to Foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Awards

03.30.23
All Stories