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Jada Howard

International Affairs, BA
Arabic minor
International Security Studies minor
CSSH Ambassador
PlusOne: MS in Security & Resilience Studies

Graduating in 2023

Jada Howard became interested in International Affairs after taking the course “Terrorism in the Modern World” while in high school. She was drawn to CSSH not only for the international affairs program that would allow her to focus on the Middle East, but also for the robust Arabic program. 

Related Schools & Departments

Jada’s Path

Jada went on a virtual Dialogue of Civilizations to the Middle East with Professor Denis Sullivan, where she learned about the histories and international relations of nations in the Levant.

Dialogues of Civilizations

She took “U.S. Foreign Policy” with Professor Julie Garey and stepped into the shoes of national leaders through coursework and simulations centered around current events.

Professor Julie Garey

Jada reworked curriculum to include more topics relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a research assistant to Associate Professor Liza Weinstein.

Professor Lisa Weinstein

She became a CSSH Ambassador to connect with current and prospective students while highlighting her favorite things about being part of the CSSH community.

CSSH Ambassadors

Jada served as an International Affairs Peer Mentor and supported new students in the program by providing information on class selection, her favorite professors, and fun things to do around Boston.

CSSH Department Peer Mentors

She completed co-ops at the National Security Innovation Network and Harvard Global Support Services, learning what she did—and did not—want to do with her degree through these experiences.

CSSH Co-op

Jada went on co-op at Control Risks, a global risk and strategic consulting firm, as a Crisis and Security Consultant in their Kidnap for Ransom Department.

Control Risks
“I’ve developed so many close relationships, not only with my classmates, but also with my professors, which is something that I really find just so valuable. Professors are humans, too: you can talk to them, you can be transparent with them, and they’re very approachable here.”

Jada will graduate in December 2023, and will earn her MS in Security and Resilience Studies as part of the PlusOne program.

More Student Paths

Charles T. Wallace-Thomas IV

  • Charles took "Sustainable Renewable Energy Development in the Global South" with Professor Shalanda Baker, which pushed him to further question systems as they exist, no matter their entrenched in society.
  • He did community service as part of the Ujima Global Leaders Program through the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute. He worked on the Timebank team, helping give back to local communities.
  • Charles split his time for his first co-op between the Center for Economic Democracy and the Boston Ujima Project, where he analyzed studies on community needs, including infrastructure and childcare.
  • He was one of the co-creators of the #BlackAtNU campaign and advocated for racial literacy courses and a restorative and transformative justice center on campus.
  • Charles made his own research project- a macroeconomic index to measure democratic participation in municipal economies, partnering with NU, the Columbus Foundation and the Center for Economic Democracy.
  • He worked at the Participatory Budgeting Project as a Program Associate, helping city systems and other organizations actively decide how to invest money across different spaces.
  • Charles graduated in 2022. ..

Casey Greenleaf

  • Casey took Global Markets and Local Cultures. After traveling, she better saw how the coursework mirrored real life, and knew her education was preparing her for the world.
  • She went on a DOC to Argentina and Uruguay, and become highly proficient while living in Buenos Aires and visiting the glaciers of the Patagonia region.
  • Casey completed her first co-op at the Museum of Fine Arts as a community arts program assistant. She gained valuable hands-on experience assisting in arts classes for local communities.
  • She joined the Sociology & Anthropology Student Association during her third year. It allowed her to get to know her fellow students and mirrored the small school experience she loved.
  • Casey studied abroad in Nepal for her capstone thesis. She lived alone for a month while she researched and wrote about the lived experience of climate change in the lower Himalayas.
  • She worked for the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative, founded by Professor Sarah Wylie. She produced promotional videos, developed a virtual research event, wrote event programming, and more.
  • Casey graduated in 2020. ..

Sunita Pfitzner

  • Sunita took Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection, taught by Professor Risa Kitagawa. The course invited students to question the motives behind acts of violence against governments.
  • She traveled on a Dialogue of Civilizations to Jordan and Egypt; while there she grew interested in Middle East politics and the Arabic language.
  • Sunita worked at the Institute for Economics and Peace in Sydney, Australia, where she analyzed data on the corruption of police forces in Mexico.
  • Sunita was a member of the International Relations Council and traveled abroad with the club to compete in Model Arab League, Model NATO, and Model UN conferences.
  • Sunita conducted research with Berna Turam, developing a greater understanding of the Mediterranean migrant crisis. She also researched the feminist response to Covid-19 with Val Moghadam.
  • She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2022.
  • ..
Northeastern student Yasser Aponte works at The Food Project to help deliver fresh food to local communities in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Yasser Aponte

  • Yasser was in the Foundation Year program at Northeastern. The program was a rigorous deep dive into core subject classes that helped Yasser bridge the gap between his high school and college experiences.
  • He took Issues in Cities and Suburbs with Professor Erin Graves in Fall 2018. As someone deeply invested in urban life, he found the course was an enlightened look at the problems endemic to cities.
  • Yasser joined the Boston Beer Company as a Program Operations and Event Assistant for his first co-op. He worked on inventory, public relations, brewery events, and workspace organization.
  • He implemented community gardens all over Boston on deserted plots of land during his time as the Northeastern Campus Director for the campus’ United Nations Millennium Fellowship.
  • Yasser maintained a farm in Dorchester for The Food Project. He harvested crops, distributed produce through donations and food markets, and worked on overall logistics.
  • In 2020, Yasser won the Community Service Leadership award, given to students who show exemplary community engagement. He was recognized for his work at The Food Project, Northeastern Crossing, and more.
  • He graduated 2022 with his Bachelor’s in International Affairs and Religious Studies and his Master’s in Security and Resilience Studies, through Northeastern’s PlusOne program...