JCU Hosts Convocation Ceremony for Northeastern University First Semester in Rome Students

A moment from the Convocation Ceremony

On Monday, September 6, John Cabot University hosted a Convocation for 200 Northeastern University first-semester students currently participating in the NU in Italy program at JCU. Held simultaneously on the Secchia and Critelli terraces, the hybrid event allowed Rome-based students to take part in the official ceremony in Boston welcoming all new students to the Northeastern campus community.

Northeastern’s Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations, Lori Jacques, opened the ceremony and introduced guest speaker, N.U. alumnus Mario Arvelo, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the Rome-based United Nations agencies fighting hunger and malnutrition. Ambassador Arvelo, who is a career diplomat from the Dominican Republic, introduced students to the Northeastern community.

Students in Rome were able to watch the symbolic lighting of a torch in Boston, officially inducting all new students to the campus community. Then the Rome students lit their own torch, as did N.U. students in London.

Following tradition, Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern University, joined by university leaders, including every college dean, as well as Casey Buttke, president of the Student Government Association, offered remarks to the new students at the ceremony.

A highlight of the ceremony was the “Door to the World” feature, where students in Boston could open a virtual door and interact with students in Rome and London.

“We are very happy to welcome Northeastern first semester students to JCU and are pleased to have been able to facilitate the Convocation,” said JCU Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Operations Jose B. Alvarez.