First time being nominated for a South Lake Union (SLU) award AND winning it? Meet Northeastern University in Seattle, who recently received the SLU Good Neighbor of the Year Award from the SLU Chamber of Commerce for its positive impact in the neighborhood! SLU, known as an epicenter for innovation and discovery, has been home to Northeastern’s Seattle campus since 2013. The question is, what does it mean to be a good neighbor? To get the inside scoop, we spoke to Jaren Walker, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Seattle Campus. Here is what she had to say: 

Q: What does this milestone mean to you (Jaren) and Northeastern’s Seattle community? 

A: As the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Seattle Campus, this recognition speaks to the good work our campus is doing! I had the opportunity to help shine the spotlight, but the culture of partnership and collaboration is embedded in every one of our teams. It’s an honor to be a part of, and this award is a tribute to all of the hard work the Northeastern (NU) community has done over the last 10 years.

Q: Take us back to the watch party. What did the atmosphere and winning moment feel like? 

A: “Nervous Exuberance” is the phrase that comes to mind. The award presentation surprised us by beginning with our nomination first, as a short clip displayed photos of our campus and a brief introduction to our efforts over the past year. We’d all decided that win or lose, we were just excited to be able to be together and celebrate. Winning was a big added benefit though!

Q: How has Northeastern in Seattle positively impacted SLU? Tell us why the university was nominated and won the award.

A: Our Seattle campus staff and students returned in mid-2021 and settled back into our beloved neighborhood. After opening our own testing center and establishing COVID policies to ensure the safety of our students and community, our programming resumed in new contexts.

• Our Global Learner Support team explored SLU with our new students to introduce them to local businesses like Fresh Flours (a bakery and café), Happy Lemon (bubble tea brand), and Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI).

• We partnered with Cornish College of the Arts to display their 2021 Art Exhibition – from students who were unable to be on their home campus – on external classroom windows to be enjoyed by local passersby.
• Co-workers excitedly moved meetings off-campus and brought visitors from our campus network to favorite bars and restaurants. Requiring vaccination for all members of our campus since September, Northeastern in Seattle worked to ensure not only the health and safety of our students, but also the whole community.

Q: What do you see for the future of South Lake Union as a neighborhood, and what role can Northeastern University in Seattle play in the community’s continued success?

A: As the neighborhood continues to rebound after COVID-19, with businesses reopening and travelers returning, Northeastern’s presence in SLU is growing.

• We’ve nearly finished securing our third building and are continuing to develop relationships with marquee organizations in town. We’re particularly excited about our ongoing relationship with Cornish College of the Arts (our academic neighbor up the street), whose student artwork decorates the walk between our buildings and who we’re continuing to find new opportunities to collaborate with.
• As we continue to build our community partnerships, this summer term, we are hosting the Women in Tech (WiT) Regatta for the 4th year which brings together leaders from across North America to connect wo(men) in tech to mentors, peers and resources. During the weeklong conference, the Seattle and Vancouver campuses are sponsoring panels, hosting events on our campus, and our faculty and staff are sharing their thoughts as speakers. A collaborative effort that allows our partners and students to build their networks and, ultimately, their careers!

Shout outs for those who made the award possible

Special shout out to everyone, including staff and faculty who voted; our IT team who made the watch party possible; Twinkle Haria who eloquently helped tell our story; and Anne Maria Jacobson and Jeremy Walter without whom none of us could be half the “good neighbor” we are!

About the SLU Good Neighbor Award 

The award is part of the Celebrate SLU event which aims to bring the diverse community together, to celebrate the SLU neighborhood. Launched in 2009, Celebrate SLU recognizes organizations whose contributions are meaningful in helping improve the community. The SLU Chamber nominates six organizations in various categories each year – who do not have to be involved with the Chamber. Nominees are selected based on their demonstrated contribution to the success of the community, such as improvement projects, events for the community, etc. The public then votes on the nominees, and the top three organizations are selected as the Finalists, resulting in one winner.