Senior Spotlight - Amanda Strobel

Amanda Strobel is a senior Finance concentrator who recently was honored with the prestigous Hodgkinson Award. Amanda's excellence during her time at Northeastern has provided her with a full-time job at a large investment firm following graduation.

Q:Congratulations on your award! When did you first find out you were this year's recipient of the Hodgkinson Award? 
A: I was honored to find out that several people had nominated me for the award. My academic advisors, my co-op advisor and my organizational behavior professor were all very supportive and wrote wonderful comments on the application. I found out that I would be receiving the award via email. The Vice Provost for Undergraduate and Cooperative Education wrote in an email that I would be receiving the award and would be recognized at the President's Awards Convocation later that April. I was foremost shocked and then very excited.

Q:What did winning this award mean to you? 
A: The Hodgkinson Award is such an honor. I feel as though all the hard work, energy, and time that I have dedicated to my academic career over the past five years was spent in preparation for this recognition. It was an extremely proud moment to be recognized by President Aoun, members of the board of trustees, faculty members, my family, and perhaps most importantly, my fellow classmates. But the award is not just about academics and the long hours spent in Snell Library studying with friends or the countless PowerPoint presentations. The Hodgkinson Award demonstrates the enormous impact that Northeastern students are having in every discipline, whether in the classroom, on co-op, or in extracurricular activities. I am extremely grateful and humbled to receive such a distinguished award.

Q: How have you been able to balance academics with your extracurriculars?
A:Over the course of my five years here at Northeastern, I have been extremely grateful to play an active role in a diverse group of organizations. These include the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Senior Resident Assistant, Sigma Sigma Sigma National Sorority, NU's Panhellenic Council, and a CBA Ambassador.

It was on co-op that I really learned how to manage my time. A full work schedule with hard deadlines forced me to prioritize and execute tasks. I brought the same mindset back to campus for use in academics and extracurriculars. These time management skills have been crucial in my ability to balance academics with extracurricular activities.

Q:What has your biggest challenge been as a student in CBA?
A: My biggest challenge is also the program's biggest asset. There are so many options at Northeastern and in the CBA program. The hardest part was figuring out what was right for me. For example, I elected to do two co-ops instead of three and chose to participate in two summer internship programs as well. Picking and choosing from so many options was absolutely the biggest challenge, especially at a university that has so many different and interesting options.

Q:What has been your most memorable experience during your time at Northeastern? Any regrets? 
A: It is hard to pick just one memory that stands out over the past five years. Instead I have a collage of memories that I will carry with me. Living on the business floor in Stetson East my freshman year, enjoying lectures from extremely engaging professors, sorority formals, volunteering in the Boston community, hockey games in Matthews Arena, simply hanging out with friends in Curry- each of the memories I have made will stay with me long after I leave Northeastern's campus.

However, I am certain of one thing, I have absolutely no regrets. With help from family, friends, professors, co-op and academic advisors, I have made choices that have shaped who I am today. I have no regrets because I truly appreciated every moment of my time spent here at Northeastern. 

Q: What advice would you give students early into their Northeastern career?
A:Be as active as you can in organizations that you are passionate about without spreading yourself too thin. As a business major, I have found that many of us want to be involved in everything (afterall, we are the future leaders of this country). But it becomes extremely difficult to balance academics, extracuricculars, and possibly even part-time work when you are trying to make an impact and be involved in many organizations.

Stay busy, but make sure you leave time to enjoy yourself. These past five years at Northeastern have literally flown by, and I am extremely grateful that I was able to appreciate every moment and opportunity that came my way.

For more information, please contact Emily Unsworth, e.unsworth@neu.edu.