President Joseph E. Aoun is hiring his first co-op, the Global Officer, and Monday is the final day to apply! Students can apply for this exciting position through Northeastern’s Global Officer website.

Here, Aoun discusses why now is the right time for this hire, what the Global Officer will do, and what advice he will give his co-op student about exploring the world.

Why is this the right time to hire a co-op?

I am a great believer in the power of experiential education, so I was excited to do this. Northeastern is in 120 countries, but we’re not content to rest and be satisfied with what we’ve achieved. This is a great opportunity for the Global Officer to learn and grow, and it’s also a powerful tool for Northeastern to explore new directions. On a personal note, employers are always telling me how much they benefit from having our students on co-op. I’ve never had my own co-op before, so I’ll be learning a great deal, too. It’s very exciting.

What will the Global Officer do?

The Global Officer is a paid co-op student who will travel the world for six months, looking for opportunities for Northeastern and seeing how we can further our impact worldwide. If you’re interested, all you have to do is imagine how you’ll impact the world and Northeastern, then write it down. I’m asking you to invent your own job description. Perhaps it involves traveling to a different place each week, reporting on our standout students or documenting the work done by our exceptional alumni. Perhaps it’s something that no one has imagined yet. Send me your proposals. I will read them, and the winning idea will frame the next chapter of what Northeastern can do, globally.

What advice would you give to your co-op about exploring the world?

Be adventurous! Push your imagination to take you—and Northeastern—to places we haven’t been. You already know that co-op allows you to find out what you like, what you don’t like, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at. When you have the entire world as your co-op, you can stretch your opportunities to new horizons. Don’t worry about failure, since learning comes through failing fast and picking yourself back up. But there’s a serious task at hand: You must be an ambassador as well as an explorer and an innovator. So be tireless in curiosity, take advantage of all the opportunities that come, and make your mark on your university.