The university singled out eight winners in four new categories, drawing from more than 160 nominations. Honorees included individuals and teams from across the global campus network.
The Northeastern University Staff Excellence Awards are back for 2025 — with revamped and expanded categories, a larger-than-ever pool of nominees and winners from across Northeastern’s 13 global campuses.
Out of an unprecedented 160 nominations, eight honorees were selected in four new award categories: “Innovation Across the Network,” “Driver of Community and Belonging,” “Model Mentor and Coach” and “Dream Team.” Winning individual staffers and teams represented the Boston, Charlotte, Seattle, Toronto, Silicon Valley, Miami, Vancouver, Portland and Arlington campuses.
The new categories, expanded from previous years, were designed to reflect Northeastern’s institutional definition of excellence, says Mika Morikawa-Zhou, the learning and employee engagement associate for the university’s Human Resources department.
“These awards are a testament to the accomplishments and dedication of staff who have made significant contributions to the Northeastern network,” Morikawa-Zhou adds. “So many staff do incredible work, and they are why the university continues to run the way it does. They deserve all the visibility and appreciation we can give them.”
After receiving nominations from colleagues, winners were selected by separate peer review teams for each award. Many honorees were cited for work within the confines of their roles that effected change across the university system and in surrounding communities. These included Joseph Cooke, a computational scientist in the provost’s office who received the highest number of nominations for the “Innovation” award; and Jada Jackson, a community engagement manager on the Charlotte campus who has fostered key partnerships within the city.
A number of teams were also singled out for working seamlessly from various campuses toward a shared mission. These included the graduate recruitment team and the team of TA hiring managers, respectively, for the Khoury College of Computer Sciences.
The full list of awards and winners is below:
Joseph Cooke – computational scientist, office of the provost (Boston)
From the selection team: Nomination letters paint a picture of Joseph as a transformative force, quietly revolutionizing operations and driving significant change from his role in a small department. His influence and the ripple effect of his efforts are remarkable and inspiring.
Khoury TA Hiring Managers
From the selection team: This group seemed like a “well-oiled machine” that tackled problems and solved issues on a case-by-case basis across the network.
Jada Jackson — Community engagement manager (Charlotte)
From the selection team: Jada’s leadership in organizing Northeastern University’s Heart of Charlotte Awards has significantly elevated the event’s importance and visibility. [They are] also fostering strategic partnerships with Mecklenburg County Public Health and expanding community engagement through various initiatives, including the new on-campus Speech-Language Pathology Center.
Beyazmin Jimenez — Director of belonging and engagement, planning, real estate and facilities (Boston)
From the selection team: Beya excels in fostering belonging through staff retreats, mentorship programs, facilitating difficult conversations, and maintaining an open-door policy, earning high praise for her contributions to embedding a positive culture.
Girlie Delacruz — Associate vice chancellor of teaching and learning, office of the chancellor (Boston)
From the selection team: A clear choice due to her transformative leadership, unwavering support and profound impact on colleagues.
Maricla Pirozzi — Director of multi-disciplinary graduate engineering programs, college of engineering (Boston)
From the selection team: Recognized for her strategic, goal-oriented approach, fostering cross-functional partnerships, accountability, and inclusivity, which has streamlined processes and elevated team development across global campuses.
From the selection team: Commended for their innovative spirit, commitment to excellence and seamless collaboration, significantly advancing Northeastern’s success and creating lasting impact on the Toronto campus and within the Global Network.
From the selection team: This team showcased exceptional leadership, strategic planning and collaborative spirit, exemplifying innovation, inclusivity, and significant contributions to graduate recruitment and diversity in computing.