By TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS who need to earn only a few more credits before the merger, Mills is planning a condensed summer session between May 17 and June 30 so those within eight credits of graduation can complete their degrees before the transition. Read the most up-to-date info at tinyurl.com/mills–degree- pathways.
DESPITE REPORTS TO THE CONTRARY, historic areas of study at Mills—such as child development and ethnic studies—are not disappearing! Extensive discussions are taking place between Mills and Northeastern faculties about the development of programs that build on the subjects unique to Mills.
“The creation of new Mills at Northeastern academic programs is going to take us some time—but it will start in a matter of weeks, and it will build on Mills’ historic legacies,” said Mills President Elizabeth L. Hillman at a faculty/staff town hall on January 27. “These singular programs will be a part of Mills’ future. Many at Northeastern are excited about the possibilities here!”
These new and rejuvenated programs will be co-created by Mills and Northeastern colleagues and showcase both the strengths of Mills and its unique location in the East Bay. These proposals will go through Northeastern’s governance and review process as well as accreditation, which will ensure the robustness of the programs created. The administration’s hope is that these efforts will bear fruit in fall 2023.
WHAT WILL THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR LOOK LIKE? In addition to approximately 500 Mills students finishing their degrees, another 500 students from Northeastern are expected to be on campus as part of two long-standing first-year programs: N.U.in, a one-semester option that sends incoming students to locations around the world with a guarantee for spring admission on the Boston campus; and NU Bound, a similar program lasting the full academic year. Mills faculty members will teach courses for both programs while putting plans in place for the eventual debut of a comprehensive undergraduate and graduate Mills College at Northeastern University.
A SIGNATURE OF NORTHEASTERN’S undergraduate experience is the co-op model, which pairs students with job opportunities around the world for experiential learning. That model will make its way to the Mills campus. In a February 17 discussion with major donors, Dean of Students Chicora Martin compared it to the internships that often guide first-gen students into the working world—and give all participants the chance to dabble in potential careers before fully committing.
“We are going to build out our own resources right here on campus to ensure that our students have access to all of the available support and engagement,” they said. Northeastern’s method of connecting students with guidance from the larger community, MentorHub, is coming as well, and will eventually open to potential mentors.
