Student Change Agents Nominated for Truman Scholarship

The Truman Scholarship is a highly competitive, merit-based award which funds graduate schooling in preparation for a career in public service. The Truman Scholarship recognizes college juniors who are true “change agents,” with the passion, intellect, and leadership potential to improve the ways that public entities—be they government agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, or advocacy organizations—serve the public good. This year, Northeastern University had the pleasure of nominating four outstanding students for this award.

Leila Habib COS ’19
A behavioral neuroscience major with a minor in photojournalism, Leila Habib has immersed herself in endeavors spanning scientific research, journalism, photography, student advocacy, and community activism, all with a dedication to representational inclusion and bringing marginalized perspectives to bear on issues of great concern. Habib has conducted research at Northeastern’s Social Interaction Lab, Sentence Processing Lab, and Institute on Urban Health and Practice, as well as for the online community PatientsLikeMe. She is an editor-in-chief of Woof, Northeastern’s lifestyle magazine, and has reported for the Takoma Voice and the New England Newspaper and Press Association. On campus, Habib has held executive positions in the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students, served as a campaign liaison for Students Against Institutional Discrimination, and was a founding member of the College of Science Student Diversity Advisory Council. She aspires to earn degrees in medicine and public health, leading to a career as a clinician-advocate for disadvantaged communities. Habib is a member of the University Scholars and Honors Programs and grew up in Silver Spring, MD.

Ryan Maia CSSH ’19
University Scholar and Honors student Ryan Maia came to Northeastern from Silicon Valley intending to study chemistry, but quickly found his intellectual home in international affairs and philosophy, becoming deeply involved in Northeastern’s International Relations Council, the umbrella organization for the university’s Model Arab League, Model NATO, and Model United Nations. As vice president of events, Maia oversaw the smooth execution of the competitions that enabled the university’s teams to achieve national and international prominence. Ryan has also sought to make a difference through direct service and relevant policy analysis. He has researched sustainable planning in Singapore, drawing lessons for urban centers worldwide, and has written for the Northeastern Environmental Justice Research Collaborative. He is a co-founder of EcoScholars, an initiative to develop and implement a novel, interdisciplinary after-school curriculum about climate change. Inspired by co-op experiences at the Boston Bar Association and Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Ryan aspires to attend law school to work on international frameworks for assisting climate refugees.

Jackson Reimer CSSH ’19
Jackson Reimer was drawn to Northeastern’s new Politics, Philosophy, and Economics major because of his interest in both understanding the moral and ethical foundations of our political and economic system and developing the analytical tools necessary to devise successful policy interventions. Reimer’s excellence in this domain and leadership amongst his peers led to deep involvement in the Pi Sigma Alpha Honors Society, where he currently serves as President, and the Philosophy Society, where he is a Senior Vice President. These twinned interests have also led him to work at Kinzer Capital, where he co-authored a proposal for 2,500 affordable housing units in downtown Seattle that was backed by nearly 30 civic and industry leaders, and at the Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). Currently, Reimer is conducting a self-developed, faculty-mentored research project combining computational linguistics and economics to analyze online forum postings by those with opioid-use disorders. The goal of the project is to assemble a fuller picture of opioid users’ experience than has been possible through traditional survey techniques. Reimer, who hails from Los Angeles, hopes to earn a PhD in economics and continue using rigorous research tools to drive policy solutions.

Emma Thornton COS ’19
Connecticut native and Honors student Emma Thornton is dedicated to promoting environmental justice as both a scientist and a policy advocate, bringing together these two knowledge domains to make change. Academically, this has meant pairing a major in environmental science with a minor in law and public policy. Outside the classroom, Thornton has applied her skills to deliver results in contexts as diverse as laboratory science and state-level policy. She has researched transgenerational immunity in insects as well as the continuing effects of lead paint in local housing stock. As president of the Terra Society, Northeastern’s marine and environmental science club, Thornton spearheaded the development of collaborations with community organizations such as Speaks for the Trees, TreeSisters, and OurClimate. While on co-op with Oxfam America, meanwhile, Thornton testified before the Massachusetts State Senate, helping build support for a bill that would allow a voluntary contribution to the UN’s Least Developed Countries Fund, which finances climate change adaptation, through state tax returns. Thornton aspires to a career in environmental law.