From friendships to co-ops and bedazzled boots, Rebecca Bamidele urges graduates to cherish their ‘Northeastern resumes’ - Northeastern University College of Science

After her introduction from Northeastern Chancellor Ken Henderson, Rebecca Bamidele, the university’s undergraduate student commencement speaker, strode up to the dais to a roar of sustained approval from the floor seats at Fenway Park.

After a few waves of applause, the biology and political science graduate, whose closest friends call her “Reebs,” took a deep breath, smiled and encouraged her fellow graduates to savor the moment.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate the accomplishments of the past four years,” she said. “For better or for worse, for co-op salaries richer or for poorer, in Cabot COVID testing sickness and in health, we took Northeastern to be ours. And even in the face of obstacles, each of our paths have led us here.”

Her remarks focused on the tapestry of experiences that dotted those paths — especially those that wouldn’t make it onto a typical CV.

“While we’ve all reaped the benefits of co-op and internships, a Northeastern education means so much more than collecting LinkedIn credentials,” she said.