The EMPOWER Fellows Program, housed within the Center for Intercultural Engagement (CIE), is a transformative leadership opportunity for Northeastern students committed to fostering meaningful connections, advancing social justice, and facilitating peer-led intergroup dialogue. Rooted in principles of equity, empathy, and collective learning, this fellowship equips students with the skills to lead critical conversations, design inclusive programming, and strengthen communities across differences.
Fellows undergo rigorous training in intergroup dialogue facilitation, drawing on best practices in conflict resolution, generative listening, and social identity development, and apply their learning by co-creating dialogue spaces, cultural programming, and campus-wide initiatives. Through mentorship from CIE staff, campus partners, and collaboration with peers, EMPOWER Fellows play a pivotal role in shaping a more engaged and socially conscious Northeastern community
- Peer-led Dialogue: Facilitating conversations that build empathy, curiosity, and understanding across differences
- Collaborative Leadership: Fellows design and implement intercultural programming across CSL Centers and spaces
- Celebratory Showcase: Annual Cultural Show highlighting intersectional identities through creative expression
Meet the 2025-2026 EMPOWER Fellows!
Anahi Cruz (‘26, Data Science & Business Administration) isn’t just multilingual—she’s multidimensional. A returning EMPOWER Fellow, first-generation Latina, and current Marketing & Communication co-op at Beat The Odds, she fuses storytelling with strategy to move audiences and ideas. She’s active in PODER, ALPFA, and U-F1RST, and through these involvements she drives forward conversations about justice, access, and inclusion. Pre-law by ambition, but a communicator at heart; Anahi sees data not just as numbers but as narratives—powerful tools to advocate for change. Whether in English or Spanish, she speaks fluently in the language of impact.
Joella Orozco (‘27, Environmental & Sustainability Science + Public Health) is a first-generation Latina and proud Dean’s List and Summer Bridge Scholar. She is shaping her Northeastern journey with purpose through LASO, NU PODER, and Ecoscholars. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she promotes community composting and inclusive sustainability at Fenway Victory Gardens. Passionate about urban planning that uplifts marginalized communities, Joella is part of a new generation asking tough questions and doing the work to answer them.
Sebastien Gabin (‘26, Chemical Engineering) speaks French and English—and the language of precision. At NU, they were on the Executive Board of AfroSpectrum, a resource and safe space for Black, LGBTQ+ college students in Boston. Sebastien’s experience spans powerhouse organizations like Amgen and Sublime Systems, where they’ve contributed to pilot plant optimization and championed lab safety protocols that prioritize both people and processes. Recognized for academic excellence, Sebastien brings a clear-eyed curiosity to every project, guided by their belief that science doesn’t stop at borders. Their commitment to international collaboration and sustainable innovation reminds us: some solutions only emerge when we’re willing to learn across cultures—and across disciplines.
Sophia Nguyen (‘27, Electrical & Computer Engineering + Biomedical Engineering) is the kind of person who brings both systems and people into better alignment. On the pre-med track with a mind wired for robotics and a heart pulled toward healing, she’s taken her engineering studies from classrooms to co-ops at Amazon Robotics, RTX, and Draper. In Chile, she studied biomedical instrumentation—not just to gain skills, but to understand healthcare through a global lens. Whether through Husky Ambassadors, the Vietnamese Student Association, or WREN, she builds networks that are equal parts brainpower and belonging. Fluent in English and Vietnamese, she’s advancing the future of medical tech with empathy at its core.
Tsunami Anthony (‘26, Media Arts & Video Arts) sees the world through color, composition, and culture. They blend artistry and storytelling to spark connection. As a Summer Bridge Peer Mentor and social justice trained leader, they’ve supported first-year students from diverse backgrounds and championed belonging on campus. Recognized by the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute for oratory excellence, they approach design as dialogue–between people, places, and perspectives. They have served as a Peer Resource Navigator with the LGBTQIA2S+ Resource Center for 3 years, bringing gender affirming care and access to Northeastern’s Queer, Trans, and Questioning students. For Tsunami, every act of creation is an invitation to see differently–to imagine a world more connected, more curious, and more alive. Tsunami is a returning EMPOWER Fellow.
The EMPOWER Story: A Timeline of Community and Dialogue
2010
Spring 2010: Delia Cheung Hom (Asian American Center) and Bob Jose (Dean of Cultural and Spiritual Life) identified a need for stronger connections between different student of color communities on campus.
Summer 2010: The first EMPOWER Retreat planning team formed, with staff from the Asian American Center, the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute, the Latinx Student Cultural Center, and LEAD360.
2011
January 2011: The very first EMPOWER Retreat was held in Sandwich, MA, creating a powerful new space for connection.
Spring 2011: The success of the retreat led to new events like the “EMPOWER Mingle” to keep the momentum going.
2011 – 2015
The initiative expanded to two major annual events:
- The EMPOWER Retreat in the fall.
- The EMPOWER Conference in the spring.
These events became cornerstone opportunities for students to explore identity, leadership, and build community together.
2015 – Present Day
The program has always been a collaborative effort, with supporting staff from across dozens of university departments and cultural centers.
Today, the EMPOWER Fellows Program is housed within the CIE, of building community and facilitating dialogue.
True to its legacy, EMPOWER maintains its strong collaborative spirit and deep partnerships with all Cultural and Spiritual Life (CSL) Centers across the university.
The Fellows Program continues to be the heart of the program, leading critical conversations and designing inclusive programming for the entire Northeastern community.
