Faces on Campus – Dr. Paula Boyum
For more than 30 years, our Associate Dean, Dr. Paula Boyum, has served in administrative positions in higher education. Her previous experience encompasses numerous higher education leadership roles, including Dean of Continuing Education at Milwaukee Area Technical College and VP of Economic and Workforce Development at Bellevue College. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and got her bachelor’s in radiologic sciences from the University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School.
Dr. Boyum reflects on this year’s graduation and what’s next for our graduates and NU-Seattle.
Commencement is always a time of excitement & celebration here at NU-Seattle. What reflections do you have about graduation this year?
The graduation ceremony was amazing! Seeing the graduates march proudly into the room and having the opportunity to acknowledge each as they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas is always a highlight for me. We were honored to have three excellent speakers at the ceremony. Praneeta Jhanwar, our student speaker, was truly inspirational and exemplified the professionalism of our graduates. Our faculty speaker, Ian Gorton, provided relevant and practical guidance to the graduates as they move into the workforce. Ken Stuart shared his amazing personal journey as an undergraduate student at Northeastern through his success as the founder and professor at the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Seattle. We were also privileged to have Christine Regan, Director of Alumni Outreach, attend who shared the important message to graduates to stay connected to the university for life. The day ended with wonderful conversations with the graduates and their families & guests at the reception. It was truly a joyous celebration.
Did NU-Seattle’s Commencement ceremony stir up any memories of your own graduation?
Absolutely! Like many of our graduates, I was the first in my family to earn a graduate degree. I will always remember how proud and happy my parents were that day.
How have you seen the NU-Seattle campus transform in the last 2 years?
We’ve seen significant growth in the number of students in the past two years. Our co-op program is growing rapidly as local industry recognizes the value of our students. We have 40 total faculty including four full-time faculty in computer science and we are adding full-time faculty in three additional programs. The university has invested in wonderful facilities in the heart of South Lake Union that create a very positive and productive learning environment for our students. Overall, NU Seattle is making a very strong impact in the region.
What do you hope our graduates will take with them from their time here at NU-Seattle?
That they are always part of the NU global community and have a home here in Seattle. They need to continue to learn their entire lives – I hope that we’ve instilled that in them!
Finally, do you have any additional words of advice for our graduates?
Focus on your careers, but be sure to take care of yourselves and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Watch the 2017 graduation video here.