When Logan Stanhope was in high school, her dad encouraged her to pursue computer science to bridge her passions for math and problem solving. Now at Khoury College, she’s found a supportive community that’s helped her build confidence while she gains new skills in these areas.

Being able to look up to a role model who was my professor and who was also a woman gave me a lot of confidence in what I was doing and that I actually belonged here

Logan Stanhope, BSCS ’26

For Johanna Gunawan, the Align program provided a transformative opportunity to pivot from a background in political science to a career in cybersecurity. Embracing the interdisciplinary approach and supportive environment at Khoury College, she went on to pursue her PhD. Her research, sitting at the intersection of law and technology, aims to unearth how digital interfaces can influence and deceive users.

It’s been very fulfilling and really a rewarding experience where I just get to explore so many different things. I’ve felt that support through my entire time here at Northeastern, from the Ph.D., but also before my prior degrees

Johanna Gunawan, MSCY ’20

Writer and Align student Alice Koeninger is seeking a balanced career — one where she can exercise her creative and technical skills in equal measure. Her time at Khoury College has shown her that this path is more than achievable, especially in a communication-heavy field like cybersecurity.

There are plenty of opportunities to be creative in scientific fields like computer science and cybersecurity … I found that my background in writing has been a strength for me

Alice Koeninger, Align MSCS ’24

Much like the Align students he teaches, Keith Bagley moved between careers before eventually pursuing his master’s in computer science. Now as the Director of Align Boston, he works hard to ensure that students are able to succeed in their own career transitions.

The whole purpose of Align is to broaden participation. We welcome any and everyone.
… That mission and that whole theme is what ties me closely to Align and to Khoury

Keith Bagley, Director of Align Boston

While Jeongkyu Lee enjoyed aspects of his former role as a database administrator, he regretted that he didn’t get many opportunities to directly engage with students. Now teaching at Khoury College, he runs a student research lab that bridges his passions for research and fostering student success.

We started the research lab as a form of a student interest group. … I believe that such a research experience will be the foundation of their future

Jeongkyu Lee, Teaching Professor

After working at J.P. Morgan, Princewill Umeh sought out the Align program to explore his entrepreneurial ambitions outside of finance. The supportive environment he found on Northeastern’s Arlington (VA) campus helped prepare him for co-ops in computer science — and for the job offer he received from CVS Heath after completing a co-op there.

Once I start applying for co-ops, I know that when I’m asked to do something in the job, I’m going to be confident [I can] do it because I gained the experience in the past three semesters

Princewill Umeh, MSCS ’25

For most of her life, Kristine Umeh didn’t see herself as a programmer. However, as she worked her way through the Align program, she surprised herself as she gained confidence working with code.

The high point was actually realizing that this was not a far-fetched dream. All you need is the opportunity to learn it

Kristine Umeh, Align MSCS ’23

For Eddie Wang, instant feedback is key. As a mechanical engineer, long project cycles made it tough to receive feedback on his work, but his satisfaction was met when he started coding software. Now, through the Align program, he’s completed impactful internships at Meta, Amazon, and SAP Concur, allowing him to transition into tech with ease.

The Align [network] is a very good resource while you are looking for different jobs. … Don’t be afraid of new things, and you will be more and more confident in future jobs

Eddie Wang, Align MSCS ’18

When Vy Nguyen told her mom she was going to get her master’s in computer science, it seemed like a crazy idea. But years later, after unlocking a new passion in the Align program, she is working on Amazon’s Shop By Interest product and leading community events to lift up women in tech. Her mom still can’t believe the shape of her career path, but they are both happy she took the leap.

We had a very friendly atmosphere where the faculty was really open to talking to us. We all felt like we were in an environment where we could all talk about how confused we are about this class we all took together. I think that’s why I made such good friends

Vy Nguyen, Align MSCS ’17

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