About Us

Our MISSION

Students from underrepresented and marginalized communities disproportionately face hardships in their journey with higher education. PODER workshops, facilitated by upperclass students with shared experiences and backgrounds, most being former PODER cohort members, empower first-year students to feel confident in their identities and capabilities as they navigate their academic, professional, and personal success at Northeastern and beyond.  

 

Our sTORY

The PODER Early Arrival Program was founded by six Latinx students in 2018 to address the information and networking gaps they experienced as first-generation, Latinx, and undocumented/DACA students. Our inaugural cohort began in the summer of 2019. Since then, PODER has grown exponentially each year.

 

Our Team

Diana Turrieta

Biochemistry

Minor: Italian

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23′ 24′ Lead Program Manager
22′ Program Manager
2021 PODER Cohort

Anahi Cruz

Data Science and Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Minor: Design & Innovation in Engineering

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24‘ Co-lead Program Manager
23‘ Program Manager
2022 PODER Cohort

Diego Tellez Vargas

Data Science & Business Administration

Concentration: Finance

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24′ Co-lead Program Manager
2023 PODER Cohort

Katherine Aristizabal

Computer Science

Concentration: Human Centered Computing

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24′  Web Design Lead
22′ 23′ Program Manager
2021 PODER Cohort

Samantha Serna Pemberty

Bioengineering             

Minor: Cell & Molecular Bio

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24′ Social Media Lead
2023 PODER Cohort

LSCC Associate Director

Sara Rivera:

s.rivera@northeastern.edu