Testimonials
Hear from past podies experiences!
Samantha & Luis – PODER Cohort ’23
“We went into PODER nervous, not knowing anyone and for Luis nothing about Boston. PODER gave us that opportunity. It was all thanks to one silly moment during one of the workshops where Luis won a piece of candy and Samantha made a tiktok of him eating it “making fun” of the situation. Since that day we were basically like siblings and we had found many more friends at a school. There were other silly moments throughout our time in PODER that made us feel like we were back at home with friends that we’d known for years. And it was great finding a community we can trust and be ourselves in.”
Alec & Johan – PODER Cohort ’22
“Both of us are first-generation students, meaning we both came to Northeastern unaware of what college would be like. First day of PODER, we were completely open to each other about being nervous, and in return we became best friends! Through the course of multiple workshops and fun activities, we realized this friendship would last much more than the 1 week PODER is! It feels just like yesterday, that we were dressed up in suits to celebrate what PODER had brought to us. Using our connections from PODER, finding a place where we felt that we belong on campus was really easy because we already knew who to turn to for support :D”
Sierra – PODER Cohort ’23
“My absolute favorite thing about PODER? Definitely the incredible people I’ve met! Through the program, I’ve made amazing friends and found a real sense of community at Northeastern. Like our East Boston outing – we had such a blast enjoying delicious food and a spontaneous trip to get ice cream! PODER isn’t just about workshops and resources; it’s about building lasting connections and creating unforgettable experiences with both peers and faculty!”
Diego – PODER Cohort ’23
“PODER was a community I was able to build on from the beginning, I remember first day where I joined the team I had no clue who was anyone but the program managers invited me to their conversations where I began to learn who was who. Alec and Johan who were known as the brother in the program spoke to me and always made me feel comfortable to speak up. This sparked the smooth transition of being closed off from others and allowed me to interact with everyone in the program. I felt safe in the program to spread my culture and ideas to everyone as they related so much to me.”
