Veronica “Ronnie” Porter retired in September of 2024 as Associate Professor and Director of Cooperative Education. She is passionate about Cooperative Education and experiential learning. Her career in Co-op at Northeastern spans 48 years. Over the past several years, she expanded, managed and lead the Cooperative Education Faculty Team in the College of Science. She served as an ambassador for the College internally and externally. She was a member of the Northeastern University Co-op Directors Leadership Team.
She has received grants from sources including the National Science Foundation, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Department of Education. Her research areas include outcomes of student learning relative to Cooperative and Experiential Education, employment of college students and graduates with disabilities, and effects of a cultural awareness train the trainer program in the workplace. Her work has been published in the International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations, NASPA, the Journal of Cooperative Education and by the Association on Higher Education and Disability. She has conducted numerous presentations and workshops internationally, nationally and regionally. Dr. Porter served as a research associate in the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University for several years.
She received the Dr. Robert Greenberg Award for Innovation from Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD), the Practice Oriented Education Special Recognition Award and the Disability Resource Center Extraordinary Contribution Award from Northeastern University. She received the national Professional Development Research Scholarship from the Association on Higher Education and Disability, and has been inducted into the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars and Students.
Dr. Porter holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Law, Policy and Society. She has a Master of Education Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She has been a long-standing and active member of the Cooperative Education and Internship Association for 44 years. She has served on the CEIA Board of Directors for several years as Vice President of Region 1 (Northeast), President Elect, President and Past President.
Dr. Porter lives in Boston, MA. She is enjoying her retirement spending time with her family, traveling and getting together with friends.
Sarah Burrows credits her career launch with an internship that turned into a job with professional growth and leadership potential. She leveraged her passion for experiential learning and the transformation that can occur through WIL opportunities of all kinds into several roles in higher education. Sarah Burrows is currently the Director of Career Communities in the Center for Career Equity, Development and Success at Suffolk University in Boston, where she leads a team dedicated to fostering community among students, faculty, staff, employers and alumni. The career community model was launched at Suffolk in 2021, under Burrows’ creative vision and pragmatic leadership. Each community is purposefully designed to introduce students to the many professional paths they might take. The model is a matrix that enables collaboration, opportunities and learning experiences between career community members through networking, mentoring, programs and events. Sarah brought forward project-based learning experiences and the introduction of a student-led career center magazine, which highlights perspectives on internships, research, project-based learning and other WIL experiences.
A champion of under-represented college and graduate students, Sarah has earned Ambassador for Inclusion certifications and is recognized for her balanced approach to addressing racial equity gaps, anti-discrimination towards international students and thought leadership in DE& I, encompassing all under-represented groups.
Burrows’ contribution to work integrated learning, internships and career development spans almost 3 decades, including roles such as Internship Program Director, Department of Communications Faculty at Simmons College, teaching Studio 5, a “real world learning lab” enabling project-based learning for students within real work employer environments. Sarah was the Director of Internships for Lasell University, where she oversaw all internship programs and curriculum in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and all undergraduate departments; developed, instituted, and facilitated best practices for internships for Liberal Arts and Professional majors’ college-wide; and developed assessment processes and protocols for field-based learning programs. At Providence College, Sarah’s passion for building new programs led to the development of a professional badging program, the Friar Four Career Core. Designed to enhance the career readiness of PC graduates in an increasingly competitive market, the program aimed to develop students career aptitudes through 23 career readiness workshops in technology, analytics, teamwork, professionalism, communication & influence.
Sarah served as the VP of Research on the board of CEIA, and as a Regional Vice-Chair for the U.S. for the WACE-International Research Community. She is an active member of CEIA, EACE, NACE, and the Career Leadership Collaborative. Sarah earned a B.F.A. from the NYSCC at Alfred University, an M.S. from Simmons University, and an Ed.D. from Northeastern University.
Gallo’s Sales Leadership Development Program has been a major contributor to the success of the greater sales organization for a number of decades, bringing high level collegiate talent from campuses nationwide through entry level distributor roles, preparing them for success in Gallo sales roles across the country. For the past decade, our SLDP summer sales internship has provided another avenue for entry into the program, combining experiential sales days with exposure to numerous Gallo roles, culminating in a project presented to senior sales leadership.
Ryan started his career in this program after graduating from Saint Joseph’s University, beginning in New Hampshire as a Sales Consultant and District Manager. After roles in New Jersey within the distributor as a sales training manager and with Gallo as a Business Development Manager, Ryan joined the sales recruiting organization in 2019. After covering both the Midwest and Northeast, including a shift to a focus on virtual recruiting and the execution of a virtual internship during the pandemic, he joined Johnson Brothers as the Director of Recruitment, overseeing collegiate, and both commercial and operations recruiting, nationally. Ryan recently rejoined Gallo as Director of Sales Recruiting, and hopes that the prospects the team meets on campuses today find the same fulfillment and enjoyment in their careers via the SLDP Program that he has thus far. He is passionate about both the identification and recruitment of top talent as well as the numerous programs Gallo hosts that are focused on retention, and is proud to lead the talented team whose efforts are truly the reason for this award.
Ryan lives in New Jersey and enjoys nothing more than spending time with his wife, Jess, and one year old daughter, Harper.
Marek Gibson is a May 2025 graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University. His specialization area is propulsion, reflected in his five semesters of Co-op work completed between Cummins and Rolls-Royce. Four with Cummins in Seymour, IN at the Seymour Engine Plant (SEP) working as a Manufacturing Engineer, and his fifth with Rolls-Royce within Manufacturing Operations in Indianapolis, IN.
While at Cummins Marek was involved in every aspect of manufacturing, working rotations in Operations, Quality, Materials, HSE, and in the Manufacturing and Product Engineering groups. Marek’s favorite role was as a Test Validation and Performance Engineer. His time at Cummins concluded with him winning the 2022 North American Ergo Cup Award for Innovative Design and Original Solutions for his project to revitalize the boxing process for export-controlled engines, saving over $120,000 to date. At Rolls-Royce, his project work covered a wide base including cost reduction, risk assessment, throughput improvements, quality control plans, and other SQCDP goals. He will return to Rolls-Royce full-time as part of their Manufacturing Engineering Graduate Development Program upon graduation.
He has been described as a transparent collaborator with exceptional analytical and problem-solving capabilities that allow him to hit the ground running on all projects. His ability to stay organized and lead in a fast-paced manufacturing environment has been critical to his success. He has a strong desire to learn, share, and show his peers that anything is possible.
At Purdue Marek is actively involved in several organizations. Most notably the Professional Practice Ambassadors, a club dedicated to promoting the Co-op program at Purdue. He has served as their President, Vice President, and External Relations Director. For the past three years, he has also been a Teaching Assistant for the Office of Professional Practice where he has mentored students and promoted their experiential learning programs.
Arielis Rodriguez-Gutierrez is a senior Chemistry major at the University of Central Arkansas who has distinguished herself through remarkable academic achievement and research innovation. Originally unsure of her potential in STEM, Ariel’s transformative summer internship at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) dramatically reshaped her academic and professional trajectory.
During her internship at UCI’s Center for Closing the Carbon Cycle, Ariel made extraordinary contributions to environmental research. Through her research and testing, she developed a catalytic system to convert carbon dioxide into a valuable chemical feedstock, achieving a breakthrough that is being prepared for publication—an exceptional accomplishment for an undergraduate researcher. According to her site supervisor, Ariel’s work demonstrated remarkable scientific acumen, stating “It is a rare accomplishment for an undergraduate student to perform enough quality research to gain authorship on a peer-reviewed publication, let alone as a lead author!”
The internship was a pivotal moment in Ariel’s academic journey. What began as a hesitant opportunity evolved into a profound personal and professional transformation. She discovered her passion for research and teaching, realizing her dream of becoming a university professor who can inspire and support students of color in STEM fields.
Ariel’s achievements extend beyond her research. As a recipient of the Arkansas Talented Optimistic Motivated (ATOM) Scholars program and an undergraduate research student at UCA, she has consistently demonstrated leadership and commitment to her discipline. She has presented four research projects and has applied to graduate school and the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
Her colleagues and professor highlight not only her scientific capabilities, but her innovation, professionalism, and commitment to using her skills to create positive change in her field and community. With her remarkable blend of scientific skill and visionary potential, Arielis Rodriguez-Gutierrez is truly an outstanding emerging scientist and educator.
Shawn Benedict is a fourth-year undergraduate student, pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Shawn is an experienced software developer in artificial intelligence research. He honed this skill working at SINTEF, an international non-profit research organization in Oslo, Norway. During his co-op at SINTEF, Shawn contributed to the EXAIGON project, which focused on AI reliability. His contributions led to the implementation of new predictive methods that provided increased efficiency in identifying AI errors, along with his own extensions that further improved speed and accuracy. Working alongside PhD-level researchers, he rapidly learned advanced topics and applied them to real-world AI safety challenges. Shawn used this knowledge to co-author an academic paper that was presented at the NLDL conference in Tromsø, Norway.
These experiences contributed to Shawn’s professional and personal growth. Living in Norway, he built a global network, gaining insights into workplace dynamics. Through this experience, Shawn gained confidence in tackling research challenges and communicating effectively across cultures. He also made lasting personal connections and participated in multiple international ultimate frisbee tournaments. His time at SINTEF reinforced his passion for AI research and its role in safety-critical applications. Moving forward, Shawn aims to enhance AI model reliability and trustworthiness, bridging the gap between innovation and responsible implementation in academia and industry.
Princess Chibamu is an international student from Zimbabwe pursuing a computer science career in the United States. She earned her Associate in Science with a focus on Computer Science in December 2024 and is currently on OPT, preparing to transfer to Lake Forest College for her bachelor’s degree in Spring 2026.
From January to December 2024, Princess worked as an IT intern at Meridian Group International, gaining hands-on experience in end-user support, troubleshooting, and systems management. Her responsibilities included triaging tickets via Salesforce, reimaging PCs, installing essential software, and working with platforms such as Azure Active Directory, Endpoint Central, and Manage Engine.
Her passion for technology extends to education and mentorship. In February 2023, she served as a teaching assistant for a middle school robotics program, where she guided students in understanding robotic components, coding with Scratch, and building functional robots.
Princess aspires to work in software development, cybersecurity, and AI. She believes that understanding hardware and troubleshooting is essential to becoming a well-rounded technologist. With a long-term vision of leveraging technology to improve healthcare accessibility in Zimbabwe, she hopes to develop software and AI-driven solutions to address challenges such as medical resource shortages and inefficient patient care systems. Her personal experiences growing up in a rural village, where accessing healthcare was difficult, have fueled her determination to bridge the gap between technology and medicine. She envisions creating tools that can assist healthcare professionals in critical decision-making, ensuring that no life is lost due to a lack of timely medical intervention. To achieve this, she plans to further her education, pursuing a master’s or doctorate and dedicating her career to innovative technological advancements in the healthcare sector.
Florida State University’s (FSU) Experience Recognition Program (ERP) was established more than 50 years ago as a cooperative education course. Currently ERP recognizes students who engage in work-integrated learning for at least 45 hours during an academic semester to satisfy our institution’s CoreFSU General Education “Formative Experience” graduation requirement. The Experience Recognition Program is a virtual, asynchronous semester-long program centered around SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) Learning Objectives and reflective assignments. The reflections help interns hone their NACE career readiness competencies. There are two options of enrollment into ERP for students:
ERP is currently the only approved low-cost (zero-credit, noncredit hour course) or no-cost option (co-curricular certificate) available for undergraduate students to satisfy the CoreFSU General Education Formative Experience graduation requirement.
When the governor and Florida legislature called for a renewed focus on helping students prepare for and secure jobs post-graduation, in June 2019, FSU became the largest, most diverse public university to institute an experiential learning graduation requirement. As a result, FSU administrators identified the Career Center’s ERP as a centralized, interdisciplinary work-integrated learning program that would enhance institutional capacity to foster student engagement in work-integrated learning.
The program currently reaches an average of 250 student participants a semester. Since 2014, 6,754 students have completed ERP.
Joe O’Shea, Ph.D., serves as associate provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Florida State University. As Dean, Joe leads the university’s nationally recognized student success initiatives, which have lifted graduation rates to the top 10 among public universities. Joe also serves as co-director of the Collaborative Lab for the Advancement of Student Success, co-editor of the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success, and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. A Truman and Rhodes Scholar, he has a Ph.D. in education from the University of Oxford and has authored several articles and books about student success and higher education.
Patrick is a proud Boilermaker, both as an alumnus and a dedicated professional serving the Purdue ecosystem. In his role, he manages external relationships and sponsorships with industry partners seeking to connect, recruit students, and maintain a presence through OPP programming.
Since returning to campus in 2022, Patrick has led impactful initiatives to enhance student opportunities and employer engagement. He was instrumental in launching the new Learning While Working co-op program expanding industry partnerships and allowing for co-op flexibility. Under his leadership, the Interns for Indiana program has more than doubled in size, serving more startups within the Purdue ecosystem than ever before after landing a $1.5 million grant from the State of Indiana to support more paid internships at startups. He has also played a pivotal role in the Lilly Scholars at Purdue as the project manager overseeing the $42.5 million dollar scholarship program award to Purdue over a ten year period supporting access to education for under-resourced populations.
More recently, Patrick played a key role in establishing the Office of Professional Practice (OPP) at Purdue University in Indianapolis. In its first semester, OPP taught professional development coursework to over 250 students and engaged with more than 1,500 students through events and programming in Indianapolis.
One of Patrick’s favorite aspects of working at Purdue is the vibrant network of students, faculty, and staff that makes each day engaging and rewarding.
His diverse background in secondary education, international cultural exchange, business operations, university recruitment, and event management provides him with a unique and dynamic skill set. His passion for innovation and collaboration continues to foster a strategic vision that benefits OPP and the broader Purdue community.
In his free time, Patrick enjoys cheering on Purdue sports, traveling, boating with his family, playing pickleball, attending concerts, and spending time with his dog, Gus.
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