The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

Silveria to leave NU for Suffolk

During almost five years at Northeastern, John Silveria has held a number of roles, from associate director of operations for the Curry Student Center to director of student leadership and engagement.

By the end of July, Silveria will have a new role at a new university. He will become the assistant dean of students at Suffolk University.

“As you can imagine, it’s an exciting opportunity for me, and one that I feel fortunate to be considered for,” he wrote earlier this month in a letter to members of the Northeastern community.

“It’s something that’s exciting for my long-term career, and that’s one of my primary reasons for looking at it,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity, and it’s a school that has some of their own challenges – they’re starting to build out and make their campus a little more residential, and I think that’s a good challenge to be a part of.”

In his new job, Silveria will hold a similar list of responsibilities to what he has done over his years at Northeastern: overseeing student activities, leadership, community service and service learning, as well as a performing arts program and the development and supervision of a new student center.

“In many ways, this was a tremendously difficult decision for me, because of my ties to you – the students,” he wrote. “You have made my time here at Northeastern one of growth, development and opportunity.”

Born and raised in Lowell, Silveria attended the University ofMassachusetts at Amherst as an undergraduate, receiving his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1992.

He received his master’s degree in higher education from Suffolk in 1997, and his master’s degree in business administration from Boston University in 2003.

The following year, he was appointed as the first-ever associate director of leadership development at Northeastern. He previously served for a year and a half in operations.

Silveria was appointed director for student leadership later that year, following the departure of then-Director of Student Activities Todd Shaver. In March, he was promoted to director of student leadership and engagement, an expansion of his previous responsibilities. In that role, he oversaw Greek life, student media, co-op connections and scholarship programs.

In a separate letter, Vice President for Student Affairs Ed Klotzbier addressed Silveria’s new opportunity as “a testament to his wide-ranging skills and strong work ethic that other universities would seek his talents.”

“John has worked with thousands of students, and his mentorship and genuine care for our students is undeniable,” Klotzbier said. “From his work on the new scholarship program for student leaders, to his spearheading of the scholarship engagement task force, to teaching classes in the Leadership minor, he has shown serious dedication to helping Northeastern students realize their potential.”

Student Government Association President Ashley Adams began working with Silveria when she was elected to her position last summer, and said he has been “a really great resource, especially to bounce ideas off.”

“He’s done so much with the leadership program,” Adams said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for him, so I was happy on that level, but hopefully they find someone to replace him that has the same kind of focus.”

Silveria said he was proud of how the Leadership Education Growth Opportunities (LEGO) program has expanded to included several levels of conferences for student leaders at Northeastern.

Under his guidance, the university also launched “Summester,” a program, now in its third year, that includes day trips and events available at a reduced rate for Northeastern students to participate in over the summer.

“He was really able to take the LEGO program to a whole new level, and when you look at the numbers of students participating and the growth of the program during the time that John has been involved, I think it speaks to what a terrific job he’s done,” Klotzbier said. “When I needed someone to step up and take on more responsibility, he was the first guy that came to mind.”

“Good people like that are going to get offered new opportunities,” Klotzbier said. “Our job is to keep them here, but you can’t blame others for trying.”

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