“Northeastern is going to prepare you to be the best you can be, and just by sheer numbers, somebody is going to be in a position where they’re going to be able to help you or you’re going to be able to help them,” says Dwayne Naitram, SSH’09.
To Naitram, born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, there was one clear reason to choose Northeastern—the innovative and groundbreaking co-op program. “That was the separator between all of the schools that I was looking at,” he recalls. “The offerings they have with the co-op program are second to none. If I talk to nieces and nephews that are looking at schools, I recommend Northeastern because [the co-op] program opens up opportunities to do what you want to do.”
Naitram’s first co-op as an event planner at Northeastern’s Curry Student Center helped him develop and sharpen his skills in both service and event management. He built on this foundation during his second co-op at the Boston-based company Blinds to Go, where he deepened his expertise in customer relations through a sales role. These experiences have been instrumental to Naitram’s success in his current role in client operations at JP Morgan.
Beyond his work at JP Morgan, Naitram has started a venture that has the ability to change the identity of a country. He is the co-founder of Navèt 1804, a sugar cane-based distillery, which he owns and operates with three of his childhood best friends. “At 13, maybe 14 years old, we all made a pact that we’re going to do something together,” he says. “We’re all first generation Caribbean-American—my family from Barbados and theirs from Haiti—so we always wanted to do something that would uplift our people.”
As a result, Navèt 1804 was born. To fully embrace the roots and identities of the distillery, Naitram and his co-founders traveled to Haiti to learn about the Haitian agricultural process and the distilling process of clairin, a sugar cane-based rum. This traditional Haitian alcoholic beverage is a common local drink, Naitram says, and deeply rooted in Haitian culture. “Everything about this product is on purpose,” he says. “The word Navèt means crafted, and 1804 is the year that Haiti gained independence from France. Haiti’s farming practices are very organic, so there’s no additives or preservatives in it. It’s used for religious ceremonies, healing purposes, and was the liquid courage used in fighting for their freedom in 1804.”
After eight years of work, Navèt 1804 has officially launched and become available in grocery and liquor stores across the eastern seaboard. Naitram still credits his Northeastern experience for catalyzing and encouraging the development of the brand. “There’s just so much available at your fingertips,” he says. “You can go to Northeastern to build communities and maintain those relationships, because those relationships are going to help you with whatever you choose to do after graduating.”
Website
www.navet1804.com