For many Northeastern students, the co-op program is the cornerstone of their experiential learning experience—and for some, it’s the beginning of greater things to come. After finishing his mandatory military service from his native Singapore, Armaan Sarao, AMD’26, arrived in Boston with the philosophy that the best education is created both inside and outside of the classroom. “I really wanted to be immersed in an environment that valued both education and real-world experience. Northeastern provided the perfect balance,” he says.
Sarao’s co-op experiences with the university’s very own Khoury College of Computer Sciences and America’s Test Kitchen provided him with the hands-on learning experience that initially drew him to Northeastern. He was able to take those skills and transfer them to his true passion for screenwriting, as he penned a full-length feature film for a seminar on the foundations of comedy as part of the John Martinson Honors Program.
But it was Sarao’s presence outside of academia that helped him land a spot as one of four undergraduate Commencement speakers during this year’s ceremony at Fenway Park. During his freshman year, he was the Student Senator for the College of Arts, Media and Design—the beginning of his commitment to student government, where he would eventually become the Director of Campus Services. Additionally, he was the president of NUTV, Northeastern’s sole media production club. “I conduct myself highly because of the people that have uplifted me in these communities,” he says, “and my goal is to continue being a leader and advocating for my constituents as I advance my career.”
This mindset lifted him to one of the most prestigious asks of an undergraduate—to be a student speaker at Fenway Park during Commencement. Sarao approached his speech by staying rooted in his commitment to his personal values of gratitude, humility, and believing in the people you surround yourself with. “I wanted to share a message that everyone can relate to,” he recalls, “but the whole point of your education at Northeastern is to shape your experience to be as unique as possible.”
Now on his way to the opposite coast to pursue an MFA in screenwriting from the prestigious USC School of Cinematic Arts, Sarao is bringing with him a vision that would eliminate the “gatekeeping” that plagues the film industry by elevating stories of those from underrepresented communities. “Without the community at Northeastern,” he says, “pursuing an MFA in Los Angeles would be a pipe dream.” With the Northeastern community standing with Sarao the way he did with it, anything is possible for him.
