To call Helena D’Alessandro a multi-tasker is an understatement. She balances her role as a DMSB co-op peer mentor with on-campus leadership responsibilities, her own active job search, taking a full course load—all while working 20 hours per week. In addition, she has been on the Dean’s list every semester and maintains a 3.84 GPA.
Wait. There’s more. Helena has already begun her first post-college job even before graduation—a sustainability analyst for Sustainable Fitch, part of Fitch Group, in New York City. “I hope to deepen my expertise in sustainable finance, ESG analysis, entity ratings, second-party opinions (SPOs), and green bond market assessments,” she says. In two years, her plan is to pursue a master’s degree focused on climate finance or sustainable business.
Helena has been a powerhouse at Northeastern, both on campus and in the broader community. As a co-op peer mentor, she supported more than 40 students per semester with resume development, interview preparation, networking strategies, and navigating the co-op search process. She began as a junior investment analyst and is now co-director of venture advisory for NUImpact, Northeastern University’s impact investment fund. She and her co-director designed a Venture Advisory program to support Northeastern students building impact-driven startup companies connect to venture capital funding opportunities. Through this work, she says, “I combined my interests in sustainability, entrepreneurship, and finance while contributing to a growing ecosystem of student-led impact investing on campus.” She considers it her most significant achievement and says, “It was not simply about holding a leadership title but also about helping build something new that could have a lasting impact beyond my own time at the university.”
Even with her multiple responsibilities, Helena says, “I was involved in organizations that supported my personal and creative interests, including CHAARG and No Limits Dance Crew, which gave me community through fitness and dance.” In the community, Helena participated in service initiatives such as the Prison Project, working with a team of students to design and deliver a workshop on AI and entrepreneurship for incarcerated individuals at the South Bay House of Correction. She also regularly volunteered at Council for University Programs (CUP) events.
Helena participated in two co-ops, including one at the European Public Law Organization (EPLO), Institute for Sustainable Development, in Legrena, Sounion, Greece. While there, she produced content to promote involvement in EU Missions, the Earthshot Prize, South3E Project, and UN SDGs. “I developed an enormous sense of independence, adaptability and cultural agility, while gaining firsthand exposure to sustainability initiatives, impact-oriented work, and international collaboration.” More recently, Helena took part in a sustainable investing co-op at Wellington Management in Boston.
DMSB Co-op Coordinators Erin Salomon and Jen Guillemin say, “Students like Helena who lead with integrity, give back to their community, and do so with consistency and grace are exactly the kind of people this award was created to recognize.”
