From Co-op to a Dream Job

When Philip Deming, SSH'77, enrolled at Northeastern, he had already set his sights on a career in law enforcement. Possessing a sharp intellect, Deming knew the university's criminal justice program would both challenge him and provide a solid foundation on which he could hone his professional skills.

"Northeastern had an outstanding criminal justice program, one of the few," he explains. Equally as important to Deming was the university's nationally recognized emphasis on cooperative education.

Deming's co-op experiences brought him in contact with many people in different segments of society, from common criminals and terrorists passing through the court systems to representatives in the U.S. Department of Justice. His co-ops not only deepened his understanding of people, but led to a full-time job with the Philadelphia Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

When talking about the importance of co-ops, Deming emphasizes the impact they had on his years at Northeastern and beyond. "The co-op program shaped me and gave me an opportunity to go into law enforcement, which was my dream job," he says.

While his early career focused on criminal justice, Deming shifted his concentration in graduate school when he became interested in organizational development. "I wanted to build on my professional experience," he shares, "and I saw there were opportunities outside of law enforcement that could use that skill set." This led him to start his own successful consulting firm specializing in human resources and risk security.

"Had I gone anywhere else but Northeastern, I wouldn't have had those same opportunities," says Deming.

Grateful for the role Northeastern played in his life, Deming established the Philip S. Deming Scholarship Fund—which will provide scholarship support to students in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Through a bequest, his planned gift will ensure that motivated students will be able to focus on their academic and co-op experiences.

"I recognize what Northeastern did for me," reflects Deming. "I want to give students the opportunity to be 100% students—and not worry about the cost burden."