Melvin Simms launched Khoury College’s successful co-op program right from the beginning of the College in 1982. Little did he know at the time, he would shepherd the program for the next 30 years. Simms retired from Khoury nine years ago, but so much of what Simms achieved during his three decades of service to Northeastern is still felt today. Members of the Khoury community were deeply saddened to hear of his passing in late December.

As Director of Co-op, Simms established and grew the co-op program for undergraduate and graduate students. He created the backbone of co-op practices used today including the professional development class, the co-op clearance process, and the “First Formal Interview.”

According to Melissa Peikin and Aileen Kent Yates, current members of the co-op team, Simms was a valuable member of the University’s co-op division at large, serving on committees, undertaking new initiatives, and presenting at conferences both domestically and globally. He was a leader in introducing the need to look at data to measure the effectiveness and success of co-op from both the student and employer perspective.

In a tribute to Simms, Peikin and Simms shared: “The students respected Mel and to this day, alums always ask about him. When they think about the College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, and co-op, it is Mel who comes to mind. He was an integral part of their experience.”

“When the College moved into a new building in 1984, he insisted that the co-op faculty be co-located with the academic faculty of the College,” added Viera Proulx, a colleague of Simms during the late 1990s through 2012. “This was then a revolutionary idea that has proven to be a great success and has been since adopted by nearly all other university units.”

Proulx continued that Simms designed a co-op program that led students through the preparation for a job search in a systematic way—learning how to write a resume, how to apply for a job, go through a mock job interview, and write a follow-up letter. “He wanted to make sure that every co-op assignment was a valuable educational experience,” she said.

When I was a co-op coordinator for CCIS and Mel was director of the program, he kept students and the quality of their learning at the forefront of every decision

Another colleague, John Spadaccini, shared that under Simms’s leadership, CCIS, now known as Khoury College, was the first college at Northeastern to integrate academic and co-op advising and to take a holistic approach in advising. Spadaccini also appreciated Simms’s personal mentorship over the years as his own career unfolded.

“When I was a co-op coordinator for CCIS and Mel was director of the program, he kept students and the quality of their learning at the forefront of every decision,” said colleague Nora Jemison. “I was a young professional at the time, and he pushed me to become a better scholar and a better advocate for the students. I learned to go toe to toe with CEOs, when necessary, to ensure a quality learning experience.”

Concluded Jemison: “Melvin was funny, kind, a good communicator… best boss I ever had, really.”