BOSTON (Dec. 21, 2010) - Over 100 middle school students from The Curley School, Orchard Gardens, & The Dearborn School attended a field trip to Northeastern University for the women's basketball game against Holy Cross on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 21, 2010.

Intention of the field trip was to make the students aware of the opportunities presented to them by attending college and to stress the importance of hard work, goal setting and education.

Bob Gittens, VP for Public Affairs worked with the headmasters to schedule the out the chain of events.

Speaking to the students was Amanda Braun (Senior Associate Athletics Director at Northeastern), Dan Lebowitz (Director of Sport in Society), Donnie Perkins (Dean & Director of Institutional Diversity), former student-athletes Sean Fracalossi (football) Erin Johnson (track & field) and Mike Lyon (baseball) (all three currently in the degree completion program), and Ashlee Feldman.

Highlights of the speaking included Dean Perkins urging the young students to write down their high school graduation year and make sure they achieve that goal, then attend college and then graduate and get a good job.

Braun spoke about goal setting which led one young student to state his goal was to get straight A's and graduate high school so he could go to college.

Lyon spoke about how he was lucky enough to play professional baseball but even luckier to be attending a school like Northeastern that is supporting him even after his playing days. Mike will graduate in May with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Feldman spoke about how her basketball-playing experience and trials broadcasting basketball games for WRBB 104.9 FM (Northeastern's student radio station) gave her the opportunity to be on the Real World so she could try and get a job in sports broadcasting. All the hard work paid off and Feldman will be working in sports radio come January.

Before the Huskies defeated Holy Cross, 76-65, the women's basketball team stopped by for a meet and greet and autograph session!