In May 2022, Maddie traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, for a month-long Dialogue of Civilizations study abroad program. Taking two industrial engineering courses across three different universities alongside 13 other students immersed her in a new environment where she also explored the art, culture, and nightlife of the city. Through it all, Maddie stayed true to her routine from home, waking up at 6 a.m. for runs and finding time to work out before her 8 a.m. classes. This commitment to fitness, consistency, and discipline is a core driver in her life. From her earliest academic pursuits to her current involvement in the Galante Engineering Business Program, Maddie’s journey reflects a clear focus: to work in a field that promotes healthier, more active lifestyles. Her love for fitness—both as an athlete and future professional—has influenced her choices, from co-ops to career aspirations.
Growing up as a competitive soccer player, Maddie developed a passion for the physical and mental demands of the sport. At Northeastern, she became captain of the women’s club soccer team, where she honed not only her athletic skills but also her leadership. “Being captain taught me so much about responsibility and teamwork,” Maddie reflects. “It wasn’t just about being the best player on the field—it was about supporting my teammates, planning strategies, and ensuring everyone felt motivated and valued.” Her leadership was instrumental in leading the team to Nationals, where they competed against the top club teams in the country. Beyond soccer, Maddie challenged herself by joining Northeastern’s triathlon club. She found the combination of swimming, cycling, and running to be the ideal off-season training for soccer and discovered a new community of athletes who shared her passion for fitness. “It has been a great outlet for me,” Maddie says, noting that it allowed her to “meet people equally committed to a healthy lifestyle.”
Maddie playing for Northeastern’s Women’s Club Soccer team
While her athletic pursuits shaped her personal life, Maddie’s academic and professional journey focused on using technology to improve well-being. During her time at Northeastern, she completed several co-ops that refined her technical and business skills. Her first co-op was as a Project Engineer at Senior Metal Bellows, where she gained significant experience with CAD, 3D printing, and design tools. Her favorite part of the role, however, was designing directly for and collaborating with different groups. “When it came to creating something that directly helped and sped up their manufacturing process, […] I really loved that aspect of my job.” At Senior Metal Bellows, Maddie’s passion for fitness led her to participate in the company 5K and start “Wellness Wednesdays,” an internal newsletter where she interviewed coworkers about their connections to wellness and fitness. “It was about creating a community,” she says. “That’s what I’d want to do for a company—recognize people’s hard work […] and highlight those who push themselves and achieve their goals.” This experience inspired her journey to becoming a certified personal trainer, allowing her to continue encouraging and spotlighting others’ fitness journeys.
During her second co-op as a Process Engineer at Amazon Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics, she gained a new set of skills. Her work focused heavily on analytics, identifying inefficiencies, proposing solutions, and leading data collection and analysis to support recommendations. She also traveled to project sites, communicating with stakeholders and overseeing data collection.
These hands-on experiences, combined with her fitness passion, have shaped Maddie’s long-term career goals. She envisions herself in the health and fitness industry, ideally in a role that combines her technical background with her love of fitness. “I want to work at a company where I believe in their product,” she says, expressing a keen interest in fitness technology and the science behind new innovations. Her goal “is to start in a technical role where I can use my engineering skills to help develop these products, and eventually transition into a leadership or management position.”
Maddie joined the Galante Engineering Business Program to build the business acumen needed for her career ambitions. “I knew Galante would help me refine the skills I need to lead in a business setting,” she says. “The program offers incredible resources—networking opportunities, mentorship, and workshops focused on leadership and strategy.” Through Galante, she has heard from industry leaders and professionals, giving her insights into effectively bridging engineering and business. “What I love most about the program is that it’s not just about learning business theory—it’s about applying those lessons in real-world scenarios.”
Alongside these learning opportunities, Maddie values the community she’s found within the Galante Program. “The people I’ve met in Galante have been a huge part of my experience,” she says. “We all come from different engineering disciplines, but we share a common goal of wanting to lead in our fields.” This sense of community is a major motivator for Maddie, as she notes that the close connections with her co-op coworkers and Dialogue of Civilizations classmates were highlights of those experiences: “You get close to people you might not otherwise, and you’re kind of forced to, but in a great way.”
Looking ahead, Maddie is excited about the possibilities before her. With her background in industrial engineering, passion for fitness, and the business skills gained through the Galante Program, she’s well-prepared to make a meaningful impact in the health and fitness industry. “I’m passionate about helping people live healthier lives, and I know that’s where I want to focus my career,” she says. Whether in fitness tech, product design, or data analytics, Maddie aims to be part of an industry that genuinely makes a difference in people’s lives.
Maddie graduating with her undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering in May 2024
