Northwestern University Student Organizations & Activities - SOA

Humans of SOA: Ady Lam is a junior studying Cognitive Science and Environmental Policy with minors in Data Science and Business Institutions. Originally from Hong Kong, Ady is the incoming president of NU Thrift, a student organization dedicated to promoting sustainability and making clothing more accessible to Northwestern students.

Ady’s involvement with NU Thrift actually began before she arrived on campus. “I was really interested in thrifting and promoting sustainability in terms of the fashion industry because I know that it can be super polluting and uses a lot of resources,” she shared. After organizing a thrift pop-up at her high school and writing about NU Thrift in her “Why Northwestern” essay, joining the organization during her first year felt like a natural fit.

As a first-year student, Ady volunteered at thrift pop-up events, helping organize clothing and collect payments. Over the past two years, she has taken on a larger leadership role, helping with outreach, meeting logistics, and organizational planning. Now, as incoming president, she is excited to help NU Thrift continue expanding its impact.

For Ady, the organization’s mission extends beyond fashion. “A lot of people will go through a lot of pieces of clothing because there are a lot of trends that don’t stick around for very long,” she explained. “It’s always helpful to be able to redistribute that clothing to people who will give it a second life.” By keeping prices low and dedicating the first hour of each pop-up to first-generation and lower-income students, NU Thrift works to make sustainable shopping accessible to everyone.

Looking ahead, Ady hopes to grow NU Thrift’s visibility across campus through stronger marketing and outreach efforts. She also envisions expanding beyond clothing to collect and redistribute other items, creating a more holistic thrift store experience for students.

Thank you, Ady, for sharing your story! Interested in joining NU Thrift? Check out their page on ‘Cats on Campus!

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Interested in sharing your involvement story with the Northwestern community? Stay tuned for how to be featured by Humans of SOA in the fall quarter!

Swipe through a recap of SOAcon 2026!

Join us next Wednesday for Final Flight! Open to all Passport Program members and no registration is required — you’re not going to want to miss this exciting celebration! ✈️🎉

Phase 2 of the re-registration process is upon us! The tracks assigned to 3-5 incoming exec members must be completed by Friday, June 5 at 11:59pm CT. Contact [email protected] with questions!

Humans of SOA: Nathan Miller is the co-president of the Northwestern Emergency Medical Organization (NEMO), a pre-med organization dedicated to emergency medicine education. Fueled by a passion for emergency medicine, Nathan first discovered NEMO as a freshman when he enrolled in their EMT certification course. The class not only equipped him with life-saving medical skills but also the license to apply them in real settings, leading him to get hired by his local fire department in Wisconsin, where he still responds to 911 calls when he’s home. “It’s driven my passion for continuing to be a part of emergency medicine as a whole, and teach the next group each year,” he says.

Nathan’s journey with NEMO mirrors the organization’s own growth. As a freshman, he took the class and got his certification. As a sophomore, he joined the executive board as a member of the Education team, where his role was to improve the class experience. Now, as co-president, he leads the organizational logistics of coordinating time, space, resources, and equipment with their partnering private ambulance company and hospital system, while also mentoring a room of students each week. He expresses his gratitude for his own mentors: “I was grateful for all the people who taught me as a freshman, and so I hope to pay that forward.”

NEMO’s EMT certification course runs from January through May with 95 students, meeting Tuesdays for four-hour, lecture-style classes and Sundays for four-hour, hands-on skill sessions. Nathan’s favorite lesson is the mass casualty simulation, staged at the Evanston Hilton with actors in movie-grade makeup – a high-adrenaline exercise designed to teach students to assess and treat an entire casualty scene. Beyond the core class, NEMO runs Narcan training for IFC fraternities, CPR classes, and emergency medicine classes at Evanston Township High School twice a week.

Looking ahead, Nathan plans to attend medical school to turn his passion for emergency medicine into a lifelong career. Interested in joining NEMO? Check out their page on ‘Cats on Campus!

Use the link in our bio to submit your advance scheduling request for Spring 2027 Norris & Norris Satellite space by the deadline of Monday, May 18 at 5pm!🔗

Reserve space for your org next fall with the form in our bio! 🔗

After three quarters of exploring Chicagoland together, it’s time for our Final Flight back to campus ✈️💜
Come celebrate an amazing year with the SOA Passport Program, reconnect with fellow travelers, and cash in your stamps for fun prizes as we wrap up this year’s adventures together. More information to come!

It’s time to re-register your organization for the 2026-27 academic year! ALL registered student organizations, including FSL chapters, must submit the re-registration form by Monday, May 4 at 11:59pm CT. More info at the link in our bio!🔗