Varied Coursework and Mentoring Are Key Factors to Successful Co-op

For Kshitijkumar Tiwari, MS’24, information systems, the wide range of courses and accessibility to faculty mentors led him to a successful co-op at Commonwealth Financial Network. He plans to pursue a career focusing on AI tools and applications.


After completing a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, Kshitijkumar Tiwari, MS’24, information systems, sought a master’s program that would equip him with both technical and managerial skills with an emphasis on AI.  He discovered that  MS in information systems program at Northeastern offered the ideal blend, allowing him to align his academic pursuits with his professional goals.

Tiwari says the curriculum at Northeastern offered a wide range of elective courses that allowed him to tailor his learning experiences. He found faculty members to be supportive, including Jessica Fisher, associate co-op coordinator and associate director of Multidisciplinary Masters Co-op Programs, who guided him in mastering professional communication and networking. Maricla Pirozzi Quartey, director of Multidisciplinary Graduate Engineering (MGEN) Programs, emphasized the importance of effective communication in the technology industry and played a pivotal role in shaping his perspective and preparing him for workplace success.

A defining aspect of Tiwari’s Northeastern journey was his co-op experience at Commonwealth Financial Network, which he secured through proactive networking. Working on the web production team, he played a key role in a content management system (CMS) migration project involving over 830 client websites. His exceptional performance led senior leadership to entrust him with additional responsibilities. This included collaborating with a team of 11 developers to enhance quality assurance skills and ensure timely project delivery, highlighting his leadership and technical expertise.

At Northeastern, Tiwari honed skills in web design, user experience (UX) engineering, communication, and leadership, all of which were instrumental in his co-op success. Beyond his professional role, he pursued passion projects, such as creating an AI prompt enhancer web application designed to help users unfamiliar with prompt engineering craft effective prompts for AI tools. The idea was sparked by MGEN Associate Teaching Professor Nicholas Brown’s insightful expertise about AI applications.

Tiwari’s dedication to experiential learning extended beyond the classroom and co-op program. He built Python-based interactive games and developed a generative AI-powered Chrome extension to personalize cover letters using LinkedIn data. These projects reflect his commitment to leveraging technology to solve meaningful problems and emphasized innovation and accessibility.

Looking to the future, Tiwari aspires to build expertise in AI-driven tools and applications, with a particular emphasis on enhancing human-computer interaction. He envisions contributing to forward-thinking companies, where he can integrate his technical, analytical, and creative skills in roles that bridge development with a user-centered approach.

Related Departments:Multidisciplinary Masters (IT Areas)