Member Spotlight: Megan Knapp ’12 and Eric DeFeo ’11

Posted on Thursday, January 4, 2018

Megan Knapp ’12 was first drawn to Northwestern for its rigorous academics, competitive athletic teams, and many extracurricular opportunities. Ultimately, she says, she decided to attend because of the strength and quality of the Northwestern community: “I realized opportunities for learning wouldn’t just come from world-class professors, but also from my classmates, teammates, and friends.”

Eric DeFeo ’11 says he chose Northwestern for similar reasons, adding, “It was important to me that my classmates and friends were skilled at things I was not.”

While at Northwestern, Megan and Eric found friends and community—and each other. They married in 2017 and recently relocated to Boston to start new adventures together.

Megan and Eric are silver-level members of NU Loyal, and their consistent giving is directly tied to the reasons they chose Northwestern: the people they met and the robust education they received.

“Northwestern continues to touch many aspects of my life today,” says Megan, who participated in Dance Marathon and cheerleading as a student. “My husband, closest friends, and mentors are all ’Cats. My life wouldn’t have taken the shape it did had it not been for my time at Northwestern.”

Eric adds that he and Megan give to ensure future students will have similar experiences. “While I was at Northwestern,” he says, “I had the opportunity to conduct research in synthetic biology. I give back to enable students to get even more involved in the research topics that could change lives or build whole new industries.” To that end, he supports Northwestern iGem, a program that gives undergraduate students opportunities to develop synthetic biological systems that address current questions and needs in science and society.

Today, Megan works in marketing for the Boston Ballet, where she’s making use of her English degree and certificate in integrated marketing communications—as well as her background in dance. Eric works at Biogen, a biotech firm. There, he manages staff who present health care professionals with information about new products to treat neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s.

In Boston, the couple has continued to feel the warmth and strength of the community that first brought them to Northwestern: “When I found out we would be moving to Boston,” Megan says, “I turned to the Northwestern alumni network first. Through it, I met people who helped me in my career search and even in finding a place to live—our real estate agent was an NU alumna! I know it’s through this network that I will continue to make lifelong friends here. Having the support of the Northwestern community no matter where life takes me is incredibly reassuring.”

Megan recently served as a co-chair for her 5th Reunion, and in November, she volunteered as a #CATSGiveBack ambassador on #GivingTuesday. Through their thoughtful and consistent support of the University and its students, Megan and Eric continue to help the Northwestern community thrive.