Thesis advisor: Lacee Satcher / This study explores the role that institutions of higher education play in gentrification in the cities they occupy. I use Northeastern University and the Roxbury neighborhood in the city of Boston as a case study, specifically with the expansion efforts of the institution over the past decade, to examine universities as potential drivers of gentrification. Using publicly available data, Google Street View data, and semi-structured qualitiative interviews with long-term Roxbury residents, I find notable neighborhood change occuring in the area in relation to Northeastern University, including changes to racial/ethnic and SES demographics, as well as changes to the neighborhood's physical environment. Moreover, interviews with the residents of Roxbury revealed the mixed reactions to the univeristy expanding into the neighborhood and the concerns of the community who want a say in the changes occuring. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Morrissey School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology. / Discipline: Departmental Honors.