Presented by Janice Rogers and Clare Thompson-Ostrander, the June educational report focused on the College Success Seminar which was launched as a pilot last fall.

The seminar was created by the First Year Experience Committee, a group that was formed to develop strategies to help new students who test into two developmental courses succeed in college.

Taught by faculty and staff from across the college’s departments, the College Success Seminar has three components: self-discovery, study skills, and NECC resources.

Since this was a pilot, the college was very interested in measuring the progress of students in the classes, according to Thompson- Ostrander, to determine what was working well and what wasn’t working. Success was measured through student surveys after each module of the class, in focus groups, and through a careful review of how the enrolled students were performing in both the College Success Seminar and their other courses.

According to Thompson-Ostrander, students who successfully completed the seminar in the fall of 2010 earned a g.p.a. that was .5 points higher than eligible students who elected not to take the seminar. They were also far more likely to return for the spring semester, at a rate of 90 percent as compared to 76 percent.

The College Success Seminar is part of Northern Essex’s participation in Achieving the Dream, a national initiative to help students succeed. The pilot will continue this fall and, if it proves to be successful, plans will be made to offer it to a wider group.

Northern Essex Community College will hold an information session designed especially for graduating high school seniors and their parents on the Haverhill campus. The information session will be held on Tuesday, June 7, at 6 p.m. in the Behrakis One-Stop Student Center, 100 Elliott St.

“Many high school seniors are making their college decisions now,” says Charles Diggs, assistant dean for enrollment services. “We want to be sure they consider starting at Northern Essex. These information sessions will give them information about available financial aid, our programs, and transfer opportunities.”

The college offers certificate and associate degree programs leading to careers in health care, technology, criminal justice, and more, as well as transfer programs that allow a student to complete the freshman and sophomore year at Northern Essex and then transfer to a four-year institution.

“Our students are transferring to public colleges and universities as well as private institutions,” says Diggs. “They end up with a bachelor’s degree from the four-year college and a lot less debt than their peers.”

High school seniors are invited to register early and get the best choice of classes.

Advisors will be available to answer questions regarding financial aid, NECC programs, and more.

For more information about the information sessions for high school students, please contact enrollment services at 978 556-3721 or admissions@necc.mass.edu.

Is business ownership for you and is now a good time to venture into business? Find out the answer to these questions during two free seminars offered through Northern Essex Community College at NECC Riverwalk, 360 Merrimack St., Lawrence, on May 24th or June 7, both Tuesdays, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The seminar will cover factors to weigh when considering your own business; steps to prepare for success; the pros and cons of different paths into business; and resource contact information.

Led by NECC’s Entrepreneurial Training Program (ETP) facilitator Paul Jermain of Jermain & Company, the seminars are educational in nature and explore the idea of venturing into business, large or small, during an unusual economy. ETP as well as other business oriented programs will be explored.

For additional information regarding these free seminars or to register, contact Dianne Lahaye at dlahaye@necc.mass.edu or 978-659-1222 or Diane Zold-Gross at dzoldgross@necc.mass.edu or 978-659-1221.

Is business ownership for you and is now a good time to venture into business? Find out the answer to these questions during two free seminars offered through Northern Essex Community College at NECC Riverwalk, 360 Merrimack St., Lawrence, on May 24th or June 7, both Tuesdays, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The seminar will cover factors to weigh when considering your own business; steps to prepare for success; the pros and cons of different paths into business; and resource contact information.

Led by NECC’s Entrepreneurial Training Program (ETP) facilitator Paul Jermain of Jermain & Company, the seminars are educational in nature and explore the idea of venturing into business, large or small, during an unusual economy. ETP as well as other business oriented programs will be explored.

For additional information regarding these free seminars or to register, contact Dianne Lahaye at dlahaye@necc.mass.edu or 978-659-1222 or Diane Zold-Gross at dzoldgross@necc.mass.edu or 978-659-1221.

Sharon Black and Jessica Dick

Two Northern Essex Community College students, Sharon Black of Methuen, and Jessica Dick of Haverhill, were recently honored for their academic achievements at a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House.

The two were part of a group of 17 students from across the state selected for Phi Theta Kappa’s All Academic Team, based on their academic record and recommendations from their professors. Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for community college students.

Black, a Melrose High School graduate and mother of three, is a paralegal major at NECC. In her two years at NECC she has been involved in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Emerging Student Leaders Program, and the Presidential Student Ambassador Program. She is also a member of the Student Senate, a legal research and writing teaching assistant and tutor, and a member of the Paralegal Club. After graduating this spring Black will transfer to the American College of History and Legal Studies in Salem, NH. She plans to one day be a disability lawyer.

Dick, a 2009 graduate of Central Catholic, will graduate from Northern Essex this spring as a Liberal Arts major. In her two years at NECC she has been involved in the Honors Program, as the Honors Ambassador, a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and in the Student Leadership Development Program. After graduating, Dick, will transfer to the UMass Boston as an English major. She plans to be a high school English teacher.

Seventeen community college award recipients, families, community college presidents, and Phi Theta Kappa college staff were in attendance at the award ceremony. Attendees were greeted by William D. Hart, executive director, Massachusetts Community Colleges Executive Office, Dr. Richard Freeland, commissioner, Department of Higher Education, and State Representative Thomas J. Calter, Massachusetts. After the presentation of the awards and medallions, by Representative Calter and William Hart, Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, president of Bridgewater State College, addressed the crowd.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, community college presidents, and community college state associations co-sponsor All State Academic Team recognition program in 38 states. Each community college has the opportunity to nominate two students for this competition. Nominees to the All-USA/All-State Academic Teams are eligible for stipends provided by Coca-Cola.