The gallery in the Bentley Library on Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill Campus is a small jewel of a gallery that features student and faculty art as well as the work of new and established artists from across the region in a series of exhibits that change regularly.

On Friday, May 15, the gallery was renamed the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace in honor of the college’s recently retired assistant dean of libraries at a ceremony and reception attended by the Northern Essex community as well as Hummel-Shea’s family and friends. 

According to Mike Hearn, the college’s director of libraries, Hummel-Shea, a longtime resident of Boxford, was a major force behind the creation of the gallery.

“Linda had a vision to provide a space for faculty, staff, and students to showcase their work, and it was through her tenacity that the ArtSpace was created.”

Also speaking at the dedication were Lane Glenn, president of the college, Bill Heineman, vice president of academic and student affairs, and Marc Mannheimer, professor of art.

The decision to name the gallery in Hummel-Shea’s honor was recommended by her colleagues to the Executive Committee of the college’s All College Assembly, which unanimously approved the recommendation.  The recommendation was also unanimously approved at the April 1 meeting of the college’s Board of Trustees.

Hummel-Shea began her 35-year career at Northern Essex as a part-time evening services librarian. When she retired last June she was assistant dean of libraries.

During her tenure, Hummel-Shea provided leadership at a time when libraries were undergoing tremendous changes in response to new technology. 

She arrived at Northern Essex during the era of the card catalog and when she left the college’s libraries were completely digitalized with the great majority of materials accessible online.

She also was integral in creating the college’s second library in Lawrence, building a facility that has successfully supported the students and faculty in Lawrence, especially those in health care, criminal justice, and paralegal studies.

While Hummel-Shea is a lover of books and the printed word, she also recognizes that libraries have an expanded mission, including serving as community and cultural centers, which is why she was so passionate about creating the gallery.

At the college’s commencement on Saturday, May 16, Hummel-Shea received emeritus status, an honor that recognizes sustained excellence in performance, character, and meritorious service to the college.

Opened in 2009,  the ArtSpace gallery has featured an impressive collection of artists over the years from sculpted carousel animals by Jeffrey Briggs of Newburyport to the graffiti inspired art of Jeff Henriquez of New York, New York.

To learn more about the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace, contact Mike Hearn, NECC director of libraries, at mhearn@necc.mass.edu or 978 556-3423.

With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Northern Essex Community College offers over 70 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  More than 7,400 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 6,700 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley.  Northern Essex is the only state college located in the lower Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.

For the fourth year running the Northern Essex Community College Knights baseball team played in the National Division 3 Junior College World Series. And while they gave it the “old college try”, they went up against the top two seeds, they bowed out with a pair of losses.

In the opening game, North Reading’s Ryan McAuliffe took the ball against No. 1 seed Tyler Junior College of Texas.

The big right-hander kept his team in it, going eight strong innings and striking out seven, but the Knights fell, 5-1.

North Reading’s R.J. Warnock and Georgetown’s Colby Ingraham had two of the three NECC hits.

NECC fell to the No. 2 Wood Ducks of Century College in Minnesota, 10-7. Ingraham drove in four runs in that one, as both he and Warnock had two hits apiece. Warnock worked double duty, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief ball as the Knights fought to the bitter end.

Northern Essex finished up the season with an impressive 28-4.

After a perfect 15-0 record in the Region XXI competition, they emerged from the Region XXI Baseball Tournament unscathed, with a perfect 3-0, toppling Holyoke Community College 17-7 in the title game. That victory extended the Knights’ winning streak to 23 consecutive games dating back to March 18.

Ranked eighth nationally, this was the Knights third World Series trip under head coach Jeff Mejia.

“We were really excited to go back,” Northern Essex head coach Jeff Mejia said. “It was a new location this year. It was another great experience for this team.”

The Knights joined seven other junior colleges in Kinston, N.C., from May 23-29 for the NJCAA World Series.

 “It’s been a great run,” Mejia said. 

 

 

 

Are you still uncertain about your plans for the fall? It’s not too late to enroll at Northern Essex Community College. Enroll full time, part time, or take just one class.

NECC is both flexible and affordable. Classes are offered during the day, in the evening, online, and on campus. Attend an upcoming Admission Information Session on Thursday, June 4, at 10 a.m. or Wednesday, June 24, at 5 p.m. in the Behrakis One-Stop Student Services Center on the Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott Street or Friday, June 12, at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, July 14, at 10 a.m. in the Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center on the Lawrence Campus, 414 Common Street.

NECC Representatives will be on hand to answer questions on financial aid, NECC programs, and more.

Are these dates not convenient? Walk-in hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. through 6:30 p.m. and Friday, noon to 4:30 p.m.

For additional information contact NECC’s Enrollment Services at 978-556-3700,

 or write to admissions@necc.mass.edu

Or visit the NECC website at www.necc.mass.edu

Dr. William Heineman, vice president of academic affairs, Northern Essex Community College, is pleased to announce the appointment of students to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2015 term.

To be included, students must attain a grade point average of 3.3 or higher within the term, carry six or more credits within the term, and be matriculated in a degree program.

With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence and extension sites in Methuen and Groveland, Northern Essex Community College is a state-assisted college, offering over 70 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. More than 7,300 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 6,700 take non-credit workforce development and community education classes on campus and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley. Northern Essex is the only state college located in the lower Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts.

For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.

Dean’s list students include: Spring 2015 Dean’s List

Over 1,300 associate degrees and certificates were awarded at Northern Essex Community College’s 53^rd Annual Commencement Exercises which were held on Saturday, May 16th in the quadrangle on the college’s Haverhill Campus.

Because Saturday was Armed Forces Day, NECC President Lane Glenn asked the 20-plus graduates who were veterans or military service personal to stand and be recognized.

“Our veterans keep us safe so we have the freedom to pursue our dreams,” he said. 

He also shared the stories of three veterans who are members of the graduating class including Chuck Grandmaison of Haverhill, a Vietnam veteran who received his Associate Degree in Human Services and a Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counseling at the age of 67; Jeff Rhoades of Lawrence, a veteran of Kuwait and Afghanistan, who received associate degrees in electronic technology and computer networking; and Nicole Catanzaro, an Iraq veteran, who earned an engineering degree and is transferring to UMass Lowell to study biomedical engineering.

The featured speaker was Helen Ubiñas, an award winning columnist with the Philadelphia Daily News, who is a former editor of the Observer, NECC’s student newspaper, and attended the college in the early 1990’s.

The theme of Ubiñas’s speech was “Your voice matters!”

“I’ve been privileged to have a platform to share my voice at two newspapers.  But the great thing about living in today’s world is that everyone has an outlet for his or her voice, and that everyone can help magnify other voices.  You don’t have to be a columnist to bring attention to a cause or an injustice.  You have the power, and technology, in your hands to help change the world—right now.”

“You will choose careers and paths that fit your interests and talents, she said.  “But in whatever you do, the value of your lives will be measured in the difference that you make in the lives of others.”

Here’s a link to Ubiñas’s speech.

Justin Merced, the student speaker, graduated from the college’s Honors Experience with an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts, Writing Option.   He served as a medic in the Iraq War and, as a result of his experiences, plans to be a doctor.  He will transfer to Rutgers University in New Jersey in the fall where he will major in pre-med.

Merced encouraged graduates not to let fear hold them back.  “Progress should be our watchword.  Not fearing failure or success, or even spiders or heights or the ocean, but featuring standing in one place for too long.  If you know what you care about, you can determine what you want to accomplish, and once you accomplish it, continuously build and improve upon it—like a game of Tetris or Jenga, except more possible to win.”

Here’s a link to Merced’s speech.

The commencement proceedings opened with the national anthem sung by NECC student Carli Hamilton of Plaistow, N.H., who will transfer to Berklee School of Music.

Alumna Susan Bonefant, who is chairperson of the NECC Alumni Association, presented the Outstanding Alumni Award to Helen Ubiñas, the commencement speaker.

Emeritus status, which recognizes sustained excellence in performance, character, and meritorious service to the college, was presented by William Heineman, NECC vice president of academic and student affairs, to Michael Broughton of Plaistow, N.H., professor emeritus of computer information science; Francine Pappalardo of Salem, N.H., professor emerita of nursing; and Linda Hummel-Shea of Boxford, dean emerita of college libraries.

Floral arrangements were provided by Holland Flowers.

Musical selections were provided by members of the Stuart Highland pipe band.

Here is a full list of 2015 graduates.

Here is a link to the photos of the ceremony.

With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Northern Essex Community College offers over 70 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  More than 7,400 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 6,700 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley.  Northern Essex is the only state college located in the lower Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.