2015 - Page 13 of 20

NECC Students Nominated for Prestigious Scholarship

May 15, 2015/in Archive/by review

Fadia Chahine (left) & Justin Merced (right) – with NECC V.P. of Academic Affairs William Heineman at the State House in Boston on Friday May 1st 2015

Two Northern Essex Community College students were recently nominated for the annual Coca Cola Transfer Scholarship Award of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a national organization that provides enrichment opportunities for outstanding students. The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society administered their honors at state house earlier this month.

Justin Merced of Lawrence and Fadia Chahine of Methuen were selected due to their academic success and community service efforts. Merced, a Liberal Arts: Writing major, made his mark as a leader and mentor of multiple campus volunteer programs, including the Student Senate, the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and the Veterans and Servicepersons Organization of NECC. Merced currently serves as president of the latter and as treasurer of the S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Club. Outside of campus, he additionally participates as a mentor of the Big Friends Little Friends program of Lawrence. Come fall, he will transfer to Rutgers University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology/premed.

Fadia Chahine, a recent NECC graduate and current student of education and psychology at UMass Lowell, has been distinguished for her involvement with various NECC-affiliated and community programs. During her time on campus, she was a member of the Community Outreach Group and Phi Theta Kappa, through which she devoted a significant amount of time to volunteering at local nonprofit organizations. Upon receiving her bachelor’s degree, Chahine hopes to work toward a master’s degree in education and eventually obtain a career as an elementary school teacher.

The Coca Cola Scholarship Program recognizes exceptional students who have transferred or will transfer from NECC, hold a cumulative GPA or 3.5 or higher, and demonstrate significant community service involvement. For more information, please visit www.necc.mass.edu/getting-started/financial-aid/types/scholarships.

NECC Employees Honored for Work

May 14, 2015/in Archive/by review

NECC President Lane Glenn with second quarter employee recognition winners Kirsten Kortz, Elizabeth Donovan, and Ashley Moore.

Three Northern Essex Community College employees Kirsten Kortz of Somerville, Elizabeth Donovan of Windham, NH, and Ashley Moore of Exeter, NH, recently received the NECC Employee Recognition Award for the second quarter of 2015.

Kortz has been an adjunct instructor since 2010 and coordinator of the College Success Seminar since 2014.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from William Smith College and a PhD in Education from the University of New Hampshire. She was nominated by several colleagues including Trish Schade an associate professor in NECC’s academic preparation program who praised her writing, “I have had the opportunity to sit in on Kirsten’s classes and benefit from her excellent approaches to teaching and engaging her students… She has an excellent rapport with her students, involving them in academically challenging discussions and assignments while at the same time creating an inclusive learning environment with her wonderful sense of humor.”

Marcy Yeager, international studies coordinator and associate professor of natural sciences, supported the nomination noting, “Never before have I seen an adjunct faculty member give so much to NECC. Kirsten not only teaches at an exceptional level, but her commitment to student success has been demonstrated by her work as NECC’s College Success Seminar coordinator, where she expertly leads the program to new levels and constantly helps faculty teaching in the program achieve their professional goals… Every committee she works with, every meeting she participates in (and there are many), and every course she teaches is really focused on her personal belief that ALL students at NECC can and will succeed. It is a gorgeous thing to watch.”

Her recommendation was also supported by Professor Barbara Stachniewicz and Janice Rogers, assistant dean foundational studies, liberal arts & sciences division.

Moore, has worked at NECC for two years as a career connections coordinator and one year as a graduate fellow from Merrimack College. She was instrumental in creating NECC’s successful internship program.

She graduated from Bentley University with a Bachelor of Science in Corporate Finance and Accounting with a minor in Law and a Master of Science in Taxation. She also holds a Master of Education in Higher Education from Merrimack College.

Moore received several other nominations from colleagues including Dawna Perez, dean of student success, who wrote “Ashley is consistently a consummate professional, kind and helpful to all students she encounters, and regularly goes above and beyond her duties to collaborate with others to provide our students with the best experience they can get. She has developed a high quality Internship Program in concert with faculty and coordinates all the placements, does sites visits and facilitates all their workshops.”

Gisela Ramirez Nash, director of Title V/student success programs echoed this sentiment writing, “In a short period of time Ashley has grown a career prep program at NECC developing seminars, internships, and career outreach opportunities to expose NECC students to different career pathways.”

Her nomination was supported by Pat Morrow, business professor, Anne Shaw, job developer/employer liaison, and George Moriarty, director of NECC’s Workforce Development.

Donovan has worked at Northern Essex for 10 years, first as a statistician II and more recently as a procurement analyst.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Franklin Pierce College.

Colleague Martha Leavitt, director Lawrence Campus operations, nominated Donovan saying “Her service-oriented approach to her job and her unique understanding of how to continually balance the needs of both internal users and external vendors, has served our department and the NECC community very well. Beth has taken on the challenge of revamping many processes and systems within the procurement area, and has demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial style and problem solving techniques.”

Judy Kelleher lauded Donovan for working “Tirelessly to make sure that she gets more advantageous pricing for services as well as products to the benefit of the college. She makes purchases under the state negotiated contracts and also several consortiums always looking for better pricing for equal quality products. She always does an analysis of cost effective purchases for supplies, services, and equipment.”

For additional information contact Mary Chatigny, NECC’s director of human resources at mchatigny@necc.mass.edu

Beta Omicron Members Honored at Annual Ceremony

May 13, 2015/in Archive/by review

Professor Pam Donahue, faculty advisory to theNorthern Essex Community College Beta Omicron chapter

Professor Pam Donahue, faculty advisor to the Northern Essex Community College Beta Omicron chapter.

Four members of the Northern Essex Community College Beta Omicron chapter of the Alpha Beta Gamma international business honor society were recently honored with selective awards at the chapter’s 28^th annual induction ceremony on April 22^nd. The awards, distributed during the national meeting of Alpha Beta Gamma, recognized outstanding achievement.

Alumnus Bruce Loring of Brentwood, New Hampshire received the Marc Napolitano Outstanding Essay Award for his thematic piece “The Use of Film and the Media to Foster Corporate Growth.” Loring’s essay was selected from a large pool of submissions as the best in its category. A second essay prize, the Ester J. Cross-Carter Award, was granted to student Adamaris Correa of Haverhill for her essay “Helping Others.”

Outgoing president Patricia Ketabchi of Newburyport earned the Professor Steven Graham Memorial Award, for which she was nominated through faculty recommendation, as well as the Beta Omicron chapter’s Muller & Norton Outstanding Leadership Award for exemplary involvement. Ketabchi has been praised for her consistent devotion to ABG activities, including attendance at the national meeting.

Also honored this year was Jennifer Mercier of Amesbury who received the Eva Bobrow Medallion for significant involvement in and impact on the Beta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Beta Gamma.

The chapter itself was distinguished with two national honors – the Excellence in Financial Management Award and the Donald Bertram Community Service Award. Both mark a significant milestone for NECC’s Beta Omicron chapter, which has over the years won more than 65 national honors. “This is an historic accomplishment for the Northern Essex [chapter] members,” says Pamela Donahue, Beta Omicron faculty advisor. “There are not many other organizations that have met this milestone.”

Alpha Beta Gamma is an international honor society established by business professors in 1970 to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year business and professional college students. The society is a member of The Association of College Honor Societies and has initiated 65,500 members.

Members in the local chapter must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and display qualities of good citizenship and strong moral and academiccharacter. This year’s induction ceremony welcomed 51 new members.

For more information about Beta Omicron, please contact Professor Pam Donahue at 978-556-3315 or at pdonahue@necc.mass.edu.

Full List of 2015 Inductees

NECC Baseball Team Headed to World Series

May 11, 2015/in Archive/by review

The NECC Knights, ranked eighth nationally, went a perfect 15-0 against Region XXI competition for the season and return to the NJCAA World Series for the fourth consecutive year, third straight under head coach Jeff Mejia.

Here they go again.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Northern Essex Community College Knights baseball team will head to the NJCAA World Series.

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.

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

“I’m very excited to be back,” Northern Essex head coach Jeff Mejia said. “It is a new location this year and it should be interesting. I’m really looking forward to getting to North Carolina. We know the routine now and that should definitely help us.”

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

NECC (28-2) scored early and often against a Holyoke (11-13) pitching staff that ran out of gas coming through the loser’s bracket. In total the Knights pounded out 20 hits, eight going for extra-bases.

The victory extended the Knights’ winning streak to 23 consecutive games dating back to March 18.

“It’s been a great run,” Mejia said. “These kids always step up. They are a group of baseball players, that the tighter the game is the better they play.”

Strong Turnout at the Northern Essex Community College Campus Classic 5K & Fun Run

May 8, 2015/in Archive/by review

Saturday, May 2^nd welcomed beautiful weather and a great turnout for the Third Annual NECC Campus Classic 5K and Fun Run. Nearly 200 runners, representing a wide variety of organizations and communities, participated in this year’s race.

Finishing first overall was Brian O’Neil of Andover with a time of 18:49, followed closely by Connor Hayden of Bradford and Ryan Norman of Newton, New Hampshire. Former student Kacey Hill, 24, of Groveland was the top female finisher with a time of 21:29. Katie Walsh of Salem and Kirsten Kortz of Somerville finished second and third respectively.

For the second year in a row, NECC professor Michael Pelletier of Salem, MA took first place in the 70 + age category. Eight-year old Jake Libucha of Haverhill, a first-time participant and the youngest this year, finished first among those 14 and under.

Included in the diverse group of 2015 participants was the new NECC Police Academy, which registered 32 of its recruits to participate in the race. The group crossed the finish line together at the half hour mark carrying academy flags. Among walker groups were approximately 20 patients from the Holy Family Weight Management Clinic.

A list of complete results is available at coolrunning.com.

The Campus Classic 5K & Fun is an annual college fundraising event held each spring along the Haverhill campus’ USATF certified course. People of all ages and competitive levels, including novices and walkers, are encouraged to take part in this growing campus tradition. Proceeds benefit the NECC Annual Fund for student scholarships and academic programs.

Special thanks is owed to Covanta Energy Corporation, the Campus Classic’s Platinum Sponsor for the second consecutive year.

For more information on the Campus Classic 5K & Fun Run, please contact Lindsey Mayo at lmayo@necc.mass.edu or at 978-556-3621.

Visit the NECC Facebook Page to view photos and highlights from the race.

English Award Recipient Receives Dell Tablet

May 6, 2015/in Archive/by review

Emily Zinsmeister received a Dell Tablet donated by Dell, Inc. for her award winning English Composition I essay.

Northern Essex Community College student Emily Zinsmeister of Haverhill received a new Dell Tablet recently for being awarded the Professor Elizabeth Arnold Award during the 32^nd Annual NECC Writing Awards Ceremony.

Her essay was titled “Once Upon a Time in America…”

The Dell tablet was donated by Dell, Inc.

Every semester the English department honors noteworthy student writers.

Essays written in English Composition I and II classes identified by instructors as having exceptional merit are eligible to be submitted, with student permission, to the Awards Committee.

The Composition Awards program is a forum where expository works, which instructors feel deserve a wider audience can be enjoyed. It is a celebration of the best results of work assigned in Composition I and II.

The Elizabeth Arnold Award is given when the Awards Committee deems an English Composition I essay outstanding. The award is named for Professor Emeritus Elizabeth Arnold, who taught journalism and composition at the college from 1969 to 1988. Professor Arnold initiated the journalism concentration and under her supervision the NECC Observer grew to a 40-page bi-weekly newspaper.

The English Department also gives awards in Literature and Journalism.

War Veteran is NECC’s Student Commencement Speaker

May 4, 2015/in Archive/by review

Justin Merced of Lawrence, a Liberal Arts Major, Writing Option, has been selected as student speaker for NECC’s 2015 Commencement

Justin Merced of Lawrence, who is graduating from Northern Essex Community College with a Liberal Arts Degree, Writing Option, has been selected as the student speaker for the college’s 53^rd Annual Commencement Exercises, which will be held on Saturday, May 16.

After graduating from Lawrence High School in 2006, Merced joined the U.S. Army, where he trained to be a medic. He proudly served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and, after leaving the service, he decided to begin his college education in the health care field, a decision that was the result of his experiences during the war.

Merced says that the military was one of the best choices he could have made, bringing discipline and structure into his life.

While a student at Northern Essex, Merced has maintained his connections with the military. He rejuvenated the college’s Veteran’s Service Club and in November of 2013 he provided the leadership for a Veteran’s Day luncheon which 50 veterans, including college faculty and staff and students, attended. Based on its success, the Veteran’s Day Luncheon has now become an annual event.

In addition to his involvement with the Veterans’ Club on campus, Merced has been vice president of the student senate; served as the student representative on the All College Assembly, an advisory board to the president; and run weekly with the President’s Running Club.

Academically, Merced has excelled at Northern Essex, too, earning a near-perfect 3.95 GPA in his major, which is liberal arts, with a concentration in writing. He’s a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the community college honor society and participates in the Honors Experience, a rigorous program for motivated students that’s affiliated with the UMass Commonwealth Honors Program.

Merced plans to attend Rutgers University in the fall where he will major in biology/premed. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, he plans to attend medical school, and eventually settle in Massachusetts as a physician in the field of Emergency Medicine (EM).

Merced was nominated to be speaker by Ginger Hurajt, coordinator of the college’s Honors Experience; Karen Mitchell, director of the PACE Program; and Jeff Williams, coordinator of Veterans Services.

Over 1,000 graduates will receive certificates and associate degrees at the college’s 53rd Annual Commencement, which will be help on Saturday, May 16 at 11 a.m. on Northern Essex’s Haverhill Campus.

Philadelphia Daily News columnist Helen Ubiñas, a Northern Essex Community College alumna, will be the featured speaker.

To learn more about commencement, visit the commencement website.

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.

Senator Warren Visits NECC to Talk about College Affordability

May 4, 2015/in Archive/by review

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (center in photo) visited with NECC students for a discussion of college affordability.

Forty percent of college students who are eligible for Pell Grants—federal aid that is awarded based on financial aid—don’t apply for them, according to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. The senator was in Lawrence visiting Northern Essex Community College’s Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center on Friday for a student forum on college affordability.

Senator Warren urged the 15 NECC students who attended to “encourage their family and friends to apply for Pell Grants.”

College affordability has been a priority for the senator who has supported initiatives such as increasing funding for Pell Grants and lowering the interest rate on college loans.

Three of the NECC students attending the forum shared their personal stories, detailing how they are paying for college.

Kevin de Carvalho, a criminal justice major from Haverhill, started at Massasoit Community College after graduating from high school. His first semester he received a Pell Grant but he didn’t qualify his second semester. As a result, he had to increase his work hours and didn’t do as well academically. Seeing how he was struggling to balance college with working more than fulltime, his older brother invited him to move to Haverhill and live with him rent-free. This was life-changing for de Carvalho and he will graduate this month from Northern Essex with high honors and plans to transfer to Fitchburg State College in the fall.

Jessica Castillo of Lawrence emigrated from the Dominican Republic when she was 18 years old, speaking no English. She enrolled in ESL 1 at NECC and worked three part-time jobs to support herself, along with taking out loans. While a student in the Business Management: Health Care Practice Program, she landed a full-time job as an office manager with Dental Dreams in Lawrence. With the help of loans, she is continuing her education online at St. Joseph’s College in Maine, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management. She will also be receiving her associate degree this month.

Kiara Pichardo is a 2012 graduate of Lawrence High School who chose to attend Northern Essex because it was affordable and close to home. She has received Pell Grants to cover her tuition and fees and also works a part-time job to support herself while enrolled in the Liberal Arts: Theater Option Program. After graduating this month from NECC with honors, she will transfer to Fitchburg State College, where she will major in theater. Pichardo is anxiously waiting to receive a financial package from Fitchburg State. “Fitchburg State costs more than Northern Essex. I’m hoping for a good package.”

Based on a question from NECC Business Transfer student Kayla Mignanelli asking how she paid for college, Warren shared her own story which was similar to those the students shared. Warren, who grew up in Oklahoma with four older brothers, came from a working class family where money was very tight. She knew she wanted to be a teacher and, based on affordability; choose a commuter college close to home that costs $50 a semester. She says “it opened a million doors for me…I grew up in an America that was investing in their kids.”

Warren is a proponent of community colleges and congratulated students for making a good financial choice. “Northern Essex is one of the best educational bargains in the state. You are here at a great college building a great future for you and your families.”

Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera hosted Senator Warren’s visit to Lawrence. He was joined by Northern Essex President Lane Glenn, who facilitated the student forum, and State Representatives Frank Moran and Marcos Devers.

In addition to the student forum, the senator had a tour of the El-Hefni Center, a state-of-the-art facility for preparing health care workers, and learned about plans for the city, including improvements to alleyways adjacent to the El-Hefni Center that are being undertaken now with state funding that the city received.

Alumni Share Career Advice

April 29, 2015/in Archive/by review

Brittany Anzalone, Gladys Martinez, Ellen Small Davis, Reanne Malesky, Bel Andrickson, Tim Field, and Matt Tascon were part of an NECC Alumni that spoke to student in the NECC Internship program.

Seven Northern Essex Community College alumni spoke to current NECC students participating in the internship program about their careers while offering career advice.

Some two dozen students from the computer science, business, and journalism/communication programs were treated to an end-of-semester luncheon and received certificates of completion of the internship program from their program coordinators.

Following the luncheon, the panelists, all of whom attended NECC, shared their academic and career journeys, discussed challenges they had to overcome and offered advice on how to advance their careers.

Alumni included: Ellen Small Davis, ’79, a writer at NECC; Matt Tascon, ’14, an IT analyst at Windham Professionals in Salem, NH,; Bel Andrickson, ’14, a general manager at Lawrence Braces, in Lawrence; Brittany Anzalone, ’09, a speech therapist assistant in the Haverhill Public Schools; Gladys Martinez, ’10, a customer support specialist at NxStage Medical in Lawrence; Tim Field, ’14, a software developer at Muzzy Lane Software in Newburyport; and Reanne Malesky, ’10, an investor services representative at Putnam Investments in Andover.

NECC offers an internship program to students wishing to gain experience and insight into a career path. The internship program at NECC offers flexibility and opportunity. Students can earn academic credit within their chosen career field or participate independently by applying for an internship through NECClink.

For more information about the internship class, please contact Ashley Moore at (978)556-3946 or by email at amoore@necc.mass.edu.

NECC Education Leads to Life of Music

April 28, 2015/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

NECC Alumnus David Vose, who has had a successful career as a musician and professor at Berklee College, credits Northern Essex with starting him on his academic and professional journey.

NECC Alumnus David Vose, who has had a successful career as a musician and professor at Berklee College of Music, credits Northern Essex with starting him on his academic and professional journey.

Nearly 50 years after attending Northern Essex, David Vose, Berklee College of Music professor and working musician, told NECC students and guests that NECC was “pivotal” to his life’s direction.

When he was in the fourth grade, Vose picked up his first instrument – the trumpet – because his dad played a trumpet, however he would have preferred to play and follow sports. When he was 13, he reluctantly attended a Drum and Bugle Corps Competition at the Lawrence Stadium. The next day he eagerly joined a Drum and Bugle Corps. Massachusetts was a hot bed of Drum and Bugle Corps at that time, he explained, and they made a life-long impact on him.

“They played popular music that was powerful and potent,” he said demonstrating drum line drumming with drum sticks on the closest desktop.

Along with the British Invasion in the 60s came a distinguishable rock beat, he said. This prompted Vose to join a rock band.

When he heard an upper classman had been accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston, he researched the Boston institution and started to think “I should go there”.

Because he had spent so much time on sports and music, Vose said his grades were not Berklee-ready when he graduated from Methuen High School in 1967. He applied to the then fledgling Northern Essex, was accepted, and attended for two semesters taking NECC classes held at the Greenleaf School, Bradford Grange, and former Haverhill High School.

“I appreciate everything this college offered me,” he said. “I can’t say enough how valuable Northern Essex was to my life. I can remember thinking, ‘This is incredible. I’m in college preparing for my life.’ ”

He strongly credits Northern Essex with teaching him good study habits and building his academic confidence.

Vose said these confidence boosters helped him get serious about his music. He became absorbed in private piano and music theory lessons. These lessons, in turn, taught him he needed a “strong work ethic” to succeed.

Once he was accepted to Berklee, he financed his education by pumping gas until midnight, giving drum lessons, playing in a band and tutoring.

“If I had a break during a gig, I wasn’t on break, I was reviewing my homework assignments,” he said.

Following graduation he toured with The Drifters (Under the Board Walk) and Freddie Boom Boom Canon (Palisades Park). When he returned to Boston for graduate studies he visited Berklee to see a friend and was offered a teaching position. Over the decades, he has taught ear training, scoring for percussion, marching band methods, and private studio.

In those early days he played in wedding bands and theater pit orchestras. Today, Vose’s teaching days are winding down, but he continues to play in a rock band, jazz band, and patriotic march ensemble.

Vose is a member of the Massachusetts Educators’ Hall of Fame. He has served as a clinician for Grover Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, and Yamaha Corporation of America. He has presented at the Ludwig International Percussion Symposium, the Texas Music Educators Conference, and at numerous publishing companies with arrangements appearing in Kendor, Belwin Mills, and Columbia Pictures Productions.

The lifelong Methuen resident recently relocated to Cape Neddick, Maine with his wife who, as luck would have it, was in his NECC Economics class back in 1967.

NECC offers an associate degree in General Studies: Music Option which prepares students for transfer to a four-year institution.