2016 - Page 20 of 23

NECC PROFILE: Elizabeth Casanave

March 1, 2016/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

NECC philosophy professor Elizabeth Casanave

Lizzie Casanave is always smiling. So it’s no surprise that her philosophy courses include a workshop titled “The Science of Happiness.” She encourages her students to look at happiness through the lens of positive psychology. Lizzie’s teaching style includes exploring the importance of self-knowledge and an understanding that true happiness is attained through changing how one thinks. She asks her students to envision the kind of world in which they want to live and imagine their role in creating that world. Now that’s something to smile about.

Home: Arlington

Profession: Adjunct Professor and Study Abroad Short-Course Coordinator

Hobbies: Yoga, running, walking her dog, reading, and painting

Last book read: “Ethics: A History of Moral Thought,” by Peter Kreeft

Quote: “A person experiences life as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. Our task must be to free ourselves from this self-imposed prison, and through compassion, to find the reality of Oneness.”
—
Albert Einstein

Why I do what I do: I am driven, in part, by a desire to live a meaningful life. I love to teach because I find such a sense of purpose in inspiring students to use critical and creative thinking to improve their thought processes, the quality of their lives, and subsequently, the pressing issues of the world … I know that to live authentically requires being a positive force for change. I believe through teaching individuals to think and to foster sustainable motivation, we can (as Gandhi puts it) “be the change we wish to see in the world.”

New Civic Engagement and Service-Learning Coordinator Engages Students and Community Partners

March 1, 2016/in Archive/by review

Janel D’Agata-Lynch, NECC’s new Civic Engagement and Service Learning coordinator.

In addition to being successful, Northern Essex Community College wants its students to be good citizens. Janel D’Agata-Lynch, NECC’s first Civic Engagement and Service- Learning Coordinator, is helping with this mission.

D’Agata-Lynch was appointed to this part-time, pilot position to assist NECC in “preparing students for engaged citizenship”. This follows the recommendation of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education which voted two years ago to “Include civic learning and engagement as an expected learning outcome in public higher education”.

Since then, Northern Essex has been actively working with interested faculty to incorporate a civic or service-learning component into their curricula and connect them with community partners. Partners have included food pantries, homeless shelters, assisted living centers, Boys and Girls Clubs, local schools, and a number of other nonprofits.

While NECC students can connect with the community through many volunteer opportunities, service-learning is a classroom experience.

D’Agata-Lynch identifies community partners and makes sure NECC student involvement is meeting the needs of the partner and that the partner’s needs are tied to the course objectives.

For example, English as a Second Language students made several visits to an area assisted living facility where they interviewed residents with questions they had developed to help residents tell their personal histories.

“This was mutually beneficial,” said D’Agata-Lynch. “The students worked on improving their English speaking skills while developing their note-taking and interview skills. The residents benefitted from sharing their personal histories.” In addition, personal connections were made, and the residents offered advice to the students about life and pursuing their goals.

Northern Essex students who participate in service opportunities can expect real-world experience that connects their classroom work with a community need; an opportunity for career exploration and networking; improved communication, critical thinking, team building and problem solving skills; a better awareness of community resources and needs; skills and resources to be a successful college student; confidence to address community needs and the opportunity to make a positive impact.

D’Agata-Lynch notes that both volunteerism and service-learning are important when applying and interviewing for jobs. Employers like to hire well-rounded citizens.

For information on civic engagement and service learning, contact D’Agata-Lynch at jdagatalynch@necc.mass.edu or visit the service learning website.

Nominate an Outstanding Graduate for Student Commencement Speaker

February 29, 2016/in Archive/by review

Justin Merced of Lawrence, a Liberal Arts Major, Writing Option, student speaker for NECC’s 2015 Commencement.

One of the highlights of commencement each year is the speech by a graduating student who has been selected by faculty and staff to represent the class. The college is now soliciting nominations for the 2016 student commencement speaker and anyone interested is invited to nominate an outstanding student by the deadline of Tuesday, April 5.

To be considered students must be graduating with a grade point average of 3.5 or above. In addition to academic success, contributions to the college and/or the community in general will be considered.

To nominate a student, you must submit a letter to the student speaker selection committee explaining why your nominee would be a good candidate for student speaker and a nomination form. Nominations can be submitted online or on paper and details are available on the website https://www.necc.mass.edu/nominate

The information you submit as well as official transcripts will be considered by a committee of faculty and staff who will make recommendations to President Glenn. This is a very competitive process so please be sure that the materials you provide reflect the full scope of the individual you are recommending and clearly communicate why this person should be selected to represent the class of 2016.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Ernie Greenslade, Marketing Communications, at 978 556-3862 or egreenslade@necc.mass.edu.

She Helps You Transfer Successfully

February 25, 2016/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

Grace Young doesn’t just want you to be successful at Northern Essex Community College. She wants you to successfully transfer into a bachelor’s program, perhaps a master’s program, and finally a rewarding career.

As dean of academic support services, articulation, and transfer, Young is tasked with helping you plan your future. She sees to it that potential and current students continue to uncover the very best version of themselves through higher education.

She guides students through the process of transferring to one of the dozens of public and private colleges and universities that have transfer agreements with Northern Essex.

“My favorite things to do are advocate for students and forge pathways for them to reach higher by transferring after they have attended Northern Essex,” she says. “The more education one has, the more opportunities one has for moving up the socioeconomic ladder.”

Young isn’t shy about using herself as an example and inspiration when engaging the students. A former police officer, deputy sheriff, and U.S. Marshall, Young is no nonsense when it comes to a student’s future. She has, as they say, walked the walk. A native of St. Ann, Jamaica, West Indies, she attended Delmar Community College in Texas, transferred to Texas A & M University in Texas where she earned her bachelor’s in psychology. She completed her master’s in occupational social work at Syracuse University.

While her accomplishments have been many, Young shares with students that she was once placed on “academic suspension” and had a “journey back to grace”.

“They then understand why I do what I do and why education is so important,” she says. “In my role, engaging students is easy for me. I treat them like family and identify with them, check in on them all the time…I assign them tasks to do that involve their future.”

Young warns them to never under estimate the integrity of the education they will receive at a community college.

“My foundation was at a community college…that foundation carried me through Syracuse University,” she says.

For more information on transferring visit the transfer student guide page or contact the NECC academic advising office at 978-556-3440.

Middle East is Focus of NECC First Fridays

February 25, 2016/in Archive/by review

The destruction of Hatra – a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In the spirit of continuing global education, Northern Essex Community College is offering programming that looks at “One Geographic Region – the Middle East” the first Friday of each month this spring semester from 2 to 4 p.m. in lecture hall E155. The first program is March 4.

These talks are free and open to the public.

One Geographic Region is a project developed by NECC’s Office of International Studies in conjunction with the NECC Library. Its intent is to promote learning across disciplines and borders. The First Friday lectures are a part of that larger project.

On Friday, March 4, NECC art professor Marc Mannheimer will discuss Islamic art. He will share images and discuss the destruction of some of that region’s priceless artifacts.

Northern Essex professor Patricia Machado will explore the principles of Islamic banking on Friday, April 1.

Then on Friday, May 6, NECC Professor Mayra Bonet will share her research on the “Veil” in Middle Eastern film, art, gender studies, and culture.

Recognizing the importance of international study and travel in today’s world, Northern Essex’s study abroad program allows students to experience another language and culture while taking courses that fit into their curricula. Past programs have included studies in England, France, Ecuador, Spain, and others. For students not able to dedicate an entire semester abroad, Northern Essex also offers a short-term travel study program with trips approximately 10 days in length.

For additional information contact Barbara Stachniewicz at bstachniewicz@necc.mass.edu

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

February 24, 2016/in Archive/by jscamman

NECC President Lane Glenn reads Dr. Seuss to children from Little Sprouts, which is located on the college’s Haverhill Campus.

Beloved children’s author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was born on March 2, 1904. As a homage to the literary genius who brought us “Green Eggs and Ham”, “The Cat in the Hat”, “The Lorax”, “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”, and “Fox in Socks”, to name a few of his works, Northern Essex Community College’s Alumni Office invited the children of Little Sprouts, the child care center located on NECC’s Haverhill Campus, to a morning celebration in the David Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus.

After a reading of “Green Eggs and Ham” by staff and faculty including President Lane Glenn, Vice President of Administration and Finance David Gingerella, Early Childhood Education (ECE) Professor Deirdre Budzyna, ECE student Kim Dyment, Little Sprouts teacher Jessica Collins, and NECC Enrollment/Academic Counselor Vengerflutta Smith, the children were treated to a breakfast of Dr. Seuss “hat” themed fruit skewers, green eggs and ham sandwiches, yogurt, and juice prepared by Simple Elegant Catering.

Each child was given a copy of the book “Green Eggs and Ham” as a keepsake.

Northern Essex offers an associate degree in early childhood education which prepares students, for professional careers in Early Childhood Education or for transfer to a four-year college.

The college also offers an associate degrees in elementary education and liberal arts: Middle/ High School Teaching.

For more information, visit the website, www.necc.mass.edu, or contact enrollment services, 978 556-3700 or admissions@necc.mass.edu.

Assistant Coach Steps up to the Plate

February 23, 2016/in Archive/by andrea

Haverhill resident Kendra Hobbs has moved up from assistant softball coach to head softball coach at NECC.

For two years, Kendra Hobbs was the understudy for the role of head softball coach at Northern Essex Community College. Last week Hobbs stepped into the spotlight as coach. It is a role she has been preparing for since she was a young girl.

The 24-year-old Haverhill resident served as NECC’s assistant softball coach for the last two seasons when the softball team was revitalized under Coach Robert Gillespie. He recently resigned to become softball coach at Newburyport High School.

“We don’t plan on missing a beat,” said the 2009 Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School graduate where she was a star softball player. In 2013, she graduated from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts where she studied biology and was a valued member of both the softball and volleyball teams.

“We are very fortunate to have had Kendra on our staff. She was able to move right into the head coaching job. Kendra will do a great job as she is very knowledgeable about the sport of softball. She knows the student-athletes and is very familiar with NECC,” said Northern Essex Athletic Director Sue MacAvoy.

As head coach, Hobbs has the opportunity to meld her personal playing experience, which she has honed since she was 12, with her coaching experience. Before she was tapped to be the assistant NECC softball coach, Hobbs coached 12 to 18 year-olds on travel teams for five years. She still coaches a U-16 team.

In addition to her coaching duties, Hobbs works as a long-term, substitute teacher in the Haverhill school system. She is also working on completing her teaching licensure and is planning to enroll in a master’s degree program in secondary education.

Other than play softball, Hobbs says there are two paths she has always wanted to follow – teaching and coaching; the first allows time for the second and the second complements the first, she says.

Her coaching style, she says, is to set an example.

“I have a lot of patience. I like to teach,” she says. “I like to take the friendly approach and show by example. I get things done when I need to.”

Hobbs has the more than a dozen players who have joined the team working on conditioning. Some players are returning for their second year, so Hobbs is already familiar with their playing ability.

“We have a good group. They are academically stable. These students have plans for their future,” she says. “They are invested in themselves.”

Hobbs says she would really like to see the team make it to the state championship, but acknowledges that with only one pitcher it could be a challenge.

Hobbs says her players can expect a season of fitness and strength training.

“Some coaches start the season with fitness and strength and then back off,” she says. “I think it’s crucial to stay strong for the whole season because it’s a long season and the players need endurance.”

In addition to going for the win, Hobbs says, she hopes her players have fun and learn something.

“As a team, we are really stepping in the right direction,” she says. “We could skyrocket over the next few years.”

Northern Essex offers a variety of varsity sports including Men’s basketball, softball, women’s volleyball, men and women’s track & field, men and women’s cross country, and men’s baseball. For information on joining a team, visit the official website of Northern Essex Athletics

Lawrence’s History is Subject of White Fund Lecture

February 18, 2016/in Archive/by review

White Fund lecturer Robert Forrant.

A local history professor, well versed in Lawrence’s rich, immigrant past, will present a White Fund lecture, in collaboration with Northern Essex Community College, titled, ” Lawrence’s History as an Immigrant City,” on Thursday, February 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at El Taller, 275 Essex St., Lawrence. This event is free and open to the public.

Robert Forrant, a University of Massachusetts Lowell Professor of History and a board member of the Lawrence History Center will lead an examination of Lawrence as an immigrant city.

He is a member of the editorial board of “MassBenchmarks”, a joint publication of the UMass President’s Office and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. In 2012 he worked extensively on a variety of community-based programs dedicated to the centennial anniversary of the Bread and Roses Strike. He is co-editor of the “Great Lawrence Textile Strike of 1912: New Scholarship on the Bread & Roses Strike” (2014) and “The Big Move: Immigrant Voices From a Mill City” with Christoph Strobel (2011); and a participant in numerous projects funded by the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Lowell National Historical Park, he also teaches courses on immigration history.

The White Fund’s purpose is to have a free series of interactive presentations for Lawrence area adults, youth, and children. The audience is encouraged to seek wisdom, cultural enrichment, and intellectual enhancement by attending and participating.

Funded by a generous financial gift from the Honorable Daniel Appleton White, the White Fund Lecture Series has provided cultural conversation featuring well-known lecturers in fields such as history, literature, travel, the arts, and politics.

For additional information or to be notified of upcoming events in the White Fund Enlightenment Series, contact Analuz Garcia at agarcia@necc.mass.edu or call 978-738-7423 or visit the White Fund website.

Northern Essex Professor Joins NESNE Board of Governors

February 16, 2016/in Archive/by jscamman

NECC Professor Amy Callahan

Amy Callahan, professor of English and coordinator of the liberal arts: journalism and communication program at Northern Essex Community College, has joined the Board of Governors of the New England Society of News Editors (NESNE), an affiliate of the New England Newspaper and Press Association. She will moderate a special panel discussion at the upcoming annual NENPA convention on February 20 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel .

Callahan was selected to be NESNE’s higher education representative, a position through which she will help promote mutually beneficial initiatives for journalists and students.

“I’m delighted to join the leadership team of NESNE as the higher education representative on the board,” she says. “It is my hope to advocate for a strong partnership between journalism professionals and journalism educators so that students can benefit from the resources of the industry.”

Callahan’s panel, titled “Meet the Millennials: Training the Future Generation of Journalists,” will feature a group of journalism and media educators who will discuss the various highlights and challenges they encounter in training prospective media specialists.

Prior to joining the NECC faculty Callahan worked for many years as a newspaper reporter, writing for publications such as the Boston Globe, the Holyoke Transcript-Telegram, and the Vineyard Gazette. Her work at the latter publication resulted in three honors from NENPA on her behalf. Callahan also served as former managing editor of the Columbia University Record and is a current member of the HC Media Board of Directors. She currently resides in Newburyport with her wife and son.

Callahan holds a BA in Journalism from Northeastern University and an MFA in writing from Columbia University.

Northern Essex offers an associate degree in journalism/communication. Please visit www.necc.mass.edu to learn more.

Educator Shares Experiences with Students

February 16, 2016/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

Some of Dr. Donna Tanner’s best teachers have been little children.

The words and wisdom of these wee ones have inspired Tanner throughout her career from first grade teacher to principal to college professor. The lessons she learned along her educational way she now shares with her NECC students.

“I have always believed that I learned so much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, but most from the children over the years,” she says.

NECC offers Associate of Science degrees in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Liberal Arts: Middle/High School Teaching; each provides a two-year foundation for individuals interested in pursuing a career as a teacher. At Northern Essex, all programs integrate classroom learning with practicums or field experiences that provide real-world experiences.

Tanner has accumulated more than 35 years of real-world experiences working in the field of education. A field she cares deeply about believing it to be a life changing profession for both teacher and student.

“I want to continue to help future teachers see how their imagination, vision, knowledge, and grit can make a difference in the lives of children,” she says.

She enjoys nothing more than talking with students about a future as a teacher. Today, the language of educators includes terms like common core, second language learners, social curriculum, and assessments. Concepts she incorporates into her curriculum.

“It’s important to attract future teachers who find this world fascinating and want to use their interests and passions to guide and make a difference in the future of our world,” she says.

When she reflects on her profession, Dr. Tanner is quick to quote a former professor, who often said, “Teachers can be bearers of gifts. Not only do we have the privilege of introducing great literature to young, imaginative minds, but we also have the priceless opportunity of giving each child the gift of believing in him or herself.”

“I think about the many children I have learned and worked alongside over the years,” she says. “It has been exciting to touch their lives, find their strengths and their special ‘greatness’,” she says.