Students of Northern Essex Community College’s Beta Omicron chapter of the Alpha Beta Gamma International Business society received awards at the organization’s 30th induction ceremony held April 19. This anniversary marked a significant milestone for NECC’s chapter, which — in addition to its remarkable longevity — has accrued 79 national awards over the course of its history.

Stephanie Quezada, of Lawrence, was honored with the Hausman Siegel Distinguished Award, which is given to an outstanding chapter president. For coming up with a superior business plan, Cheryl Adams-Noyes, of Newburyport, garnered the Nathan Ancell Memorial Award. John Bradley, of Haverhill, was the recipient of the Eva Bobrow Medallion Award, which recognizes a member who has made significant contributions to their chapter.

Two students also received recognition for excellence in essay writing. Nicholas Candage, of Merrimac, was given the Keith Ulich Memorial Essay Award for a piece entitled “Living Life to its Fullest,” while Alora Mann, of Haverhill, received the Ester J. Cross-Carter Memorial Essay Award for one called “Helping Others.”

Mann and Winfield Field, of North Reading, received special chapter-specific recognition from Beta Omicron, with both getting the Muller & Norton Outstanding Leadership Award for their exemplary leadership and devotion to Alpha Beta Gamma activities. The award is named for Sheila Muller and Pamela Norton, who were crucial to the development of NECC’s ABG chapter.

The entire Beta Omicron chapter was itself recognized with a pair of awards during the meeting: the Excellence in Financial Management Award, given to the chapter that goes above and beyond when it comes to fundraising and cash flow management; and the Brooks College Golden Key, which recognizes the most outstanding two-year college chapter in Alpha Beta Gamma. This is the seventh time in eight years that NECC’s chapter has received this particular honor.

Alpha Beta Gamma is an international honor society that recognizes and encourages scholarship among students of two-year business and professional colleges. Members of NECC’s local chapter must maintain a cumulative 3.0 minimum grade point average and exude strong moral and academic character.

Northern Essex offers the following business programs: accounting, business management, business management: computer applications, business management: hospitality, business management: health care practice and business transfer.

This year’s Beta Omicron induction ceremony welcomed over 40 initiates including:

MASSACHUSETTS

HAVERHILL

Alexander Barkas
Karl Chavez
Annabel Dryden
Mimoza Konomi
Casimir Ntar
Angeli Perez Rodriquez
Xionnett Pla
Michelle Rhudick
Matthew Sahlas
Julidiris Then

AMESBURY

Michael Sousa

MERRIMAC

Heather Thomas

LAWRENCE, METHUEN, NORTH ANDOVER, ANDOVER

Cassandra Aguiar
Siham Berrada
Meagan Bono
Danielle Callina
Nidia Davila Ramirez
Jamilette Genao
Joelvi Gonzalez
Alexander Keith
Cindya Martinez
Ladis Leger
Orlando Mejia
Laura Mueses
Rafael Nunez
Eric Peguero
Margia Perez
Madelyn Sang
Natalie Scandura
Judy Sok
Kimberly Tsui
Andrew Wells

NEWBURYPORT

Wesley Miller
Alyssa Pike

SALISBURY

Timothy Miles

EVERETT

Rose Carrenard

WINTHROP

Marie Pierrelus

NEW HAMPSHIRE

BRENTWOOD

Lindsay Mucci

PLAISTOW

Jace Martinez

NEWTON

Madison Smith

MAINE

BERWICK

Bandon Richardson

 

Nick Richard of Derry, NH, started working in the warehouse at All Brand New England of Lawrence 11 years ago when he was just 17 years old.  He’s done well with the company, which distributes food, janitorial, cleaning, and office supplies, and is now operations supervisor, managing 16 employees.

While Richard has lots of hands-on experience, he never had a formal education in business.  That’s why his boss, recognizing his leadership potential, recommended that he sign up for Northern Essex Community College’s “The Art and Practice of Effective Supervision”, a 10-course, 40-hour noncredit training program that is being offered free to local companies that qualify for the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund grant.

Richard—along with nine other supervisors from four local companies— completed his training this week and he said it’s been “very helpful.”  “A lot of this I knew deep down, but I needed someone to pull it out of me.  I’ve enjoyed talking with others about issues they have in their own companies.”

Other local companies participating include Microsemi of Lawrence, Cox Engineering/Cambridgeport Air Systems of Salisbury, and Our Neighbors’ Table of Amesbury.

Last year, the Lawrence Partnership, a private-public sector consortium focused on economic development and improving the quality of life in Lawrence, conducted a survey to determine where there were local “skills gaps.” The survey was completed by 94 local employers with 50 or more employees, and many company leaders expressed concerns over lost productivity and competitiveness because of the lack of supervisory and management skills among their current workers.

Leadership was identified as the number one soft skills challenge while middle management was also shown to be an area of need, according to the survey.  As one company leader wrote, “We cannot grow our business without great staffing.”

Based on the results of the survey, Northern Essex Community College applied for and received a $120,750 Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Direct Access Training Grant to create a supervisor/management skills training program.

Richard was in the first class and the college is now recruiting for five additional programs, which will be held through June of 2018.

The series is taught by Joe Ryan, a Northern Essex graduate who went on to receive a bachelor’s from Amherst College and a master’s from Lesley University.  A corporate trainer and college professor, Ryan says business success has everything to do with competent, respectful, and empathetic leadership. “When employees feel valued and respected, their engagement and performance will grow and everyone benefits.”

The training program focuses on the elements common to the job of a supervisor including effective supervisory skills, understanding behavioral styles, managing employee performance, training and development, situational leadership, managing conflict, effective communication, engaging employees, and preventing harassment and discrimination.

For more information, contact Kathryn Ronaldson, program manager, NECC’s Center for Corporate Education, kronaldson@necc.mass.edu or (978) 659-1237.

 

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.  Each year, 8,500 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 2,600 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

With a goal of promoting healthier eating, Northern Essex Community College’s Student Life Team has been instrumental in bringing a mobile food mart to both the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses.

Northern Essex faculty, staff, and students, who register by Friday, April 21, can participate in a free, mobile farmer’s market where they can select from a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables thanks to a collaboration with the Greater Boston Food Bank. Each person who shops can select up to 25 pounds of fresh produce.  The food mart will visit the campuses once a month.

The free, mobile market, which will be open on Thursday, April 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in front of the Sport and Fitness Center on the Haverhill campus and in the El-Hefni Allied Health and Technology Center on the Lawrence campus, is open to the entire college community, according to Karen Hruska, director of NECC’s counseling and psychological center.

“This is a health initiative that benefits all students, faculty, and staff as everyone is encouraged to both shop and volunteer at the market,” said Hruska. “The folks at GBFB have been incredible in helping us to research implementing this program on our campus and we are eager to pilot our first market on April 27.”

GBFB will deliver high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables directly to campus. A crew of volunteers will set up distribution of the produce in the style of a farmer’s market. Students’ faculty and staff will then ‘shop’ at each table, choosing from a diverse selection of free, fresh produce.  There are no restrictions except to register by April 21st.

Pre-register here if you are interested in participating in the free mobile market or visit the student engagement offices in the sport & fitness center, D105 in Haverhill or Dimitry L133 in Lawrence.

Please bring reusable grocery bags, baskets, or a cart to carry the produce.

For more information about this event or if you need special accommodations for shopping or someone to shop for you, please contact Hruska at NECC’s Counseling & Psychological Services at 978-556-3730 or email counseling@necc.mass.edu

 

It’s no coincidence that the term “commencement” signifies a start. Though your time as a student might end the moment you step across the stage to receive your diploma, your relationship with the college is only just beginning.

Every individual who has graduated from NECC is automatically considered a member of our alumni community. For some, that means taking advantage of the vast range of opportunities available to them — whether it’s joining an advisory committee, volunteering for campus events, following our social media networks, attending a reunion, or donating to the college’s NECC Fund.

For alumni like Patricia Lyon ’13, remaining active with the NECC community was a no-brainer. She recalls with great fondness the strong community vibe that she felt everywhere from the classroom to the campus walls, which were crowded with event posters throughout each semester. Despite having a long commute and heavy workload, Lyon found that she was able to play an active role in campus life ­— becoming a member of both the National Honor Society and Business National Honor Society by the time she completed her studies.

It was this connection with the campus community that led Lyon, upon graduating, to look into alumni volunteer opportunities.

“I was inspired to give back in any way I possibly could,” she says. “I wanted to do my part to help NECC grow and help others know of the wonderful opportunities available.”

With this conviction, Lyon worked with professors like Patricia Morrow to help out current students. Before long she joined the Business Advisory Council, and later served as a speaker at a business intern panel discussion. Her involvement in this latter event inspired her to apply for a spot on the Alumni Advisory Board, on which she continues to serve.

Stories like this are easy to come by. As NECC’s alumni community grows, so does the number of ways to stay involved. Today’s graduates of Northern Essex are encouraged to volunteer for a variety of campus events and initiatives, including the annual Campus Classic 5K, the spring networking night, and the alumni career panel program. Updates on these and other events are available on the NECC website.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a member of NECC’s first class, the college is sure to have something for you. Here are some of the additional ways you can stay engaged with your alma mater:

Join our social media network: NECC’s Alumni Office is active on Facebook and LinkedIn! Joining these pages will help you stay up-to-date on alumni activities and connect with your peers. Be sure to check out LinkedIn for job postings and networking opportunities, or create an account on NECCLink. www.necc.mass.edu/necclink.

Submit an alumni profile form: We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to since graduating. If you have news to share, please fill out an alumni profile form available on the NECC website. You might just be featured in our next magazine or newsletter! www.necc.mass.edu/alumni-info.

Donate to the NECC Fund: Help ensure the success of our students by contributing to the college’s NECC Fund, which provides for student scholarships and academic programs. Alumni can give online, by phone, or by mailing a check to the Office of Institutional Advancement. Visit necc.mass.edu/giving for more information.

For additional information on alumni activities, please visit www.necc.mass.edu/alumni.

Northern Essex Community College has been nominated for a Merrimack Valley Magazine Milestone Award in the category “50 Years in Business.” This new category was added by the magazine to recognize businesses and nonprofits that have survived in a challenging economy while providing consistently excellent service to the community.

Parties interested in voting for Northern Essex can fill out a ballot online at mvmag.net/mvma. The college is listed under section 7, “Milestone Awards,” on item 46.

NECC was established in 1961 as the fourth community college in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. For a closer look at its history as a pillar of the Merrimack Valley area, check out the timeline on the website.