Marc Schepens says the title of his exhibition, “Egem,” as well as the art therein, recalls one of the last conversations he had with his late father.

Nahant artist Marc Schepens’ exhibition “Egem” takes its name from a little town in western Belgium. While the former NECC adjunct professor has never been there himself, it’s a place with close ties to his family history. Exploring this space between the known and unknown inspired the paintings, which feature abstract bursts of chaotic color that — when looked at as a “big picture” — begin to come together as city streets and buildings.

“Egem” has been installed in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace in the Bentley Library on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliot St., and will be on display through April 14. The exhibit is free and open to the public during library hours, which are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. An artist’s reception will be held on March 23 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Schepens says the title of the exhibition, as well as the art therein, recalls one of the last conversations he had with his late father. There, he says, in the slippery moment between life and death, memory and experience can crystallize into an image — and it’s these images that find themselves on the canvases in the ArtSpace.

From 2013 to 2015, Schepens taught art classes including Dimensional Foundations, Drawing I and Painting I at NECC. He currently serves as a full-time lecturer at Boston University and an adjunct instructor at Bunker Hill Community College.

“Egem” is sponsored by the art department and the NECC Foundation. The exhibits featured in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace Gallery express the views of the artists. They do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Northern Essex Community College.

NECC offers an associate degree in general studies: art with a focus on specific area of the arts, such as fine arts, multimedia, photography or visual communications.

For further information contact Patricia Kidney at pkidney@necc.mass.edu or Marc Mannheimer at mmannheimer@necc.mass.edu.

After 22 years with the FBI, Jay White said it just seemed logical to pass along his knowledge and experience. Fortunately, Northern Essex criminal justice students are the lucky recipients.

White, who is also an attorney, has been teaching Introduction to Criminal Justice and Criminal Law at Northern Essex for 10 years. He particularly enjoys teaching the introduction course since it often helps students decide whether or not to pursue a career in criminal justice.

Interestingly, criminal justice was not White’s first career choice. With a bachelor’s in history and a minor in Russian Area Studies from Pennsylvania State University, White earned his juris doctorate at the University of Baltimore School of Law. He practiced law for two years before joining the FBI as a Special Agent. In addition, White served in the U.S. Army Reserves for more than three years both active and reserve.

While criminal justice may not be everyone’s career path, White says elements of the discipline touch everyone’s lives every day.

“You cannot watch or read the latest news stories without being exposed to the criminal justice system. New laws, gripping stories, raging controversies, and issues of great national importance are all there every day,” he said. “I like to bring these cutting edge stories into the classroom and apply them to the course content. I like to think this keeps the material fresh, interesting, and relevant.”

Since crime and security are priority issues in this country, White said, that translates into job creation.

“Growth in public police agencies is expected to be around 2.8* per year while growth in private security is expected to be around 4* per year,” he noted. “Both of these figures translate into careers.”

White enjoys working with NECC’s criminal justice students and finds their energy and curiosity keep him engaged which is impressive for a career FBI agent who said every day as an agent brought its challenges.

“No two cases were ever the same. I needed to keep abreast of the constant changes in methods and technologies used, not only by law enforcement, but by criminals and terrorists too.”

So what makes a strong candidate for the criminal justice field?

“Success in the criminal justice field requires you to constantly question everything you observe, everything you are told, and everything you assume.”

High School juniors and seniors hoping to study science in college could benefit from attending the STEM Bridge summer program at Quarrybrook.

Recent high school graduates as well as high school juniors and seniors, planning on studying science in college, might benefit from a bridge program offered by Northern Essex Community College this summer.

Designed to review math and science concepts, the one-week long STEM Bridge Academy will be offered by NECC at its affiliate campus at Quarrybrook Experiential Education Center at the Windham, NH, facility from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 26 through June 30.

“The STEM Bridge Academy addresses the needs of many first-semester science students who are surprised by how much knowledge they are expected to bring to the college classroom,” said Kirsten Kortz, NECC professor and STEM Bridge coordinator.  “In addition to concepts from chemistry, biology, and physics, there are also math and literacy skills that are needed in college science courses, and knowledge of how to conduct and write-up lab and field experiments.”

Quarrybrook Experiential Education Center in Windham, NH.

This summer’s theme is “Mapping the Ecosystem.” Students will work alongside NECC faculty and Quarrybrook educators to study the health of the water, soil, and animals at Quarrybrook, which sits on 245 acres of natural forest and marsh lands. Through field and lab work, students will learn the basics of scientific research design and data analysis, and will have the opportunity to present their findings to their peers.

Quarrybrook is a nonprofit, experiential education center, which NECC has been managing since fall of 2015. It is funded by the El-Hefni Educational Foundation.

“Mapping the Ecosystem,” is a project-based opportunity for students to review important science and math concepts, and to learn new skills around conducting field and lab research, analyzing and reporting data, and presenting findings to others.  Additionally, the Bridge Academy is an opportunity for students to meet peers with similar interests, to work with college faculty on important research, and to build a support network that can help them be successful as first year college students – whatever degree they pursue!

The cost of the program is $575.00, which includes all materials and supplies.  For more information or to register, please visit the website  or contact kirsten@quarrybrook.org.

Constantine Finehouse will perform a solo concert at NECC on Sunday, March 26.

Renowned pianist Constantine Finehouse will perform a solo concert at Northern Essex Community College on Sunday, March 26, at 2 p.m. in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliott St.

Praised by “Rhein Main Presse Allgemeine Zeitung,” for his “interpretations of depth and maturity,” Finehouse has performed extensively in the US (including in California, Colorado, Connecticut, the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and

Washington) and abroad (including in Lausanne, London, Odessa, St. Petersburg, and Trieste).

Constantine Finehouse will perform Beethoven’s “Sonata in A-flat Major, Op. 110; Albeniz’s ‘Navarra’”; W. Bolcom’s, “Rochberg Variations”, and Schumann’s “Noveletten”, Op. 21.

While this is a solo concert by Finehouse, he is also performing for the season with the Essex Chamber Music Players (ECMP) who are in residence at NECC.  Artistic director and NECC Music Professor Emeritus Michael G. Finegold says, “We are thrilled to have pianist Constantine Finehouse perform with ECMP for the season and perform a solo piano concert.”

General admission tickets are $15; NECC students with college ID and kids 8-16 years-old are free.

For additional information on this concert or ECMP go to the website.