NECC has Site for Downtown Haverhill Culinary Arts & Hospitality Center
The Heights in Haverhill will be the site of Northern Essex Community College’s Culinary Arts & Hospitality Center.
If all goes as planned, Northern Essex Community College’s new Culinary Arts & Hospitality Center will be located in “The Heights at Haverhill”, a 10-story, 65,000 square-foot luxury mixed-use development that Lupoli Companies is building at 192 Merrimack St in downtown Haverhill.
The state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) recently selected this site from three proposals submitted, and the next step will be to negotiate a lease. The college plans to open the center in 2019.
“We are very excited about this news,” said Lane Glenn, president of Northern Essex. “This site has everything we need, and we are looking forward to partnering with Lupoli Companies and contributing to the exciting revitalization of downtown Haverhill.”
Northern Essex would lease space on the second and third floors of the building and that space will include culinary labs, a computer lab, and classroom space. The building will also have a first-floor restaurant and a 10th floor function facility, which would provide internship opportunities for Northern Essex students.
“Lupoli Companies is proud to be developing an innovative mixed-use project in the city of Haverhill”, said Sal Lupoli, CEO of Lupoli Companies. “It is through a collaboration with city officials and local businesses that Lupoli Companies can support cutting-edge education and entrepreneurship programs that fuel economic growth and job creation in Haverhill and throughout the Merrimack Valley.”
NECC currently offers an Associate of Science Degree in Business Management: Hospitality Option and is planning to offer a Culinary Arts Certificate program.
The college has been planning the center in partnership with Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School and Merrimack Valley employers, and anticipates sharing classroom space with a university partner who will offer bachelors level degrees as well.
Voc-tech students can take courses at Whittier or at NECC and receive concurrent credit enabling students to enter the program with 9 to 12 college credits, which puts them ahead academically with a tuition savings, too.
An advisory board of local restaurant owners and managers is helping shape decisions regarding the new center, providing input on equipment, curriculum, and careers. Andreas Fleckenstein, an executive chef with years of experience in culinary education, has been hired to coordinate the culinary and hospitality programs. Fleckenstein was most recently executive chef/continuing lecturer at Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The project has received $3 million in state support for the facility and $150,000 in Workforce Skills Capital Grants to purchase equipment. The college is also seeking private funding for the center which will have an approximate cost of $5 million.
For more information, contact George Moriarty, executive director, Center for Corporate & Community Education,gmoriarty@necc.mass.edu or 978 556-3061.
With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Northern Essex Community College offers over 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. Nearly 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 3,000 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus and at the Opportunity Works building at 671 Kenoza St., located next to the Haverhill campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.
Internship Program Holds End of Semester Luncheon
Malik Zorrock discusses his internship with the Lowell Sun.
Northern Essex Community College alumni and interns shared a meal as well as industry inside information during the recent fall semester’s Internship Program Recognition Luncheon.
Journalism & Communication, Business, Art and Computer Information Science students who participated in the 14-week long internship program, dined on a luncheon catered by Simply Elegant Caterers. Alumni, faculty, and students talked shop, engaged in small talk and shared their stories of what brought them to NECC. Alumni outlined their journey while interns discussed their future path.
Following the dinner Malik Zorrok, who interned as a sports reporter at the Lowell Sun, presented an overview of the internship. He said his job included writing sports “roundups” and quickly moving on to covering events like half marathons, women’s college basketball, local football and soccer. In addition to punching up his writing skills, he said he had to learn the more subtle act of “reading” his boss and “getting to know” his coworkers.
“I learned a little something every single day,” he said.
Cleo Brigham talks about her internship at NBC Boston.
Cleo Brigham, who also presented, interned at NBC Boston. She landed the gig after meeting NBC Boston lead meteorologist Matt Noyes, who was NECC’s guest graduation speaker last May. After two months of persistence she was hired for the Special Projects Unit where she transcribed video footage for reporters and when necessary assisted photographers and researched stories.
Zorrock and Brigham agreed that their internships provided valuable hands-on experience which has actually helped them redefine their future goals.
The presentations were followed by a panel discussion of NECC alumni including Peter Provencher, a senior at UMass Lowell; Carl Russo, a staff photographer at the North of Boston Media Group; Joanel Vasquez, a PhD candidate at UMass Lowell; Alison Posey, a finance and accounting associate at a venture capital group; Bobby Karlberg, an account manager at Verizon; and Rachel Burgard, a relationship strategist.
Participants in the internship program each received a certificate of completion.
NECC Internships provide students with a great opportunity to gain real-word experience and insight into a career. NECC students can gain credit through an internship course or pursue internships independently by applying through NECClink.
For details on the NECC internship class, please contact Ashley Moore at 978-56-3964 or amoore@necc.mass.edu.
Chamber Ensemble Presents Free Concert
NECC’s Chamber Ensemble will perform Saturday, Dec. 9.
The Northern Essex Community College Chamber Ensemble will present selected works of Bach, Brahms, Mozart, Pachelbel, and other composers during its annual holiday concert, Saturday, Dec.9, at 7 p.m. in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliot St.
This event, sponsored by the NECC Music Program, is free and open to the public.
The ensemble will play under the direction of director Christina Dietrich and assistant director Ingrid Marstaller.
Northern Essex offers an Associate in Arts Degree: Music Option and a certificate in music technology.
For additional information contact Dietrich at cdietrich@necc.mass.edu
NECC Library Head Named President of Lawrence Board
Michael Hearn, director of NECC’s library services.
Michael Hearn, director of library services at Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence and Haverhill, was elected new board president of the Lawrence History Center at its October meeting.
The LHC was founded in 1978 as the Immigrant City Archives by German immigrant Eartha Dengler. Its mission is to collect, preserve, share, and interpret the history and heritage of Lawrence and its people.
Hearn’s affiliation with the organization began back in 2002 when he wrote the finding aid for the LHC’S largest individual collection, the Records of the Essex Company. The “finding aid” is a document containing detailed information about a specific collection of papers or records within an archive. In this case, the Essex Company. Hearn went on to write the book, “The History of the Essex Company,” which was published in 2014. A year later, he joined the LHC board moving quickly into the role of second vice president in 2016. He replaces Pamela Yameen, who served as president for 12 years.
“I look forward to my new role as the board president of the Lawrence History Center and continuing the efforts of Pamela Yameen to further strengthen and grow the organization,” Hearn says. “Pamela Yameen has guided the Lawrence History Center through many changes and developments, and can rightfully take significant credit for the position the LHC currently finds itself in. Through her steady advice and oversight, the LHC has grown into a stronger and more impactful organization. It has become a cultural fixture for the Lawrence community, and is positioned to expand its impact going forward. The Greater Lawrence area is indebted to her dedication and commitment.”
Hearn, a resident of Nashua, NH, became director of NECC’s library services in 2014. He worked at NECC’s Lawrence campus for nine years prior to that.
For additional information contact Hearn at mhearn@necc.mass.edu
Jazz/Rock Ensemble Presents Winter Program
Members of the NECC Jazz/Rock Ensemble will play December 14 for the public.
The Northern Essex Community College Jazz Rock Ensemble, under the direction of NECC music professor Michael Lecuyer, will present its winter recital on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliott St.
This event is free and open to the public.
The ensemble will perform jazz classics covering all genres of jazz, including Be Bop, ballads, modal, Latin, and swing by jazz composers such as Miles Davis, Antonio Jobim, Dave Brubeck, Rodgers & Hart, as well as student composed original pieces.
The NECC Music Club will sell refreshments at the conclusion of the event.
Northern Essex offers an associate degree in General Studies: Music and a certificate in Music Technology.
For additional information contact Lecuyer at mlecuyer@necc.mass.edu
Turks Play for NECC Knights
Emir Alagoz and Guney Kilitcioglu of Turkey are members of NECC’s growing international student body and play for the Knights basketball team.
After playing basketball for Northern Essex Community College playing for a professional basketball in Turkey should be a slam dunk for Guney Kilitcioglu and Emir Alagoz.
The two Turkish natives, who have studied English since the first grade, are in their first semester at Northern Essex. Both are members of the 10-man Knights basketball team under the tutelage of longtime NECC basketball coach Joe Tardif.
“It is a pleasure to have both Guney and Emir on the basketball team this year. They both bring a work ethic to the classroom and the basketball court that many of the American players do not have,” Said Tardiff. “They are a great addition to the team.”
The young men are among the more than two dozen international students enrolled at NECC.
“Guney and Emir have integrated very well on campus, both in the classroom and with their teammates, ” said Daniel Blair, NECC’s director of NECC’s athletics. “Regardless of the sport, international students bring a unique style of play and have always brought an added sense of maturity to their teams on the court.”
Kilitcioglu, 18, arrived in the states just this past summer to play Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Basketball in California. Alagoz, 19, has been here for two years having attended The Phelps School in Pennsylvania and Victory Rock Prep in Florida. He also attended the California AAU program this past summer.
The two aspiring professional basketball players shared an academic advisor. They became accidental roommates when it was recommended they both attend NECC and play basketball. American college basketball is unlike college basketball in Turkey, they explain. In Europe college teams are not supported by the schools. The club teams are instead where the competition lies. Time spent on an American college or university’s parquet, they said, is certain to give them credibility in the EuroLeague where, they noted, Turkey currently has the best team in the league. It is their goal to be playing in that league within the next few years.
Kilitcioglu, a business transfer major, and Alagoz, a psychology major, intend to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue their bachelor degrees and continue shooting hoops.
They credit Tardif with being helpful and patient with them. It has taken some time for them to learn the American approach to basketball.
“In Europe it is more of a team sport,” said Kilitcioglu. “And it is much more physical playing defense…you can’t touch here or you get fouled.”
At six foot three inches, Kilitcioglu plays shooting guard or point guard. Alagoz, at six feet two inches, is also a point guard.
Haverhill’s suburban setting has taken some getting used to, they said. With no car and no license, they rely on public transportation to travel from their downtown Haverhill apartment. Both were raised in Istanbul, the most populated city in Turkey, so Haverhill and its environs seems a little sleepy. The lack of local flavorful Turkish fare has been challenging. They are eager to return to Turkey during the semester break.
For more information on the basketball team or other NECC sports, contact Daniel Blair, director of NECC’s athletics at dblair@necc.mass.edu
NECC’s Addresses Shortage of Early Childhood Educators
Shown left to right Richard Peyser, MA secretary of education; Carlos Santiago, MA commissioner of higher ed; Winnie Hagan, DHE; Kim Burns, NECC; Jody Carson, NECC; and Carol Landry, The Children’s Place, Phillips Andover.
There’s a shortage of certified early childhood educators in Massachusetts, Northern Essex Community College has a solution, and it’s attracting attention statewide.
On Monday, November 20, the college was invited to present its competency-based education model for early childhood educators at the “Governor’s Convening for Digital Innovation and Lifelong Learning” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The summit brought together business and higher education institutions to announce new partnerships around online learning, and Governor Baker delivered the keynote address.
According to Kim Burns, Northern Essex’s dean of academic innovation and professional development, early childhood educators represent the largest education workforce in the state, but they have the lowest educational attainment. “There are 70,000 early childhood educators in Massachusetts, but only one-third have a college degree,” said Burns. “The teachers charged with educating our youngest minds are not all equipped with an academic background in childhood development or the science of early learning.”
Burns presented at the summit, along with Jody Carson, associate professor, Early Childhood Education, Northern Essex; Carol Landry, director, The Children’s Place, Phillips Academy, a Northern Essex partner; and Winnie Hagan, associate commissioner for academic affairs and student success, Department of Higher Education.
Landry, whose school is a practicum site for Northern Essex ECE students, said “During the first five years, children are building 90% of their brain development. Giving young children well-trained and educated teachers is critical.”
“I am often forced to pass on a candidate because I need certification in the classroom and many candidates do not have credentials,” said Landry. Having better educated and trained professionals in the classrooms increases the quality of care that MA child care centers offer our communities. Quality teachers lead to quality programs which lead to accreditation through the National Association of Education of Young Children.
Earlier this year, Northern Essex received a $180,000 Performance Incentive Fund grant from the Department of Higher Education to create a new way of delivering college courses to current and future early childhood teachers. This grant was designed to address the shortage of certified early childhood teachers by providing an educational path for students who are in the field and have a natural gift for teaching young children but no degree or have a degree in another field.
In partnership with Middlesex Community College, Northern Essex created four Early Childhood Education courses that can be completed through competency-based learning, which recognizes student’s prior knowledge, allows for acceleration of their learning, and promotes mastery of the content. Offered online, each of these classes will have four toseven competencies that align with professional standards and must be demonstrated in order to receive credit. Students will receive ongoing and personalized support from faculty and a learning coach.
The college plans to launch those courses in the fall of 2018 and is currently working with six other community colleges and Cambridge College to create a pathway to a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education delivered in a competency-based format.
“These partnerships represents another opportunity to capitalize on innovation and deliver an affordable education for people across the Commonwealth,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “We appreciate our local employers and higher education institutions creating more online programming to help address the diverse and changing needs of employers and students, including non-traditional learners and young people.”
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 associate degrees in elementary education and middle/high school teaching. To learn more, contact enrollment services at 978 556-3700 or admissions@necc.mass.edu.
NECC Presents Winter Concert
NECC Music Professor Alisa Bucchiere will lead the NECC Chorus in a Winter Concert on Sunday, December 3, at 2 p.m.
The Northern Essex Community College Chorus will present its winter choral concert on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. in Room 103 in the David Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliott St.
A selection of seasonal music will be performed by the NECC Chorus.
This event is open to the public. Tickets are $5. They can be purchased at the door.
For more information contact Alisa Bucchiere at abucchiere@necc.mass.edu
The Winter Choral Concert is part of the “Performing Arts Series” presented by the Department of Performing Arts at Northern Essex Community College.
For additional information or for sign language requests contact Alisa Bucchiere at abucchiere@necc.mass.edu or call 978-556-3779.
NECC Baseball Sets Schedule for 2018
Damian Gibson will return to the pitcher’s mound when the NECC Knights opens its season in March 2018.
Northern Essex Community College’s baseball team, the six-time reigning Region XXI Champions, has announced its 2018 schedule. After missing out a year ago, the Knights will also be seeking a sixth trip to the NJCAA World Series where they have been five times since 2010.
“Coming off a very busy and successful fall season I am very excited for the 2018 season and team. We return several key starters and this year’s incoming class could be one of our best,” stated sixth year head coach Jeff Mejia
The season is set to open in Florida on Saturday, March 10, at the Russ Matt Invitational, where the Knights will play 12 games in the Orlando area. The Florida trip will also include two games against the junior varsity team of NCAA Division II Rollins College.
Returning north, the Knights will open up Region XXI play against Community College of Rhode Island on Friday, March 23. In-region division play will begin on the road Saturday, March 31, at Quinsigamond Community College.
The home opener is scheduled for Thursday, April 5, against Holyoke Community College.
The complete 37-game regular season schedule also includes a date against NCAA Division III opponent Tufts University on April 3. Additional games may be added to the schedule prior to the start of the season. (Updates will be posted to the online schedule)
The double-elimination Region XXI tournament is set to be played May 11-13 with the winner advancing to and hosting the District Championship the following weekend May 18-20. The winner of the district championship would advance to the World Series to be played in Greenville, TN.
Northern Essex Community College competes as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and sponsors eight varsity intercollegiate sports including baseball, men’s basketball, softball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country and men’s and women’s track and field. For more information on Northern Essex Community College Athletics please visit the official website of Northern Essex Athletics .