2019 - Page 9 of 24

Seventh Annual Campus Classic to Take Place on October 5, 2019

August 15, 2019/in Archive/by scomiskey

Runners running in the Campus Classic 5K road race.

Campus Classic 5K race

Fall will soon be off to a running start – and that means the annual Northern Essex Community College Campus Classic 5K is just around the corner.

Online registration is now open for NECC’s popular annual 5K race, which will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2019 on the college’s Haverhill campus, 100 Elliott Street.

The 5K is set to once again kick off NECC’s annual Homecoming, which will begin immediately following the race and will feature a range of activities appropriate for all ages. The public is invited to stop by Homecoming for a chance to spend time with friends, celebrate the season, and enjoy arts and crafts, food, a “touch-a-truck,” live music, and more.

The chip-timed USATF-certified 5K race will begin promptly at 10 a.m. by the NECC Haverhill campus maintenance building, and will wind through the beautiful rural campus and its surrounding residential neighborhoods. Competitive runners – as well as novices and walkers – are encouraged to participate.

The general race entry fee is $25 through October 3. The price increases to $30 after this date. Students with valid NECC IDs may register for a discounted price of $10. On-site registration is also available.

All proceeds from the NECC Campus Classic will benefit the NECC Fund, which supports student scholarships and academic programs. Covanta, one of the world’s largest owners and operators of energy-from-waste conversion infrastructure, is the Platinum Sponsor.

Registrants who sign up by September 7 will receive a free t-shirt. Award categories will include top three male and female overall plus first place male and female in the following age divisions: 15 and under, 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-69, 60-69, and 70+.

Because this is a campus event, participants are encouraged to wear apparel from their college as they run or walk. Participants are also welcome to remain after the race for a beer garden, food, and an awards ceremony, in addition to Homecoming-affiliated activities.

For more information, please visit www.campusclassic5k.com or contact Lindsay Graham, director of scholarships, alumni, and community relations, at lgraham@necc.mass.edu.

NECC Plans Golf Tournament

August 14, 2019/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

Northern Essex Community College alumni and friends are gearing up for this year’s golf tournament, which will be held on September 30, 2019, at Atkinson Resort & Country Club in Atkinson, New Hampshire.

Registration and breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. with a shotgun start and scramble beginning at 9 a.m. The awards luncheon and silent auction begins at 2 p.m.

Last year’s golf tournament raised over $14,000 with over 30 event sponsors. More than 110 golfers participated representing 28 teams.

Proceeds benefit the NECC Athletic Program, which recently reintroduced its intercollegiate golf program for both men and women for the 2018-19 academic year. The last time NECC had a golf program was 19 years ago. The Atkinson Resort & Country Club is the home course for the NECC golf team for practice and home competition.

For the 2019-20 academic year the college has also brought back both the men’s soccer and women’s basketball programs, along with a new Esport program. Proceeds from the golf tournament will be used for athletic facility improvements, continued sports expansion, and for students athletics support programs to help them reach their academic and athletic goals.

For more information, visit the golf tournament site.

Numerous options for sponsorship and registration are available here.

The cost for individual golfers is $175, which includes green fees, 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, an awards dinner, a golf gift bag, and an Under Armour gift. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with a shotgun start/scramble at 9 a.m. Lunch will follow at 2 p.m. alongside a silent auction.

For additional information contact Dan Blair, director of athletics at dblair@necc.mass.edu or call 978-556-3820.

NECC 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.

Personal Essay is Runner-up for Award

August 14, 2019/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

A portrait of Courtney Morin outside by a tree.

Lawrence resident Courtney Morin was a runner-up for a literary prize.

An essay written by Northern Essex Community College liberal arts: philosophy major Courtney Morin was selected as a runner-up for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Kurt Brown Prize.

The nonfiction, short memoir, which was written for a Creative Nonfiction Class taught by Trish Portanova, explores the Lawrence resident’s journey navigating mental illness and how the illness affected her relationships.

“She wanted to us to write a story based on our own experience–it could be just one event, or something more. Ultimately, it was quite loose what we could write about. My piece was short snippets from the midpoint of my mental health conditions to finally receiving help over a span of about five years,” said Morin.

Morin wrote, “”I want to tell her though, that happiness has become a foreign language I cannot wrap my tongue around—translation too arduous of a task. Fear has taken residence here, in my throat, in my saliva. I swallow it every day.”

Kurt Brown was a poet and editor who founded the Aspen Writer’s conference. He was a founding director of the AWP. He died in June of 2013. Each year, the AWP offers three annual scholarships of $500 each to emerging writers who wish to attend a writers’ conference, center, retreat, festival, or residency. Winners and six finalists also receive a one-year individual membership in AWP. The goal of the contest is to spread the word about the incredible work being done at local writing centers, conferences, festivals, retreats, and residencies.

Sandra Gail Lambert, an AWP judge wrote, “The joy of reading this entry was the way the author wrote exuberant and lyrical sentences to describe how they could “never get the words right.” This type of creative dissonance is hard to achieve, but through the use of unique physical description and surprising metaphors the author sweeps us along, but never loses us, in a journey through “chaos.” This is exciting and impressive writing.”

Morin has been involved in many aspects of NECC’s campus life. In addition to serving as a student advocate, she was the student trustee to the NECC Board of Trustees last year. Last year she was the recipient of both Daniel Wilson Holroyd Memorial Scholarship and the Covanta Energy Scholarship. She was a semi-finalist for the national Jack Kent Cooke Under-Graduate Transfer Scholarship. She has served as president of the NECC Student Government Association and Students for a Democratic Society Club, she has been a member of the Student Leadership Institute, Amnesty International Club, and a staffer and contributor to “Parnassus” the college’s arts and literary magazine.

The Honors Program student hopes to embark on a career in human rights law.

Three Recent NECC Grads Selected for Prestigious STEM Fellowship at Station1

August 13, 2019/in Archive/by Ernie Greenslade

The three Station1 fellows pose with their faculty.

Shown left to right George Whitfield, faculty; Ellan Spero, faculty; Jessica Figueroa, fellow; Yexis Hechavarria, fellow; Luis Robles, fellow; Christina Ortiz, faculty, and Francisco Martin-Martinez, faculty.

Three 2019 Northern Essex Community College (Haverhill and Lawrence, MA) graduates were selected for a summer fellowship with Station1, a nonprofit higher education institution based in Lawrence, Massachusetts focusing on frontier socially-oriented science and technology. The NECC graduates are participants in the Station1 Frontiers Fellowship, a prestigious science and technology based education, research and internship program.

Recent Northern Essex graduates selected for Station1 fellowships include Jessica Figueroa of Haverhill; Yexis Hechavarria of Lawrence; and Luis Robles, also of Lawrence. “Jessica, Luis, and Yexis are incredibly talented, thoughtful, and creative students who contribute so much positive energy and intellectual insights to the Station1 cohort of Fellows, the curriculum, and internships,” said Station1 Founder, and MIT Professor, Christine Ortiz.

The students were selected from many hundreds of applicants from across the nation and the world after a lengthy admissions process, to participate in a 270-hour internship in a leading science and technology company, and 100 hours of shared coursework focused on socially-directed science and technology, within a diverse mentorship network, focused on academic, career guidance, and social impact. Station1 Frontiers Fellows receive a comprehensive fellowship package including a living expenses stipend, housing, and transportation.

2019 NECC graduates: Jessica Figueroa of Haverhill, Yexis Hechavarria of Lawrence, and Luis Robles, also of Lawrence, were selected for a prestigious science and technology based summer research program.

Jessica Figueroa of Haverhill, mother of two, who earned an Associates Degree in Engineering Science from Northern Essex, is currently majoring in Chemical Engineering at University of Massachusetts, Lowell. As a Station1 Fellow, Figueroa is participating in an internship with Aphios Corporation, a biotechnology company developing treatments for cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV, and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and opioid use disorder.

Yexis Hechavarria, who earned an Associates Degree in Biology from Northern Essex and was this year’s student commencement speaker, is an intern at Bambu Vault in Lowell, where she is working in research and development for biomedical applications. In the fall, Hechavarria is transferring to Merrimack College to study biochemistry. Her long term goal is to attend medical school.

Luis Robles graduated with an Associates Degree in Lab Science from Northern Essex, and plans to continue to pursue research in Chemistry after completing his fellowship, and balancing the needs of his family. Robles’ internship is with Continuus Pharmaceuticals in Woburn, where he is contributing to pharmaceutical process research and development.

Northern Essex offers more than 12 STEM programs that lead to jobs and/or transfer to four-year colleges and universities. There are science, engineering, computer science, and laboratory science programs. To learn more about the STEM programs, visit the website.

New England and Venezuela Color Artist’s Works

August 12, 2019/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

“Maine Boats” by Ana Smyth.

Haverhill artist Ana Smyth, whose work is inspired by the New England landscape and architecture, will exhibit her work at Northern Essex Community College from September 9 through October 4.

The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will be displayed in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace in the Harold Bentley Library on the Haverhill campus during library hours, which are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

An artist’s reception will be held Thursday, September 12, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the ArtSpace.

A native of Venezuela, Smyth says, her art is a “medley” of her love for the classic New England and the tropical colors of her native country.”

“When creating (art), I try to reflect and capture the vibrant colors and light with dancing strokes that pays homage to my childhood memories in my native Venezuela,” she said. .

The show, she said, gives her an opportunity to present variations of her pieces going from something very still to something more dynamic in terms of color. She hopes the audience is drawn to look more closely at each individual painting.

“Fall Woods” by Ana Smyth.

“I consider my art, what I call, “modern impressionist, “she said. “I start my painting with a scale of monochromatic colors or with intense purple values to capture light and shadows that will later be layered with bright warm and cool colors. I aim to create an abstract painting with a combination of many strokes; this helps me understand how one color reflects and affects one another. This combination of color strokes eventually creates the dynamic atmosphere that I want to share.”

Smyth attended both The Rhode Island School of Design and The Design Institute of Caracas. She studied under David Lussier, Dennis Perrin, Rafael Polcano, and NECC Art Professor Marc Mannheimer.

She has been the artist-in-residence at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover and is creative director and owner of Smyth Graphics. Recently she designed a wine label that was a finalist in the Nouveau wine label contest for George Duboeuf Wines, France.

For more information, please contact Michelle Carter, Art & Design department chair, at mcarter@necc.mass.edu or Marc Mannheimer at mmannheimer@necc.mass.edu

The exhibit is sponsored by NECC’s Art & Design program which is part of the liberal arts division.

Northern Essex offers an associate degree in general studies: art & design. This prepares individuals for an entry-level job in art or design or for transfer to a four-year school.

President Glenn Joins Community Leaders in Kayaking the Merrimack River

August 7, 2019/in Archive/by Ernie Greenslade

the members of the kayaking group stand next to a kayak.

The #mrvvoyagers prepare for their 117 mile paddle down the Merrimack River.

From August 7-10, the “Merrimack River Valley Voyagers,” a group of community leaders from the Merrimack Valley, including NECC President Lane Glenn, will kayak and camp the entire length of the Merrimack River—117 miles from Franklin, NH, to Plum Island, MA—stopping in cities along the way for public events highlighting the river, including environmental issues; economic development; education and the workforce; and recreational opportunities.

The Merrimack River is a vital asset for a broad region that spans New Hampshire and Massachusetts providing drinking water to more than 600,000 people, as well as access to fishing, boating, and paddling for many more. It is no wonder, then, that Massachusetts’ busiest state park (at Salisbury Beach) and busiest boat ramp (Cashman Park in Newburyport) are both located on the River. The River’s economic impact can be seen by the billions of dollars of riverfront investment in recent years.

But environmental conversation and recreational access to the river continue to be priorities, which the trip will highlight. Each of the lawmakers paddling on the voyage has sponsored legislation or amendments addressing the environmental concerns of cities and towns along the Merrimack, such as requiring more rapid notifications of sewage discharges in the river to protect swimmers and drinking water. Senator Dizoglio, who along with Senator Kennedy has been actively seeking to create a Merrimack River District Commission, noted: “For the first time, this commission will convene a diverse group of experts from various sectors to work together, agree on the basic facts and advise the legislature on how to proceed to restore our beloved river so that it may be here for future generations to explore and enjoy.”

The Merrimack River and clean water is a priority for federal policy makers, including Congresswoman Trahan. She has convened stakeholders to discuss this important issue, visited water facilities, toured the riverwalk, and is continuing to work with the EPA regional administrator and cities and towns to make the river healthy for drinking, recreation etc. Congresswoman Trahan introduced the Stop Sewage Overflow Act in April and it passed the U.S. House in July. She commented, “I’m proud of the Merrimack River Valley Voyagers for highlighting the collaborative work being done to preserve and protect this treasure. The federal government has an obligation to help municipalities like Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Manchester make urgently needed upgrades to their sewer infrastructure, to help prevent CSO pollution from jeopardizing the health and economic wellbeing of residents who depend on the river.”

The trip started as a simple recreational outing for Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn; Dougan Sherwood, president of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce; and Derek Mitchell, executive director of the Lawrence Partnership. Merrimack River Watershed Council Board President Dan Graovac, quickly got involved in the planning of the trip.

As Glenn explains, “In the Merrimack Valley, we all work together to promote economic development and the river is central to just about everything we do. By paddling together, we thought it would symbolically demonstrate the importance of our partnerships and also the beautiful resource that flows through our communities.”

Glenn notes the NECC alumni who live in the area of the trip.

“Northern Essex has nearly 40,000 active alumni, and more than 25,000 of them live along the river—in every single city and town in the Merrimack Valley, from Franklin south through Concord, Manchester, Nashua, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Newburyport. This journey along the 117-mile length of the Merrimack will bring attention to the importance of community and technical colleges to local education and workforce development in the Valley and across New England.”

Documenting the entire trip will be Doug Sparks, editor of Merrimack Valley Magazine. Plum Island Kayak in Newburyport will be providing kayaks and other equipment, and the RiverWalk Brewing Company will be sponsoring a “landing party” for the Voyagers Saturday afternoon on Plum Island.

The group will kayak 22 to 35 miles each of the four days of the trip with plans to stop in Concord, Manchester, Nashua, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill and Newburyport.

Glenn anticipates some challenges. “We’ll have to portage our kayaks around obstacles such as the Garvins Falls Dam near Pembroke, which has a hydroelectric plant and a waterfall; the Hookset Dam; and the Great Stone Dam in Lawrence,” he says. One of the most difficult stretches of river will be the “urban canyon” of class 1-3 rapids in Manchester, he predicts.

Follow https://www.mvmag.net/ and #mrvvoyagers for updates and pictures from the trip.

For more information about the trip, contact:

Environmental Issues: Dan Graovac, 401 864-5486

Economic Development and Community Partnerships: Derek Mitchell, 978 804-6989 and Dougan Sherwood, 617 223-7971

Education and Workforce Development: Lane Glenn, 978 476-2932

Full itinerary and local press stop contacts listed below

Merrimack River Valley Voyagers Include:

· Linda Dean Campbell, Massachusetts State Representative, 15th Essex District

· Diana DiZoglio, Massachusetts State Senator, 1st Essex District

· Lane Glenn, President, Northern Essex Community College

· Dan Graovac, President, Merrimack River Watershed Council Board of Directors

· Charlotte Harris, Outreach Coordinator, NH Congresswoman Annie Kuster

· Jim Kelcourse, Massachusetts State Representative, 1st Essex District

· Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts State Senator, 1st Middlesex District

· Heather McMann, Executive Director, Groundwork Lawrence

· Christina Minicucci, Massachusetts State Representative, 14th Essex District

· Derek Mitchell, Executive Director, Lawrence Partnership

· Gene Porter, Chair of Lower Merrimack River Advisory Group

· Glenn Prezzano, Publisher, Merrimack Valley Magazine

· Daniel Rivera, Mayor, City of Lawrence

· Dougan Sherwood, President, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce

· Doug Sparks, Editor, Merrimack Valley Magazine

· Andy Vargas, Massachusetts State Representative, 3rd Essex District

Itinerary:

August 7, “Upper New Hampshire”: Launching in Franklin, New Hampshire and paddling approximately 30 miles to south of Concord. Includes a public event in Concord, a portage around the Garvin’s Falls Dam, and camping at the White Sands Conservation Area.

8 a.m. Launch

Franklin High School, 115 Central Street, Franklin, NH

3 p.mm Public Event

New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, 31 College Drive, Concord, NH

Event/Press Contact: John Macone, Merrimack River Watershed Council, 978 376-1475,

jmacone@merrimack.org,

August 8, “Lower New Hampshire”: From the White Sands Conservation Area approximately 35 miles south to Nashua. Includes a portage around the Hooksett Dam, a portage around the Amoskeag Fish Ladder Dam, a public event in Manchester, and a public event in Nashua.

8 a.m. Launch

White Sands Conservation Area, White Sands Rd., Suncook, NH

1 p.m. Public Event

Amoskeag Fish Ladder Dam, 4 Fletcher St, Manchester, NH

Event/Press Contact: Christina Eckert, Merrimack River Watershed Council

executivedirector@merrimack.org

August 9, “Upper Massachusetts”: From Nashua approximately 22 miles southeast to Lawrence. Includes a public event in Lowell, a portage around the Pawtucket Falls, and a public event at the dock at the Bellegarde Boathouse.

8 a.m. launch

Independence Rowing Club, 75 Crown St., Nashua, NH

1 p.m. Public Event

UMass Lowell Bellegarde Boat House, 500 Pawtucket Blvd, Lowell, MA

6 p.m. Public Event

Greater Lawrence Community Boating, 1 Eaton St, Lawrence

Lowell Event/Press Contact: Jen Myers, Office of Senator Ed Kennedy

Jennifer.Myers@masenate.gov, 978 808-9826

Lawrence Event/Press Contacts:

Heather McMann, Groundwork Lawrence, 978 930-4961, hmcmann@groundworklawrence.org

Brad Buschur, 617-874-6498, bbuschur@groundworklawrence.org

August 10, “Lower Massachusetts”: From Lawrence approximately 27 miles east to Plum Island. Includes a public event in Haverhill and a landing party on Plum Island.

6 a.m. Launch

Pemberton Park, Lawrence Heritage State Park, off Parker St, Lawrence

10:30 a.m.

Public Event

Harbor Place, 2 Merrimack St, Haverhill

2:30 p.m.

Landing Party

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Dock/Landing on North Point of Plum Island

Haverhill Event/Press Contacts: Dougan Sherwood, Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, 617 223-7971

dougan@haverhillchamber.com

Hillary Rogers, 978-994-9543, hillary@haverhillchamber.com

Plum Island Event/Press Contact: Senator Diana DiZoglio, 978 390-0408

Diana.DiZoglio@masenate.gov

NECC Chemistry Professor Publishes Debut Children’s Book

August 5, 2019/in Archive/by scomiskey

Mike Cross holding his book in a science lab.

NECC Professor Mike Cross, author of “Francesca and the Genie of Science”

Try mixing the rhymes of Dr. Seuss and the enthusiasm of Bill Nye the Science Guy and you might have something that looks a lot like “Francesca and the Genie of Science,” a new children’s book by Northern Essex Community College’s own Dr. Mike Cross, professor of chemistry.

The book, created with the intention of inspiring young minds with scientific fun facts, covers the story of its title character, Francesca, and the microwave mishap that leads her to the Genie of Science and to a subsequent journey of growth and scientific inquiry.

A resident of Atkinson, NH, Cross says that the idea for the book resulted from his experience in reading stories to his own children.

“I have three kids and I’ve always loved reading to them,” he says. “After reading ‘Fox in Socks’ for the millionth time to my son, I thought of how much fun it would be for me to write a children’s book of my own.”

And so, with the help of illustrator James Goodwin, he set about doing just that, creating a rhymed 24-page story to entertain children and their guardians alike. The book, now available online, was officially published in June. Signed copies will also be sold during NECC’s annual Homecoming day on October 5, 2019.

Cross notes that all proceeds from “Francesca and the Genie of Science” will benefit the NECC Fund, which provides critical support for scholarships and academic programs on campus.

“I’m extremely grateful for the NECC Fund,” Cross says of the decision to allocate proceeds in this way. “Because of these funds I’ve been able to purchase the supplies that I needed to work on projects that have really helped my students…I felt that donating the proceeds of the book to the NECC Fund would be a good way to give back.”

The possibility of future publications is not out of the question. Cross is now working on his second book – a science fiction novel set in a dystopian future.

Mike Cross holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Utah, where he specialized in oxidative lesions in DNA and RNA. He teaches courses in chemistry and forensic science at NECC and is a member of the NECC Speakers Bureau, through which professional staff and faculty members have the opportunity to present lectures to public and private school systems, libraries, service clubs, and more.

NECC offers an associate degree in chemistry, physics, and environmental science. For more information, please visit www.necc.mass.edu.

NECC Honors Nursing Assistant Graduates

August 5, 2019/in Archive/by scomiskey

CNA Training Program Graduates

In a recent ceremony, Northern Essex Community College celebrated the graduation of seven area residents from its noncredit nurse assistant/home health aide program. The graduates, all of whom received home health aide certificates of completion, will now be eligible to take the Massachusetts state examination to become certified nursing assistants (CNAs).

During the ceremony, instructors presented each student with a certificate as well as a Nurse’s Aide emblem pin. A brunch, organized by faculty, staff, and students, followed the main proceedings.

The latest class of graduates includes Shanell DeLaRosa of Methuen, Alexandra Eldridge of Methuen, Ingrid Fajardo Lugo of Lowell, Alison Furrier of Topsfield, Ashley Rivera of Lawrence, Sarah Smith of Billerica, and Amada Tejada De Sosa of Lawrence.

NECC’s noncredit nurse assistant/home health aide training program, designed to prepare participants for the Massachusetts state CNA examination, includes classroom instruction, practice, and clinical experience at long-term care facilities. Classes are offered on a five-week basis.

The next program session, which will be offered in Lawrence on weekday evenings, will begin in October. For more information, please contact Sandra Zappala, program manager, at 978-556-3700.

VP Selected for Presidential Leadership Academy

August 1, 2019/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

Dr. Noemi Custodia-Lora has been selected for HACU’s inaugural Presidential Leadership Academy.

Dr. Noemi Custodia-Lora, of Haverhill, vice president of Lawrence campus & community relations at Northern Essex Community College, is one of 24 fellows selected by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, to participate in its inaugural Presidential Leadership Academy designed to increase Hispanic representation in presidential positions in higher education.

This leadership academy is a direct response to the declining numbers of Hispanic university presidents, which was at a high of 4.5 percent in 2006 and dropped to a 3.9 percent in 2016. This decline occurred despite the historic high enrollment of Hispanic college students.

Custodia-Lora, Puerto Rican born of Dominican descent, is a scientist with a Ph.D. from Boston University. She joined Northern Essex, which has an Hispanic student population of more than 40 percent, in 2003 as a faculty member in the Natural Sciences Department. In 2011, she was appointed assistant dean of Foundational Studies and Liberal Arts & Sciences before heading up the Lawrence campus.

“Dr.Custodia-Lora is an excellent choice for the leadership academy,” said NECC President Lane Glenn. “She is a thoughtful leader who works tirelessly for the advancement of the Hispanic student population. She is the face of future presidents in higher education.”

With a focus on the Hispanic community, Custodia-Lora concentrates on increasing access to higher education and fostering community partnerships. She created PIÈS Latinos de NECC, an initiative that supports immigrants by validating their professional credentials. She is also a member of the National Skills Coalition on Racial Equality Panel, leads several projects with university partners in the Dominican Republic, and spearheads the NECC Early College Programs.

“I’m honored to be selected for the academy,” Custodia-Lora said. “I’m excited to prepare for a leadership role.”

“The Presidential Leadership Academy, La Academia de Liderazgo, meets HACU’s mission to champion Hispanic success in Hispanic higher education,’” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “By preparing more Latinos/Latinas for leadership roles with a special focus on Hispanic-Serving Institutions, HACU and the fellows who participate will have a profound impact on the students they serve and the institutions they lead.”

The selected fellows will participate in leadership development activities designed to prepare them for leadership roles in the full spectrum of institutions of higher learning, but with a focus on leadership positions within Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Emerging HSIs.

The one-year fellowship program includes three seminars, beginning in October 2019, in conjunction with HACU’s 33rd Annual Conference, “Championing Hispanic Higher Education Success: Meeting the Challenge of Prosperity and Equality,” in Chicago.

More than a dozen nationally recognized current and emeriti presidents and senior-level administrators will serve on the faculty. Mentorship with a university president will be a key component, as will be the development of a special project designed to have an impact at the Fellow’s current institution.

HACU, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain and school districts throughout the U.S. The mission of HACU is to champion Hispanic success in higher education. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).

For additional information, contact Custodia-Lora at ncustodialora@necc.mass.edu

College of Older Learners Plans Showcase Sept. 4

July 29, 2019/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

The College of Older Learners (CoOL) will hold a seminar showcase on Wednesday, Sept. 4, to introduce this fall’s courses.

Are you mad for mad scientist horror movies? Or perhaps you have written lyrics and need a tune? Maybe you love all things “Little Women”. Or are worried about finding purpose in retirement. These topics and more will be explored this fall 2019 semester during Northern Essex Community College’s College of Older Learners (CoOL) Program.

CoOL is a program for anyone 50 and older who want to expand their minds as well as their social circles. Participants are part of a community that enjoys learning and exploring issues relevant to older learners.

A seminar showcase will be held Wednesday, September 4, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliot St. Seminar leaders will give a brief presentation of the courses offered in the fall.

Other seminars, lectures, or courses include Mad Scientist Horror Movies from the 1930s-1960s, Tai Chi to Improve Health, Walking for Fun & Exercise, Why Can’t We Just Sing Along?, The Science of Prayer and Healing, France in the 19th Century, Photography for Fun, Reading “Little Women”, Arts and Aging, and Poetry is Not a Foreign Language.

Typically, classes meet once a week for a five-week period. Most courses cost $35 and some courses have additional costs (such as purchasing a book or other class-related material such as a yoga mat). Most seminars/lectures/courses take place on NECC’s Haverhill Campus at the Opportunity Works Building (HOW), 671 Kenoza St.

To register, call enrollment services at 978-556-3700 or visit the website for additional ways to register. (Approximately one week prior to the start of the course, a letter will be mailed with the details on location, dates, and times. Parking tags will be mailed to those attending courses not offered at the Haverhill Opportunity Works building.)