2020 - Page 15 of 17

NECC Cross Country Runners Earn NJCAA Scholar All-America Awards

February 20, 2020/in Archive/by pattygosselin

Kyle Manley

Northern Essex Community College cross country runners Kyle Manley (Gloucester) and Abdoulfatah Abdillahi (Lawrence) have been recognized by the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Cross Country Coaches Association as Scholar All-Americans for their work in the classroom during the fall 2019 semester. The coaches association awards the honor to cross country student-athletes who competed during the fall semester and who earned a grade point average of 3.4 or higher.

Manley, the team’s top runner throughout the season, posted a perfect 4.00 grade point average for the fall semester. Along the way he finished 29th overall at the NJCAA Championships on November 2nd in a time of 28:21 for 8,000 meters. The time ranks as the fourth fastest all time in the history of the NECC men’s cross country program.

Abdoulfatah Abdillahi

Abdillahi, competing in the sport for the first time this past fall, improved throughout the season finishing as the team’s number two runner at the NJCAA Championships finishing the 8,000 meters in a time of 31:16 which placed him 111th overall at the national championship race. In the classroom he posted a 3.55 grade point average for the fall semester.

Northern Essex Community College competes as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and sponsors 12 varsity intercollegiate sports including baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, softball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s soccer, Esports 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.

New Scholarship Designed for New NECC Students

February 20, 2020/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

A new First-Year Knight’s Scholarship, for students who are new to Northern Essex Community College, has been created for students enrolled for the Fall 2020 semester.

This is one of two scholarships specifically available for incoming freshmen. This scholarship was made possible by gifts from the The Torrisi Family, North Shore Bank, Provident Bank, In memory of Agnes & Francis J. Bevilacqua, The Poth Family, Haverhill Bank.

Students, who may have attended another college or university, but never attended Northern Essex, can apply for the $1,000 scholarship, which is split over two semesters. The award can be used to pay tuition and fees, purchase books, supplies, a laptop, or pay for health insurance.

To be eligible, students must enroll in at least six credits or more with the intent of earning an associate degree from NECC. This scholarship is open to students who are high school seniors including those who participated in Early College or Dual Enrollment course(s), Hi/Set or GED students, transfer students, veterans, and adult learners.

This is not a need or financial based scholarship. Interested individuals must complete an application, by Friday, February 28, online or obtain a paper copy from the Admissions Office on either the Haverhill or Lawrence Campuses.

Included in the application is a request for high school transcripts or HiSet scores, and previous college transcripts if applicable.

The First Year Knight’s Scholarship is just one of hundreds of scholarships available to NECC students other scholarship opportunities can be found on the scholarship page on the NECC website.

For additional information on The First Year Knight’s Scholarship, contact Ari Chicklis at achicklis@necc.mass.edu

Exploring the Risks of Poor Immigration Policies

February 18, 2020/in Archive/by Ernie Greenslade

Guest speaker Westy Egmont , Janel D'Agata-Lynch, Presedient Lane Glenn, and Paul Saint-Amand stand in the Spurk foyer. ,

Janel D’Agata Lynch, Dr. Westy Egmont, President Lane Glenn, and Paul Saint-Amand.

Dr. Westy Egmont, founding director of Boston College School of Social Work’s Immigrant Integration Lab, used facts, history, and contemporary stories to present a compelling case for immigration reform during a talk titled “We Need More Immigrants” on the Haverhill Campus on Wed, February 12.

According to Egmont, a declining national fertility rate (1.7 children per mother) isn’t meeting the replacement rate (2.1 children per mother), meaning that without an influx of immigrants we won’t be able to maintain our population in the United States.

“The growth of the economy is linked to our population growth. Our population growth is critical and it has grown increasingly dependent on immigrants. As we have moved from agriculture to the diverse economy of today we have moved to increasing flows of foreign born settlers, laborers, entrepreneurs and investors,” said Egmont.

Harvard University Professor and expert on immigration Dr. Westy Egmont presented last week in Pentucket Bank Lecture Hall.

“We must decry the lie that immigrants steal the jobs when we see in facts that 50% of the Fortune 500 companies, Americas big employers, were founded by immigrants and that immigrants will fill the voids from writing code at our top tech companies to picking strawberries.”

Comparing the Red Sox to the many health care organizations and companies that depend on the skills of immigrants, Egmont shared that the 2019 roster included five Venezuelans, two Dominicans, and players from Mexico, Taiwan, Aruba, and Hong Kong.

For a decade, Egmont has served as president of the International Institute of Boston, the largest immigrant and refugee service agency in New England. He also had co-chaired the Massachusetts Governor’s Advisory Council on Immigrants and Refugees and has been appointed by five governors to that advisory board.

His presentation was made possible through funds from the college’s Social Justice Award, which was presented for the first time to Dr. Paul Saint-Amand, retired English professor, at the college’s 2019 Commencement. The Social Justice Award recognizes individuals, groups, departments, or initiatives that promote values such as a commitment to equity and diversity or the advancement of human rights and social justice. It comes with a cash prize of $1961—in honor of the year the college was founded—that the recipient uses to enhance social justice initiatives.

Approximately 150 students, faculty, and staff attended the presentation, and when Egmont asked how many had an immigrant in their family, half the audience raised their hands.

Here is a full copy of Egmont’s remarks.

To learn about nominating someone for the 2020 Social Justice Award, reach out to Janel D’Agata-Lynch, NECC coordinator of civic engagement, service learning, and community resources, jdagatalynch@necc.mass.edu or 978 556-3471.

Afro-Latinx Studies Scholar to Present White Fund Lecture at NECC

February 13, 2020/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

Dr. Lorgia García-Peña, an expert on Afro-Latinx Studies will speak at NECC.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Harvard University’s Dr. Lorgia García-Peña, an expert on Afro-Latinx Studies, will discuss ways to teach more inclusively during a talk titled “From Theory to Practice: Teaching For a More Just World,” as part of the Thursday, March 5, White Fund Lecture Series.

The White Fund is brought in partnership with Northern Essex Community College. The lecture will be held in The Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center, 414 Common St., Lawrence from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Reflecting on her career as an ethnic studies scholar, Prof. García Peña, Will share some of the important lessons that have helped her develop as an engaged scholar and teacher and will suggest ideas and methods for conducting research, teaching, and learning in ways that promote justice and inclusion.

García-Peña is the Roy Clouse Associate Professor of Latinx Studies
at Harvard University and the co-founder of Freedom University in Georgia. Her first book, “The Borders of Dominicanidad: Race, Nations and Archives of Contradictions,” (Duke, Fall 2016) won the 2017 National Women’s Studies Association Gloria E. Anzaldúa Book Prize, the 2016 LASA Latino/a Studies Book Award, and the 2016 Isis Duarte Book Prize in Haiti and Dominican Studies.

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.

The views expressed in the White Fund Enlightenment Series presentations are the views of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Northern Essex.

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. The White Fund is collaborating with Northern Essex on this series.

For additional information on Alvarez or the White Fund Lecture Series contact Analuz Garcia at agarcia@necc.mass.edu

NECC Students Take Honors at Theater Festival

February 10, 2020/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

NECC theater students Carlyle Bien Aime, Sarah Durning, Gwynnethe Glickman, and Zaida Buzan, earned awards at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

Northern Essex Community College theater students recently walked away with a record number of awards from The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) for Region I held at Cape Cod Community College.

Two-hundred and eighty-eight students from two and four-year colleges and universities were competing and only 16 students made it to the final round of the competition, including two Northern Essex students, Sarah Durning and Gwynnethe Glickman. Durning is a general studies: individualized option major from North Andover and Glickman is a liberal arts major from Newbury. They were accompanied by their acting partners NECC students Carlyle Bien-Aime, a business management major from Haverhill, and Zaida Buzan, a liberal arts major from Somerville.

In the final round, Glickman won the Kennedy Center Award for – Best Comic Actor. She presented two scenes and a monologue. Her comic scene was from a play “Anything for You,” by Cathy Celesia.

“Getting to participate in the final round is an incredible honor,” said Brianne Beatrice, NECC theater professor. “Having two finalists representing one school in unheard of and I am deeply proud of our students.”

This was the second award Glickman received in as many years from the Kennedy Center. Last year, during Festival 2019, she was awarded Outstanding Performance for her role as Mash in the NECC production of “Stupid F*cking Bird”.

This year, the entire cast of NECC’s fall production of “Good People” was awarded ‘Best Ensemble’. Best Ensemble was an award that was decided when a KCACTF representative came to view NECC’s production of “Good People” last fall. The respondent submitted the award to the Kennedy Center. The cast of Good People included – Durning; Aileen Corniel of Lawrence; Ben Beverage of Lawrence; Eliza Volpicelli of Salem; and Glickman.

“I am elated for their successes,” said Brianne Beatrice, NECC theater professor. “This is a record breaking win for theater at Northern Essex Community College and I have continued gratitude for the support we get from the College.

In addition to these awards, Beatrice presented two acting workshops at Festival 2020. One was a Master Meisner Acting Workshop and the other was an auditioning workshop, one of the most highly attended workshops at Festival with 149 students from Region 1 attending.

Started in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens, the Kennedy Center’s founding chairman, the Kennedy Center American College Theater (KCACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents. In January and February of each year, regional festivals showcase the finest of each region’s entered productions and offer a variety of activities, including workshops, symposia, and regional-level award programs.

Board of Trustees Update: Feb, 2020

February 10, 2020/in Archive/by Ernie Greenslade

Education Report:

STEM Division

At Northern Essex, 15 percent of our students—721 students in the fall of 2019— are enrolled in one of the college’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs.

“Technology is changing everything we do. There is great demand for people trained in these fields,” Bill Heineman, vice president of academic and student affairs, told trustees.

While the demand is high, STEM classes are challenging, which is why the college is focused on providing the support STEM students need to succeed.

Carolyn Knoepfler, dean of the STEM Division, shared initiatives her faculty and staff have created to help students gain the confidence, skills, and knowledge to be successful in STEM programs.

Every October, the college celebrates STEM Week, which was created by Governor Baker, with career panels, speakers, Google meet-ups, and, for the first time last October, a Math Olympics.

The division also honors outstanding students by presenting Knights of the STEM table awards each fall. This award recognizes hard work and overcoming adversity with a focus on students who are succeeding despite facing obstacles.

The college’s fairly new STEM Center, located in Room 219 in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill Campus, has created a community gathering place for STEM students, where they can tackle homework problems together, connect with faculty and advisors, and meet for programs and guest speakers.

Another focus has been on expanding boot camp opportunities for students who are planning to enroll in some of the more difficulty gateway courses such as physics, anatomy and physiology, and math. These free, noncredit courses give students the skills they will need to succeed in the college level courses.

“Our goal is to take students who often don’t believe in themselves and turn them into someone who does,” said Knoepfler.

The STEM Division’s Early College classes, which are available to local high school students, who are earning high school and college credits, have also grown to include introduction to chemistry and general chemistry along with a selection of math courses.

In February, thanks to a grant from National Grid, the college will host a Robotics Competition. Student teams have been busy building robots and on Feb 21 from 10 am to 2 pm, the teams will compete in the technology center. The winners will be selected by a panel of judges based on which robot is best able to complete a series of tasks.

Northern Essex offers 15 associate degree and certificate programs in STEM including biology, computer science, engineering, laboratory science, and chemistry, physics, and environmental science.

New Certificate Program Addresses

Growing Need in Children’s Behavioral Health

Trustees unanimously approved a new 19-credit certificate in Human Services which will be available in the fall of 2020.

The Children’s Behavioral Health Specialist certificate will give students the skills to work with children and families who are suffering from stress related to issues such as family violence, divorce/separation, parental incarceration, mental health issues, substance use, poverty, bullying, or physical, mental, or sexual abuse.

Completing the certificate will prepare students to work as therapeutic mentors and family partners, according to Brian McKenna-Rice, coordinator of the college’s Human Services Programs.

Trustee Shalimar Quiles, who is principal of a Lawrence elementary school, was “thrilled” to hear the news. “We see how disruptive behavior resulting from trauma can be, and positions, such as paraprofessionals, are being added to address these issues.”

Public Safety Update

Northern Essex’s approach to public safety is focused on three principles: truth, respect, and community, according to Deb Crafts, director of public safety.

Crafts shared changes that have taken place since she was hired in 2018, including creating one emergency line; finding additional parking in Lawrence; implementing a digital log system that replaces handwritten reports; and faculty, staff, and student training in areas such as active shooter.

Crafts’ goal is to create a campus police force and her plan is to hire a captain this winter and begin recruiting police officers and communications officers in the summer. The college has been contracting with Eagle Securities for public safety coverage.

Report of the Administration

NECHE Accreditation Update

Northern Essex is up for its 10-year accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) in 2020. Glenn reported that the chair of our site visit team will be coming to campus in March for a preliminary visit. The full team will be on campus October 4-7, 2020.

The accreditation process requires the college to complete a comprehensive self-study, led by co-chairs Kim Burns, dean of academic innovations and professional development; Mike Hearn, director of libraries, and Scott Lancaster, assistant dean of health professions.

The Heights of Haverhill

The college has been hoping to begin offering noncredit culinary courses at The Heights, the new Lupoli Companies building on Merrimack Street in Haverhill and the future site of the college’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts Institute, in early March, though the timeline may need to be pushed back to accommodate construction needs. “Big projects like this come with unexpected bumps in the road,” said Glenn. “We will be in the building sometime this spring.”

Revolving Test Kitchen in Lawrence

Northern Essex, along with the Lawrence Partnership, is the recipient of a $125,000 grant from Mass Development to renovate/reoutfit the Revolving Test Kitchen, located in Northern Essex’s 420 Common Street Building in Lawrence.

The space, currently set up for one food provider, will be reconfigured like a food court to accommodate three food entrepreneurs. Space in the lower level of the building will also be renovated.

“Watching the Lawrence entrepreneurial ecosystem, we’re seeing a lot of food entrepreneurs,” said Trustee Marianne Paley Nadel. “This approach will allow us to better utilize the space and will connect with our new Culinary and Hospitality Center in Haverhill.”

Eight New Positions Affirmed

New state-appropriated appointments to the college faculty and staff include: Esther Peralta, academic counselor; Sharline Del Rosario, special programs coordinator, Division of Business and Professional Studies; Kelly Fisher and Kristi Spheekas, nursing educators for associate degree in nursing and practical nursing; Kirsten Kortz, director of academic policy, curriculum and assessment; and Betania Villa, EDP entry operator IV, Student Financial Services.

Non-state appropriated appointments include: Wendy Luzon, staff assistant, MassHire Career Center; and Luisanna Crespo, staff associate, PK12 and International Studies.

These eight new positions were appointed since the trustees last met in December of 2019. Trustees had given NECC President Lane Glenn the power to approve positions over the winter intercession, and trustees gave those appointments their unanimous affirmation at the February meeting.

President Glenn shakes hands with new employee Nancy Sleger.

President Lane Glenn launched a new tradition for all new hires at the Feb trustees meeting. He is shown with Nancy Sleger.

New Tradition with New Hires

For many years, new hires have been asked to come to a trustee meeting to meet trustees the month after their appointment. This month, President Lane Glenn launched a new tradition, designed “to welcome them into the family a bit more warmly.”

Nancy Sleger, a newly hired instructor for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department inmate education program, attended the February meeting and was the first new employee to be recognized in this way. Glenn invited her to the front of the room where he presented her with Northern Essex swag, including a lapel pin, a case to hold business cards, and an insulated lunch bag.

This will be a “new ritual” that will take place at the start of each trustee meeting.

NECC Welcomes Cheerleading Interest Group

February 5, 2020/in Archive/by pattygosselin

Two members of the cheer squad lift a third member, they are in a dance studio.

Karleny Leon and Cathalina Eisan assist Roselly Lassus in a stunt.

If Northern Essex had a school spirit award, Roselly Lassus, an exercise science major from Haverhill, would be a likely candidate.

Lassus, with the support of staff advisor Noelia Figuereo, is starting a Northern Essex Community College cheerleading squad, and she’s busy recruiting students.

The Whittier Regional High School grad has been cheerleading since the fourth grade. When she realized there was no cheer team at Northern Essex, she decided to get one up and running on her own.

She messaged Athletic Director Dan Blair to get the okay to start the process. “I think it’s a nice addition; they have potential to be strong moving forward,” said Blair. “I’d love to have them support us at our basketball games.”

So far, they have varied student interest but Karleny Leon, a business transfer major, also from Haverhill, is a fixed member. Leon said she wanted to join the cheerleading squad to support her best friend, Lassus.

Lassus has the experience to lead a successful squad: she was captain of the varsity cheer team at Whittier Tech her junior and senior year and led them to first place in multiple competitions.

The group meets Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the D building room D154 on the Haverhill campus.

For more information, contact Roselly Lassus at 00302694@student.necc.edu or the staff advisor Noelia Figuereo at nfiguereo@necc.mass.edu.

Secretary Acosta to Deliver Commencement Address at Northern Essex

February 4, 2020/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta.

Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta, a past Northern Essex Community College trustee, has been selected to deliver the commencement address to this year’s Northern Essex graduates.

The 2020 commencement ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, on the quadrangle of the Haverhill Campus. More than 1,000 graduates are expected to receive certificates of completion and associate degrees.

Acosta manages the Commonwealth’s workforce development and labor departments, which ensure that workers, employers, and the unemployed have the tools, training, and safety resources needed to succeed in the Massachusetts economy. Secretary Acosta also chairs the Workforce Skills Cabinet alongside the secretary of education and the secretary of housing and economic development.

“Secretary Acosta understands our students and has an inspiring story to share,” said President Lane Glenn. “She came to this country with her family as a baby, and, through hard work and a focus on education, she has achieved great success. She’ll be sharing that story with our students, many of whom will see parallels in their own lives.”

Prior to joining the Baker-Polito Administration, she was a widely respected financial and banking service professional with more than 30 years of experience in Greater Boston financial institutions. Secretary Acosta was a director and planning committee member of the Merrimack Valley Workforce Investment Board and was appointed an NECC trustee by Governor Charlie Baker.

She has been named one of Boston’s Most Influential Women by the Women of Harvard Club and El Planeta’s Top 100 Most Influential Hispanics in Massachusetts. She has also been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA).

Born in Cuba, she earned a bachelor of arts from Wesleyan University in Connecticut where she was a member of the Women’s Varsity Ice Hockey Team. She is the proud mother of five children.

Sec. Acosta knows the value that Northern Essex gives to its students firsthand as three of her five children have attended NECC.

To learn more about NECC’s commencement ceremony, visit the website .

If You Like Chocolate, You Won’t Want to Miss this Presentation at Merrimac Library

February 3, 2020/in Archive/by Ernie Greenslade

Wearing a white lab coat, Professor Mike Cross shows an array of chocolate candies in his hands

NECC Professor MIke Cross will be speaking about chocolate at Merrimack Public Library on Sat, Feb 8.

Do you have a sweet-tooth for chocolate but worry about its side effects? Northern Essex Community College Professor Michael Cross is here to ease your concerns.

Despite the potential side effects of over-indulging, chocolate consumption actually comes with a wide range of physical and mental health benefits, argues Cross, a self-proclaimed chocolate lover and a chemistry professor at Northern Essex Community College. He will explain all this and more during his upcoming lecture “Chocolate: the Secret Indulgence,” which will be offered Saturday, Feb 8 at 11 am at the Merrimac Public Library, 86 West Main St, Merrimac, MA . Learn about how chocolate can be seen as the perfect treat and discover the various ways it affects the human brain. Chocolate samples will be included!

The presentation is free and open to the public.

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. Prior to joining the NECC faculty, Cross was an instructor of chemistry at the College of Eastern Utah.

“Chocolate: the Secret Indulgence” is offered as part of the NECC Speakers Bureau, which has professional faculty and staff speakers available to present to public and private school systems, libraries, service clubs, and more.

For more information on the Merrimac Public Library Program, call Tracy Shaw, assistant youth services librarian/adult program coordinator, (978)346-9441

For additional information on this program, please visit the Speakers Bureau website or contact the group at speakersbureau@necc.mass.edu or at 978-556-3862.

Northern Essex offers associate degrees in biology; chemistry, physics, and environmental science; and lab science.

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. Each year, close to 8,000 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. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.

NECC Faculty Receive National Recognition

January 29, 2020/in Archive/by Ellen Small-Davis

NECC faculty Adrianna Holden-Gouveia, Meredith Gunning, Jody Carlson, Pamela Hallock and Mary Jo Shafer (not in the photo) are recipients of the NISOD Awards for Excellence.

Five Northern Essex Community College faculty were recently named recipients of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Awards for Excellence, a national honor that recognizes outstanding faculty and staff working at the country’s community colleges.

This year’s recipients include Meredith Gunning of Haverhill, professor of philosophy; Adrianna Holden-Gouveia of Massachusetts, associate professor computer & information sciences; Jody Carson of Hampton, NH, associate professor of early childhood education; Mary Jo Shafer of Lynn, an adjunct journalism and English composition instructor, and Pamela Hallock of Newton, NH, adjunct chemistry faculty.

Since 1978, NISOD has been dedicated to the professional development of faculty, administrators, and staff; and to the continued improvement of teaching and learning, with the ultimate goal of student success.

Here is additional information on each of the recipients:

Meredith Gunning Ph.D., began teaching at Northern Essex more than 15 years ago. She was nominated by Amy Callahan, dean of liberal arts. Trisha Machado, department chair, and Professors Steve Russell, Kristi Arford, and Suzanne Van Wert supported the nomination.

Machado wrote, “She is one of the most dedicated professors at NECC. She is extremely passionate about her discipline and that passion ignites her classroom lectures and discussions. Meredith takes great care in providing valuable feedback to her students.”

Gunning earned Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Political Science, History, and Christianity and Culture from the University of Toronto; a Master of Art and PhD. in Philosophy from Fordham University.

Adrianna Holden-Gouveia, has been teaching in the Computer Information Sciences Department since 2006. She was nominated by Carolyn Knoepfler, dean of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, who wrote, “Adrianna is compassionate when it comes to her students and advocates for them at each stage of their career here at NECC. She is the first to come to me to ask me if I need help with an event and she follows through with everything she promises. Adrianna keeps in touch with her former students and continues to mentor them long after they leave the college.”

Holden-Gouveia holds a dual major in mathematics and computer science from Clark University and a Master of Business Administration Rivier University.Meredu

Jody Carson, is a graduate of the NECC Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program. For the last 13 years she has taught in the program. She is now coordinator and associate professor of the NECC Early Childhood Education program. She is also now serving on a state-wide Open Educational Resources Advisory Council established by the Board of Higher Education. She was nominated by Kelly Sullivan, dean of professional studies, who wrote “Jody has been a leader statewide in the OER project and her work has led to the adoption of OER materials by many faculty both at NECC and throughout the state, saving students hundreds of thousands of dollars. Jody’s innovation has extended to the PIF (now Higher Education Innovation Fund) grant. Using the money from the grant, Jody has led the other ECE faculty to develop a number of ECE courses in the CBE format. The goal is to have the entire ECE degree offered online by the fall of 2021.”

In addition to NECC associate degree, Carson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from Lesley University and a Master of Education in Child Development from Southern New Hampshire University.

Mary Jo Shafer, has been teaching journalism and English composition at Northern Essex for the past 10 years. She also serves as faculty advisor to the student newspaper while herself working as a part-time copy editor at The New Hampshire Union Leader. She was also nominated by Callahan, who wrote, “There are very few colleagues on campus who understand Mary Jo’s job. As the faculty advisor to the NECC Observer for ten years, Mary Jo has maintained the student newspaper’s tradition of excellence and independence. It is a truly remarkable, and increasingly less common, occurrence to have a student free press exist on a community college campus. Mary Jo has guided and trained NECC’s student journalists to produce a relevant, credible, and timely newspaper that is entirely created by students.”

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and Creative Writing from Hampshire College, and a Master of Arts in Journalism from the University of Alabama where she was a Knight Fellow in Community Journalism.

Pamela Hallock, has been a member of the adjunct faculty at NECC for the past 6 years. She teaches chemistry and forensic science. She is also the adjunct Faculty Fellow, where she supports other adjuncts with a goal of increasing professional development opportunities, coaching and consultation, and increased adjunct engagement with the college. She was also nominated by Knoepfler, who wrote, “Pam is an outstanding teacher, faculty member, mentor and innovator at the college. From the time Pam started at the college she has brought in guest speakers every semester to her class and this semester she is taking her chemistry class to UMass/Lowell for lab so they can meet a UML faculty member and become familiar with the campus.”

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from State University of New York at Buffalo, a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from UMass Lowell, a Master of Science in Chemistry from Tufts University. .

NECC Cross Country Runners Earn NJCAA Scholar All-America Awards

New Scholarship Designed for New NECC Students

Exploring the Risks of Poor Immigration Policies

Afro-Latinx Studies Scholar to Present White Fund Lecture at NECC

NECC Students Take Honors at Theater Festival