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Number of Commonwealth Honors Grads Increased this Year

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Young Black woman in floral dress stands in front of her honors project titled The Collaborative World of Theater.

Hygina Mathurin of Haverhill graduated from the Commonwealth Honors Program and will pursue further studies in Public Health.

This year, there was an increase in the number of students graduating from Northern Essex Community College’s rigorous Commonwealth Honors Program, which gives motivated students an enhanced learning experience including the opportunity for research and presentation.

While the college typically has three to four students graduate each year, the class of 2020 includes seven Honors Experience/Commonwealth Honors Scholars. The program was started in 1998.

Professor Ginger Hurajt, coordinator of the Commonwealth Honors Program at Northern Essex, attributes the increase to the addition of new introductory courses with the honors designation. “Students can now take Honors English Composition I and/or Honors Introduction to Psychology their first semester at Northern Essex,” says Hurajt. “By starting early, they have more time to complete the requirements.”

The Commonwealth Honors Program is challenging. Students must have a B+ average. They must commit to completing two honors projects or honors courses, participate in a community service project, enroll in the Honors Seminar, maintain a 3.3 GPA, and earn at least a B in designated honors courses. Students can do honors projects in online courses or evening classes.

“Honors students receive an honors notation on their transcripts,” says Hurajt. “That impresses transfer colleges and employers. There is also an award for honors graduates from the NECC Foundation, and we find our Commonwealth Honors Program grads receive generous scholarships from transfer colleges and universities.”

One of the most compelling arguments for enrolling in the honors program is that upon completion, students can transfer into the honors program at any Massachusetts state  university, a statewide collaboration unique to Massachusetts.

This year’s Commonwealth Honors Program graduates include: Michael Bushway of Lawrence, Liberal Arts Philosophy; Kristina Gelinas of Plaistow, Business Transfer; Daniel Huppe of Georgetown, Business Transfer; Dan Keating, Groveland, Business Transfer; Hygina Mathurin, Haverhill, General Studies Health Specialization; Ella Pellegrino, Nashua, NH, Liberal Arts; and Wasan Rajab, Methuen, Liberal Arts.

The honors program is ideal for students who are independent learners, who have motivation and perseverance, as well as the passion to pursue an honors level project, says Hurajt. Interested students can do just one honors course or project without committing to the honors program. That course receives the honors designation on the transcript.

For more information on the Commonwealth Honors Program at Northern Essex, contact Hurajt, ghurajt@necc.mass.edu.

COVID-19 Didn’t Derail this Business Grad

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Northern Essex Community College Business Transfer Graduate James Batista lives in a multi-generational home in Lawrence with his mom, his brothers, his grandma, his aunts and his cousins. In April, COVID-19 spread through his home, infecting all of the adults in his family.

Batista was impacted the worst, experiencing a week and a half of high fevers, loss of smell, and other symptoms.

Keeping up with his full-time course load while sick was a challenge but, thanks to deadline extensions from understanding faculty, he completed the semester, earning all A’s and one B+ (that B+ in Astronomy still irks him).

Batista is used to managing challenges. He works full time as a direct care provider with adults with aggressive behaviors and attends college full time. While financial aid covers all of his college costs, he’s working to cover his living expenses.

With a houseful of family members finding a quiet place to study isn’t easy. “Sometimes I’d go to the basement where I could work interrupted and I’d often have to wait until everyone else was asleep to do homework,” he says.

He’s graduating with a 3.79 GPA and plans to transfer to UMass Lowell to pursue a bachelor’s in business administration with a focus on accounting.

This will be his second time at UMass Lowell. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 2015 and started at UMass that fall, but found he lacked focus. After working full time, he was ready to get his education back on track and decided to start at Northern Essex.

Batista chose accounting for a few reasons. “I like numbers and organizing spreadsheets. I also like saving money,” he says with a smile.

Batista’s story proves that there are second chances and also that hard work gets you where you want to go. His advice for others balancing college with work and other responsibilities? “I try to take online classes and I keep on top of my homework every day, chopping it up and doing it when I have the time.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NECC Spends Summer Transitioning to Online Delivery

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Professor Doug Leaffer is seated in an engineering lab surrounded by computers and equipment.

Engineer Professor Doug Leaffer will use software simulation programs to replicate an engineering benchtop environment for his online students in the fall.

In mid-June, well before most colleges and universities, Northern Essex Community College announced that the fall semester of 2020 would be offered 90% online.

By making a decision early, the college had the time to focus on building an online experience that would be equal to what students could experience in a face-to-face classroom, according to Bill Heineman, vice president of academic and student affairs.

“When we had to transition to remote learning in March due to the pandemic, we didn’t have the luxury of making sure those courses adhered to our strict online guidelines,” said Heineman. “Now, with months to prepare, we could create high quality online courses across all disciplines.”

Half Million Dollar Investment in Faculty Training

The college made the decision to invest a half million dollars to help faculty transition courses to online delivery over the summer. That money is funding faculty stipends for developing online courses and a team of “buddies”, nine faculty members who have taught online successfully in the past and can now mentor and coach those who are new to online.

Key to all of this is the college’s Center for Instructional Technology (CIT), which includes Melba Acevedo, director of instructional technology & online learning, Sue Tashjian, coordinator of instructional technology, Christina Gardner-Burns, part-time instructional technologist, and Rick Lizotte, instructional coach & professor of ESL.

CIT has been helping faculty developing online courses for 20 years, most recently using a six-week online training module that they’ve developed called “iTeach”. iTeach is competency-based, meaning faculty progress when they’ve mastered a skill.

While Northern Essex has a proven process for transitioning courses to online delivery, it had never been done on this scale. Typically, 15 to 20 courses might be developed in one year. This summer 150 faculty members are developing 200 courses, a more than ten-fold increase.

To put things in perspective, in the fall of 2019, 23% of Northern Essex courses were offered in an online format. This fall, 90% will be online with only courses like health and science labs offered face-to-face.

Online Doesn’t Mean Second-Best

Faculty new to online learning are most concerned that students get the same knowledge as they would in a face-to-face course, said CIT director, Melba Acevedo, who assures them that they can.

“When designed well, online classes keep the best characteristics of face-to-face courses. In iTeach, faculty learn how to create engagement, interaction, and social presence in their online classes. It’s more about pedagogy than technology, which initially surprises some faculty.”

Doug Leaffer, who teaches engineering and is currently enrolled in iTeach, was skeptical at first. “Initially, I viewed online engineering course delivery as challenging. I wasn’t convinced that students could make the transition from “benchtop” learning in one of our instructor-led engineering labs to “desktop” learning on their own computer.

What Leaffer soon found was that software simulation programs could replicate the engineering benchtop environment. “While not tactile activities, they are useful substitutes, fun to use and visually appealing.”

Leaffer is now looking forward to the fall. He plans to beta test his online engineering cohort and use what he learns to refine the online engineering curriculum.

NECC Now Well-Prepared to Compete in Online Learning Arena

While preparations this summer have clearly been a lot of work for college faculty and staff, Vice President Heineman says Northern Essex is now better prepared to compete in the online learning arena, which is likely to grow as the public gets comfortable with working and learning remotely.

In the past, the college had few online options in health and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) but as of this fall that will no longer be the case.

“This is a long term investment in online learning,” says Acevedo. “It’s an exciting opportunity for an institution that has always been promoted as a good value to improve our flexibility.”

Here’s how to register this fall at Northern Essex and here’s information on learning online at NECC.

 

NECC Hosts a Virtual Open House for Prospective Students

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Northern Essex Community College will host a Virtual Open House for prospective students on Thursday, August 20 from 5 to 6:15 pm.

At the Open House, you will be welcomed by NECC President Lane Glenn; learn about academic programs offered at Northern Essex and their potential career outcomes; and hear about the many extracurricular activities from student government to athletics that are available.

You can also engage in small group discussions with NECC faculty from your area of interest and listen to a student speaker discuss their experiences at Northern Essex.

Northern Essex Community College is offering close to 300 credit courses this fall semester, which begins September 9, 2020, and 90 percent of those courses will be delivered online.

Students can take their gen ed classes which easily transfer to other colleges and universities; get started on a certificate or associate degree in a choice of over 60 degree and certificate programs; or begin preparing for a new career in fields like health care, computers, and education.

Register online with the Virtual Open House Registration Form

For additional information, contact admissions@necc.mass.edu or 978 556-3700.

Join Us for NECC’s Virtual Commencement on August 8

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Young man in black cap holds yard sign for NECC Class of 2020

NECC 2020 Psychology grad Garrett Wilkinson of Haverhill doubled up on classes and he will earn his bachelor’s from Merrimack College this fall.

On Saturday, August 8 at 11 am, Northern Essex Community College will host its first virtual commencement ceremony, a tribute to the 600 graduates of the class of 2020, who received or will receive associate degrees and certificates from over 60 academic programs. Produced in partnership with HC Media, the ceremony will be streamed on HC Media’s website and on the college’s Facebook and HC Media’s Facebook pages.

The ceremony will include many traditional elements such as a student speaker, Public Health Major Rosanna Lara of Lawrence; a featured speaker, Rosalin Acosta, Massachusetts secretary of labor and workforce development and a former Northern Essex parent and trustee; and the singing of the national anthem by Early Childhood Education major Emily Forisso of Haverhill. The ceremony will also include greetings from faculty and staff and a virtual diploma for each student.

“Their last semester was a challenging one, and I couldn’t be prouder of this year’s grads,” said Northern Essex President Lane Glenn.   “We can’t celebrate this class as we usually do, but we are trying our best to give them the recognition they deserve.”

Rad Tech Grad Nachelle LaBrie of Danville, NH already has a job at Lawrence General and she says “I love it.”

In June, graduates came to the Haverhill or Lawrence Campus to pick up a celebration package which included their cap, tassel, diploma, and special gifts from the college’s Alumni Association and Student Government Association. It was a festive celebration with music, balloons, the NECC Knight (NECC student trustee and 2020 graduate Courtney Morin), and lots of cheering staff and faculty.

The college has also announced that they will host a joint celebration on Saturday, May 15, 2021 for the classes of 2020 and 2021, giving members of the class of 2020 the opportunity to cross the platform in their caps and gowns.

Here’s where you can learn more about Northern Essex’s plans to celebrate the class of 2020.

 

 

NECC Invests in New Support Service for Online Learners

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With a fall semester that’s 90 percent online because of the pandemic, many Northern Essex Community College students may be taking an online course for the first time, and not by choice.

In order to be sure all students—even the reluctant online learners—have the tools to succeed, Northern Essex is investing $100,000 in a new peer ambassador program.

Carefully selected for their prior success in online courses, each member of the team of 15 to 20 ambassadors will spend 10 hours a week reaching out to students and connecting them with college resources, such as IT, the library, academic coaching, tutoring and more, all of which are offering remote and virtual services during the pandemic.

Ambassadors will communicate with students using a new chat tool, email, texts, phone, and Blackboard, the college’s learning management system. Individual students can reach out to an ambassador with questions and students who seem to be struggling will be referred to an ambassador by a faculty member.

“In the past our students could decide whether they wanted to take online classes but now they may have concerns about whether online is a good fit for their learning style,” said Audrey Ellis, director of student success management. “It became apparent that we need to step up our outreach to make sure our students are successful.”

“Our ambassadors are going to be triaging; they’re the first line of defense for our students,” said Ellis. “Once they’ve assessed the situation, they will connect the student to someone on staff who can help them get on track.”

The college is recruiting now to hire the first team of ambassadors, who will start August 24 and receive $12.75 an hour. Ideal candidates should have a track record of success as an online learner and a 2.7 or above GPA. Other required skills include problem solving, empathy and a comfort level with reaching out to students by phone, email, or chat.

Northern Essex transitioned to remote learning mid-semester in the spring of 2020 when COVID-19 first became an issue. Early this summer, they announced that 90 percent of fall 2020 courses would be offered online. Only classes that require a face-to-face experience, such as health and science labs, will be taught traditionally this fall, on campus.

In addition to these new support services for students, Northern Essex has invested a half million dollars to prepare faculty who have previously taught face-to-face for online teaching. The college is also putting resources toward a laptop requirement for students that will insure that all students have the technology needed to succeed.

To learn more about the new peer ambassador program, contact Audrey Ellis, aellis@necc.mass.edu.

Here’s how you can apply.

 

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  Each year, more than 5,000 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 or call 978-556-3700.

Married Couple Graduate from Nursing School Together

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The NECC Knight mascot stands between two recently graduated women holding their diplomas.

Jennifer and Amanda Assenza are a married couple with three young children who graduated from the Nursing Program together this year.

Amanda Assenza and her wife Jennifer of Wilmington, MA have a lot to celebrate this year; both are graduating with degrees in nursing from Northern Essex Community College.

During the virtual graduation ceremony on August 8, Northern Essex President Lane Glenn will share their story, which is an inspiring example of commitment to career and family.

The parents of three-year old twins and a five-year old, both Amanda and Jennifer have been employed as CNA’s while attending nursing school full-time.

When the pandemic struck in March, the dementia unit which Amanda had been working on at the Veterans Hospital in Bedford was transitioned to a COVID-19 unit.

She was now exposed to the virus daily, caring for her elderly patients on an isolated ward—sealed off by zippered doors. For protection, she wore sanitized hospital issue scrubs, an N95 mask, goggles, and a face shield for up to 16-hour shifts.

Jennifer’s parents live with the couple and because Amanda didn’t want to risk exposing her family to the virus, she made the difficult decision to move out of her home. For three months, until the end of May, she slept on an air mattress in an empty office at the Veterans Hospital.

Visits to her children were restricted to outside play, socially distanced and wearing masks. To this day, her children are still asking “Are your hands clean?” and “Do you have the canoli virus on you.”

Thankfully, she never contracted the virus, although she was tested three times.

While caring for her patients, many of whom she comforted as they died separated from family, and trying her best to maintain a relationship with her family, Amanda was also finishing her last semester of nursing school, now offered remotely, due to the virus.

Because of spotty Internet at her temporary home, Amanda made her car a mobile office. She would park in her home driveway for hours at a time to participate in class and take proctored exams.

Amanda is graduating with honors and she credits her wife, the top student in this year’s nursing class, with “making me a better student.”

A former combat medic, who was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009, and the daughter of an ICU nurse, Amanda is confident about her decision to be a nurse, saying “it’s what I always wanted to do.”

After taking their nursing boards this summer, Amanda plans to continue working at the Veterans Hospital and Jennifer will pursue her dream job as a labor and delivery nurse at a Boston hospital.

The two met at Northern Essex, enrolled in the nursing program together, and took every class together. Their commitment to education will continue in the fall when they begin their bachelor’s in nursing online at UMass Boston.

Learn more about the virtual commencement ceremony on August 8 here. 

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  Each year, more than 5,000 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 or call 978-556-3700.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NECC Now Registering for Fall

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Young man stands holding laptop computer.

Ninety percent of NECC courses will be delivered online in the fall of 2020.

Northern Essex Community College is offering close to 300 credit courses this fall semester, which begins September 9, 2020, and 90 percent of those courses will be delivered online.

Students can take their gen ed classes which easily transfer to other colleges and universities; get started on a certificate or associate degree in a choice of over 60 degree and certificate programs; or begin preparing for a new career in fields like health care, computers, and education.

Bill Heineman, the college’s vice president of academic and student affairs, says the college is spending the summer transitioning to online learning. “While dealing with the pandemic has been a challenge for us, the bright side is that we are developing a first-rate online program.”

This summer the college has invested a half million dollars to prepare faculty who have previously taught face-to-face for online teaching and $100,000 for a new peer ambassador program that will help students succeed in online courses. Northern Essex is also putting resources toward a laptop requirement for students that will insure that all students have the technology needed.

Only classes that require a face-to-face experience, such as health and science labs, will be taught traditionally this fall.

To explore courses offered this fall, check out the course selection tool.

Here’s where you can learn more about the college’s over 60 academic programs.

Here’s where you can find out about the college’s many virtual admissions events.

For additional information on enrolling this fall, contact Enrollment Services, 978 556-3700 or admissions@necc.mass.edu

 

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  Each year, more than 5,000 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 or call 978-556-3700.

 

NECC Announces Return to Athletics Plan for Fall

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Two young woman participate in cross country running meet.

All 12 varsity NECC Sports will be offered this coming year, with some changes.

The Northern Essex Community College Department of Athletics is pleased to announce its plans for returning to intercollegiate practice and competition for the 2020-21 athletics season in the wake of COVID-19. Following the Return to Play plans of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) for the 2020-21 sports seasons, the Knights will plan to offer all of their varsity programs during the course of the academic year.

In the fall semester, all of the NECC’s athletic programs will be permitted to practice and hold their non-traditional seasons, while only the cross country and Esports teams will participate in regular season competition. The men’s soccer and women’s volleyball regular seasons have been shifted to the spring semester. The start of competition in basketball will also be delayed to January. All fall practices and competitions will be conducted under strict guidelines.

Students participating in cross country or Esports in the fall semester must be enrolled in 12 credits or more to participate, while students practicing with any of NECC’s other varsity teams must be enrolled in classes at the college, but there is not a minimum requirement, however the Athletic Department recommends all students be full-time to meet future eligibility requirements.  All students participating in the spring semester must be enrolled full-time in 12 or more credits.

The adjusted volleyball season is scheduled to begin on January 4th and run through early April, while the soccer season will begin on March 15th and continue through the month of May. Both teams will train during the fall semester and possibly compete in exhibition contests. Baseball, softball, golf and track and field seasons will commence as scheduled in the spring 2021, while also being able to conduct their traditional fall seasons.

“Our goal is to facilitate a safe and healthy process that will offer the best experience possible for our student-athletes, while operating within the guidelines of the Commonwealth and following the recommendations of the CDC and local health agencies,” stated Director of Athletics Dan Blair

All student-athletes will be required to complete the Department of Athletic paperwork packet available here. Returning student-athletes may use their current physical on file if it has occurred within the previous 13 months. Complete packets should be returned by email or contacting Director of Athletics Dan Blair (dblair@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3820) to bring them completed to campus.

Students are encouraged to contact Blair with any questions. Any modification to this information will be made available on the NECC Athletics website www.neccknights.com.

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 (www.neccknights.com).

Free Accounting and Quickbooks Course for English Language Learners

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Northern Essex Community College is offering a free Accounting & Quickbooks certificate for English language learners this fall.

The 20-week program is online and will begin Monday, September 14. Registrations will be accepted through August 31. Classes will be held virtually, Monday through Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

This program is designed for intermediate and higher level English learners who want to improve their English and academic and occupational skills needed to pursue higher education or employment.

The program will include English, Civics, Math, and Accounting classes, as well as employment advising and QuickBooks online certification.

For additional information on the program or to register, contact Alisa Povenmire, coordinator, apovenmire@necc.mass.edu.

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  Each year, more than 5,000 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 or call 978-556-3700.

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978-556-3869
mbouse@necc.mass.edu

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