October 2021 - NECC News

Board of Trustees Update: October, 2021

October 26, 2021/in Headlines/by Ernie Greenslade

The October trustee’s meeting included two educational reports, one on the performing arts “revival” and a second on the new Soar Program, a student support program created with $1.2 million in state funding.

Good News for Performing Arts at NECC

After a few challenging years, the performing arts at NECC are showing signs of a “revival”, according to Amy Callahan, dean of Liberal Arts.

In 2017, the college closed its associate degree programs in theater and dance, and last year the Music Technology Certificate was deactivated. The Associate Degree in General Studies: Music Option was also at risk of closure, due to declining enrollments.

“We are now turning a corner,” said Callahan. “Theater and music are showing signs of growth and revitalization.”

The Liberal Arts Division, with leadership from Music Program Coordinator Alisa Bucchiere, took action when the music program was at risk, revising and streamlining the curriculum; strengthening the transfer pathway to UMass Lowell, the primary transfer institution for NECC students; and increasing recruitment efforts.

As a result, enrollment in the music associate degree has doubled in two years, from 10 to 20 students.

While there is no longer a theater major, the college has continued to offer theater courses and student performances, even throughout the pandemic, when virtual performances were staged.

This fall, the division welcomed Brianne Beatrice, the first full-time faculty member to teach theater/communication since the degree was closed. There are also plans to develop a theater focus within the Liberal Arts associate degree.

“Revival of the performing arts is important news,” Callahan told trustees. “Participation in the arts is linked to higher levels of civic engagement, social tolerance, and other hallmarks of a healthy society.”

Trustee Marianne Paley-Nadel shared that the decision to cut performing arts programs was “a difficult one.” “I recognize the importance of the arts, especially in Lawrence,” she said. “I am appreciative that despite there not being a degree program there is still a commitment from faculty and staff.”

Soar Program to Benefit 600 Students

Resources available to help students succeed at the 15 Massachusetts community colleges got a boost this year, when the legislature appropriated $7 million in the FY 21 budget—followed by an additional allocation of $10.5 million—for wrap-around supports and services for students.

The SUCCESS Fund (Supporting Urgent Community College Equity through Student Services) is based on the success of Northern Essex’s PACE Program, a federally funded program that serves 250 first generation and low income students each year with individualized support services.

Northern Essex is using the $1.2 million they received from the SUCCESS Fund to create the SOAR (Seizing Opportunities, Aspire to Rise) Program, which will serve 600 students, with a focus on students who are Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), LatinX, first generation, low income and adult learners.

Students in the SOAR Program will receive a variety of services such as peer mentoring, tutoring, academic skills workshops, and transfer advising.

Sarah Cooper, who has been hired as the director of the program, told trustees that the program is based on asset-based thinking. “We are here to remove barriers. We believe once those barriers are removed students can more easily succeed on their own.”

The progress of SOAR scholars (students in the program) will be carefully measured based on traditional success outcomes to determine if the efforts are working. The college will be looking at individual course success; GPA’s; persistence; retention; graduation; transfer; and student engagement.

“We are creating goals and strategies to connect students with NECC faculty and staff and with their student peers,” said Cooper. “We will also address knowledge and skills gaps.”

Support will be provided by a staff of 18 including case managers, academic and transfer advisors, and academic coaches.

NECC President Lane Glenn is chair of the SUCCESS Steering Committee. “In January we will be going back to the legislature for more funding. By that time, we should have some successful course completion and fall to spring completion outcomes that we can share with the legislature to prove these programs work.”

Trustee Committee Reports

Alumni & Advancement

Trustee Patti Fernandez is facilitating more trustee involvement in college fundraising in her role as chair of the Alumni & Advancement sub-committee. Allison Dolan-Wilson, vice president of institutional advancement, will be meeting one-on-one with trustees to learn what college initiatives excite them most and determine who in their networks might be in position to help support the college. The Alumni & Advancement sub-committee in collaboration with the college’s Institutional Advancement Office is also planning a gathering for past trustees, possibly a breakfast at the culinary institute.

Equity Imperative

The college is still looking for a director for the new Center for Equity and Social Justice, according to Trustee Marianne Paley-Nadel. Also, an advisory board for the center is being recruited. Paley-Nadel would like to see a quarterly trustee presentation on the equity issue and possibly programming on this topic for trustees.

Report of Administration

Fall Enrollment Stays Steady, Which is Good News

President Lane Glenn reported that enrollments this fall held steady, when compared to fall of 2020. Head-count was up 1.2% and FTE (full-time equivalency) was down 1.4%. “We have more students taking fewer courses,” he said.

The focus this semester will be on improving course completion rates, with a target of a 75% successful course completion, meaning that 75% of students pass with a grade of C or higher. “Our new student numbers are up,” said Glenn. “Our goal this fall is to retain those students.”

Strategic Planning

The college is creating its strategic planning, using a broadly engaging process called appreciative inquiry, said Glenn. “It allows everyone to be involved in any way they want to be involved.”

The planning process is led by a lead team, including Cheryl Goodwin, chief of staff, Allison Dolan-Wilson, vice president of institutional advancement, Audrey Ellis, director of institutional effectiveness, and President Lane Glenn, as well as a core team of 40 faculty and staff who have volunteered to play a lead role.

The plan should be finalized by January.

Meet Squire, NECC’s New Bilingual Chatbot

October 26, 2021/in Headlines/by Ernie Greenslade

If you’ve visited the NECC website homepage in recent months, you’ve likely been greeted by a friendly robot.

Nicknamed “Squire,” a nod to the NECC Knights mascot, the new addition to the site serves as a chatbot, designed to answer common questions that prospective and current students might have about enrollment and admissions, financial aid, academic placement and testing, IT services, and more, in English or Spanish. In just a few months of use, it has already engaged in over 2,300 conversations, averaging hundreds on certain peak weekdays.

“One of the goals of the chatbot is to answer students’ questions at any day or time, even if no one is available to assist them live,” says Audrey Ellis, director of institutional effectiveness.

That round-the-clock support is particularly important for students whose busy work schedules don’t allow them to seek guidance from staff and faculty during normal hours of operation. Even a simple, automated response can go a long way in providing students with the resources and services they need to succeed.

The best part? Squire is always learning and adapting. Since its launch, the chatbot has been customized to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish, and its vocabulary only continues to evolve with every new conversation.

Have a question for Squire? Visit www.necc.mass.edu today to try it out.

Navy Veteran and Mother of Two Appreciates NECC’s Flexibility

October 25, 2021/in Students/by Ernie Greenslade

NECC Liberal Arts Student Crystal Chandler while at sea in the U.S. Navy.

Crystal Chandler of Haverhill, Northern Essex Community College Liberal Arts: Psychology major, joined the U.S. Navy in her early 20’s because she longed to experience life beyond her home state of Illinois.

During her four-year enlistment, from 2014 to 2018, she achieved that and more.

Chandler served as an aviation boatswain’s mate-fuel, which she explains as being a mechanic responsible for the machines that take air craft fuel from the bottom of the ship to the flight deck. She worked nights, primarily at the very bottom of the ship, and says she was typically covered in grease and jet fuel.

Chandler served on three different aircraft carriers and spent most of her time at sea, including a trip around South America through the Straits of Magellan. A highlight was spending Thanksgiving at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she says.

Chandler is one of approximately 100 veterans who study each semester at Northern Essex. This year, the college was designated as a Military Friendly School by Viqtory, a national organization that connects veterans with civilian education, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Institutions were selected based on public data sources and a comprehensive 15-page survey completed by the college. Over 1,200 schools participated and 747 earned the designation.

While in the service, Chandler married a Massachusetts native and had her first child, her now three-year old daughter. After finishing their service, the couple moved to Haverhill and her husband took a job at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

NECC Liberal Arts Major Crystal Michuda Chandler in uniform while serving in the U.S. Navy.

Focused on raising her daughter, Chandler decided to enroll at Northern Essex in the fall of 2019 and take advantage of her G.I. benefits, which cover tuition, textbooks, and other school supplies up to $1,000, as well as providing living expenses.

She started with evening classes to accommodate her husband’s work schedule, and then transitioned to online in the spring of 2020 when the pandemic hit.

Because social interaction is important to her, she says she will choose face-to-face classes in the spring, when the college expands its face-to-face offerings.

With a 3.6 GPA, Chandler is considering a career as a teacher and she plans to transfer to UMass Lowell after earning her associate degree from Northern Essex next year.

What she appreciates most about Northern Essex is “the flexibility of her professors.”

“My professors are so reasonable and personable,” she says. “They say ‘if you need more time, just let us know.’”

The Navy helped Chandler “learn what I really wanted to do with my life” and Northern Essex is helping her to reach those goals.

“I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” she says.

To learn more about veterans services at NECC, contact 978 556-3631 or veteransservices@necc.mass.edu or visit the website.

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers approximately 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. Each year, 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 2,000 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.

Endowed Scholarship is Created in Memory of NECC Professor Emerita

October 20, 2021/in Faculty and Staff/by Ernie Greenslade

Haverhill and Lawrence, MA (October 19, 2021) Thanks to a lifetime of effort by Mary DiGiovanni, a longtime resident of Reading, MA, who passed away in October, people with disabilities in the Merrimack Valley and beyond continue to receive a higher standard of care.

A nurse with a master’s in community mental health, DiGiovanni founded the Human Service Program at Northern Essex Community College and served as its coordinator for three decades, until her retirement in 2001.

The college now offers an associate degree in human services as well as certificates in alcohol/drug abuse counseling, children’s behavioral health specialist, community support human services practitioner, direct support, and peer recovery specialist, and all can be traced directly to DiGiovanni, and her passion for advocating for individuals who can’t advocate for themselves, said Dr. Paul Bevilacqua, who was her colleague and then, as vice president of academic affairs, her supervisor for many years.

“Where she found the time to do all the things she did, I have no idea,” he said. “She was continuous motion. Students loved her because they knew she cared deeply.”

Human service professionals work in a range of settings with seniors, adults, adolescents, and children with substance abuse issues, mental illness, or developmental and/or emotional disabilities.

Mary DiGiovanni and Paul Bevilacqua at President Lane Glenn’s 2012 inauguration.

“Mary was connected with everyone in the Merrimack Valley in the human service field,” said Bevilacqua. “She had either taught them or partnered with them to place students in practicums or jobs.”

DiGiovanni also provided leadership for human services at the national level, serving on the Council for Standards in Human Service Education from 1992 to 2002. In 2009, she researched and wrote a national study creating recognition for the human service profession and developing skills standards for those working in the field.

Well aware of her dedication to the human services profession, DiGiovanni’s family has created an endowed scholarship in their mother’s name, which will be given to a human service student each year.

In creating the scholarship, her son Mark DiGiovanni wrote “We are creating this scholarship in memory of our mother and her dedication to the human services profession. Her passion in life was teaching and advocating for people with disabilities. She found her calling while at NECC in educating students on caring for others. We hope this scholarship will help others to follow in her footsteps.”

After retiring from the college, DiGiovanni continued her work, spearheading grants designed to improve the skills and educational levels of those working with people with disabilities.

She was named Professor Emerita of Human Services soon after her retirement, and, in 2013, she received the Making a Difference Award in conjunction with the college’s 50th anniversary.

Permanently endowed scholarships, with naming opportunities and criteria restrictions, can be created with a minimum commitment of $25,000, according to Allison Dolan-Wilson, vice president of institutional advancement.

“This is a wonderful way to carry on Mary’s legacy,” said Dolan-Wilson. “Our students will benefit for many years to come.”

Donations can be made via check or online (www.necc.mass.edu/giving) to The NECC Foundation, 100 Elliott St., Haverhill, MA 01830. Please write (The Mary DiGiovanni Human Services Scholarship) on the memo line or in the comments for online giving.

To learn more, contact Dolan-Wilson at adolanwilson@necc.mass.edu or 978 556-3624.

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers approximately 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. Each year, 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 2,000 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 Theater Alum Returns to his Roots

October 13, 2021/in Alumni/by review

Michael Zuccola ’07

Haverhill, MA (October 13, 2021) When Haverhill’s Michael Zuccola ’07 returned to the stage at Northern Essex Community College, the professional actor found himself heeding his own advice to students: always have a monologue ready. After a Q&A with students and his longtime friend, NECC Performing Arts and Communications Professor Brianne Beatrice, Zuccola treated the socially-distanced crowd to three short monologues: from Shakespeare, to a comedy, to a moving portrayal of a fire fighter.

Zuccola is the first in a series of guest artists scheduled to visit the NECC Theater this school year. If he looks familiar, that’s because, as he and Beatrice joked, he’s “always on television.” Zuccola has starred in local and national commercials, stage productions, and films. But, he says it all started at Northern Essex. “Here in this theater is where I thought ‘I could make a career of this.’”

Zuccola graduated from Haverhill High School in 2001 and, in 2002, he enrolled at NECC as a general studies major. However, an elective class, Intro to Theater, made him reconsider his path. “I always had a knack for performing…I sort of developed this real appreciation for it and the more I learned, the more the appreciation grew.” Zuccola changed his major to theater and quickly devoted himself to the craft. He starred in multiple productions and was chosen twice for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Students compete in 16 different regions for the prestigious award, and Zuccola was the first NECC student to be selected to represent New England at the national festival in Washington, D.C.

Thanks in part to connections made at the festival, after graduating from NECC in 2007, Zuccola transferred to Salem State where he earned his BFA in 2012 with a concentration in performing. He was also one of two dozen students chosen out of thousands of applicants for the The Actors Theatre of Louisville Apprentice Company Scholarship. The one-of-a-kind apprentice program is designed to help recent college graduates transition into professional acting careers.

Michael Zuccola shared three monologues as part of his guest artist Q&A

Zuccola told the students in the audience at the Q&A they likely won’t make much, if any, money in those first few years of their careers. But he shared that many of the connections he made on various projects proved to be invaluable, and led to opportunities that now allow him to make a living as a performer fulltime. One of his most recent roles is in the film “Witnesses” (he is the first shown in the clip) which was released in theaters this summer. Even after taking part in multi-million dollar productions (“They flew me to Utah for one day just to climb over a fence!” he said about shooting a scene in “Witnesses”) Zuccola told the students he’ll always be grateful for where he got his start. “Remember your roots- NECC was the seed that was planted and grew. This place is a gem. You have a chance to build something for yourself. You can harness and hold onto what you learn here.”

Next month’s guest artist will be actor and designer Esme Allen, lead actor in the recent Huntington Theater Production “Hurricane Diane,” on November 2. Contact theater coordinator Brianne Beatrice to attend. Beatrice is also directing a production of “Tiny Beautiful Things”, a play based on a book by best-selling author Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by actor, director, producer and screenwriter Nia Vardalos. Outside socially-distanced performances will take place on NECC’s Haverhill Campus, November 4, 6, and 7. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Watch the trailer for “Witnesses” and more of Michael Zuccola’s clips here.

NECC Announces Plans for Spring Semester

October 12, 2021/in Programs/by Ernie Greenslade

Haverhill and Lawrence, MA (Oct. 13, 2021) Northern Essex Community College will be significantly increasing the number of courses with an on-campus component in the spring semester, which begins January 19.

In the spring, almost 75% of classes will have an on-campus component, either taught fully online; in a hybrid format which combines online and face-to-face meetings; or online with on-campus labs. This fall, 25% of courses had an on-campus component, up from 10% in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021.

One quarter of spring 2022 classes will continue to be delivered fully online in an asynchronous format which increases student accessibility.

In making this announcement, Paul Beaudin, Northern Essex’s vice president of academic affairs, said “Remote instruction continues to exacerbate the enrollment challenges of America’s community colleges. The academic needs of many of our students require more face-to-face instruction. Greater physical presence on campus is key to the wider work of community building and student support.”

Earlier this month, the presidents of the Massachusetts community colleges announced that students, faculty, and staff at the commonwealth’s 15 community colleges must be fully vaccinated by January of 2022. Students who are registering for online courses that do not include any in-person component will be exempted from the vaccine requirement.

The college will continue to offer a rich selection of online options. In response to the pandemic, the college’s Center for Instructional Technology helped faculty transition 300 courses to online delivery. The college now offers 11 programs that are 80% online as well as three new fully online programs in Business Transfer, Criminal Justice, and General Studies: Health Specialization.

“While the return to campus was important to us, we wanted to offer robust online options to provide accessibility for students, some flexibility for our faculty, and decreased campus density,” said Beaudin.

College administration will be carefully monitoring public health conditions and will respond quickly and appropriately to adapt spring plans to meet those changes if needed.

Registration for the spring semester begins Monday, Nov. 1.

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 and in-person admissions events.

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

If you are a current student, please visit the Academic Center assigned to your program. Or, to find your advisor, log into MyNECC, click on “My Information,” and then select “Look up My Advisor.”

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers approximately 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. Each year, 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 2,000 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 Brings “Tiny Beautiful Things” to the Outdoor Stage

October 6, 2021/in Community/by Ernie Greenslade

Gwynethe Glickman stars as Sugar in NECC’s production of “Tiny Beautiful Things”, Nov. 4-7, outside on the Haverhill Campus.

The Northern Essex Community College Performing Arts and Communication Department will bring “Tiny Beautiful Things”, a play based on a book by best-selling author Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by actor, director, producer and screenwriter Nia Vardalos, to the Merrimack Valley, with outside socially-distanced performances on its Haverhill Campus, November 4, 6, and 7.

The performances will be held at 4 p.m. on the 4th and at 2 p.m. on the 6th and 7th. There will be a special invitation-only performance on November 5 at 4 pm to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the college’s Haverhill Campus and the 60th anniversary of the college.

For two years, before she became a best-selling author in 2012, Cheryl Strayed was an advice columnist, responding anonymously to troubled readers as “Dear Sugar”, published on the Rumpus website.

“Tiny Beautiful Things” features (left to right) Remani Lizana, Natalie Scott, Gwynethe Glickman, and Zaida Buzan.

Soon after the popularity of her book “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” (2012), she published a second book “Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar” (2012), a collection of her advice columns.

The second book, in turn, became a play, which was adapted for the stage by Vardalos, best known for starring in and writing the romantic comedy film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, and premiered in New York in 2016.

Northern Essex Professor Brianne Beatrice, who is directing the performance, says this is a play for our times. “Some of the letters are heartbreaking, while others are funny. We all learn from and rejoice collectively in our power to push through the trauma and persevere.”

Starring as Sugar is Gwynethe Glickman, a liberal arts major from Newbury, MA, who is a two-time Kennedy Center award winner. Writing from home, anonymously, her Sugar digs deep into her own experiences as she shares advice with three letter writers, performed by Zaida Buzan, a liberal arts graduate from Brookfield; Remani Lizana of Springfield; and Natalie Scott, a liberal arts graduate from Groveland.

Topics explored include jealousy, work relationships, incest, infidelity, miscarriage, and physical abuse.

“While many of the discussions are dark, the play as a whole is uplifting,” says Beatrice. “It’s a story of triumph not defeat, and you will be laughing out loud at times.”

Remani Lizana and Gwynethe Glickman perform in “Tiny Beautiful Things”.

Because of the adult content, this show is recommended for ages 18-plus.

The show will be held in a grassy knoll in front of the library on the college’s Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott St, Haverhill, MA. Hot chocolate, hot cider, and cider donuts will be available and there will be a limited number of heaters. In case of inclement weather, the performance will be held in the theater on the top floor of the Spurk Building on the Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott St.

Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door (cash only)

Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers approximately 60 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. Each year, 6,000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 2,000 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.