2023 - NECC News

UMass Announces Scholarships for Top 10 Percent of Community College Graduates

December 20, 2023/in Headlines/by bhough

BOSTON, MA – The University of Massachusetts today announced that the top 10 percent of the Commonwealth’s future community college graduates will receive a minimum of $5,000 per year above federal and private financial aid if they enroll at one of the four nationally ranked campuses in Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell.

The Community College Advantage Scholarship (CCAS) is designed to incentivize highly talented community college students to finish their associate degree at one of the Commonwealth’s 15 community colleges, and then complete their bachelor’s degree at one of the four nationally ranked University of Massachusetts campuses.

The CCAS also seeks to address two challenges facing public higher education in Massachusetts:

Providing equitable access to historically underrepresented groups of students in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on race-based admissions, and
Strengthening the Commonwealth’s talent pipeline as the number of high school graduates in Massachusetts is projected to decline in the coming years, the existing population is aging out of the workforce, and more young people are leaving the state.

“We want to send a clear message that UMass welcomes highly talented community college graduates to continue their pursuit of a college degree on our nationally ranked Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses,” UMass President Marty Meehan said. “We believe this initiative will lead to more community college graduates choosing to finish their four-year degree at UMass, which will accelerate their upward economic trajectory and strengthen the Commonwealth’s workforce.”

“As New England’s first Hispanic Serving Institution, Northern Essex Community College serves thousands of students each year, mostly from the Gateway Cities of Haverhill and Lawrence and towns across the Merrimack Valley, seeking a path to a college degree and greater career and economic opportunities,” NECC President Lane Glenn said. “The Community College Advantage Scholarship will help more of them continue on that path from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree at one of the state’s outstanding UMass campuses.”

Starting in Fall 2024, the CCAS will help develop and retain diverse talent in Massachusetts by:

Guaranteeing students in the top 10 percent of their community college graduating class automatic admission to a University of Massachusetts campus and a minimum of $2,500 per semester ($5,000 annually) for a total of at least $10,000 for the students’ final two years of college.
Students remain eligible for additional aid based on individual circumstances.
The CCAS will supplement federal and private grants awarded to the student.

To be eligible for the Fall 2024 CCAS, students must:

Complete their degree in the top 10 percent of their graduating class at their college. This will be calculated as of the end of the semester prior to the UMass financial aid priority deadline (Students applying for fall admission must have been in the top 10 percent of their class as of the end of the Fall 2023 semester).
Complete the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or equivalent state financial aid application.
Be eligible for in-state tuition.
Have earned 45+ credits that are transferable to UMass.
Be on track to complete their associate degree prior to the Fall 2024 semester.

The CCAS is the latest in a series of state and UMass initiatives aimed at expanding access to a four-year college degree, which data shows significantly enhances a person’s lifetime income.

The University has increased annual institutional financial aid by 67 percent to $395 million since 2015 and has launched an early college program that allows high school students in urban centers to earn UMass course credit while still in high school, thereby saving them tuition costs once they get to college.

The state has recently made community college tuition free for students 25 years or age and older and has expanded the MassGrant+ program by $62 million to close make public higher education more affordable for lower- and middle-income students.

Happy holidays from NECC!

December 11, 2023/in Community/by mbouse

Wishing you joyous holidays filled with laughter, warmth, and cherished moments.

May this season bring you love, peace, and the company of those who matter most and may the New Year ahead be filled with prosperity and endless possibilities.

Happy holidays from NECC!

Boston Globe Editorial Featuring President Glenn: Help more students complete financial aid forms

December 11, 2023/in Headlines/by mbouse

This weekend, the Boston Globe published an editorial featuring Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn. Glenn, along with MA State Representative Andy Vargas (D) 3rd Essex District, Femi Stoltz, the Massachusetts Policy Director at uAspire, and others are advocating to make completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) a requirement for high school graduation in the Commonwealth.

The editorial cites one study that shows Massachusetts high school graduates left $48 million in federal financial aid unused in 2022 because they did not apply for it.

“A lot of first-generation families don’t think they can afford [college]. When they complete the FAFSA, they discover there’s Pell Grants, institutional resources, private scholarships,” writes Glenn.

Read the full editorial here.

Joint Admissions Agreement with Regis College Provides New Degree Pathways for NECC Students

December 5, 2023/in Headlines/by mbouse

Lawrence, MA (December 5, 2023) – A new joint admissions agreement between Northern Essex Community College and Regis College will enhance the transfer process between the two institutions. Upon acceptance to NECC, students who opt into joint admissions on their application will also be conditionally accepted to Regis.

The new joint admission agreement will provide a seamless transfer for NECC students to Regis after they obtain their associate degree.

“Agreements like these make the transfer process transparent, simple, and affordable,” says Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn. “This partnership will increase access to bachelor’s degrees, which, in turn, will lead to economic growth and quality of life improvements for the communities we serve. We’re grateful for this continued collaboration with Regis College.”

Regis College President Antoinette Hays and leaders from both institutions joined President Glenn on NECC’s Lawrence Campus for a signing ceremony on Tuesday, December 5th.

NECC President Lane Glenn and Regis College President Antoinette Hays

Upon completion of their associate degree, joint admissions students from NECC who meet academic requirements will be able to transfer to Regis seamlessly. They will also have access to register for their first semester on the same date as current Regis students with 60 or more credits.

“This new partnership between Northern Essex and Regis will transform the lives of countless individuals with a goal of earning a bachelor’s degree,” remarks Regis College President Antoinette Hays, RN, PhD. “The workforce needs students who have benefitted from an education that has built their character and confidence and gained the knowledge and experience that is necessary to achieve success. With a shared commitment of helping students achieve upward social mobility, we are thankful for this partnership and look forward to preparing students to pursue careers of meaning.”

Regis will assign a specific admissions counselor to NECC to facilitate the transfer process and hold two transfer events each year. Regis will also provide bus transportation to at least one admission event annually.

NECC’s Director of Transfer, Articulation, and Academic Center Advising Michelle Sunday

“This is a promise we’re making to our students,” says NECC’s Director of Transfer, Articulation, and Academic Center Advising Michelle Sunday.

This new partnership includes many academic programs; however, it does not apply to students wishing to transfer into the Regis Nursing Program. The agreement also does not apply to Northern Essex students who want to transfer before completing their associate degree. Those students must meet Regis’ general transfer admissions criteria.

Northern Essex and Regis College have a history of partnerships, including the creation of Regis North in 2015- a satellite campus of Regis College located on NECC’s Lawrence Campus. Regis North courses are run in flexible formats with affordable tuition rates.

“We’ve found a kindred spirit in Regis College with the same ambition of raising the baccalaureate degree attainment rate in the city of Lawrence. What we’re doing today turbo charges that ambition,” notes Glenn.

Regis College’s main campus is located in Weston, MA.

For more information on transfer agreements, contact Michelle Sunday.

Eusebio Marote is the First “Coach of the Year” Winner from a Community College

November 28, 2023/in Featured/by mbouse

When Eusebio Marote learned he got the job as Northern Essex Community College’s men’s soccer coach in 2019, he wasn’t quite sure what he was getting into. It had been 25 years since the college had a men’s soccer team, and he and Director of Athletics Dan Blair would have to build the program from the ground up.

“We barely had enough players that year,” remembers Marote. “It was 9-12 guys, max.”

Coach Eusebio Marote on the sidelines this season.

That team ended the season 6-8-1. Despite the losing record, Coach Marote saw a lot of bright spots in the season and knew that he already had a solid foundation built.

“I’m competitive- no matter what it is. I like to win. I’m always going to try to be successful and strive to be better.”

Marote is no stranger to winning. As the son of a former professional soccer player from Portugal, he says he can’t remember a time when soccer wasn’t a big part of his life. He started playing on club teams in and around his hometown of Lowell, MA, from a young age. He was captain of the Lowell High School team and went on to become a four-year starter and three-year captain at Daniel Webster College. He led that team to the national tournament three years in a row and was twice named to the New England Collegiate Conference All-Conference 2nd Team.

Marote knew he could take that success he’d found as a player and translate it into a coaching career. It was just a couple of years later, after graduating with his degree in Sports and Fitness Administration/Management, that he took the helm of the NECC men’s program.

After that first season, Marote points out that “each year, we’ve gotten significantly better.” In the second season (played in 2021, the team did not play in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions), the Knights made the playoffs, and last season they had a winning record for the first time. Going into this season, Marote felt things were falling into place. But he wasn’t totally prepared for what happened next.

“This season was so overwhelming in a good way- I think that’s due to hard work, dedication, trying to bring in the best players possible, and making them believe in something.”

The 2023 Knights

The 2023 Knights went undefeated in conference play, earning the top seed in the regional and district tournaments with a 7-0-1 record. NECC also won their first-ever post-season game, 6-1, against Community College of Rhode Island, before falling to Bunker Hill in the Regional and District Championship final match. Marote says the team broke 25 school records this year, including the most goals scored in a season. Jadiel Bonfim scored 27 goals for the Knights and recently became the first NECC Knight soccer player named to the First Team All-America team.

Marote also scored a “first.” He was named the Matt Cushing College Coach of the Year by the Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Coaches Association. The award is named in honor of the former Wheaton College coach who passed away in 2017. Marote is the first community college coach to win the award.

Coach Marote is the first community college winner of the Matt Cushing College Coach of the Year by EMSCA

“I’m grateful for the award. I appreciate they recognized our success,” says Marote. “My goal is to always be successful as a team. And that can mean a lot of things. It’s not always about winning championships. No matter what this program goes through in the future, we are doing the best we can.”

Marote is already hard at work ahead of next year’s season. He spends his days working on the Northern Essex Lawrence Campus in Maintenance and Facilities and his evenings talking to potential players. He says this stellar season has helped raise awareness about the program and about the benefits of attending community college.

“It’s a good option to play at a collegiate level for a good price instead of just jumping into it. It’s an opportunity to improve as an athlete and get that experience that prepares them in every single way, including academically,” Marote says. “I want these student-athletes to know if they select us, I guarantee they’re not going to regret it. Next year we’re going to match what we’ve done this year.”

Lawrence Promise Reaches Funding Milestone

November 16, 2023/in Community/by mbouse

Lawrence and Haverhill, MA (November 7, 2023) – The Lawrence Promise Scholarship Program at Northern Essex Community College has reached a significant milestone. The endowment has reached $1 million, which will allow countless students from Lawrence to continue their educations at Northern Essex for free.

Local entrepreneurs Luis and Juan Yepez are among the recent donors. “Understanding that an education is a key to unlocking a student’s future potential, Juan and I wanted to contribute to a fund that offers opportunities to students within the community,” says Luis Yepez.

Mariel Bloise graduated in 2021 as a Lawrence Promise Scholar.

The Lawrence Promise Scholarship Program is available to Lawrence High School students who participate in the Early College Program at NECC. LHS students can enroll in NECC classes as early as their sophomore year of high school and earn college credits tuition-free. The Promise Program gives those students who have completed at least 15 credits the opportunity to continue at NECC following graduation and earn their associate degrees for little to no cost. Students are provided coverage of tuition, fees, and books. The program has been designed to operate as a gap scholarship, covering all NECC costs not already covered by state or federal grants.

The Lawrence Promise Scholarship Program is made possible by private and foundation support. The Yepez’s Mainstream Global gave a pledge of $50,000 to the Lawrence Promise Program. Major donors to the Lawrence Promise include:

Ronald and Janis Hill
Thomas and Laura Jordan
Mainstream Global, Inc.
Everett Mills Real Estate, LLC
The Gem Group, Inc.
Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
The Yepez family
The Boston Foundation
City of Lawrence
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
Fidelity Charitable
Salem Community Benefit, Inc.
Abbot & Dorothy H. Stevens Foundation

Northern Essex also offers a Haverhill Promise Program and is in the process of creating a similar program for other area schools. To learn more about giving at NECC, visit necc.edu/giving.

About Northern Essex
Northern Essex Community College, the first Federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in New England, is an education leader for the Merrimack Valley. Through a supportive learning environment and cultural inclusion, NECC embraces all identities and inspires initiative and excellence through top-notch, affordable certificate and associate degree programs online and at campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence. NECC offers many bachelor’s degree transfer options, workforce development, and community education classes, and is host to the NECC Police Academy, MassHire Merrimack Valley, and Gallaudet University’s Regional Center for the deaf and hard of hearing. Visit Northern Essex online at necc.edu.

Professors Save Students Thousands of Dollars by Developing Free Course Materials

November 16, 2023/in Faculty and Staff/by mbouse

Kerin Hamidiani, Sheila Kane and Donna Marquis

Northern Essex Community College professors are more than familiar with the content of the Learning Strategies for Success in Healthcare (HES102) course. They were among the original group that developed the class. So, when the time came to reexamine the required materials for the course, it was not surprising the Dean of Health Professions tapped them to help.

“In 2013, we started using a custom commercial textbook that allowed us to pick and choose chapters from different books,” says Hamidiani. “But that book started to get old, and we realized we would need to shift to something more relevant to our students.”

They started the process right before the pandemic but had to shelve it to prioritize adapting the class to an online format. When they were ready to revisit the textbook search in 2022, a new possibility had emerged. CARES Act funding was available to support the college’s broader efforts to make education more equitable. Sue Tashjian, NECC’s coordinator of instructional technology, was encouraging faculty to apply for funding to adopt, adapt, and create open educational resources (OER). These materials, or OER, would replace costly textbooks and be available to students online for free.

“It seemed overwhelming to me,” reflects Kane at the thought of creating their own materials. “But we worked as a group. Sue helped narrow things down for us, which made it seem doable.”

“We met together to decide how we would tackle it. And once there was a development shell, we could become consistent in how we looked at it,” Marquis says of starting the process.

Soon, the trio got in a groove and divided the work into sections, each taking a part. They would then review and edit each other’s work, always considering the student’s perspective. And by the summer of 2023, just about a year after they started, the open course was ready for its test run.

There are typically seven or eight sections of HES102 each semester. Hamidiani, Kane and Marquis decided to pilot the open course with just their three sections this fall. That way, they could make edits or adjustments as needed. But so far, they’ve required very few.

Sheila Kane with students

“It actually seems like students are reading more and are more engaged than the previous textbook,” says Hamidiani. “I think the reading is more relative to them; it seems to the point.”

“And,” continues Kane, “we found sources that fit better with the materials and are more current. We can update it easily if we find other sources. You can’t do that with copyrighted materials from a traditional textbook.”

Students also appreciate the considerable savings. The previous textbook cost about $100. With as many as 175 students taking the course each semester, “it’s a win-win for everyone,” says Marquis.

The open course will be available for any faculty teaching HES102 starting this winter intersession.

“Working with the Learning Strategies faculty has been a very positive experience for me. Day-one access and cost savings are major advantages of OER when it comes to promoting equity in education – especially for low-income students,” says Tashjian. “It is rewarding to see faculty become energized and enthusiastic about creating and customizing their course content to meet the needs of their students. This exemplifies the true potential and value of OER.”

Sue Tashjian, NECC’s coordinator of instructional technology

Tashjian is also the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education OER Advisory Council co-chair. She and Dean of Business and Professional Studies, Jody Carson, introduced OER to the college in 2014 with a textbook task force. Since then, Tashjian estimates that free and low-cost course materials have saved over 30,000 NECC students $5 million on textbooks.

Tashjian continues to work with faculty to adapt courses to use OER. Students can find these open courses by using the course search tool advanced search and selecting the check box for “Low-cost/No-cost textbooks” under Free Access. To learn more about OER at NECC, visit the webpage or contact Tashjian at stashjian@necc.mass.edu.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Historic Financial Aid Expansion for Massachusetts Public College and University Students

November 16, 2023/in Headlines/by mbouse

Salem, MA (November 15, 2023) – A historic expansion of financial aid will benefit approximately 25,000 students attending the state’s public colleges and universities. On Wednesday, Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll announced the MASSGrant Plus Expansion program with nearly $62 million in new program funding.

“For so many Massachusetts residents, higher education can be the ticket to their future career and economic stability. Our employers are looking to graduates of Massachusetts’ exceptional public colleges to meet their workforce needs. But far too many people are held back from pursuing the education of their choice because of high costs,” said Governor Healey. “This expansion of MASSGrant Plus will open doors for more students to access higher education, which will strengthen our economy as a whole.”

Governor Healey announces MASSGrant Expansion program at Salem State University.
Photo credit: Joshua Qualls/Governor’s Press Office

Not including room and board, MASSGrant Plus Expansion will cover the total cost of tuition and fees for Pell Grant-eligible students, including, for the first time, the federal government-determined expected family contribution (EFC) and an additional allowance of up to $1,200 for books and supplies.

Middle-income students – defined as those whose families earn between $73,000 and $100,000 annually in adjusted gross income — will have their costs for tuition and mandatory instructional fees reduced by up to half of their out-of-pocket expenses. While middle-income students must be enrolled full-time to qualify, the expansion will extend MASSGrant Plus financial aid to both full- and part-time Pell Grant-eligible students for the first time.

This change could benefit as many as 2,000 students currently enrolled at Northern Essex.

“Making higher education more affordable and accessible is a win for all of us in Massachusetts. The state’s public college students are more likely to live and work in the state following graduation. This investment will pay dividends in educating and retaining the talent needed for a healthy state economy,” says Northern Essex President Lane Glenn.

The program will be retroactive to the start of the fall 2023 semester for currently enrolled students. Students who have already completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2023-2024 academic year will not need to take any further action to benefit from the additional financial aid dollars. Funds for the current semester will be credited to their accounts. Students who may qualify but have not filled out the FAFSA should do so immediately and contact the college’s financial aid department.

Funding for the MASSGrant Plus Expansion program came from revenue from the Fair Share Amendment, passed by voters in 2022. It is an additional tax on households with very high annual incomes. The remaining funds will be used to support ongoing financial aid policies and to implement Massachusetts’ new tuition equity law, which allows qualifying non-U.S. citizens, namely undocumented students, who have completed high school in Massachusetts to access state financial aid.

This financial aid expansion announcement builds on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s significant investment in higher education earlier this fall, including a $20 million investment in MassReconnect, which made community college free for Commonwealth residents ages 25 and older regardless of income. Since its implementation, Northern Essex has distributed MassReconnect awards to more than 200 students.

NECC Alumni Magazine Wins CASE Award

November 14, 2023/in Alumni/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (November 14, 2023) – The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is recognizing the Northern Essex Community College alumni magazine, alumnecc, with a prestigious “Best of District 1” award. The fall 2022 edition of the magazine won in the Alumni/General Interest (Two-Year Institutions) category. The issue focused on the theme of “Better Together,” highlighting ways the NECC community and its alumni rebounded from the challenges of the pandemic.

“To be recognized by CASE is truly a special honor,” says NECC Vice President for Institutional Advancement Allison Dolan-Wilson. “Not only is it a testament to the hard work of our IA team at Northern Essex, but it demonstrates to our CASE colleagues around the globe the impact of this work at the community college level.”

CASE is a global nonprofit association dedicated to supporting educational advancement professionals—in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services. Other District 1 winners in the printed magazine categories include Boston University, Harvard University, Smith College, UMass Amherst, and Yale University.

The NECC Marketing and Alumni teams collaborate to produce two issues of alumnecc each year, one in the spring and one in the fall. The most recent edition, centered around the theme of the rise of artificial intelligence, was just published and mailed to more than 40,000 NECC alumni and friends. It can be found here, along with other archived editions.

UMass Announces Scholarships for Top 10 Percent of Community College Graduates

Top Stories at Northern Essex in 2023

Happy holidays from NECC!

Boston Globe Editorial Featuring President Glenn: Help more students complete financial aid forms

Joint Admissions Agreement with Regis College Provides New Degree Pathways for NECC Students

Eusebio Marote is the First “Coach of the Year” Winner from a Community College

Lawrence Promise Reaches Funding Milestone

Professors Save Students Thousands of Dollars by Developing Free Course Materials

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Historic Financial Aid Expansion for Massachusetts Public College and University Students

NECC Alumni Magazine Wins CASE Award

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