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Life has Come Full Circle for the 2023 Student Commencement Speaker  

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Ember Spera of Billerica has been selected as the student speaker for Northern Essex Community College’s 61st Annual Commencement. The ceremony will occur on Saturday, May 13, at 11 am on the college’s Haverhill Campus.

Spera, whose pronouns are they/them and who is receiving their certificate in American Sign Language interpreting, is already familiar with commencement at NECC. After graduating from Innovations Academy Charter School in 2014, they spent a semester at Emmanuel College before realizing it wasn’t the right fit. Spera then enrolled at Northern Essex in January 2015.

Their parents both attended NECC, and their father earned his associate degree in computer science in 1999. Spera’s parents are Deaf, and initially, Spera was interested in studying interpreting. After all, American Sign Language was Spera’s first language, and they had been interpreting for their parents all their life. “The professors described what it takes to be an interpreter, and I thought, ‘I’ve already done this. I want to try something else.'”

Spera was drawn to the flexibility of a Liberal Arts degree. Now the Dean of Liberal Arts, Amy Callahan, was one of Spera’s professors and encouraged them to pursue a journalism degree as well. “We met up after class one day and looked at all of my prerequisites,” remembers Spera. “We realized I would only need another two semesters, and I would graduate with two degrees.” In the meantime, Spera started volunteering on campus. They were the Opinions Editor of the student newspaper, The Observer, and were instrumental in launching the first mobile food market. They even met the person who eventually became their spouse, fellow student Travis (Barrett) Spera.

Ember Spera signed the National Anthem for the Red Sox Opening Day in front of 50,000 fans.

Spera graduated in 2016 with an associate degree in liberal arts and earned an associate degree in communication/journalism in the summer of 2017. Spera transferred to UMass Amherst and was admitted to the highly selective Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC) program, which allowed them to build their major. Spera first focused on sustainable communication and media but reevaluated after tragedy struck. Their sister passed away just before their senior year. “After that big loss, I reevaluated my life and switched all my classes to focus more on agriculture journalism. I really found healing through my relationship with plants.”

Less than a year after Spera graduated with their Bachelor of Arts in journalism, another major event changed their trajectory: the Covid-19 pandemic. “Travis and I had both been working in the food service industry in Amherst, and we were left without jobs. Travis had picked up sign language quickly, and the idea of going to school for interpreting was ruminating with them. I said, ‘I think I’m going to join you.’ It was always something I thought I could go back to.”

Both Ember and Travis returned to the familiar surroundings of Northern Essex to pursue this renewed ambition. Each will graduate with their certificate in American Sign Language studies: sign language interpreting on May 13. Ember has a 3.59 GPA and, through internships, has already experienced interpreting for large audiences, such as during the National Anthem on the Red Sox 2023 Opening Day and for several Boston University events. They plan to freelance following graduation to get more experience in various fields.

While graduating from Northern Essex again is cause for celebration, Spera says being chosen as commencement speaker presents another opportunity for a full circle moment. In 2014, they were selected to speak at their high school graduation, but the interpreter for the event didn’t show up, and their parents couldn’t experience the speech. “I had this moment of heartbreak- I’m giving a speech, and the people that I want to hear it the most are my parents, and I didn’t get that. So I signed the speech later at home, but it wasn’t the same. So this really does feel like a second chance. And I know that we will have plenty of interpreters on hand.”

Spera was nominated for student speaker by Kevin Fleese, the program coordinator for the ASL certificate program. Nominations were solicited from the college community and submitted to a committee of faculty and staff who selected Spera as their top choice.

To learn more about Commencement at Northern Essex, visit the website at necc.edu/commencement 

Students Inducted into Alpha Beta Gamma National Business Honor Society

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Northern Essex Community College business students were recognized for academic excellence and leadership at the 36th annual induction and awards ceremony of the Beta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Beta Gamma. This is a historic accomplishment for the Northern Essex members, as there are not many other organizations that have met this milestone. Throughout the years, the chapter has won over 114 National Awards, which include 90 student essay awards and 24 chapter awards. Alpha Beta Gamma was established by business professors in 1970 to recognize and encourage scholarship among business and professional students enrolled at two-year degree-granting institutions.

Sixty-four initiates were inducted into Alpha Beta Gamma at the Annual Beta Omicron Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. The Beta Omicron Chapter was the recipient of seven awards at the National Meeting of Alpha Beta Gamma:

Madalyn Sang (Andover) was the first recipient of the Eva Bobrow Medallion Award given to her for many years of dedication to the chapter.

Jeurys Santiago (Lawrence) was the second recipient of the Don Christesen Memorial Essay.  The 750-word essay is entitled “Work for Yourself—Don’t Have a Boss.”

Iseline Mendoza (Lawrence) was the third recipient of the Paul Cunningham Essay.  The 500-750-word essay is entitled “Positive Contributions to our World and How They Can be Used to Improve Significant Contributions to Mankind.”

Shanna Guy (Newburyport) was the fourth recipient of the Ester Cross-Carter Essay Award.  The 500-word essay is entitled “Helping Others.”

Shanna Guy (Newburyport) was the fifth recipient of The Hausman Siegel -Student Chapter President Award.

Shanna Guy (Newburyport) was the sixth recipient of the Dr. Mary Bone Competitive Essay entitled “What Alpha Beta Gamma Means to Me.”

Beta Omicron Chapter was the seventh recipient of the Brooks College Golden Key. This chapter award is given to Beta Omicron as the outstanding chapter of Alpha Beta Gamma National Business Honor Society for two-year colleges. It is for excellence in community service, campus service, recruitment, and financial management.  This is the eleventh year that Beta Omicron has been a recipient of this prestigious award.

Read more about the inductees here.

College Leaders, Community Partners Visit the Dominican Republic

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Six members of the Northern Essex leadership team, along with several community partners, recently spent a week in the Dominican Republic. With forty percent of Northern Essex students having ties to the Dominican Republic, the cultural immersion trip was a chance to learn more about their experiences.

“We want to be able to understand the culture our students come from to better serve them and to help them be successful,” says NECC President Lane Glenn.

group of people outside of college. colorful flags flank the building

Northern Essex leaders and community partners visit the East Central University in San Pedro de Macoris.

The trip was organized by Vice President of the Lawrence Campus and Community Relations, Noemi Custodia-Lora. It included stops at colleges, high schools and healthcare settings, and meetings with elected officials and higher education leaders. A brave contingent even summited Pico Duarte, the tallest mountain in the Caribbean, at over 10,000 feet.

“There is a real opportunity with this exchange to serve our students and their families. And now we’re coming back and figuring out how to implement things we saw and heard and learned,” reflects Chief Officer of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Francellis Quiñones.

She says they’re already exploring an exchange program for faculty and students at the Santo Domingo Institute of Technology and East Central University. “The first step is for us as schools to be able to share our maps. This is the path; these are the credits. And then align and see what classes could fill those requirements. They were willing and able to offer online courses in topics we don’t have like Dominican history or Caribbean culture.”

leaders pose on top of mountain holding NECC pennant

NECC President Lane Glenn, VP of Institutional Advancement Allison Dolan-Wilson, Chief Officer of JEDI Francellis Quiñones, and VP of the Lawrence Campus and Community Relations Noemi Custodia-Lora atop Pico Duarte.

Quiñones says they hope to make these cultural immersion trips a regular occurrence, offering one in the fall geared toward faculty and staff and one in the spring that would include community partners. On this recent trip, the NECC contingent was joined by representatives from Lawrence General Hospital, Haverhill Public Schools, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, AgeSpan, and the Lawrence Partnership. “All of them said that they were able to understand the culture better, to figure out ways to bring it back home and make a difference. All shared that they wanted to use this experience to better serve and engage with their staff and clientele,” says Quiñones.

Quiñones says this trip will also help inform the work she is doing to transform the Center for Equity and Social Justice (CESJ) into a hub to connect students with resources in the community. “There is infinite potential to solidify the identity of Northern Essex Community College as a community support and encourage people to take classes because they’re going to be taken care of. Out of the CESJ and those partnerships will come internships, job, and work study opportunities. There were a lot of those ideas that came just from small talk on the trip. Imagine what we can do with real intentionality. The work is ours.”

You can learn more about the Center for Equity and Social Justice and JEDI principles at Northern Essex by visiting this webpage. 

Coach Named Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services for Transportation and Athletics

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By Dan Blair, Director of Athletics

Haverhill, MA (April 20, 2023) – Northern Essex Community College Director of Athletics Dan Blair has announced the hiring of Darren Stratton to the newly created position of Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services for Transportation and Athletics. He will begin his duties on April 24th.

coach kneels in front of seated players, talking to them about plays

Darren Stratton was recently named NJCAA East District Coach of the Year

In his role, Stratton will manage all aspects of the college’s new campus transportation program between the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses while taking on additional responsibilities within the Athletic program. Stratton will serve as the liaison for athletics to the college’s academic coaching program and the alumni office to enhance outreach to student-athlete alumni.

“I’m thrilled to be able to have Coach Stratton join the college in a full-time capacity, he’s given more than half his lifetime to NECC as a student and part-time coaching staff member. He’s made a positive impact on hundreds of student-athletes at the college over the years and I look forward to his impact being felt across campus. His connections in the Merrimack Valley run deep and will only work to benefit the entire college community,” commented Blair.

In this multi-faceted position Stratton will additionally assist the athletic department with its community outreach within the colleges service area.

Prior to joining the college full-time Stratton has served 20 years at the Knights head men’s basketball coach, a role he will continue in while also assisting in the build-up of the women’s basketball program.

“Northern Essex is my home. What I see in today’s students I saw in myself 25 years ago. Our students today are challenged on many fronts in and out of school. I look forward to making a difference by providing support to our students throughout campus to succeed in the classroom and in life,” said Stratton.

Outside of NECC, Stratton has had a successful career in both the construction field and retail business operations.

 

 

Inter-Campus Shuttle Service to Return

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Haverhill and Lawrence, MA (April 19, 2023) ­– Traveling between Northern Essex Community College’s campuses is getting easier. Shuttle service will resume starting for the fall 2023 semester. Students will be picked up at the bus stop on the Haverhill Campus near the Elliot Street entrance and in front of the El Hefni building in Lawrence. The shuttle will start running at 7 am Monday through Thursday, with the last shuttle departing at 3:45 pm. The schedule could be expanded depending on ridership and demand.

The shuttle will leave the Haverhill Campus every hour.

“This service will provide students with reliable and safe transportation and it will cut down travel time” says Sarah Pachano, NECC’s student trustee. “The shuttle will also help the sense of community and belonging on both campuses.”

Restoring the service was a top priority for Pachano as a trustee and member of the Student Government Association. After polling students and collecting data, she worked with the college to develop a sustainable solution to ease transportation between campuses. “We have hired a coordinator of the service that will work to ensure service is provided, data is tracked, and work study/interns are trained to cover the length of service needed,” says Northern Essex CFO Mike McCarthy.

Northern Essex will own and operate the shuttle. Prior to the pandemic, shuttle service was provided between the campuses as part of a partnership between NECC and MVRTA. It was put on hold in March 2020 as classes moved online and brought back in the fall of 2021 as in-person class offerings increased. However, ridership never returned to pre-pandemic levels, with fewer than 10 students riding daily. The shuttle was discontinued in October of 2021.

The shuttle will depart from in front of the El Hefni Building in Lawrence every half hour.

To compensate, MVRTA agreed to let NECC students, faculty, and staff ride free on the existing bus schedule. The option is still available, though the new shuttle service will be significantly faster and more efficient.

“I’ve been working on this since August because I think this is a very important thing to have in our school and I’m so glad to have it,” says Pachano.

Learn more about transportation options by visiting the webpage.

Student Trustee is Named National Fellow

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Haverhill, MA (April 10, 2023)– Based on her role as a campus leader with a focus on equity and justice, current Student Trustee Sarah Pachano has been selected as a Newman Civic Fellow by the Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education.

Pachano is a philosophy major from Lawrence, who is also a member of the Student Government Association and a first-generation college student. She emigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic with her mother and grandmother when she was 18 and taught herself English in just six months. Pachano then enrolled at Northern Essex in 2016 and started working toward her engineering science degree. But when the pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, she says she took the time to reflect and realized she wanted to take a different path. She changed her major to philosophy and joined the Student Government Association in the spring of 2022 and was then elected as the student representative to the NECC Board of Trustees that fall.

“It has been my priority to help my fellow students feel comfortable and provide a safe space while on campus,” she says. “I have strived to tackle the issues of which students are most concerned, including campus transportation and making the school more LGBTQAI+ friendly. In addition, I’m confronting the unconscious bias of faculty and staff. I believe this is especially important for a minority-serving institution. My desire to represent not only my community but every student on campus has just begun. My life mission is to try to improve the lives of the people that surround me.”

sarah stands with lori trahan in office with framed photos on the wall and american flag in the background

NECC Student Trustee Sarah Pachano with U.S. Congresswoman Lori Trahan

Pachano recently advocated for students and student support services in Washington, D.C. She met with Massachusetts Congressional representatives and their staff during the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Legislative Summit. She shared her story as an example of what can be achieved when students like her are supported through various programs and funding.

In nominating Pachano for the fellowship, NECC President Lane Glenn wrote:
“Sarah is an empathetic, passionate, and equity-focused student leader at Northern Essex Community College. Sarah’s journey has not been an easy one. The experiences of her life inform her social activism and determination to make a positive change in the world…Sarah Pachano exemplifies what it means to be living purposefully. She is a persistent and enthusiastic advocate for her fellow students.”

The Newman Civic Fellowship recognizes and supports community-committed students who are change-makers and public problem-solvers at Campus Compact member institutions. Fellows are nominated by their president or chancellor based on their potential for public leadership. Through the year-long fellowship, Campus Compact provides students with training and resources that nurture their assets and passions and help them develop strategies for social change. The yearlong program, named for Campus Compact founder Frank Newman, includes virtual learning opportunities and networking as part of a national network of engaged student leaders and an optional in-person convening.

The 2023 group of Newman Fellows includes 154 students from 38 states and Mexico.

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.

 

 

 

 

Employees Recognized for Years of Service

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Haverhill, MA (April 5, 2023)– More than 50 Northern Essex employees and retirees were honored for their years of service at the recent Employee Service Recognition Luncheon. Employees received each received a gift bag, while retirees received a clock engraved with the number of years of their service and their names.

5 Years

Donald Bellerive, Daniel Blair, Karina Calderon, Gwendolyn Cleghorn, Carmen Garcia, Mariah Germosen, Todd Higgins, Lawrence Hinkle, Douglas Leaffer, Rosina Medina,  Bracilia Munoz, Maria Payano,  Maria Pichardo,  Jessica Rocker, Marilda Rodriguez, Linda Rohrer,  Michelle Sunday

10 Years

Amy Cameron,  Allison Gagne,  Pamela Labella, Susan Leonardi, Andrea McPherson-Mesa, Michael Penta, Kelly Sanborn, Dawn Wheaton

15 Years

Paul Cavan, Victor De Jesus, Lisette Espinoza, Margaret Glenn, Michelle Jackson,  Patricia Schade, Cheryl Tine, Philip Wysocki

20 Years

Christopher Amaru

25 Years

Melba Acevedo, Ann Coughlin,  Gladys Gomez, Elizabeth Mercado, Paula Pancorbo, Dena Riccio-Enis, Lori Smerdon, Pablo Veloz, Heather Wilson

30 Years

Mark Cloutier, Cathy Lavery

35 Years

Elizabeth Lewis

50 years

Louise Bevilacqua

Retirees

Sherri Acevedo, Donna Ashbrook, Linda Fagan, Ernestine Greenslade, David McAskill, Sharon McManus, Mark Palermo, Patricia Pierce, Ethel Schuster, Laura Sorota, Ronald Taber, Patricia Willett

Giving Thanks for Giving Day Donors and Volunteers!  

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Haverhill and Lawrence, MA (April 10, 2023) – Organizers of Northern Essex Community College’s second annual Giving Day are sharing a heartfelt “thank you” to all who participated in the April 6 event. In all, 134 individual donors contributed $12,108 to the NECC Fund during the day-long fundraiser and community pride event. Additionally, dozens of students, faculty, and staff gave their time to the effort, volunteering on both campuses and virtually.

Gifts to the NECC Fund are unrestricted, meaning they can be spent immediately and benefit a range of resources and programs that are crucial to the success of students, faculty, and staff. Historically, the NECC Fund has offered substantial support to some of the following areas: student scholarship, innovation, academic programming, career programming, and classroom resources.

Giving Day is an annual event held on or around April 7. More than 60 years ago, April 7th was the date students could first register for classes at the newly formed Northern Essex Community College. You can learn more by visiting the Giving Day webpage. You can donate to the NECC Fund anytime by using this link, calling 978-556-3806 or emailing giving@necc.mass.edu for other arrangements.

Student Saving Endangered Penguins Halfway Around the World

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Haverhill, MA (April 10, 2023)– Northern Essex Community College biology student Heather DiLuzio has always had a passion for animals. Growing up in Littleton, MA, her family had dozens of pets and even rehabilitated several wild animals. Now, that passion is taking DiLuzio to South Africa. She will be interning with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) for six months, starting at the end of April.

Heather stands on one leg in front of waterfall

Heather DiLuzio will be helping to hatch African penguin chicks.

“I believe that every species is important, and it’s my calling to be the voice for the voiceless,” says DiLuzio.

DiLuzio credits her Northern Essex biology professor Diann Cahaly with helping her discover how to use her voice “She has really sparked an interest in my curiosity of conservation and evolution. We have spent quite a bit of time on the impact humans have on the environment.”

DiLuzio has a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University in business. She’s been working at a non-profit in North Andover for the past six years and recently became a licensed wildlife rehabber. She started to explore getting her master’s degree and thought she’d test the waters at NECC first. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in school – I ended up at NECC because they had quite a few classes I was interested in,” she remembers. “I felt it would be a good way to ascertain if I would like to pursue a master’s in marine or conservation biology. I had no idea how beneficial it would be to me!”

heather holds up baby turtle

Heather recently became a certified wildlife rehabber and is mentored through the Turtle Rescue League in Southborough, MA.

A chance encounter with a staffer from SANCCOB at a wildlife rehabber conference led her to this internship opportunity. DiLuzio will work in the Chick Rearing Unit, caring for African penguin hatchlings. The hatchlings require feeding every three hours and close monitoring of behavior and temperature. Her duties will also include a procedure called ‘candling’ the egg, which involves shining a bright light against the eggshell to determine the viability of the embryo and how far the embryo has developed. The process from egg hatching to release usually takes three to four months. SANCCOB has successfully released almost 8,000 African penguin chicks back into the wild.

While the internship will provide invaluable experience for DiLuzio, it is unpaid. So, she is currently raising funds to help cover some of her travel and housing costs and living expenses. Northern Essex is providing a $5,000 scholarship through the NECC Foundation, Inc. Incorporated in 1972, the Foundation assists NECC by making connections with the business community, foundations, and other potential revenue sources. It additionally hosts fundraisers and special events. Funds raised are used for student scholarships, equipment purchases, program revitalization efforts, faculty and staff development, and other needs as they arise.

heather scuba diving

Heather is also SCUBA certified.

“I have been blown away by the support I received from NECC –  I had no idea how much of an impact the school would have on my life when I started last fall. With their help (and my biology teacher Diann Cahaly specifically), they are supporting me as I pursue my dream of helping endangered animals. It’s a bold next step for me, but I feel extremely lucky to have the encouragement of friends, family, and NECC!”

Learn more about  DiLuzio’s internship and help her on her mission here.

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