2023 - Page 10 of 12

NECC Student Stars in New Movie “Champions”

March 15, 2023/in Featured, Students/by mbouse

James Day Keith might be a familiar face if you’ve spent much time on the Haverhill Campus of Northern Essex Community College. In addition to taking classes, he works in the cafe in the Spurk Building. Now, Keith is getting recognized for a new reason: he has a role in the new sports comedy “Champions,” starring Woody Harrelson and directed by Bobby Farrelly.

James poses in front of backdrop with the movie title "Champions" written on it

James Day Keith poses at the premiere of “Champions.”

The movie follows Harrelson’s character, Marcus Marokovich, an assistant basketball who lets his temper get the best of him during a game and shoves the head coach. After leaving the stadium, he gets drunk at a local bar, and while driving home, he hits a police car, ending up in jail. The judge gives Marokovich a choice: 18 months in prison or 90 days of community service with a local community center’s intellectually challenged basketball team, The Friends. Marokovich chooses The Friends.

Keith plays a member of The Friends, Benny. He told the Eagle Tribune that he heard about the role through his mother, Kathleen. She organizes the North Andover Special Olympics basketball team, on which Keith has played since he was young. The national Special Olympics organization sent the casting call, and Keith decided, “why not!?” His mother filmed his audition and sent it in. The rest, as they say, is history.

View James Day Keith’s interview with WCVB here.

“Champions” is in theaters now.

Stratton named NJCAA East District Coach of the Year

March 15, 2023/in Faculty and Staff/by mbouse

By Dan Blair, NECC Director of Athletics

Utica, NY (March 14, 2023) – Northern Essex Community College head men’s basketball Darren Stratton was named the NJCAA East District Coach of the Year on Tuesday evening at the National Championships award in advance of the tournament beginning on Wednesday.

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

Darren Stratton is the NJCAA East District Coach of the Year

Stratton, who has led the Knights to a 31-1 record and a first-round tournament bye, will take the court on Thursday afternoon at 4:00 pm in the national quarterfinal against the winner of Wednesday’s first-round matchup between 5th-seeded Northampton and 12th-seeded Dutchess.

The Knights’ lone loss of the season came back on November 12th to Suffolk County Community College and since have reeled off 27 straight wins and led the nation in all rebounding categories.

In his 20th season over two stints with the program, Stratton sits with a career record of 288-202 and led NECC to its first-ever national championship tournament berth as the Knights rolled through the Region 21/East District Tournament defeating Roxbury Community College by a 91-76 final on March 5th to secure their trip to the national tournament.

Watch tournament action live here and learn more about Stratton and the Knights by visiting neccknights.com.

NECC Police Academy Doubles State Average for Female Student Officers

March 13, 2023/in Programs, Community, Headlines/by mbouse

Each student officer who completes training at the Northern Essex Police Academy has plenty of reasons to be proud. They survived cadence runs in all kinds of weather, endured pepper spray, memorized codes, and passed dozens of tests in their six months together- to name a few. But the student officers of ROC-03 who graduated on March 10 have another unique point of pride. More than a third of their class was comprised of women. At 34%, that is double the state average of women in police academies.

Student officers of ROC-03 share their experiences.

“There’s 11 of us, and that’s a huge number, but it’s not even half the class. So, we walked in and wanted to prove ourselves right off the bat. And we did that,” said Rachael Mini.

“Everyone is held to the same standard, regardless of your abilities or gender,” echoed Olivia Durgin. “We’re all held to the same standard coming in, and all of the instructors do a great job of upholding that standard.”

The women said they could tell how everyone in the academy benefited from having a diverse group with different perspectives. “Going through different scenarios, the guys are seeing how we might handle things and thinking, ‘let me try that.’ And we do the same. So, we feel like we’re helping drive the way policing is going,” said Corrine Woods.

The student officers are first hired by local municipalities, who then send them to the academy. Now that they’ve graduated, they’ll return to those departments and start putting their training into practice.

Officers Rhiannon Ormsby and Rachael Mini prepare for a test scenario

“I came in not knowing what to expect,” remembers Giana Berkowitz. And I could see, coming in here with these male student officers, they already respected us. And we tell them like it is. I can already tell from my experience here that it will go well at the department.”

“We were never looked at differently. We were jumping all the same fences the guys were,” said Brigitte Hamel.

“We’re excited, but it’s also a bit sad,” reflected Rhiannon Ormsby. “There are more women here than in the department I’m going to. So, I’ll miss this. We’re like a family.”

To learn more about the NECC Police Academy, contact Director Josh Stokel.

NECC Creates New Center for MassReconnect Students

March 9, 2023/in Students/by mbouse

Lawrence and Haverhill, MA (March 9, 2023)– More than 1.8 million adults in Massachusetts could be eligible for free community college under Governor Healey’s MassReconnect Program. The Governor, surrounded by the Workforce Skills Cabinet and community college presidents, officially unveiled her $20 million plan last Wednesday on what Northern Essex President Lane Glenn called “A momentous day for higher education in Massachusetts.”

MassReconnect will support state residents who are 25 years old and older and have not yet earned a college degree or industry credential. It would offer students last-dollar financial support to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies.

The plan is included in the governor’s $55.5 billion state budget proposal. While final budget approval isn’t expected until the summer, While final budget approval isn’t expected until the summer, and will need the support of both the House of Representatives and Senate, Northern Essex is poised to accept MassReconnect students by developing the Center for Adult Academic Pathways, or CAAP. The Center will have office space on both the Haverhill and Lawrence Campuses. The center will guide adult learners to assess their goals and determine the proper pathways to achieve them while also helping learners navigate the college process using wraparound support services.

The CAAP will help MassReconnect students connect with advisors and services.

“Our college is a leader in innovative practices that honor the prior experiences of our learners and the care and concern of our faculty,” said Dr. Paul Beaudin, Provost. “Our new centers will be built upon a foundation that listens to the voices of our ‘more adult’ learners and reconnects them with their dreams for the future.”

The CAAP will additionally offer testing and technical support and serve as a hub for students to connect with others returning to school after a hiatus.

Provost Beaudin says these students will also benefit from an increase in 7-week courses offered in various formats, giving students more flexibility in how and when they complete their degrees. These plans will be enfleshed with the input and expertise of our faculty and student affairs staff.

“The MassReconnect program is just what hundreds of thousands of adults in Massachusetts who started college and have not yet been able to complete their degrees need to help them cross that finish line, and it’s just what the state’s employers need to help them fill in-demand jobs in our workforce,” said President Glenn. “NECC looks forward to welcoming these students back to campus.”

Those interested in MassReconnect can fill out this interest form to start connecting with advisors today. Learn more about the program, CAAP, and current resources for adult learners by visiting necc.edu/MassReconnect.

The governor’s budget funding includes several other investments in education and workforce development programs, such as Early College and Innovation Pathways, the Community College SUCCESS fund, the Healthcare Worker Training and AFL-CIO Workforce Development programs, Career Technical Institutes and Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

“Workforce shortages have impacted nearly all sectors of our economy, but we have an incredible opportunity before us to train the next generation of workers and increase opportunities for all,” said Governor Healey in a press release. “The MassReconnect program, as well as the other investments in education and workforce development that we call for in our budget, will be transformative for hundreds of thousands of our residents. More students than ever before will be able to advance or complete their educations and set themselves up for a successful career in in-demand industries like health care, engineering, advanced manufacturing, and tech.”

Northern Essex and UMass Lowell Sign Innovative Joint Admissions Agreement

March 1, 2023/in Community, Headlines/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (February 27, 2023)– A new joint admissions agreement between Northern Essex Community College and UMass Lowell will enhance the transfer process between the two institutions. Upon acceptance to NECC, students who opted into joint admissions on their application will also be conditionally accepted to UML.

“By making this process of applying to college and earning an associates degree and a bachelor’s degree affordable, we’re opening the doors wider for the communities we serve,” remarked NECC President Lane Glenn. “We’re better preparing a workforce for the Commonwealth. And it’s a workforce that the Commonwealth desperately needs.”

NECC President Lane Glenn and UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen

Upon completion of their associate degree, joint admissions students will have priority registration at UML, they will get priority for Merit Scholarships, and they will be exempt from UMass’s Core Curriculum. UML will also waive the application fee.

UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen and Provost Joe Hartman joined President Lane Glenn and Northern Essex Provost Paul Beaudin on the NECC campus to formally sign the agreement on Monday, February 27. “The world is changing. And we’re recognizing that the pathways to education are also changing,” said Chen. “We know that Northern Essex is a key piece of this ecosystem and a partner for us because NECC provides that critical, early support.”

“Nearly half the adults in Massachusetts have a bachelor’s degree. Geography is destiny: 28% of adults in Haverhill have a bachelor’s degree, and 14% of adults in Lawrence 25 years or older have a bachelor’s degree or higher. So, efforts like this are a cause for social justice, they’re a cause for addressing the workforce’s needs, and they’re a cause for changing many lives of families in the future,” stated Glenn.

UML Provost Joe Hartman said approximately 900 students have transferred from NECC to UML in the last six years. “They’ve retained at a higher rate than our average students, so we know they come in well-prepared and ready to succeed, work hard, and move forward. We’re excited to see more NECC students.” UML has secured funding for programs designed to support transfer students, and as part of the joint admissions agreement, a UML admissions counselor will be assigned specifically to NECC students.

The joint admissions agreement is effective immediately. NECC graduates will be admitted to UML with a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0. Although NECC students covered by this agreement will be admitted to the university, some programs may have additional requirements for incoming transfer students, which must be met before admission to that program. This agreement does not apply to students wishing to transfer into the UML Nursing Program.

“Sometimes, I think that we forget that the war on poverty is truly won by educators,” said Provost Beaudin in his closing remarks Monday. “Thank you, UMass Lowell, for helping us map change in our corner of the Commonwealth.”

For more information on transfer agreements, contact NECC’s Director of Transfer, Articulation, and Academic Center Advising Michelle Sunday.

Natural Imagery Collides with the Fantastical in New ArtSpace Show

February 27, 2023/in Events/by mbouse

By Michelle Carter

Haverhill, MA (February 27, 2023) – Northern Essex Community College is honored to present Denature, an exhibition of artworks by Carla Fisher Schwartz, Yuko Oda, Michelle Samour, and Nadya Volicer, curated by Associate Professor Michelle Carter. The exhibition will run through March 15, 2023, in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace on the Haverhill Campus.

All are welcome to a reception on Wednesday, March 8, from 3:00 pm-5:00 p.m., and the artists will give a talk on March 1, 7 pm-8 pm via Zoom. These events are free and open to the public.

Artwork by Michelle Samour

Natural imagery collides with the fantastical and technological in Denature. In drawings, reliefs, and installations, carefully observed natural forms become unfamiliar as they deteriorate, transform, and explode – or even reveal themselves to be fakes. Meditations on beauty merge with complex feelings about the future, like apprehension about irrevocable environmental loss or excitement about potential adaptations and new forms. All four artists work in both two dimensions and three dimensions, and precise, intricate, hands-on processes are central to their methods. Techniques include papermaking, pen and ink drawing, digital printing, 3D printing, and animation.

Artwork by Nadya Volicer

Nadya Volicer’s Oak and Magnolia series are like eulogies for trees. Created from handmade paper that incorporates charcoal, ink, and petals, the reliefs’ somber tones invoke petrified stumps, stains, and voids. Her paper pulp sculpture Now What more overtly references humans’ presence in the natural world: upon close examination, a brown tree stump topped with white fungus reveals that it is composed of countless tiny human forms.

First impressions also prove somewhat deceptive in the work of Michelle Samour and Carla Fisher Schwartz. Stylistically, Samour’s Adaptation series, drawn in brown ink with a quill pen, references early scientific illustration. But the images take a turn for the surreal as wires sprout from mushrooms and birds’ feet. Based on observations of the exterior and interior structures of plants in the Haute Savoie region, the drawings are visual interpretations of how plants and birds are being forced to adapt or die due to climate change.

Artwork by Carla Fisher Schwartz

In Undeliverables, Carla Fisher Schwartz displays rock-like sculptures in a grid of white shelves, as one might view specimens in a museum. However, her reference is to something absent: lost landmasses. Furthering the themes of artificiality and fakery, the images that wrap around the polygonal forms are taken from open-source textures depicting natural surfaces such as rock and ice, intended for use in building simulated environments in “sandbox” video games, such as Minecraft.

Yuko Oda’s digital sculpture installation Əvolution also explores the replication of natural forms by synthetic materials. Following an imagined narrative, dew drops made from clear resin lift off the surface of leaves, molting into amorphous forms that transition incrementally into realistic leaf structures. Transformation is explosive in Oda’s Winged Detonations drawings, in which acute pressures on the environment tear apart hummingbirds and send iridescent wings flying.

Artwork by Yuko Oda

Explosions notwithstanding, softness and stillness permeate much of the work in Denature. The current culture can feel saturated with apocalyptic narratives about environmental catastrophes and out-of-control technological growth. In contrast, these four artists respond with quiet moments of contemplation. Rock specimens present themselves in orderly rows, trees are memorialized in subtle circles, tiny strokes of ink coalesce into delicate hybrid creatures, and mysterious leaf-like forms rise in a graceful arc. As disorienting as change may be, there is something reassuring about how each artist imposes order in her world.

The Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace is located within the NECC Haverhill Campus library and is accessible to all. Gallery events are free and open to the public.

Gallery Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8 AM – 8 PM
Friday: 8 AM – 4 PM
Saturday and Sunday: closed
Adjusted hours for spring break March 13-15: 8 AM – 4 PM

For more information on this exhibition, contact Michelle Carter.

Student Trustee Shares Her Story in Washington, D.C.

February 17, 2023/in Students, Stories/by mbouse

Northern Essex Community College student Sarah Pachano of Lawrence knows what it’s like to overcome the odds. She moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 2016 at 18 and taught herself English in just six months. But still, when it came time to consider college the following year, she felt she was back at square one. “As an immigrant, this is a completely different system than we have set up in the Dominican Republic, and there is a need to have people at [the college] who can support you.”

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

As NECC’s Student Trustee, Pachano recently shared her story and why it’s so important to have funding for vital support programs with Representatives Lori Trahan and Seth Moulton and Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren. Pachano, NECC President Lane Glenn, CFO Mike McCarthy, and Trustee Marianne Paley Nadel traveled to Washington, D.C., for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Legislative Summit. The summit allows representatives from the nation’s community colleges to connect with each other and their U.S. representatives in Congress and to learn about federal policy issues impacting postsecondary institutions and students.

“I realized the conversations that were going to happen. I feel like those are very important to have and important to have a student there representing the community colleges,” Pachano recalls from when she first learned about the summit. “I feel like no one can understand how these policies can impact a student unless they hear it from the student’s perspective.”

The AACC has identified 2023 Community College Federal legislative priorities. Among them are bolstering the role of community colleges in workforce development, funding key education and workforce programs, supporting Dreamers, and reforming student aid. Several high-profile administration officials spoke on these topics, including US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

Pachano, a philosophy major, says the experience at the summit has made her think about her future and how she can continue to advocate for people who often don’t have a voice. “The people shaping the world need to see people of color as equal, and there needs to be more people of color in those positions. Something I heard at the conference: if you’re not sitting at the table, you’re part of the menu. For a long time, we haven’t been sitting at the table. We need to force ourselves there. As an immigrant, I understand coming to a place and having an uphill battle. We should all have a chance. That is the American Dream.”

Learn more about the AACC Summit here. And follow President Lane Glenn’s Running the Campus blog for more in-depth looks at policy issues, priorities, and advocacy.

Free GED And HiSET Testing Available at NECC

February 14, 2023/in Community, Students/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (February 13, 2023)– The General Educational Development (GED) and High School Equivalency (HiSET) tests are now both free to Massachusetts residents, thanks to funding from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Both tests are available through the Northern Essex Academic Placement and Testing Center.

“Covering the costs eliminates a barrier for test candidates unable to attain their high school credentials through traditional means,” said NECC Academic Placement and Testing Coordinator Donna Felisberto. The fees for high school equivalency exams cost as much as $143 per test, depending on the setting and test mode. Almost 9,000 Massachusetts adult learners took high school equivalency tests in 2021.

sign for northern essex community college at entrance to the Haverhill campus

The Academic Placement & Testing Center offers in-person services on the NECC Haverhill Campus and the Lawrence Campus.

“By removing testing fees, we are making an investment in Massachusetts residents and their futures,” said Governor Maura Healey in a DESE press release. “No one should be held back from earning their equivalency credential due to costs. This investment will encourage more Massachusetts adult learners to continue their education, earn their credential, and begin higher education or enter the workforce.”

“A high school equivalency credential can be the ticket to economic mobility,” remarked Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “By eliminating the fee burden for students earning their high school credentials, we are making sure cost is no longer a barrier to a brighter future. I hope more Massachusetts students are encouraged to apply for and earn their credentials through this opportunity.”

Funding for this initiative will come from the adult education line item in the budget, which is expected to fund the cost of equivalency tests permanently. The Department estimates it will cost the state approximately $800,000 in the first year.

Felisberto points out many benefits to obtaining high school equivalency credentials, including job advancement, the ability to enter college with high school credentials, and, in some cases, exemption from other college placement exams.

NECC offers an array of services through the Academic Placement and Testing Center. “As a National College Testing Association (NCTA) certified testing center, we offer a variety of testing services,” Felisberto said. “Whether you are looking to earn college credit by completing an exam on a certain subject, take a test for licensure and certifications, take the GED or HiSET to earn your high school equivalency credential, or take the ATI TEAS test for our health profession programs, we can help.” You can find more information about testing at NECC on the webpage or via email dfelisberto@necc.mass.edu. Vouchers for the free GED and HiSET tests can be found under the “Registration” section of the page.

Men’s Basketball Team Collection Drive for Earthquake Victims a Huge Success

February 13, 2023/in Spotlight, Students/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (February 27, 2023) – The recent earthquake that has affected thousands of citizens of Turkey and Syria has hit home within the Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball team, as three members of the Knights call Turkey their home. Those members are sophomores Metin Yavuz and Mehmet Asik and freshman AtaSavas Kurtulus.

When coach Darren Stratton heard about the devastation, he and NECC Director of Athletics Dan Blair started to look for ways to help the earthquake victims. They soon learned that Free Range Market in Medford was collecting clothing and goods to help the affected countries’ citizens. The Knights partnered with the market and hosted a week-long collection drive on the Haverhill Campus.

five men pose in front of market with bags of donated items

Team delivers donations to Free Range Market

“This has hit home for the entire program, not just the three from Turkey. We want to do our small part to help those back in Turkey and Syria,” commented Stratton.

News of the team’s efforts quickly spread, thanks to coverage in local and statewide media, including Channel 7/WHDH TV and CBS News Boston. And the community rallied, donating hundreds of pounds of clothing, tents, blankets, sleeping bags, thermos bottles, flashlights, and power banks, as well as hygiene products for both men and women, baby formula, and diapers.

After the Knights won their final regular season game, Yavuz, Asik, and Kurtulus, along with Coach Stratton and his son Darren, loaded up a box truck and brought the items from the collection drive to the market.

“All of our team stepped up, and everyone around the area, coaches, and staff members,” said Kurtulus.

“[The earthquake] happened to us; it happened to our country,” Atasavas Kurtulus told WHDH. “But everyone’s acting as it happened to their country too, so that’s a huge thing for us.”

The Knights ended the regular season with a 28-1 record and are currently ranked #3 in the nation in the NJCAA weekly poll. They won their first-round game of the Region 21/East District Tournament and will play in the semi-finals on Saturday, March 4, at 4 pm vs. MassBay at Holyoke Community College.

For additional information on NECC Knights Basketball, contact NECC Director of Athletics Dan Blair dblair@necc.mass.edu or Stratton dbstratton9@aol.com.

NECC Faculty and Staff Nationally Recognized

February 9, 2023/in Faculty and Staff, Headlines, Press Releases/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (February 9, 2023)–Two members of the Northern Essex Community College faculty and staff were recently named recipients of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Awards for Excellence. This national honor recognizes outstanding faculty and staff at the country’s community colleges. Of five NECC nominees, two awardees were selected.

five people pose in front of wall, two hold paper awards

NECC Provost Paul Beaudin, Assistant Dean of Library Services Mike Hearn, NISOD winner Laura Mondt, Interim Dean of Health Services Kathy Welch-Hudson, NISOD winner Susan Fichera

Laura Mondt started at Northern Essex in 2015 as a research librarian. By 2019, she was the coordinator of library services in Haverhill. Assistant Dean of Library Services Mike Hearn says he nominated Mondt for her dedication to students, faculty, and promoting literacy. “She’s a team leader in the library and a strong advocate for student success,” said Hearn. “Working closely with faculty, she raises the level of student engagement with information resources.” Mondt has also been integral in developing the library’s digital archives and making the content publicly available and searchable. You can peruse the archives here.

Susan Fichera, was nominated for her NISOD award by Interim Dean of Health Services Kathy Welch-Hudson. She says one of the things that makes Fichera stand out as a nursing professor is her empathy for her students. “Susan has gone down the path that many of our students have gone down: starting as an LPN, getting her nursing degree and her master’s degree, and finally becoming a certified family nurse practitioner,” she says. “If Susan has taught you, you are now part of her nursing family. She stays in contact with you. You go around to nursing homes and hospitals, and you’ll meet ‘Susan grads’.” Fichera was a key part of the team that helped the NECC LPN program become ranked the best in the state by PracticalNursing.org in the ‘17/18 school year. Welch-Hudson also noted how Fichera incorporates assessment and outcomes in her coursework and her dedication to continuing education.

Since 1978, NISOD has been dedicated to the professional development of faculty, administrators, and staff, and to the continued improvement of teaching and learning, with the ultimate goal of student success. NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize college employees each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to students and colleagues. Excellence Award recipients are recognized during NISOD’s annual international conference, which will be held in Austin, Texas, May 27-30.