2023 - Page 4 of 12

Northern Essex to Welcome New Vice President of Human Resources

September 26, 2023/in Faculty and Staff, Featured, Press Releases/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (September 26, 2023) – Following an extensive search, Vivian Cavazzi has been selected as the next Northern Essex Community College Vice President of Human Resources.

Vivian Cavazzi will be the next Northern Essex Community College Vice President of Human Resources.

As a Northern Essex Community College alumna, Cavazzi has an innate understanding of the mission and values so vital to the success of students, faculty, and staff.

“I feel humbled to be able to return to Northern Essex as the vice president of human resources and work alongside President Glenn, the faculty and staff to prepare our students for meaningful and fulfilling careers,” Cavazzi remarks.

After graduating with her Associate of Arts in Deafness Communication, Cavazzi earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, majoring in psychology and sociology. She has spent the last two decades in human resources roles, primarily in the aerospace and defense industry. For the last 12 years, she has been the senior director of human resources operations at BAE Systems Electronic Systems in Nashua, New Hampshire.

This work has given Cavazzi insight into the critical need for HR to be a strategic partner to organizational senior leadership. She has also developed an appreciation for the need to ensure that HR policies and processes align with the ever-evolving workforce of the future.

“Since the pandemic, the world of human resources has been redefined. Understanding how to create a culture that keeps employees feeling engaged and appreciated in the workplace has become equally important as knowing what salaries to pay and what benefits to offer,” she says.

Cavazzi is dedicated to employee engagement, management, coaching, developing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives, talent management, HR operations, analytics, and data management. She looks forward to building on initiatives that further a sense of belonging and inclusion at NECC.

“Formulating a company culture where employees feel safe to bring their whole selves to work, can manage their workload, feel supported by their management, have a personal connection to how the work they do contributes to the overall business mission and values of the organization is the guiding star for this transformation.”

Cavazzi will oversee college-wide human resources operations in this position, including leadership development, talent management and recruitment and hiring, payroll and benefits, employee records, employee engagement, contract negotiations and administration, policy development, and labor relations.

Cavazzi will succeed Patty Gauron in the HR leadership role as Gauron transitions to the newly created position of Executive Director of Employee Engagement and Chief People Officer. Cavazzi will formally begin her vice president of human resources role on October 10.

Extended Hours for Special MassReconnect Events

September 15, 2023/in Community, Events, Spotlight/by mbouse

Haverhill and Lawrence, MA (September 15, 2023) – Northern Essex Community College will host a series of special information sessions for prospective students interested in the MassReconnect program. The program officially launched just ahead of the fall 2023 semester. It allows Massachusetts residents age 25+ who have not already obtained a college degree to attend the state’s community colleges for free. This last-dollar support covers tuition and fees, including books and materials stipends.

At Northern Essex, nearly 120 students across 31 degree and certificate programs have received a MassReconnect award so far. That number is expected to increase with Fall Session II classes starting on October 30 and following a series of special information sessions.

In-person sessions:
Tuesday, September 26, 5 – 7 pm, Lawrence Campus
Wednesday, September 27, 5 – 7 pm, Haverhill Campus
Tuesday, October 17, 5 – 7 pm, Lawrence Campus
Wednesday, November 8, 5 – 7 pm, Haverhill Campus
Tuesday, December 19, 5 – 7 pm, Lawrence Campus

Virtual sessions:
Wednesday, October 25, 6 pm via Zoom
Tuesday, November 15, 6 pm via Zoom
Wednesday, December 20, 6 pm via Zoom

For more information and to sign up for an information session, visit the MassReconnect webpage.

Summer 2023 Dean’s List

September 11, 2023/in Students/by mbouse

Congratulations to the Northern Essex Community College students on the Summer 2023 Dean’s List!

To be included, students must attain a grade point average of 3.3 or higher within the term, carry six or more credits within the term, and be matriculated in a degree program.

View the Summer 2023 Dean’s List here.

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.

NECC Men’s Basketball to Open NJCAA Season with Midnight Madness Tip-Off

September 11, 2023/in Headlines, Community, Events/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (September 11, 2023) – The Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball team isn’t wasting a second to get the 2023-24 season underway. The defending Region 21 and East District Champion team announced it will play the season’s inaugural game at midnight on Wednesday, November 1st, the first allowable play date for teams in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The Knights will host Bunker Hill Community College in a Region 21 match-up.

This will be the program’s first-ever midnight madness event, a tradition in college basketball dating back to 1971, where programs would traditionally kick off their seasons with their inaugural practice and has taken on various forms since.

“There’s a lot of excitement around the coming season and this is going be a great way to kick it off. When presented with the idea, I didn’t hesitate. I think we can pack the stands and create a great atmosphere to tip-off basketball season in the Merrimack Valley,” said head coach Darren Stratton, who will be kicking off his 21st season as head coach.

Stratton and the Knights will release more details about the Midnight Madness event and their full 30-game schedule later this month. The schedule will include a pair of trips to New York along with the Knights hosting the second annual Turkey Classic on Thanksgiving weekend.

The Knights are coming off their most successful season ever, with 33 wins and a fifth-place finish in the 12-team NJCAA National Championship Tournament. Learn more about athletics at Northern Essex by visiting the website.

ArtSpace Exhibition is a Towering Study on Consumption

September 11, 2023/in Events, Press Releases/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (September 11, 2023) –The first art show of the 2023-24 academic year will open on the Haverhill Campus of Northern Essex Community College on September 19. The exhibition, titled “A Field of Lost Hair Ties,” will run until November 3, with an opening reception and Artist Talk on Thursday, September 21 at 3 p.m. in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace.

Picking Up from the exhibition “A Field of Lost Hair Ties”

Artist Sam Modder, a native of Nigeria who lives and works in Tampa, Florida, has created a larger-than-life mural made up of digitally manipulated ballpoint pen drawings that follow a Black woman in her nightdress and striped socks in a world made up of only her and her duplicates. Modder says the work is an allegory for our contemporary condition, confronting questions of power, exploitation, and resistance.

“In ‘A Field of Lost Hair Ties,’ I reflect on my careless consumption, an urge to hoard even when I have all I need, and the impact of my ambition and power on the natural world,” explains Modder. “Making this work during multiple climate-related disasters—in particular, the forest fires of this summer that continue to harm countless lives—it was hard not to make visual and conceptual connections between my imagined field and our very real forests.”

Modder says the work is a chapter in an ongoing series in which she presents a subjective Black woman’s fairytale to process interlocking structures of oppression.

“As my work towers above you, I hope you will step back into a space of childhood, wonder, and possibility. That you would, in the best of ways, feel small and open, ready, and willing to hear one more story.”

Modder holds two bachelor’s degrees from Dartmouth College and a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from Washington University in St. Louis. Her work has recently been shown at the Cape Cod Museum of Art and The African American Museum in Dallas, Texas. Modder will serve as “Artist in Residence” at NECC from September 19-22.

The show is presented by the NECC Liberal Arts Division and the Art Department. The Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace is located on the first floor of the Bentley Library. Gallery events are free and open to the public. For more information on this exhibition, contact Michelle Carter or Marc Mannheimer.

Gallery Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8 AM – 9 PM
Friday: 8 AM – 4 PM
Saturday and Sunday: closed

Board of Trustees Update: September 2023

September 7, 2023/in Community/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (September 6, 2023) – The Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees gathered for their first meeting of the ’23-’24 academic year on Tuesday evening on the Haverhill Campus. Chairwoman Jennifer Borislow and NECC President Lane Glenn began the meeting by welcoming new student trustee, psychology major Zeke Vasquez. Vasquez shared that he is eager to get to work and to ensure that student voices are well-represented. “I believe through collaboration and shared commitment we can create an environment where students can thrive,” he told the board.

students seen walking toward the student center building

Students on the Haverhill Campus for the start of the fall semester

Enrollment Update
Provost Paul Beaudin shared an update on enrollment. Compared to last fall semester, enrollment is up across the board, with considerable gains in new students (5.8%), continuing students (7.8%), students returning after a break (16.9%), and transfer students (18.4%). These numbers could change up until the withdrawal deadline next week. Beaudin praised the efforts of enrollment and financial aid staff, particularly with the recent rollout of the MassReconnect program, which provides free community college to adults 25+ who don’t already have a college degree.

Sabbatical Report
Jenny Fielding, Coordinator of Library Services, Lawrence Campus, spent her recent sabbatical leave researching digital and critical information literacy. She shared how, over her 15 years as a librarian, there has been a huge shift in how students research and find information. She aims to help students and faculty navigate through the new digital landscape.

“Fifteen years ago, we relied on librarians to shepherd students through the research process. Now it’s different. We have to talk about how sources are created.” Fielding has developed several new initiatives, including a module that faculty can incorporate into their courses to help students recognize misinformation and think like fact-checkers.

Food Resources Through the Center for Social Justice and Equity
A new face at Northern Essex is helping spearhead efforts to increase access to food resources for students and their families. Randall Correa is the new Food Access Outreach Coordinator. He and Chief Officer of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Francellis Quiñones have looked closely at utilization rates for the NECC Mobile Markets and food pantries, which have declined significantly in recent years. Their goal is to serve more students by connecting them with additional resources within the surrounding communities that are convenient and offer more products they can utilize.

“Not only will we be able to provide a meal at that moment, but we will also give students the tools for continuing resources. They need to be prepared to have those resources when they move on from NECC,” said Correa.

Efforts will include more education around SNAP benefits and the creation of a student advisory board. Board members will receive a stipend for their participation.

“Student voice and say in this process is critical to its success,” noted Quiñones.

Those who wish to learn more about food resources at NECC can visit the Center for Social Justice and Equity homepage.

Fall ’23 Semester Begins with a Transformation-Themed Convocation

September 6, 2023/in Community, Events/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (September 5, 2023) – Fall 2023 Convocation marked the official beginning of the fall semester at Northern Essex Community College on September 5, 2023. As in years past, NECC faculty, staff, and students gathered on the Haverhill Campus to mark the occasion. This year, however, Convocation took a more ceremonial tone with students processing in, followed by the Color Guard and the singing of the National Anthem.

NECC Trustee and Alumni Board President Jouel Gomez ’15 shares his story of “Transformative Education.”

During the program that followed, students, alumni, and faculty shared stories of their journeys in higher education along the theme of “The Transformative Power of Education.” They represented a variety of student experiences.

Business Transfer student and NECC basketball player Edwin SamMbaka

Business Transfer student Edwin SamMbaka is a member of the NECC basketball team. Originally from Paris, France, SamMbaka first came to the US to play basketball in Missouri and learned about Northern Essex from a teammate. He sent his highlight reel to coach Darren Stratton, who helped him enroll and secure him a spot on the team. “I immediately felt like I was in the right place for my sporting and academic development,” he recalled. SamMbaka plans to transfer to a four-year school and to one day play basketball professionally.

DJ Chase, NECC’s Accessible Media Team’s digital accessibility specialist

DJ Chase came to Northern Essex as part of the Early College program. For Chase, living with autism and ADHD has meant that they haven’t always had the easiest time academically. They had difficulty turning in physical assignments and found their school unable to make accommodations. When Chase took a summer math course at NECC and was allowed to submit their work digitally, a new world opened. “I had gone from very depressed and suicidal to excelling academically. That’s the difference accessibility can make.” Chase is dedicated to making sure all students get the accommodations they need. They first interned with The Center for Accessibility Resources & Services and, this July, became the Accessible Media Team’s part-time contracted digital accessibility specialist.

Northern Essex alumna and Portsmouth Poet Laureate Diannely Antigua ’09

Northern Essex alumna and Portsmouth Poet Laureate Diannely Antigua ’09 shared how she found her voice at NECC and how it helped her reckon with childhood trauma. “I just didn’t understand how important it was to share my story. Who would listen? My professors at NECCO listened.” Antigua has a long list of accomplishments. She currently teaches in the MFA Writing Program at the University of New Hampshire as the inaugural Noosrat Yassini Poet in Residence. In 2023, she received an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship to launch The Bread & Poetry Project. “I will always keep returning, as one does, to a place that raised you,” said Antigua of NECC. “I can truly say it’s great to be home.”

Convocation also included remarks from NECC President Lane Glenn, NECC Board of Trustees Chairwoman Jennifer Borislow, NECC Dean Carolyn Knoepfler, NECC Trustee and Alumni Board President Jouel Gomez ’15, ESOL Level 5 student Joas Magouno Me Namedoumo, and Eric Barrett, who enrolled in NECC programming at the Middleton House of Corrections. “I never could have imagined I would have this experience when I was incarcerated. It’s not time lost. It was just time rearranged,” said Barrett.

The Stories of Us: A New Perspective Inside the Classroom

August 28, 2023/in Faculty and Staff, Spotlight/by mbouse

This article is part of a new, regular series called “The Stories of Us,” highlighting the justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion work of Northern Essex Community College students, faculty, and staff.

Brian MacKenna-Rice and Lisa Fabbri-Lopez have helped people from all walks of life in their work with individuals in crises and recovery. As they’ve developed Human Services courses at Northern Essex Community College, they’ve been mindful of ensuring different perspectives are represented.

“We work in a field where this is an underpinning of what we do,” says the Human Services Program Coordinator MacKenna-Rice.

Brian MacKenna-Rice and Lisa Fabbri-Lopez

Both recognize there’s always more work to be done regarding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in the classroom. Recently, they attended a workshop hosted at Salem State University called Principles for Anti-Racist Community-Engaged Pedagogy. Over two days, they explored topics about developing more inclusive course materials, reflecting on individual and systemic racism, and creating compassionate and reflective classrooms.

“I loved meeting them,” MacKenna-Rice says of the other workshop attendees. ‘They were a lot younger than me and a lot smarter than me. And I enjoyed that. It was a nice two days.”

“He represents a generation that is not always deemed as being open to this,” adds Fabbri-Lopez, a Human Services faculty member and co-lead of the NECC Center for Professional Studies.

“I’m old enough that I remember Selma. And I remember the Birmingham bombings, and I remember the Civil Rights March. People being struck down with Billie clubs just because of their skin color,” recalls MacKenna-Rice from his teenage years. “For me, you can’t do enough to help people understand how unjust that is.”

MacKenna-Rice and Fabbri-Lopez say the workshop helped them build upon their personal and professional experiences to ensure that courses are accessible and equitable. One example of this work, says MacKenna-Rice, is using course materials representing the student population. “I added a unit on BIPOC contributions and influence on what we do. We’re trying to get people involved in a field that’s about helping people. And we can’t do that if we can’t represent all people.”

This fall semester, they hope a change in class location will also increase accessibility and equity. All 100-level Human Services courses will be taught on the Lawrence Campus, and 200-level classes will be held on the Haverhill Campus. “Then next year, we’ll switch that around. So philosophically, a student could do all the core courses entirely in Lawrence or Haverhill. This is equity. Everyone has the same opportunity because they have the same starting point,” says MacKenna-Rice.

More changes are in the works, such as utilizing Spanish-language resources and developing a new certificate program. In the meantime, the pair plans to work closely with NECC Chief Officer of JEDI Francellis Quiñones and the NECC Center for Equity and Social Justice to identify more professional development opportunities in the JEDI space.

“We work out in the field. And we learn that anybody can talk about this, but this is about behavior and what are you doing about it?” reflects MacKenna-Rice. “Let’s not just pretend it’s a philosophy book. Let’s understand it’s about life and human beings.”

Governor Healey Awards NECC $100,000 to Launch Free Community College for MA Residents 25+

August 25, 2023/in Community, Press Releases/by mbouse

Wellesley, MA (August 24, 2023) –Northern Essex Community College Provost Paul Beaudin joined Governor Maura T. Healey Thursday to launch MassReconnect, her administration’s new program establishing free community college for Massachusetts residents aged 25 and older and awarded $100,000 to each of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges to support the quick implementation of the program this fall. Governor Healey and Provost Beaudin were joined by Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, Senate President Karen Spilka, Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega, and other community college leaders at MassBay Community College’s Wellesley Campus. During the event, the Healey-Driscoll Administration celebrated the impact the program is expected to have on students across the state.

“MassReconnect will be transformative for thousands of students, for our amazing community colleges, and for our economy,” said Governor Healey. “It will bolster the role of community colleges as economic drivers in our state and help us better meet the needs of businesses to find qualified, well-trained workers. We can also make progress in breaking cycles of intergenerational poverty by helping residents complete their higher education credentials so they can attain good jobs and build career paths. Our administration is grateful for the partnership of the Legislature to move forward on this critical program that will make our state more affordable, competitive, and equitable.”

“Our administration and our community college partners are ready to hit the ground running with MassReconnect this fall semester. We encourage any eligible students who might have been holding off on taking that final step to enroll to do so now to begin this next stage of their education and career,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “We are also proud to be setting our community colleges up for success by providing them each with $100,000 for implementation of this life-changing program.”

Governor Healey invested $20 million in MassReconnect for the first year of implementation in her first budget that she signed earlier this month. This funding covers the full cost of tuition and fees and includes an allowance for books and supplies at each of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges. Each community college will also receive $100,000 from this funding to support student and community program awareness, staffing, and program administration.

Governor Maura Healey, NECC President Lane Glenn, and MA Community College leaders at the unveiling of MassReconnect, March 2023

There is still time to enroll in MassReconnect for this fall. The fall semester at Northern Essex begins September 6, with a second session of fall classes beginning on October 30. Interested students can find more information here. The only steps necessary to sign up are to enroll in at least six credits per semester in an approved program of study leading to an associate degree or certificate and complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid). There is no deadline to sign up.

In order to qualify for MassReconnect, students must be 25 or older on the first day of their classes and be permanent Massachusetts residents for at least one year at the start of the enrolled term. The program is limited to residents who have not previously earned a college degree (associate or bachelor’s).

MassReconnect will likely support up to 6,500-8,000 community college students in the first year, which could grow to closer to 10,000 students by FY25. They could include current, new, or returning students who did not complete their degrees. Approximately 700,000 Massachusetts residents have some college credit but no degree. MassReconnect will help bring these students back to finish their degrees, with the additional funding and support they may have been lacking the first time.

Governor Healey Celebrates Tuition Equity at Northern Essex

August 22, 2023/in Community, Events, Featured, Press Releases/by mbouse

Lawrence, MA (August 22, 2023) – Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and Senate President Karen Spilka were among those who gathered on the Lawrence Campus of Northern Essex Community College to celebrate Tuition Equity in Massachusetts. They were joined by legislators, advocates, students, and leadership from Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities. The Tuition Equity Bill was included in the FY24 state budget and allows for students without legal immigration status to qualify for in-state tuition rates and state financial aid at public colleges or universities in the Commonwealth.

Governor Maura Healey

“This is a great day for our state. This is a big step forward for students who have grown up here, worked here, and followed their dreams here in Massachusetts. It’s what is fair and what is right. They’re going to continue their journey on the same terms as their peers,” said Governor Healey.

“Today’s celebration is 20 years in the making,” remarked NECC President Lane Glenn, who was a key advocate for the Tuition Equity Bill. “In that time, and in particular the last few months, a lot of people have contributed their time, talent, and support to this effort.”

Several students also attended Tuesday’s event. Joan S. is a General Studies: Health Professions major at Northern Essex. She moved to the United States from Tanzania when she was just ten years old. At age 16, she found out she was undocumented, which made her goal of one day becoming a nurse practitioner seem even further out of reach.

“In order to apply for the nursing program, I had to take prerequisite classes, which would typically take a person a semester or two to complete; however, it took me years because I had to take one or two classes at a time. Because of my status, these classes cost three times the amount an in-state student pays for tuition,” Joan shared with the audience in a moving speech. “With the passing of this new bill, I now feel as though I have an opportunity to pursue my education further.”

The bill amends wording to the General Laws to allow in-state tuition and fees to undocumented students who have attended high school in Massachusetts for at least three years and either graduated from a high school in the state or attained the equivalent. It is effective immediately. An estimated 16,000 students in the commonwealth can benefit from this policy change.

A recording of today’s event can be found here.

Students interested in learning more about admissions at Northern Essex should visit the webpage or contact enrollmentservices@necc.mass.edu.

About Northern Essex
Northern Essex Community College, with campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, has been educating students in the lower Merrimack Valley since 1961. In that time, close to fifty-thousand alumni have earned a certificate or associate degree from the college and gone on to meaningful careers or to further education with one of Northern Essex’s many four-year college and university partners.

The college offers 60 certificate and associate degree programs in areas such as health care, business, computer science, criminal justice, engineering, and liberal arts, as well as non-credit programs for area employers and their employees. To learn more about Northern Essex, visit necc.edu or call 978-556-3700.