2023 - Page 7 of 12

student in cap and gown smiles at the camera, her arms full of flowers and balloons

Methuen Student Fought Through Hard Times to Discover Her Passion at NECC

June 9, 2023/in Spotlight, Students/by mbouse

Mya Rivera of Methuen has many qualities that contributed to her success as a recent Northern Essex Community College graduate: she’s determined, she’s a hard worker, and she isn’t afraid to ask for help. But perhaps above all, she has perseverance.

Following graduation from Methuen High School in 2016, Rivera enrolled at two different four-year colleges as a biology major. She says while she enjoyed her classes, she started to feel burned out. “I realized at that time that Biology wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” she remembers. “So, I took a small break and decided that NECC was the most convenient place to go, and I could make it work with my schedule.”

Mya Rivera at NECC Commencement

Rivera enrolled at NECC as an Early Childhood Education major in the summer of 2019. She had just started to hit her stride when the pandemic struck.

“The pandemic took a toll on the world, and I was no exception. I worked through the entire pandemic while attending online classes, and during this, my parents were going through an extremely difficult divorce.” Rivera was also mourning her grandmother’s death, with whom she had a very close relationship. “Everything together was overwhelming. With my mental health at some of its worse during this time, staying in touch with friends and holding tight to my religion saved me and brought me to where I am today.”

Today, she has her associate degree in early childhood education after graduating this spring with a 3.62 GPA. She was also recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the NECC Fund for her achievement in her honors math course. Rivera credits her professors and the PACE Program for helping her to see what was possible as a student. PACE stands for Pathways to Academic and Career Excellence and helps connect first-generation college students with a variety of services, including scholarships and transfer opportunities.

“The PACE program was honestly a game-changer. They were the most helpful people I have ever met. They made it so convenient to find information, and if you asked about something they didn’t know, they would point you in the right direction or find the answer for you.”

And she says she’s not done with Northern Essex just yet. She’s now working on her second degree, an associate in American Sign Language studies.

“I am someone that has always had a passion for language. I speak both English and Spanish fluently, and my friends have taught me quite a bit of Korean as well. I just love the infinite way words can be used and how these things may transfer into different languages,” she says.

Rivera hopes to eventually work with children with hearing disabilities in hospitals or schools. For now, she’s enjoying taking on this new subject.

“The professors here are always happy to help you and answer any questions. The worst thing you can do is not ask a question and miss an opportunity that would have benefited you.”

Knights Finish Third at NJCAA World Series

June 6, 2023/in Students/by mbouse

Greeneville, TN (May 31, 2023) – The Northern Essex Community College baseball team hung on for a one-run victory in the semi-final round of the NJCAA World Series on Wednesday (5/31) afternoon before falling to Dallas-Eastfield with a spot in the championship round on the line. The Knights finished the season at 38-8 and third in the final World Series standings. The finish marks the Knights’ third top-three finish in World Series, to go along with top-three finishes in 2012 and 2016.

The NECC Knights at the NCJAA World Series in Greeneville, Tennessee

In the opening game Wednesday, Relfin Jimenez (Lawrence) made the start and went 5 2/3 innings to pick up his second win of the season. He allowed five runs on nine hits while striking out one and walking three. Erik Whitehead (North Andover), Riley Stys (Lowell), and Jagger Iovinelli (Huntington Beach, CA) pitched the next two innings allowing three runs and setting up the stage for Jairo Vazquez (Lawrence) to pitch the final 1 1/3 innings striking out three to pick up his first save of the season.

The Knights took down Niagara by a 9-8 final and did all their damage in the second and third innings.

In the second inning, trailing 2-0, NECC put up five runs to build a lead they would never give up. Lucas Berube (Dighton) and Kevin Rodriguez (Manchester, NH) started the inning off by getting hit by a pitch and a walk. Domenic Crocenzi (Providence, RI) followed with a double that scored Berube. Rodriguez scored one batter on a sacrifice fly from Joe Settle (Melbourne, FL). Kam Levesque (Hooksett, NH) reached on an error that scored Crocenzi. Levesque scored on a sac fly Richard Matos (Boston).

In the third, NECC put up four more. Crocenzi reached on a one-out walk and scored on a sacrifice fly from Jomar Moreta (Lynn). Leading 6-2, with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Anthony Marcano (Boston) hit what wound up to be the game-winning home run as he hit a three-run bomb over the 30-foot scoreboard in left center.

The Thunderwolves clawed their way back over the next five innings before Vazquez shut the door to send the Knights onto Dallas-Eastfield.

Against Eastfield, the Knights’ pitching staff was limited by playing their fifth game in four days that allowed the Harvester Bees to jump out to an early lead, while the Knights were limited to four hits in the final game falling 12-1. Moreta, Matos, Marcano, and Luis Colon (Lawrence) recorded the hits for the Knights.

At the conclusion of the NJCAA World Series, sophomores Jairo Vazquez (Lawrence) and Anthony Marcano (Boston) were both recognized on Thursday (6/1) evening with tournament honors.

Vazquez was named the Pitcher of the Tournament, while Marcano was named to the All-Tournament Team.

By Dan Blair, NECC Director of Athletics

Photo Roundup: 2023 Awards Convocation

June 5, 2023/in Events, Faculty and Staff, Students/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (June 5, 2023) – Graduating Northern Essex Community College students were honored for their achievements inside and outside of the classroom at this year’s annual Awards Convocation. The May 9th ceremony was held in the Northern Essex Sport and Fitness Center on the Haverhill Campus. Family and friends were invited to celebrate the honorees and enjoy refreshments following the program.

Co-Curricular Awards included the President’s Cup, which is awarded to the club with the highest cumulative grade point average. This year, that honor went to the Radiologic Technology Club. Academic Awards included the 2023 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow, awarded to Sarah Pachano, and the Civic Engagement award, presented to Alyssia Terenzi.

Dozens of Northern Essex students were also recognized for achieving high honors in their areas of study. The program then concluded with departmental awards and acknowledgment of honor society inductees. View the full program and all awardees here: 2023 Awards Convocation Program.

Student Shares His Experience with the Promise Program on Behalf of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

June 5, 2023/in Headlines, Students/by mbouse

Washington, D.C. (April 11, 2023) – Northern Essex Community College biology student Patrick Sainato is no stranger to hard work. He served as class president at Haverhill High School for three years, and in his senior year, he decided also to take on Early College classes at Northern Essex. Upon graduating from high school, Sainato enrolled at NECC using the Haverhill Promise Program, which allows Early College students to continue their education at Northern Essex tuition-free.

Patrick Sainato spoke on a panel on the benefits of Early College Promise Programs.

“The Promise Program is one of the many incentives as to why I stayed here. My parents aren’t really paying for my college, so I have to figure it out on my own,” says Sainato.

He remains a dedicated advocate for his peers, too. Sainato served as the Vice President of the Haverhill Campus for the Student Government Association and works as an Early College Policy Fellow for the Massachusetts Alliance of Early College (MA4EC). The fellowship has allowed him several opportunities to share his experience as an early college student with speaking engagements across the state. Recently, his managers at MA4EC presented him with a new opportunity: serving on a panel at a conference focused on early college hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “I got a call one morning from my boss and asked if I would be interested, and I was like, ‘Hands down, yes! I’m going!’”

Sainato traveled to Washington, D.C., for the conference in early April. There, he shared his story and answered questions from attendees on the benefits of the Promise Program.

“I hope that the attendees, and the large companies that they represent, took away from my story that the students in high school and college are their future employees and that we deserve to be heard and valued,” he says. “Far too often, whether it be in school or working one or more jobs simultaneously, their wants and needs are not met. This leads to high turnover rates, burnout, depression, and many other negative outcomes.”

Sainato says he already sees change happening. He was approached by several of the attendees and asked about working on side projects or participating in further interviews. “Overall, it was a really inspiring experience, and I was very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something so big and to have my opinion valued and heard. If there is one thing that I would take away from the conference, it’s that students need to be more involved in the government. The adults making decisions about how to form our education system should have a direct line of communication to those who are going through it.”

Sainato is on track to graduate with his associate degree in biology in the spring of 2024. He plans to transfer to UMass Dartmouth and eventually medical school to become a physician.

You can learn more about Early College and the promise programs offered at Northern Essex by visiting the webpage.

NECC Celebrates 400 Early College Students

June 5, 2023/in Community, Events, Students/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (June 5, 2023) – Four hundred and ten graduating seniors from 27 local high schools earned college credits in addition to their high school diplomas this year as participants in Northern Essex Community College’s Early College Program.

Student Government Association President, Franziska Hoene, was one of seven high school students who also earned associate degrees.

The students, along with their families, celebrated at a May 11 Early College Recognition Ceremony, held under a tent on Northern Essex’s Haverhill Campus.

The students earned a total of 7,100 credits while in high school, an average of 17 credits each, which translates to a full college semester. The students will transfer their credits to 45 different public and private colleges. Seventy-five have elected to attend Northern Essex in the fall. Many are part of local promise programs which allow them to continue their education at NECC tuition-free.

Seven students graduated with both associate degrees and their high school diplomas this year, having completed two full years of college while still in high school. That group includes Franziska Hoene and Edward Hoene of Woburn; Ryan Rothberg and Olivia Hansen of Newburyport; Hailey Cameron of Merrimac; Kyla Dolan of Groveland; and Gianna McColley of Haverhill.

Russell Leung was selected as the Early College Student Speaker. The Haverhill High School graduate started taking college courses during his junior year. “It was a great opportunity to not only take different classes but to learn responsibility,” he reflected. “You had to show up on time, and you were treated like an adult. We learned to advocate for ourselves.” Leung will attend Northeastern University this fall, where he plans to major in computer science.

Haverhill’s Russell Leung delivered the student address.

NECC is one of 22 colleges and universities participating in the statewide Massachusetts Early College Initiative, which partners high schools with colleges and universities for designated programs between them. NECC has designated programs with Haverhill High School, Lawrence High School, and Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Students from these designated programs earn college credits for free while they’re still in high school. Plus, the classes count toward both students’ high school graduation requirements and their future college degrees. Students spend part of their day at the high school and travel to the college campus by bus for morning or afternoon college-level courses.

And because the Early College program also includes “pathways” that mimic college majors, including business, criminal justice, healthcare, and education, students can experience the rigors and culture of college while also getting a taste of their possible major.

In addition to its state-designated partnerships with Haverhill, Lawrence, and Whittier, Northern Essex offers its Early College Program to students from 25 other local high schools. These students can earn credits at a 50% discount.

If you are interested in learning more about Early College opportunities at NECC, contact pk12@necc.mass.edu.

Business Student Finds Success Prioritizing Family and School

June 1, 2023/in Students/by mbouse

Starting a new life in another country is challenging. So is completing an associate degree, being a parent, and living through a global pandemic.

Yet Jureicy Sanchez De Jimenez of Lawrence managed to do all of those things at once. She moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 2016 and, just two years later, enrolled at Northern Essex Community College. Now, she’s about to graduate with an associate’s degree in the business transfer program.

“I faced many challenges,” she said. “I did not know the English language very well when I arrived in this country, but I never gave up. I was willing to learn the language to achieve my associate degree.”

After studying accounting in the Dominican Republic, Sanchez De Jimenez was determined to continue her education here in the United States. Her husband’s family told her about NECC, and soon, Sanchez De Jimenez was working toward her degree.

At first, she started her studies slowly, but an online meeting with her Intro to Business professor, Judith Ciampi, changed everything.

“She told me, ‘If you want to achieve your goals, you need to prioritize the most important things to you because if you don’t do that, you will take ten years in a program that you can finish in two years,’” Sanchez De Jimenez remembers. “Those words are still in my mind, and I dare to say that after that moment, I was more motivated.”

After that pivotal conversation, Sanchez De Jimenez committed herself to her education, taking a break from working for an entire year just to focus on her degree and her family.

“I have two children, so it was so difficult for me to take many classes while having a full-time job and taking care of my family. Now I can say that it was the best decision I ever made when I prioritized my family and school,” she says. “Today, my opportunities for a job in finance are nearer, and I’ll be very happy to share my knowledge with different companies.”

Jureicy Sanchez De Jimenez earned a Business Transfer High Honors award with a 3.7 GPA.

That focus paid off. Not only is Sanchez De Jimenez on track to receive her degree in the summer of 2023, but she also earned academic honors and a spot on the Dean’s List for the fall 2022 semester.

She’s not done yet, though. She plans to continue her education at UMass Lowell to pursue a bachelor’s degree in management with a concentration in accounting. Eventually, she hopes to earn a master’s degree in finance, too.

“I want to help people to manage their finances,” she says. “I feel great satisfaction when I give advice to a friend about their finances, and they tell me that their budgets and money are more organized after they put my advice into action.”

Sanchez De Jimenez’s religious faith, personal drive and determination, and the support she received from the NECC faculty helped her achieve her goals and more.

“When I had any questions, I always found someone who helped me and cleared all my doubts,” she says. “NECC is a place in which you can find great staff to help you to strengthen your weaknesses and that celebrate and reward your victories.”

By Alexandra Pecci

Ticket Punched: Knights Head Back to NJCAA World Series

May 22, 2023/in Headlines, Press Releases, Students/by mbouse

Brooklyn, NY (May 21, 2023) – The Northern Essex Community College baseball team is headed back to the NJCAA World Series for the second consecutive season and ninth time overall after claiming the Northeast District Championship with a two-game series sweep of Kingsborough Community College by a score of 5-2 on Sunday morning.

The Northern Essex Community College baseball team is headed back to the NJCAA World Series for the second consecutive season.

Playing as the home team, Knights starter Jagger Iovinella (Huntington Beach, CA) got into a first-inning jam as the Wave loaded the bases with no outs, but he was able to get out of the inning, allowing just one run.

NECC responded in the bottom of the first with a pair of runs of their own. Jomar Moreta (Lawrence) led off the inning with a single and went to third on a double from Kam Levesque (Hooksett, NH). Moreta scored on a sacrifice fly from Cooper Smith (Bloomington, MN). Levesque scored on a single to center from Anthony Marcano (Boston).

The Knights added a single run in the third as Levesque came around to score following a walk on a stand-up triple from Smith. Kingsborough made it a one-run game with a run in the top of the sixth before NECC added a pair of runs in the seventh to secure the win.

With two outs and two runners on in the bottom half of the seventh, Smith scorched a double to center field that scored Kevin Rodriguez (Manchester, NH), who led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. Moreta would add the final run of the game, scoring on a passed ball after reaching on a one-out walk and advancing to third on the double by Smith.

Iovinella picked up the win going 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out four and issuing one walk. Alex Sweeney (Raymond, NH) pitched 2 1/3 of one-hit relief, striking out one and setting up Knights ace Tristan Ciampa (Wilmington) to pick up the save and send the Knights to Greenville. Ciampa struck out two en route to the save.

The Knights will open up World Series play on Saturday, May 27th, at Pioneer Park in Greenville, TN. Seeding, opponent, and game times will be announced on Tuesday by the NJCAA Baseball Committee.

By Dan Blair, Director of Athletics

Board of Trustees May Update

May 19, 2023/in Community/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (May 3, 2023) – The May meeting of the Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees started with a moment of remembrance for Trustee Anita Worden. She passed away at her home in North Andover, MA, on April 12th after a valiant four-year battle against ovarian cancer.

A moment of silence was held for NECC Trustee Anita Worden

“She was a visionary in our community,” remarked NECC President Lane Glenn. “She left a mark on a lot of places, and we’re sorely missing her. I feel privileged to know her as a friend and collaborator.”

“She was an amazing person who touched so many lives,” added Board President Jennifer Borislow. “She loved this school, and she loved this board.”

Worden was appointed to the NECC Board of Trustees in 2017. Read more about her life and legacy here.

Educational Report

Director of Transfer Articulation and Academic Center Advising Michelle Sunday presented an update on transfer-related programming and initiatives at the College. This academic year, NECC participated in and completed a transfer intensive with the ASPEN Institute in collaboration with Salem State and North Shore Community College, signed Joint Admissions Agreements with both UMass Lowell and Emmanuel College (RN- BSN), and will be finalizing an agreement with Salem State University in the coming weeks.

Sunday said they’re already seeing promising outcomes from these agreements. For example, 165 students have opted into the UMass Lowell partnership since the agreement was signed in February. All they need to do is check a box on their application to NECC.

“It opens access to a lot of students because indicating that you intend to transfer when you apply to community college sets in motion that model. We’re very excited about that.”

Sunday said they are planning another transfer fair for students in the fall. This past fall, they had 45 colleges participate.

Report of the Administration

President Lane Glenn shared that he, along with other members of the Lawrence Partnership, recently visited the Massachusetts State House at the invitation of State Senator Paval Payano (D. First Essex). “We had a well-rounded conversation around workforce development, affordable housing, and childcare. There was a real willingness to hear from the members of the Lawrence Partnership and how people are using the funds out there to help the people of the city.”

Read more about the Lawrence Partnership here.

President Glenn then introduced Patty Gauron, executive director of employee engagement and chief people officer. Gauron shared some data on how the “great resignation” is affecting higher education and specifically Northern Essex. Prior to the pandemic, the typical employee turnover rate was 12%. Currently, it’s 17%. “It’s not catastrophic, but it’s noticeable,” said Gauron. She noted that the college is looking at ways to boost retention, such as offering more frequent orientations, mental health training, and opportunities for remote work when possible. “We want to offer flexibility- we’re doing the best we can. We need to be sure that when our students and staff need us, we’re here.”

Gauron’s own role is changing as part of the effort to retain more employees. She was previously the Executive Director of Human Resources and is now serving in the newly-created role of Executive Director of Employee Engagement and Chief People Officer.

The next meeting of the NECC Board of Trustees is scheduled for June 14 on the Lawrence Campus. Read past meeting minutes and get updates by visiting the webpage.

He Started without a High School GPA, Now Has Two Degrees from NECC

May 19, 2023/in Students, Headlines/by mbouse

Noah Rothgaber of Salem, New Hampshire, has big dreams, and they match his big heart and the big accomplishments he’s achieved at Northern Essex Community College.

“My dream is to build the medical technology responsible for assisting surgeons in major surgery. The medical field envelops some of the things most interesting and important to me,” he says. “Robotics, software engineering, and giving back to the medical profession are all things I dream about being a part of.”

Noah Rothgaber now holds two degrees from Northern Essex

It’s a noble and ambitious career that’s worthy of someone who Rothgaber’s professors have described as hardworking, kind, and determined.

But Rothgaber wasn’t always sure about his academic future. He struggled with health issues and was unable to complete his freshman year of high school. And despite earning a GED in 2017, he had no high school GPA, which made college admissions difficult.

That’s when he found NECC, which his mom also attended.

“They were willing to accept me as a student with only a HiSet (GED) and no GPA from high school,” he said. “The school provided an opportunity for someone like me to achieve the dream of higher education, despite my limited education.”

He’s certainly achieved that dream and more. As a NECC student, Rothgaber was a peer tutor in computer science and information technology, an intern with the school’s Accessibility Center/CIT, and a drummer in the school’s jazz band. He’ll also return to NECC as a supplemental instructor in the fall of 2023.

Rothgaber spent his time outside school working and volunteering, too. Through his job at Best Buy, he volunteered with Liberty House, a housing and assistance program for veterans in Manchester, New Hampshire, organized baskets for a charity raffle, and helped build bikes for the veterans.

Today, Rothgaber has not only graduated from NECC but has done so with dual degrees in Science, CIS: Information Technology, and Computer Science Transfer. Now, he’s planning to finish his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science with a robotics minor at UMass Lowell. He’ll also start a summer robotics internship at the UMass Lowell NERVE Center, an interdisciplinary robotics testing, research, and training facility.

Noah Rothgaber played drums in the NECC Jazz Ensemble following the commencement ceremonies in 2022 and 2023

“He has proven himself to have the determination, the perseverance, the teamwork skills, and the work ethic to be successful in that field,” according to his former calculus instructor, Liliana Brand.

He credits NECC for helping him to discover his love for robotics and computer science in the first place, pointing to two classes in particular that “fully gave me my career passion,” he said.

“Intro Computer Science showed me what the world of computers was like at a level I’d never seen before,” he said. “And Programming for IT showed me just how much I love programming, logic, and the computer.”

He also credits NECC’s faculty and extensive students resources, from receiving an out-of-the-blue text from the Computer Information Science department chair, who offered to help him register for classes at a time he was feeling discouraged and burnt out, to the tutoring, academic coaching, teacher office hours, and free meals that help support students.

Now, Rothgaber is eager to move forward with a solid foundation from NECC.

“The resources are here to support your success,” he said.

By Alexandra Pecci

Woburn Resident Receives Outstanding Student Award

May 19, 2023/in Featured, Students/by mbouse

The Northern Essex Community College Alumni Board is pleased to announce Woburn resident Franziska Hoene as the latest recipient of the Outstanding Student Award. The selective honor, granted annually to one graduating NECC student who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to academic success and community service, was announced during the college’s 61st commencement.

NECC Trustee and President of the Alumni Board Jouel Gomez presented Franziska Hoene with the Outstanding Student Award

Throughout her time on campus, Hoene has served in a variety of key leadership roles that have helped to elevate the student life experience at NECC. In the spring of 2021, she became the president of the Student Government Association (SGA), through which she has initiated a range of advocacy efforts on behalf of her peers, in addition to organizing the bi-annual SGA Golden Lamp Awards for exceptional faculty and staff. She is also a member of the Art Club, Phi Theta Kappa, the Civic Scholars program, the Commonwealth Honors program, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the student advisory council, among other campus committees and organizations.

Outside of campus, her influence is just as far-ranging. A strong proponent of community service work, Hoene regularly steps up to volunteer at her local library, organize park cleanups, and referee for soccer and futsal groups, often assisting in regional and national tournaments.

On winning the Outstanding Student Award, Hoene was quick to express her gratitude:

“This means a lot to me. Words cannot describe how grateful I am to be appreciated by the college and key people… This award shows me that people care about my success and contributions to this college.”

She was nominated for the award by Suzanne Reyes, interim coordinator of student activities, who noted Hoene’s dedication and work ethic.

“Franzi [went] from a homeschool environment to making strides in her academics here at NECC and UML,” she says. “She is very hard-working and driven in her classes.”

Hoene, who began studying at NECC when she was just 12 years old, has long had high aspirations for her educational career. By the time she reached seventh grade, she had already passed a college entrance exam for math. Now, at 16, she holds an associate degree in engineering science and is already dual enrolled at UMass Lowell, where she will continue to work toward a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering this fall. Hoene’s goal is to one day work as an oncology research clinician.

As part of the award, Hoene received a new Dell laptop courtesy of the NECC Alumni Association.

Please visit the Outstanding Awards page to learn more about the Outstanding Student Award. Nominations are accepted each spring.