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NECC Student Literary Magazine Parnassus Wins National Award

November 13, 2024/in Featured, Headlines, Students/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (November 13, 2024) – The Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) is recognizing Northern Essex Community College’s student literary magazine, Parnassus, with a national Pacemaker Award. This makes Parnassus one of the top student collegiate magazines in the country, as this marks the fifth time the ACP has recognized the magazine with the distinction.

“I’m so proud to be able to offer a national platform of recognition for the amazing work that our NECC community creates,” said NECC Writing Program Coordinator/ Faculty Advisor for Parnassus Patrick Lochelt. “It’s a huge benefit for students to help bolster their experience and resumes/portfolios for those wishing to go onto careers in creative fields and to add ‘feathers to their caps’ in ways they might not be able to otherwise.”

The Pacemaker is a significant award as only six collegiate literary arts magazines from across the country were recognized in the two-year college category. Parnassus was the only magazine selected from Massachusetts.

“The verbal and visual storytelling in the winning magazines is incredible and robust long-form stories combined with shorter quick-reads to pace the reader through the pages of the feature magazines,” Gary Lundgren, ACP associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competition noted.

Other winners of the Pacemaker Award this year include Auburn University, George Mason University, Oregon State University, and the University of Miami.

“There aren’t many opportunities for creative students to get their work out on such a major level at a community college, so Parnassus is a key to the world for our local students to elevate their abilities to get their work out to wider audiences,” remarked Lochelt. “A community college literary magazine in Sacramento changed my life when I was a student, both from being published but also by joining the staff and realizing that writing instruction is something I could do with my life. I am a firm believer in the power of publications like Parnassus, and I know it can be a stepping stone for anyone at the college to bigger and greater things.”

Past issues of Parnassus have also been awarded and recognized by other national associations like the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the Community College Humanities Association, and more. It was first produced at Northern Essex in 1965 making it one of the oldest institutions at the college.

The staff creates new and fresh looks to present each year, with submissions from the NECC community in the areas of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, art, and photography. To learn more about Parnassus, click here or contact Patrick Lochelt at plochelt@necc.mass.edu.

NECC’s First Open Textbook Used by International Institutions

November 12, 2024/in Press Releases, Programs, Students, Faculty and Staff, Headlines/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (November 4, 2024) – Northern Essex Community College is celebrating the results of a three-year, Federal grant that allowed faculty to develop free, openly licensed course materials, known as OER. NECC faculty developed five digital textbooks through the “Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens” project (ROTEL). Those textbooks include The Whole Child: Development in the Early Years, the first open textbook on child growth and development.

“When Doris [Buckley] and I started teaching years ago, we had this textbook that we really liked and it cost $75. Then it was $100 and eventually $150,” recalled NECC Professor Deirdre Budzyna during a book launch event and celebration last week. “It was just not equitable. Students could afford to take our class, but not buy the textbook. So, we started talking about writing our own textbook.”

With the help of the ROTEL grant and NECC’s coordinator of instructional technology Sue Tashjian, who is a pioneer in statewide OER initiatives, Budzyna and Buckley developed a new, digital textbook for the Child Growth and Development class. It’s the first course students need to obtain their teacher’s license, and NECC offers four or five sections of the class each year. With as many as 32 students in each class, replacing the $150 commercial textbook with this free version saves NECC students up to $24,000 a year.

The Whole Child: Development in the Early Years is now being translated into Spanish and eventually a side-by-side version with English and Spanish will be available.

“It’s very important at Northern Essex, as the first Hispanic Serving Institution in New England, to offer the course and Spanish and to also have the materials that will serve our Spanish-speaking students,” said Professor Sharline Del Rosario, who provided the translations.

More than a dozen colleges and universities are now using the book, including intuitions in Canada and Portugal.

“In order for grassroots ideas like this to take hold, it works best when it’s obvious how it helps students,” said NECC President Lane Glenn. “Congratulations to everyone involved.”

Three more NECC-developed textbooks are now available: Culturally Responsive Computing: An Introduction into Computer Science, Security, and Technology by Devan Walton; Literary Studies for a Sustainable Future by Lisette Espinoza, and Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory Manual: Understanding How Structure Determines Function by Maria Carles.

“My students are trying to get ahead. Sometimes they tell me they have to choose between paying rent or buying books. So, for me, it was a no-brainer. I looked at the most expensive book for the classes I teach and decided to make it free,” said Carles of her process in developing OER.

“The ROTEL grant started three years ago, and it ends in December,” remarked Bob Awkward, Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness for the MA Department of Higher Education. “In that time, we have produced nearly 30 textbooks across the state. These books are beautiful, they’re accessible, they’re culturally inclusive, they’re really very well done.”

Thanks to the continued work of Sue Tashjian, NECC was just named as a partner in a new $1.98 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop free class materials with a focus on career readiness and artificial intelligence.

NECC currently offers 90 courses that use OER. Students can search specifically for these classes in the course search tool and select the Free/Low-Cost Books icon at the top of the page. For more information about free and low-cost textbooks or OER, please contact Tashjian at 978-556-3686 or stashjian@necc.mass.edu.

Veterans Honored with Ceremony

November 8, 2024/in Events, Headlines, Press Releases, Students, Community/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (November 7, 2024) – Uncharacteristically warm weather provided a perfect backdrop as Northern Essex Community College faculty, staff, and students gathered on the Haverhill Campus to honor the bravery and sacrifice of the nation’s veterans. The college’s Veterans and Military Services Department marked the Veterans Day holiday with a moving flag-raising ceremony and breakfast. The event featured a raising of the American and POW/MIA flags by local veterans, the national anthem sung by NECC student Sean Gaff and Taps played on the trumpet by student Joni Silva.

Ralph Basiliere ’08 sharing his story of creating a new Vietnam War Memorial in Haverhill

Following the ceremony, NECC’s Veterans Services Coordinator Angela McCrillis welcomed the group and guests to a breakfast featuring remarks from NECC President Lane Glenn, Provost Paul Beaudin, and alumnus Ralph Basiliere ’08. Basiliere served in the Marine Corps from 1984 to 1988, as an infantryman and then a corporal E4 with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. Now a Haverhill City Council member, Basiliere has publicly shared his battle with PTSD following his time in the Marines. He eventually found help through the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center in Haverhill.

Since then, Basiliere has dedicated his life to helping others, in particular his fellow veterans. He shared how he spearheaded the effort to move Haverhill’s Vietnam War Memorial from an obscure spot on the north side of the Basiliere Bridge (named for his uncle) to Mill Brook Park. Thirteen men from Haverhill died in the Vietnam War, and their families along with local veterans expressed to Basiliere just how much the effort meant to them.

“Vietnam veterans approached me and told me they could die in peace. Imagine being told that,” he said. “They paid the price. I ask you to keep them in your hearts.”

President Glenn, the son of a Marine, echoed the importance of honoring the sacrifice of the nation’s veterans in his remarks. “I recently wrote a story about [my father] and the significance of the Marine Corps motto ‘Semper Fi,’ which means always faithful. When I experience events like this morning, it reminds me of the importance of that motto, not only for the Marines, but for all of us the importance of fidelity, faithfulness to this great nation.”

There are dozens of active military or veteran students currently enrolled at NECC. The Military Times included Northern Essex on its “Best for Vets” college list in 2022 and NECC became a designated “Military Friendly School” by Viqtory in 2021. McCrillis helps connect veteran and active duty students with a multitude of support services, including Credit For Prior Learning, which can apply those students’ experiences to academic credits. To learn more about Veteran and Military Services at NECC, visit the webpage or email McCrillis at veteransservices@necc.mass.edu.

All-Region Honors for Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Soccer Teams

November 7, 2024/in Headlines, Programs, Students/by mbouse

Men’s Soccer

Six members of the Region 21 and Northeast District champion Northern Essex Community College men’s soccer team were named to the All-Region teams as announced today. Highlighting the selections were Jadiel Bomfim (Nashua, NH) who was named Co-Regional Player of the Year, and Eusebio Marote who was named Region 21 Coach of the Year.

The Player of Year Bomfim was joined on the first team with three of his teammates in goalie Will Paganini (Derry, NH), forward Sam Lucena (Tyngsborough) and midfielder Nikos Kakavitsas (Athens, GR). Second team honors went to center-back Jonathan Lopes (Nashua, NH) and midfielder Christian Colem.

Marote, who was hired to restart the program prior to the 2019 season following a 20-plus year hiatus has led the Knights to their best season in school history. He picked up his 40th career win in last week’s championship game.

Bomfim, who repeated as player of the year led the region in scoring for the second consecutive year as he recorded 15 goals and seven assists for 37 points on the season. He was also named the NJCAA Player of the Week back in mid-September when he recorded a five-goal week in a pair of wins against CCRI and NHTI. Heading into the national tournament he has 42 career goals in his two seasons with the Knights.

Paganini, a two-year starter in goal for the Knights lands on the All-Region first team for a second consecutive year as he has played all but two minutes of the season in goal for the Knights and recorded an .857 save percentage to go along with a .75 goals against average. He’s recorded nine shutouts on the season and from September 24 through October 22 recorded a shutout streak that spanned 571 game minutes. He was named the NJCAA Goalie of the Week the week ending October 20th.

Lucena has made an immediate impact on the field for the Knights in his first season. He finished second on the team in scoring, which was also good for second in the region with 11 goals and four assists for 26 points. He recorded a hat trick back on September 10th in the Knights 8-0 win over NHTI.

Kakavitsas finds himself on the all-region team for a second consecutive year as he earned second team honors in 2023. A stronghold in the defensive midfield he’s recorded two goals and two assists on the season.

In his rookie campaign, Lopes has been a stronghold on the backline for Knights which held the opponent to just 12 goals in 16 games. Offensively he’s contributed three goals and assists on the season while causing problems for the opposition’s attack on the offensive end.

Colem, playing primarily on the outside backline, has generated plenty of offense as he leads the region with 11 assists and has seven goals of his own for 25 points.

Winners of 14 straight games, the Knights will enter next week’s national quarterfinal as the sixth seed with a 14-2 overall record and will take on third-seeded Mohawk Valley on Tuesday, November 12th at 6:30 pm on the campus of Genesee Community College in Batavia, NY.

Women’s Volleyball

Three members of the Northern Essex Community College women’s volleyball team earned All-Region honors as announced by the region today. The Knights finished the season with a 13-8 overall record and finished as Region 21 semi-finalist.

Ashley NivarMartinez (Lawrence) was named to the All-Region First Team, while Cherly BritoRosario (Lawrence) picked up second team honors, and Nileyshka Rigual (Lawrence) was named honorable mention.

This is the second career All-Region recognition for NivarMartinez as she led the Knights attack and finished second in the region with 171 kills which amounted to 2.67 kills per set. Defensively she added 165 digs which led the team and ranked fifth in the region.

BritoRosario ranked among the top setters in the region as she dished out 304 assists on the season for an average of 4.28 assists per set, both of which ranked fourth in the region. From the service line, she also served up a region-best 85 service aces. Defensively she picked up 186 digs which also ranked fourth in the region.

Rigual played a key part in the Knights’ attack and ranked fourth in the region and second on the team behind NivarMartinez in kills with 134. She also added 139 digs and 56 service aces in her rookie campaign.

Written by Dan Blair, NECC Director of Athletics.

Watch: Alumnus Justin Aguirre Shares His Story with Channel 5

November 7, 2024/in Headlines, Spotlight, Stories, Alumni, Featured/by mbouse

Northern Essex Community College alumnus Justin Aguirre ’06 is a familiar voice to many. As co-host and executive producer of the “Billy and Lisa in the Morning Show,” on Kiss 108, he often shares pieces of his personal life with listeners. In 2023, the NECC community heard his story firsthand when he was the featured commencement speaker. Recently, he sat down with Maria Stephanos of WCVB/Channel 5 to share the details of how he went from a life of addiction to his dream job, and how Northern Essex played a pivotal role in his transformation.

International Students Represent 13 Different Countries

November 6, 2024/in Students, Featured, Headlines, Press Releases, Programs, Spotlight/by mbouse

For students who grew up in surrounding towns, Northern Essex Community College was likely already a familiar name. Perhaps a friend or relative is an alumnus, or maybe they attended one of the many community events on the NECC Campuses. But for a small but growing group of students, NECC was literally a world away.

Northern Essex currently has 18 international students enrolled, representing 13 countries including, Australia, Brazil, France, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

Respiratory Care student Alvin Valenzuela Villota

“A lot of them have family in the area,” says Director of International Student Support and Special Populations Maria Hernandez. “They appreciate our affordability and our support services.”

Alvin Valenzuela Villota says family and student support were two of the main things that brought him to NECC. Originally from the Philippines, Villota worked for a decade as a respiratory therapist in Saudi Arabia. He wanted to advance professionally but knew he would have a hard time if he stayed in that country, where there were not a lot of opportunities.

“I wanted something more. I wanted to improve myself as a healthcare worker and I thought ‘Maybe I need to go to the United States,’” he remembers.

Villota contacted the National Board of Respiratory Care and learned that to be certified to work in the U.S., he’d need to go back to school.

With a sister already living in Massachusetts, Villota researched and found three schools within the state where he could get his degree. He says he ultimately chose Northern Essex because of all the help he received from the moment he applied.

“NECC responded right away, I never had any issues with documentation or paperwork,” he says, adding that that level of support has remained constant and consistent. “What I like a lot is the resources, tutoring center for English, science, and math, even in the respiratory care program had these tutorial sessions and they have the open laboratory which helped me a lot and guided me through my studies. NECC offers exceptional support and resources, the staff is very helpful from academic advisor to the program director, they will guide you every step of the way.”

Villota is on track to graduate this spring with his associate degree in Respiratory Care. He’s currently working two days a week at Mass General Hospital in Boston to fulfill his clinical requirement. He hopes that following graduation and the licensing exam, he can continue to work in Massachusetts. And eventually, he wants to bring his experience and knowledge to those working in the field back in the Philippines.

“I’d like to help former colleagues and update them in areas like patient care. I think many will be inspired like I have been.”

International students must be enrolled full-time and demonstrate the ability to pay out-of-state tuition. Hernandez is available to help them navigate the VISA process and apply to Northern Essex. As Villota experienced, she also offers students counseling and support throughout their time at the college.

To learn more about opportunities for International Students at Northern Essex, visit the website or contact Hernandez at mhernandez@necc.mass.edu.

Men’s Soccer Team Heading to its First-Ever National Tournament

November 4, 2024/in Headlines, Programs, Students/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (November 3, 2024) – The Northern Essex Community College men’s soccer team, ranked sixth in the latest national poll, captured the program’s first-ever Region 21 and Northeast District Championship on Sunday night with a 5-3 win over Quinsigamond Community College. In the process, the team won its 14th straight game and punched its ticket to the program’s first-ever national tournament, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 12th in Batavia, NY on the campus of Genesee Community College.

The Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the game’s opening 30 minutes before the Wyverns scored a quick pair of goals, while NECC would get one back and take 4-2 into the halftime break.

Jadiel Bomfim (Nashua) got the scoring started in the 11th minute when he beat the keeper to his left with an assist credited to Sam Lucena (Tyngsborough). Lucas Cantelli (Lowell) added a goal in the 29th as he snuck one just inside the left post on a pass from Bomfim.

Edwin SamMbaka (Paris, FR) put the Knights up 3-0 when he blasted a rocket past the goalie from 25 yards out.

The Wyverns would net a pair of quick goals just 90 seconds apart before Jonathan Lopes (Nashua, NH) added a cushion in the 36th minute when he took a cross in the box from Bomfim who picked up his second assist of the game.

Following the break, the game was scoreless until the 75th minute when Lucena added an insurance goal as the Wyverns would score a third goal with two minutes remaining in the contest.

The full NJCAA national tournament bracket will be released on Tuesday at 3:00 pm live on the NJCAA Network.

Credit for Prior Learning Allows Student to Complete Degree in Under a Year

October 29, 2024/in Alumni, Headlines, Press Releases, Programs, Students/by mbouse

Geraldin Rivera first came to Northern Essex Community College over a decade ago. She was pursuing a degree in Human Services and had many of her credits completed when life got in the way and she decided to take some time away from college.

“I needed to focus instead on working,” remembers Rivera. She eventually settled into a job she loves working at a rehabilitation center for senior citizens. There she met the facility’s activities director who encouraged her to finish her degree. After some back-and-forth this fall, Rivera felt she was ready to act.

“I was hesitant. I knew I had to do a practicum to finish my degree and I didn’t know how that was going to go, but I thought ‘I’m going to do this and see where it goes.’”

selfie of woman wearing floral top smiling at the camera

Human Services major Geraldin Rivera earned eight credits through Credit for Prior Learning

Rivera was concerned about having enough time to complete the practicum, which is like an internship, on top of her full-time work schedule. To get an associate degree in Human Services, students must complete 150 hours of practicum work, which averages 12-15 hours a week.

Rivera shared this with Human Services assistant professor Lisa Fabbri-Lopez. Fabbri-Lopez instantly recognized that Rivera had already been working in the human services field for three years and that she could likely get academic credits in exchange for that experience. This process is called Credit for Prior Learning (CPL).

“I see it all the time with students in the human services field,” says Fabbri-Lopez. “They might not even realize something like being a camp counselor or a lifeguard or a personal care attendant can qualify them for credit. They’re helping people, it’s all very relevant to human services.”

Fabbri-Lopez says she now makes it part of her process of getting to know students to ask about their work and life experiences. When she identifies a student who will likely qualify for CPL, she connects them with NECC’s Coordinator of Academic Placement, Credit for Prior Learning, and Testing Services Donna Felisberto,

“It’s usually a very quick process. From the time I email the paperwork to Donna, sometimes in as soon as a week that a student will see the credits appear on their transcript.”

A variety of life skills and experiences can qualify for credit for prior learning across most majors.

“If a student has served in the military, or if they’re bilingual, or if they’ve received certifications through their workplace; those are all examples of skills and knowledge we can assess and likely give credit for,” says Felisberto.

To qualify, students are first asked to take a short evaluation on the state’s “My Experience Counts” webpage. Felisberto and her team will then contact the students to identify the next steps. In the case of Rivera, with help from Fabbri-Lopez, they did a Portfolio Review and a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) and awarded her eight academic credits for her experience. That satisfied her practicum requirement.

Rivera eventually wants to be an activities director like her mentor at her current work and plans to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She says the time that she saved with credit for prior learning will enable her to start taking additional classes to help her get closer to her goal.

“Never be afraid to reach out to someone and ask for help,” Rivera offers to prospective students considering returning to school after a break. “There might be support you don’t even know about. [Credit for prior learning] saved me a year off my degree and it’s such a blessing. If you think it’s too late, it’s not. Going back to school is self-care and you shouldn’t give up.”

For more information on credit for prior learning, contact Felisberto at dfelisberto@necc.mass.edu or visit the webpage.

Marketing Communications Department Strikes Gold

October 28, 2024/in Faculty and Staff, Headlines, Press Releases/by mbouse

Baltimore, MD (October 28, 2024)—The Northern Essex Community College Marketing-Communications Department is adding new hardware to its shelves.

The National Council of Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 1 Conference just wrapped up in Baltimore, Maryland. There, NECC received seven Medallion Awards recognizing outstanding achievement in design and communication at community and technical colleges. Northern Essex won the most awards of any Massachusetts college.

Medallion Awards:

Gold

Communications Success Story, MassReconnect Earned Media
Long Form Writing, “Speaking Up for Those Who Can’t,” published in Spring ’24 alumnecc magazine
Newsletter, Fall ’23 alumnecc magazine
Radio Advertisement, Empieza Aqui

Silver

Radio Advertisement, Justin Says
Newsletter, Spring ’24 alumnecc magazine

Bronze

Successful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Marketing, Neuroinclusivity at NECC

NECC is part of District 1, along with colleges from Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, and the United Kingdom.

The National Conference will be March 26-28 in New Orleans, LA. The Northern Essex Marketing-Communications Department has entered more pieces for consideration for the National Paragon Awards. Last year, the college won a bronze Paragon Award for the design and implementation of the Success for All NECC Strategic Planner.

Men’s Basketball Team Ranked #5 in Preseason National Poll

October 25, 2024/in Headlines, Programs, Students/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (October 25, 2024) – The Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball team will start their season ranked number 5 in the National Junior College Athletic Association preseason poll. This is the 28th consecutive time the Knights have been included in the national rankings.

The back-to-back Region 21 Champions will feature a new look in the new season, as they return just three players with previous experience in the Knights uniform. However, a talented and deep roster should have the Knights in contention for a third straight trip to the national tournament.

Javien Kirmil (Lowell) who appeared in 33 games last season with 18 starts is back with Karl Wolfgang (Douala, CM) who saw action in 30 games with 13 starts. They will be be joined by Ryan Pacy (Salem, NH) who returns from the 2022-23 team where he averages 8.8 points per game in 21 appearances while battling through injury.

Kirmil and Wolfgang combined for 14.4 points a game last season. The Knights have combined to go 65-4 over the last two years and have been unbeaten in league play during that time.

A trio of former Merrimack Valley stars in Joendy Rosario (Lawrence), Jeremy Valdez (Haverhill) and Alejandro Delgado (Haverhill) join the mix this season. Also joining the team and expected to make an immediate impact are Christian Sanders (East Boston) andYunosuke Matsuda (Tokyo, JP).

The Knights are set to open up their season on Saturday, November 2nd against Monroe-Bronx in Lincroft, NJ at the Brookdale Basketball Classic. The first home game is scheduled for Thursday, November 7. View the complete schedule here.

NECC Student Literary Magazine Parnassus Wins National Award

NECC’s First Open Textbook Used by International Institutions

Veterans Honored with Ceremony