2025 - NECC News

Knight Spotlight: Bringing the Fun

December 16, 2025/in Mobile, Faculty & Staff/by mbouse

The Knight Spotlight series features one-on-one interviews between President Lane Glenn and a member of the Northern Essex Community College faculty and staff. This week, President Glenn sits down with Brianna Sorensen, NECC’s assistant director of student activities, who shares what drives her passion for working with students.

How a Self-Taught Creator is Transforming NECC Athletics Media

December 15, 2025/in Mobile, Students & Alumni/by nsabando

When you ask Talan Stratton, a second-year student at Northern Essex Community College, how he found his way into sports media, he laughs a little. “I actually came here for environmental science,” he says. His journey at NECC has taken quite a few turns—three major changes, a self-taught skill set, and a growing passion that has quickly made him an influential creative voice in NECC athletics.

For Stratton, NECC was always on the horizon. His father, Darren Stratton, has served as NECC’s men’s basketball coach for years, and the community around the school already felt familiar. When NECC became tuition-free, the choice became even clearer. “We couldn’t take out loans, so financially, this was my best option.”

He started in environmental science, switched to accounting, and then finally settled into the business transfer program. But somewhere in the middle of all those transitions, he found something that stuck: videography. “When I switched to business, that’s when I focused and started to take photography seriously,” he says.

His introduction to photography, and only formal education in it, came from a single high school class. Equipment was expensive and not accessible, so he taught himself—hours of practice, experimentation, and learning by doing. What began as an interest in music videos slowly shifted into something unexpected: sports media.

“I realized I could put those music-video elements I loved to watch into sports,” he explains. “I was going to games anyway because of my dad. The teams needed a photographer, so I just started shooting. Then it spread from basketball to soccer and baseball. And three or four months ago, I was like, wait… I really love sports media.”

Today, he specializes in video work and even mentors a student photographer who handles still photos so he can focus on creating dynamic game-day footage.

NECC’s athletics have long been successful on the court and field, and now— thanks to Stratton— their online presence has left a lasting impression. He has taken that responsibility seriously. Through weekly series like “Almost Friday” and “What’s Up Wednesday”, he’s built a recognizable style and a consistent voice for NECC sports. His goal is bigger than simply posting highlights.

“I want people who already go here to feel proud,” he says. “If they’re excited about the teams, they’ll share the content. That’s how you reach people outside of Haverhill or Lawrence—you start by building pride right here.”

He wants NECC athletes to feel like they’re playing for a respected program, “a place people choose to come to.” His videos aim to match the energy of four-year schools and show recruits—and current students—that NECC is worth paying attention to.

As he finishes his second year at NECC, Stratton is preparing to transfer into a four-year business program. Endicott College is currently his top choice after being contacted by the college’s athletics creative director, though he’s keeping his options open. “There are lots of emails to get through,” he jokes.

The long-term dream? “To work for the Celtics,” he says without hesitation. “All I do is go to the gym, film, and sleep. I don’t even play basketball anymore—my time with basketball is behind the camera now.”

His biggest lesson is simple: talk to people. “Your skills are only half the battle,” he says. “Never be afraid to introduce yourself.” For a student who arrived at NECC unsure of his major, he’s now found a path defined by passion, persistence, and the simple willingness to say hello. “Community colleges can be random. You never know who you might meet.”

NECC Theater to Perform The Vagina Monologues at Regional Competition

December 11, 2025/in Mobile, Students & Alumni/by mbouse

Haverhill, MA (December 11, 2025) — Northern Essex Community College Theater is once again taking center stage among the region’s best programs. The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) has selected NECC Theater to perform its spring 2025 production of The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler at the Region I Conference 58 in New York this January.

The show features alumna Mirrorajah Metcalfe ’25 and students Maggie Evans, Jenny Ngo, and Naima Eve. All four actors were also nominated to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. Jessica Newey received award nominations for stage management, lighting design, and dramaturgy. The show was directed by NECC Professor Brianne Beatrice.

“Festival,” as it’s called, brings together hundreds of college theater students, professors, and professionals from New England and New York to showcase their work and share their expertise. The Vagina Monologues was one of just five finalists chosen out of 60 productions, including shows from many prestigious four-year schools.

The KCACTF is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide, which has served as a catalyst for improving the quality of college theater in the United States. More than 600 academic institutions participate in state, regional, and national Kennedy Center American College Theater Festivals. The National Festival will be held in April in Washington, D.C.

NECC Theater has a long track record of success at both the regional and national Festivals. Notably, NECC Theater’s production of Hurricane Diane by Madeleine George was selected to perform at the Region I festival in 2024 and went on to receive thirteen national awards and the student fellowship from The Kennedy Center.

Northern Essex offers a variety of theater and acting courses. Additionally, they stage several full productions and readings throughout the year. Anyone interested in learning more about NECC Theater or the audition process should email Professor Beatrice at bbeatrice@necc.mass.edu.

“A Christmas Carol” at NECC

December 10, 2025/in Events, Mobile/by mbouse

A beloved holiday tradition returns to the stage this weekend as Northern Essex Community College Music, in collaboration with NECC Theater in the Liberal Arts Division, presents “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens.

Four performances will be held from Friday, December 12, to Sunday, December 14, in the Chester Hawrylciw Theater, on the third floor of the Spurk Building on the Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott St. Ebenezer Scrooge, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Cratchit Family, and all other Dickens characters will come to life in this year’s play, adding fun and tradition to the holiday season, under the direction of John Budzyna and NECC Music Professor Alisa Bucchiere.

The show will be performed:

Friday, December 12, at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 13, at 3 and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 14, at 3 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased in advance here. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door; however, seating is limited. Advanced purchasing is strongly recommended. And a dear note from Mr. Charles Dickens himself, “Scrooge accepts only cash at the door, as does our concessions and raffles, so prithee, bring your jingling coins and crinkled notes!”

Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $10 for students/seniors, and free for children under the age of 5.

The NECC production was originally presented as a one-time fundraiser for the performing arts department. The production was so successful, it became an NECC community event each holiday season, with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and their family members auditioning for roles.

The cast includes:

Amesbury
David Draper: Bob Cratchit
Charlie Himmel: Peter Cratchit
Maggie Himmel: Belinda Cratchit
Christine Murphy: Ghost of Christmas Present

Haverhill
Melina Bohanan: Martha Cratchit
Alicia Smith: Mrs. Cratchit
Callum Belfiore: Fred
Tabitha Kimball: Ghost of Christmas Past
Julianne Hayner: Fan, Want

Lawrence
Son Nguyen: Madrigal Singer

Lowell
Geehae Moon – Madrigal Singer
Tim Farnsworth – Dick Wilkins, Belle’s Husband

Merrimac
Alisa Bucchiere: Madrigal Singer
Narjis Musa: Fred’s wife, Undertaker
Gina Musa: Fred’s Housekeeper

Newburyport
John Budzyna: Jacob Marley
Izzy V. : Tiny Tim
Dominic Corjay: Boy in Street
Lukas Sutton: Young Ebenezer, Ignorance
Nolan Grieg: Young Scrooge
Kirk Trach: Charity Man

Tewksbury
Chip Bliss: Madrigal Singer

Woburn
Amy Charies – Maid, Party Guest

NEW HAMPSHIRE

East Hampstead
Maureen Dadekian: Mrs. Fezziwig, Laundress

Plaistow
Todd Buckley: Uncle Fezziwig, Old Joe
Maddy Buckley: Belle
Patrick Doherty: Party Guest, Old Man in Street

Rochester
Mark Morrison: Ebenezer Scrooge

For additional information, contact Bucchiere, at abucchiere@necc.mass.edu.

Scholarship Winner Found NECC with a Little Help from her Friend

December 9, 2025/in Mobile, Students & Alumni/by mbouse

A Northern Essex Community College General Studies: Health Specialization student is among just four students from across the state honored at this year’s Massachusetts Educational Opportunity Association (MEOA) Scholarship Awards in New Bedford, MA.

Kristie Eaton, of Groveland, is part of NECC’s Pathways to Academic & Career Excellence Program (PACE), a TRiO Student Support Services program that assists first-generation, low-income, or disabled students in graduating and transferring to four-year colleges. MEOA awards $1,000 scholarships annually to TRiO students who have demonstrated the ability to overcome significant obstacles and attain educational excellence.

With a perfect 4.0 GPA, Eaton has worked hard to attain that educational excellence. But up until a few years ago, she didn’t think college was in the cards. She became a mother soon after graduating high school, and in the next three years, got married and had another baby. She found a steady and reliable income bartending at a local, family-owned restaurant.

“I was super comfortable there, and I stayed for a long time,” Eaton recalls. “Going to college was in the back of my mind, but I just couldn’t rationalize putting myself into debt to make less money than I would make doing what I was doing.”

Eaton worked there for more than 20 years, weathering life changes like a divorce and remarriage, and the births of two more children, until the restaurant’s owner decided to retire and close the business.

“That made me realize I was really just ready to start something new and just do something for me, and something to better myself in my life.”

A chance reunion with an old friend helped solidify what that “something” would be.

“I happened to run into my friend, who moved back to Groveland, where we grew up, and she is the one who told me about the MassReconnect Program.”

Her friend, Rebecca Beaucher, was one of the first students to enroll in NECC under the MassReconnect Program in the fall of 2023. The program allows Massachusetts adults over 25 who don’t already have a college degree to earn one tuition-free at the state’s community colleges. Eaton was sold, knowing she wouldn’t have to go into debt to attend college. She enrolled at NECC the following spring semester. She says it was daunting going back into “learning mode” at the age of 45, but her PACE advisors, professors, and fellow classmates quickly put her at ease.

“I felt like I was at the right place at the right time. Like, I was with my people. I was in the classroom, and nobody made me feel old or judged at all. I felt welcomed and encouraged just to do my best.”

Kristie Eaton earned her Sleep Technologist Certification in the spring of 2025

Eaton earned her certification as a Sleep Technologist in just a year and immediately found work as a pediatric sleep tech at Boston Children’s Hospital. She says the flexible schedule allows her to have time for her kids, who now range from age 11 to 29, and to continue to take classes to work toward her associate degree. She’s on track to earn her General Studies: Health Specialization degree at the end of next year, and she’s thinking ahead to transferring to a four-year school to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Eaton says the MEOA scholarship is tremendously helpful in helping her get to her next goal. She is working with PACE staff to identify other opportunities as well. She’s also determined to pay it forward, ensuring that other people know it’s never too late to start something new.

“I have a friend, she’s been in the hospitality business forever, and it gets tough on the body when you get older. So I told her about NECC, and I keep telling her, ‘Apply, apply, apply.’ I really want to help how I was helped.”

To learn more about the PACE/TRiO Program at Northern Essex, visit the webpage or contact coordinator Kristen Arnold at karnold@necc.mass.edu.

MEOA is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization made up of educators, policymakers, private sector professionals, and others committed to ensuring that secondary and post-secondary educational opportunities are appropriate and accessible to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Alumna Makes History as the First Full-Time Female Firefighter in Rowley

December 2, 2025/in Alumni, Mobile/by mbouse

There’s a moment that sometimes happens when Merissa Titus-Abate ’16 jumps off the firetruck in front of a bunch of kids.

“They say, ‘Oh my god, there’s a girl firefighter,’” she said. “That means a lot because it gives them the opportunity to see that there are other careers for females in the world. There are not just gender-specific roles when it comes to picking your career.”

Titus-Abate should know. She made history in 2022 when she became the first full-time female firefighter on the Rowley Fire Department. Now, she’s been promoted to lieutenant, and part of her career began at Northern Essex Community College.

Titus-Abate started her first responder career as an EMT and realized she wanted to become a firefighter while responding to a traumatic call. When she arrived, she found firefighters and paramedics already providing medical care on the scene.

“I saw…how central fire departments are in providing medical care before the ambulance arrives,” she said. “With firefighting, I could do other things like putting out fires, going to motor vehicle accidents, and assisting the community in other ways.”

She enrolled at NECC in 2014 for paramedic technology as a step toward becoming a firefighter, completing both the certificate program and earning an associate degree. That, “in turn also helped me continue to finish my bachelor’s degree” from Salem State University, she said.

The NECC program ticked a lot of boxes for Titus-Abate. Not only did it allow her to work full-time at Cataldo Ambulance Service, but it also gave her the opportunity to learn from student instructors who were actually working in the community at places like Lawrence General Hospital, Trinity Ambulance, and a number of local fire departments.

Titus-Abate said she valued “being able to learn from them and knowing that they worked in the communities that I wanted to work in.”

NECC also helped her forge connections with fellow students who later became her colleagues and peers in the field.

“In fire and EMS, the people that you learn with, you grow with, you become family. A lot of the people that I went to school with there are still my friends today. I still work alongside them, whether it’s in an EMS capacity or a fire service capacity,” she said.

Her firefighting career started to ramp up immediately after graduating from NECC when she was hired as a call firefighter for the town of Nahant, which also sent her to the call/volunteer fire academy through the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Fire Training Council.

“Starting my career as a call firefighter in Nahant, working in the community, and building relationships with the people that I worked with at that department made me see that there was more to that career field,” she said.

Indeed, Titus-Abate’s firefighting career has included much more than responding to calls. She got her first full-time firefighting position in Ware, which gave her the opportunity to undertake additional training with the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, including achieving her firefighter I/II and hazmat certifications.

Her career in Rowley has taken her even further into serving the broader community. She works with the Council on Aging, giving seniors medical emergency advice, such as educating them about fall risk behaviors and when it’s appropriate to call 911.

Titus-Abate also runs the department’s SAFE (Student Awareness of Fire Education) program, which brings her into schools to provide fire education and teach kids about things like smoke alarms, crawling low under smoke, and calling 911.

“I take a lot of pride in being a good, positive role model in the community,” she said. “When I go into Market Basket, I know everybody when we’re shopping. I go into the school [and] most of the kids know my name.”

Although Rowley had other female call firefighters and call lieutenants, being the first woman to hold that full-time role has been special for Titus-Abate. She’s also aware that people may doubt her strength and skills at the scene of an emergency until they see her in action.

“Then, when I step up and I do that task that they didn’t think I could do, it makes me feel good and hopefully proves to those surrounding me that I am as equal as everybody else,” she said.

She said she’s grateful to her parents for instilling within her a strong work ethic, as well as the fire chiefs who gave her a chance.

“Every department that I’ve joined had only a minimum of one or two female firefighters,” she said. “I just want to thank every single fire chief that’s ever given me an opportunity to highlight my actual skills and who I am as a person.”

This story was written by Alexandra Pecci ’02 for the fall edition of NECC’s alumni magazine, alumnecc. Read the full edition here.

Hard Work Earns Volleyball Captain All-Region Honors

December 2, 2025/in Mobile, Students & Alumni, Headline/by mbouse

Northern Essex Community College student-athlete Cherly BritoRosario doesn’t shy away from a challenge, whether it’s on the court, in the classroom, or at work. In fact, when she first enrolled as a Criminal Justice major in 2024, she was working four jobs.

“I was busy, but I wanted to continue my education,” remembers BritoRosario. “My grandmother knew about Northern Essex, and she told me there were good people there and that they also had volleyball and basketball teams.” BritoRosario had loved playing both sports from an early age. And, having very recently emigrated from the Dominican Republic to Lawrence, she liked the idea of having something familiar in her life as she faced so many new experiences.

She first took an English as a Second Language class in the summer of 2024. Then, she enrolled as a full-time student that fall semester and earned a spot on the women’s volleyball team. For a while, she tried to maintain her work schedule as well, but between school, sports, and home life, she realized she needed to cut back to one job.

“I was going to school, then practice, then working until 2 a.m. I would get up at 5 a.m. to drive my mom to her job and do homework in between. It was a sacrifice.”

Despite her busy schedule, BritoRosario excelled in her classes, earning straight As in her first two semesters. She says NECC’s Academic Coaching staff, in particular Gretchyn Gallagher, has been instrumental in her success.

“[Gallagher] helped me with classes, financial aid, the system, how to register. She even helped us when we needed to find a new apartment and some food assistance. She understands me, and she is the best thing that’s happened to me at NECC.”

BritoRosario carried that momentum of a successful first year of college into this fall semester. She was named volleyball captain, leading the team with 173 kills on the season, ranking fourth-best in the region for total kills, and averaging 2.58 kills per set. She also led the team in service aces with 58 and digs with 215. Those impressive stats, along with her 3.82 GPA, earned her a spot on the All-Region First Team.

“We were such a good team, we communicated really well. It was a great season.”

Now BritoRosario has her sights set on finishing her degree in May and transferring to a four-year school to earn a bachelor’s degree. She envisions one day working for the FBI. She says she’s already seen how her hard work is paying off, and she’s more motivated than ever to succeed.

“I am doing this for me and for my family, to give us a better life. I know I can achieve this.”

Northern Essex currently has 13 athletic teams for men and women. Each year, many students successfully transfer to four-year institutions, where some continue their athletic careers at the Division 1, 2, and 3 levels. To learn more about athletics at NECC, visit the webpage.

MPTC-NECC Police Academy Graduate First to Receive Scholarship

December 2, 2025/in Mobile, Campus & Community/by mbouse

The Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) proudly celebrated the first graduate of the MPTC Scholarship Program, a milestone achievement for both the recipient and the Commonwealth’s ongoing commitment to creating accessible pathways into law enforcement. This initiative was designed to support economically disadvantaged and/or underrepresented populations across the state. It reflects a strategic investment in public safety by addressing workforce challenges and expanding the pipeline of well-trained police recruits.

Officer Nayalis Hernandez recently completed the rigorous Recruit Officer Course (ROC) with the MPTC-NECC Police Academy 7th ROC and shared her reflections on what the scholarship and academy experience meant to her, highlighting the challenges, growth, and sense of purpose that came with the journey. Her experience captures the spirit of this initiative and the promise it holds for future officers across Massachusetts.

Officer Nayalis Hernandez reflected on her time at the academy as an experience filled with growth, challenges, and connections. As a self-sponsored student officer and scholarship recipient not yet employed by a department, she found the journey uniquely challenging and at times overwhelming. Although not receiving pay made the process difficult, her determination and passion for law enforcement kept her focused on completing the academy. Her perseverance and the support of the scholarship opportunity paid off as during the academy, she received a job offer and is now proudly serving as a full-time officer at the Bunker Hill Community College Police Department.

Hernandez expressed deep gratitude for the support and encouragement she received from both MPTC-NECC Academy Director Stokel and Bunker Hill Community College Police Chief Barrows, whose guidance played a vital role in helping her navigate the demands of the academy. She shared that one of the most rewarding aspects of the academy was the camaraderie built among classmates—individuals who began as strangers but grew into a close-knit team.

While she admits that the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) training was the toughest challenge, Officer Hernandez looks back on the academy experience with pride and appreciation. The lessons learned, friendships formed, and support from her mentors have made her journey toward a meaningful law enforcement career truly unforgettable.

This article was provided by The Municipal Police Training Committee

Knight Spotlight: Engineering Success!

December 2, 2025/in Mobile, Faculty & Staff/by mbouse

The Knight Spotlight series features one-on-one interviews between President Lane Glenn and a member of the Northern Essex Community College faculty and staff. This week, President Glenn is talking with Doug Leaffer, Professor of Engineering – Physics. Professor Leaffer shares how his career journey led him to NECC, what he finds most rewarding about working with students, and how AI is shaping the world of engineering.

Top NECC News Stories of 2025