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.