Haverhill, MA (October 23, 2025) —Northern Essex Community College students interested in business and entrepreneurship now have some additional resources at their fingertips. This month saw the launch of the Entrepreneurship Hub. Created by Business Department Chair Sheila Muller and Associate Professor Julie Pierce, within the Business and Professional Studies Division, and hosted at the Haverhill Commons, the Entrepreneurship Hub connects students with resources for creating, planning and funding small businesses.

The Entrepreneurship Hub is a partnership with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The SBDC Senior Advisor Awilda Irizarry hosts open office hours every week in the Haverhill Commons, where students can ask questions and seek advice. She is also available virtually on any day of the week.

“The idea is to really help those students with an entrepreneurial mindset to help them go where they want to go,” said Business and Accounting Department Chair Sheila Muller. “We have students come here who are already entrepreneurs, and then we have others who start businesses using the connections they gain at NECC.”

About the presence of SBDC on campus, Rosa Conn Garza ‘24, owner of Rosita’s Cocina, remarked, “I wish something like this existed when I was a student.” She launched her business during her first semester as a Business Transfer student at NECC.

Garza participated in a panel discussion during the launch event for the Entrepreneurship Hub, alongside fellow alumna Gefranny Lara ‘25, owner of Gyla Models Academy, and NECC staff member Gina Kenney, owner of Inspire by Gina. They shared how starting a small business can be both challenging and enormously rewarding.

“When you put your time into your dreams, then you’re making your dreams come true, because you’re putting your time towards you,” said Lara. “Whatever you want to do for your business, do it for yourself.”

Gina Kinney, Associate Prof. Julie Pierce, Rosa Conn Garza ’24, Gefranny Lara ‘25, SBDC Senior Advisor Awilda Irizarry

The launch event was well-attended by students, including those from Associate Professor of Business and Accounting Julie Pierce’s Early College Principles of Marketing class, her Introduction to Business course, and Chair Muller’s Marketing students. This was a great opportunity for the Early College cohort to also participate in college activities outside the classroom.

Northern Essex currently offers six associate degree business programs, as well as several non-credit business certifications. The Alpha Beta Gamma Business Honor Society is also available to all business students enrolled in a degree program who have earned 12 college credits and have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. Learn more by visiting the webpage or contacting Business and Accounting Department Chair Sheila Muller.