Assistant Dean Matthew Bodie presents at the Donor Appreciation Event

On Tuesday, November 4th, Northern Essex Community College welcomed more than 30 giving society members to campus for its fall Donor Appreciation Reception, an annual event held in celebration of NECC’s most committed supporters.

The evening began with opening remarks from Vice President of Institutional Advancement Allison Dolan-Wilson and NECC President Lane Glenn, who highlighted the ongoing impact of donor-supported student access initiatives like the laptop lending program and the internship stipend program, and their overall role in helping students become career-ready. During her address, Dolan-Wilson announced that collective support for the NECC Fund, the college’s annual fund, had most recently allowed for the purchase of additional library resources for students, including laptops and a high-tech mobile cart.

The main program welcomed new Assistant Dean and Lead Library Administrator Matthew Bodie to the podium for a lecture and discussion on the history of NECC’s campus library culture, during which he explored the library’s evolution from a small collection of shelves in 1961 to a dynamic academic hub in 2025, complete with lab spaces, an art gallery, literacy labs, and access to digital scholarship repositories. Chris Dube, an NECC student and frequent library user, followed with a brief testimonial about his experience with the library and the ways in which it had positively contributed to his academic journey.

Throughout the evening, attendees were treated to stationary hors d’oeuvres and to a special NECC archives exhibit curated by Coordinator of Library Services Laura Mondt.

The annual donor appreciation event is hosted and organized each fall by the Institutional Advancement Team.

Giving societies at NECC: Supporters of NECC have the option to participate in a variety of recognition opportunities, including membership into any of the college’s three giving societies: the Loyalty Giving Society provides automatic membership to any individual who has contributed to the NECC Fund for five consecutive years or more. The President’s Circle welcomes all donors who contribute $1,000 or more in a fiscal year, and the Klueber Planned Giving Society comprises forward-thinking benefactors who have included NECC in their will or estate plan.

Please visit the NECC giving site for more information on philanthropic programming at NECC.