Just two years after he started his degree in Business Management at Northern Essex Community College, Nicholas Vintzileos is already on his way to a new career. But he made the most of his time at NECC: he worked as an assistant for the college’s SOAR program and, in his last semester, served as president of the Student Government Association. Through his work helping other students, he says he learned that being active and involved on campus can be a key component to success.

Getting to that point, however, took time—and a few false starts along the way.

Vintzileos studied culinary arts at South Shore Vocational-Technical High School and graduated in 2012. Not sure that he wanted to jump right into a career, he enrolled at a four-year college. But he quickly realized that wasn’t the right fit either and left after just one semester. Vintzileos then spent a few semesters at Massasoit Community College before deciding to take a break from school altogether.

Thanks to his culinary background, he found steady work in local restaurants. However, he says he always knew in the back of his mind that those roles were temporary.

“I felt stuck at these lower wage jobs with no opportunity for career growth,” he says.

In 2022, he relocated to Haverhill and started to get a better idea of what his next chapter would look like. He saw an article about MassReconnect, the program that offers free community college to learners over the age of 25 who don’t already have an associate degree. He enrolled at Northern Essex that fall semester, making him one of the first students to take advantage of the new program. And, at the age of 29, nearly ten years after he took his hiatus from school, he was back in a classroom.

Vintzileos assumed he would be older than many of his classmates and had some trepidation about reacclimating to college. Those concerns diminished quickly after seeing the breadth of students NECC serves and the support systems in place.

“It was really nice to see that there were others like me, that I wasn’t the only one. I wasn’t out of my element,” remembers Vintzileos.

Once he was back in the groove with classwork and studying, he felt compelled to get more involved on campus. He was hired by the SOAR program and then learned about student government.

“I was never part of an SGA at any of the schools I ever went to in high school or even at the other colleges, but I really wanted to try it. I love leadership and stepping up into unfamiliar roles.”

Vintzileos jumped right in with both feet, running for and winning the role of SGA president this past fall semester. During his time at the helm, he successfully led a holiday food box drive, collecting more than 50 boxes for local students and families. And he worked hard to get the word out to other students about the role of SGA and how it can provide valuable leadership skills.

“I hadn’t led Zoom meetings or interacted with faculty and staff much before SGA. But after a few meetings, I became more confident and more comfortable. Now, if I have a job interview in person or on Zoom, I’m more relaxed.”

That newly-gained confidence is already paying off for Vintzileos. He completed his degree in December and recently started a full-time role with the Avis Budget Group as an Operational Strength Program Manager Trainee. And he was accepted as a transfer student into the selective Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. There, he will be studying for a bachelor’s in Business Administration.

“Northern Essex was a great experience, and it was a great way for me to achieve my overall goals in being a manager. The college just really helped me get back on track to where I wanted to be.”

The NECC SGA meets every other Tuesday while classes are in session for the fall and spring semesters at 4:00 PM. Student Government Association meetings will take place on Zoom, on the Haverhill Campus in SC-203. Meetings are open to the campus community, and all NECC students are encouraged to attend. The first meeting of the spring semester is on February 3.

In 2024, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts expanded on the MassReconnect Program with the MassEducate Program. MassEducate makes community college free to all eligible Massachusetts residents, regardless of age, who don’t already have a bachelor’s degree. Learn more on the webpage.