Haverhill, MA (February 4, 2026) — The February Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees meeting began with a special recognition. NECC President Lane Glenn presented Zoila Gomez ’97 with her official diploma. Gomez finished her degree in 1997 at Northern Essex. But due to a clerical error, she never received her diploma. President Glenn and his office corrected that this past Wednesday. Following the meeting, Gomez wrote that this recognition is “proof that timing is not failure, and that some moments wait until the moment they are meant to be honored.” Gomez is a prominent local immigration lawyer. She was appointed to the NECC Board of Trustees last spring.

Educational Report

Vice President of Academic Affairs Austin Gilliland shared news of expanded experiential learning options for NECC students.  With financial and programmatic support from the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation, NECC will launch three apprenticeship degrees over the next three years:

• Fall 2026: A.A.S. in Surgical Technology
• Fall 2027: A.S. in Medical Lab Technology
• Fall 2028: A.S. in Radiologic Technology (tentative)

In addition to the programs above, the college is  exploring additional programs for
apprenticeships in:

• Certificate in Medical Assisting
• Educator Prep (pre-apprenticeship)
• Finance and Accounting

“We’re looking at a mix of private and public funding to expand our apprenticeship degree offerings. And we’re working with faculty and staff here at the college to build out those programs,” said Gilliland.

She noted that apprenticeship degrees are a good approach for NECC students and local employers because they meet the needs of both constituencies: students can work full-time as an apprentice; on-the-job training meets some classroom requirements, reducing the time spent on classes outside of work; and 91% of registered apprenticeship completers retain employment.

New Business

Parking concerns are top of mind with increases in enrollment this academic year and a reduced number of spaces due to accumulated snow, particularly on the Lawrence Campus. As such, the NECC Police Department proposed new parking enforcement rules, which were unanimously approved by the board at Wednesday’s meeting.

All students, faculty and staff are required to have a NECC parking permit displayed in their vehicle to park in any NECC lots. This applies to both campuses. Permits are issued to faculty and staff by the HR department when they begin employment. All students in good standing are eligible to receive their parking permit when they register for their initial semester at NECC from the Welcome Express at either the Behrakis Student Centerin Haverhill (SC Building) or the Dimitry building (45 Franklin St) in Lawrence. Each semester, when a student registers for classes, they will receive a permit that identifies the
semester they are registered for. Visitors are encouraged to park in designated visitor spots.

Violators will be issued tickets by the NECC Police Department. Fines range from $10 for failure to display a permit to $200 for violations related to handicap parking. Chief of Police David Hobbs noted that the increased enforcement helps to ensure the safety of the whole NECC community, especially pedestrians.

The NECC Board of Trustees includes nine members whom the governor of the state appoints to a maximum of two five-year terms, as well as an alumni-elected member, who also serves a maximum of ten years, and the student trustee, who serves for two semesters. The next board meeting will be held on October on the Haverhill Campus. A full list of meeting dates and more information about the Board of Trustees can be found on the webpage.