Rebecca Heathman ’26 and Alumni Board Member Marisa Carrasquillo ’18

The Northern Essex Community College Alumni Board has announced high honors graduate Rebecca Heathman as the 2026 recipient of the Outstanding Graduating Student Award. This selective annual honor, granted by the Board with approval from President Lane Glenn, was presented during the spring commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16.

Heathman, a Billerica resident, is a General Studies: Individualized Option major and, some would say, a professional multi-tasker. Since enrolling in NECC, she has maintained a near-perfect 3.96 GPA with a full-time course load, and has done so while working 50-plus hours per week, providing care for a family member at home, writing short stories, and serving as a top rebounder on the NECC women’s basketball team. A first-generation college student and active PACE Program participant, she has been lauded by faculty and staff alike for her incredible dedication to every area of her life.

PACE Advisor Jessica Rocker, who nominated Heathman, describes the qualities that made her a standout for this year’s Outstanding Graduating Student Award:

“Rebecca’s ability to juggle many competing responsibilities is admirable. I think she is a role model and that she embodies an outstanding NECC student,” she says.

While she will graduate as one of the top students in her cohort, Heathman notes that her academic journey wasn’t always easy or linear. Prior to attending NECC, she served in several professional roles – first as a school secretary, and later as a coach and basketball official – before settling on a future in the sports management industry.

Here on campus, Heathman got to work broadening her industry knowledge while making her mark on the Knights basketball team. Along the way, she developed a passion for another, seemingly disparate field: creative writing.

Before long, she was publishing her first short story in Parnassus, an accomplishment that, coupled with her basketball wins, is among her proudest.

“At this stage in life, I never thought I would play basketball again and I’d never been confident enough to share my writing with anyone,” she says. “NECC gave me the opportunity and encouragement to do both and that has meant everything to me.”

On being named the 2026 recipient of the Outstanding Graduating Student Award, Heathman describes herself as “deeply grateful.”

“One of the best feelings is to know that your hard work has paid off,” she says. “And, for me, just making it to graduation was enough. To receive this award on top of that is more than I could have hoped for.”

Next spring, Heathman will continue her academic career at a four-year college, where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in creative writing while gaining additional work experience in the fitness industry. It’s a step, she says, that will allow her to put both of her passions – and her award-winning knack for multi-tasking – to good use.

The annual Outstanding Graduating Student Award recognizes the accomplishments of a graduating NECC student who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to academic excellence, community services, and involvement with campus initiatives. Nominations are accepted each spring.