{"id":26991,"date":"2019-01-15T08:00:08","date_gmt":"2019-01-15T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom2\/2019\/01\/15\/rosannalara\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T14:09:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T18:09:34","slug":"rosannalara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/2019\/01\/15\/rosannalara\/","title":{"rendered":"For Mom of Three Job Lay-off Becomes Opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"portrait<\/a>

Rosanna Lara of Lawrence, Public Health major<\/p><\/div>\n

When the company she was working for moved to the West Coast in 2017, Rosanna Lara of Lawrence was laid-off, a prospect she admits was scary at first.<\/p>\n

Two months later, the 30 year-old was happily enrolled full time in Northern Essex\u2019s Public Health Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes things happen for a reason.\u00a0 God has something else in mind,\u201d explains Lara, who is fluent in both Spanish and English. \u00a0\u201cIt feels like this is me.\u00a0 I want to do outreach, work with my community to promote wellness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lara will earn her community health worker certificate<\/a> this May, and she\u2019ll be qualified for jobs in the community, most likely connecting vulnerable populations with healthcare.\u00a0 While working, she plans to continue her education, earning first an Associate Degree in Public Health, which transfers into a bachelor\u2019s degree in public health<\/a> offered by Regis College on Northern Essex\u2019s Lawrence Campus.\u00a0\u00a0 Eventually, she plans to earn a master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n

The straight-A student, wife, and mother of three children, ages 3, 5, and 7, has fully embraced the college experience.\u00a0 She participates in the Pathways to Academic and Career Excellence<\/a> (PACE) Program, a federally funded support program for first-generation college students; is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a national community college honorary society; completed the college\u2019s student leadership program; and works 10 hours a week as a work-study student in the college\u2019s Center for Adult Education Programs & Preparation.<\/p>\n

Lara credits her strong organizational skills and her husband\u2014who she calls her \u201cmain support\u201d\u2014 with her success.<\/p>\n

She also appreciates the flexible scheduling.\u00a0 Courses in the public health program are offered in a hybrid format, meaning the class meets face-to-face once a week and most work is completed online.<\/p>\n

Lara admits that going back to school with a family \u201ccan be tough at times\u201d but she says the rewards outweigh the challenges.\u00a0 She makes an effort \u201cto celebrate every step in the process\u201d and admits to sharing those straight A report cards on her Facebook page.<\/p>\n

Northern Essex is enrolling now for the spring semester, which starts January 23.\u00a0 To learn more, visit the website, necc.mass.edu<\/a>, or contact enrollment services, admissions@necc.mass.edu<\/a> or 978 556-3700.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the company she was working for moved to the West Coast in 2017, Rosanna Lara of Lawrence was laid-off, a prospect she admits was scary at first. 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