{"id":28525,"date":"2017-08-11T18:57:58","date_gmt":"2017-08-11T22:57:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom2\/2017\/08\/11\/necc-helps-make-lawrence-mans-dream-a-reality\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T17:11:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:11:03","slug":"necc-helps-make-lawrence-mans-dream-a-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/2017\/08\/11\/necc-helps-make-lawrence-mans-dream-a-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"NECC Helps Make Lawrence Man\u2019s Dream a Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Maireny Rodriguez, Engineering Science<\/p><\/div>\n

When Maireny Rodriguez moved to Lawrence from the Dominican Republic he was 18, couldn\u2019t speak English, but dreamed of becoming an engineer.<\/p>\n

Maireny credits NECC\u2019s support services with helping him achieve that dream.<\/p>\n

In fact, NECC played an early role in his college education. Following graduation from Lawrence High School, the honors student enrolled in the Bridge Program through NECC\u2019s Student Success Center. This prepped him for the rigors of college life. In addition, the Pathways to Academic & Career Excellence <\/a>(PACE) Program, a federally-funded student support program, kept him on track.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first semester at NECC I was lost. I had no knowledge of college life and was afraid I wouldn\u2019t finish the semester,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, through the different NECC support services I was welcomed and mentored by people who believed in my potential. I was prepared to achieve my long- and short-term goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

His goals were formulated as a youngster. He would tie together cables from broken electronic devices hoping to create a robot. While a robot never materialized, a curiosity in electronics did.<\/p>\n

That curiosity was further fueled by three years at a Dominican Republic vocational high school. His plan to study engineering was only slightly interrupted by a move to the United States just as he was about to enter his senior year of high school. Undaunted, he completed English as a Second Language classes and graduated from high school ready to study engineering.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, a college education has always been a \u2018must\u2019 not just a \u2018need\u2019 or a \u2018want\u2019,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

After earning his Associate Degree in Engineering Science<\/a> he will pursue a Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Computer Engineering at UMass Lowell.<\/p>\n

\u201cA college education is pretty expensive,\u201d he said. \u201cBut it is an investment in life that I\u2019m pretty sure is going to be worthwhile in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about enrolling at Northern Essex, visit the website<\/a> or contact Enrollment Services at, admissions@necc.mass.edu<\/a> or 978-556-3700.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Maireny Rodriguez moved to Lawrence from the Dominican Republic he was 18, couldn\u2019t speak English, but dreamed of becoming an engineer. 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