{"id":29559,"date":"2015-07-06T19:20:48","date_gmt":"2015-07-06T23:20:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom2\/2015\/07\/06\/support-services-lead-to-successful-career-for-lawrence-woman\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T16:16:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T20:16:50","slug":"support-services-lead-to-successful-career-for-lawrence-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/2015\/07\/06\/support-services-lead-to-successful-career-for-lawrence-woman\/","title":{"rendered":"Support Services Lead to Successful Career for Lawrence Woman"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2007, Jessica Castillo came to the United States from the Dominican<\/p>\n

\"Jessica<\/a>

Jessica Castillo graduated in May with an Associate Degree in Business Management Healthcare Practice Management<\/p><\/div>\n

Republic looking for more opportunity. She found that opportunity at Northern Essex. When she first arrived at age 18, the Lawrence resident spoke no English and immediately enrolled in Northern Essex\u2019s English as a Second Language (ESL) program. To support herself, she worked three jobs, seven days a week, while she went to school.<\/p>\n

She worked her way through the ESL program and then enrolled in the iHealth Business Management Healthcare Practice Management Program.<\/p>\n

She also worked her way up the ladder at one of her jobs, Lawrence Dental Center\/Dental Dreams in Lawrence, where she was promoted from working in child care, to the front desk, to office manager. She now works as office manager at Broadway Dental in Lawrence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love my job, I love the people, and I love managing people. If I didn\u2019t start at Northern Essex I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today. The ESL program, the iHealth program, the Student Success Center, the writing center, the library \u2026 they all contributed to my success,\u201d Jessica says. <\/p>\n

Jessica graduated in May with an Associate Degree in Business Management Healthcare Practice Management and is transferring to St. Joseph\u2019s College in Maine in September. St. Joseph\u2019s accepts three years of credits from NECC, so Jessica will only need to take her senior year at St. Joseph\u2019s online.<\/p>\n

To others who may be considering college, Jessica advises, \u201cJust do it. Even if you can only take one class at a time. Stay focused and keep moving forward. When I started, I spoke no English, and it was hard. Now I am graduating with my associate degree and am going to earn my bachelor\u2019s degree from St. Joseph\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2007, Jessica Castillo came to the United States from the Dominican Republic looking for more opportunity. She found that opportunity at Northern Essex. 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