For many years now, there has been a dinnertime tradition at my house. As we sit down to enjoy each other\u2019s company and the evening meal, we share something we are thankful for and something we are hopeful for.<\/p>\n
There aren\u2019t too many rules about what we call our \u201cThankfuls and Hopefuls.\u201d We used to say them first and try to keep the lists short enough that the food wouldn\u2019t get cold, but as my daughters grew older, and the \u201cThankfuls and Hopefuls\u201d became even more involved and interesting, we finally decided to go ahead and eat while we share (and do what we can not to speak with our mouths full).<\/p>\n
As idyllic and Norman Rockwell-ish as this tradition of ours may sound, it actually began during a time of hardship in our family, when seeking out things to be thankful for and dreams of the future to aspire toward helped us get through the many challenges of the day.<\/p>\n
As Thanksgiving approaches, and we all prepare to sit down and enjoy the company of those closest to us over a good meal together, whatever challenges and rewards the past year has held for you, sharing a sense of gratitude and hopefulness may be just what we all need most.<\/p>\n
Here are a few things from 2025 that I\u2019m Thankful<\/em><\/strong> for:<\/p>\n Across the country, undergraduate enrollment, according to the National Student Clearinghouse<\/a>, rose by more than 2% this year, fueled by a healthy 4% increase at community colleges.<\/p>\n Here at NECC, thanks to the MassReconnect and MassEducate<\/a> free community college initiatives, our enrollment is up by 12.2%, slightly higher than the 11.4% increase across all fifteen community colleges in the state. <\/p>\n That\u2019s nearly 600 new students on campus, bumping us back over 5,000 for the first time since 2018. <\/p>\n For the last several years, Americans\u2019 trust in higher education, according to the well-known annual Gallup survey<\/a>, has been declining, from a high of 57% saying they have \u201ca great deal\u201d or \u201cquite a lot\u201d of confidence in colleges and universities a decade ago, until it hit an all-time low of only 36% last year.<\/p>\n Of course, when it comes to confidence in institutions<\/a>, even that dismal showing is better than the faith Americans expressed in the Supreme Court (30%), the presidency (26%), banks (27%), newspapers (18%), Congress (9%), and almost every other institution in the country.<\/p>\n The good news this year is that, despite, or perhaps because of, the federal government\u2019s assault on higher education in 2025, things are looking up: This year, 42% of Americans express strong confidence in higher education overall, and community colleges lead the pack, with 56% approval, based largely on perceived affordability, quality, and education connected to workforce needs.<\/p>\n Massachusetts CTE high schools, like our nearby partners Whittier Tech and Greater Lawrence Tech, serve around 36,000 students annually, but because of space limitations, around 40% of applicants each year\u20146,000 students\u2014are denied seats and placed on waitlists. <\/p>\n Like community colleges, many of the state\u2019s CTE high schools were constructed during the 1960\u2019s and 1970\u2019s. They are now more than half a century old and in need of significant renovation or, increasingly, complete replacement.<\/p>\n Because of specialized laboratory space for highly technical programs, coupled with inflation and new tariffs on imported materials, the cost of building new CTE high schools has soared in recent years to hundreds of millions of dollars\u2014beyond the ability of most cities and towns to afford, even with state assistance.<\/p>\n I\u2019m thankful this year for the partnership of the mayors, town managers, city councilors and select board members<\/a>, and of our colleagues at Whittier Tech High School, who are collaborating with Northern Essex on a new vision for career readiness in Massachusetts<\/a> that will, hopefully, build a new, more affordable school for Whittier on NECC\u2019s campus, while expanding access to trades training and CTE programs, as well as Early College and new career options in fields like artificial intelligence, climatology, drone technology and more. <\/p>\nMore Students<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Increased Confidence in Higher Education (Especially Community Colleges)<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n
A New Vision for Career Readiness in Massachusetts<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n