When our students graduate from northern Essex, 60 percent transfer directly to a four-year college or university, and the great majority transfer to umass lowell. This nationally-ranked university is only 23 miles south of our Haverhill Campus, and we have 26 articulation agreements in place which make the transfer process practically seamless.
This fall we will take our relationship with umass lowell to a new level when the university opens a satellite campus — the first in its history — on our Haverhill Campus.
This will be a tremendous benefit to the community, our graduates, and our current students, many of whom begin taking umass lowell classes during their final semesters at northern Essex.
in this issue of alumnecc, you will read about umass lowell’s new satellite campus. You will learn about the new science labs on our Haverhill and lawrence campuses, made possible through a very generous grant from the massachusetts life sciences Center and a matching grant from a private foundation, the Technical Training Fund. You will also read about susan Bonenfant of Plaistow, new Hampshire, an nECC alumna who is a successful banker, community leader, and the incoming chairperson of the nECC alumni association advisory Board.
We are excited about what is happening at the college, and alumnecc magazine is designed to share much of our good news. as always, if you have feedback, i’d love to hear from you at lglenn@necc.mass.edu.
Whether you are a graduate of northern Essex, a donor to the college, or one of our dedicated volunteers, i hope you know how much we appreciate you and what you do for the college. We couldn’t accomplish what we do without your support.
lane a glenn President
Editor: maureen o’leary
Contributing Editors: Ellen small davis, Ernie greenslade, Wendy shaffer
Graphic Designer: susan stehfest
Writers: Ellen small davis, Ernie greenslade, lindsey mayo, maureen o’leary
after completing an internship with a global company, Charm s ciences in l awrence, l indsey Curole was hired as a quality control technician. l indsey graduated from n ECC’s l ab s cience Program in m ay 2012.
northern Essex’s 10-year plan to update aging science labs in both Haverhill and lawrence was put on the fast track in april when the college received a $1.24 million grant from the massachusetts life sciences Center (mlsC).
With the help of the grant, northern Essex will completely renovate five science labs and a biology prep lab on the Haverhill Campus and renovate two labs and construct a new lab in lawrence within three years, seven years earlier than the original plan.
“many of our students have been working in labs that were built when the Haverhill Campus opened and the labs look much the same as they did then, more than 40 years ago,” says lane glenn, nECC president. ”i t’s not hard to imagine what a benefit this will be to our students who will now have hands-on training on state-of-the-art equipment.”
The labs will benefit students enrolled in the college’s lab science Program as well as students taking general chemistry and biology courses. northern Essex offers an associate degree in lab science which prepares laboratory technicians who will work in analytic chemistry, biotechnology, and environmental sciences industries, and liberal arts degrees with a physical science or biology option.
“our wishful thinking became a dream come true,” says dr. noemi Custodia-lora, assistant dean, foundational studies and liberal arts and sciences, while explaining how important this news is for the college. “We can expand the courses we currently offer, especially in lawrence, and, with access to these new labs, our students will be better prepared for employment and/or transfer to four-year science programs.”
Through the mlsC, massachusetts is investing $1 billion over 10 years in the growth of the state’s life sciences supercluster. These investments are being made under the massachusetts life sciences initiative, proposed by governor Patrick in 2007, and passed by the state legislature and signed into law by governor Patrick in 2008.
The mlsC grant was supported by a $200,000 matching donation from the Technical Training Foundation, which was created by the late dr. ibrahim El-Hefni, a longtime resident of north andover and a successful business owner.
Beginning in september, umass lowell will offer classes on the northern Essex Community College Haverhill Campus leading to a bachelor’s degree.
students will have access to courses in business administration, criminal justice, and liberal arts offered through umass lowell’s division of online and Continuing Education. The state university will use office and classroom space in the Hartleb Technology Center, and courses will be offered monday through Thursday evenings.
“We are pleased we can begin making a high-quality umass lowell education available in Haverhill as soon as september,” said umass lowell Chancellor marty meehan. “We have worked successfully with northern Essex for years to help their graduates make a smooth transition to continue their education on our campus and now we can say that will be even easier.”
“This is great news for our students and for the city of Haverhill,” said nECC President lane glenn. “Being co-located will allow us to build on what is already a strong partnership and provide additional higher education options for local residents.”
umass lowell has long been a natural choice for nECC graduates seeking to transfer to a four-year institution in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. last year alone, more than 360 students transferred from nECC to umass lowell.
nECC currently has 26 transfer agreements with umass lowell in areas including business, criminal justice, engineering, liberal arts, and education. The university waives tuition for graduates of all community colleges who complete their associate degrees with at least a 3.0 gPa .
This is umass lowell’s first satellite campus. in december, the university announced plans to open a satellite campus in downtown Haverhill, but a request for proposals did not yield a location that would meet the university’s requirements in time to allow classes to begin in september. it announced in april its plans to enter into a partnership with nECC while continuing to look for a permanent downtown location. it will be located at northern Essex at least through the 2013-14 academic year.
The satellite brings the university’s strengths in educating working professionals, adult learners and traditional students to Haverhill. already, more than 2,000 residents of the city and nearby communities attend umass lowell.
“i am very happy to see umass lowell and northern Essex coming together to enable the university to launch its Haverhill operation while plans continue for a permanent home in our downtown area,” said massachusetts House Ways and means Chairman Brian dempsey of Haverhill, a umass lowell alumnus. “This is a big step in establishing the Haverhill satellite campus and i am pleased with the progress.”
“We have worked successfully with Northern Essex for years to help their graduates make a smooth transition to continue their education on our campus and now we can say that will be even easier.”
- um ass l owell Chancellor m arty m eehan
it’s no surprise that susan Bonenfant was chosen as this year’s outstanding alumni award recipient. The award is given annually to recognize an individual who has achieved success in his or her career, is active in the community, and has given back to the college — all attributes that susan embodies.
susan began her college education at northern Essex in 1975 and majored in accounting. she transferred to new Hampshire College (now southern new Hampshire university) where she earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting. she has gone on to have a successful career in
banking, and is now a vice president of deposit compliance at Pentucket Bank, where she has worked for 10 years.
“i don’t know if i would have gone to college if it hadn’t been for nECC. i was a young mother, and northern Essex was a great option for me. it was affordable and close to home. it gave me the confidence to say ‘Yes, i can do this.’ i am very grateful to nECC,” she says.
susan appreciates what nECC provided her, and is now an active volunteer for nECC. she has served on the nECC alumni advisory Board since 2005, currently as its chairperson. she is also involved in various other organizations including girls inc., merrimack Valley Crimes network, and merrimack Valley Elder service money management Council. she volunteers about 200 hours per year.
“i volunteer because it is good for my soul. it makes me feel good and whole. i have always believed in giving back. i try to instill it in my children and grandchildren,” she says. most recently, susan and her daughter and grandchildren got involved by running in the first annual nECC Campus Classic 5K and Fun run. susan even started blogging about her “couch-to-5K” experience. susan, her daughter nina, and her nine-year old granddaughter grace ran the 5K. Her two younger grandchildren, Joey, 6, and lulu, 4, participated in the Fun run.
about the event susan says, “i loved it. i had an awesome time, and the kids loved getting their ribbons.”
susan sums up her involvement with nECC this way: “ it’s a great group of people. i feel like i ’m learning all the time. i ’m giving back to the college, but the college is giving to me, too.”
“I volunteer because it is good for my soul. It makes me feel good and whole ... I’m giving back to the college, but the college is giving to me, too.”
- susan Bonenfantl- r: susan Bonenfant with daughter, nina, and granddaughter grace L-R: Lindsey Mayo, director of alumni and donor relations, and Susan Bonenfant
Home: Hampton, New Hampshire
Age: 65
Profession: Professor of English and Communications (38 years)
Hobbies: Distance running, walking, music, volunteering, social networking, sports ....
Last book read: Claiming Ground by Laura Bell
Latest accomplishment: Professionally — I co-authored a paper titled “FirstYear Project-Based Engineering: The Secret to Student Success” to be presented this summer at the American Society of Engineering Educators’ conference. Personally — I ran Boston 2013. I was six-tenths of a mile from the finish line when the race was stopped. I’m already qualified for Boston 2014 and I will run that. It will be one of those reference points in my life when “things changed.”
Quote: My own mantra, and I do my best to practice it religiously is “Do what’s right, not what’s easy.”
Profile: I’m passionate about teaching … especially Public Speaking. It’s been my goal since completing a sabbatical on Oral Communication Across the Curriculum, that oral presentations be incorporated into as many classes as possible. I want no student to graduate from NECC without the experience of giving an oral presentation which is an empowering skill set. As of 2014, oral communication will be a graduation requirement.
I start every day with a run. Yes, EVERY day. The distance can vary from 20 miles to just three or four miles. It requires a lot of effort and discipline; but the rewards compensate for that.
Why I do what I do: I teach because I feed off the satisfaction I get in seeing a student’s growth in knowledge, critical thinking skills, and confidence levels. I run because I like how well it makes me feel physically.
a new one-year certificate program at northern Essex will prepare students for positions in the fast-growing data security field.
students in the computer security certificate program will be prepared to assess a company’s risk, document and implement security procedures, and check for security breaches in an organization’s system.
The program starts this fall and is designed for individuals with previous college-level experience or work experience in information technology (iT) who wish to upgrade their computer skills in security technologies. The curriculum consists of six computerrelated courses as well as English Composition i.
nECC offers several certificate programs in computer information sciences for students and professionals looking to enhance their skills, including computer forensics, computer networking, help desk, and web design.
U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz (shown above) addressed Northern Essex graduates and their families and friends who gathered under a tent on the quadrangle of the Haverhill campus on Saturday, May 18 at the college’s 51st annual Commencement. She encouraged the graduates to surround themselves with mentors, colleagues, friends, and family who would keep them motivated. david de Jesus of Lawrence, who graduated with a degree in General Studies: Music, represented the class of 2013 as the student speaker.
t ickets are s till available for k eith lockhart and
don’t miss this opportunity to see keith l ockhart and friends on s aturday, september 28, 7:30 p.m. at the c ollins c enter in a ndover, mass. t he evening will feature a talk by l ockhart on s travinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, illustrated by periodic interludes of music performed by a group of seven musicians. t he event is presented by the necc foundation, inc., the Women of necc, and the necc a lumni a ssociation. p roceeds benefit necc’s endowment fund. t ickets are still available — call the necc e vents line at 978-556-3870 today or visit www.mvarts.info to purchase tickets online!
Gifts of cash enable funds to be made available for immediate use by NECC and are fully tax deductible. please make your check payable to the NECC Foundation, inc. and forward it to the institutional advancement o ffice. MasterCard and visa are accepted by phone, mail, or online.
Gifts of appreciated securities offer significant tax advantages to the donor. please call institutional advancement for further information and instructions for their transfer.
Many companies match contributions made by a current or retired employee or spouse. Contact your Human Resources department if your employer has such a program and, if so, obtain the proper forms and forward them to institutional advancement.
you may make a charitable contribution to NECC and also receive income for life while obtaining significant tax advantages.
any asset may be transferred to NECC by bequest. the gift may be made under your will, through a trust, or by designating NECC as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan.
you may make gifts of real estate and gifts of future interests in real estate and obtain tax savings.
NECC’s institutional advancement o ffice can provide you with additional information about the many ways of giving to NECC. Call or email Jean poth, vice president of institutional advancement, at 978-556-3624 or jpoth@necc.mass.edu.
Thanks to an nECC annual Fund Program grant, students studying to be EmTs or Paramedics now have access to three new automated external defibrillator (aEd) trainer devices. These new devices will enable nECC to continue to provide quality Emergency medical services (Ems) education and help our students be more prepared to work in the field when they graduate.
Rory putnam, assistant professor and clinical and EMt basic program coordinator, demonstrates use of the new defibrillator.
In addition to funding much-needed scholarships, the NECC Annual Fund provides faculty and staff with program grants to enrich the educational experience for students by creating new academic initiatives and experiential learning opportunities.
the phonathon is a way for the college to keep in touch with its alumni. Current students contact alumni to update their records, share information on events around campus, and solicit support for the NECC annual Fund. thank you to everyone who took the time to answer our call!
Congratulations to M AR k F RONTEROTTA ’79 for his promotion to Chief of Police in Inglewood, California.
My RON M AC I NNIS ’85 was profiled in MIT Technology Review magazine for his work at the LIGO Laboratory at MIT.
D AVID (B IBEAU) S ANCHE z ’96 published his first book titled Multifamily Group Clinical Skills Workbook for Therapists.
A UGUSTIN F RANCOIS ’02 obtained his bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Concordia University in Austin, Texas and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
D USTIN L UCA has been named Reporter of the year (by CNHI, Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.) for his work as a staff writer at the Andover Townsman.
J ESSICA D IC k ’11 was featured in the Eagle-Tribune for an honors seminar she taught at UMass Boston about the city of Lawrence. She graduated from UMass Boston with honors in May.
M AR k H ARGREAVES ’13 was recognized as one of the “29 Who Shine” at the Massachusetts State House on May 2, 2013. The program was launched by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education to recognize outstanding students representing each of the state’s 29 public higher education institutions.
Mr. Robert F. Drago ‘81
Mr. Louis Polizzotti ‘83
Mrs. Shirley A. Dam ‘84
Mr. Paul V. Fish ‘93
V. James Smotrich, R.N. ‘93
Mr. John A. Terilli ‘04
Ms. Stacey L. Bussing ‘04
Each May, the alumni association presents two awards that recognize outstanding achievements. the outstanding Student award is presented to a graduating student at the College’s awards Convocation ceremony. Mary Ellen d’angelo-Lombari of Methuen was this year’s recipient. Mary Ellen was recognized for her leadership of the student newspaper, The Observer. Susan Bonenfant of plaistow received this year’s outstanding alumni award given at Commencement. Susan was selected for her dedication and support of NECC as well as for her extensive service in the community. (See related story, page 8.)
Congratulations to Mary Ellen and Susan!
dana Farnham ’78 director of respiratory/ Pulmonary services at Essential Health FargoL-R: attorney dawne M. young ‘92, former chair of the NECC alumni association, and student Mary Ellen d’angelo-Lombari
The wonderful people at the college cared about me and set me on my path. my career, life, and happiness were the result of the support i received at nECC. giving back is one way to show my gratitude for all nECC gave me and to help the next generation of nECC students.
tHE w E at HER wa S p ERFEC t for Northern Essex Community College’s First annual Campus Classic 5k and Fun Run, and everyone — from the children who participated in the Fun Run to the competitive runners who ran the USatF certified 5k — gave the race two thumbs up.
o ver 150 runners participated in the 5k , which started on the Haverhill Campus and wound through the adjoining neighborhood. More than 30 children 12 and under participated in the Fun Run which circled around the college track.
the NECC Campus Classic raised nearly $5,000 and the funding will benefit the NECC annual Fund, which provides support for student scholarships and academic programs, and one Fund Boston, which has been established to help those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.
to receive information on next year’s Campus Classic 5k and Fun Run, contact Lindsey Mayo, director of alumni and donor relations, at lmayo@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3621.
