alumnecc Fall 2014 Volume 7

dear Friends of the College,

When i was a community college student, i interned as a layout artist for Midwest City Sun, a small oklahoma-based newspaper. my experience there proved invaluable to me. i not only learned a lot about the newspaper business — i planned to pursue a career in journalism at that time — i also learned a lot about myself. i became comfortable in a professional environment and learned to meet deadlines and communicate effectively.

and it was clear that my employer benefited, too. With my internship, they had access to a dedicated employee, someone who was eager to learn and could help pick up the workload in an office which was under-staffed.

as i found all those years ago, internships have benefits for both students and employers. i t is because of this that we decided to launch a pilot internship program at northern Essex this year for our communication and business students.

in this issue of alumnecc Magazine, you will read about the first group of students who participated and learn how your organization can join the growing list of companies who have partnered with us on this program.

You will also get to know two very exciting people — nursing graduate Julie reynolds, who is CEo of a seacoast n.H. Visiting nurse association, and dr. noemi Custodia-lora, who will lead lawrence Campus initiatives for the college — and find out about some great additions to our campuses, including a new veterans center and an equipment donation that will give our respiratory care graduates an edge in the job market.

as always, i appreciate you and your continued support of the college. We truly couldn’t do it without you!

lane a. glenn President

Message from the President alumnecc

a magazin E F or our alumni & F ri E nds

Editor: maureen o’leary

Contributing Editors: sarah Comiskey, Ellen small davis, Ernie greenslade, Wendy shaffer

Art Director: marty lapham

Graphic Designer: susan stehfest

Writers: Ellen small davis, Ernie greenslade, lindsey mayo, maureen o’leary

Cover Photo: Thomas shamma, a student in the Journalism/ Communication Program, in front of the press at the Eagle Tribune

Photograph by m ike dean

Join the Growing List of Companies who have Benefited from NECC Interns

• Clear Channel Media

• Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England

• Colony Foods

• Eagle tribune

• Entercom Boston

• Gatehouse Media North

• Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico, LLP

• NECC Office of Accounting and Finance

• Youngclaus and Company, PLLC

Students and Businesses Benefit from New Internship Program

a new pilot internship program, developed in conjunction with nECC’s business and journalism programs, is quickly proving to be a success. already, students have landed internship opportunities at such companies as the Eagle Tribune, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of northern new England (CCnnE), and Clear Channel r adio Boston – Kiss 108.

internship Coordinator ashley Bragger says the college recognized that while certain nECC academic programs like allied health and criminal justice had practicums, internships, and externships in place, others, like business and journalism/communication, did not.

Working closely with Patricia morrow and amy Callahan, the respective coordinators of the business and journalism/communication programs, Bragger and others created the pilot program within the guidelines of the massachusetts Community Colleges Experiential Education Handbook on internships and Cooperative Education. They devised a recruitment and implementation program last fall and placed the first cohort of interns this past spring.

- Continued on following page

Bragger, nECC internship coordinator

Making the Employer and Employee Connection through NECClink

NECClink is a new online career service that enables local business and community partners to make jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities available to NECC students and alumni. Businesses and organizations can manage posts for open positions, view applicants’ profiles, resumes and cover letters, sign up to host information sessions, and attend career events at the college.

Students and alumni can create a NECClink profile in order to build resumes and cover letters, explore industry and career related information, view employer profiles, and search and apply for quality employment and experiential learning opportunities.

NECClink is offered at no cost to our students, alumni, and business and community partners. To create an account, visit www.necc.mass.edu/necclink. For assistance or more information, contact Ashley Bragger at abragger@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3946.

“northern Essex recognizes how important internship experiences are in helping our students advance with their academic and career goals,” says Bragger. “at the same time, we wanted the program to address some of the soft skills gaps of recent graduates that have been noted by employers and advisory board members.”

in addition to getting on-the-job experience, interns attend a series of workshops that address topics such as professionalism in the workplace (attendance, emailing, cell phone etiquette, time management, and dressing for success); verbal and written communication skills (through journaling and attending a business etiquette luncheon); and interview skills through participation in mock interviews.

local businesses are benefiting from the internship program as well. “a lot of companies like bringing in interns because they see it as an opportunity to bring in fresh ideas and new perspectives. They also like being mentors to the students and helping develop the future workforce,” says Bragger.

The college works with the businesses to make it easy for them to hire interns: i t helps facilitate the hiring process and matches the organization’s needs with the student’s skills. “The companies have been pleased because the students have the skills they are looking for,” Bragger adds.

m ike Elmer, director of capabilities for CCnnE agrees. “ with nECC has been to our benefit at many levels: it has provided us a framework for a more effective intern program at CC helped to provide skilled focus in areas of business opportunity, and given us insight to the quality of potential new-hire candidates nECC develops here in the merrimack Valley. We will continue to welcome the opportunity to collaborate with nECC students in their career development, and appreciate the ongoing support of nECC Career Connections,” he says.

Front

Daniel McAndrew

Molly Fitzgerald

Michael Alongi

Chad Gorham

Thomas Shamma

Andrea Cardwell

Back row, left to right:

Max DuCap-Laguerre

Rick Paganelli

Nicholas Mazzone

Christina Hillner

nECC students have been praising the program as well. Thomas shamma says he gained valuable “on-the-job training.” in fact, his internship experience was so successful he was hired as a reporter for the Eagle Tribune for the summer.

molly Fitzgerald too, stayed on at the Bedford, n.H., Coca-Cola bottling plant, as the social media manager. “This is so much more than what i expected to gain through the internship,” she says.

another nECC student, broadcast journalism major Chad gorham of newbury, interned at Kiss 108 where he was responsible for collecting news items each morning that he would pass along to radio personality Billy Costa. Christine Hillner of dracut, a communication major, also interned at Kiss 108. nicholas mazzone, a business major from methuen who also worked for Kiss 108, interned in sound and production. “Just being given the opportunity to work there with all those talented people was great,” mazzone says.

Communication major m ike alongi of Haverhill interned with Entercom Boston at WEEi. He also had a positive experience. “i’ve always wanted to work for WEEi, so when i got the chance to be in the office i was ecstatic. i learned a lot about working for a radio station and the collaboration it takes from everyone. i’m very glad i can now put this on my resume,” he says.

ccording to Bragger, nECC plans to increase enrollment in the internship program each semester and is now working with the Computer & information sciences to expand offerings.

row, left to right :

NECC Provides Foundation for Success for Area CEO

When Julie reynolds enrolled at northern Essex in 1981, she was a young single mother working as an lPn at what was then called the Hale Hospital in Haverhill. Even then, she knew she wanted more of a leadership role in nursing, and she believed that being an rn would help her do that. she graduated from northern Essex with an associate degree in nursing in 1984. “nECC gave me the opportunity to work, raise a child, and go to school. i t gave me a solid base,” reynolds says.

From that solid base, reynolds went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from granite state College and a master’s degree from new England College. still striving to have more of a positive impact in the health care field, she also made another career move.

“i enjoyed being a nurse, but i understood changes were happening in health care and i wanted to be a part of that and contribute to that. i went into home care in 1987. i like change, and there was a lot of growth and change in home health care,” she says.

starting as a field nurse, she went on to be a diabetes educator, a team manager, a supervisor, and a clinical director. in January 2013, reynolds became CEo of Cornerstone Vna in rochester, n.H., a position she currently holds.

“i am driven by my passion to make changes that matter, keeping up with health care trends and improving the quality of care patients receive. Working in home health care has allowed me to make a difference in the lives of others and for life to have more meaning,” she states.

reynolds says she inherits her drive and leadership ability from her mother, marjorie goudreault.

goudreault was a leader at northern Essex for almost 30 years. she was a member of the college’s advisory Board from 1969 to 1979, serving three years as chair of the board, and she was chair of the nECC Board of Trustees from 1981 until her retirement in 1997. she died in 2005. in July, nECC recognized her contributions by dedicating a new walkway and parking area in her name on the lawrence Campus.

“i’m very fortunate that nECC was there for me. i was able to have a successful career because of the foundation i received at northern Essex. i have in turn been able to make a difference in others’ lives,” reynolds adds.

“I was able to have a successful career because of the foundation I received at Northern Essex. I have in turn been able to make a difference in others’ lives.”

Dr. Noemi Custodia-Lora

Home: Haverhill, Massachusetts

Profession: NECC Executive Director, Lawrence Campus and Community Relations

Hobbies: Cooking and collecting spices from around the world

Last book read: El Heroe Discreto by Mario Vargas Llosa

Latest accomplishment: I have been given the opportunity to lead and serve the only Hispanic Serving Institution in Massachusetts.* How awesome is that?

Favorite Quote: “No hay mal que por bien no venga” (anonymous). The direct translation is “good things can come from bad.” My mom always says that. She is very optimistic and thinks life will always get better. She is right.

Profile: Born in Puerto Rico, I came to Massachusetts at 24 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Universidad de Puerto Rico. I learned English and then enrolled in the Ph.D. physiology-endocrinology program at Boston University. After graduating, I was a post-doctoral fellow at Tufts Medical School. I came to Northern Essex to teach in 2003.

I am friendly, honest, and loyal. I think big. Those who know me well know a crazy idea is coming when I say “I was thinking ...”

I believe in second chances and tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. I love science and spend time with my daughters doing science projects or hunting for insects.

Why I do what I do: I believe in providing access to education. Supporting students as they complete their education is my way of honoring my father’s dedication and support of my education. Gifted, he left school at 13 and worked the family farm in the Dominican Republic. Each night he sat with my sisters and me to teach us math, reading, and writing. He would say “I want you to study hard, go to school and graduate from college … so you can have choices.”

I want to help others to get the support they need to graduate from college and have choices.

*In 2002 the Lawrence Campus of NECC was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution by the u.S. Department of Education in order to expand educational opportunities for Hispanic Americans and other underrepresented populations.

NECC Veterans Center Serves Those Who Served

Veterans visiting or attending northern Essex Community College have a place to call their own now that the new Veterans Center has opened on the top floor of the Behrakis one-stop student services Center on the Haverhill Campus.

under the direction of Jeff Williams, nECC’s veterans services coordinator, the center is open to all veterans and their college-age dependents. Williams is a Battalion Command sergeant major in the u.s. army reserve with one tour in iraq behind him and more than 20 years of experience working in the areas of education and veterans services.

nECC currently has over 200 veterans and dependents of veterans. Williams helps them navigate the veterans-educational benefit process, access their Joint service Transcripts, and review degree programs. once the paperwork is completed he escorts them to the registration area to enroll in classes. Williams is also able to connect vets with counseling and housing specialists.

For more information on the Veterans Center or its services, contact Jeff Williams at jwilliams@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3631.

Equipment Donation will Lead to Better-Prepared Grads

Thanks to the generosity of Holy Family Hospital at merrimack Valley, which recently donated a sophisticated piece of pulmonary testing equipment to northern Essex, graduates of the college’s respiratory Care Program will now be even better-prepared for careers in their fields. The donation was facilitated by morgan scientific, a Haverhill-based company, which also provided resources to get the equipment up and running.

The plethysmograph — or “body box” for short — is housed in the college’s dr. ibrahim El-Hefni allied Health & Technology Center in lawrence. The airtight Plexiglas box is the size of a small phone booth. When patients are seated in the box, it measures the volume and air flow of their lungs, helping to differentiate and diagnose respiratory illnesses such as asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, and pulmonary fibrosis.

respiratory Care Professor Chris rowse says that having familiarity with this equipment will benefit northern Essex students. “This type of equipment is commonly seen in pulmonary function labs. Having this specialty training will make our graduates more desirable in the job market.”

NECC Veterans Services Coordinator Jeff Williams

NECC Professor Chris Rowse (in white coat) demonstrates the college’s new body box for Gareth Morgan of Morgan Scientific (left) and Michael Cornelius, manager, noninvasive services, Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack Valley. NECC student Lenka Poliquin of Plaistow, N.H. is in the box.

T i CKETS $39

To purchase tickets, call the northern Essex Community College institutional advancement events line at 978-556-3870 or visit www.mvarts.info.

For more information or to request communication access, visit www.necc.mass.edu/signature-event.

Discounts available for students and groups.

SaTurDay, SEpTEMBEr 20, 6:30 p.M. CoLLinS CEnTEr For ThE pErForMing arTS

aT anDoVEr high SChooL in anDoVEr, Ma

relive the days of the rat pack with “The rat pack is Back,” a touring tribute version of Las Vegas’ famous entertainers: Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis jr., Dean Martin, and joey Bishop. Enjoy this legendary lounge act along with their live big band at nECC’s 10th a nnual Signature Fundraising Event.

Ways to Give

> Gifts of Cash

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 Office. MasterCard and visa are accepted by phone or mail.

> Securities

Gifts of appreciated securities offer significant tax advantages to the donor. Please call Institutional Advancement for further information and instructions for their transfer.

> Matching Gifts

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.

> Life Income Gifts

You may make a charitable contribution to NECC and also receive income for life while obtaining significant tax advantages.

> Bequests

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.

> Gifts of Real Estate

You may make gifts of real estate and gifts of future interests in real estate and obtain tax savings.

NECC’s Institutional Advancement Office 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.

Grant Boosts Training for Local Manufacturing Industry

The manufacturing industry is still alive and well in the merrimack Valley — it is, in fact, the third largest employment sector in the region. The industry has changed over the years, however, and the manufacturing jobs of today increasingly involve the use of technology and require highly-skilled workers.

in april, governor deval Patrick announced a $1.2 million advanced manufacturing equipment grant to the greater lawrence Technical school (glTs) to support the creation of a new advanced manufacturing academy. The grant is the result of a partnership between northern Essex Community College, glTs, and the local manufacturing community, and will prepare the region’s workforce for careers in advanced manufacturing.

Through the academy, glTs will provide training for high school students during the day, and northern Essex will provide career preparation for adults in the evening. High school students and area residents will benefit from this training opportunity for careers as machine tool technicians and computer numerical control (CnC) operators, and area employers will gain a more-skilled workforce.

Smartpens Help Students Solve Math Problems

You’ve probably heard of podcasting, but have you heard of pencasting?

Pencasting is the ability to record everything that is written and spoken with a smartpen and special paper. thanks to an NECC Annual Fund Program Grant, NECC students will benefit from this technology.

Faculty member Jim Sullivan purchased five smartpens and special magnetized paper for developmental math faculty to use. Faculty will be able to create online lectures and give feedback to online discussions and student questions. According to Sullivan, one of the big roadblocks to online learning in math has been the difficulty in communicating mathematical ideas in a simple digital format that allows student questions to be easily answered. this technology helps solve that problem.

the smartpens can also be used by the students in the classroom to record their work. the student and instructor can then review the steps taken and develop strategies to improve problem solving techniques.

In addition to funding much-needed scholarships, the NECC Annual Fund provides program grants for faculty and staff to enrich the educational experience for students by creating new academic initiatives and experiential learning opportunities.

Left to right: Bill Heineman, NECC vice president of academic and student affairs, Peter Dulchinos, NECC trustee, Jeff Linehan, NECC trustee, Governor Deval Patrick, Bill Moynihan, chair of the NECC trustees, and Dan Rivera, Lawrence mayor.

Mr. Richard L. Demarais ‘74

Ms. Joan Casey ‘75

Mr. Michael L. Hickey ‘78

Ms. Lisa R. Ricker ‘79

Mr. Bruce G. McInnes ‘79

Mr. John J. Dushame ‘80

Ms. Inez L. Lund ‘80

Mrs. Dorothy J. Jayes ‘82

Mr. James D. Martinage ‘83

Ms. Martha A. Toscano ‘84

Ms. Linda M. Moro ‘86

Ms. Carrie J. Ahearn ‘94

Ms. Doreen A. Thompson ‘94

Mrs. Yvette Powers ‘97

Mr. Robert I. Moss ‘97

Ms. Phyllis I. Ryan ‘98

Ms. Lori B. Hope ‘99

Mr. Victor A. Marte ‘04

Mr. Christopher P. Allicon ‘04

Mr. Patrick J. Lu ‘08

Alumni News

R AY P ILAT ’65 was recently named the 2014 Person of the Year by the Methuen Board of Trade. The board awarded Pilat for his outstanding commitment to community service efforts, citing his many years of involvement with Methuen Community Television as a show host and announcer as well as his activity with various local committees.

GEORGE MORIARTY ‘72 , executive director of workforce development at NECC, was recently featured in The Boston Globe article about career advancement. A former job counselor and commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Career Services, Moriarty offers readers useful bits of advice on how to get ahead in their careers.

S ARA (C OO k) M AC C OR k LE ‘88 and husband Leon MacCorkle have acquired ownership of Padebco Custom Boats, a company based in Round Pond, Maine. The 50-year-old company builds high-end custom fiberglass cruising vessels suited for people who wish to join the cruising community or downsize from larger vessels.

The Andover Inn of Andover, Massachusetts has named D EBORAH M IREA u LT ‘93 its new director of sales. Mireault previously served as General Manager of the Holiday Inn in Danbury, Connecticut and has held a number of other hospitality positions at area hotels over the years.

J OHN S EFEL ‘04 has been hired as the new director of theater at Cowley Community College in Arkansas City, k ansas. Sefel has actively worked in theater as an actor, director, producer and playwright since 1997 and credits NECC with helping him get started. He recently obtained an MFA from Baylor university.

Newburyport Police Sergeant M ATTHEW S IMONS ‘05 was among a group of local first responders to provide a heartwarming birthday surprise for a boy battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. An estimated 1,500 police cruisers and fire engines took part in a convoy of emergency vehicles that stopped by the house of 7-year-old Tyler Seddon of Burrillville, Rhode Island. Officers from all over New England and beyond participated in the joyous celebration.

NECC Alumni A ssociation Golf Tournament Above Par

under brilliant skies, some 72 golfers participated in the Northern Essex Community College Alumni Association Golf tournament at the renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill on Monday, June 23.

the tournament brought in over $8,500 thanks to participating golfers and sponsors. All proceeds from the event will support the NECC Annual Fund, which provides scholarships and academic enrichment programs for students at the college.

Lupoli Companies was the tournament platinum sponsor. Participants had the opportunity to win a car donated by regan Ford, the event’s hole-in-one sponsor. Other sponsors included the event’s practice range sponsor Salem Co-Operative Bank, awards dinner sponsor Comfort Home Care, cart sponsor Nancy Greenwood Insurance, and lunch sponsor NexDine.

to receive information on upcoming alumni events, contact Lindsey Mayo, director of alumni and donor relations, at lmayo@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3621.

Above, left-right: Scott Hatch, Dr. Kristyn Pistone, Tom Gagne, and Debbie Gagne

Above, left-right: Sal Lupoli, Michael Lupoli, Gerry-Lynn Darcy, and Donald Rist

Above, left-right: Bill ‘63 and Rosemary ‘70 Klueber, Alumni Advisory Board Members

Your Gift to the NECC Annual Fund Makes a Difference