Dear Friends,
I am so proud of our baseball team for bringing national recognition to Northern Essex by placing second at this year’s NJCAA Division 3 World Series in Kinston, North Carolina in May. Our team is proving to be a launching pad for local athletes. Coach Jeff Mejia runs a tight ship, emphasizing hard work on and off the field. With support from our academic area, he’s successfully transforming these young men from athletes to athlete/scholars.
At Northern Essex, we place the emphasis on academics while recognizing that college success isn’t just about what happens in the classroom, and the success of our athletics program is a perfect example of this philosophy.
Similarly, in this issue of alumNECC, you will also read about a group of students who, under the supervision of Natural Science Professor Sarah Courschesne, recently spent time on the Isles of Shoals conducting research on the local seagull population, research that will be used to reverse troubling declines in the local gull population.
You will also learn about PACE, a federally-funded program that provides students with opportunities for academic development and support services that will help them successfully graduate from Northern Essex and go on to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Northern Essex offers students the full college experience, both inside and outside the classroom, and after reading this issue of alumNECC, I hope you will have an even deeper appreciation of the wealth of opportunities that we offer. Thank you for all that you do to support this college and our students!
Lane A. Glenn President
Editor: Maureen O’Leary
Contributing Editors: Sarah Comiskey, Ellen Small Davis, Ernie Greenslade, Wendy Shaffer
Graphic Designer: Susan Stehfest
Writers: Sarah Comiskey, Ellen Small Davis, Ernie Greenslade, Maureen O’Leary
4 PACE PUTS HAVERHILL WOMAN ON PATH TO SUCCESS
6 GULLS RESEARCH PROJECT OFFERS NECC STUDENTS VALUABLE EXPERIENCE
8 NECC BASEBALL TEAM RANKS AMONG BEST IN U.S.
10 ON CAMPUS/IN THE COMMUNITY
“PACE was phenomenal. They had a lot of resources, and they really get to know you and your situation. They help you find your perfect path.”
- Nairoby Gabriel, ’14
Nairoby Gabriel was looking for a fresh start. She didn’t do so well in high school, and she wanted to get back on her feet and prove to herself that she could succeed academically. She found her new beginning at Northern Essex Community College.
At Northern Essex, Gabriel participated in the Pathways to Academic and Career Excellence (PACE) Program*, a federally-funded student support services program that helps students succeed. Students are eligible for PACE if they are a first-generation college student and they meet federal financial guidelines.
Services include workshops; academic, career, and transfer advising; mentoring; and scholarships.
Karen Mitchell, director of PACE, says the program gives students a foundation for success. “Generally, we help students transform their lives while they are here and beyond. We establish relationships with the students and give them resources to be successful. They gain confidence, and when they get involved, they really blossom” she says.
Gabriel proved that to be true. In addition to participating in PACE, she was a member of the Student Senate, Amnesty International, and the Student Leadership Development Program. She graduated from NECC in 2014 with honors and a degree in Liberal Arts: Political Science.
She transferred to UMass Boston, studied abroad in France, and then transferred to UMass Lowell where she graduated in May from the Honors College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.
Gabriel was one of approximately 250 students who participate in PACE annually. The program, which has been at NECC since 1980, has just been approved for a new five-year grant cycle from 2016-2021.
Mitchell says the comment she hears most from students is “PACE changed my life.”
Gabriel would agree. She would like to be a diplomat and work as a foreign services officer, and she just landed a job as a congressional staff assistant for Senator Elizabeth Warren. She credits PACE with helping her find her direction. “PACE was phenomenal. They had a lot of resources, and they really get to know you and your situation. They help you find your perfect path,” she adds.
Gabriel is also thankful to PACE for one more thing: “I met my husband through the PACE program,” she happily exclaims.
“The Gulls of Appledore” may sound like a reality television show, but it’s actually a gull banding research project that Northern Essex Community College students have been involved with at the Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island.
Supported by the NECC Fund, the students spend a week banding and measuring both Herring Gulls and Great Black-Backed Gulls, under the tutelage of NECC Assistant Professor of Natural Sciences Sarah Courchesne. The banding is done in the name of research. It allows the gulls to be identified by birders who report sightings of the birds.
Each May and July Courchesne travels to Appledore Island with three or four NECC students who are selected based on a personal essay and teacher recommendation. For a week they experience dormitory style living. The gull banding project has become increasingly popular with NECC students. This spring alone, more than 30 students applied for the week-long trip.
“Our schedule is pretty much the same each day,” says Courchesne. “Eat breakfast, run around catching and banding gulls until lunch, eat lunch, run around catching and banding gulls all afternoon, eat supper, enjoy the evening. The only thing that changes the game on our end is weather — we can’t band the birds if the weather is really cold and nasty. But anything short of that, we’re out and working.”
Each summer, while the gulls flock to the island to nest, volunteers capture up to 50 adult and 400 young gulls, with the intent of tracking their flying, eating, and nesting habits. There is concern that the population of these seabirds has dropped significantly since the 70s and 80s.
The tracking helps determine the well-being of the gull population and the ocean as a whole, while giving the students experience outside the traditional classroom.
“I learned a lot more than I was expecting and was able to gain some experience in field research,” said Eric Lanouette, a biology major.
Nathan Kozlovski, a physical science major at Northern Essex, says the experience gave him the opportunity to work with wild animals in a natural setting.
“I learned much about the nuances of behavior that can widely separate two closely-related species cohabiting in close proximity,” he said.
They also learned that catching gulls is “a little bit zany and kind of tricky,” says Courchesne. The young gulls were caught with a fabric bag, the older gulls, box-traps.
“I learned many skills, like patience and methodical approach,” said Cesar (Davis) Mesta, a lab science major. “That could only be learned by working in the field.”
Thanks to a $10,000 grant from Verizon, this program will be able to continue to offer students this unique educational experience.
They were underdogs when they left and champions when they returned. As the NECC Knights baseball team arrived on campus after a tough series of games at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) World Series, they were met with uproarious applause. They had just been ranked second in the nation, and the college community, gathering for a rally in their honor, was ready to celebrate.
“I have never seen a team play with such heart and soul,” Sue MacAvoy, the college’s longtime athletic director, says of the achievement. “This is such a great group of young men, and they pulled off quite a feat.”
For the past five years the Knights have consistently defied the odds. Defeating much larger college teams, they have qualified for the NJCAA tournament each spring, ranking among the very best of junior college baseball teams in the U.S. This year’s tournament brought the team closer to winning than ever before.
Coach Jeff Mejia, who has been working with the team since 2013, attributes the team’s success to the relentless determination of its players. “We win games because we outwork every other team,” he says. Mejia also stresses the importance of academics in propelling the student athletes forward, asserting that his job, above all, is to “get these kids into four-year schools.”
True to his word, five graduating students from this year’s team will be transferring to four-year colleges and universities come fall. Included is Robert Barry (Ave Maria University), Anthony Dally (West Virginia Tech), Keith Linnane (UMass Amherst), Colby Maiola (UMass Lowell), and Jordan Roper (University of New Orleans).
The Knights began the 2016 World Series with a 12-10 win over Montgomery Community College, followed by a 6-4 win over Niagara County Community College in the quarter finals and a 4-3 win against Rowan College in the semi-finals. The latter win rendered them eligible to play in the championship game against Tyler Junior College, to which they lost 3-4. Colby Maiola of North Reading, Evan Glew of North Andover, and Jordan Roper of Lynnfield were named to the All-Tournament team.
Now, back in Haverhill, the team prepares for another successful season. In the next year, they will have ten new freshmen and four transfers, all with the athletic records and drive to make for a great season. And if this year’s record is any indication, they’re already off to a good start.
To learn more about sports at NECC, contact Sue MacAvoy, NECC athletics director, at smacavoy@necc.mass.edu.
Women’s Volleyball
What do engineering and classical guitars have in common? Plenty if you ask engineering professor Juan Oscar Azaret who believes math, science, and music can intersect. Azaret is a trained engineer and classical guitarist, who is also a luthier, someone who makes and repairs string instruments. He brings an almost lyrical blend of engineering principles and classical guitar skills into his classrooms. “Both math and music are languages that require an ordered kind of thinking,” he says, “The similarities are there.” Azaret has been shaped as much by the engineering degrees he holds from Stanford and the University of Tennessee as by the musical memories of the Cuban guitar and the bluegrass of East Tennessee.
Home: North Andover
Profession: NECC physics and electronics instructor/electrical engineer; luthier
Hobbies: Board member and trustee – Boston Classical Guitar Society; fitness
Last book read: Bacardi–andtheLongFightforCuba,Tom Gjelten
Latest accomplishment: Youngest child graduated college and is employed!
Quote: “Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, but sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know, that we are here for the sake of others … “
— Albert EinsteinProfile: I am a New England, Tennessee hillbilly, born in Cuba. I am fortunate to feel equally at home salsa dancing in Miami, hiking the hills of East Tennessee, or playing in the music conservatories of Boston.
Why I do what I do: I love to dwell in the details of physical things.
As a luthier and a STEM teacher the challenges are endless. It’s exciting to share with my students a lifetime of experience in the high tech industry and to see them learning a profession, working hard to achieve, and rejoicing in being able to make sense of things.
An increase in music program enrollment has introduced a more diverse range of musical talents to the college in recent years, and the Jazz/Rock Ensemble makes that clear. The Jazz/Rock Ensemble, one of three ensembles available to music majors, has seen more students transferring to world-renowned music colleges than ever before. Among those in the 2016 graduating class is bass guitarist Richard Wildes of Haverhill, who will be attending Berklee College of Music in the fall.
The Jazz/Rock Ensemble performs concerts throughout the year under the direction of Professor Michael Lecuyer. Generally consisting of five to ten music students, the group plays a range of jazz standards in many sub genres, including bebop, ballads, Latin, Afro-Cuban, modal, and fusion. Ensemble students are required to meet for credit and perform both at the college and at local community functions. The group recently performed at the Women of NECC’s June Open House fundraiser, where they received rave reviews.
The Spurk Building, usually a hub of activity on Northern Essex’s Haverhill Campus, is now eerily quiet and it’s not just because it’s summer.
The 89,000 square-foot building — which is almost 50 years old — is about to go through a much-needed $15.2 million renovation. Its 33 classrooms and 54 faculty offices have been emptied to prepare for the year-long construction project which began in July. When completed, the results will include improved safety features, upgraded air quality, renovated restrooms, and major improvements to Lecture Hall A and the Hawrylciw Theater, which is where the college’s Top Notch Players perform.
The Spurk Building was constructed in 1971 as part of the college’s first permanent campus.
For more information, visit www.necc.mass.edu/spurk.
Looking for a 1963 Northern Essex yearbook or a 1972 catalog? Now you can find these and more if you have internet access.
NECC’s Bentley Library archives have gone digital. It just completed its first round of digitization of NECC yearbooks, academic catalogs, course descriptions, and curricula. All are now available for the world to browse.
The library partnered with the Boston Public Library to digitize these documents which can be accessed at https://archive.org/details/northernessexcc.
“Donating your time, talents, and treasures is essential to ensure the success of our future generations. Education is the cornerstone which allows people to succeed in life goals and ambitions. I find no greater satisfaction than to watch these stories being told and knowing that I had a small part in their journey.”
Gifts of cash enable funds to be made available for immediate use by NECC and are fully tax deductible. To make your gift, simply complete and return the enclosed envelope with your check made payable to NECC Foundation, Inc. or give online at www.necc.mass.edu/giving.
> Securities
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 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; executive director, NECC Foundation, Inc. at 978-556-3624 or jpoth@necc.mass.edu.
- Shawn McKallagat, NECC Foundation Board Member and owner of Letourneau’s Pharmacy
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 | 7:30 P.M. Collins Center, 100 Shawsheen Road, Andover, MA
DON’T MISS JUSTIN SHANDOR & MEMPHIS BOUND: THE ULTIMATE ELVIS CONCERT, straight from Las Vegas! Complete with a band and back-up singers, the vocals, drum beats, and dynamics of the Ultimate Elvis Concert are the spitting image of a 70s Elvis show.
TO PURCHASE TICKETS ($50), call the Northern Essex Community College Institutional Advancement events line at 978-556-3870 or visit www.mktix.com.
For more information or to request communication access, visit www.necc.mass.edu/signature-event. Discounts available for students and groups.
On May 19, students and business professionals gathered in the Haverhill Campus Hartleb Technology Center for the college’s second annual networking night, an event designed to help students practice their networking and communication skills. Throughout the evening, students spoke with various local business representatives, many of whom were seeking students for part-time jobs or internships with their respective companies. The networking night included an opportunity for students to have their portraits taken by a professional photographer, remarks by faculty and staff, and refreshments. The event was sponsored by NECC’s Career Connections office. NECC’s next networking night will take place on May 17, 2017.
Ms. Elizabeth J. Melville ‘71
Mr. Raymond L. Marino ‘72
Ms. Jane M. O’Connell ‘73
Mr. Thomas A. Devaney ‘75
Ms. Jeanette A. Booth ‘78
Ms. Patricia A. Mosher ‘79
Ms. Patricia A. Rollins ‘88
Ms. Marcia L. Beaulieu ‘88
Ms. Ann M. Tremblay ‘90
Ms. Nancy C. Carter ‘90
Mr. John F. Pfifferling, Jr. ‘96
Mr. Anthony J. Gaudette ‘97
Ms. Melissa A. Newvill ‘06
Mr. Brendan A. Griffin ‘06
Ms. Marcia E. DeSerres ‘10
WENDY ESTRELLA ’94, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, served as the keynote speaker at this year’s commencement ceremony, held on May 21.
DIANNELY ANTIGUA ’08 visited campus as a guest speaker for the college’s 8th annual Peace Poetry Project and Reading. An accomplished poet, Antigua is an MFA candidate in New York University’s creative writing program.
ROSE DINUCCIO ’13 recently qualified for American Ninja Warrior, a physical obstacle course competition show on NBC. DiNuccio works as a trainer at Latitude Sports Club in Methuen.
JOHN ROCHE ’15, a local heavyweight boxing champion, competed in the annual central New England Golden Gloves Championship in February.
DONNA RE ’16 and JACK JOAQUIN ’16, recent graduates of NECC’s drug and alcohol abuse counseling certificate program, were highlighted by local media outlets for their counseling work with local rehabilitation programs.
RAFI JEREZ has received the prestigious Ray Kroc award, given to the top 1 percent of McDonald’s managers worldwide.
DAMARIS VALERA has been named Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Lamprey Health Care. Valera previously worked as the director of the Service Excellence Program at Lawrence General Hospital.
NECC alumna Wendy Estrella, a 1994 graduate of the college’s Business Management Program, has received the annual Outstanding Alumni Award for 2016. Estrella was lauded for her involvement in various community organizations, including the Lawrence Partnership, the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence, the Merrimack Valley Investment Board, and the NECC Board of Trustees, where Estrella currently serves as Vice Chair. An attorney, Estrella is the principal of Estrella Law Offices in Lawrence. Estrella’s accomplishments recently led to her being selected as the keynote speaker of the college’s 2016 commencement ceremony. Estrella holds a juris doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business management from Merrimack College.
NECC’s Lindsay Graham has been named the college’s new alumni director. Graham has been working in the college’s Institutional Advancement Office for ten years, most recently serving as the director of scholarships and donor stewardship. In her new role, she will oversee various alumni office events, activities, and groups, including the NECC Alumni Association Advisory Board. She will also work with students through the college’s NECC Fund phonathon program in addition to continuing her job directing NECC’s scholarship program.
Prior to joining NECC, Graham worked for the Merrimack Valley YMCA. She is currently involved with a number of committees at the college and in the greater community, including the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. You can contact Lindsay at lgraham@necc.mass.edu.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Please join us as we participate in the global day of giving held annually the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Your gift to NECC on this day will benefit student scholarships and academic programs. Learn more at www.necc.mass.edu/giving-tuesday.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles
Don’t miss this opportunity to see the Red Sox at one of the last home games of the year during David Ortiz’s final season. Tickets are only $22. For more information or for tickets, contact Lindsay Graham at lgraham@necc.mass.edu.