alumnecc Spring 2021 Volume 20

Message from the President

Dear Friends,

The affordability of community colleges is well known, but the quality of the education we provide is a betterkept secret.

Reanne Malesky ’10, who you will read about in this issue, came to Northern Essex solely based on cost but soon discovered “how good the education really is.”

The relationships she formed with faculty, such as retired Business Professor Pat Morrow, helped her to develop confidence and a plan for the future, and, now, a decade after graduating from Northern Essex, she has a career she loves in finance.

In this issue, you will also read about Helen Ubiñas ’91, an award-winning columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer and a leading voice in gun control, and Brenda BondFortier ’89, who is helping shape police reform in the country.

Reanne, Helen, and Brenda are perfect examples of just how far a degree from Northern Essex can take you. The common denominator is that they all discovered a level of support at Northern Essex that they had never experienced before. Keeping our cost affordable is important to us, as is preserving the level of support services that we offer our students, many of whom are first generation, low income, and English language learners. Thank you for all that you do to support the college and its students, and please help us get the word out: community colleges should be the first choice for families in search of affordability and a quality college education.

Appreciatively,

4 COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY

6 FROM THE OBSERVER TO THE INQUIRER

8 INNOVATING POLICE REFORM

Lane A. Glenn President

Editor: Ernie Greenslade

Contributing Editors: Sarah Comiskey, Wendy Shaffer

Creative Director: Trev Stair

Writers: Sarah Comiskey, Ernie Greenslade, Alex Pecci ‘02

14

President Lane Glenn and Helen Ubiñas ’91, who was the college’s 2015 commencement speaker.

Paying for College: IT’S ALL ABOUT VALUE

You know that feeling when you get a great bargain and you can’t wait to tell the world about it?

Well, that’s how many graduates feel about the education they received at Northern Essex.

When a recent post was shared on the Amesbury community Facebook page highlighting two 2020 high school graduates who had planned to attend a four-year college, but started at Northern Essex instead, the response was immediate. Over 30 graduates, as well as parents, chimed in with their own stories about how starting at Northern Essex allowed them to earn a college education and graduate without excessive debt.

And while saving money was a theme in those posts, many also stressed the quality of the education they received at the college, sharing how their Northern Essex credits transferred seamlessly into public and private four-year colleges and universities.

WHY IS COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY IMPORTANT?

Everyone has heard the stories about recent college graduates who are so saddled with debt that they’re unable to move forward with their lives, buy a home, or settle down and have a family.

In 2010, student loan debt in the U.S. totaled around $800 billion and has now grown to $1.7 trillion. It’s the second biggest form of debt in this country, one and a half times what people owe on their credit cards, and surpassed only by mortgage debt.

And more college students are taking out loans. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 10 percent of the U.S. population had student loan debt in 2004, and, since 2016, that has grown to 18 percent. Students are now graduating with an average of $35,000 in student loans.

COLLEGE COST COMPARISON

IS A COLLEGE DEGREE WORTH IT?

Deciding not to attend college is not always a viable option. A college degree can be the ticket to better-paying jobs and greater lifetime earnings.

According to a report from the Lumina Foundation, college graduates earn $32,000 more a year than high school graduates and $625,000 more in lifetime earnings. Other benefits include a 47 percent higher likelihood of having health insurance and a 24 percent higher probability of being employed.

Having a college degree can open up doors, allowing grads to reach their full career potential.

HOW TO MAKE COLLEGE MORE AFFORDABLE

Reanne Malesky, Business Transfer ’10 Senior Implementation Specialist Charles River Development

NECC TO UMASS AMHERST: Affordable Option for this Grad

Reanne Malesky ’10 chose to start her education at Northern Essex during the fall of 2008, after graduating from Pentucket High School.

ONE YEAR FULL TIME AT UMASS

Weighted average including UMass Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell ONE YEAR AT PRIVATE FOURYEAR COLLEGE

She was paying for college herself, and her reasons for choosing Northern Essex were “100% affordability.” She admits she was “bitter” as she watched her high school friends go away to school.

$6,920 * **

*

ONE YEAR FULL TIME AT NECC $15,699 $35,087 * DHE Data Center ** US News & World Report

Northern Essex has close to 200 transfer and articulation agreements with public and private colleges and universities across New England and beyond. Still, the most affordable route to a bachelor’s degree continues to be the Mass Transfer Pathway, which helps students transfer seamlessly from Massachusetts community colleges to Massachusetts state colleges and universities, offering many tuition benefits in the process.

In the Massachusetts A2B (associate to bachelor’s) Program, associate degree graduates transferring on for a bachelor’s degree are guaranteed admission with a 2.5 GPA or higher and receive a tuition discount if they have a 3.0 GPA or higher.

By using Mass Transfer, Northern Essex grads can earn a bachelor’s degree from UMass Lowell, for example, for approximately $35,226 in total, and that doesn’t include the scholarships, which so many of our students receive.

Malesky excelled at Northern Essex and she transferred to UMass Amherst, using the Mass Transfer Pathway.

She now travels around the world (pre-COVID, of course) for a career she loves as a senior implementation consultant for Charles River Development, an investment management platform.

With minimal loans that will soon be paid off, Malesky could not be happier with her decision to start at Northern Essex. “I would make the same choice a million times over. Some of my friends—the same friends I was jealous of after high school—are struggling with mortgage level payments.”

“It didn’t take me long to realize how good the education [at NECC] really is,” she says. “The individual attention…a professor saying ‘hey, good job’. That meant so much to me.”

NECC Journalism Grad Receives National Honors

There are close to 1,100 community colleges in the U.S. and tens of millions of community college alumni. That’s why it’s so exciting that a Northern Essex alumna—Helen Ubiñas ‘91—is one of only three to receive the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) 2021 Outstanding Alumni Award.

Now a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Ubiñas’ journalism path started at Northern Essex where she was editor of the Observer, the college’s award-winning student newspaper.

At the Hartford Courant, from 1994 to 2011, she became the first Latina news columnist in 2000, and she also received numerous awards including a team Pulitzer Prize for coverage of a murder/suicide at the Connecticut State Lottery.

In 2012, she was hired as a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, where she focuses

on issues of race, politics, and, most notably, gun violence. There, she has also received many honors, including the Sally Kalson Courage in Journalism Award, which is presented by the Pittsburgh Foundation and recognizes a Pennsylvania broadcast, print, or online journalist whose work demonstrates “fearlessness, fortitude, and excellence.”

In addition to her associate degree in journalism/ communications, she has a bachelor’s from Boston University and a master’s from Trinity College (CT).

Ubiñas was nominated for the AACC award by Northern Essex President Lane Glenn, and she will be recognized at the AACC Annual Conference, which will be held virtually in May.

Ubiñas has been a champion for community colleges and it was a pleasure to speak with her about her experiences here and her career.

What brought you to NECC?

My parents always stressed education, but as a first-generation college student I wasn’t prepared past making it through the front door…I struggled at the first college I attended and eventually gave up, opting to work full-time in a number of jobs until I could figure out how to mentally and financially prepare to return to school. I turned to NECC – again, not fully knowing what to expect, but hoping that a community college might be a more nurturing and manageable space for first-gen students. NECC was that, and so much more. (I met my husband Michael Dunne ’91 there.) I also made great friends, and discovered my passion for journalism at the school paper, with the help of a great advisor and crew at the Observer.

Which faculty or staff member had the greatest influence on you and why?

Hands down, Mr. LeBlanc, the Observer’s advisor. I hope he knows how much his belief in me and my work meant to me back then, and now. I don’t think I would have pursued a career in journalism if I hadn’t had a college professor who told me I was good enough. I believed him, and I cannot stress enough how many students need someone to believe in them in order for them to believe in themselves.

What did you appreciate most about NECC, and why?

The community of students and staff… I loved how diverse the backgrounds and experiences were — from different generations to different countries and everything in between. I met fellow first-

generation college students who shared my experiences, but also parents and grandparents who had put their own kids through school and were now pursuing their own degrees, retired and active military service members and a host of others who only cemented my desire to push for diversity and inclusion in whatever space I was in, including newsrooms.

When did you decide you wanted to be a journalist?

I always knew I wanted to write. But it wasn’t until I joined NECC’s school newspaper, the Observer, that could really see myself becoming a journalist… Every time we put out an edition and I saw my byline above a story that I worked hard on, I remember thinking: I can do this.

Which career accomplishment has given you the greatest satisfaction?

It is a privilege to be a columnist, especially when there continues to be so few Latina columnists. But I’m most proud of building community with my column while amplifying the stories of those whose voices are too often

diminished or overlooked. It was through my column that I was able to grow a yearly gathering at the Art Museum steps for people impacted by gun violence. It was through my column that I was able to create Pop-Up Newsrooms in marginalized neighborhoods all over Philadelphia, and it was through my column that I was able to help form a vital support group for paralyzed gunshot survivors. In all of those cases, the community created by engaged readers of my column helped make those campaigns a success.

What drives your commitment to social justice?

I’ve always had a deep sense of fairness and a desire to do whatever I could to make things right and just. In many ways, it’s the very least we should do for one another. We all have a voice and an ability, and frankly, an obligation to help make the world better for everyone. What’s more important than that?

To view, Ubiñas’ columns, visit the website: https://www.inquirer.com/ author/ubinas_helen

Helen Ubiñas ’91 leads an anti-gun violence event at the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Photo by David Swanson, Philadelphia Inquirer

Helen Ubiñas ’91 in the Observer office while a student.

In September of 1987, Brenda BondFortier ’89 stepped onto NECC’s Haverhill campus for the first time, unaware of the fact that doing so would open the doors to a decadeslong career as a nationally-recognized educator, advocate, and leading expert in organizational and police reform efforts.

From First Generation College Student to Ph.D.

Brenda Bond-Fortier ’89

At that time, the 18-year-old BondFortier was simply acting on a whim.

“No one in my family had gone to college, so knew little about college as an option,” she says.

She chose to pursue higher education after receiving a community service scholarship in high school. Northern Essex, with its abundance of affordable program offerings, felt like a good place to put that funding to use as she considered her career options. She selected criminal justice as a major based on a related class she had enjoyed toward the end of high school -- and quickly became hooked on the subject matter.

“I knew as early as my first semester that [criminal justice] was the right choice. Those early classes, course readings, and discussions with classmates and faculty served as a launching pad for the rest of my academic and professional career. I fell in love with college and learning at NECC.”

Her love of learning, and her passion for her field, would eventually lead Bond-Fortier to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, a master’s degree in community social psychology, and a Ph.D. in social policy. She took her knowledge first to area police organizations, where she coordinated research and development initiatives, and later to

Bond-Fortier describes herself as a teacher first, researcher second. Her goal throughout all that she does is ultimately to encourage and inspire a spirit of learning by working with others, and to learn from people in return -- an objective that was largely inspired by her own journey as a firstgeneration college student at NECC.

“Being a first generation college student is an important part of who I am as a person, and how I approach my work,” she explains. “In my current and prior teaching experiences, I have been able to bring this perspective to conversations and advising with students, many of whom are also first generation college students themselves.”

academia, where she has spent the past 14 years serving simultaneously as a professor in Suffolk University’s Master of Public Administration Program, and as a writer and researcher of organizational reform efforts nationwide.

Bond-Fortier’s research includes studies exploring ways in which police organizations can work better with other community institutions to address the needs and concerns of residents. She recently published a book, Organizational Change in an Urban Police Department: Innovating to Reform, which expounds upon these concepts through a case study of a local police department’s reform efforts.

By sharing this work, she says that she hopes to foster “more and deeper dialogue between police and community that allows for greater understanding of history, experiences, fear, and hopes. We need reconciliation.”

On beginning her academic track at NECC, she expresses that she couldn’t be more appreciative.

“NECC introduced me to the world, and all the possibilities of my own potential. I am forever grateful for opening those doors.”

“Being a first generation college student is an important part of who I am as a person, and how I approach my work”

Brenda Bond-Fortier ’89

Bond-Fortier’s latest book examines a local police department’s reform efforts.

Esports: NECC’s Newest Varsity Team

Precision. Communication. Focus. Teamwork. Those are skills that Alex Montanez of Methuen hones each time he puts on his headset and picks up his gaming gear to play on Northern Essex Community College’s championship-winning varsity Esports team.

Esports is a wildly popular and fast-growing sport where competitive video gamers play against each other on a live stream in front of an audience that is watching virtually. Esports has not only grown into an industry that’s on track to top $1.5 billion annually by 2023, but also has exploded in popularity as a collegiate sport.

Northern Essex has been at the forefront of this trend. It was the first community college in the state to start an Esports program when it launched its team and opened an oncampus Esports lab in the fall of 2019. The college plays in two leagues—the New England Collegiate Conference and the National Junior College Athletic Association—and in multiple games, including Rocket League, Overwatch, and Super Smash Bros.

“We have students at the college who are competing virtually against kids

Health Programs Receive Upgrades

season, and as of mid-March of this year, its Overwatch team remained undefeated atop the conference standings with a perfect 5-0 record. Additionally, team member Jason McDonald of Georgetown was named New England Collegiate Conference Overwatch Player of the Week in mid-February.

Northern Essex has a new Dental Assisting lab and three new manikin simulators, thanks to a $400,000 grant from the Massachusetts Skills Capital Program and support from the NECC Fund.

“This is great news for the college, our community partners, and anyone who accesses health services in the Merrimack Valley,” said Scott Lancaster, interim dean of health professions. “Our facilities for training health care workers are the best. That, combined with the quality of our faculty, means our students are getting excellent preparation for future careers in health care.”

Northern Essex has 22 associate degree and certificate programs in high-demand health care fields, and a third of students at the college are enrolled in one of these programs.

from colleges all over the country. Two-year schools and four-year schools,” says Dan Blair, NECC director of athletics.

Esports players have also had the advantage of continuing to play throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, even when other sports were shut down.

“It is great to continue the sport even through hard times,” Montanez says.

Not only was Northern Essex at the forefront of the collegiate Esports revolution, but its team has also been one of the most successful.

The Northern Essex Esports Rocket League team captured the NJCAA Championship for the spring 2020

Playing on the Northern Essex Esports team can act as a springboard for students who will continue to pursue Esports at four-year colleges, including ones that offer scholarships to players. It also provides an exciting academic and professional tie-in for students studying everything from business to computer science who get to be at the front of a burgeoning industry.

Montanez is among them. While part of a winning varsity team, the 22-year old business major and former team captain is making friends and exploring four-year colleges across the country that offer Esports programs and scholarships.

“It enhances my experience,” he says. This story was written by Alex Pecci ‘02

The college recently announced that they will be adding an evening option to the Dental Assisting Program, which will increase the program capacity from 30 to 55 students. Also, in late summer or fall, the college will offer new micro-credential certifications for health care workers in areas such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation Program, and Emergency Medical Services.

Governor Baker Appoints Alum to NECC Trustees

Glennys Sanchez, ’05, who was recently appointed to the NECC Board of Trustees by Governor Charlie Baker, emigrated from the Dominican Republic to Lawrence when she was 16 years old. Two years later, she graduated from Northern Essex with an associate degree in business transfer and high honors.

She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UMass Boston and a Master of Education in Community Engagement from Merrimack College, and has been building her career in K-16 education and research while taking on leadership roles with community organizations such as the Lawrence Public Library, the Lawrence History Center, and the Bread & Roses Festival.

Sanchez is currently a senior associate with the Great Schools Partnership, a nonprofit school support organization working to redesign public education. In that role, she coaches schools and school districts throughout New England on equitycentered and anti-racist approaches to reimagining public education. There are now four alumni serving on the 11-member board of trustees: Sanchez; Ron Guilmette, ’74, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Massachusetts State Police; Jeffrey Linehan, ’77, retired, president, Diversified Business Systems, Haverhill; and Shalimar Quiles, ’08, school leader, Hennessey School, Lawrence.

NECC students train in the new Dental Assisting lab.

Glennys Sanchez, ’05

Alex Montanez, NECC varsity Esports team

NECC Farmers Market Fills a Growing Need During Pandemic

Many college students struggle to afford food for themselves and their families.

According to statistics from the Greater Boston Food Bank, 47 percent of community college students and 39 percent of four-year university students in MA were food insecure before the pandemic, and that percentage has likely increased in recent months.

In March of 2020, the college was forced to suspend its free monthly mobile farmers market, which is offered in partnership with the Greater Boston Food Bank, because of COVID-19.

Over the summer, a plan was hatched to launch a socially-distanced farmers market which started in September and has continued ever since.

Individuals sign up in advance, receive a timed appointment, and drive on to

campus and get their food without having to leave their vehicle.

The college also offers food pantries and clothing closets on each of its campuses.

“Many students tell us how the food will help get them through the week, until they get paid again,” says Janel

“ “

At 92.5 the River we hire NECC interns because we are a local business that strives to support our local community and we believe in our future generations... When students think of interning here, they assume they’re going to meet a famous musician, play music, and be a DJ. Some do, but they also experience marketing, promotions, and accounting. We think it’s important for students to become aware of all avenues that make a business function. We’ve had great experiences with our NECC interns and look forward to continuing to support them, whether it be a direct hire or providing them with a valuable reference. We love watching our NECC interns flourish and grow!

D’Agata-Lynch, coordinator of the college’s civic engagement, servicelearning, and community resources program. “They say they are thankful that the college cares for their wellbeing and understands they struggle with food and clothing needs.”

NECC Alum Gets a Little Help from Oprah

Television talk show host and author Oprah Winfrey is helping Jeurys Santiago, a 2020 Northern Essex Business Transfer graduate, to continue his studies at UMass Lowell.

Santiago was awarded the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship, which will provide him with $5,000 a year while he attends UMass Lowell, working on his bachelor’s degree in business with a focus

on entrepreneurship in the Honors College.

A 2017 Lawrence High School graduate, Santiago is an entrepreneur who likes to give back to his community.

Last year, he started his own business, Minds with a Purpose, a networking platform designed to bring together the Lawrence community, including local businesses, to do “good works” in the city.

Because most Minds with a Purpose initiatives were focused on live events, he had to change course

when the pandemic hit. Now he is helping business owners and performing artists market their businesses on digital channels such as social media; marketing his new clothing brand through 35 brand ambassadors located throughout the country; and launching a new podcast featuring conversations with successful entrepreneurs.

The scholarship was created after Winfrey spoke at a 2018 UMass Lowell event that raised $1.5 million for scholarships through ticket sales and sponsorships. Winfrey matched that figure with another $1.5 million to create a $3 million scholarship fund.

Jenna Riley, Business/Operations Manager, 92.5 the River

“NECC Helped Me Get There”

Mabel Covarrubias-Doucette ’12

t the age of 43, Mabel Covarrubias-Doucette was at a crossroads in her life. Previously the successful co-owner of a wireless communications construction company, she found herself hitting restart following the financial impact of the great recession, which forced her business to close. She credits NECC with helping her get started with a new and promising career path.

“I went to my first class with no books, no pen, and no paper,” she says. “I finished the semester with all As and with the original four classes that [the academic counselor] signed me up for. The rest is history!”

Covarrubias, who recently won the annual NECC Outstanding Alumni Award, is now a practicing attorney and the owner of MCD Immigation Law, based in Salem. She holds a juris doctorate from New England Law, in addition to two bachelor’s degrees from UMass Lowell and an associate degree in paralegal studies from NECC.

Phil Perkins from the NECC Maintenance Department unloads produce at the December farmers market.

‘N

In Memoriam

Mary Horgan ’69

Dianne M. Lucey ’72

Jeffrey P. Allard ’77

Michael J. Peters ’78

Dawn E. Rogers ’81

Carol S. St. Louis ’81

Catherine R. Olson ’83

Charlene M. Lister ’84

Eva-Maria Westphalen ’84

Brenda I. Potvin ’85

Donna E. Moreno ’87

Gerald A. Sewell ’87

Delores B. Luiz ’90

Joann M. Beitman ’92

Mary Lou Elias ’03

Leah W. Gathogo ’18

Alumni News

RICHARD PADOVA ’80 an NECC history professor and member of the Alumni Board, has published a new book, Concession Speech: Portraits of America’s Unsuccessful Presidential Candidates.

TERRY STUBBS ’84 , president/CEO of ActivMed Practices & Research, Inc. was named the 2021 recipient of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce “Women in Business” award.

MAURICE AGUILER ‘04 , a 22-year veteran of the Lawrence Police Department, has been promoted to the position of captain. Aguiler is the first Latino captain in LPD history.

MARK BRAVE ’05 was recently elected as the first Black sheriff of Strafford County, New Hampshire in a historically-significant campaign.

BRIAN MOHIKA ’06 has published his first book, Let it Flow, which chronicles his entrepreneurial journey. Mohika is the CEO of CathWear.

SARA CODAIR ’08 an author and NECC adjunct professor, has completed her latest novel Earth Reclaimed. It will be published in July of 2021.

CHRIS PARISO ’12 was featured in the Wall Street Journal, which detailed his unique professional path from pastry chef to data analyst.

JAMES FITZPATRICK ‘14 has been named 2020 Lawrence Police Officer of the Year.

Meet Your New Alumni Board Members

The NECC Alumni Board has announced the appointment of three new members: Andrew Bergamini ‘73, Kervin Valdez ‘05, and Laura McKellar ‘12.

ZOEY LAURIA ’20 has joined the NECC staff as a STEM liaison. Lauria is a graduate of NECC’s Biology Program.

Bergamini is a senior sales finance analyst with Juniper Networks of Westford. An active community volunteer, he serves as the lead recycling coordinator for the Lowell Folk Festival and as a founding board member of the Westford historic district Graniteville Pride nonprofit. He holds an associate degree in business management from NECC and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Northeastern University.

Valdez is the president of Town Livery, an SUV and limo company serving the New England area. He is an alumnus of NECC’s Criminal Justice Program and remains passionate about giving back to the college.

William Beliveau

Peter M. Brown

Robert J. Byers

Doris R. Clark

Gary S. Downs

Ingrid Monroy

Claire A. Nasser

James Stundze, Jr.

LENA DZIECHOWSKI ’15 recently had her career journey highlighted on multiple media outlets, including Western Mass News, where she is employed as an on-air meteorologist.

NOAH GREENSTEIN ’18 was among a cast of actors who were recognized with the “Outstanding Ensemble of the Decade” award from BroadwayWorld Boston. Greenstein performed in the award-winning play Saltonstall’s Trial.

VASJAN ZISI ’20 a music/club promoter and student at Bentley University, was named “2020 Promoter of the Year” by Mega Mass TV.

THE ALUMNI OFFICE IS ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE NEXT GREAT STORY

ROSANNA LARA ’20 recently joined the NECC staff as a COVID contact tracing case manager. A Public Health Program graduate, Lara served as the student speaker during the 2020 commencement ceremony.

McKellar is the chair/clinical coordinator of the North Shore Community College Medical Assistant Program. A graduate of NECC’s Medical Assisting Program, she also holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University.

The NECC Alumni Board is an organization dedicated to promoting

Help Support the Future of NECC!

graduate interests and fostering relationships among current and future alumni of the college. Board members meet on a regular basis to plan initiatives that will inspire an active, passionate, and philanthropic alumni community.

We’d love to hear yours! If you have news to share, please fill out an Alumni Information Update Form at:

www.necc.mass.edu/update-contact

We hope you have been inspired by the incredible stories of our students and alumni in this issue of alumnecc. To ensure that NECC may continue to provide the critical scholarships, programs, and resources that help our community thrive, please consider making a gift. Your contribution of any size will have a positive impact on the college’s future. Visit www.necc.mass.edu/giving to make a donation today, or contact us at giving@necc.mass.edu for more information on the many ways you can support NECC.

LOOKING FOR EVEN MORE?

Leave a lasting legacy at NECC by joining the newly-established William ‘63 and Rosemary ‘70 Klueber Planned Giving Society. Visit www.necc.mass.edu/ planned-giving-society for details.

Andrew Bergamini ‘73 Kervin Valdez ‘05 Laura McKellar ‘12

100 Elliott Street

Haverhill, MA 01830

My NECCO credits transferred from over 20+ years ago. 35 of them! NECCO credits are like gold.

Great choice! I got my Associates in chemical engineering there and transferred to UMass. Saved a boatload of $$!!

I got my Associate Degree from NECC before transferring to UMass Dartmouth and absolutely loved it!

I took a couple of summer courses at NECCO and it allowed me to graduate a term earlier from my private 4-year college. It’s a great resource!

I completed an AS at NECC then transferred for a BS at Salem State—zero student loans and great experience, loved both schools!

I went to NECC- my favorite campus. Some great teachers there as well!

I started at a 2-year, earned an AS, then got a job that offered tuition reimbursement to pay for my 4-year degree.

My daughter will be graduating in the spring then transferring to UMass Lowell in the fall. Her student loans are pennies compared to her friends…

Here’s what our alumni and the parents of students are sharing on social media!