alumnecc Spring 2024 Volume 26

VOL 26 | SPRING 2024

A M AG A Z I N E F O R A LU M N I & F R I E N D S O F N O R T H E R N E S S E X CO M M U N I T Y CO L L E G E

TEACHING MOMENTS

Alumni Share How NECC Professors Transformed Their Lives

ALSO

How NECC Helped an Alumnus Rediscover His Love of Learning

Message from the President

INSIDE

Hello Friends,

4

Paraphrasing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ‘What are you doing for others?’

In this issue of alumnecc, we celebrate the NECC faculty and staff who are influencing others in profound ways.

Our coaches and advisors have helped our athletes thrive. This winter, our women’s basketball team returned in grand fashion, earning a spot in their NJCAA regional championship, the men’s team finished fifth at the NJCAA national championship, and the baseball team made their third consecutive appearance in the NJCAA World Series. Theater Professor Brianne Beatrice helped Liberal Arts: Writing major Mirrorajah Metcalfe become one of three student finalists at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Faculty and staff worked with the government of the Dominican Republic to expand services for citizens living in Lawrence and beyond.

In heartfelt testimonials, NECC alumni reflect on the profound impact of faculty members who helped change their lives. These stories are testaments to the dedication and commitment of our faculty in unlocking each student’s potential.

We also feature an exclusive profile on alumnus Sean Morrison ’16, whose journey and accomplishments exemplify the spirit of “doing for others.” Featured in the Netflix docuseries “The Program,” Sean credits NECC for reigniting his love of learning after trauma and helping him find his voice to advocate for others.

This college holds a unique position within the local community as an academic institution and professional training ground. We partner on initiatives that close equity gaps and strengthen the economic vitality and social wellbeing of the Merrimack Valley region.

Community is all around us. From the wonderful legislative work benefitting our students to the barrier-breaking policy changes through which our faculty are leaders, NECC is thriving.

Appreciatively,

Lasting Impact of NECC Professors

6

Paving the Path

8

Speaking Up for Those Who Can’t

11

On Campus/ In the Community

14

Alumni News 'N Notes

Editor: Melissa Bouse Contributing Editor: Sarah Comiskey Creative Director: Trev Stair Writers: Melissa Bouse, Sarah Comiskey, Keith Paul, Alex Pecci ’02 Research Assistance: Shana Murrell

Lane A. Glenn President

COMMUNITY IS ALL AROUND US

Meet Winnie, NECC’s soon-tobe comfort dog. Follower her adventures on Instagram at @NECCWinnie

Professor of Anthropology Kristi Arford and Engineering Professor Doug Leaffer were recently named recipients of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Awards for Excellence.

Northern Essex has been named as a founding member of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s MassSkills Coalition. The coalition brings employers from across industries together to collaborate on strategies to recruit and retain talent.

NECC officially unveiled the new Seacoast Promise Program, which allows Early College students from area high schools to continue at Northern Essex after graduation, tuition free.

Asst. Professor of Human Services Lisa Fabbri Lopez is one of this year’s YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts 41st Annual Tribute to Women honorees.

Criminal Justice student Maria Cubias was selected for the Council for Opportunity: Keith Sherin Global Leaders Program. A scholarship from the NECC Fund will cover the cost of the program, which takes place over three weeks in The Hague, Netherlands.

CAN’T GET ENOUGH ALUMNECC?

Scan to access the new digital archive!

The Institute for Dominicans Abroad (INDEX) and NECC recently signed a first-of-its-kind collaboration agreement aimed at bolstering educational opportunities for the Dominican community in Lawrence.

3

Lasting Impact

Alumni share how NECC professors have shaped their lives and careers.

Good teachers are great; but great teachers are invaluable. Their impact goes far beyond their role in the classroom during a single semester. Instead, they leave a deep, profound, and lasting impact on their students’ lives. NECC is filled with these great teachers. Here, we hear about a few of them, directly from the students they’ve impacted most.

Brianne Beatrice, MFA

Kristi Arford, MA

Jessica Coutinho Newey ’21 was an ASL interpreting student when she knocked on Brianne Beatrice’s door after learning that acting classes were helpful for her major.

After chatting for a few minutes, Beatrice told Newey they were actually holding theater auditions right then, if she’d like to come.

Patty Gosselin ’20 came to Northern Essex with a plan: get in, work hard and get a degree. Fast.

Newey ended up auditioning, too, and got cast in the show.

That moment altered the trajectory of Newey’s life.

“I stumbled into her office in what was supposed to be my last semester. Instead, I stayed on at NECC well past my associate degree and my certificate in order to take every single class she offers,” Newey said. “My entire life has altered its course, and I’m looking to become a theater generalist and continue to work in the theatrical arts.”

Within two weeks of her first class with Beatrice, Newey realized that “these are my people.” She credits Beatrice with sparking her love of theater and inspiring her as a person and professional.

“She brings a lot of experience. She didn’t just go from a master’s program into teaching. She actually worked as an actor,” she said. “She has a certain enthusiasm and joy that just makes you want to be part of it.”

Beatrice was not only a teacher and mentor to Newey but fostered a sense of family and safety within her classes and the larger NECC theater community.

“NECC Theater is a very special environment that supports both current students and alums,” Beatrice said. “I consider NECC Theater a family environment that helps foster positivity, courage and confidence.”

Beatrice’s philosophy has also influenced who Newey is as a person.

“A big part of her pedagogy is being kind to each other,” Newey said. “That beautiful idea has just kind of taken over my lifestyle now.”

4

“I planned to just get through my degree as quickly and efficiently as possible in hopes of transferring out as soon as I could,” the journalism major remembered.

“The professors at Northern Essex are what changed that for me.

There was one professor who stopped me dead in my tracks and ignited my passion for learning again. That professor was Kristi Arford.”

Arford taught anthropology, a topic that was unfamiliar to Gosselin. But she found a lot of lessons were very relevant in her training as a journalist.

“Professor Arford challenged us into hard conversations and led us through eye-opening ones as well. I found myself excited for class and found the readings so easy to absorb.”

Over the semester, Gosselin said she grew more and more interested in Cultural Anthropology specifically.

“I became enthralled with learning about different tribes, especially the matriarchal tribes since it felt like something so foreign to what we know and live, in modern America.

I fell in love with new words like solastalgia (a relatively new concept to describe the feelings brought on by climate change) and couldn’t wait to read more and more of the class text.”

While she’s now enjoying a career in NECC’s Student Life Office, Gosselin said she could see herself studying anthropology further in the future “I was so proud and felt a fire fueled by Arford’s teachings.

She made me want to succeed in all my classes, not just hers, by simply caring about her job and being excellent at it. There’s even a good possibility of me returning to study anthropology later in life because of that passion she ignited in those classes, and for that I am so grateful.”

Dermot Luddy, MA, Meredith Gunning, PhD

From Faculty to Deans

Many students struggle to find what they want to do with their lives. Luckily, Sarah Pachano ’23 found two NECC professors who helped her discover not only her educational path, but more about herself.

Alumni also shared the impact of several former faculty members, now deans.

Pachano started college as an electrical engineering major so she wouldn’t disappoint her family.

“I felt as though I owed it to them to do what they wanted and go to a higher earning field,” she said.

“Given all of the sacrifices my parents have made for me and my future, I thought that it would’ve been not only selfish, but wrong of me to follow my dreams.”

But she wasn’t happy.

The pandemic made her rethink her life priorities, so she switched her major to Liberal Arts. But she still felt lost. So, she sought advice from Dermot Luddy, assistant director for academic support, who offered himself as a sounding board for her questions about college, life, and philosophy.

“For the first time in my life, I felt like someone actually cared,” Pachano said. “That act of kindness made me feel more confident and hopeful about the future and what it entails.”

Eventually, Pachano realized she wanted to study philosophy, which led her to another impactful professor, Meredith Gunning, who not only ignited her passion for the subject but also helped her decide where she wanted to earn her bachelor’s degree, which she’s completing now while also working at NECC’s Center for Adult Education.

She eventually hopes for a career in higher education administration.

“Students such as Sarah have taught me a great deal as well, offering different perspectives on the big philosophical questions, tying it to their lived experiences,” Gunning said. “I look forward to the day when Sarah writes on some of these issues!”

Luddy didn’t realize he was participating in Pachano’s “transformation” at the time but is enormously proud to have done so.

“Sarah is one of those students who inspires the faculty and staff who have encountered her along her path,” he said.

Alexandra Pecci ’02, who works as a journalist and contributed to this article, credits Liberal Arts Dean Amy Callahan, MFA with helping her discover a love of writing. Pecci said she still keeps one article in particular that she wrote 22 years ago for Callahan’s class.

“Although it was published in the student newspaper, the NECC Observer, I kept the original class assignment printed out on computer paper. The article itself was just OK. But it has something special on it: a handwritten note from my professor, Amy Callahan, that says, ‘You are a very talented story writer!”’

Pecci says those seven words helped her find the confidence to continue to hone her craft and led her to a decades-long career as a journalist.

Adriana Cuddy ’09 says Dean of Professional Development Marcy Yeager, PhD provided a similar confidence boost when she found herself feeling lost in a required science class.

She’d struggled with math her entire life and would “shut down” anytime there was a math component in class. But Cuddy’s teacher, Marcy Yeager, stepped in to help, taking the time to work with her one-on-one and encourage her to succeed.

“Marcy made me want to come to school,” Cuddy said.

“Her interest in my success helped motivate me.”

“I clearly remember Adriana coming to class with her arms crossed ready to hate the course,” Yeager said.

“While I might not ever get her to become a science major, it was my responsibility to see if we could get her to uncross those arms and look at the discipline and how it relates to her future, both personally and professionally.”

She did that and more. Even now, as a first-grade teacher at Rhode Island School for the Deaf, Cuddy is still inspired by Yeager.

“It is because of Marcy’s kindness, guidance and encouragement that I am the teacher I am today.”

Have a faculty story to share? Let us know by sending it to alumni@necc.mass.edu This story was written by Alexandra Pecci ’02

5

Paving the Path

NECC Introduces Internship Stipend Program By the time Haverhill resident Yannelis Romero finished elementary school, she had already settled on a dream career: she wanted to become a nurse.

It was a dream inspired in part by her experience growing up with sickle cell anemia, which throughout her life has made for frequent hospital visits and, oftentimes, close bonds with the nurses and doctors who provide care for her throughout her most vulnerable days.

These relationships have had a lasting influence.

“These experiences have driven me to give back and strive to become an exceptional nurse, inspired by those who looked out for my well-being,” she says.

Romero got a head-start on her nursing education when she participated in the Northern Essex Community College Early College program through Haverhill High School, and later when she received a scholarship to continue her academic career at NECC for free.

The only obstacle that remained in her path after enrolling were internships, which, while often unpaid, are generally required for successful transition into the nursing field. That’s when a faculty member informed

her of NECC’s internship stipend program, a new Career Services initiative, launched in the fall of 2023, that allows students to receive up to $2,500 in financial support for credit-based internships, practicums, clinicals, and other experiential learning activities.

Romero considered this a gamechanger.

“Learning that the NECC internship program offered stipends was incredibly uplifting” she says. “It meant that the financial burden of pursuing an unpaid internship, which is common for many students, was being alleviated. The extra support has had a profoundly positive influence on my life.”

Romero, who successfully completed an internship with Holy Family Hospital this past December, is just one of over 20 students from a wide range of disciplines to benefit from the new program since September. To date, 100% of students who have received stipends have successfully completed their internships and practicums, with another cohort expected to see 100% completion this spring. The additional support, according to Career Services and Internship Program Coordinator Katie Yeaton-Hromada, has opened doors for many new students.

“The financial burden of pursuing an unpaid internship, which is common for many students, was being alleviated. The extra support has had a profoundly positive influence on my life.”

Yannelis Romero

6

“For me, where I am an older and returning student without the capability to work full-time, this stipend really assisted with living expenses, helping me to get to and from the place I was and put groceries on the table at the end of the day.”

Nicole Fuentes

“This stipend helps lessen the burden for students who may not otherwise take an unpaid internship because of additional costs for transportation, parking, childcare, or reduced paid working hours,” she says.

ever to pursue and afford the necessary steps to their dream careers. This is good news for Romero, Fuentes, and others looking to continuously build upon their credentials.

This was the case for Human Services student Nicole Fuentes, a full-time student and mother of three, who needed practicum experience to qualify for a career in child advocacy, but initially hesitated due to the possible costs. The internship stipend changed that.

“This support really empowers students to gain practical experience, develop skills, and build professional networks without being hindered by financial limitations,” says Romero. “I am honored and humbled to be the recipient of this incredible opportunity.”

“It was definitely a big help,” she says on receiving a stipend. “For me, where I am an older and returning student without the capability to work full-time, this stipend really assisted with living expenses, helping me to get to and from the place I was and put groceries on the table at the end of the day.”

Funding for the internship stipend program was supported by the NECC Fund, NECC’s annual fund, which benefits the college’s greatest areas of need.

The NECC Fund exists as a direct result of generous contributions from hundreds of individual community members, including alumni, staff, faculty, and friends of NECC.

Fuentes recently completed a practicum with YouthQuake, a Lowell-based youth services organization, where she provided mentoring and support to young adults in need.

To learn more about the internship stipend program at NECC, please visit www.necc.mass.edu/internships

With another cohort of motivated students set to begin internships this fall, the stipend program is only likely to grow, allowing more NECC students than

7

Speaking Up for Those Who Can’t NECC faculty helped Sean Morrison rediscover his love of learning after a traumatic experience – now the topic of a hit Netflix documentary.

When Sean Morrison ’16 walked into Northern Essex in 2010 to meet with enrollment counselors, he didn’t know what to expect. He knew he was smart. He knew he was ready to start a new chapter of his life. And he knew his high school diploma wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.

The realization that he hadn’t finished high school was the crescendo of a tumultuous and traumatic time in Morrison’s life, which he’s laid bare in the Netflix docuseries “The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping.”

It chronicles the experiences of filmmaker Katherine Kubler and several classmates, including Morrison, at The Academy at Ivy Ridge in Ogdensburg, New York.

Morrison was born and raised in Haverhill and describes his childhood as fairly ordinary.

8

“I was an only child with a lot of friends. I was super sociable but quick to be a bit naïve,” he says.

He was a talented athlete and straight-A student who excelled at gymnastics and soccer and became a member of the junior honor society. But he says his mental health started to decline when puberty hit just as he was transitioning to high school. “All I wanted to do was skateboard and cause a ruckus.”

Soon, Morrison was skipping school and experimenting with drugs and alcohol. His parents filed a Child Requiring Assistance court case (then known as CHINS) which asks juvenile court to help supervise youth. Exasperated after an incident on vacation in 2004 when Morrison was 15, his parents then decided to try a different approach and enrolled him at The Academy at Ivy Ridge.

Ivy Ridge was advertised as a boarding school for troubled teens; however, in 2006, the year Morrison graduated, the New York State Department of Education determined it was a behavioral modification program and denied its request for accreditation.

Morrison says it was evident to him, even as a 15-year-old, that the program wasn’t providing a substantive education.

Still, he tried to find some value in the material.

“I was thinking back to classes at Consentino Middle School and even Haverhill High School and my short time at Central Catholic High School. I was trying to Voltron together my education using my memory and the books we had access to,” he remembers, referring to an animated robot assembled by a group of teens.

What was worse, says Morrison, was the abuse he and his classmates suffered. “The Program” details recollections of emotional, psychological and physical abuse. Morrison and his classmates recounted strict rules like no talking, no eye contact, no looking out the window, and participating in menial, grueling tasks like sitting and staring at the same spot on a wall for hours. Breaking the rules would result in demerits, prohibiting students from moving up in – and ultimately graduating from– the program.

“Fear was gigantic. Fear ultimately drove me to comply even though I felt the wrong nature of what was happening. I made it through by using a lot of disassociation techniques and finding little things to take my mind off the environment like reading, writing poems and raps, or playing sports during gym time.”

end, Drafts asked if anyone could rap, and he confidently raised his hand and performed a few bars for the eager, appreciative crowd.

“I got up there, and I did it. And I felt so inspired.”

Encouraged by the support he felt on campus that day, Morrison decided to see what else NECC could offer him and set up an appointment with enrollment services.

“I purged all this trauma on the counselors, and they didn’t flinch. They told me not having a diploma wasn’t a big deal.

I could start taking classes while working on my GED.” Morrison enrolled as a Liberal Arts major that fall and earned his GED the following year. He took two or three classes a semester and graduated with a 3.35 GPA and his Associate of Liberal Arts degree in 2016. He credits Northern Essex and his professors with helping him reclaim his education and rediscover his love of learning.

Morrison especially loved writing for the Observer newspaper and participating in student life events.

“NECC is so fitting to the mind and body in terms of accessibility. I realized there’s nothing to be ashamed of.

It created this transferrable growth. Everything I learned about and spoke about I used as I grew as a poet and an artist.”

Continued on next page >

Reclaiming His Education Morrison completed the program in two years and returned to his family in Haverhill. During his time at Ivy Ridge, communication with his parents was highly censored, so once he was home, he confided in his mom about what had happened. She believed his account, though his dad wasn’t entirely convinced. “It’ll forever be an evolving process with my dad,” says Morrison.

The homecoming started a holding pattern for Morrison: all of his local friends were still in high school, and he was waiting for his diploma. By the time the diploma arrived, Morrison had learned that it was not valid. In 2008, he and his mother joined a class action lawsuit against Ivy Ridge alleging fraud and racketeering. The lawsuit dragged on for years before it was dismissed.

In 2010, Morrison was still betting on the lawsuit resulting in a payout. He was working at a pizza shop and pursuing his love of music when an event on the Northern Essex Haverhill Campus caught his eye: an interactive presentation on the history of hip-hop led by local researcher Rondae Drafts. Morrison attended, and at the

9

The Next Chapter Morrison returned to Ivy Ridge for the first time in 2013.

It had closed in 2009, and the building had remained virtually untouched since. Morrison found his old files among the mountains of paperwork left behind, along with surveillance video showing disturbing interactions between staff and students. He started to explore ways to tell the story of his time there, and social media helped him connect with others who were also eager to share their experiences. In 2021, he connected with Kubler and agreed to participate in the docuseries.

When it debuted on Netflix in March 2024, the series shot to the platform’s Top 10 list. Viewers were stunned by the accounts of Morrison and his classmates and curious to know more about this network of similar institutions.

Celebrity Paris Hilton detailed her time at an institution owned by the same operator in her recent biography.

Morrison hopes that this publicity will lead to increased awareness for parents who are considering these programs for their teens and substantive change within the so-called troubled teen industry. He is already seeing some results from his advocacy: The St. Lawrence County, NY District Attorney says he has received dozens of calls and emails from former Ivy Ridge students since the series debuted.

His office is opening an investigation, in part due to video evidence Morrison provided.

“It’s been a wild ride since the series came out. It gave me a lot of faith. I felt I had the soul of all of the survivors.”

Morrison now lives in Los Angeles, and he works in the cannabis industry and event security. His apartment is in the heart of Hollywood, which gives him easy access to venues where he performs his original music regularly. In July, he will be back in New England to perform at MaMa K’s 5th Annual Summer Soiree in Sidney, Maine.

His years at Ivy Ridge still weigh heavily into his daily life. Morrison, like many of his former classmates, was diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

In “The Program,” Kubler reports that at least 40 of their classmates have died from suicide or overdoses. Though some days are more difficult than others, Morrison has momentum on his side. He’s nearing 500 days sober from alcohol and is working on a memoir. His experience with the docuseries and seeing the public’s reaction has encouraged him to keep shining the spotlight on the troubled teen industry.

He says he often reminds himself of a lesson he learned at Northern Essex: “Have grace with yourself, with your peers, and your surroundings. I wasn’t perfect, but I had a lot of grace, which made it easier to accept the extremes in people and their behavior. By having grace with myself, I can find peace within.”

10

ON CAMPUS/IN THE COMMUNITY

NECC Gives Back With support from alumni and friends throughout the country, NECC’s third annual Giving Day was one for the record books. During the 24-hour fundraising celebration, 215 individuals contributed a total of over $30,500 to the NECC Fund, providing substantial and immediate support for scholarship awards, classroom technologies, internship stipends, and more. In addition to generous donations received from the community, this year’s Giving Day also featured a live musical performance courtesy of the NECC music department, tables throughout campus, and a pre-Giving Day kickoff event and celebration at G’s, a Texas-Mexican restaurant in downtown Haverhill owned by NECC alumnus Matt Gaiero.

NECC Giving Day is held on the first Thursday each April. For more information, please visit www.necc.mass.edu/necc-giving-day

Athletics Hall of Fame 2024

National baseball player of the year Colby Maiola ’16, men’s basketball standout Sercan Fenerci ’04, and former cross-country standout Larry Fowle ’03 are the newest members of the NECC Athletics Hall of Fame.

At the induction ceremony in March, all credited the support they received from NECC professors, coaches and tutors for their success, with Maiola giving a special shoutout to Professor David Rattigan and the life-long lessons learned in his speech class.

You ask… They Answer! It’s that simple.

NECC Connect is the new and easy-to-use tool to connect alumni with peers and current students.

Simply type in a question and receive responses from our network of alumni professionals! Visit connect.necc.edu to try it today!

Need inspiration? Here’s a recent question submitted by an NECC student!

“I am looking for tips on landing my first software development role. How did you determine what is a good fit for a recent graduate? How do you position yourself to stand out? How did you prepare for the interview? Thank you; I really appreciate your help!”

11

ON CAMPUS/IN THE COMMUNITY

Honoring Those Who Have Impacted NECC Northern Essex Community College proudly recognized those who have made lasting contributions to the college and its students at the second annual NECC Impact Awards. Five outstanding community members were honored at a breakfast ceremony on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Zoila Gomez ’97, Outstanding Alumni Award The Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes an alumnus/a who has achieved career-related success, is active in the community, and/or has exemplified active support for the college’s efforts. This year’s recipient, local immigration lawyer Zoila Gomez ’97, has dedicated countless hours to helping current students and their families with the immigration process. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Gomez graduated from Northern Essex in 1997 with a degree in paralegal studies, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from UMass Lowell and her juris doctor degree from Massachusetts School of Law. She founded her law office in 2006 and, in the fall of 2011, she returned to NECC as a professor of Immigration Law and Policy.

Andy Vargas, Public Service & Advocacy Award The Public Service & Advocacy Award honors an individual who has greatly impacted the lives of Northern Essex students through public service or advocacy. This year’s recipient is Representative Andy Vargas (D, Essex 3rd District). Rep. Vargas has championed affordable and accessible higher education since taking office in 2017. Most recently, he helped secure a $100,000 matching grant for the Haverhill Promise program and is advocating, along with NECC President Lane Glenn, to make completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) a requirement for high school graduation in the Commonwealth.

Jennifer Borislow, Philanthropy & Volunteerism Award This award is given to a member of the Northern Essex community who has demonstrated commitment to NECC through financial support, volunteering, and leadership. Northern Essex is proud to give this year’s award to current Board of Trustees Chairwoman Jennifer Borislow. Borislow, founding principal of Borislow Insurance of Methuen, has served on the board since 2017 and was named chair in 2020. In that time, she has provided invaluable connections to the local business community, championed fundraising efforts, advocated for the creation of new, inclusive programs, and created a strong and diverse board.

Governor Maura Healey, Equity & Social Justice Award This award recognizes individuals, organizations, or initiatives that have impacted the NECC community through values such as a commitment to equity, diversity, and the advancement of human rights and social justice. Governor Maura Healey is this year’s honoree for her administration’s historic investment in higher education. The FY24 budget includes funding for MassReconnect, Community College Nursing Scholarships, and increased support for SUCCESS Programs. Governor Healey also created the new Tuition Equity Law, which provides access to in-state financial aid and tuition to many undocumented students in the Commonwealth.

Lloyd L. Hamm, Jr. and Newburyport Bank , Community Partner Award Lloyd L. Hamm, Jr. and Newburyport Bank are the recipients of this year’s Community Partner Award. As president and CEO of Newburyport Bank, Hamm has been instrumental in promoting the NECC Foundation and in making critical community connections. This includes facilitating a major investment from Newburyport Bank into the new Seacoast Promise program, which allows students from area high schools participating in NECC’s Early College program to continue their education at NECC for little to no cost. Hamm is a current member of the NECC Board of Trustees and of the NECC Foundation, Inc. board.

12

WHY I L’Arche

HIRE Boston North “L’Arche Boston North is incredibly blessed to be in community with NECC. The mission of our organization is to bring people together across differences. NECC’s rich diversity and the dynamic gifts, interests, and talents of each student add to the vibrancy of our community.

When we welcome a student or graduate from NECC we know that they come to us with the competency and skills needed to further our mission, and the passion for stewarding the NECC values of serving others and their community.”

Lauren Worthington ’21 House Manager L’Arche Boston North

Interested in partnering with NECC to hire future interns or employees?

Visit www.necc.mass.edu/business-industry to learn how.

NECC

HELPED ME GET THERE

Joseph Robinson ’10 Growing up, alumnus Joseph Robinson ’10 couldn’t have imagined his life as it is now. The Salisbury resident had long been intent on pursuing a career in the construction industry until an injury wiped away the possibility of a physically intensive career. It was a moment that Robinson considers the “best-worst day” of his life, and one that ultimately drove him to Northern Essex Community College, and to the world of academia.

After receiving a certificate in computer aided drafting from NECC, Robinson went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Northeastern University, and later a Ph.D. in machine learning.

He now splits his time between Northeastern, where he supports the university’s machine learning capabilities, and bitHuman, an interactive AI agent platform, where he serves as Head of Rapid AI Product Integration and Development.

“NECC highly inspired me on fundamental mathematics, such as trig and calculus. Professors such as Habib [Maagoul] and Paul Chanley had an unparalleled influence on my career path,” he says. Asked about what he loves most about his work, Robinson says it’s the ability to be at the forefront of an ever-evolving field.

“I enjoy working on cutting-edge tech and deriving knowledge on a topic before it’s even covered in textbooks… I like wearing multiple hats and having endless things to learn.”

13

ALUMNI NEWS ‘N NOTES

In Memoriam

Alumni News

Ethel L. Leon ’73

ELAINE KEVGAS ‘66, a long-time employee at Whittier Tech, was honored during the school’s inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame event in October.

Samuel J. Bonnell ’76 Robert W. Baumann ’80 Judith A. Kelleher ’81 Patricia A. O’Donnell ’83 Lynne A. Barnes ’85 Denise D. Matte ’87 Douglas J. Rose ’90 Nathan P. Burridge ’96 Daniel W. Jurek ’99 Catherine J. White ’00 Christle A. Windt ’02 Brenda S. Rennie ’03 Bonnie J. Surowiec ’09 Charles M. Saindon ’12

NON-GRADUATED ALUMNI

Robert L. Begin Louis T. Bernier

TOM LAPOINTE ‘87, owner of Future Generations Forestry, was named 2023 Forest Steward of the Year by the New England Forestry Foundation.

ROBERT LISTER ‘92 was featured in the Valley Patriot’s “Patriot of the Month” series, which detailed his time in the US Navy.

WENDY ESTRELLA ‘94 has been honored with the Barry M. Portnoy Immigrant Entrepreneur Award for Business Growth by the Immigrant Learning Center.

DAVID COCO ‘99 has started a position as Assistant Vice President at Enterprise Bank.

JAMIE HELLESEN ‘02 has been selected as one of three employees to assume future ownership of Corinthian Events, a leading Boston event planning company.

JASON MOURY ‘06 started a position as Senior Director of Healthcare Operations at Making Opportunity Count.

EVA PASTOR ‘08 has been announced as Town Accountant and Assistant Finance Director for the Town of Newbury.

THE ALUMNI OFFICE IS ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE NEXT GREAT STORY 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 14

RALPH BASILIERE ‘08 was honored with the John E. Ratka Award at the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce’s 33rd Annual Business Awards event. Basiliere is a Haverhill City Council representative.

JASON MORIN ‘09 has joined the Board of Certification/ Accreditation (BOC) Board of Directors as a public member.

JON TEMPLE ‘13 has been elected as IT Director for the Town of Newbury.

GENESIS DURAN ‘17 has joined the staff of the Lawrence Partnership as a Staff Associate.

JENNIFER FAY ‘17 has started a new position as Mental Health Crisis Helpline Coordinator at Samaritans, Inc. Fay is currently enrolled in Merrimack College’s master’s degree program in mental health counseling.

WENDY LUZON ‘17 was recognized as part of the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council’s Hispanic Heritage Month series in October. Luzon is a nonprofit leader and accomplished business owner.

NOAH GREENSTEIN ‘18 a director and theater arts teacher, has been selected for the 2024 “Creative County ChangeMaker” program, led by the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF). The program recognizes local cross-sector creatives with community-based project grants.

YANNI MERCADO ‘18 has been hired as a Risk Advisory Consultant at Baker Tilly US. PATTY GOSSELIN ‘20 has started a new role at NECC as the Assistant Coordinator of Student Life.

ROSANNA LARA ‘20 launched a new dessert shop, Everything Sweetness

by Rosanna, in Lawrence.

RAQUEL QUEZADA ‘23 has been appointed to the position of Chairperson of the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council.

Congratulations to the following NECC alumni employees, who celebrated years of service milestones this year: LEONEL CASTELLANOS ‘05 (5 years), MARTHA BIXBY ‘05 (15 years), LARRY RICKABAUGH ‘05 (15 years), SHEILA KANE ‘01 (20 years), EILEEN HAYESJOHNSON ‘16 (25 years), SHARON MCDERMOT ‘94 (25 years), and LINDA HUDSON ‘97 (30 years).

Alumni Board Member Receives National Honor NECC Alumni Board member Raquel Quezada ’23 has been named as a 2024 recipient of the Medal of Merit for Dominican Women, a distinguished honor awarded annually by Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader. The announcement of the honor coincided with International Women’s Day, during which President Abinader highlighted her commitment and dedication to supporting individuals with disabilities.

Quezada, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, serves as chairperson of the Massachusetts Development Disabilities Council and as CEO of the Changing the World for People with Disabilities Foundation. She has long been lauded for her advocacy efforts. In addition to her current roles, she has published five books on the topic of disability rights education and has served as a representative and advocate at the municipal, state, and national levels. She is a member of the City of Haverhill Disability Commission, as well as the Disability Law Center.

You Make a Difference: Giving Societies at NECC Leadership Giving

Loyalty Giving

Planned Giving

The NECC President’s Circle

NECC Loyalty Giving Society

The President’s Circle recognizes generous benefactors who demonstrate a strong commitment to the mission and impact of NECC. Any individual who makes a gift of $1,000 or more each fiscal year automatically qualifies for membership.

The NECC Loyalty Giving Society was established to honor and recognize motivated individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to supporting NECC through consistent annual contributions. Anyone who has donated a gift of any size to the NECC Fund for five consecutive years or more is automatically considered a member of the Loyalty Giving Society.

The William and Rosemary Klueber Planned Giving Society Named after two beloved members of the NECC alumni family, the Klueber Planned Giving Society honors individuals who have chosen to include NECC in their long-term giving plans through a will or trust, life insurance, bequests, real estate, and more. Setting up a gift with NECC is a great way to provide longterm support, helping the college and its students to thrive well into the future.

Interested in learning more about NECC giving societies, or other ways you can get involved? Contact us at giving@necc.mass.edu.

15

Non-Profit U.S. Postage Paid Permit #31 Northern Essex Community College Haverhill, MA 01830

100 Elliott Street Haverhill, MA 01830

202404-059

Teacher Appreciation Week, May 2024 Current Northern Essex students shared heartfelt videos about the professors already having a profound impact on their lives. Watch the series on the Northern Essex Instagram page: @northernessex so my “I’m an immigrant here. The mom doesn’t live were like my professors here ed me and mom. They nurtur For that, I showed me love. ateful.” will forever be gr

“Professor Kim Lyng is a mentor, determined d to help students succee inside and outside of the classroom.”

“Professor Judy Ciampi supported me in the first year of my business. She cared and she showed up.”

Muller, the “Professor Sheila made me realize marketing queen, deeper into the I wanted to dig marketing world.”

“Professor Pamela Donahue cared so much about my story; she asked me to share it and nominated me as a student speaker.”

“Professor Patricia Machado: she cares, she cares, she cares.

Thank you!”