NECC Graduation

Graduate Plans to Help Teens Map Out Their Futures

Like many people, Josh Buffum, 23, of Haverhill, was on a different life trajectory before the pandemic. Although he studied plumbing at Whittier Tech, he found that working in that field wasn’t his true passion.

“Once COVID hit, I realized that plumbing just wasn’t for me,” he said.

So, at age 20, he decided to return to college and follow his longtime dream of being a teacher.

“I wanted to actually pursue what I wanted to do,” he said.

Buffum graduated with a degree in Educational Studies this spring and says he found incredible academic success along the way, regularly making the Dean’s List and earning a 3.52 GPA while working full-time at the Haverhill YMCA. This fall, he’ll transfer to Salem State University to continue his studies in education.

Buffum still remembers his very first class—English Comp I—on his very first day at NECC.

“It felt weird to me,” he said. “It was nerve-racking to go do my first class, being back in school after taking almost three years off.”

Indeed, he struggled a bit that first semester. He had not only been away from the classroom for several years, but was trying to juggle two jobs along with his full-time studies.

Eventually, he gave up one of his jobs and found additional support through NECC’s Pathways to Academic & Career Excellence Program (PACE), a TRiO Student Support Services program that assists first-generation, low-income, or disabled students to graduate and transfer to four-year colleges.

“They helped me out a lot in the long run,” he said of the PACE program.

Buffum not only found his groove in school, but said NECC helped hone his focus on a career in education.

“It helped me really understand a lot of what it is to be a teacher,” he said of NECC. “I think you really have to have the heart and soul of being one.”

He points especially to one of his own teachers, Donna Tanner, coordinator of the NECC’s Educational Studies Program, as well as his work at the YMCA with kids of all ages, from “little ones” to the teens he’s mentored.

Now, he’s applying all of those skills toward his goal of being a teacher—preferably 11th grade history so he can help students during their crucial junior year as they’re mapping out their own futures—and eventually moving into guidance.

As he reflects on his time at NECC, Buffum said he’ll “miss the connections with the teachers I had.”

Perhaps one day, his own students will say the same thing about him.

Written by Alexandra Pecci ’02

Ceremony Honors NECC’s Early College Students

Haverhill, MA (May 16, 2024) ­– More than 500 graduating seniors from 22 local high schools earned college credits in addition to their high school diplomas this year as participants in Northern Essex Community College’s Early College Program.

The students and their families celebrated at an Early College Recognition Ceremony on May 16, held on Northern Essex’s Haverhill Campus.

The students earned a total of 8,139 credits while in high school, an average of 16 credits each, which translates to a full college semester. The students will transfer their credits to 57 different public and private colleges, from UMass Amherst to Worcester Polytechnic Institute to Northeastern University. At least 90 have elected to attend Northern Essex in the fall.

Nine students are graduating with both associate degrees and their high school diplomas this year, having completed two full years of college while still in high school. That group includes Anna Perrin of Central Catholic High School; Derek Chase of the Clark School; Helena Mason, Abigail Mejia and Charles Sparrow of Haverhill High School; homeschooled students Kenza Maagoul of Haverhill and Lily Martino of Newburyport; Cassandra Doyle of Tec-Connections Academy; and Max Carson from Winnacunnet High School.

NECC CIS: Computer Science major Osaym Omar is an alumnus of the Early College Program. He took classes while a student at Haverhill High School and elected to continue at Northern Essex as a Promise Scholar in the fall of 2023. Omar shared how Early College shaped his outlook on academics and his career: “Early College laid the groundwork for my success. I was prepared for college courses and I have cherished memories from my time on campus.”

Gabriella Ortiz, a graduating senior who attends Whittier Tech, echoed Omar’s sentiments. “Initially, I worried that it would be too hard, that I couldn’t keep up,” she said. “But enrolling was so good for me. We got a real taste of college, what assignments are like and the importance of getting them in on time. Early College gave us the tools to be successful in all areas of our lives.” Ortiz will attend Merrimack College in the fall with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher.

NECC is one of 22 colleges and universities participating in the statewide Massachusetts Early College Initiative. This initiative partners high schools with colleges and universities for designated programs. NECC has designated programs with Haverhill High School, Lawrence High School, and Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Students from these designated programs earn college credits for free while they’re still in high school. Plus, the classes count toward both students’ high school graduation requirements and their future college degrees. Students spend part of their day at the high school and travel to the college campus by bus for morning or afternoon college-level courses.

In addition to its state-designated partnerships with Haverhill, Lawrence, and Whittier, Northern Essex offers its Early College Program to students from 25 other local high schools. These students can earn credits at a 50% discount.

Northern Essex also offers the NECC Promise Scholarship Program to students from Haverhill, Lawrence, Whittier and now Seacoast area high schools. That allows students who earn at least 15 credits and a 3.0 GPA in Early College to continue at Northern Essex for free.

The Early College Program at NECC continues to see tremendous growth. In 2018, about 250 students were enrolled. This past semester, 1,018 high school students took Early College classes.

If you are interested in learning more about Early College opportunities at NECC, visit the webpage or contact pk12@necc.mass.edu.

Observer Editor Wins Outstanding Student Award

Kimberly Zappala, a resident of Haverhill and member of the Northern Essex Community College Class of 2024, has been named as this year’s Outstanding Student Award recipient. The annual honor, granted by the NECC Alumni Board, was announced during NECC’s spring commencement ceremony on May 18.

Zappala, who was lauded for her campus leadership, integrity, and commitment to amplifying the student voice, served as Editor in Chief and Opinion Editor for the NECC Observer. During her tenure, she focused on boosting the paper’s politics and current events content, believing that by providing a factual source of up-to-date information, she could better encourage active, informed participation in the national conversation. She considers this work a point of pride in her academic career.

“When students go to vote in November, I know that I did my best to provide them with honest information so that they can make informed decisions at the ballot box,” she says.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Earlier this spring, Zappala received a prestigious honor from the New England Newspaper and Press Association, which awarded her with a second-place win for “best opinion page” in the Better Newspaper Competition for colleges and universities in New England.

In a letter of recommendation, journalism professor and Observer advisor Mary Jo Shafer emphasized Zappala’s impact on NECC.

“She exemplifies resilience in her dedication to her education,” Shafer says. “As a non-traditional older student, Kim is a role model to other students at NECC and highlights the impact NECC can have.

These thoughts were echoed by fellow nominator Kristen Arnold, director of NECC’s PACE Program, who shared that “the leadership [Zappala] has displayed on campus at NECC” made her “an excellent candidate for the Outstanding Graduating Student Award.”

Her journey to her role as a journalist and campus leader, Zappala says, has not been easy. Before attending NECC, Zappala often struggled to find her place academically. She eventually landed upon a career in hair styling, a role she enjoyed for over 18 years until a spinal condition prevented her from being able to stand for the amount of time the job required.

“I knew I needed to find a new profession, so I decided to enroll at NECC,” she says. “The decision to attend was one of the best things I could have done for myself.”

Zappala credits her success to the many faculty and staff members who helped her along the way, including nominators Mary Jo Shafer and Kristen Arnold, among many others.

“These people have given me the confidence I did not have when I started at NECC. Everyone here wants to see you succeed… I am grateful to them all.”

This fall, Zappala will continue her studies at UMass Lowell, where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science.

The annual Outstanding Student Award recognizes the accomplishments of a graduating NECC student who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to academic success, community service, and involvement with campus initiatives. Please visit the Outstanding Awards page to learn more about the Outstanding Student Award. Nominations are accepted each spring.

NECC Celebrates the Class of 2024 

Haverhill, MA (May 18, 2024) – Mother Nature must be a fan of Northern Essex Community College’s class of 2024. The rain held off just long enough for a dry 62nd Annual Commencement ceremony on the Haverhill Campus.

More than 700 students earned certificates or degrees. Approximately 400 of those students, along with thousands of family members, friends, and supporters, gathered for the May 18th celebration.

NECC President Lane Glenn opened the ceremony with words of encouragement for the class of 2024. “During your time at NECC, you have faced challenges, you have all been through the fire, and you know how it feels. You are stronger and as prepared as any generation that has come before you to take your grit and do great things with it.”

Biology major and student speaker Akira Matos echoed that sentiment in her speech. She recalled a unit from her Early College English class on the Hero’s Journey.

“Maybe it’s me being nostalgic, or maybe it’s the realization that we as a whole are going through our very own impossible quest,” she said. “For some, NECC is only the beginning, act 1 of the call to adventure, or maybe you’re already in act 2 and crossing the threshold into new territory with your degree in hand. No matter the stage, we are still on our way.”

Matos shared how she never thought she’d go to college at all, let alone be chosen to speak at graduation. As a metal fabrication student at Whittier Tech., she sometimes struggled academically. But when she started taking Early College classes at NECC, she discovered the different pace and expectations suited her. Then, she learned that she could continue her education at NECC for free under the NECC Promise Program. Matos is already enrolled at UMass Lowell and studying for her bachelor’s degree in biology. She plans to eventually go to medical school to become an ophthalmologist.

Matos was followed by this year’s featured commencement speaker, US Congresswoman Lori Trahan. She urged the class of 2024 to use the same determination to finish their degrees to create the future they want for themselves and their families.

“Don’t for a second let anyone tell you that our best days are behind us. We are a country that is going to continue improving with each generation,” said Rep. Trahan. “Now more than ever, we need you to vote. We need you to use your voice for the causes you care about. We need you to push for progress. Our nation has always benefited when young people lead the way. There’s no better example of that than here in Massachusetts.”

Read the full text of the Congresswoman’s speech here: Commencement Address.

Following her remarks, President Glenn presented Rep. Trahan with her very own custom NECC volleyball jersey. Trahan was a standout volleyball player at Lowell High School. She earned a scholarship to play at Georgetown University, where she became the first in her family to attend college.

This year’s ceremony featured a surprise special guest: Winnie, NECC’s comfort dog in training, received a certificate for completion of her first puppy school class.

Social Justice Award

Human Services Professor Brian MacKenna-Rice received this year’s Social Justice Award. The award recognizes individuals, groups, departments, or initiatives at the college that promote values such as a commitment to equity and diversity or the advancement of human rights and social justice.

President Glenn recognized MacKenna-Rice for his commitment to addressing issues of race, class, and privilege as shown in his appreciation and honor of NECC’s Hispanic student population and their cultural diaspora.

The social justice award comes with a cash prize of $1961 (in honor of the year of NECC’s founding) that the recipient can use to advance social justice initiatives at Northern Essex.

Emeritus Recipient

Also, at the 62nd annual commencement, a longtime faculty member received emeritus status. Dr. Stephen Slaner retired this year after 17 years of service to the college. In his time at Northern Essex, Professor Slaner served as chair of the global studies department and as advisor to the Global Politics Club.

Dr. Slaner worked to establish a chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society at NECC and served as a faculty adviser for many years.

President Glenn stated that Dr. Slaner brought a high level of intellectual discourse to his students in the many classes he taught in Political Science and History, including a class on the History of the Vietnam War and one on the History of Film. Since his retirement, Dr. Slaner has continued to teach and enhance the intellectual life of the college.

At Northern Essex, the emeritus rank is an honor that recognizes sustained excellence in performance, character, and meritorious service to the college.

A recording of Saturday’s ceremony can be found on the NECC YouTube page. To learn more about NECC’s 2023 Commencement and see additional photos, visit the webpage.

Students Honored at Awards Convocation

Haverhill, MA (May 16, 2024) – Graduating Northern Essex Community College students were honored for their achievements inside and outside of the classroom at this year’s annual Awards Convocation. The May 14th ceremony was held in the Northern Essex Sport and Fitness Center on the Haverhill Campus. Family and friends were invited to celebrate the honorees and enjoy refreshments following the program.

Co-Curricular Awards included the President’s Cup, which is awarded to the club with the highest cumulative grade point average. This year, that honor went to the American Sign Language Club. Academic Awards included the 2024 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow, awarded to Daniela Valdivia-Terres, and the Dr. Mildred L. Montag award for achievement in nursing, presented to Kelly Armstrong.

Dozens of Northern Essex students were also recognized for achieving high honors in their areas of study. The program then concluded with departmental awards and acknowledgment of honor society inductees. View the full program and all awardees here: 2024 Awards Convocation.

And access the photos from the event here.

Two Named to Honor Society’s All-Massachusetts Academic Team 

Two Northern Essex Community College students, Samuel Kiguta Njubi of Lawrence and Haverhill’s Scott Silva, were named to the 2023/2024 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Massachusetts Academic Team based on outstanding academic achievement and exemplary student service. Njubi will graduate on May 18, Silva completed his degree in the fall of 2023.

Each spring, the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges (MACC) honors students selected for the academic team at a ceremony at the State House. This year’s ceremony on May 9th will include local and state leaders alongside the students and representatives from their colleges.

Njubi is originally from Kenya and emigrated to the United States after high school. He started working as a licensed practical nurse in 2010, a career he says he loves and finds rewarding. During the pandemic, the father of three noticed his children were struggling with online classes. He decided the best way to help them succeed was to show them. “I started picking college prerequisite courses as a way to encourage them as they would see me doing schoolwork too,” he says about deciding to enroll at NECC. “As they did their Zoom classes, I did my online classes. I was impressed by how much I learned at NECC and decided to work towards getting my RN license. I was able to get into the LPN-AND program, and I am very happy to be graduating this year.”

Njubi is graduating with a 3.56 GPA and plans to continue his education at a four-year institution and eventually earn his master’s degree.

Silva graduated this past fall with two associate degrees: double majoring in philosophy and psychology. He endured a lot of hard times as a child following the death of his mother when he was just 7 years old. However, he says that through it all his thirst for knowledge never wavered.

“My aspirations for this are deeply rooted in my own personal battle with mental illness, as well as the struggles within my family. I am devoted to making a positive impact in this field, both in my professional practice and on a personal level,” Silva says.

Silva graduated with a 3.86 GPA, and he transferred to Boston University, where he’s working toward his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology. From there, he plans to go to medical school to eventually become a psychiatrist.

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the international honor society of two-year colleges. PTK has recognized and encouraged scholarship among community college students for 100 years while promoting the academic integrity of the associate degree program. Students with grade point averages of 3.5 or higher are invited to join Phi Theta Kappa. Fourteen NECC students were inducted into PTK at a ceremony on April 25.

For additional information, contact Professor Lisette Espinoza at lespinoza@necc.mass.edu or visit the webpage.

From Early College Promise Scholar to 2024 Student Commencement Speaker

Akira Matos of Haverhill will be the featured student speaker for the 62nd annual commencement exercises at Northern Essex Community College. The ceremony will occur on Saturday, May 18, on the Haverhill Campus at 11 am.

Just a few years ago, the biology major didn’t imagine she’d be graduating from college at all, let alone be the person selected to represent her class at commencement. Matos says she was not a good student in grade school and bounced around to a few local schools as a result. When it came time for high school, her mom pushed for her to go to Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School, even though she might not have had all her facts straight.

“My mom tricked me,” Matos remembers with a laugh. “She told me they had a pool! So I told the admissions people how excited I was for swim team, and they told me they didn’t have one.”

Despite the absence of a swim team, Matos enrolled at Whittier and decided to specialize in metal fabrication. She did well in those classes, even winning second place in her district in the Skills USA competition. She was still struggling in some of her academic classes when she decided to try a different approach. In the fall of her junior year, she took English as an Early College class at NECC and discovered that the different pace and expectations suited her. She ended up with a B+ in the class.

“It was difficult but also a bit more relaxed. I expected to do a lot of writing- and I did. It was good for me. I felt like I could work more at my own pace.”

By the time she graduated from high school, Matos had earned 18 college credits through Early College classes at NECC and was selected to speak at the Early College recognition ceremony.

Through all of this, she still wasn’t sure college was in her future. She explains that her parents weren’t pushing her to go, either. Her father grew up in Cuba, where college wasn’t a possibility and, therefore, not a priority in his life. Her mother was eager for Matos to have the financial security of a career in welding right out of high school.

“Up until I graduated from high school, I was insisting I wasn’t going to go to college. I didn’t think I could do it or afford it,” Matos says. However, Whittier’s Early College coordinator changed her mind by explaining that she could continue at Northern Essex for free under the NECC Promise Program, which covers the costs of tuition, fees, and supplies for Early College students who qualify.

Suddenly, a new world of possibilities presented itself to Matos. Having witnessed changes in her own eyesight due to her time welding– “seriously, everyone in my specialty graduated with the same prescription”– Matos decided she wanted to become an ophthalmologist. She enrolled at NECC as a biology major in the fall of 2022.

“I forgot how much I really like science; I had always turned away from it. The classes were a little scary at first, but my professors were so accommodating.”

Matos also found a lot of support by joining the PACE program, which provides various services for first-generation and low-income students. And her experience with Early College continued to open doors for her: she served as a policy fellow at the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College for the 2022-2023 school year. There, she learned about the legislative process and how to advocate for more funding for statewide early college programs.

Matos will continue her education at UMass Lowell, where she’s already taking a class. She will transfer as a junior and, in a few short years, will be weighing her options for medical school. While she’s excited for this next chapter, she says she already misses NECC.

“There is so much support here; some of it I didn’t even register as support. I made a plan, and thanks to my advisors, I stuck with it. I’m graduating right on time.”

Matos has made the Dean’s List each semester and currently has a 3.7 GPA. She is a member of the National Technical Honors Society and routinely volunteers on campus and in her community. Her success has even encouraged her mom, who had previously earned a certificate in Human Services from NECC, to start taking classes again.

Matos was nominated for student speaker by Emily Yunes, 5th Year and Promise Program Coordinator, Kevin Mitchell, Chemistry Professor and Kristen Arnold, Director of the PACE Program.

Nominations were solicited from the college community and submitted to a committee of faculty and staff who selected Matos as their top choice.

To learn more about Commencement at Northern Essex, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu/commencement.

NECC Announces Plans for 2024 Commencement, Including the Featured Speaker

Haverhill, MA (March 6, 2024)—Planning for the 62nd annual Commencement Ceremony at Northern Essex Community College is underway. The event will be held on the Haverhill Campus on Saturday, May 18, at 11 a.m. More than 400 students and their families will gather under the tent for the occasion.

This year’s featured speaker will be United States Representative Lori Trahan (D MA-3rd District). Congresswoman Trahan was born in Lowell and raised in a working-class family. She was the first in her family to graduate college.

As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, Rep. Trahan has been an advocate for supporting public schools, making college more affordable and accessible, and ensuring fair wages and opportunities for the workforce in Massachusetts’ 3rd District.

Shortly after her election in 2019, Congresswoman Trahan visited NECC’s Lawrence Campus. She met with students, toured the facilities, and pledged her support for the school and its critical role in the communities she serves. “If we’re going to set everyone up for financial success, we need to support our community colleges,” she said during the visit.

Since then, Rep. Trahan has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for local infrastructure projects, small businesses, workforce training programs, community organizations, and more. Northern Essex President Lane Glenn says most recently, they discussed the Workforce Pell Act, which would allow Pell Grants to support students enrolled in high-quality, short-term education programs that align with the most in-demand careers.

“Congresswoman Trahan understands, from a very personal perspective, the transformative power of higher education,” says President Glenn. “She sees how a community college like Northern Essex can pivot to directly and effectively address the workforce needs of our communities and students. We look forward to her sharing her inspirational story with the class of 2024.”

The 62nd Annual Commencement Ceremony will also feature a student speaker selected by faculty and staff and the presentation of awards, including the Outstanding Alumni Award, Social Justice Award, and Emeritus.

To learn more about commencement, visit the website.

Northern Essex Community College, the first Federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in New England, is an education leader for the Merrimack Valley. Through a supportive learning environment and cultural inclusion, NECC embraces all identities and inspires initiative and excellence through top-notch, affordable certificate and associate degree programs online and at campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence. NECC offers many bachelor’s degree transfer options, workforce development, and community education classes and hosts the NECC Police Academy, MassHire Merrimack Valley, and Gallaudet University’s Regional Center for the deaf and hard of hearing. Visit Northern Essex online at www.necc.mass.edu.