At its September 7 meeting, the first of the 2011/2012 academic year, the Northern Essex Community College board of trustees welcomed two new members: William D. Cox, Jr., Esq of Haverhill, and Lori Guernelli of Bradford, a paralegal studies major, who was recently elected as the student trustee.

Appointed by Governor Patrick, Cox has his own law practice and also has held the position of city solicitor for Haverhill for more than seven years.  A graduate of Bradford College, he also attended the University of London and American University. Cox earned his Juris Doctris Degree from New England School of Law.

He is currently board president of Career Resources Corporation in Haverhill and a member of the Northern Essex Community College legal studies advisory board.

Guernelli will graduate from the paralegal transfer option program in May 2012. She currently holds a 4.0 GPA. She hopes to transfer to the American College of History and Legal Studies in Salem, N.H. and eventually attend Massachusetts School of Law in Andover to earn her juris doctorate.

A native of Ipswich, she earned her GED in 1990 and worked for a number of large companies and endured several layoffs before deciding to return to school. She has already secured a part-time job in a New Hampshire law office.

Design Revealed for NECC’s Allied Health & Technology Center

Miller Dyer Spears, architects for the El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center, which is being built in Lawrence, have completed designs for the building which Mary Ellen Ashley, executive vice president of the college, shared with trustees.

The 43,700 square foot building is a silver LEED project that “will take advantage of the sun,” according to Ashley.

The three-story rectangular building with extensions will feature brick, tile, slate, and metal in the front and “lots of glass” in the back,” said Ashley.

Built on the site of the former In-Town Mall in Lawrence, an abandoned mall/parking structure, the building will house classrooms, healthcare simulations labs for nursing, EMT, phlebotomy, and associated health technology, as well as faculty and administrative offices and a career planning and advising center.  It will allow the college to expand enrollments in its popular health care programs.

Asbestos is currently being removed from the existing structure, according to Ashley, a process that should be completed by the end of September.  In October, demolition of the mall building is expected to start, ending in April of 2012.  The building is on track to be completed for the fall of 2013.

iHealth Launches this Fall

President Lane Glenn shared plans for iHealth@NECC, a new way of delivering health care that launched this fall.

A public/private partnership, iHealth@NECC is a way of bringing new resources to the college, at a time when state support is decreasing.  “We are trying to be as entrepreneurial as possible,” said Glenn.

Most courses are offered online and students only need to be on campus once a week.  The programs are accelerated and most certificate programs can be completed in 12 months or less.

Programs offered this fall through iHealth@NECC will include an associate degree in general studies: health studies and certificates in phlebotomy, emergency management, health care technician, and medical billing. In addition, certification courses will be offered in advanced cardiac life support and pediatric advanced life support.  Future programs are likely to include medical coding, medical lab technician, health information technology, and LPN-to-RN nursing, according to Glenn.

State Grant will Benefit Lawrence Students

Northern Essex was pleased to receive a competitive $135,053 performance incentive grant from the state to help fund a Student Success Center in Lawrence, designed to improve educational outcomes for students, according to President Glenn.

Educational Report: NECC Program is National Model

Over the past two years, Northern Essex has offered free computer training to displaced workers, thanks to its participation in BATEC (Broadening Advanced Technological Education Connections).

According to Chuck Phair, assistant dean, law, education, and social professions, the college has had several success stories as part of this initiative and, as result, the program is being touted as a national success story by the National Science Foundation which funds BATEC.

BATEC also funds “Gizmos and Gadgets,” a Northern Essex program developed to engage middle school, high school and senior citizens in the community with technology such as GPS, Android/iPhones, and Skype.

Twenty-One Full-time Positions are Approved

Trustees voted unanimously to approve the following state-appropriated professional  positions:  Allison Cody*, director of private sector fundraising, Institutional Advancement, and the following state appropriated classified positions: Courtney Struble, EDP entry operator IV, Financial Aid; Lenin Tejeda*, EDP systems analyst I, Client Services; Heather Wilson*, EDP systems analyst I, Business, Mathematics, Science & Technology; Richard Ingham, EDP systems analyst I, Client Services; Joyce Brody, administrative assistant II, Arts, Business, Communication and Technology; and Susan Nutter*, EDP systems analyst I, IT Client Computing;  Leah Proulx, clerk III, Accounting and Finance, and Gisela Fernandez, accountant III, Accounting and Finance.

The following state appropriated professional positions were also approved: Jennifer Fitzgerald, assistant professor, Developmental Mathematics ; Kimberly Waligora, assistant professor, Natural Sciences;  Maria Carles, associate professor, Natural Sciences;  Lori Vinci, assistant professor, Medical Assisting; Ligia Domenech, assistant professor, History ; Larry Stephen, assistant professor, Deaf Studies;  Mark Clements, instructor, Natural Sciences;  William Thorpe, instructor, Emergency Medical Services; Karletty Medina, coordinator of learning resources, Academic Resources & Tutoring Center; Jeidy Urena, senior community outreach counselor, Social Services; Jayme Tine, staff associate, Enrollment Services; and Eugene Wintner, acting assistant dean for academic preparation.

*Approval was from part-time to full-time status.