David Arivella, Computer & Information Sciences: Information Technology

As someone who didn’t particularly enjoy high school, David Arivella of Haverhill wasn’t looking forward to signing up for even more years of education. It took a little push from his family before he applied to NECC’s Computer & Information Sciences Program.

“Once I finally got around to it, I actually had an amazing experience here,” he says. “Every semester was a little bit different, a little more interesting, and I realized — unlike high school — it was really up to me what I wanted to learn.”

It did take him a semester to adjust to the differences, he admits, but the risks he took only increased as he “got the hang of things.” He swiftly became an active participant in his major, eventually taking on an IT-focused internship in the library and a position working in instructional development. Overall, he says, he went from a student who needed a push to one taking his own initiative.

In May, this once-reluctant student earned an Associate Degree in Computer & Information Sciences: Information Technology with honors and he is now enrolled in the Computer & Information Systems Program offered by Lyndon State College of Vermont on NECC’s Lawrence Campus.

“NECC’s partnership with Lyndon State College makes continuing for a bachelor’s degree hugely convenient and affordable,” said David.

“I always knew I wanted to do something with computers, but I wasn’t sure how to get from where I was to actually doing it for a career,” he says. “As soon as I came here, the map there became a lot clearer … and didn’t seem as intimidating or expensive.”

To learn more about enrolling at Northern Essex, visit the website or contact Enrollment Services at, admissions@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3700.