It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of former Northern Essex Community College President Dr. John Dimitry. In his 20 years as president, Dr. Dimitry led with compassion, tenacity, and a dedication to equity, which remain embedded in the fibers of NECC to this day.

“Dr. Dimitry’s leadership at Northern Essex Community College forged pathways of opportunity and equity, ensuring that education could serve as a beacon of hope and change for countless individuals,” says current NECC President Lane Glenn. “We are deeply grateful for Dr. Dimitry’s numerous contributions to Northern Essex and we share our sincerest condolences with his loved ones”

Dr. John Dimitry at the rededication of the Dimitry Building in 2019

Dr. Dimitry’s life shows that learning comes in many forms. At the age of seventeen, he withdrew from high school and enlisted in the United States Army. While in the service he earned his  GED certificate, and upon his discharge in 1948 he earned a bachelor’s degree. He subsequently served in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954 when he was called to active duty. After the war, he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees and began his lifetime career in education.

As the college’s second president, serving from 1975 to 1996, Dr. Dimitry’s legacy is especially felt on our Lawrence campus. Early in his tenure, he identified the need for permanent classroom space in Lawrence and made many trips to the Massachusetts State House to advocate for the creation of a campus there. Following the 1984 Lawrence riots, the state launched the Lawrence Education Employment Project (LEEP), which grew into the Lawrence Campus.

In 1991, due to Dimitry’ s leadership, The Prudential Company made the extraordinary donation of 45 Franklin St. to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for use as the college’s first permanent building in Lawrence. Five years later, in 1996, it was dedicated to Dr. Dimitry.

Today the campus has grown to half a dozen buildings, including the Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center, 420 Common St., and the Louise Haffner Fournier Education Center.

For those wishing to honor the legacy of Dr. Dimitry at Northern Essex Community College, you may make a gift to The Dr. John & Audrey Dimitry Scholarship fund. The scholarship is awarded each year to a GED graduate involved in campus activities, community leadership, or service. For more information, please contact Shana Murrell at smurrell@necc.mass.edu.

The college is planning a celebration of life for those who had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Dimitry or have benefited from his vision and benevolence. It will be held Wednesday, September 11 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in TC103B on the Haverhill Campus.