Haverhill, MA (February 24, 2025) – A new joint admissions agreement between Northern Essex Community College and Merrimack College will provide NECC students with more seamless pathways to continue their education after graduating with their associate degrees. Under the agreement, students who opt-in are conditionally accepted to Merrimack College when they are accepted to NECC. Once a student graduates from NECC, they can begin the transfer process. Merrimack College will provide a designated transfer admissions counselor for graduates of NECC, who will receive priority for Merrimack merit scholarships.

“Now more than ever, we must ensure that any student who dreams of earning an associate degree and bachelor’s degree can do so,” said Merrimack College President Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D. “And this agreement will make that dream more accessible to more students. We know first-hand the transformative impact higher education can have on its students and the communities they go on to serve.”

During the event, President Hopey also announced that NECC students who transfer to Merrimack College after they earn their associate’s degree will receive up to a $10,000 scholarship, or a $5,000 scholarship if they enroll in the Bachelor in Humanities program.

Merrimack College and NECC have enjoyed a long-standing partnership focused on accessibility and opportunities for learners in the Merrimack Valley and beyond. Over the past five years alone, about 400 NECC students have transferred to Merrimack College.

The institutions have worked to grow early college programs and are exploring the establishment of an innovation corridor in the Merrimack Valley.

“Merrimack remembers its roots,” said NECC President Lane Glenn H’15. “Merrimack remembers the importance of service to our communities and ensuring accessibility to and affordability of a high-quality education. This joint admissions agreement is another significant step forward because it makes the process much simpler.”

Those 400 recent transfer students include Ally Powell ’24 and Joseph Spero ’24. Both cite the academic offerings, financial aid, and proximity to home as big factors in their decisions to transfer to Merrimack after graduating from NECC. They say the support they received in the process has helped them realize their passions. Powell is studying human development and human services, as well as teacher education, and hopes to be a special education teacher in communities such as Haverhill or Lawrence, while Spero is doubling down on his love of sports through the sports management program.

“The campus and community at Merrimack are a great fit for me,” said Powell. “I don’t know how else to describe it other than it matches my vibe. Transitioning to Merrimack has been an incredible experience. All of my classes transferred and the change was really smooth.”

Powell and Spero shared their transfer experiences during a special event at NECC’s Haverhill Campus on Monday, Feb. 24, where Merrimack and NECC announced a new joint admissions and transfer partnership agreement.

“It is an honor to be here today sharing my experiences with you all,” Spero said to a crowd of more than 50 senior leaders, administrators, and faculty from both institutions. “I would 100 percent recommend the path I took to others. For students who are comfortable at home and are still looking for a challenge, Northern Essex is a perfect fit. And now, I’m a junior at Merrimack and I love it.”

Spero was also a Haverhill Promise Scholar at NECC. The Promise programs allow students who take early college classes at Northern Essex to continue at NECC for free after their high school graduation.

NECC has joint admission agreements with four additional institutions: Salem State University, UMass Lowell, Regis College, and Emmanuel College. Learn more by visiting the Transfer webpage.