From First Generation College Student to Newest Member of the NECC Board of Trustees
Jouel Gómez of Haverhill, a Northern Essex graduate, community volunteer, and current President of the NECC Alumni Board, has been confirmed as the new alumni-elected member of the Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees by Governor Charlie Baker.
Gómez is a senior manager at Massachusetts General Brigham: Newton-Wellesley Hospital. After graduating from Northern Essex in 2015 with a Business Transfer Degree, Gómez earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston University in management and then an MBA from Bentley University. He became involved in alumni association efforts in NECC in 2016, becoming the vice-chairperson and then president and chairperson in 2021.
“I am honored to be appointed to the Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees to fill the alum seat,” says Gómez. “As a first-generation full-time college student, as well as an adult learner with a family and a full-time job, I know the challenges many of the current NECC students face on a day-to-day basis. I hope to make a difference for those students who may find themselves in a similar situation.”
Gómez also serves as president of the Boston Chapter of Prospanica, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Hispanic community to achieve their full educational, economic, and social potential.
The college’s Board of Trustees includes nine members whom the governor of the state appoints to a maximum of two five-year terms, an alumni-elected member who also serves a maximum of 10 years, and a student trustee who serves for two semesters.
“I am also thrilled to work alongside many great leaders who are passionate about education and continue to support the mission and vision of NECC throughout their years of service,” says Gómez.
Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence. It offers more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs and hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. More than 5,000 students are enrolled each year in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; another 2,600 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu or call 978-556-3700.