For students who grew up in surrounding towns, Northern Essex Community College was likely already a familiar name. Perhaps a friend or relative is an alumnus, or maybe they attended one of the many community events on the NECC Campuses. But for a small but growing group of students, NECC was literally a world away.

Northern Essex currently has 18 international students enrolled, representing 13 countries including, Australia, Brazil, France, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

Respiratory Care student Alvin Valenzuela Villota

“A lot of them have family in the area,” says Director of International Student Support and Special Populations Maria Hernandez. “They appreciate our affordability and our support services.”

Alvin Valenzuela Villota says family and student support were two of the main things that brought him to NECC. Originally from the Philippines, Villota worked for a decade as a respiratory therapist in Saudi Arabia. He wanted to advance professionally but knew he would have a hard time if he stayed in that country, where there were not a lot of opportunities.

“I wanted something more. I wanted to improve myself as a healthcare worker and I thought ‘Maybe I need to go to the United States,’” he remembers.

Villota contacted the National Board of Respiratory Care and learned that to be certified to work in the U.S., he’d need to go back to school.

With a sister already living in Massachusetts, Villota researched and found three schools within the state where he could get his degree. He says he ultimately chose Northern Essex because of all the help he received from the moment he applied.

“NECC responded right away, I never had any issues with documentation or paperwork,” he says, adding that that level of support has remained constant and consistent. “What I like a lot is the resources, tutoring center for English, science, and math, even in the respiratory care program had these tutorial sessions and they have the open laboratory which helped me a lot and guided me through my studies. NECC offers exceptional support and resources, the staff is very helpful from academic advisor to the program director, they will guide you every step of the way.”

Villota is on track to graduate this spring with his associate degree in Respiratory Care. He’s currently working two days a week at Mass General Hospital in Boston to fulfill his clinical requirement. He hopes that following graduation and the licensing exam, he can continue to work in Massachusetts. And eventually, he wants to bring his experience and knowledge to those working in the field back in the Philippines.

“I’d like to help former colleagues and update them in areas like patient care. I think many will be inspired like I have been.”

International students must be enrolled full-time and demonstrate the ability to pay out-of-state tuition. Hernandez is available to help them navigate the VISA process and apply to Northern Essex. As Villota experienced, she also offers students counseling and support throughout their time at the college.

To learn more about opportunities for International Students at Northern Essex, visit the website or contact Hernandez at mhernandez@necc.mass.edu.