Monthly Archives: October 2015

Arts and Entertainment

HC Media Radio Plays Your Music

 

Exciting opportunities for unsigned local music artists are at HC Media, also known as Haverhill Community Media.

Recently launched is their radio station, which gives opportunities to musicians who want to get their music out into the airwaves for free.

Matt Belfiore, Director of Operations at HC Media and adjunct faculty at NECC, shared with other staff members the idea of doing something more audio-oriented in contrast to their traditionally visual-oriented televistion programs.  For a few years they had been thinking of doing something like newscasts or playing top 40 music hits.

“Something about it just never clicked, and I never really liked the idea of it all that much. . . so I got the idea to do something more like an alternative rock radio station … geared toward unsigned local and semi-local acts,” said Belfiore.

Brian Hough, multimedia developer at HC Media, put together the mechanics of what would become HC Media Radio.

“Basically, it’s set up with an open source software called Shoutcast which is really popular in the independent radio world,” he said.

“We kind of modified it just a little bit to suit our needs. We set it up  over on a new server that we had, we are able to broadcast mp3 files from our server directly out of the building to the website and wherever else.”

Deciding on content was no issue for Belfiore, who was once in a garage band back in the ’80s and ’90s. With a deep appreciation for local music, he reached out to a few people he knew who play in bands.

“I think we started with like three bands, and then within a month and a half, we’re up to 26 bands now — meaning we’re up to a couple hundred songs. Obviously we want more, and the idea is to get more bands,” said Belfiore.

The only criteria to get airtime is that the music has to be unsigned with no royalties.  It’s a pretty sweet deal for local bands who want to get their music out there to a larger audience, and it’s free.

“We launched it before we really had any sort of format,” said Belfiore. “I’m a big believer in do-it-yourself stuff, and maybe it goes back to my old rock and roll garage punk days … it’s like, don’t worry about learning how to play, just pick up an instrument and do it and eventually you’ll figure it out.”

Having the station available, even if it’s not perfect, gels perfectly with the sort of content it’s presenting.  So many amazing local bands have unsigned music they’ve worked so hard to produce, and it should be shared and enjoyed. Young musicians don’t always have the money for huge recording contracts or ways to distribute their music among large amounts of people.

HC Media Radio is an amazing new medium to sate the public’s desire for new refreshing music while simultaneously helping local artists be heard.

Shawn Smith, a recent NECC graduate who attended Belfiore’s class a few years ago, did an internship at HC Media.   Since his internship he has become a part-time staff member and has become the to go-to guy for the radio station.  Smith does most of the programming for the songs and does little blurbs for the radio station in between songs, along with some rudimentary taped deejaying.  There has not been any live deejay work yet, but that is a definite possibility.

“What we’re working at next is we want to do live deejaying. We don’t want it to just be one person. We just recently hired a training coordinator here that teaches people how to be a deejay,” said Belfiore. “You could come in, learn how to deejay, then come here, volunteer for an hour and pick the tracks that you want to play. We’ll record it live, you can come in here and be a deejay for an hour, man.”

It’s an amazing volunteer opportunity to showcase different music and different tastes. It gives the ability to play the music someone thinks is really cool. They can make that time slot their own, putting an individual stamp on the airwaves.

The radio station can only continue to grow with new musical content; it needs more local music. Any musician interested in submitting their work can do it in multiple ways. They can give HC Media a call at (978) 372-8070, send a message to the HC Media Radio Station’s Facebook page at facebook.com/HCMediaRadio or fill out a contact form at HaverhillCommunityTV.org. The other option is to drop off a CD or music files at HC Media’s physical address, which is 60 Elm St. Haverhill, Mass.

 

Campus Life

Community College is an Opportunity Well Worth the Price of Admission

 

Going away to college can be a huge shock.

First, you have the feeling of insecurity from not being at home and not knowing anyone.  Then there’s the added pressure of classes, making friends, meeting professors, keeping your grades up and the huge financial burden that most college students have to carry.

Our society puts a lot of pressure on young adults to go away to college right out of high school.  At 18 years old, most people are still trying to figure out their own identity.  Who you are and what you want is going to change from when you’re 18 to when you’re 25 or 35 years old.

Tatiana Benedetti, a Psychology major in her first semester at NECC, went to MCLA for three semesters starting in the spring of 2014.  She was shocked by how unprepared she felt for college.  

“It’s really easy to fall apart at a four-year school in your first semester,” she said.  “When you’re 18, you need a support system.  You shouldn’t be focused on getting as far away from home as possible.”

The hardest part of going away to college was learning to be responsible for herself and manage her time effectively.  Reflecting on her time in high school, Benedetti said she wasn’t encouraged to prepare for college by taking a college class before attending college full time, or by going to a community college first to get a feel for what college is like.

“As somebody who sucked at college, community college was the best decision I made.  I feel a lot more put together here, and this makes me feel more prepared for a four-year school,” she said.

Sarah Stanley transferred from Gordon College in Wenham.  She is a Journalism/Communication major in her first semester at NECC.  At Gordon, she found that if she needed help, it was up to her own efforts to seek out that help.  She didn’t even realize that the college didn’t offer what she was looking for in her major until she was already enrolled.

“I’m really surprised by the support socially and academically at NECC,” she said.   The academic support offered in her first semester at community college exceeded what was offered to her at Gordon.

“Community college is worth it because of the financial burden,” she said.

Christian Doyle, a Theater major in his sophomore year at NECC, transferred to community college from Wagner College in New York.

While he was trying to meet society’s expectations to meet “the typical college timeline,” he essentially ran himself into the ground.

The stress built up until he had “what felt like an emotional breakdown,” but ended up being a spiritual awakening.

Doyle transferred to NECC to work on himself.  His goals changed from following the societal standard to becoming “a more emotionally and physically healthy person. . . and to take some time to breathe and reflect to inspire additional positive growth,” he said.

Through his time at NECC, he’s realized it’s more important to take the time to figure out what you need and where you should go instead of making decisions based on what other people expect from you.

“My time here continues to make me feel more independent, empowered and capable,” he said.

 

Campus Life

Counseling Office is Here to Help

 

The Counseling Office is here to help college kids keep a grip in the middle of the pressures and stressors of our home, school and work lives.

Marcia Winters is the coordinator of counseling on the Haverhill campus, while Karen MacDonald is the mental health counselor on the Lawrence campus.  The school website says they are both “licensed mental health counselors who provide treatment, crisis intervention, support services, and referrals to off-campus therapists and specialized professionals.”  Their office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Walk-ins can be seen on an emergency basis,” according to the brochure.

Counseling can encourage the student to become healthier in all aspects of life.   Common reasons to visit the Counseling Office include the following issues: feeling overwhelmed, depression and anxiety, family problems, alcohol and drugs, coping with grief and loss, and many more.

Workshops offered through the Counseling Office include National Depression Screening Day, Anxiety Awareness, Relationships, Sleep Clinics, Alcohol/Drug Awareness, Stress Management, Eating Patterns, Domestic Violence, and Sexual Assault Awareness.

The next event with the Counseling Services is National Depression Screening Day.  The Lawrence campus had their Screening Day on Monday, Oct. 5, and the Haverhill campus will have their Screening Day on Thursday, Oct. 8, in the C building lobby, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To schedule an appointment with Marcia on the Haverhill campus, call (978) 556-3644 or email mwinters@necc.mass.edu.

To schedule an appointment with Karen on the Lawrence campus, call (978) 738-7433 or email kmacdonaldfehr@necc.mass.edu.

A relatively new branch under the umbrella of Counseling Services at NECC is the Wellness Educator.

Erin Neal, the Wellness Educator, works with Mallory Stamp, an intern from UMass Lowell.  Neal’s position on campus is to educate the students about personal wellness. It’s a part-time position for 12 hours a week.  The Wellness Educator also helps promote the Counseling Services at NECC.

Neal is planning on incorporating a sex education workshop along with the other workshops provided during the next year or so.

“I think that sex education is a great idea, but we don’t currently have it. I would like to see that. It’s definitely not continuous on campus,” Neal said.

“Birth control is a huge issue too,” says Marcia Winters, coordinator of counseling on the Haverhill campus.

The goal of a Wellness Coordinator is to supply a variety of information on health and wellness and fulfill that need for information.

“It would be nice to have a (sex education) workshop, giving some information, and to provide a safe environment to ask questions,” Neal said. “We are definitely working on that.”

The Wellness Educator is located in the Sport and Fitness Center.

Another branch under Counseling Services at NECC is Social Services, located on the Lawrence campus, room 231-A at 45 Franklin Street. Office hours are Monday and Tuesday, 1 to 4 p.m. and Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Family resources include information about SNAP benefits, WIC, food pantries and other related resources.

Financial information is available for credit counseling, debt management, SSI benefits and unemployment benefits.

Legal resources include eviction, immigration, child support, child custody, divorce and discrimination.

Health resources include MassHealth, mental health, domestic violence and other assistance. For more information, contact Stefanae Bowen at (978) 738-7432.

 

Campus Life

Online tutoring with Smarthinking

 

Aside from the tutoring center on campus and fellow students to help out, did you know that NECC offers Smarthinking online tutoring?

According to the website, Smarthinking is “an academic support program that gives students online access to live, one-to-one assistance from over 1500 trained and qualified tutors.”

Note that students will have a limited number of minutes available. Please use your time wisely.  If you’ve exceeded the maximum, you will receive a message to contact the Tutoring Center.

Director of Tutoring Services Lynne Nadeau said, “NECC has offered Smarthinking online tutoring to students since 2008.

The tutoring is free for up to four hours, which equals, for example, approximately five Smarthinking Writing Center submissions.” Traditionally, students go to the tutoring center or get tutoring from friends, but now NECC has opened a door to provide tutoring for students that prefer online tutoring.

Students are encouraged to learn about this new opportunity through a workshop.  There will be a workshop to explain Smarthinking and what it has to offer on Friday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.   You can also attend the second session from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Tech Center, room 103A.

For any questions, email tutoring center@necc.mass.edu.

Campus Life, News

Volunteering at Northern Essex

 

Volunteering locally provides experience for  students

By Alyssa Torres

Correspondent

 

Students, faculty and staff are welcome to participate in the opportunity to give back to the community monthly, on a mission to end hunger.

Volunteer opportunities are available on Oct. 22 for Northern Essex Community College students, faculty and staff.

Maureen Saliba, Assistant Athletic Director, organizes a group monthly by email blast to volunteer their time and service at the Cor Unum Meal Center in Lawrence.

“It’s important to give people a taste of what’s out there, and see how fortunate they might be,” Saliba said.

Cor Unum Meals’ website says, “At Cor Unum, we every day eliminate hunger. We welcome and serve all who are in need with the utmost dignity, love, and respect – with open hands, listening ears and loving hearts.”

Breakfast is from 6 to 8 a.m., and dinner is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The address is 118 South Broadway, Lawrence.

The volunteers at the meal centers see change occuring in Lawrence. The website says, “Many people think that problems like urban hunger can never change. At Cor Unum, hunger in Lawrence has been transformed.”

Saliba has been working at NECC for 10 years, and organizing different opportunities on campus for the past nine years. Past groups in the community organized by Saliba include Servicing the MSPCA and Emmaus Inc.

A total of 10 volunteers are needed at each scheduled monthly date to fill open duties.

Christopher Cruz, a freshman, volunteered at his local middle school and local library in the past. Upon completing his volunteer experience, he felt as though he did something useful. “It helps connect you to what’s going on in the community,” Cruz said.

Catherine Ryan, a sophomore, has also volunteered before and believes she has gained experience and perspective. Ryan said that after volunteering she “felt humbled, more than anything, because you learn from the people as well.”

 

Email blasts are sent out monthly with volunteer opportunities. If interested in participating, respond promptly and you will be contacted with additional information.

Sarah Tiso contributed to this article.

 

Campus Life, News

Library Renovations

 

A new computer lab and more overall space for students are coming

By Nick Pantinas

Correspondent

If you’re a returning student to NECC, you will notice quite the difference when you walk back into the Bentley Library.

That’s because its computer labs are currently undergoing a renovation.

All the books from the third floor have been moved down to the first to make way for a huge overhauling of the upstairs level of the library.

Gale Stuart, a 34-year NECC veteran and head of References Services, said, “There won’t be as much room for students during the renovation, but the end result will be an improved library with a new computer lab.”

With all this construction going on it may be an inconvenience for of students and staff, so keep this in mind if you’re planning on going to the library to study.

In the end, the benefits should outweigh the costs, though, as more space will be afforded to complete work and hold classes.

The construction of the new computer lab will be ongoing throughout winter break and will end right about when the spring semester starts.

Mike Gendron, the supervisor in charge of construction commented, “We expect construction to end around Jan. 22, 2016. . . once it’s completed, a raise and a vacation would be nice too!”

With the ongoing renovations of the college, NECC is looking to the future with upgraded buildings filled with new technology that benefit both faculty and students.

While the noise may be distracting, the results will hopefully have been worth the wait.

Campus Life, News

Starfish Early Success

and  

Starfish copyNECC’s Starfish Early Success program is still accepting entries for the “Name the Starfish” contest. You may have seen the bright, blue mascot around campus, but soon we will know what to call that cheerful character.

On Oct. 19, NECC’s Lawrence Campus will hold the Health and Wellness Fair, where students will have a chance to fill out an entry form with their suggestion for the mascot’s name. This will be the last day for entries.

The Starfish Strategic Team will then choose the top five names from the entries and ask the entire student body to vote on which of the five names they like best. The deadline will be Nov. 8.

“Stay tuned for an email with instructions on voting,” said NECC staff member Deb LaValley.

The winner will receive a gift basket of which the contents are “still growing,” said LaValley.

The Starfish Early Success program is a way for professors to offer students direct feedback on their work in class, whether that’s praise for a job done well or concern about work that has not been completed on time.

Students can see this feedback through email notifications and on myNECC.

Arts and Entertainment, Opinion

‘The Martian’ a Warm, Humorous Tale of Isolation and Survival

 

People who go into “The Martian,” whether they’ve read Andy Weir’s novel or not, will probably be able to predict how it ends.I don’t dare spoil whether or not the title character ever makes it off Mars after getting marooned there, but you’ve probably got the answer in your head right now.

Why bring this up? Well, rare is the movie that remains gripping despite its predictability; “The Martian” is the newest gem in this category. This might be the warmest movie about isolation ever made.

As I’ve partially revealed, the plot centers on Mark Watney (Matt Damon), a sweet and snarky astronaut whose team is forced to leave him behind in the wake of a deadly sandstorm.

They think he’s dead, but you don’t cast Matt Damon just to have him play a corpse. He wakes up to find himself minus four friends, literally the only person on the entire planet.

Oh yeah, and it will be years before NASA can send a rescue mission.

What’s a guy to do? Start figuring out how he can survive long enough to be rescued in the first place, of course. Even with all the food from the crew members who fled the scene, he’s still short a couple years in the eats department.

Good thing he’s a botanist.

The scenes of Watney by his lonesome, attempting to grow food, are surprisingly warm and funny.

His character requires a certain sense of humor and optimism for us to believe he’d actually make it through this ordeal, and Damon lends him this credibility in spades.

We also get a lot of fun details about his teammates in the process.

One adorable scene sees Watney bemoaning his commander’s taste in disco, the only music available to him on Mars.

“Don’t you have anything from this century?” he says.

Watney’s adventure is broken up by scenes of the folks at NASA, trying to figure out how to save Watney while fighting off a nightmarish PR situation. Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Kristen Wiig and Chiwetel Ejiofor (who, to my knowledge, has never given a bad performance) are all phenomenal in their supporting roles. Donald Glover, in a bit part as a young aerodynamics specialist, is a scene-stealing pleasure every time he appears onscreen.Later on, for reasons I will not disclose, Watney’s team becomes involved in the story again. Like those of the NASA crew, these performances are filled with life and energy. It’s nice to see Michael Peña so soon after his comedic sidekick role in “Ant-Man,” and Jessica Chastain — leaping from last year’s space epic “Interstellar” — lends this role the same drama and sensitivity.

“The Martian” is a movie about humanity at its most resilient. Every person in the film reminds us that, in spite of the horrible news we hear every day, amazing things can happen when we put aside our differences and work toward a common goal. We all need the occasional reminder that our world, and the humans that occupy it, are not as bad as they seem.

Campus Life

School Bookstore has Variety and Lower Food Prices

 

By Evaluna Nieves

Correspondent

Why do more students seem to prefer the NECC bookstore to the on-campus vending machines? Perhaps it’s because the prices for snacks and drinks can be considerably lower at the bookstore. For example, a toaster pastry in the vending machine is $1.50, while at the bookstore the price is 99 cents.

In addition, the school bookstore also seems to have a greater selection.

“The store has more variety,” said current first year NECC student Ryan Foucault. Using the same toaster pastry scenario: in the machines you only get one flavor, while at the bookstore you can get at least five different options.

At the store, there are also lunch options like pizzas and sandwiches. They offer some “meal deals” on lunches that include an entree, a bag of chips and a drink.

Paying for snacks can also be more convenient at the bookstore, especially if you’re carrying larger bills.

Features

Elections are Coming, and Your Vote Matters

 
campaign poster copy

The Presidential Election is coming next year, which brings about some important questions. Are you registered to vote? Are you aware of the history of voting? Do you know why it’s so important to our democracy?

Voting has been part of our political history for over 200 years. After the Declaration of Independence signed in 1776, we elected our first President, George Washington, in 1788.  

Voting rights have not always been as open as they are today. In the past, various laws dictated what kind of people could go to the polls.  At first, only white men who owned property had the right to vote. In 1889, Wyoming was the first state to allow female citizens to vote, and by 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed and allowed anyone to vote.

It’s common to feel a bit disenchanted with politics, but casting your vote is critically important: as a U.S. citizen, you should care about who is running our country.

“I think it’s more important for 18 to 25-year-olds to vote. . . They typically don’t vote, which is why politicians don’t care (about appealing to them),” said Professor Tom Greene of the English department. “People in their 50s . . . vote a lot more, which is why get a lot more of what they want out of our government.”

Unfortunately, we do live in a society where older people are more involved in the political process. Hearteningly, though, a fair amount of 20-something students at Northern Essex are actively following the upcoming elections.

Parker Moody, who is a History major at Northern Essex, has been very passionate about politics. “During the election back in 2008, when it was McCain vs. Obama, my teacher and I would have heated discussions on our disagreements. I was for Obama while Repucci was for McCain,” he said. “One thing I really appreciated . . . was how he never discouraged me from what I believed.”

As the upcoming election is fast approaching, I decided to ask the students of Northern Essex if anyone is following the current candidates. From what it looks like, the top 3 candidates mentioned (in no particular order) are Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Michael Ross is a theatre major at Northern Essex who has been registered to vote as an Independent since the age of 18.  Ross has been following the current election today and is not afraid to state his opinion; he is all for Bernie Sanders.

“There is not much a chance for the Republicans to win,” said Ross. “The only nominee that is getting any attention is Donald Trump.”

Whatever your opinion, always remember: your vote counts, whether it’s for a Student Senate election on campus, a local election in your town of residence, or for the President in 2016.