Monthly Archives: March 2019

Arts and Entertainment

Top Notch Theater prepares for spring

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‘Good People’ will be next production for NECC

Auditions for Northern Essex Community College’s spring were held recently, and the community is already expressing excitement about the play. This year’s selection of Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire will be co-directed by N.E.C.C. theater professor Brianne Beatrice and N.E.C.C. student Christian Doyle, hosted by N.E.C.C.’s Top Notch Theater organization, and performed in the Top Notch Theater (which is on the third floor of the C-building of N.E.C.C.’s Haverhill campus) during late April and early May, according to Beatrice.

Both Beatrice and members of the Northern Essex theater community are expressing enthusiasm about Good People, a show set in South Boston that Beatrice describes as a humorous yet serious drama about race in America.

Gwynnethe Glickman and Josh Shulz, two local actors who performed in N.E.C.C.’s fall production of Stupid F*cking Bird – which was co-directed by Brianne Beatrice and local actress Sarah Durning and won the “2019 Best Ensemble Award” at the 2019 American College Theater Festival in Hyannis, Mass. – are looking forward to the spring show. Both say they trust Beatrice and enjoy her directing style, and Glickman says that she finds the show selection appealing and relatable to modern audiences. Beatrice said she is “Excited for (the) opportunity (to direct Good People).”

She stated that she is looking forward to directing it, and that the play has “been important for a long time.” “I think that this play is really relevant, and we have not done a play that asks us to think about race in a really positive and meaningful way … When I was thinking about what would be the right production and what students are interested and wanting to be a part of the theater program, this show came to mind,” she added.

When I was thinking about what would be the right production and what students are interested (in) and wanting to be a part of the theater program, this show came to mind
– Theater professor Brianne Beatrice

According to Beatrice, Good People is an important choice and will likely be an impactful performance for the Northern Essex audience: “We’re not in a time where we can ignore certain issues that are happening. The more aware we are of what’s happening in our world today, especially with the president that we have, and the limitations in our country, the better.” She also said that theater is a “Great voice to express our need for equality and our need for opportunities for everyone, equally.”

But the themes in Good People are not the only matter related to the play that has the community talking. Schulz, who played Dev during the run of Stupid F*cking Bird, a role he describes as light-hearted yet very aware of the pain in the show’s storyline, says he is excited about the show because of Beatrice’s directing style.

According to Shulz, “Brianne Beatrice’s directing style is one that leaves room for personal interpretation but, at the same time, pushes actors to reach the vision that she has for the play. This allows her to better communicate the playwright’s vision and the message of the play.” “I thoroughly believe in the style that she teaches and directs in, and I believe that it worked very well … I agree with much of her philosophy and the way that she directed (Stupid F*cking Bird),” he added.

Glickman agrees: “She’s great. She’s super hands-on and really involved and really passionate about theater as a whole.” Glickman also said Beatrice “saw that (Stupid F*cking Bird) has a lot of important things to say that people need to hear,” a feature which Glickman says makes her excited about the upcoming N.E.C.C. spring production. She also said she enjoyed Beatrice’s dedication to the messages of Stupid F*cking Bird: “So even though we had, like, four people in our audience sometimes, she was like, “Who gives a f*ck? People need to hear it … This show needs to be done.””

Glickman, who played the role of Mash in Stupid F*cking Bird, a character she says is “in mourning for her life” and “unhappy,” but also “so angsty that she’s humorous,” said she is looking forward to Good People because the play is very appealing to modern audiences and less “in-your-face” than Stupid F*cking Bird.

Campus Life

Farmers Market continues to please

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Free, fresh produce is available for NECC students, faculty, staff once a month

boxes of fruits and vegetables at a farmers market

A crowd of students, faculty and staff gathered for February’s Farmers Market to get fresh beets, cantaloupe, strawberries and more; all free of charge. In total, more than 6,000 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables were delivered to the NECC Haverhill campus on Feb. 26, all of which was available to any student or staff member interested. “It’s awesome that people who can’t afford it can come here and get some fresh food,” said Chantelle Garcia. Garcia is working on her degree in dental hygiene at Northern Essex, and stopped by the event to grab some fruit. Northern Essex works with the Greater Boston Food Bank to have a truck filled with food delivered each month to both the Haverhill and Lawrence Campus.

Karen Hruska, director of the Counseling Center at NECC, oversaw the event. She said that this program is great because it can help students and her colleagues that may be struggling financially have access to fresh, healthy food. According to Hruska, the Farmer’s Market has been recurring monthly for what will be two years in April. Something that is a little newer, Hruska said, is the Smart Meals food for free program. Local hotels, schools and restaurants deep freeze extra food from their kitchens and package it up as full meals.

These are available at the express centers on both the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses. The next Farmer’s Market  on the Haverhill campus will be March 26, from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the One Stop Student Center, SC Building  The Farmers Market Mini Mart will also be held March 26 on the Lawrence campus at the El-Hefni building, 414 Common St. from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Campus Life

Courageous conversations

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Student Life hosts series of events to spur dialogue about social issues

The Student Life Department held its first event of Courageous Conversations on Feb 20 at the Riverwalk Campus to celebrate World Day of Social Justice.  Courageous Conversations is a three part event taking place throughout the spring semester led by Stephanie Haskell, coordinator of social justice and student leadership.  Students can sit down and start a conversation about anything regarding the awareness subject, in this case being social justice. “Courageous conversations is an invitation for (students) to say whatever (they) want to say about any sort of problem. I would best describe it as a ‘one voice, all ears’ scenario, and it is an opportunity for me to say ‘please excuse my ignorance,’” says Haskell

One of the most important things to consider is the meaning of social justice, she says.  Haskell says each student interviewed gave a different response to what they think it means.  For Haskell, social justice is about the feeling of security a person has in being included and acknowledged in society.  “My goal is to make everyone feel included because everyone contributes to society. People need to look at life, community needs to be open and accepting, says Haskell. Social justice is a staple in higher education with many colleges making great effort to include students of all identities.

women siting in a directors style chair holding a notebook
Stephanie Haskell, coordinator of social justice and student leadership, recently hosted the first in a series of ‘Courageous Conversations” on campus. Photo by Aaron Lehner

Connie Bodemer, Deaf Studies major, says that by working with Student Life as a New Student Advocate (NSA), she has had the opportunity to listen to the other voices of the student body. She has also given a voice to the deaf community by being a representative through Student Life. “The deaf and hard of hearing community is often misrepresented, and there are many misconceptions about it. People feel bad when a person can’t hear and pity them, but I know there are so many clubs and organizations to help. They live their lives just like any other person, the community is very tight knit,” says Bodemer.

Bodemer is an active member of the American Sign Language Club, and helps to raise awareness to make people who are deaf more included on campus as she continues her training to become a sign language interpreter. There are many clubs and activities that are designed to educate students and faculty about campus diversity at NECC.  The Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is one such club. According to club president, Colby Patrie, the club strives to, “…bring acceptance, educate, give support, advocate for the queer community and its allies regardless of gender and sexuality.”

Between discussing problems that the LGBTQ community face on a regular basis and teaching queer history, the GSA is another community that gives students a voice in social issues.  On Feb 13, the GSA made a presentation celebrating Black History Month by showing African-American historical figures who were also in the LBGTQ community. While being interviewed, Haskell also mentioned the NECC institute accreditation for being a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).  Northern Essex was the first certified HSI in New England.  Federal institutes must have at least 25 percent  Hispanic enrollment rate to be eligible for HSI.

According to Community and International Relations director, Analuz Garcia, Northern Essex has approximately 48 percent enrollment rate of Hispanic and Latinx students. “Hopefully (Courageous Conversations) can be a long term thing that spreads to other departments besides student life.” says Haskell. “You can definitely broaden people’s perspectives with Courageous Conversations. No matter where I go, people are going to say things about deaf people that I know is wrong. The same thing can be applied to any minority,” says Bodemer.

The upcoming events for Courageous Conversations are Gender Equality Month on March 14 on Haverhill Campus 11:00-1:30, Sexual Harassment Awareness Month on April 18 at Riverwalk and Lawrence 11:00am-1:30pm.  For more information about upcoming events, you can contact Stephanie Haskell in SC215 at (978) 556-3279 or shaskell@necc.mass.edu.

Features

Yoga-to try it

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NECC starts monthly yoga sessions

women siting on the floor with one leg close to her body and she has her hands around the leg
Cameron beginning her yoga session Photo by Mariella Mendez

Not only is Amy Cameron the Academic Preparation and ESL coordinator at Northern Essex, but she also teaches yoga. Karen Hruska was the coordinator of the event that happened Feb. 27. A yoga session was held at The Hub in the student center, and was open to all faculty, students and staff. The email that was sent out specified that it was “Gentle yoga for all levels” and “Beginners welcome.” The email included a “why” section and explained that the purpose was to “improve strength, flexibility, focus, and stress-management skills.”

At the yoga session, Cameron walked around and help students set up their yoga mats, many of which she provided. Before starting, she made sure everyone was comfortable and had what they needed. Staff made sure to clear the Hub space which allowed plenty of room for the participants to move freely. Due to the high window covered ceilings, a lot of natural light poured into the room making it a peaceful and calm space for yoga. Students were suggested to wear clothes that allow them to move and many of them came prepared with yoga mats and athletic wear. She began by introducing herself and reiterating that they would be learning “flexibility exercises and relaxation methods.” The session began with some simple meditation, as the participants were asked to lay on their backs with their eyes closed. Cameron sat in the front with her eyes closed, and asked the participants to clear their minds of any stressful thoughts as she began her session.

A few students around campus shared their thoughts about this event. Katherine Hailson, 21, Liberal Arts: Writing Major shared that she was not aware of this event but would be open to attending in the future.

She says that, “yoga is great and would definitely have a positive impact on the students who regularly attend.” Hailson expresses the importance of providing access to free yoga classes because they “tend to be expensive.” She also suggested to bring back meditation sessions, saying, “I know that a few semesters ago we had a meditation group on campus that I did attend once, but the space it was offered in was rather uninviting and I chose not to go again.” Hailson also brought up the fact that clubs and events always seem to interfere with her class schedule and that there have been many events on campus that she has missed out on due to lack of advertisement.

Melanie Polanco, 19, Communications major says, “Yoga isn’t my thing at all but I’m sure if students enjoy yoga, then it will impact them, I think it’s cool that they’re doing yoga for everyone.” Polanco mentioned that she worked with kids and there were many events in which yoga instructors would visit and do yoga with the children. Polanco suggests that, “more things can definitely be done to promote stress relieving activities, for example they can keep doing the destress fest, that they’ve done in the past.”

The yoga session will be held monthly at NECC and will be instructed by Amy Cameron. For any questions about this event you may contact her at acameron@necc.mass.edu or Karen Hruska at khruska@necc.mass.edu.

Arts and Entertainment, Uncategorized

NECC takes on NENPA

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Journalism students attend newspaper convention in Boston

Friday, Feb. 15 NENPA the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) hosted their annual convention in the Seaport district of Boston. NENPA is a professional trade organization for newspapers in the six New England states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.  NENPA produces a two day convention each year featuringworkshops, panels, seminars and training sessions.  Communication / journalism majors got to experience it firsthand, with  the help of Professor Amy Callahan.

two women standing next to each other. one is older(left). both are of asian
WCVB political and investigative reporter Janet Wu and NECC student Deidre Grant. Courtesy photo

Professor Amy Callahan, also head of the journalism / communication department attends NENPA every year. She has an in for letting students participate in this event to help them gain knowledge and skills towards their future career. Communications Major Bryce Grant said “ I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to go since college students get in for free, and considering the price for entry I knew it was going to be very informative and prestigious.”

Although Grant was not looking for any connections this year she was able to sit in on a couple of panels to see the kind of networking and exchange of information that these conventions bring. Day one of NENPA focused on the print side of journalism with ongoing events every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  One panel that students took part of was called “Social Selling” which discussed the advantages of using social media to gain back lost revenue and how to find new advertisers in the use of social media.

Through this experience Lexi Fontaine, communication / journalism student felt like she achieved her goals of networking through attending NENPA by talking during the panels, asking many questions, and handing out her business cards to booths around the convention.  “I felt that it would be a great opportunity to see what was out there” added Fontaine.

Another panel that students sat in on was the College Roundtable, where just college students got their questions answered in regards to their schools’ newspaper and how to better it or find a solution to a problem they are having within their newspaper. This was a great opportunity for our NECC students to sit in on because everyone who participated or sat in on the panel had similar ties and other college students problems that were relatable to ours, as well as our questions being answered by some of the best in the local industry.

three journalism students standing in front of nefac sign. The signs design is a white rectangle with a blue circle at the top, inside the blue circle it says nefac. in the white part thare is more information
NECC students, from left, Bryce Grant, Deidre Grant and Lexi Fontaine at the NENPA convention in Boston. Courtesy photo

Grant took it upon herself to ask a question she felt our newspaper was struggling with. “I wanted to ask a question regarding our school newspaper because I felt it was a good opportunity. The speakers gave some good advice that I brought back,” said Grant

This year students also were able to attend the New England First Amendment Award Luncheon. Stephen Engelberg was honored for his work with ProPublica.  The New England First Amendment Coalition’s mission is to defend, promote and expand public access to the government and the work it does. This years emcee for the luncheon was Janet Wu, a member of the the NEFAC’s board of Directors and WCVB’s NewsCenter 5 Massachusetts political reporter.  Wu has held many awards and distinctions, one of her most prestigious would be her 2013 Emmy. This award recognized Wu’s work on the station’s political coverage during the 2014 campaign season. 

I had the opportunity to meet Wu in person and let her know what an inspiration she has been to journalism. Before Wu’s years as a news anchor she had originally planned to go into printjournalism but during the 1970’s print journalism wasn’t doing so well and broadcast journalism had opportunity to make more money

“For young women who are interested in this industry they need to be aggressive with what they are going after and to not give up,” said Wu.  Although Wu is not optimistic towards to the future of journalism she believes there is a way to help journalism stay alive with visual and audio classes. The NENPA convention  is held yearly and and students like Fontaine and Grant are eager to come again.

“I would definitely go to this event again for as many years as I could get so much experience. You never know who you will meet at these types of events either!” Fontaine explained.  Grant enjoyed the event and she said she feels that it would be more enjoyable the second time around when she gets hands on experience and furthers her education.

According to its website:

“NENPA recognizes the extraordinary achievements of newspapers and newspaper personnel in the six-state New England region by presenting a wide variety of prestigious awards each year. NENPA also supports students by awarding scholarships to college students and high school seniors interested in pursuing a career in the newspaper field.”

Sports

A diamond in the rough

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Robbie Quinlan seized opportunities for growth NECC basketball offered

Robbie Quinlan is a 6’4” second year player for the Northern Essex Knights basketball team. He’s an extremely versatile player that splits time between the guard and forward spots, despite being the team’s tallest player according to their posted roster. Upon his graduation from NECC, he intends to attend and play for Plymouth State. That will be his 3rd year playing college basketball, which 3 more years than he played for varsity basketball in high school. Quinlan attended North Andover High and graduated in 2016 with no years of basketball played.

Student standing in front of white brick wall wearing a blue necc basketball uniform
Robbie Quinlan Courtesy photo

The reason wasn’t talent or academics, but rather behaivoral issues and immaturity. He was homeschooled until seventh grade and sometimes did things to fit in that would get him in trouble. This resulted in a suspension at one point and being blackballed from high school sports, despite his obvious talent. Instead of continuing down this dark path, Quinlan decided to rectify his past mistakes.

He more than redeemed himself during his two years at NECC. His first year, he was one of the first guys to come off the bench for a very goood basketball team,despite having played next to none high-level organized basketball the previous three years.  He had also changed as a person, making much more responsible and healthy decisions for himself. His second year playing got off to a good start, but a stress fracture in his foot ended his season prematurely.

This was symbolic of the Knights disapointing 10-18 season, that they will look to bounce back from. Unfortunately for them it will be without Quinlan,  as he will be taking his talents to Plymouth State. His growth as a basketball player while at NECC is only matched by his growth as a person while here.  This was evident when he was asked about his experience as a NECC athlete, to which he repled, “Skills such as discipline and teamwork have taught me many lessons throughout my two seasons with this program. Coach Tardiff did so much to develop my ability as basketball player, but did even more to help develop me as a man off the court.”

This well though out and articulate response shows the heightened awareness and character development that Quinlan accrued while at NECC.  No more trying to be the class clown. Instead he is focused on basketball and academics. One would expect that he will continue to develop as man, and as basketball player, at his next stop. If it that turns out to be so, the Plymouth State has found itself a diamond in the rough.

Sports

Baseball team aims for continued success

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Team looks forward to 2019 season

District F champions the NECC Knights look to continue their success with this up and coming season. After falling short in the World Series a year ago the Knights are looking for some revenge. The Knights have had very successful teams year after year due to the amount of hard work they put in during the fall season and the winter, training for the spring. They play most of their games right on campus so anybody can come by and watch the boys rip up the dirt. During spring break the Knights will be traveling down to Florida for a week to start off the season.

This is a great opportunity for a program to get a jump start on competition around them due to the cold and snowy conditions in New England. The Knights schedule is posted online for anybody to look up and come see a game. Lots of fans travel to see them play, because of the professionalism that they approach the game with.  Grab some peanuts, water, and your most comfortable folding chair and relax while watching the Knights do their thing.

“We have a really strong returning class coming back from the World Series and a strong incoming class,” said Spencer Balian. “Having some key transfers coming in from other junior colleges and 4 year institutions. I am looking to outperform myself from last season and gain attention from college scouts.”

“I have a pretty good feeling about this year’s team,” said Sulai Guilbault. “We have a solid group of hitters; our defense eats up anything that comes their way. Not to mention our bullpen that consists of about 15 hard working pitchers including myself. I hope to bring home a championship this season before I graduate for NECC this year. We are a great group of athletes with passion and dedication towards the game.” “This year just like any other year the Knights will be a very difficult team to beat,” said Andy Reidy former Knights player

“They are loading from offense to defense, they have no real weakness. While play on the team last year and winning our district and going to the World Series it was an unbelievable experience. I just want all the guys to have the same thrill and success as I did last year. I can’t wait to stop by and catch a couple games this season.” The NECC Knights are ready for a long season and an uphill battle but will anybody stand in their way as they try to repeat for another World Series run?

Sports

Athletics hosts Open House

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Future students introduced to NECC

On Feb. 19, 2019, Northern Essex hosted  its very first athletic open house for the incoming freshmen who are looking to come and play for the NECC Knights.  The night was run by Dan Blair who is the director or athletics, and Jeff Mejia who is the assistant director of athletics.  Blair talked about the upcoming sports this coming fall, the sports that they already offer, and what the requirements are if they want to participate in those sports. There was a video project that featured four athletes so that they could give the upcoming freshmen a perspective on what it’s like to compete for the NECC knights.

The video featured Kyle Hawes who plays baseball for the knights.  The video also featured Hawes’s dad who talked about how much money they saved in 2 years just by coming here. About a total of 20 kids showed up that were interested in athletic.  Most of them were boys that were interested in baseball. After the open house was held, students were allowed to go tour the whole campus and come watch the men’s last home basketball game. Blair stated that the meeting was held during Massachusetts’s February vacation so that kids from Massachusetts schools could come without school interfering.

“The main goal for the night was to have possible upcoming athletes get an overview what the athletic life is like here,” says Blair.  “The main focus was to have them talk to the coaches and see if what the season would be like if they played that sport.  “We also wanted to bring the students to campus so they could start admissions early and what else the athletic department offers. The door is always open for students that are interested.”

The main goal for the night was to have possible upcoming athletes get an overview of what the athletic life is like here.
– Athletics Director Dan Blair

Blair also stated that there is a possible chance for another athletic open house but the dates are undetermined as of right now.  The sports that are offered here for men are cross country, track & field, basketball, baseball, and golf. For women sports, there’s cross country, track & field, softball, volleyball, and golf.  As a reminder, NECC is adding men’s soccer, women’s basketball, and esports in Fall 2019.

For any full time, students interested in sports, contact head of athletics Dan Blair at dbalir@necc.masss.edu, assistant of athletics Jeff Mejia at jmejia@necc.edu, or another assistant of athletics Maureen Saliba at msaliba@necc.mass.edu.