Northern Essex Community College has a diverse group of students attending both the Lawrence and Haverhill campuses, especially in the Lawrence campus where 80 percent of the student population are bilingual and speak predominantly Spanish.
This is why NECC and the Center for Liberal Arts have incorporated different activities and programs that cater to different cultural groups.
The Center for Liberal Arts has hosted many different cultural events within the center ever since they have opened. They also have honored different cultures on their respected months so that they could educate and bring awareness to the student body.
The center has also hosted different student guest speakers for Hispanic Heritage Month,Black History Month, Asian Pacific Heritage Month, and more so that students can hear theirpersonal experiences regarding their respected cultures they are representing.
Nisaly Gonzalez aLiberal Arts major in Northern Essex Community College said that “I have attended one event the Center for Liberal Arts hosted for Hispanic Heritage Month in person back before the pandemic began and I really enjoyed listening to the student speaker speaking upon her experience as a Hispanic/ Latina bilingual student in the school.”
These events allow the liberal arts students to connect with different peers and step out of their comfort zones as well as expanding their knowledge on a different culture that they would normally never look into.
The center also hosts documentary and movie events that relate to the culture they are educating their participants on and hold an open discussion for students to ask questions and conversate with peers regarding to the film they have observed.
Mariam Saldivar who is a Communication Arts and Journalism major in Northern EssexCommunity College said “I remember attending an event during Black History Month and we learned how to do African dances which was amazing and so out of my element. But I reall yenjoyed it and I would definitely suggest other students to participate in those kinds ofactivities.”
Another student, Katherine Townsend who is also a Communication Arts/ Journalismmajor in Northern Essex Community College said that “I wish I was able to participate more in the cultural events the center has hosted but due to the pandemic it has made it harder for me tomake time for the zoom events they’ve had this past year. But I would love to attend a cultural documentary event that they will host in the future.”
The pandemic has made it significantly more difficult for the liberal arts students and staff to participate in these cultural events the Center for Liberal Arts hosts, though the center ha sbeen able to host these events through zoom.
They announce these events through email andsocial media. Make sure to check out the center’s website at https://www.necc.mass.edu/current-students/academic-centers/center-for-liberal-arts/liberal-arts-center-events/ for event updates.
