PACE always has your best interests at heart and takes the lead during the week of Spring break by providing weeklong activities, opening with the annual NECC Student Success Conference.
A leadership conference entitled “The Power of You,” was open to all NECC students. The conference opened with registration and a light breakfast. Students had a chance to mingle with other students before the conference began.
The conference began with the keynote speaker Rockell Bartoli, a professional speaker, author and scholarship coach.
Native of Miami, FL. Rockell brought an open-minded uplifting style of leadership and one that helped to broaden the perspectives on life as well as encouraged students to stay true to their dreams and goals especially when faced with challenges.
Rockell also piloted the conference with real talk that included personal experiences that resonated with many and that which many could identify with. Rockell’s fun-loving personality made her open, approachable, and willing to connect with the students and be of assistance in any way possible.
The conference included three different sessions that comprised of two different workshops within each session that the students had a choice of attending.
One of the workshops in the first session was Career Exploration.
In the Career Exploration session students learned and were given tools on how to explore career resources pertaining to their occupation plus many additional resources about their prospective occupation.
In the second session the workshop was about Financing Your Education/Scholarships/Student Loans.
This session provided the students with loads of information, one being on how to best pay for your college education at NECC and beyond.
Students were also schooled in the area of federal direct student loans, the repayment of student loans, the length of loans and student loan interest deduction on federal taxes. The students were also guided on accessing private scholarships.
After lunch, students sat before an alumni panel whom they were able to interact with by asking questions after hearing of the panel’s success stories and their personal experiences having attended NECC.
The conference finished with a sweet treat with a cupcake truck at the end of the event.
Friday wrapped up the PACE weeklong events with a Scholarship Retreat.
This is a workshop to help PACE students apply for ANY scholarship.
Jessica Rocker Transfer Adviser to the PACE Program, TRIO – and Student Support Services explained that they run the PACE Scholarship Retreat every year so students can get help applying for scholarships and that they make sure that the students who attend apply for the NECC General/PACE Scholarship first.
Jessica also added that they help with the scholarship essay writing, talk about how to ask a professor for a recommendation letter and fill out the actual application.
Once students have applied to the NECC General/PACE Scholarship, PACE suggest scholarships they might qualify for.
We know college is expensive, so we encourage students to apply for multiple scholarships so their chances of getting on are higher, said Jessica.
Snacks and drinks where provided at the workshop.
These are the many things the PACE Program offers in support of its students and NECC students to ensure their success while here at Norther Essex Community College.
T
he conference was sponsored by PACE, TRIO Program, SOAR and NECC Career Services.
