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NECC Transfer Fair and potential picks

 

The end of the semester is approaching rapidly, and graduation is on the horizon for many students at NECC. 

That’s why on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Northern Essex held a transfer fair. 

Representatives from schools all over the state came to NECC and set up tables in the Spurk building so any interested students would be able to ask questions and learn about potential four-year institutions in which to apply. 

There were many schools and programs to choose from, whether one is looking for something traditional or a more alternative route. 

One such program is the Duet Program from Southern New Hampshire University. The program is all online and completely project based. 

Dustin Gardner, the representative for the Duet Program explained, “As soon as you master a project, you earn one credit and just keep moving.” 

Students complete however many projects it takes for them to earn all their credits, but to earn the credit, the project must be mastered. 

To master a project, you complete the project and submit it for feedback. 

Then you edit and revise your project as many times as necessary until it is considered mastered. 

This option might be a great alternative for those who want to work at their own pace or those who prefer online options.

A great option for those who might prefer a less populated student body is Merrimack College. The campus, located in North Andover, is described as “Instagram-worthy” according to the official Merrimack College website, merrimack.edu. 

Another perk of attending Merrimack College is the campus’s support dog named Merri (yes, as in Merrimack). 

Merrimack College partnered with a New Hampshire nonprofit called Hero Pups that trains shelter dogs to become service and support dogs and Merri is training with the Merrimack College Police Department to aid students in need. 

According to Josh Rizzo, the representative from Merrimack College, there are often jokes and rumors about getting another dog named Mack to really complete things. He also said “I went to Merrimack for my undergrad and grad school, and I’ve been working here for two years. I love Merrimack so much I haven’t left yet.” 

If gorgeous scenery and an adorable dog sound like a huge bonus for your education, you might consider Merrimack College. 

For those who are looking for the more traditional university experience, UMASS Dartmouth is always a great option. While the school is most well-known for its humanities and visual and performing arts programs, they offer over 50 undergraduate and 30 graduate fields of study. The 710-acre campus is also known for being quite beautiful with woods, ponds, trails, etc. to be found all around and is just about 30 minutes from Cape Cod. 

Jessica Mercier, the representative from UMASS Dartmouth at the transfer fair said, “It is a very social campus. It’s a midsize university and everything is housed in one campus so it’s very student run and close knit.” 

All these schools and many others could be found at the transfer fair along with all the information you might need. 

Salem State and UMass Lowell are also close by options and both schools have transfer agreements with NECC. 

 A UMass Lowell transfer counselor will be at NECC on Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Spurk building lobby. 

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Kindness Rocks in liberal arts

 
Painted rocks over a table
A sampling of some of the Kindness Rocks created during a recent event in the Center for Liberal Arts. Photo courtesy Faculty Adviser Mary Jo Shafer

The Center for Liberal Arts, located in C209, is a space reserved for liberal arts students to study, do homework, and even just chat.  The comfortable chairs placed around the room and the free snacks, as well as the Coordinator, Sarah Regan-Kelly, make the environment quite welcoming.  So, it is no surprise that many creative events that bring the community together are held here.  On Thursday October 5th from 12 to 1:30 PM, the Kindness Rocks event was held. The Kindness Rocks event invited students and faculty alike to create and design their own kindness rocks for a kindness rock garden. A kindness rock is a decorated rock that can be anything from a positive and uplifting message to a colorful drawing or design and everyone was allowed to make as many as they liked. As it read on the flyer, the garden is meant to spread messages of hope and kindness to everyone at NECC. 

In C209, rocks of all shapes and sizes were spread out along a table with a variety of paint markers (and cupcakes).  Everyone was given free rein to let their creativity shine. Groups of students gathered around every desk, table, or otherwise flat surface with their rocks, and the room bustled with conversation. Paper plates were used as placemats to keep the room clean, and markers were passed from hand to hand as everyone’s ideas came to life.  The event was coordinated by Professor Clare Thompson. “I do Kindness Rocks with my English 101 students at the beginning of every semester,” she said, “And then I decided I wanted to create an entire kindness rock garden.”  You may even be able to find her students’ kindness rocks scattered throughout the campus. Lily Dewar, an Early College student from Haverhill Highschool who attended the event, said she “loved the idea as a whole and the positivity of it.”  She also really enjoyed the event from an artist’s standpoint, although she found the small canvas to be a bit challenging.  Other students expressed similar sentiments of the event as they painted. Regan-Kelly holds many such events in the Center for Liberal Arts. She encourages anyone and everyone to come check them out.