Observer Department: Campus Life


Best Buddies seeking members

According to the Best Buddies website, Best Buddies is a student-run friendship club that creates buddy pairs between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. It offers the chance for students to have one-on-one and group friendships with others in the school committee. The NECC chapter of Best Buddies…


How Will the New Omicron Variant Affect You?

The novel coronavirus has brought many ups and downs this year, keeping the entire world on its toes as it rained havoc all throughout the globe. This past month we have seen cases on the rise. Why is this?  This is because of the new strand of COVID-19. COVID came…


The PACE program: A pathway for pioneers

For many first-generation students, the college experience can be a difficult process to navigate. Pathways to Academic & Career Excellence, better known as PACE, is a Student Support Services program funded by a TRiO grant from the U.S. Department of Education.   At NECC, the PACE staff consists of Director…


COVID vaccine mandate

As yet another semester begins, COVID continues to ravage our world. At the start of the fall semester, many colleges and universities around the nation including Massachusetts have made the vaccine mandatory in order to return to class. However, NECC has taken a slightly different route. The college announced that…


Success stories behind the pandemic: NECC’s financial aid department

Success Stories Behind the Pandemic    There have been so many adjustments taking place here at the school due to the pandemic. In every area and in different departments that I decided to check in on the Financial Aid department to find out how things were going with them amidst…


Spring semester comes to an end

The spring semester is nearing it's end, and finals are just on the horizon. Students give their opinions on how the semester went and their experience. Sarah Sanford who is studying English at NECC says that the semester went by really quickly. She says, "I would rate it an eight…


Free Farmers Market fills a need

The free Farmers Market at Northern Essex Community is open to all  students, staff, and faculty at both the Lawrence and Haverhill campuses. The market provides  up to 25 pounds of fresh produce to anyone a part of the Northern Essex community. It is located  at the Spurk “C” Building…


How the Center for Liberal Arts embraces different cultures

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…


Virtual events help students stay connected

Northern Essex Community College has held numerous virtual events ever since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak last March. Planned events like this allow the NECC community to feel togetherness, even when classes are remote. Virtual events have been orchestrated for a little over a year now by the Coordinator…


Spreading Alzheimer’s awareness in the community

The Alzheimer’s Association is partnering with NECC to spread awareness about Alzheimers. The association is inviting NECC, students and their families to participate in an event called, “Know The 10 Signs of Alzheimers.” The event will be held over a webinar and will be hosted both in Spanish and in…