Observer Department: Lawrence

News stories about the Lawrence Campus


Federal pandemic unemployment assistance to expire soon

The discontinuance of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance is set to leave many unemployed people without financial aid. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is a program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, which is a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by…


Celebrating the holidays during the pandemic

The holidays, as festive and jolly as they might seem, can be a stressful time. Adding in a global pandemic that has killed a significant amount of people that has required families and friends to cancel annual traditions, can add to the stress and feelings of depression. There are people…


Keeping creative with Professor Victor

Marquis Victor is a new professor at Northern Essex Community College who teaches Intro to Film Studies and Communication through Film. He started teaching spring 2020, not only as a way to scratch that teaching itch he’s had, but also to contribute to the college’s education offering in the city.…


New Lawrence food vendor named

The Lawrence campus gained a new food vendor after weeks of looking. The vendor will be El Taller, which operates a restaurant at 275 Essex St., only a couple blocks from the Lawrence Campus.  The El Taller location offers wifi access, breakfast, lunch and dinner options, 2 floors of event…


Amesbury Street Property Donated

Louise Haffner Fournier’s family make donation   The Louise Haffner Fournier Education Center on Amesbury Street on the Lawrence Campus has gone from a rented building to a building that is now owned by NECC through a donation from the EMLO Realty Trust, which is under the direction of Joanne…


Winterfest

With the accumulation of snow at the Lawrence campus over this semester, a lot of events had to be cancelled along with the school days, Winterfest being one of them. Winterfest went on without a hitch on the Haverhill campus, but on the day that it was suppose to take…


NECC Nursing Program

The Lawrence campus at NECC has rapidly transformed in the last year for the nursing program, along with the Lawrence campus in general. From renovations around campus, to better places to eat in the urban surroundings and an overall feeling of positive change, Lawrence is a great place to be…


Meet the new library director

By Jessica Freeman “There’s more paperwork now” jokes, Mike Hearn, the recently appointed Director of Library Services. Hearn said his job is now more administrative, and that he misses being able to work with students directly. Hearn hopes to “rebrand” the library to be a more focus based experience. Hearn…


Lawrence has a new testing center

Lawrence campus has a new testing center, better equipped to handle students and now offering walk-in testing. Donna Bertolino, Assistant Dean of Academic Support Services, and Louise Michaud, Assessment officer at the Lawrence Testing Center, were two of the driving forces behind the new testing center. “I think the biggest…


NECC alum Lisa Morelli is now C.E.O. of a multi-million dollar credit union

By Rachael Sarcione NECC alum Lisa Morelli, 48, became the C.E.O. of a $25 million dollar credit union. Like many NECC students, Morelli juggled a full-time job and a family while taking classes at night, a schedule that would put stress on any family. A strong support network was crucial…