Tag Archives: Campus life

Campus Life, Features

Relieve stress with fun and games

 

With the end of the semester nearing and stress levels rising among students, the Sports and Fitness Center has some events to help you relieve stress.

In the coming week there will be three tournaments going on to help relieve some of the stress. The first event will take place on Friday, Dec. 4, from 12-1 p.m. This tournament is a foosball tournament. Foosball is a soccer game where you turn the knobs on a table to control your soccer players and try and score. On Monday, Dec. 7, there will be an 8-Ball pool tournament which will also take place from 12-1 p.m.

Students enjoy the tournaments for more than stress relief, They enjoy the camaraderie that the tournaments create. They enjoy being around other students and meeting new people.

Joe Bray, a movement science student said,  “It’s a lot of fun and I make new friends and it’s also great competition.”

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, is the one tournament that attracts the most students. The tournament is going to be mattball. Mattball is a lot like kickball, except instead of bases you run to giant mats. The mat can hold more than one runner on it as opposed to kick ball where only one runner can be on base at a time.

Maureen Saliba, the assistant athletic director said, “Matt Ball attracts the most students. It’s a lot of fun.”

When organizing events, Saliba likes to make sure she keeps the excitement level in mind for the students. She wants to attract as many students as she can with many different activities. They even have events such as flag football, ultimate frisbee and soccer that happen out on the quad. Weather permitting, of course.

Saliba said, “We like to do things for the students 2-3 times a week, I like to pick things that people like to do.”

With finals around the corner and students feeling the pressure, students will find a way to relax without having to leave campus. They can either watch and cheer on their favorite students or participate in the actual events.

Saliba also said, “It’s a great way to relieve stress during finals, what is better than running around letting off a little steam.”

They also go on trips to shows as well as other fun things that students enjoy.

Ray Florent, an Early Education major said, “The events are a lot of fun, they also do field trips to shows in Boston as well as other things.  I went on a trip to see Blue Man Group in the spring.”

To sign up for the tournaments, students can go to the Sports and Fitness Center and sign up on the signup sheets to the left of the Knights Table or just join in if you see students playing in the quad.

Stay tuned for other events going on in the Sports and Fitness Center like the Seasonal Celebration.

Features, News

Internships inspire NECC students

 

Students majoring in communications, business and accounting were able to take advantage of the internship opportunities through NECC this semester, gaining real-world experience in their major.

Darian Denis, Brett Davekos and Fausto Caba are just a few of the students who did internships this semester and were glad they did.

Denis, a Business Transfer major, recently completed an internship at Strategic Talent, a recruiting firm and an affiliate company of MFA Financial in Tewksbury.

“This internship is great for students who know what they want and just want to get their foot in the door, but it’s also great for people who have absolutely no idea what they want because it can give them some sort of direction,” she said.

Her main responsibilities were to help the team with research; she would prescreen resumes and make initial calls to candidates to find out what they were seeking.

One of the biggest challenges for her was maintaining a balance between school, her internship, her other job and personal time for herself.

Although it’s recommended that you take fewer classes while you’re doing the internship, she didn’t necessarily listen.

“It’s a lot of work! But it’s all such a positive experience,” Denis said.

One of her favorite parts of the internship class was being able to connect with other people in the same position as she was and expand her network with other students in various fields.

“I am also someone who has no idea what I’m doing after college, so the internship was a great opportunity for me to try out a field to see if I like it, and kind of give me some direction for a future career path,” she said. “Once I got in there and I started doing it, I realized that this is something I could do for years to come.”

Brett Davekos is majoring in business management, but his interest is in the healthcare industry, so he did an internship at Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport.

His goal was to figure out what field in healthcare he wanted to pursue, such as nursing, radiology or medical assisting.

Since his internship was more education–oriented, he was placed in various places in the hospital, the two main locations being the Comprehensive Pain Clinic and the Operating Room.

“The duties I had in the pain clinic related to my degree the most because I did a lot of secretarial work such as filing, billing, scheduling and mail runs. However, it wasn’t all office work; my supervisor would have me sit in and see patients with her and the head physician of the clinic would invite me to sit in on some of his procedures,” said Davekos.

In the Operating Room, his main duties were to stock supplies, clean rooms after operations and assist nurses.

During down time, doctors invited him to observe various operations.

His favorite part of the internship was the people that he got to work with, who were knowledgeable and supportive of his education.

“They taught me so many things that I wouldn’t have been able to learn from a classroom; about how to interact with different kinds of patients, such as the elderly, drug addicts or ones going through chemotherapy,” he said.

Every staff member at the hospital expressed to Davekos that they wished they could have done what he was able to do, since many people entering the healthcare industry have limited knowledge of what they are getting themselves into.

When a student’s knowledge is limited to textbooks, it’s difficult for a professor to accurately inform the student of what an actual job in the field would be like.

“This program not only gave me on-site experience, connections and relationships with influential people, but it also helped me pick out that nursing, out of numerous certificates and degrees I could pick from, was the best fit for my work ethic and personality,” he said.

Fausto Caba, an accounting major in his last semester at NECC, did an internship at Bradford & Bigelow in Newburyport, a book manufacturing company. It was his first time working in an office environment.

His two main responsibilities were handling accounts payables and accounts receivables, or paying bills and billing customers.

Each day he would find a stack of papers for him, find invoices, and start working on them at the computer.

Caba’s boss turned out to be an accounting professor, and his boss exposed him to a lot of different parts of accounting.

“There’s no doubt I would recommend this internship to other students. This experience is life–changing,” he said.

Features

Greene and Espinoza Talk Zombies

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On Friday, Nov. 13, Professors Lis Espinoza and Tom Greene gave a presentation called “Zombie Talk: The Popularity of Ghouls and Zombies in Film, Race and Gender.”

Dimly lit, Lecture Hall A welcomed zombie enthusiasts by projecting the sounds of “Zombie” (the popular ’90s, song by The Cranberries) and featured professional, special effects makeup artist, Holly Recupero of Salem, Mass., creating a variety of zombie-esque looks for those who attended.

“Ironically, I’m afraid of zombies,” said Espinoza, who introduced the presentation.

Despite her fear, her curiosity drove her to find out where the first zombies appeared in pop culture.

One of the first films discussed by Espinoza and Greene was “White Zombie” (1932) by Garnett Weston. Starring Béla Lugosi (1882-1956) the actor who played the original Count Dracula in 1931, the film featured a re-animated corpse and later became the inspiration for a band of the same name.

“White Zombie,” the band co-founded in 1985 by Haverhill native Rob Cummings, horror enthusiast, eventually led to his solo career and new band called “Rob Zombie.”

After legally changing his last name from Cummings to Zombie, he made his directorial debut in 2003 with the film “House of 1000 Corpses.”

As we journeyed through decades of films, one of the most influential examples of zombie takeover discussed was 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead,” written by George Romero and John Russo. That seminal classic has inspired artists of all walks of life from film to paintings and music videos.

Directed by John Landis, the music video for “Thriller” by Michael Jackson was MTV’s first world premier video.

Debuted in 1983, “Thriller” was 13 minutes of pure zombie and werewolf suspense and featured master choreography for a dance number that is still performed by professional and amateur dancers today. 

The presentation continued with Espinoza and Greene discussing the current TV show created by Frank Darabont, “The Walking Dead.”

Since its debut in 2010, fans’ voracious appetite for the horror-drama has showed no signs of slowing.

“What is it about this version of zombies that makes it more popular?” said Greene, exploring his idea that zombies are a political connection with rampant consumerism and the end of the world or apocalypse.

Greene’s other talk, entitled “Why are Vampires Sexy?,” examines another pop culture icon in the horror world: that of the vampire.

Whether they are referred to as undead, walkers, living dead or zombies these sub-human creatures have survived and frightened generations of fans and are a prominent part of pop-culture today.

Campus Life

Library construction is ongoing

 

By Carly Columbo, Correspondent

“Improvements can be noisy … we appreciate your patience as we try to make the library better,” says the sign that stands before the entrance of Northern Essex’s Bentley Library on Haverhill Campus. Inside, just eight computers stand in the library along with four tables directly behind them followed by bookshelves. There is also a computer lab housing around 20 or so computers. The Bentley Library is currently one floor, but in 2016, a second level will be added for students. The library is a vital resource for students, and the improvements being made should attract more students and provide more space and support.

“Right now, the library, study spaces and computers are all on one level,” says NECC student Thomas Matatall. “It can be a bit hectic. Sometimes I can’t even stay in there for too long because between the students chatting at the tables behind me and heavy traffic of students, it’s hard to focus on my work. This will give more space to the students.”

Many students find themselves having a hard time finding a seat at times when the library is more crowded.  Reference Librarian Susan Leonardi hopes the renovations will make the Library a more accessible resource for students. The floor plan for upstairs revealed an elaborate and spacious layout for students. There’s a reference desk similar to the one on the first floor when you first enter followed by a computer space housing 60 computers along with a computer lab. There will also be added meeting spaces, desks, study areas, administrative offices and a library classroom that can seat up to 30 students. Along with the work spaces, there will also be a lounge-like area with tables and couches where students can chat, relax and unwind between classes.

“We’ve downsized the physical book selection that was upstairs and moved all our books downstairs,” says Leonardi. The plan is to separate the library from the work space. The first floor will be devoted to physical books and the second floor will be strictly for studying, tutoring and working. The current computer lab will be turned into a “swing space” that can be used as a classroom when renovations are being made to the Spurk building and additional classroom space is needed. 

The IT department will also be moved inside the library so students no longer have to travel to the B building for additional tech support.

“The students will be able to access the library resources and IT help from one central location on campus,” says Leonardi.

“Now we will be able to direct students upstairs instead of over to the next building for additional support with blackboard and other IT questions they may have,” says Librarian Gail Stuart, who is head of reference services at Bentley Library.

Will this help students utilize the library to its best ability? Absolutely.

“An interesting fact to me is we have about 400 people come in and out every day, and most of them are students. I think with the addition of the computer lab the daily traffic will double,” says Stuart. “So far we’ve had 1,271 reference interactions, and 92 percent are from students,” Stuart explains, as she monitors all electronic questions sent to reference each semester. “The numbers can only go up with these improvements being made. Students will be aware of the resources when walking past the lab and it should bring in more of them.”

Along with the additional space, comes additional assistance. There will be more staff on duty to provide additional support to students.

“An additional librarian that specializes in IT and Blackboard will be on duty so more students can seek additional help with not only reference, but questions regarding Blackboard as well,” explains Stuart. “He or she will know a lot more about Blackboard than I would,” Stuart chuckles.

Opinion

No ifs, ands or butts: the issue of smoking on the NECC campus

 

By Andrea Davis, Correspondent

Students at NECC are prohibited to use any tobacco products while on campus. This includes the parking lots, buildings, walkways, bathrooms and any general area within the campus premises.

The school’s smoking policy reads:

‘“Northern Essex Community College recognizes the medical evidence that indicates that smoking is a serious health hazard, and that this hazard includes those exposed to secondhand smoke.

Where a primary responsibility of the College is to provide a safe and healthful working and learning environment, this responsibility has led to the following policy: Smoking is prohibited within the confines of all college grounds, buildings and property including college vehicles. (Smoking will only be allowed in private vehicles lawfully parked on campus lots that the smoker is authorized to be in.)”

Many students are unaware of the smoking policy on campus, despite the several “NO SMOKING” signs plastered around campus in all areas students are exposed to.

“I had no idea we were not allowed to smoke in the parking lot. “I was sitting on my car in between my classes smoking and I got asked to leave the parking lot by campus security. I was very confused and was not aware of this rule at all,” Alexandria DeLotto, a Psychology major.   

Many students feel strongly that this rule should stay intact at the Haverhill NECC campus. Others have voiced their opinion that the rule should have some boundaries and be reduced to certain areas for those who are smokers.

“I’m a smoker myself and I still think that this rule should be intact. Smoking on campus is really disrespectful to those students who don’t smoke themselves,” said Amanda Atchley, a Psychology major. “When I see cigarette butts scattered around the parking lot, it makes me sick. At least clean up your mess if you are going to break the rules. No one wants to step on that stuff, it’s gross.” 

“I think that there should be a ‘designated smoking area’ on campus. Somewhere that students who are smokers can go in between classes to smoke and not disrupt those who do not,” says Zachary McKallagat, an English major.

“Some people are addicted to smoking, and it makes it difficult to go through a school day without a cigarette.”

Asia Perrano, a nursing major, said, “I see people smoking in their cars, which I believe is not against the rules. But the smoke is still filtered into the air and the cigarette or cigar will (probably) end up on the ground of the parking lot regardless.

“Smoking should be banned completely. No exceptions.”

Campus Life, Editorial

Letter: Police Academy

 

With All Due Respect

In the last edition of the Observer, two separate articles were written about the nuisance created by the police academy now present at the Haverhill campus.

The complaints centered around the supposed intimidating drills the recruits practice on the quad, the amount of parking spots taken up by NECC’s new “student” population and lastly the general anxiety a police presence causes students.

The training exercises specifically have been a sticking point due to the very close proximity between the quad and the daycare facility NECC operates.

In fact, when the children are playing in the enclosed playground area, the new training grounds are directly in their line of sight.

Detractors of the new academy have said the exercises, especially hand to hand combat, could scare the children.

Ben Tavitian a 2015 graduate said he didn’t even notice the new Police Academy which began in his final semester “I also really doubt children are being scared by seeing police officers training, if I could have watched that when I was little I would have been enamored, and I’m pretty sure all my friends would have been too.”

It often seems that the minds of the very young can be underestimated. Has anyone asked these kids if they’ve been negatively affected, or is it just assumed because police officers are being painted as the new boogey man?

The complaint over the parking spots is probably the weakest argument the opposition has made, and frankly barely deserves mentioning.

The C building parking lot has such an excess of spaces available, it is a rare day when it is half full.

Mike Dimanbro an accounting major at NECC who also juggles a full time job at Markets Basket was asked if the reduction in Parking Spots had inconvenienced him in anyway “Are you talking about the people who park in the way, way back of the lot now. Why don’t they just park up front with everyone else?” When informed that they were police officers he responded with a simple “So, they still shouldn’t be forced to park all the way in the back.”

The supposed lack of parking is very simply a fabricated story that people have created who for one reason or another don’t want police on theircampus.

The last major complaint was the general anxiety caused by a large police presence. Some argue that it is not conducive to a learning environment and can be a “trigger” for people who already suffer from anxiety disorders.

First, it is important to note that the recruits are not police officers. They do not carry weapons, and they do not have any of the extra rights police officers have, like searching your car or person if given probable cause, they are students just like me and you.

Erik Goulet, a freshmen physical therapy major, African American, and for full disclosure a close friend of the author, was asked if the Police or recruits had ever done anything that he would consider not conducive to a learning environment, such as having racial epithets yelled at him or possibly being beaten by a group of them. He said “No, the police have never done any of those things to me, in all honestly I’ve found them to be very polite. I always see them waving to everyone and myself. I actually think having them is a bit of a comforting presence, look at what has been happening in America with school shootings, just a couple weeks ago at a CC in Oregon. The fact that the police are here means that we’ll (NECC) never have to worry about that because we’ll never be a target.”

While there will certainly be a continuing controversy over this subject due to the current climate regarding police in America. Generalizing all police is not the answer, it’s discrimination.

Jake Soraghan

NECC student

Campus Life, News

Trainees trigger debate on campus

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Opinions on campus regarding the addition of the Methuen Police Academy and Essex County Sheriff’s Department vary widely. The debate began on the quad and in the hallways but quickly has moved into Student Senate meetings, the pages of the NECC Observer and even onto social media. Former student Faith Gregory encountered a training activity on campus in late October that she found to be particularly aggressive and inappropriate for a college campus. She voiced her thoughts on Facebook and a heated argument ensued. She also wrote a letter to the editor which ran in the last issue of the NECC Observer. Also during this training activity, members of Little Sprouts were using the field in front of the D building for their daily walk. Observer staff noticed a child who seemed to be upset by the activities.

After seeing photos of the training, Erin Davis, an Early Childhood Education major and former teacher at Little Sprouts, said, “As a 3-year-old … they don’t understand practice, that they’re not really hurting each other. Shouting messes with a kids head… they think people are mad when they scream, so now they think everyone out on the campus is mad.”

Maureen Bly is the director of the Little Sprouts program. She said that even though their gym time has been limited by the presence of the police academies, she and the parents have been overall happy to have them on campus.

“…They talk to the kids, they give the kids little badges, so we haven’t really had any problems with having them here.”

Bly did say, though, that the teachers should not have continued their walk during that activity and that she was unaware of the level of aggression being displayed on the field in front of the D building.

“No, I’d rather the kids not see all that. I was unaware that was taking place,” Bly said. “I wish they would notify us so we would know. We wouldn’t be out walking around while they’re doing it. I don’t know how appropriate it is to do it out [in front of] the college kids either.”

Students have expressed strong opinions on both sides of this issue. Sienna Smeland-Wagman was taking a quiz in Environmental Studies when the training exercise began that October day. “I heard a violent yell and the first thing I thought was ‘school shooting,’” Smeland-Wagman said. “It seems very dehumanizing. What I see is so violent and aggressive.”

Brian Ducey agrees that the level of violence being displayed can be upsetting. “They are just the most distracting thing I’ve ever seen,” said Ducey, who was particularly concerned with the idea that these trainees had only been training for a few weeks and felt that the emphasis of their training should be on de-escalating violent situations.

“Clearly it’s very aggressive, they’re constantly yelling. Right now, they’re just beating pads with nightsticks just to get … how to more efficiently beat someone down. It just really confuses me.”

Other students, such as Sheila Rivera and Vianca Santa, enjoy watching them practice. “I think it’s cool. I like to watch them,” said Rivera, who felt that it’s interesting to see training drills that many people would not usually have the opportunity to experience.

Devin Ditomaso is also not bothered by their presence on campus. “It doesn’t disrupt me at all,” he said. Although, as we continued to watch, he stated, “A big group of them just ran over there. (Someone close to me) has PTSD… if she was in that group and all those guys suddenly just ran over to her, she would have froze right the hell up in panic.”

The issue was exacerbated a few days after the October exercise, when Methuen Police Academy trainees were running a drill in the stairways of the C building.

In this drill, which was conducted during active school hours, trainees were climbing the staircase with fingers pointed to simulate aiming a gun while shouting “Clear!”

Students entering the stairwell were surprised by the encounter, to say the least.

Concerns were raised in a Student Senate meeting. According to the minutes, NECC Vice President David Gingerella said that “he was told by the academy that the event regarding cadets pointing finger guns at students had not occurred.”

NECC administration has addressed a few of the concerns by moving some of the training activities to the other side of the D building.

In order to better answer questions and address any lingering issues, an event has been scheduled for Dec. 2 in the Hartleb Technology Center in which students, instructors and administrators will be able to meet and express their concerns.

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. with an opportunity for informal introductions. This will be followed by brief informational speeches by representatives from both academies, NECC administration and Student Senate, concluding with a question and answer session.

In the meantime, any questions or issues can be addressed by contacting George Moriarty, executive director of Workforce Development at gmoriarty@necc.mass.edu.

The NECC Observer will follow up on this story as more information becomes available.

Arts and Entertainment, Features

Bentley ArtSpace Gets a New Name

 

A ceremony was held to dedicate this space

 

Over the summer, the ArtSpace located in a remote corner of the Bentley Library received a new name and some well deserved attention during a dedication ceremony on May 15.  So did Linda Hummel-Shea, for whom the space was renamed.  Hummel-Shea started at NECC as a part-time librarian 35 years ago and retired last June as the assistant dean of libraries.   Throughout the years, this space had been used for a variety of purposes, including a conference room and a place for hosting large events, but in 2009, after a unanimous vote, it was decided that the space would be recreated as “…a long desired and needed location for the students, faculty and community to display their work.” said Mike Hearn at the dedication ceremony.  Hearn is the college’s director of libraries and he emceed the dedication ceremony. “The artspace would not exist as it is today  had it not been for the vision and support and  tenacity of Linda Hummel-Shea.” said Hearn.

Several people spoke at the dedication, including NECC President Lane Glenn and Art Department Director, Marc Mannheimer, who shared anecdotes from their time working with Hummel-Shea.  Also speaking that day was Dr. William Heineman, vice president of academic affairs who recalled how much she cared about the college and community.

“Beyond anything she did for the library, Linda was a great citizen of this college,” he said. Speeches were given while standing at a podium situated just to the left of a digital screen which rotated images of some of the incredible artwork that has been shown at the gallery throughout the years.

Hummel-Shea was also recognized at the college’s commencement on May 16, when she was awarded emeritus status, which recognizes “sustained excellence in performance, character, and meritorious service to the college,” according to the school’s website.

According to Mannheimer, the dedication will not change the way the ArtSpace is used, but he hopes it can lead to increased recognition, grant money and signage for the gallery.  New work will be on display later this month by visiting artist,

“The fact that it’s being named for you makes perfect sense.” Mannheimer said to Hummel-Shea.  She responded with a “thank you” muffled by tears.

For more information about the artspace, contact Mike Hearn at  mhearn@necc.mass.edu

 

Opinion

Letter to the Editor

 

Dear Editor,

 

I’m a recent NECC alum, and I came back to campus a few weeks ago to visit some teachers and friends. When I was walking across campus with my friend to get to her class, I noticed the police recruits, who had just moved onto the NECC campus the year I graduated, were practicing combat routines on the quad in between B and C buildings.

 

I was alarmed that they were practicing these loud and disruptive activities in the proximity of classes, in a space where small children from the daycare center play and take walks, and in a space where students eat lunch and socialize.

 

The recruits should be practicing these loud routines far away from classrooms and students because they can be disruptive to a learning environment and can cause anxiety and panic attacks in students with conditions like general anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and PTSD.

 

I was also not pleased to find out that the recruits regularly book Lecture Hall A to the point where it is becoming very difficult for student clubs to use the room for academic meetings and events. Lecture Hall A is an important space for events, especially for the Liberal Arts, and the students at NECC should have priority.

 

I can only hope that Lane Glenn, David Gingerella and Bill Heineman will address the students’ concerns with respect and prompt action.

 

Sincerely,

Faith Gregory

Communications and Political Science Alumna

Former Editor-in-Chief of the NECC Observer

Former President of Contemporary Affairs Club

 

News

Clarification regarding Kenoza Street construction

 
road closed

In the Oct. 7 issue, The Observer ran a News Byte stating that the “Kenoza Street entrance will be closed indefinitely.” This headline was confusing and misleading. Later that day, NECC Facilities Management sent an email stating, in part, that “The Kenoza Street entrance to the college will remain closed indefinitely.” This is incorrect. The entrance to Kenoza Street was closed from the Amesbury Road end, but the entrance to the college itself has not been affected at either the Technology Center parking lot, or the C Building lot entrances. The Observer takes responsibility for printing the misleading information that likely led to this mistake. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the confusion and felt that it merited clarification.

On Monday, Oct. 5, Kenoza Street was closed to traffic entering from Amesbury Road at the west, or northwest, end. A police officer was on duty ensuring that vehicles did not enter from that end and also detouring traffic coming from the southeast end around the utility crew that was working there. This was not the first day the road had been closed there. Several days the week before, students complained that it took several extra minutes to get to school due to the detour, and expressed curiosity about how long it would continue, prompting me to ask the officer on duty that day for information. The officer, whose name was not obtained, stated that the utility crew is scheduled to be on this job “indefinitely.” He explained that the crew will not rush, as they are working on a gas main, and that the work will continue “all the way down the street,” indicating that students should expect delays to continue.

While the road was closed for a few more days that week, the crew disappeared shortly afterwards, taking their detour with them. A large metal plate on the road, a few pieces of pipe and half a dozen orange cones were the only evidence left of the crew nearly two weeks.

Seeking clarification of what students should expect in the coming weeks, Observer staff contacted John Pettis, head of Haverhill DPW’s engineering department. In a telephone interview, Pettis stated that he contacted National Grid on our behalf and was told that they are replacing a regulator pit and approximately 40 – 50 feet of pipe. Crews were delayed while waiting for a part to be delivered but they were back on duty on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and the replacement part was expected to be delivered and installed on Friday, Oct. 23. National Grid was expected to continue working for two to three weeks from that date, with an additional week of road work to follow, meaning that the work will continue through the first half of November. The college entrances will not be affected, but traffic at this end of Kenoza Street will be delayed or diverted periodically during this time. Commuters who take this route should leave themselves extra time.