HETS is delighted to welcome Northern Essex Community College to become part of our consortium dedicated to enhancing Hispanic student success and opportunities in higher education. Founded in 1961, Northern Essex Community College (NECC) is a public, two-year community college with dual campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Massachusetts, and is an educational leader for the Merrimack Valley.
“Student success is at the heart of everything we do at NECC, and with 47 percent of our students identifying as Hispanic, it is critical we continue to ensure we’re serving students in the ways they need it most,” says NECC President Lane Glenn. “Joining HETS opens up new opportunities for collaboration and advocacy that will benefit our students and our communities for years to come.”
NECC became New England’s first federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in 2001. Since then, Hispanic student enrollment at NECC has nearly doubled; the success gap between Hispanic students and majority students has closed considerably. The proportion of Hispanic graduates at the college tripled from 10% of the graduating class in 2001 to more than 34% in recent years.
Through a supportive learning environment and cultural inclusion, NECC embraces all identities and inspires initiative and excellence through top-notch, affordable certificate and associate degree programs online and at campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence. Its academic offerings included over 70 degrees and certificates across 15 areas of study, including Business, Healthcare, Liberal Arts, Technology, and specialized programs such as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and opportunities for professionals trained abroad through Building Routes for Integration of Degree and Global Education (BRIDGE).
NECC currently serves 4,930 students across both campuses and offers many bachelor’s degree transfer options, workforce development, and community education classes, and is host to the NECC Police Academy, MassHire Merrimack Valley, and Gallaudet University’s Regional Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
For more information, visit Northern Essex online at www.necc.mass.edu.