I recently completed my twelfth year as president of Northern Essex Community College, and while there are a lot of amazing moments to look back on, it is worth noting just how many of them involved costumes, props, or other fun gimmicks—all for our students!
Playing the Hip Hop President for HC Media’s 25th Anniversary spoof, “Oh Crap! I’m Old!”Playing golden air guitar shovels with NECC trustees at the 2012 El Hefni Health and Technology Center groundbreakingI get more work done OUT of my office than IN it, and whenever I can, I find a spot in the lobby of one of our buildings in Lawrence or Haverhill to catch up on emails and chat with students, faculty and staffYukking it up with NECN weatherman, NECC alum, and 2017 Commencement speaker Matt NoyesKissing a frog (yes, I real frog) to raise money for student scholarshipsIn the tank (the dunk tank) in 2018 for the Student Government Association’s Knight’s Realm College for a Day FairPutting on my toga to play Antony along with Diana DiZoglio as Cleopatra in an end-of-the-world time traveling HC Media video for the 20th Annual Exchange Club’s Rick Barry St. Patrick’s Day BreakfastLeading the President’s Running Club in our spiffy NECC swag!The President’s Running Club at the Newburyport Santa Dash 5K Race in 2015At the 2021 in-person COVID-era Commencement, playing it safe with college masks and “NECC Grads are #1” foam handsReady to get cooking with NECC trustees and cabinet leaders at the new Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center in downtown HaverhillRepresenting NECC students, faculty, and staff at the launch of the Merrimack River Valley Voyagers’ 117-mile kayak adventure!On the peak of Mount Lady MacDonald in the Canadian Rockies, just outside of Canmore, AlbertaWaving the NECC pennant across the 40-mile Teton Crest TrailClaiming the top of 19,341′ Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa for NECC students!At the peak of Pico Duarte in the Dominican Republic with Montañeros del CaribeSo much to be proud of at NECC!
