Liberal Arts Center Events

Upcoming and Archived Events

FALL 2022

All of NECC’s a Stage!

Showcase your talents and learn more about the college’s Liberal Arts programs on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 11-noon on the Quad outside the Spurk Building in Haverhill. Sing, dance, perform a monologue, recite a poem, or share other expressions of creativity.

We welcome requests for sign language interpreting and other access requests. Please contact Kim Lyng (klyng@necc.mass.edu) for requests, questions or event information.

Come Meet The Liberal Arts Faculty!

Join us for a meet-and-greet with NECC’s Liberal Arts faculty on Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 12:45-1:45 at the Center for Liberal Arts (C 209 Spurk Building). Stop by and say hello and hear about all of the wonderful liberal arts courses and programs available to you at Northern Essex. We hope you can join us!

We welcome requests for sign language interpreting and other access requests. Please contact Kim Lyng (klyng@necc.mass.edu) for requests, questions or event information.

Center for Liberal Arts News

Attention all 2021-22 NECC students. Please consider submitting your essays to the Writing Project. Open to all disciplines, and all formats of writing. Find previous submissions and guidelines at The Writing Project.

NECC Theater alum, Michael Zuccola recently visited campus and shared his story with current theater students. Check out the story here.

The latest play by the Top Notch Players will be “Tiny Beautiful Things.” It will be performed outdoors from November 4 to 7. Tickets are available for purchase here. Click image for full story.

Event Archives

October 27, 2021

The Implications of “At-Large” v “District-wide” Voting in Local Elections

Professor Stephen Russell of Northern Essex Community College tackles the topic of whether the City of Haverhill should modify its voting system from exclusively “at-large” voting for City Council and School Council to a hybrid system of Ward voting with a minority of at large seats.

October 13, 2021

Latina Stereotypes

Hispanic actresses like Sofía Vergara, Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz made their Hollywood careers out of playing very similar, almost interchangeable, characters: beautiful, sexy, loud, passionate, tempered with a sense of rhythm. In this contribution Bunker Hill Community College Professor Alicia Gallego-Zarzosa, Ph.D. explores how Latinas are shaped in mass media, where the stereotype comes from and what political implications derive from contesting this imposition today. NECC Professor Lis Espinoza responds to the presentation and it was followed by a question and answer session.

July 28, 2021

On Wednesday, July 28 2021 Prof. Lis Espinoza hosted a discussion with Dr Maryam Zentabi and Prof. Marc Mannheimer about the work of Marjane Satrapi, author of renowned graphic novel Persepolis. You can view a recording of the presentation HERE. Password to access the recording is ?66uyS^i.

Liberal Arts Civic Reflection Series

In cooperation with the Center for Civic Engagement, the Center for Liberal Arts hosted a series of presentations and conversations  with faculty, students, and the public to reflect on the events surrounding the transition in government and the effects of COVID-19 on all areas of American life. Following a lively shared viewing of the Inauguration of the 46th President of the United States on January 20, faculty and students gathered a week later for a conversation about the January 6 riot and insurrection at the US Capitol. Subsequent sessions dealt with various aspects of the transition of power. Recordings of past events are posted here and indicated with a #LACRS tag.

Wednesday, April 14

Municipal Government and Local Elections – Prof. Stephen Russell #LACRS 

Prof. Stephen Russell led a conversation about the importance of municipal government and local elections in ensuring that the services that we depend upon are carried out effectively and consistently. Topics examined included school boards, town meetings, the provision of water and utilities, police and firefighting. Prof. Russell emphasized how budget priorities reflect the will of the people who show up to express their views.

Wednesday, April 7

Rational Ignorance and the US Economy – Prof. Patricia Machado #LACRS 

According to economists, rational ignorance is a voter’s decision to remain uninformed because the marginal cost of obtaining information is higher than the marginal benefit of knowing it. This is all too common when it comes to understanding the economy and making voting decisions.  In this presentation we will discuss the impact of current and past presidential policy decisions and the impact these policies have had on the overall economy.  We will look at these policies in terms of the Business Cycle, Gross Domestic Product, Taxes, Budget Deficits, and the National Debt with the hope of improving upon the marginal benefit of knowing!

Inside the Artist’s Studio

Tuesday, March 30

Art & Design faculty of Northern Essex gathered for a virtual showcase of their work. In this session you will encounter working professionals talking about what it means to be a creator of art. The strong take-away from this session is that a single art class can change your life and give you the confidence to make great art. Be sure to check this out.

Wednesday, March 24

The Weaponization of Religion in the Trump Era – Dermot Luddy #LACRS 

A discussion of the manner in which religion has been weaponized and used for political purposes historically, globally, and, in particular, during the Trump years. The discussion was preceded by a presentation by Dermot Luddy from the Center of Liberal Arts, and adjunct professor in Philosophy and World Religion. Luddy has degrees in philosophy and theology, and has taught courses on religion and fanaticism at several New England colleges.

Monday, March 22

“Hannah Duston and Columbus Statue, the Massachusetts Seal, and How We Commemorate the Past”  Christoph Strobel, Ph.D., Professor of History, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Symbols that commemorate the past have become a controversial topic in recent years. From the confederate flag, to civil war statues, to the naming of military bases, these issues are in the news. In Massachusetts, the State Seal, Haverhill’s Hannah Duston and Boston’s Christopher Columbus statues have been local flashpoints on how we commemorate history. We will use the Duston, Columbus, and Seal controversy as a launching pad to explore the history of survival of the Indigenous peoples of New England. This history stands diametrically opposed to the imagined Native American past that the seal, the statues, and mainstream popular mainstream myths celebrate.

Christoph Strobel is the author of Native Americans of New England, The Global Atlantic 1400–1900, The Testing Grounds of Modern Empire, co-author with Alice Nash of Daily Life of Native Americans from Post-Columbian through Nineteenth-Century America, and he has published three books on immigration. Christoph’s scholarly essays appear in various academic journals and edited collections.

Wednesday, March 10

Apples and Oranges: Black Lives Matter, Insurrection and False Equivalencies – Prof. Stephen Slaner #LACRS 

Prof Stephen Slaner draws on sixty years as a peace activist, protester, and scholar to delve into the differences between the protests of 2020 in the light of the killing of George Floyd and the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.

Wednesday, March 3

With Informed Communities, Let’s Eradicate Covid-19 / Por Comunidades Informadas, Erradicamos el Covid-19 – Sarah Perez & Prof. Emily Gonzalez #LACRS 

NECC Alumni & Lawrence Community Leader Sarah Perez and NECC Science Professor Emily Gonzalez offer a Bilingual conversation to share ways to address vaccinations and Covid-19 in our communities, as we all work together to quell any misinformation or distrust. Event was introduced and translated by Prof. Lis Espinoza.

Sarah Perez alumna y activa en la comunidad de Lawrence, MA y Profesora Emily Gonzalez en ciencias de NECC nos invitan a conversar para compartir modos de informar nuestras comunidades de la vacuna y covid-19. Juntos podemos minimizar desinformación para asegurar la salud de nuestra gente.

Wednesday, February 24

Social Media, Disinformation, and Democracy – Dean Amy Callahan #LACRS 

There was standing room only in the crowded Zoom meeting when Dean Amy Callahan addressed faculty and students on the topic of disinformation in social media and its effect in undermining democratic institutions.

Monday, February 22

The World Comes to the Merrimack River Valley: One Hundred Years of Immigration History in One Hour – Robert Forrant, Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor of History, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Massachusetts has a history of immigration dating back to newcomers’ first settlements building colonies along the New England coast. Immigrants continue playing a vital role in the Commonwealth today, making up 16 percent of the population. In 2020, over a fifth of the state’s labor force is foreign-born, many of them in frontline positions helping us to survive the pandemic. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the top countries of origin were French-speaking Canada and Southern and Eastern Europe. Today’s top countries of origin are China, the Dominican Republic, India, and Brazil. Through a careful look at Merrimack River valley history, Prof. Forrant discusses this ‘old’ and ‘new’ immigration and leaves our faculty and students with a greater understanding of the region’s rich immigration history.

Wednesday, February 10

Practicums and Pandemic – Profs. Brian MacKenna-Rice, Jody Carson, and Deirdre Budzyna #LACRS 

Human Services professor Brian MacKenna-Rice and Early Childhood Education professors Jody Carson and Deirdre Budzyna gave a presentation on the challenges and solutions to supporting students in practicum settings during these challenging times. The Center for Liberal Arts appreciates the support of the Center for Professional Studies in hosting this presentation.

Wednesday, February 4

The Fragility of Democracy – Prof. Stephen Russell, Ph.D. #LACRS 

Prof. Stephen Russell leads a discussion about the global rise of authoritarianism and the fragility of democracy. Sometimes we take the existence of democracy for granted, but we should be attentive to the warning signs of threats to democratic institutions.

Monday, December 14

Writing and Publishing – A Guide to World Fame and Literary Laurels – Prof. Sara Codair

On December 14 Sara Codair share some of the information that they have learned in their budding literary career. Find out about many of the pitfalls in the publishing business, and how to avoid them. Sara teaches and tutors writing at NECC and has published over fifty short stories and poems. Their cat, Goose, edits their work by deleting entire pages. Sara’s stories appear in Broadswords and Blasters, Vulture Bones, Alternative Truths, and Drabbledark. Sara’s first novel, Power Surge, was published on Oct. 1, 2018. Find Sara online at https://saracodair.com/ or @shatteredsmooth.

Wednesday, December 9

Presidential Transitions – A Conversation with Profs. Steve Slaner and Stephen Russell

On December 9, students and faculty gathered on Zoom to hear two professors in the Global Studies Department discuss the outcome of the Presidential Election. At the time of the conversation, President Donald Trump has unsuccessfully challenged the outcome of the election in several swing states. President-Elect Joe Biden has assembled much of his leadership team, focused on his inauguration and beyond.

Tuesday, December 8

JRN/COM Conversation – Prof. Kim Lyng

In this session Prof. Kim Lyng shared her personal account of how she entered a career in journalism, some of the big stories that she broke, and her path back to the classroom after decades in newsrooms across New England

Tuesday, November 10

Your Favorite Nerd – Creating and Maintaining a Blog with Ian Shea

On November 10, Methuen resident and NECC alumnus, Ian Shea spoke with students and faculty about the process of launching and maintaining a blog. Shea graduated from NECC in 2015 with a degree in General Studies but decided to return and work towards a degree in Liberal Arts: Writing Option. In 2019, Shea launched his own website called www.yourfavoritenerd.com where he writes reviews of TV shows and movies, with occasional interviews and opinion pieces. Shea started this site because he loves having discussions on all aspects of nerdy pop culture. Whether it’s a video game, comic book, TV show, or movie, chances are he has an opinion about it! Shea is a child of the 90s, a New England native, and obviously, a proud nerd.

Friday, October 30, 6:00pm

La Feria Internacional de Libro 2020

English and Spanish Professor Lis Espinoza was a panel member in a conference hosted by La Feria Internacional de Libro 2020 in Lawrence, MA. The title of the panel was Estados Unidos…es más que bilingüe – United States…is more than bilingual. The convener of the panel was Dr. Dolores C. Calaf, professor at Endicott College. Other panelists included Prof. Marcelo Juica, Endicott College, Prof. Wanda Ocasio-Rivera, Merrimack College, Prof. Raquel Bauman, Endicott College, and Prof. Karman Zayas, Urban College. Prof. Espinoza spoke about American cinema and bilingualism as moments of justice.

Tuesday, October 27, 12pm

Career Prospects for the Liberal Arts Graduate with Dean William Koehler from Regis College

Wednesday, October 8

DISINFORMATION! With Dean Amy Callahan

Wednesday, September 30

Liberal Arts Career Panel, Register here to watch recording of event:

Recording of Event Here Passcode: AK5?17^.

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