Civic Action Plan 2017-2020
In March of 2016, President Lane Glenn signed onto Campus Compact’s 30th Anniversary Action Statement of Presidents and Chancellors reaffirming Northern Essex Community College’s dedication to civic engagement. As part of this commitment, NECC pledged to create a campus Civic Action Plan documenting the action steps and expected impact. NECC agreed to make this plan public, along with the assessment of its progress.
Northern Essex Community College strives to create an environment that supports and encourages civic engagement among our students, faculty, staff, and as an institution. NECC’s Civic Action plan embraces this vision by preparing our students to be active, informed citizens; by empowering the NECC community to pursue partnerships to benefit local and global communities; and to institutionally contribute to the health and strength of our local communities. This plan will help NECC live out its mission “to educate and inspire our students to succeed” and “to create vibrant and innovative opportunities that encourage excellence and enhance the cultural and economic life of our region.”
In order to create this plan, information was gathered campus wide to document current civic engagement efforts and goals for the next three years. Based on this information, a writing team constructed four outcomes specific to NECC:
Four Outcomes
Outcome 1
Faculty are encouraged and supported to implement civic learning and service-learning into coursework across academic disciplines
Indicators for success may include:
- Increased number of faculty implement civic learning into their classes.
- Increased number of service-learning courses being offered.
- Increase number of disciplines report this work is being done.
Outcome 2
Students receive civic education and practice leadership/civic engagement skills necessary to be informed, active citizens.
Indicators for success may include:
- Increased number of students that received civic education.
- Increased student participation in NECC programs, clubs and activities that do this type of work.
- Increased number of offerings for students to practice leadership/be civically engaged.
Outcome 3
NECC students, staff, faculty, and alumni facilitate and/or participate in co-curricular and curricular community service opportunities demonstrating an understanding of their value.
Indicators for success may include:
- Increased number of student participation in service-learning courses.
- Increased numbers of students’ participate in service/volunteerism through co-curricular activities.
- Students report an appreciation for the importance of service/volunteerism in the community.
Outcome 4
NECC contributes to the economic, social, environmental, educational, and political well-being of our communities.
Indicators for success may include:
- NECC activities supported the local community.
- Increased number of non-profit placement options for work study students.
Civic Action Plan Update: 2017-2018 Academic Year Highlights
Outcome 1
Outcome 1
- More faculty reported that they offer civic education in their classes across all Academic Divisions.
- There was a 15% increase in service-learning course sections offered.
- Five faculty members implemented service-learning for the first time, which expanded service-learning in two new disciplines.
Outcome 2
Outcome 2
- Student clubs report an increased number of civically oriented events, including a NYC trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island; Haverhill City Council candidate forum; and a political campaign volunteer fair.
- A new student leadership program, the National Society of Leadership and Success was launched this year! Students completed a total of 50 hours of service work as part of this initiative.
Outcome 3
Outcome 3
- More service-learning course sections were offered, including two additional academic disciplines, reaching more students.
- NECC had a 37% increase in the number of students being referred to community organizations for volunteer work.
- For the first time, a NECC student became a Newman Civic Scholar and NECC gave out its first Service-Learning Award.
Outcome 4
Outcome 4
- NECC continues to collaborate and strongly support the local communities and organizations, including but not limited to the Lawrence Partnership, as well as host the International Book Fair, sponsor Lawtown JazzFest, partner with the White Fund Speaker series, exhibiting local arts, sharing a digital record of the college’s history, sponsoring of the Lawrence History center, and many more.
- NECC increased its outreach to non-profit organizations for work-study placements and succeeded engaging a new organization as a site.
Civic Action Plan Update: 2018-2019 Academic Year Highlights
Outcome 1
Outcome 1
- Faculty in 3 new disciplines introduced civic learning into the classroom.
- 2 new faculty implemented service-learning, expanding the offerings into 2 new academic disciplines.
Outcome 2
Outcome 2
- The NECC Student Life office hosted the first NECC Student Leadership Conference.
- NECC Chapter of the National Student Leadership Society inducted 84 new members.
- Student clubs reported civic and community participation, including hosting a forum on MA Ballot Question 3, an Earth Day Cleanup, and raising funds for charity.
- NECC’s student voting rate increased from 20.6% to 31.8% for the 2018 mid-term elections.
Outcome 3
Outcome 3
- 362 students participated in a class with a service-learning component.
- NECC awarded its first Civic Engagement Award to two students at the annual Awards Convocation.
- The Alumni Board volunteered by contributing to Thanksgiving baskets for NECC families, serving meals at Cor Unum Meal Center, and volunteered at NECC’s Commencement.
Outcome 4
Outcome 4
- The NECC Library is a research sponsor of the Lawrence History Center’s Eartha Dengler Award for history, which recognizes a community leader who embodies the mission of the LHC through development, opportunity, and prosperity to the city of Lawrence.
- NECC increased its outreach to non-profit organizations for work-study placements and succeeded engaging a new organization as a site.
For more information on this update, please contact Janel D’Agata-Lynch, Civic Engagement Coordinator at jdagatalynch@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3471.
Progress updates will be posted annually on this site. Read the full NECC Civic Action Plan here.
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