Haverhill, MA (May 22, 2025) — Northern Essex Community College is now part of a unique consortium dedicated to enhancing Hispanic student success and opportunities in higher education. The college has recently joined Hispanic Educational Technology Services (HETS), a nonprofit comprised of 40 higher education institutions in Puerto Rico, the United States, and Latin America.

Founded in 1993, HETS strives to help member institutions harness the latest advancements in technology to reach all learners. HETS offers training, certifications, and best practice sharing to faculty at member institutions to improve teaching, especially in hybrid/online environments that serve Hispanic students. HETS also helps institutions adopt and implement innovative technologies to better serve underserved populations, including adaptive learning, mobile tools, and digital platforms.

“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.

For more information on HETS, contact Vice President of the Lawrence Campus and Community Relations Naydeen González-De Jesús.

About NECC

Northern Essex Community College is an educational leader for the Merrimack Valley. 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. NECC 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. Visit Northern Essex online at www.necc.mass.edu.