Northern Essex Community College Virtual Graduation Ceremony Online and Cable TV Aug. 8

Labor Secretary Rosalin Acosta, right, with former state Economic Affairs Secretary David Tibbetts and Northern Essex Community College President Lane A. Glenn at a 2017 event honoring Tibbetts with the first Lawrence Partnership’s Economic Impact Award. (WHAV News file photograph.)

While this year’s graduates of Northern Essex Community College already picked up celebratory packages, their chance to hear the singing of the national anthem, commencement addresses and faculty greetings takes place online next Saturday, Aug. 8

The college’s first virtual graduation ceremony takes place at 11 a.m. that day, saluting 600 graduates of the class of 2020, who received or will receive associate degrees and certificates from more than 60 academic programs.

“Their last semester was a challenging one, and I couldn’t be prouder of this year’s grads,” said Northern Essex President Lane A. Glenn. “We can’t celebrate this class as we usually do, but we are trying our best to give them the recognition they deserve.”

The ceremony includes many traditional elements such as student speaker, Public Health major Rosanna Lara of Lawrence; featured speaker, former Northern Essex parent and trustee and current Massachusetts Labor Secretary Rosalin Acosta; singing of the national anthem by Early Childhood Education major Emily Forisso of Haverhill; greetings from faculty and staff; and a virtual diploma for each student.

This year’s graduating class is comprised of 65% women, 35% Hispanic or Latino, 52% first generation Americans and 59% students under the age of 25.

Produced in partnership with HC Media, the ceremony will be streamed on HC Media’s website and on the college’s Facebook and HC Media’s Facebook pages.

Northern Essex also plans to host a joint celebration next May 15, 2021 for the classes of 2020 and 2021.

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