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Northern Essex Community College is remembering its second president, Dr. John R. Dimitry, as leading with “compassion, tenacity and a dedication to equity, which remain embedded in the fibers of NECC to this day.”
Dimitry, who served the college from 1975 to 1996, died this week at age 95.
“Dr. Dimitry’s leadership at Northern Essex Community College forged pathways of opportunity and equity, ensuring that education could serve as a beacon of hope and change for countless individuals,” says current college President Lane A. Glenn. “We are deeply grateful for Dr. Dimitry’s numerous contributions to Northern Essex and we share our sincerest condolences with his loved ones”
When Dimitry was 17, he left high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army, earned his GED certificate and, upon his discharge in 1948, earned a bachelor’s degree. He subsequently served in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954 when he was called to active duty. After the war, he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees and began his lifetime career in education.
Northern Essex officials said Dimitry, early in his tenure, identified the need for permanent classroom space in Lawrence and made many trips to the Massachusetts State House to advocate for the creation of a campus there. Following the 1984 Lawrence riots, the state launched the Lawrence Education Employment Project, which grew into the Lawrence Campus.
In 1991, due to Dimitry’ s leadership, the Prudential Company donated property at 45 Franklin St., Lawrence, to the Commonwealth for the college’s first permanent building in Lawrence. Five years later, in 1996, it was dedicated to Dimitry. Since then, the campus has grown to half a dozen buildings, including the Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center, 420 Common St., and the Louise Haffner Fournier Education Center.
The college is planning a celebration of Dimitry’s life. For those wishing to honor his legacy, Northern Essex Community College is accepting gifts to the Dr. John and Audrey Dimitry Scholarship fund. The scholarship is awarded each year to a GED graduate involved in campus activities, community leadership or service. Those wishing to learn more may email Shana Murrell at [email protected].
Dr. John R. Dimitry in 1977. (Courtesy photograph.)