AROUND THE VALLEY

Two Haverhill High School Alumni Selected for STEM Fellowship

Two Haverhill High School graduates, who continued their studies at Northern Essex Community College (NECC), have been chosen for a selective fellowship focused on addressing the underrepresentation of Black and Latinx talent in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math.)

Alejandro Brito, a 2015 Haverhill High School graduate, who graduated from NECC’s Computer Information Science Transfer Program in December of 2020, and Sebastian Rosario, who graduated from Haverhill High School in 2019 and is now enrolled in NECC’s Computer Information Science: Networking & Security Program, were both chosen after a rigorous selection process for the New England Venture Capital Association’s Hack.Diversity Fellowship.

As part of the eight-month fellowship program, the two will have access to mentors, professional development workshops, an expansive alumni network, and full-time, paid, summer internships with Boston’s fastest growing technology companies.

 

UML Honors 2021 MLK Distinguished Service Award Winners

Members of the UMass Lowell (UML) community whose work exemplifies the ideals advanced by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were recognized by the university at a ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 28.

UML’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards honor recipients for their commitment to social change, community service and engagement. Participants came together during the virtual event to celebrate MLK’s legacy and the achievements of the honorees. The award winners were Benedicta Agyemang-Brantuo and Yahayra Michel.

Agyemang-Brantuo of Worcester, an Honors College student enrolled in the bachelor’s-to-master’s program, is a chemistry major with a minor in public health. Agyemang-Brantuo founded Advocates of Health Equity for Minorities, a UML student group that works toward improved health outcomes for underserved populations. Agyemang-Brantuo is a senator in UML’s student government association, a mentor in one of the university’s living-learning communities, a student staff member in the UML Career and Co-op Center and a participant in UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker student entrepreneurship program.

Michel (pictured above) of Lawrence, is an assistant teaching professor in UML’s School of Criminology and Justice studies. Beyond her classroom instruction, Michel is a volunteer mentor in UML’s River Hawk Scholars Academy. Michel also serves as an advisory board member for UML’s Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies program. A first-generation college student and military veteran, Michel is a “triple River Hawk,” who holds UML undergraduate degrees in psychology and criminal justice, along with a UML master’s degree in criminal justice and criminology.

Holy Family Named Top Hospital

Holy Family Hospital has been named a 2020 “Top Hospital” by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit that focuses on quality and safety in health care, for the third time in 4 years. Holy Family Hospital is one of only two hospitals in the commonwealth to be named a Top General Hospital, and one of only 29 community hospitals in the entire nation to receive this award.

Enterprise Bank Ranked as National Top Workplace

Enterprise Bank has been named among the top workplaces in the nation by Energage, the company that conducts the annual Boston Globe’s top places to work survey.

Our Enterprise ranked #2 among employers with 500–999 team members in the national top workplaces USA 2021 category. Among employers with 500–999 team members, they were also ranked #1 in the top leaders category and #2 in the clued-in leaders category. The rankings were determined by employee surveys conducted in 2020.

Click on the link for the full list of companies recognized by Top Work Places USA.

In November 2020, Enterprise Bank was named the #1 top place to work among large-sized companies by The Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work program. It was the bank’s second consecutive year in the #1 spot and third time in four years. It also marked the ninth consecutive year that Enterprise Bank was named a top workplace.

UML Criminology Researcher Studies New Sexual Abuse Prevention Program

A UMass Lowell (UML) criminology researcher will share in a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study a new intervention program aimed at preventing sexual abuse.

Ryan Shields (pictured above), assistant professor in UML’s School of Criminology and Justice Studies, will assess the effectiveness of “Help Wanted Prevention Intervention,” the interactive online program he developed with researcher Elizabeth Letourneau of Johns Hopkins University in the hope of averting sexual abuse, which he described as a “significant public health problem.”

An estimated one in four girls and one in 13 boys are victims of sexual abuse at some point in childhood, according to the CDC.

The four-year grant will allow the team to examine the psychological and social stressors behind offending behaviors and to evaluate whether the “Help Wanted” website is an effective intervention program. The platform does not collect or save any identifying information about users who log on, Shields said.

The “Help Wanted” website underscores the critical need for prevention strategies before abuses are committed. Although information on the website is tailored to adults, there is also a great need to offer interventions for younger people who need help, according to Shields. He hopes that this “opens the door to a larger national investment in prevention.”

New Hampshire Launches Statewide Marketing Campaign

New Hampshire’s governor, along with economic development and tourism officials, is launching a statewide marketing campaign in an effort to boost the state’s local businesses as they navigate through the devastating economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. Entitled “Support Local: Go the Extra Mile,” the integrated campaign launched this month and will run through March via advertisements on billboards, television spots and social media.

The campaign stresses the importance of shopping, dining and staying locally and encourages residents to patronize small businesses. A dedicated website with comprehensive listings of N.H. businesses as well as other resources will be available upon the launch.

MCC and UML Online Programs Receive High Marks in National Rankings

The online programs of Middlesex Community College (MCC) and UMass Lowell (UML) have been distinguished by national ranking sites.

MCC was one of the 2021 Best Online Associate Degrees, according to a new report by OnlineU that ranks Middlesex as no. 18 in the country for highest return on investment for students.

A recent report by Emsi — a labor market analytics firm — shows that in 2018–2019, MCC students paid $28.6 million to cover costs of tuition, fees, supplies and interest on their loans. Taking into account the amount of money they would have made working versus going to school, students who choose Middlesex earn on average $5.70 more for every dollar — a total of $324.5 million in increased earnings and a rate of return of 20.9%.

UMass Lowell’s (UML) online education programs are again ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, which assessed more than 1,000 programs nationwide.

UML’s online graduate program in criminal justice is No. 4 in the nation and No. 2 among all public colleges and universities, offering the lowest price among New England-based programs appearing in the new ranking. UML’s online graduate program in information technology is No. 16 in the nation and is the highest ranked among all public institutions in New England. UML’s online graduate programs in education are ranked No. 23 nationally and highest among New England colleges and universities.

Online graduate programs in business, including the MBA, offered by UML are also among the highest-ranking in the nation and the region. Nationally, UML’s online MBA is No. 35. Among the top 50 in the nation, UML’s program is the most affordable. The university’s online graduate programs in accounting, business analytics and finance are No. 29 in the nation and are the highest-ranked public programs in Massachusetts.

UML’s online graduate program in engineering management is the highest-ranked among public institutions in New England with the lowest tuition cost and is No. 50 in the nation.

The university’s online bachelor’s degree programs — which include subjects from business and English to liberal arts, information technology and criminal justice — are ranked No. 31 in the nation overall and second-highest among New England public institutions.

City of Lowell Public Murals Feedback

The city of Lowell is looking for residents to complete a survey to gather feedback from the Lowell community regarding the city’s proposed murals guidelines. The intention is to create an application process for interested artists and/or commercial property owners.

Currently, Lowell does not have a formal mural policy or ordinance. The city intends for the mural ordinance to provide a clear, transparent process for artists and / or commercial property owners with the financial resources to undertake a mural project with streamlined review and permitting from the city. Click here to complete the survey.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Lauren Brousseau Promoted to Director of Development and Corporate Communications at Lawrence-Based Home Health Foundation

Lauren Brousseau has been promoted to director of development and corporate communications at Home Health Foundation, a Lawrence-based nonprofit organization which provides home health, palliative and hospice care in all the places patients call home. Brousseau joined Home Health Foundation in 2010 as development associate.

Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra Bestows Principal Oboe Chair as the Jeanette Clemons Chair

The Jeannette Clemons Chair for Principal Oboe has been named honoring Jeannette Clemons, a member of the Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra who passed in Dec. 2020. A fund will be created in honor of The Jeannette Clemons Chair.

Clemons was a professional flute player and was proud to be one of the first female musicians in the U.S. Navy band. She and her husband, Peter, played in the Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra — she an oboist, and Peter a bassoonist. She also served as the personnel manager for many years.

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Check Out the Latest Episode of The 495 Podcast!

This week on The 495, we’re joined by very special guest U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan. We discussed the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol, as well as forthcoming internet legislation and the recently passed Great American Outdoors Act. Listen to the podcast here.