Northern Essex Community College is celebrating its Fifth Annual Giving Day with a 24-hour push to replenish its NECC Fund. It is also getting ready for its Fourth Annual Impact Awards Event.

Shana Murrell, the college’s director of alumni relations and annual giving recently appeared on WHAV’s morning program to explain how the fundraiser works and how donations meet student needs.

The blitz, scheduled for today, April 9, aims to unite alumni, staff, students and friends in a common goal of supporting the college and its students, Murrell said. The first Giving Day in 2022 raised $34,000 from just over 200 donors. That was the largest single-day fundraising effort in the college’s history.

(CUT: murrell-as-they-come.wav) “Essentially, our NECC Fund allows us to have the flexibility to fund different needs for the college. So, we’re very excited to have the opportunity to have that fund available so that we can meet the needs of our students as they come,” Murrell said.

Among programs the college supports through its NECC Fund is the Internship Stipend Program. Murrell said because so many Northern Essex students work part time while they are also attending classes, it can be difficult to give up a paying job to take an unpaid internship.

(CUT: murrell-program-of-study.wav) “An internship stipend helps a student to be able to make up some of that income they may have had to give up while they are participating in a valuable internship that may be related to their major and program of study,” Murrell explained.

Contributions to the NECC Giving Day can be made on NECC.edu.

Lane A. Glenn, college president, also recently appeared on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” to talk about another college fundraiser. The college’s Fourth Annual Impact Awards is happening Wednesday, May 6.

As WHAV reported in February, five awards will be given. The Community Partner Award will go to the Merrimack Valley Transit Authority, while the Outstanding Alumnus Award goes to former state Rep. Michael Costello, a member of the class of 2012; Philanthropy and Volunteerism Award to Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation and Senior Program Officer Marjorie Ringrose; and Public Service and Advocacy Award to Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger.

(CUT: glenn-have-seats-available.wav) “You’ll be happy to know, or some of the listeners might be happy to know, there’s still room for sponsors at the Impact Awards. We have sponsorships available. We have got some seats available,” Glenn said.

Impact Awards tickets are $150 each and available at NECC.edu.

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