Haverhill and Lawrence – Northern Essex Community College has launched NECC Now, a podcast designed to highlight members of the college community who are doing exciting things within and outside the college.
Each month, Marc Lemay, a veteran broadcast journalist, will interview a member of the college’s faculty or staff, a student, an alumni or a community partner on a timely topic of interest.
Recent podcasts featured Joshua Stokel, director of the NECC Police Academy, who talked about community policing, a day in the life of an academy police recruit, and changes in police education, and Melba Acevedo, director of instructional technology and online education, who shared an International Virtual Exchange which the college started with two French universities in the midst of a pandemic.
The podcast is designed to amplify newsroom content, said Ernie Greenslade, director of public relations. “It’s another channel for sharing our college news.”
The college plans to highlight topics that have broad appeal, attracting audiences from the college and the community.
Podcast usage is growing, according to recent statistics. In early 2021, 41% of the United States population reported that they had listened to a podcast in the past month, a three-fold increase over ten years before.
The podcast will be produced once a month and aired on the third Wednesday. The 28-minute broadcast is currently available on the college’s website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other platforms.
Goals include highlighting Northern Essex programs and their relevance to the community, showcasing Northern Essex student and alumni success stories, and positioning Northern Essex as a vital community partner, helping to improve the quality of live in the Merrimack Valley through innovative educational, workforce development, and cultural programs.
To listen, visit necc.mass.edu/engage/necc-now/
