Dr. Lane A. Glenn, president of Northern Essex Community College.
Northern Essex Community College President Lane A. Glenn has been named to the STEM Advisory Council, a statewide group that is expanding access to education in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Glenn, of Amesbury, was appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker. He has served as president of Northern Essex since 2011 and becomes the only community college representative on the council.
Northern Essex’s engineering science and computer information science programs are among the college’s most popular programs, according to Glenn.
“At a time when community colleges are experiencing declining enrollments, these programs are growing at Northern Essex.”
Enrollments in the college’s engineering science associate degree program grew close to 40 percent in the past five years, and the computer information systems transfer associate degree, which was offered for the first time in the fall of 2012, grew close to 25 percent in just one year from the fall of 2015 to the fall of 2016, according to the college.
“It’s exciting because the number of students interested in our STEM programs is growing at the same time as demand for graduates with these skills,” said Glenn. “Still, there’s more that can be done.”
The 29-member council includes leaders from business and industry, education and government, and is co-chaired by U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.
The council will focus on four areas: expanding work-based learning opportunities in STEM fields, developing and implementing Early College Career Pathways, broadening access to high-quality computer science and engineering education and strengthening and aligning regional STEM networks.