Courtney Morin
Northern Essex Community College
Courtney Morin is a passionate student leader at Northern Essex Community College (NECC) and an advocate for community college students across the state. During her last three years at NECC, Courtney has held leadership positions in the Student Government Association (SGA), Amnesty International, and the Board of Trustees. She also has served on the statewide Student Advisory Council for the MA Board of Higher Education. Through these roles, Courtney has advocated for fellow community college students around issues of equity, including open educational resources, sexual violence prevention, food and housing insecurity, and mental health access. Courtney is a constant and passionate advocate for community college students everywhere. She understands the vital role education plays in social change and the need to engage community to make lasting change. Courtney is a true leader telling her friends and fellow SGA members: “that they must work together to accomplish their goals, that one member cannot do all of the work alone.” Courtney recognizes that it is essential to build collaborations in her advocacy to create a strong voice to effect social change.
Personal Statement
As a first generation college student and a high school dropout, I have been directly faced with the challenges of navigating higher education on my own. After dealing with a debilitating illness, I knew I wanted my life to bring more kindness and light into the world and give a voice to those that felt voiceless, as I so often had. I have been part of many clubs and programs, but my experience as the NECC Student Trustee has been where I have learned the most and have made the most impact. I discovered that many of the issues I faced daily so too were impacting the success of other students at NECC and across the state of Massachusetts. I have advocated on the behalf my peers through pushing changes at the college and state level. By meeting with legislators to bring awareness and support to these issues, I have continued the fight to bring social change in a myriad of ways. I believe that social change happens through the power of education and can only happen if there is a community to make that change. I want to educate, build that community, and push that change.
