Northern Essex Community College has received a $100,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation to continue to address student success. The funding will be used to help Northern Essex better engage faculty and staff in important campus-based reform efforts and ensure that more students have a better chance of staying in school and earning a market-valued credential. Northern Essex was one of 15 community colleges across the country to be awarded a $100,000 grant. The program was administered by Achieving the Dream, Inc., a national nonprofit that works to ensure student success. “The United States is falling behind other countries on important measures such as the number of adults with college degrees,” said Lane Glenn, Northern Essex president. “This grant will help us continue our efforts to retain and graduate students.” Northern Essex, which last year was designated by Achieving the Dream as one of 23 leader colleges for demonstrating sustained improvement and accomplishments on key student achievement indicators, has been participating in Achieving the Dream, a national effort to close the gaps in student success, particularly among minority and low-income students, for the past five years. As a result, the college has created math and tutoring centers in Haverhill and Lawrence, introduced supplemental instructors in challenging courses, and expanded and improved academic advising services.