Information Night: Monday Sept 23, 6-8:30 pm

CONCORD — Venture east and meet some of Europe’s jeweled characters in Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. 

Budapest seduces with its Parliament and Fisherman’s Bastion — and then wins you over for good with an evening cruise down the Danube River.  Prague enthralls, with medieval gems like the pedestrian-only Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.  Explore the effects of World War II in Krakow and Auschwitz, and finish your journey in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Dresden.

This 10 day adventure, March 14-23, 2014, is open to any and all interested students and the general public. If you wish, you may earn academic credit for your adventures through NHTI's 3 credit Study Abroad course (SO 298).

NHTI will hold an Information Night for those interested in learning more about the Eastern Europe trip on Monday September 23, from 6 – 8:30 pm in the Library Living Room.  For further information visit www.nhti.edu/travelstudy-abroad or contact Sarah Hébert, (603) 271-6484 x4201 or shebert@ccsnh.edu.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

The following students graduated from NHTI, Concord's Community College, during the Summer 2013 term:

Leverage Your Professional Image and Develop Networking Confidence

CONCORD — Are you making the most of your strengths and attributes?  Is your image going to take your career to the next level?

This fall, NHTI offers a four-part program geared to professionals looking to enhance their professional image while learning effective networking techniques.  The price is just $199 for all four sessions.

• Session I: Be Visible – Making Connections that Count!
  Date:  October 3, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
  Effective networking is a good business practice, whether you're a corporate professional or you own your own business. The key to making the most of your professional networking is to keep the right attitude and use a series of techniques to connect with others and expand your circle of influence. Connections with the right people put you on the path to success. Being able to leverage your networks saves you time, energy, and money.
   
• Session II: Using Technology as a Networking Tool
  Date:  October 10, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
  Career networking websites enable you to build relationships with people you know and the people they know to develop thousands of connections and to collaborate with professional online interest groups.  Many employers are using LinkedIn as a primary hiring source.  Job search has completely changed because technology enabled networking is more powerful, more effective, faster, more in depth and free.  Create an online profile using LinkedIn and learn about Google Sites for building online portfolios.
   
• Session III: Personal Branding – Packaging Your Identity
  Date:  October 17, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
  Your personal power and professional ‘style’ have a bearing on the way you are viewed by your employer, customers and colleagues.  Those views can help or hinder your effectiveness on the job and your ability to advance your position or start a new business. This session reveals the essential ingredients of a winning professional image through self-assessment activities, discussion, and interactive exercises.
   
• Session IV: Building a Strategic and Sustainable Action Plan
  Date:  October 24, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
  Having a sustainable strategic plan will assist you in maintaining your focus and reaching your chosen level of success.  Utilizing the tools you’ve gained throughout the Career Building Skills program, this session will provide insight into the creation and execution of an individualized strategic and sustainable plan.

For more information and to register, contact the Business and Industry Training Center at NHTI, (603) 230-4022 or nhtibtc@ccsnh.edu.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Mr. Devi Timsina Memorial Scholarships Now Permanently Endowed

CONCORD — NHTI is pleased to announce that the Mr. Devi Timsina Memorial Scholarship for New Americans was recently endowed as a permanent scholarship fund thanks to the generosity of many local donors and NHTI alumni. Established last year by Jackie Winn and Robert Friedlander, these scholarships are awarded annually to students who entered the United States as refugees.  Recipients of the Devi Timsina Memorial Scholarship are ambitious learners who are committed to earning a college degree or certificate.

“We wanted to help students who come to the United States, most of whom faced difficult circumstances in their own countries, to build a new life here.  I think education is the most productive way you can help people who are new to the country,” Ms. Winn explains.  The scholarship honors Mr. Devi Timsina, a student in the General Studies program in 2009, who passed away in the summer of 2011.

Hema Gautam is a second year student at NHTI, originally from Nepal.  Recently named the recipient of the 2013 Devi Timsina Scholarship, Ms. Gautam is working towards a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management.  She says, “Learning to speak English in one year has become the most meaningful achievement of my life.  It taught me to work hard and focus on my goals. There is nothing impossible in this world if you are optimistic and determined to become successful.  I am grateful and proud to receive this scholarship.”

Last year, NHTI’s Cross-cultural Education and ESOL Office served over 300 self-identified second language students, speaking more than 55 different languages.  The College’s largest population of second language students is New Americans.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education. NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

2nd Information Night: October 9, 2013, 6-8 pm
Trip Dates: March 14-23, 2014

CONCORD — Explore some of the world's most beautiful and unusual plant and animal habitats … from the treetops on a canopy tour, from walking trails in the Cloud Forest, and even from the bedroom window of your lodge!  NHTI's Spring Adventure in Costa Rica is not only a feast for your senses, it's a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture and to get to know the people who work hard to conserve and protect their unique environment.

This 10 day adventure is open to any and all interested students or adult travelers.  Anyone who loves the outdoors will love this trip!  It offers plenty of warm sun, beautiful white sand beaches, spectacular scenery, friendly people and live volcanoes!  Open to NHTI students, faculty, staff and the general public. 

Those wishing to earn college credit for their travel experience can opt to take NHTI’s online Tropical Ecology and Conservation course (BI 180).  The Spring Adventure in Costa Rica fulfills the Biology lab requirement for this 4 credit course.

Due to popular demand, NHTI will hold a second Information Night for those wishing to learn more about the Costa Rica trip on Wednesday October 9 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm in the Student Center, room 225.  For additional information please visit http://www.nhti.edu/travelstudy-abroad, or contact Amy Liptak, (603) 271-6484 x4243 or aliptak@ccsnh.edu.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

CONCORD — NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is pleased to announce that Helmut “Hal” Koch has been named chair of the school’s advisory board.  Mr. Koch is president of Exacom, Inc., a technology firm headquartered in Concord which employs many NHTI graduates.  He has been a member of the board for 18 years, and also served 14 years on the advisory boards of the college’s electrical and computer engineering technology departments.

Koch replaces Kenneth G. Lurvey, who is stepping down after five years as chair.  He will remain a board member however, as he has been for twenty-seven years.  Lurvey, now retired, is a former Concord City Planner.

NHTI also bids farewell to Sandra Brien, retiring from the board after six years of service.  Brien is Vice President of Human Resources at Havenwood Heritage Heights.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Wednesday October 9, 4-7 pm

CONCORD — NHTI, Concord’s Community College, cordially invites prospective students, potential employers, and interested members of the general public to a free Advanced Manufacturing Open House on Wednesday October 9, from 4-7 pm in historic Little Hall.  Originally founded as an engineering technology school, NHTI is now a fully accredited public community college offering over 65 academic programs in a wide range of disciplines – but its engineering technology programs still remain one of its core strengths, and Little Hall, the oldest building on campus, houses some of its most advanced technologies.

On October 9, the engineering technology programs will celebrate the Grand Opening of their new Robotics and Automation Lab, built to support the school’s new Associate Degree program in Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology.  Program Coordinator Prof. Joe Cunningham will be on hand to provide robotics demonstrations.  Other advanced manufacturing technologies taught at the college will also be up and running, including CNC machines, a 3-D printer, and more.

NHTI’s Advanced Manufacturing Open House is taking place as part of NH Manufacturing Week, a series of events planned by a consortium that includes the governor’s office, advanced manufacturers, NH Works partners, and the community college system, under New Hampshire’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships in Education initiative (AMPed NH).  The week culminates in the 11th Annual Governor’s Manufacturing and High Technology Summit on October 10 at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester.

For more information about NHTI’s Advanced Manufacturing Open House please contact Lynn Szymanski, Advanced Manufacturing Project Coordinator, (603) 271-6484 x4129 or lszymanski@ccsnh.edu.

This program is sponsored by (or in part by) a $19.97 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration TAACCCT Grant #TC-22504-ll-60-A-33. The Community College System of NH is an equal opportunity employer, and adaptive equipment is available upon request to persons with disabilities.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

2nd Information Night: Monday Oct 21, 7-8:30 pm

CONCORD — Venture east and meet some of Europe’s jeweled characters in Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. 

Budapest seduces with its Parliament and Fisherman’s Bastion — and then wins you over for good with an evening cruise down the Danube River.  Prague enthralls, with medieval gems like the pedestrian-only Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.  Explore the effects of World War II in Krakow and Auschwitz, and finish your journey in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Dresden.

This 10 day adventure, March 14-23, 2014, is open to any and all interested students and the general public. If you wish, you may earn academic credit for your adventures through NHTI's 3 credit Study Abroad course (SO 298).

Due to popular demand, NHTI will hold a second Information Night for those interested in learning more about the Eastern Europe trip on Monday October 23, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm in the Library Instructional Lab.  For further information visit www.nhti.edu/travelstudy-abroad or contact Sarah Hébert, (603) 271-6484 x4201 or shebert@ccsnh.edu.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Information Night: Tuesay Oct 15, 7-8:30 pm

CONCORD — If art or architecture—or food, or wine or beaches—is your thing, Barcelona has a place for you.

Explore La Sagrada Familia, masterpiece of modernist architect Antonio Gaudi -- so futuristic it required methods and materials not yet invented, and is still incomplete 130 years after construction began.  Other highlights include walking tours of Catalan Street and the Modernist District; a Flamenco evening (learn to dance Flamenco!); the Dali Museum; plus time to explore Barcelona on your own.

This 7 day adventure, May 26 – June 1, 2014, is open to any and all interested students and the general public. If you wish, you may earn academic credit for your adventures through NHTI's 3 credit Elementary Spanish II course (FL 112).

NHTI will hold an Information Night for those interested in learning more about the Barcelona trip on Tuesday October 15, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm in the Library Living Room.  For further information visit www.nhti.edu/travelstudy-abroad or contact Francisca Acosta-Mathes, (603) 230-4015 or facostamathes@ccsnh.edu.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

10-year administration as president included historic growth at State’s largest community college

CONCORD—NHTI President Lynn Tolbert Kilchenstein has announced that she will step down from her position at the end of the calendar year.

Kilchenstein has been associated with NHTI, Concord’s Community College since 1986, first as a teacher, the English Department Head, faculty president, and then associate vice president of academic affairs, before taking on the presidency in 2003.  During her 10-year tenure, Kilchenstein has overseen historic growth at New Hampshire’s largest community college.

Among the developments at NHTI during her presidency was the completion of a three-phase expansion and upgrade of facilities for the College’s hallmark allied health programs. The College doubled the size and enrollment of its Dental Auxiliaries program with the addition of a new wing to MacRury Hall in 2009; the College opened the LEED silver-certified Beverly D. Grappone Hall, a state-of-the-art nursing education facility, in 2009; and the College completed renovation of MacRury Hall in 2010, adding state-of-the-art labs for its Diagnostic Medical Imaging, Paramedic Emergency Medicine and Natural Sciences programs.

Under Kilchenstein’s leadership the College experienced dramatic growth in its student population from 5,240 students in the 2003-4 academic year to a peak of 6,685 students served in 2010-11, a 27.5% increase. She guided the College, known locally and affectionately as “The Tech,” through a successful rebranding in 2007. Reflecting the evolution of the College to a comprehensive community college offering degree programs in a broad spectrum of technical, career and liberal arts fields, the College changed its name from “New Hampshire Technical Institute” to “NHTI, Concord’s Community College.”

Known on campus for her pleasant demeanor, open-door policy and collaborative leadership style, Kilchenstein established a reputation for ensuring student needs. She nurtured a sense of community that encouraged growth, innovation and a personal approach to student learning and service.

NHTI President Lynn Kilchenstein with mascot Leroy the Lynx at College fundraiser “Dancing with the Concord Stars.”

NHTI President Lynn Kilchenstein enjoys a moment with children in the College’s Early Childhood Education clinic.

 “It is time for me to explore some of my other interests and to participate more fully in family matters,” says Kilchenstein. “It’s an appropriate time to move on as the College enjoys numerous talented and emerging leaders; a highly creative community of teachers and staff; a relevant and rigorous academic curricula; solid enrollment and a well-deserved reputation for excellence.”

Paul Holloway, chairman of the CCSNH board of trustees, said, “We are grateful to Lynn for her many years of service and leadership at NHTI, and for the important role she has played in advancing the mission of the Community College System of New Hampshire.  She has been a passionate and eloquent advocate about the vital role the community colleges play in our society, for students, their families and communities.  During her tenure as president, NHTI became an integral part of its community and served tens of thousands of students who become the economic and civic lifeblood of our State as a result of the opportunities they pursued at the college.  We will miss Lynn as a colleague and as a champion for NHTI, and wish her well in the next phase of her life.” 

The CCSNH board of trustees is responsible for developing a plan to recruit the next president of NHTI.  An interim appointment will be made while a search is underway. 

In 2011, Kilchenstein received the Pinnacle Award for Business Leader of the Year from the Greater Concord Area Chamber of Commerce.

As President, Lynn Kilchenstein also led the College through a successful NEAS&C Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) reaccreditation.  With an environment of encouragement and innovation, NHTI has continued to maintain excellence with solid, rigorous programs in engineering technologies and health, while expanding new liberal arts offerings, such as Visual Arts, with hybrid engineering programs such as Animation and Graphic Game Programming, and with innovative teacher education conversion programs for post-baccalaureate adults.

Kilchenstein served for eight years on the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, was a founding member of the Red River Theatres Board, was a founding member and original Co-Chair of the Somewhat North of Boston (SNOB) Film Festival, and served on the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission on Academic, Student, and Community Development.  She currently serves on the Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing and Education Advisory Council, Capitol Center for the Arts Board, on the Creative Concord Committee, and on the Concord Housing Commission. 

Kilchenstein is originally from Delaware, where she continues to visit family, and began her career in education teaching writing and literature courses for more than 20 years. She taught at the University of Texas at El Paso, Delaware Technical and Community College, and Wor-Wic Community College before coming to NHTI 27 years ago.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Long-time VP of Student Affairs will preside during search

CONCORD — Stephen Caccia of Concord has been appointed interim president of NHTI, Concord’s Community College, following the resignation of President Lynn Kilchenstein, who is stepping down at the end of the year.

Caccia is an experienced community college leader within the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH).  He began his career at NHTI as an academic and career counselor in 1977 and advanced to Vice President of Student Affairs, a position he has held for 15 years.

The appointment was made by the Board of Trustees of the Community College System of New Hampshire upon the recommendation by CCSNH Chancellor Ross Gittell.  The appointment calls for Caccia to take the position in January 1, 2014. The Board will conduct a search for a permanent president of the College. CCSNH.  Gittell said he is pleased Caccia accepted the job and confident he will provide continuity and strong leadership to the college during the search for a permanent replacement for Kilchenstein.  He cited Caccia’s extensive knowledge of NHTI’s operations and services, his commitment to students and student success, his collaborative leadership style and his understanding of college and system goals as important elements in Caccia’s selection as interim president. “I have been impressed with Steve’s contributions as a member of the leadership team at NHTI, and I look forward to his continued contributions as interim president,” said Gittell. 

Kilchenstein announced her resignation earlier this month after 10 years as president of NHTI and 28 years as an employee of New Hampshire’s largest community college. She was just the fourth president during the College’s 49-year history.

Caccia has served on several local boards, including NH Chapter of National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Concord Boys & Girls Club, Concord YMCA, Concord American Little League, and Ground Works. He was instrumental in facilitating a partnership with Express Soccer Club to develop soccer fields at NHTI that could be used by both the College teams and Express teams. Caccia is a 1994 graduate of the Leadership Concord Program and was a Vista Volunteer in 1973-75.

As the VP of Student Life, Caccia has been responsible for the administration and fiscal management of Admissions; Financial Aid; Residence Life; Personal Counseling; Health Services; Student Leadership; Intercollegiate Athletics and Intramurals; Student Government; Student Activities; Campus Safety and Community Service Programs; Orientation; Commencement;  Judicial Affairs; and Auxiliary Services such as the Campus Bookstore, Food Services and vending.

Caccia earned an M.Ed. from Plymouth State University and a B.A. in psychology/sociology from New England College.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Concord – The following students have been named to the Dean's List at NHTI, Concord's Community College, in recognition of their academic achievement during the Fall 2013 term. In order to qualify for Dean's List a student must be considered full time (registered for 12 credits or more) and have a term GPA of 3.3 or higher.

In Partnership with the Centennial Senior Center

CONCORD — This spring, NHTI, Concord’s Community College will offer a series of 4- to 6-week art classes in partnership with the Centennial Senior Center.  The cost for each intensive, hands-on class is only $100 (6 week classes are $125).  Topics and schedule are as follows:

• Introduction to Watercolor with Sara Ellis
  Jan 29-Feb 19,Wednesdays, 12-2 pm for 4 weeks

An introduction to the basic techniques of watercolor. Students will explore pictorial composition, color theory, and painting techniques in a step-by-step classroom painting from a still life.

• Basic Drawing with Sara Ellis
  Feb 26-March 26, Wednesdays, 12-2 pm for 4 weeks

Work with charcoal and pastel pencils on gray & black paper to complete two still life drawings.

• Introduction to Clay Beads with Bonnie Farren
  Feb 20-March 13, Thursdays, 12-2 pm for 4 weeks

Learn how to carve and shape porcelain clay into beautiful decorative designs and beads. Using artisan techniques and glazes, participants in this basics class will create a pin, pendant and earrings of their own design, to wear or give.

• Intro to Classic Black and White Print Photography with Karen Torres
  Feb 20-April 3, Thursdays, 1-3 pm for 6 weeks

Learn how to use your 35mm manual camera, how to shoot better pictures, develop your negatives and print your own black&white pictures in the darkroom. Beginners welcome, and experienced photographers may print at their own pace and hearts content!

• Introduction to Figural Sculpture with Thomas Devaney
  Feb 18-April 1, Tuesdays, 12-2 pm for 6 weeks

This is a hands on beginners level class designed for students with little to no experience in sculpture. The course will cover the methods and material used to create a sculpture of a dancing figure. Traditional and non-traditional techniques will be demonstrated. Students will learn how to create a flexible armature and how to apply modeling materials in order to create their own unique piece.

• Introduction to Silkscreen on Fabric with Bonnie Farren
  April 10-May 1, Thursdays, 12-2 pm for 4 weeks

See how an image is transferred to the screen, and then learn the craft of multiple-color silkscreen printing from a variety of handmade prepared screens, of botanical, and natural imagery onto a useful tote and silk scarf of your own design! All levels of experience are welcome.

• Introduction to Oil Painting with Cheri Dalphonse
  April 8-29, Tuesdays, 12-2 pm for 4 weeks

Using a prepared canvas and water-based oil paints, this entry level class will learn step-by-step the techniques of brush work and color mixing to complete a colorful still life piece.

NHTI’s Visual Arts studios are located at 254 North State Street, next door to the Centennial Senior Center.  For more information, call (603) 228-6630 or email info@centennialseniorcenter.org.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

CONCORD — On Tuesday January 28th at 7:00 pm in the Library Living Room, NHTI’s Wings of Knowledge lecture series presents Mindfulness and the Inner World of Teaching and Learning with Dr. Leigh Burrows.  This event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Burrows has an interest in the contemplative dimensions of education at all levels.  Her background in Western forms of meditation and her experience as a Waldorf/Steiner teacher provide a foundation for embedding this dimension in curriculum and pedagogy in public schools and universities.  She is passionate about the development of a secular approach to mindfulness that is more suited for Western consciousness than the more commonly seen Buddhist orientations.

Leigh takes the view that it is essential to have a mindfulness guide who authentically embodies the spirit or essence of the practices being taught and can accompany us at least part way on our journey.  She has published in the areas of wellbeing, relationships, mindfulness, spirituality in education, and autism.  Her teaching topics, supervision, consultancy, and counseling work are focused around relationships for learning, wellbeing, creating calmer classrooms for vulnerable students, alternative education and mindfulness.  For more information see Leigh’s blog: http://deepeningmindfulness.org.

This experiential workshop and talk includes mindfulness practices, as well as case studies and research results from Dr. Burrows’ work with educators in Australia.  Case study examples will show how mindfulness practice in a teaching context can enhance both teachers’ and students’ sense of inner security in the classroom, allowing them to form connections and take the kinds of risks that make learning possible.  Dr. Burrows’ research suggests that the more mindfulness is practiced at home and in the classroom, the more mindfulness begins to naturally permeate other areas of our lives, leading to greater balance, wellbeing, sense of meaning and purpose and compassion for our own and other’s difficulties.

Participants will develop an increased awareness and understanding of the value and potential of including mindfulness in education at all levels, with an underlying aim of the session being to highlight that mindfulness does not need to be an “add-on” to our current work.  Rather, it can be infused throughout all our teaching and learning spaces.

Launched in 2001-02, Wings of Knowledge is an annual series of cultural events presented by the college.  All events are free and open to the public.  The series supports and expands upon NHTI’s wide variety of academic offerings, and is another element in the college’s expanding community college mission.  For further information call 603-230-4028.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

The following students graduated from NHTI, Concord's Community College, during the Fall 2013 term:

CONCORD —NHTI, Concord’s Community College has awarded 21 first-year students $500 President’s Fund for Excellence Merit Scholarships for the spring 2014 semester.  The awards are given in recognition of outstanding academic performance — all 21 students hold a 4.0 grade point average.

“What a great accomplishment, to earn a 4.0 GPA in the first semester at college,” says NHTI Interim President Stephen Caccia.  “Students face a lot of pressures in the beginning, both academically and socially, with meeting new people and being in a new place, away from family.  We are proud to award President’s Fund for Excellence scholarships to these students who worked very hard.”

In 2010, NHTI established the President’s Fund for Excellence as an unrestricted fund to meet the highest priorities. The Fund directly supports NHTI students and academic programs.  More than $100,000 has been raised for the Fund.   With proceeds from the Fund, NHTI purchased a 3-Dimensional Rapid Prototype Printer in 2013 for the Engineering Technology Departments.  In addition to the 2014 merit scholarship awards, the President’s Fund for Excellence will support other critical needs at NHTI over the coming year.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

CONCORD — On Wednesday March 19, NHTI, Concord’s Community College, will proudly host the second annual Girls Technology Day, an initiative of the New Hampshire Department of Education’s Career Development Bureau.  Last year, demand far outstripped the capacity of the fledgling program, so this year’s event has been expanded to accommodate the 300 girls who are registered to attend.

“In New Hampshire, as in other states, there is a severe shortage of women pursuing technical careers,” says conference chair Mary Laturnau, who works for the NH DOE's Career Development Bureau.  Fewer than two percent of students pursuing computer science degrees in NH colleges, for example, are women.  Girls Technology Day is one step toward trying to reverse that trend.

Laturnau says that the enthusiasm for the project across the state has been inspiring.  “This has truly been a collaboration of every level of education in New Hampshire,” including high schools, community colleges, and universities.  The event is funded in part by a Perkins Grant for non-traditional career development, and grants/donations from EPSCoR, PSNH, NH Space Consortium-NASA, Admix, People’s United Bank, Red River, Dyn, Freudenberg, InterOperability Lab, Alexander Technologies, Liberty Mutual Insurance and NHTI-Concord’s Community College.

The group decided to focus on grades 8, 9 and 10, because that is that age at which many young people begin focusing on interests that may ultimately become career paths.  Paradoxically, it is also the age at which girls often seem to get “turned off” to math, science and technology.  Invitations went out to New Hampshire high schools, but educators were urged not to make the event a mandatory field trip.  “We want girls who want to attend,” says Laturnau.

The girls will break up into a series of hands-on workshops exploring various high technology topics.  Students will be able to attend four of the available sessions, including:

• 3-D Modeling
• Careers in Technology
• Game Programming with Greenfoot
• Inventing Apps for Android Phones
• Kodu Game Lab
• Making Ethernet Cables 101
• VEX Robotics
• Measuring Voltages with Digital Multimeters and PC Power Supply Testers
• Girl’s Social Media Web Page
• Industrial Robotics
• Reverse Engineering
• Architecture
• Networking

The workshops will be led by educators and business leaders from various New Hampshire universities, community colleges and industries.

During their lunch break the students will attend a technology exhibition in the NHTI gym.  Featured exhibitors include several area schools (UNH,UNH Manchester, Manchester Community College and host NHTI), high-tech businesses (BAE, TEC-Ed Concepts, Discovery Center and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard), Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Despite this year’s expanded program, there were still interested schools that had to be turned away due to lack of capacity.  So the organizers are already looking ahead to next year, and the possibility of spreading Girls Technology Day across multiple venues in order to accommodate the intense interest the program has generated.  Clearly there are young women out there who are interested in technology, if only they are given the chance to explore the many possibilities open to them.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

CONCORD — In the Fall of 2014, NHTI will launch a new 2-year Associate Degree program in Mathematics.  This practically-oriented program includes a foundation in computer programming and three semesters of calculus-based physics, along with a range of general education requirements.  The idea is for this program to provide a solid background for just about any type of 4-year math, physics or engineering degree a student might choose to pursue.

"We went to UNH and met with their Math and Physics department heads," says Kate Sawal, head of NHTI's math/physics department.  "As a result we created five new courses, all of which will transfer as equivalent.  It was important to show them not only that our curriculum met their criteria, but that we would be able to maintain the rigor they require."  Articulation (transfer) agreements with Plymouth State and SNHU are also in the works.

NHTI’s Math Department has nine full-time math faculty and about 30 adjuncts.  The College recently purchased lab equipment to support the new program, especially the calculus-based physics courses not previously offered at the college.

The development of this new program is part of NHTI’s commitment to expanding its offerings in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.  The degree will prepare students for employment in STEM positions in industry, as well as for continued study at the baccalaureate level.  Kate Sawal notes that students can take "approximately two courses for the price of one" at NHTI compared to New Hampshire universities, making NHTI a very attractive alternative for students seeking to launch an academic or technical career.

But for Sawal, establishing a math major at NHTI has been a long-time goal, with ramifications far beyond the current drive to produce tech-savvy graduates to work in local industries.

"I believe in the power of math," she says.  "When we teach people to think like this, to do this kind of work, we are creating problem-solvers.  These are the people who are going to be able to go out and work on solving society's problems -- maybe not with calculus, but with that kind of rigorous thinking."

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Concord, NH – Ten innovative projects at NH’s community colleges to enhance student success and workforce readiness were selected for seed funding in the second round of grants from the Community College Innovation Fund of New Hampshire. 

Two of the proposals are from faculty at NHTI, Concord’s Community College.  The first, developed by Kate Sawal, Department Chair of Mathematics and Physics at NHTI, uses technology and web-based learning modules to improve math preparedness of incoming college students at zero cost to students.   The team will create a mathematics “refresher course” for summer enrollment, using Khan Academy content that is designed to enable incoming students to bypass remedial math and place directly into college-level math courses.

The second, developed by  Gale Hall, Department Chair of NHTI’s Child and Family Studies programs, in partnership with Patricia Finnigan-Allen of White Mountains Community College, will result in a more authentic and enriched learning experience for online and evening early childhood education students by creating video documentation of course competencies and developing videos from the early childhood Lab School to expose online and evening students to best practices in early childhood settings typically more available to traditional classroom students.

The Innovation Fund was created in 2012 by private donations to foster innovative ideas within the State’s community colleges.  College faculty and staff develop projects and apply for the funds, which are evaluated by a panel which includes New Hampshire venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and business leaders.  In addition to funding, recipients will benefit from access to a group of experts organized to support the Innovation Fund efforts.

Each project will serve as a pilot effort that can potentially be scaled up to create broad impact across the system, according to Ross Gittell, CCSNH Chancellor.  “Education is a rapidly changing field, and today’s innovative ideas will be tomorrow’s leading educational approaches,” said Gittell.   “We are making sure those strategies are developed and implemented in New Hampshire for the benefit of NH students, employers, communities and taxpayers.” 

Other proposals funded in the current round include projects designed to:

• Develop an industry-driven degree program in applied data analytics targeted for business owners and employees in health care, hospitality industries and at small and medium sized established
• Improve interest, enrollment and retention in pre-engineering programs
• Enhance remote access to curriculum and courses to support learners in rural areas, using hybrid course delivery and course capture technology
• Develop a marketing campaign to promote accelerated advanced manufacturing programs to high school students
• Increase system-wide course-delivery in STEM classes   
• Create a mentor cohort program for faculty engaged in online teaching and technology integration
• Partner with industry to develop curriculum, credentials, and associates degree programs and to increase the pipeline of future software developers
• Develop a high quality online/hybrid lab science course for students that can be shared throughout CCSNH

Charter contributors to the fund include Paul Holloway, Chairman of the Holloway Automotive Group and Chairman of the CCSNH Board of Trustees; Craig Benson, technology entrepreneur and former Governor of the State of NH; Jeremy Hitchcock, CEO of Dyn, Inc and a member of the CCSNH Board of Trustees; Jesse Devitte, Managing Director and Co-founder of Borealis Ventures; and Matt Pierson, Director and past Chairman of the NH High Technology Council and Managing Director with Dunn Rush & Co.

Devitte, managing partner of Borealis Ventures and a charter supporter of the Innovation Fund, noted, “We are happy to help seed the impressive ideas and initiatives of faculty and staff at our community college system, which we see as a critical focal point in higher education and workforce training. This mirrors what we do working with entrepreneurs every day in our role as venture capitalists.  We applaud CCSNH for applying private market principles to public higher education.”  

"Dyn continues to support the community college innovation fund because it challenges the system's best and brightest thinkers to push the envelope in education.  In this second year of the program, we were impressed with the caliber of the proposals and the powerful, creative ways they address educational challenges and opportunities here in New Hampshire," said Jeremy Hitchcock, CEO of Dyn, Inc.

Matt Pierson, director and past chairman of the NH High Technology Council and managing director with Dunn Rush & Co., said “The projects selected are creative and forward-looking, with the potential to position New Hampshire strongly as a leader in education strategies that ultimately will support a strong economy and quality of life.  I look forward to working with faculty and staff on implementing these new ideas.”

Seed funding awards range from $4,000-$11,000. For additional comments please contact:

• Jeremy Hitchcock, CEO of Dyn, Inc.  603-391-4494
• Matt Pierson, Director and past Chairman of the NH High Technology Council and Managing Director with Dunn Rush & Co,  mattpierson@comcast.net
• Ross Gittell, CCSNH Chancellor,  603-230-3500

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers 65 academic programs to more than 5,000 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.

Concord, NH - Students at NHTI, Concord's Community College, will see lower tuition bills starting in the Fall 2014 academic year.  The Community College System board of trustees today announced a five percent tuition reduction, bringing the in-state per credit cost to $200 from its present level of $210.  A three-credit course will cost $600, down from $630.  For an in-state student taking a minimum full-time course load of twelve credits per semester, annual tuition costs will drop from $5,040 to $4,800.

The New England regional program rate will be $300 per credit, and the out of state rate will be $450 per credit, down from $315 and $478 respectively.  Ninety-five percent of students at New Hampshire’s community colleges are NH residents.

The tuition reduction was announced as New Hampshire’s community colleges enhance their focus on preparing more New Hampshire residents with 21^st century skills and providing affordable college-to-career pathways.  New Hampshire’s community colleges offer two-year associate degree programs and short-term certificate programs in a wide variety of career fields, linked to industry sectors with strong labor market demand including information technology, health care, business, hospitality, engineering technology, education and advanced manufacturing.  More than half the students who enroll in New Hampshire’s community colleges intend to pursue transfer to a four-year school after earning an associate degree or some number of credits at the community colleges.  Making the first two years more affordable will be a boost for students and families and increase the supply of skilled workers available for businesses across the state.

The reduction came after the Governor and NH Legislature restored funding to the community college system that had been cut in the previous state budget.  Paul Holloway, chairman of the board of trustees, said, “We committed to the Governor and Legislature that investing in the community colleges would help New Hampshire families and New Hampshire’s economy.  Last year, we froze tuition. We are reducing tuition for the upcoming year.  We have invested in programs like advanced manufacturing and health professions, which helps employers fill high-skilled jobs and strengthens our state’s economy.  And we focused on innovation and efficiencies that help us achieve our mission more cost effectively for students, families and taxpayers. ”

“Making higher education more affordable for all of our families is one of my highest priorities as we work to build a stronger workforce that will lead to innovative economic growth,” said Gov. Maggie Hassan.  “I applaud the leadership of the Community College System of New Hampshire for their decision to reduce tuition and their continued commitment to the success of our students.  This important step forward for our workforce builds on the progress we made in last year’s bipartisan budget to restore investments in higher education in exchange for a tuition freeze.”  (See www.nh.gov for Gov. Hassan’s full statement on the community college tuition reduction.)

Ross Gittell, chancellor of the community college system, said that he and system leaders have been modeling a tuition reduction scenario and were ready to announce the reduction now, instead of making a decision in June as in years past.  “Reducing tuition and bending the cost curve in higher education helps students and their families fit a college education in their budgets,” Gittell said. “Whether students come to the community colleges to train for a career, or as a first step in a four-year college pathway, affordability is essential to their ability to succeed.”  Gittell highlighted the fact that New Hampshire students with an associate degree earn on average 28 percent more than those with only a high school education.  And students who transfer from a community college to a four-year college do as well as those who start out at a four-year college.  Gittell noted that the community colleges and the University System of New Hampshire, as well as other colleges throughout the region, have worked in recent years on making transfers easier.

Adam Moy, a second-year student at Manchester Community College (MCC) and a student member of the board of trustees, knows how important saving money on tuition can be to his fellow-students. “It may enable someone who is only taking one or two classes at a time to take a heavier course load and graduate sooner,” said Moy.  “Or a person considering college will see that the community colleges are working hard to keep costs down, and will feel more confident about making the leap and enrolling.  As a student I’ve been very impressed with the quality of the education and the doors that open to community college graduates.”  Moy, who lives in Manchester, is earning an associate degree in business communications and plans to take advantage of the business degree transfer agreement between MCC and Southern New Hampshire University which allows him to transfer 90 credits, enabling him to complete a bachelor’s degree with just one year of university costs.

NHTI is now accepting registrations now for Summer classes, which begin June 2, and for the Fall semester, which begins on September 2.

NHTI, Concord’s Community College, is a fully accredited, public community college serving students, businesses and the community by providing excellent academic, technical and professional education.  NHTI offers over 65 academic programs to more than 4,500 students.  NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire.