From student to staff

Hi, my name is Tom Oetinger and I’m Granite State College’s Outreach Coordinator for the Concord & Manchester NH centers.  My job is to work with prospective students who are  seeking affordable continuing education, while looking at adult education colleges; answering their general questions, reducing pre-college anxieties and coordinating their entry into the college.  I also attend business and community events and activities to raise the public profile of the college. 

This position has been a huge change for me as my first career was in police service, having served for 29 years with the last five as chief at the Laconia Police Department.  It’s been a great change as I enjoy working with non-traditional students, having been one myself, taking night college classes and weekend college classes; finishing both my bachelor’s degree (at the College for Lifelong Learning, now Granite State College.) and master’s degree later in life.  Besides it’s a welcome relief not having people trying to take a swing at me or threatening a lawsuit on a regular basis!

My favorite pastime is traveling with my wife and son, who’s in his second year at Keene State College.  While we’re up for a vacation just about anywhere, our favorite travel destination is the Southwestern United States.  We really enjoy the landscape, architecture and cuisine of northern New Mexico – there’s nothing like the Carne Avacoda Burrito at the Guadalupe Café in Santa Fe or the Green Chilé Chicken Stew at the Range Café in Bernalillo, yum!  If you’re interested to hear what it’s like to be a working adult college student, learn more about GSC or talk travel give me a call at 603-513-1379 or e-mail me at tom.oetinger@granite.edu.