New Hampshire State College

Our students juggle.

70% are working full-time and 18% have part-time employment. For most students, having a steady and reliable job is the cornerstone of making everything work - but in today's economy, it's never easy.

This is why we are thrilled to invite our students to the New Hampshire College & University Council's (NHCUC) Job Fair!

This fair is *exclusively* presented to students in New Hampshire who attend an institution that is a member of NHCUC, like Granite State College!

If you're on the job hunt or looking for a new opportunity, this is an AWESOME place to start - there will be over 50 employers present and ready to hire!

Here are the details:

There's so much to love about GSC that it is hard to begin. All of the teachers that I have had are amazing! They have all be incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and wonderful! The classes fit my schedule. The Admissions and Financial Aid offices are the best I have encountered. Last but not least, the tuition is affordable! I truly love Granite State College and constantly recommend it to my friends who are considering colleges in New Hampshire.

- Randi

I have always been, and always will be a learner. I found myself faced with having to be creative with my education when my parents had the difficult conversation with me that my acceptance to Northeastern University was not something they could afford, even with the $3,000 a semester scholarship. A well respected and accomplished student all throughout my childhood education and suddenly I was faced with having to create my own method of continuing my growth as an adult. Little did I realize at the time - this was a good position for someone like me to be in.

I was fortunate to get a contracted job with full benefits at the University of New Hampshire right out of high school Fall of 2001. It is the University System of New Hampshire I have to thank for my education – both professionally and academically. While working full-time at UNH, I attended classes part-time, receiving a free class each semester as long as I kept my GPA up. Some semesters I took on multiple classes; a couple I even attended full-time while continuing to work full-time as well. It took five years, but I was able to receive my Associate of Applied Science in Community Leadership at the Thompson School without any debt whatsoever. This degree focused a lot on non-profit management and leadership development. It literally opened my eyes to options for a career I had never considered before. I began to research local non profits and seek out leadership positions. This search successfully led me to working for Strafford County Nursing Home as an Activity Aide, which then turned into the positions I have held since, working with elderly and in non-profit agencies.

For my bachelor's degree I was referred to Granite State College as my professor and advisor thought the self-design program was right for me. She was certainly correct in thinking so! The self-design program at GSC, along with their supportive staff assisted me to create a meaningful and fulfilling curriculum that I use today in my statewide job. Granite State College is a school that works alongside with you, and that is why I love it so much.

I am now working on my master's degree in Leadership at GSC so I can truly complete the journey I have started for myself through the University System of NH. I currently oversee a federal, statewide program for NH call the Senior Companion Program. We have 80 volunteers who visit with over 400 frail and homebound elders and adults with disabilities in their homes. We partner with 27 fellow senior care and non profit agencies in our program. To have a master's degree of this aptitude I will be able to continue to expand my leadership role within the program and beyond. I have aspirations to be the Director of Elder Services for my agency one day. My current director is looking at retirement in the near future and I would love to take on the challenge. If not with the current agency I am in, I am now also considering working for a federal or state program with a high level of responsibility. I have always said since realizing I loved working with seniors, I would like to one day be an administrator who oversees a community living facility for seniors or even work with the Attorney General’s Office.

- Nicole

Oh, do I remember my first day of college. It was a day in Nashville, Tennessee when I started my education, and a scary one at that.  I remember calling to schedule an appointment with an advisor. I remember walking through her door, the smile on her face, and her warm welcome.  I was still scared to death as a grown adult and mom of four children. I was going back to school to fulfill a dream.  I started my first class two weeks after that first meeting. As I walked through the classroom door, I noticed I was the oldest one in the classroom and that it didn't matter  - all ages of people wanted to learn, just like me.  We had a bond, we all wanted an education.  The professor asked us all why we wanted to come back to school? Everyone in the room had their own unique story and need for an education.  Whether it be for financial reasons, personal achievement goals or just the desire to do something worthwhile, one story was no better story or reason than the next. But, we all knew, we were going to do this together.

Classes started January 5th at Granite State College. If you are reading this and have not signed up yet, consider going to see an advisor and checking out a great school.  When I moved from Tennessee to the wonderful state of New Hampshire, I found GSC through my advisor in Tennessee. They took my credits with very little hesitation, took their prerequisites, and I followed their program until I graduated in 2009.  The faculty at Granite State College will help you in every way they can - they want you to succeed as much as you do!

This week the Nashua Telegraph published this special feature:

Image source:  nashuatelegraph.com
 

What we think is especially compelling is the section that profiles the business leaders of the next 20 years. We were proud to read about Nashua Community College's President, Lucille Jordan, and honored that GSC was mentioned as part of her story:

"Forty percent of [NCC] students transfer to four-year institutions to earn their bachelor's degree.

Making that easier is this year is the fact that Granite State College, part of the University System of New Hampshire, is now 'co-located' at NCC."
 

We are new to Nashua and this feature served as a great inspiration for what we can accomplish with their community. For example...

We have the opportunity to provide a convenient pathway for NCC students to expand their education goals and pursue a bachelor's degree with GSC

We can help business leaders retain their best employees with our master's degree programs like the M.S. in Leadership and M.S. in Project Management

We can engage with the healthcare community through our RN to BSN degree program

K-12 educators can pursue teacher certifications in the critical shortage areas in education and help to make a difference in the Nashua School District

These are just a few of our current goals in Nashua and we can't wait to lay our roots deep and explore the possibilities.

Congratulations to ALL who were honored in the "Nashua 50 and Next 20." Thank you for all that you do!
 

I love my job.  I recently had the opportunity to attend two events and was able to be up close and personal with two of the University System of New Hampshire's (USNH) presidents—and this does not include the one I work for.

Each venue was different in topic and setting. After listening to each of the president’s messages, one passage was the same. “We are only given 6% of our budget from the State. Essentially, we run like a private school.” Could that have been planned? No, I seriously doubt College Presidents call each other the night before about wearing the same tie color or chat about the same message to give (that’s what Politicians do!).  The message was said both times without judgment. It’s just a fact.

What impresses me most about working for this 31,000 student and 6,000 employee university system is that collegiality and respect runs rampant. For me, working for Granite State College’s relatively new graduate programs, I get a positive affirmation from a colleague almost each time I meet someone new. We are free to collaborate, explore, expand and discover the talents that each institution has that could benefit a sister school, and our voices are heard when we speak of ideas and change.  Here, the equation is 1 + 1 = 3. Yes, you get more when you work together with excellence in leadership with what you have.
 

The more I thought about this academic environment I call my professional home, I began to realize that we also teach our students how we behave, or even better, what we believe. The collegiality in the USNH parallels the Granite State College Master of Science in Leadership.  In part, the pedagogy behind our program in leadership comes from scholar Joe Raelin's Four C’s of Leadership: Collective, Concurrent, Collaborative and Compassionate. We are collective, which means that we can all serve as leaders, and can be heard. Concurrent is the thought that we can all have a say; a contribution is an important part of the process. Collaboratively, we all work together and engage in dialogue. And lastly, we have compassion, which preserves the dignity of everyone on the team, especially when an action is taken.

At GSC and our sister institutions, we practice this on a daily basis.  Collectively, we work together coming up with solutions and ideas that serve the greater good of our students and our community—including our sister institutions. Concurrently, we are free to have leadership at all levels in our institutions—we are all important members. Collaboratively, we work together until a mutual idea is brought forth and found to be the best solution. And, we are compassionate through our humble nature. We don’t gloat. We worked together.

At Granite State College, our graduate programs' philosophy is to teach what you practice.

This morning, instead of heading to Granite State College, GSC’s President paid a visit to a different kind of education institution:  Bow Elementary School!

Dr. Todd Leach, along with fellow college and university presidents across New Hampshire, joined young children in classrooms around the state for Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, a world-record-breaking campaign in which adults and children nationwide will read the same book on the same day to establish the largest group of people ever to collectively read the same story on a single date.

This year Jumpstart’s featured book is the New York Times bestselling children’s book, Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis.  

The purpose of this event is to shine a national spotlight on America's early education achievement gap and to highlight Jumpstart's programs as a way to address this crisis. It’s a goal that GSC certainly understands.

In our School of Education, the teacher preparation programs focus in on the critical shortage areas that exist in education, which includes our early childhood education major.

GSC is proud to support Jumpstart’s mission through Read for the Record and proud to contribute by empowering future educators in our undergraduate degree programs and post-baccalaureate programs for teacher education.

On a personal note...

As a Jumpstart alumni, I was excited to learn that the New Hampshire College and University Presidents were going to participate in 2012's Read for the Record and it was a pleasure to help coordinate on behalf of GSC! I did three terms of service while I was earning my bachelor's degree and even have some photos to prove it (note the "vintage" Jumpstart blue from 7 years ago!). 

-Jacqui Lantagne
Marketing Specialist, Granite State College
Jumpstart Corps Member and Team Leader, 2004-2007
 

I read a recent survey of the cost of a graduate degree—and it got me thinking. Here’s what I am trying to understand: A Mercedes-Benz is expensive. You can find a model for $80K. Yes, it is aesthetically beautiful, comfortable, and prestigious. A Toyota Prius is roughly one-third of the cost of the Benz. The Prius is practical, well-designed, and extremely fuel efficient. However, the most important similarity is that both cars get the driver to the same place.

Fast forward to graduate programs in New Hampshire. There are many choices. Do they get you to the same place? Granite State College’s Master of Science in Leadership and MS in Project Management offer similar curriculum and assessments linked to professional standards as other higher-priced institutions, extremely good student customer service and care, pragmatic skills for an evolving and global marketplace, faculty who are experts in their subject matter, online and in-person course options, and finally, affordability.

If you are interested in looking further into an experience at Granite State College, and into the Master of Science in Leadership and the Master of Science in Project Management—I will be in Durham on Wednesday, August 8, from 12 to 1pm to conduct a drop-in info session at Memorial Union, Theater One. I hope to see you there!

Hi, GSC Students!

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting the Granite State College Alumni Learner Association (ALA)! This is a group of wonderful people made up of both current Granite State College students and Granite State College alumni. I got to sit in on one of their meetings and listen in on some of the exciting new things the group is putting together for the GSC community.

For the first time since 1992, the ALA is offering a series of fun summer/fall events this year to provide a venue for current GSC students and alumni to make new friends, see old friends, and support our fantastic college! This is also a great opportunity to get out this summer and see some of the beautiful sights of New Hampshire:

August 18 (Saturday)

The first event is a NH Fisher Cats Baseball Game complete with VIP luxury seating and an all-you-can-eat cook-out buffet. The Buffet starts at 6:30pm, and the game starts at 7:05pm. Bring your family! Register by August 8th.

September 29 (Saturday)

The second event is a Conway Scenic Railroad trip on the Notch Train in the Hattie Evans Dinner Car. You'll get the opportunity to view the beautiful fall foliage in First Class seating with a 3-course dinner included. The train leaves at 11:30am. Register by September 19th.

October 14 (Sunday)

The third and final event of the series is a Mount Washington Dinner Sunset Cruise. Experience a beautiful fall sunset out on the water while enjoying a two-course dinner buffet. Check-in starts at 4:15pm with a 5pm depart time. Register by October 4th.

For more information on the Granite State College Alumni Learner Association and to find out ways in which you can be involved, please see their web page: http://www.granite.edu/students/alumni.php

At Granite State College, we are proud to serve students of all ages!

Typically, these students are at least over the age of 18. However on May 10th, we experienced a notable exception for the 5th Annual Mount Washington Valley Regional Science and Technology Fair.

Middle and High School students from across New Hampshire (and even some in Maine!) came to our Conway Campus to share their projects and explore the results of some incredible work!

Granite State College annually hosts the fair, and members of our faculty and staff work to produce the event and serve on the judging panel.

We were incredibly impressed with the students' work! Personally, I learned which type of fire wood is the most effective, the type of fishing line that can bear the most weight, what color t-shirt will dry the quickest, and which genre of music I can listen to without affecting how many words I can type per minute.

Congratulations to all of the students, and please enjoy some of the moments that were captured at the fair:

If you are a skier and want to go someplace with awesome skiing, then Banff and Lake Louise should be on your bucket list. Yes, the skiing was wonderful and the views high in the mountains were breathtaking.  I know this because I just got back from Banff a couple weeks ago. Yes, I was sore from skiing but that is only because I hadn't skied in about four years.  We spent a week there and got to enjoy many days at both resorts and also got to go on a sleigh ride and evebn did a little dog sledding. 

The snow was deep and just perfect for skiing.  In Lake Louise they had people called "Friends" that would take you around and show you the runs.  I pretty much stayed on the green runs most of the time. Of course their green runs were like Michigans blue runs.  These friends were very helpful, they would gage how you skied and show you the runs that best suited your expertise.  

So I learned which runs were the best for me and which ones I would gradually advance too. I had so much fun and if you have never been there, go.  But in saying that, it is all part of living and learning as we go through life. I learned the level and type of runs I should ski on and when you are in school, you learn how to study. At Granite State College, I learned that I needed a study group when I was attending my adult education classes. I realized this even more when I was taking accelerated studies classes on weekends.  You only had a short time to retain a lot of information. Study groups just worked for me. I had them when I started college in Tennessee and I kind of put a group together when I got into my classes in New Hampshire.  Anyways, learning new things is good, perfecting skills in skiing is a good thing also. I don't think I will ski anymore this year, but next year, watch out. I will be headed for the slopes once again!!

Today was a day meant to do good things. There was a fundraising activity for Make A Wish in Romulus, Michigan, which is just about fiffeteen minutes away from where I live. So we went for the drive and I bowled for the cause.  I actually bowled the best game I have bowled in years. Very proud to say a 157 score.  Now, Now, you folks that bowl over 200, I know what you are thinking, but keep it to yourself, I am feeling good about the whole experience.  I met some new friends and had a good time raising money for some not so healthy children.  I try to participate in fundraisers whenever I can as I feel it is giving back to the community and helping out a good cause.  I rode fifty miles for MS last summer and plan on doing that again this year. I have friends with MS and they struggle so if we can gather together to maybe help this medical issue, then we should. There are plenty of fundraisers people can do across the United States, I am sure there are some up in New Hampshire as well. There are probably some that Granite State College supports. Check out websites..I just checked out the US. Bike Route System http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/nbrn/usbikewaysystem.cfm because I love to bike and if I can help build pathways, I am good to go. Enjoy your day and give back!!

Since arriving in New Hampshire in June 2011 to serve as the Dean for Graduate Studies at Granite State College, graduate education has emerged from an initiative to a norm. The Master of Science in Project Management was launched in September 2011. We had a great response to this launch evident by the number of students enrolling in the program. Students have commented on the applicability of what they are learning in their courses to their jobs. I have heard from students that they are able to make an instant impact at their employer by applying the principles they learn in class to their work the next day. Kudos to our GSC instructors. The Project Management  Program  at Granite State is deeply aligned with the Project Management Institute's Body of  Knowledge. The Project Management Body of Knowledge can be found in the PMBOK Guide. These knowledge areas are considered the standards for project management.

 If you have an interest in trying out Project Management college courses or "testing the waters" before you formally apply, visit our website to find out more information.

Scott Stanley, Ed.D

Dean of Graduate Studies

Granite State College

I recently attended the Business NH Health Care Summit in Manchester - an event and topic that interests me greatly, thanks to my role as program director of the Granite State College Bachelors degree in Health Care Management. The New England Director of the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Christi Hager, delivered the keynote where she discussed what has transpired since Health Care Reform was introduced and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  Many businesses and agencies were represented at the conference and all are grappling with the high cost of health care benefits. Small companies tend to pay 18% more in premiums than larger corporations resulting in them being a third less likely to offer insurance. The State Based Insurance Exchange will make coverage more affordable for small businesses and is slated to be available in 2014. 

We learned that New Hampshire has one of the highest quality health care delivery systems in the country and has the highest rate of private insurance coverage at 72%.

A panel consisting of HR representatives from a large corporation and a small business, a physician, the president of NH Hospital Association, a representative from AARP, and someone from Harvard Pilgrim N.E. answered questions and discussed emerging trends.   Health care costs have lead to a trend in companies and insurance agencies to promote wellness among their employees. These initiatives range from discounts on health club memberships, sport teams, onsite health professionals, onsite fitness centers, regular safety assessments, smoke-free workplaces, walking clubs, and preventative care, to free health coach consultations from insurance providers.   The bottom line is that to control health care costs, companies need to embrace wellness programs.

How do you get started? 

• Get connected with your HR department
• Form a wellness committee
• Connect with other business – find out what they’ve done and set benchmarks
• Create the infrastructure to support the initiative and promote cultural transformation
• Develop an action plan – get data- build collaboration
• Get to know your co-workers/employees
• Investigate what support your insurer may provide
• Develop partnership with local pharmacist to assist with education in the workplace
• Go to: http://healthaffairs.org/

For the past several months I have been touring New Hampshire with a colleague promoting Granite State College’s new Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management. This degree program offers courses in health care administration, policy, emerging trends, fiscal management, and health information systems.

The specialized skills you will acquire from this degree will prepare you to coordinate technology, people and resources. Job opportunities exist in a number of health related settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, health care agencies, non-profits, non-governmental agencies such as the Red Cross, and medical practices. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, ten of the 20 fastest growing occupations are health care related. Health care will also generate 3.2 million new wage and salary jobs before 2018, more than any other industry, largely in response to rapid growth in the elderly population. http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs035.htm

We have visited Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Catholic Medical Center, New London Hospital, The VT/NH annual conferences for Physical Therapists, Respiratory Therapists and Occupational Therapists and several of the NH Community Colleges. It’s great to be able to go where potential students are and answer their questions, provide materials, and arrange appointments. In addition, at every event, we’ve had GSC alumni stop by to say hello and let us know how their degree has impacted their lives and career opportunities.

If you already have college credit, let us evaluate your transcripts as you may qualify for the “Fast Track” degree completion option and earn your bachelor’s degree online in as little as 18 months! Visit us online at www.granite.edu or call us toll free at 1-888-228-3000 for more information or to get started today!