NHTI – Concord's Community College

NHTI – Concord's Community College
	NHTI's Sweeney Hall, Student and Fitness Centers, and quad
Motto	"Start here, Go anywhere!"
Type	Public community college
Established	1961
Parent institution	Community College System of New Hampshire
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
President	Gretchen Mullin-Sawicki
Academic staff	110 full-time; 300 adjunct
Students	2,378 day; 1,548 evening/weekend
Location	Concord, New Hampshire, United States
Campus	Urban
Colors	Maroon and Gold
Mascot	Lynx
Website	www.nhti.edu

NHTI – Concord's Community College is a public community college in Concord, New Hampshire. It is part of the Community College System of New Hampshire and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The college, which opened in 1965,^[1] was known as New Hampshire Technical Institute until 2007, when its current name was adopted to reflect its growth as a community college with broad offerings in both technical and general education.^[2]

History[]

Outside Little Hall, Mechanical Engineering wing

The college's roots and its former name comes from post-World War II veterans' training programs in Manchester and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. However, neither of these institutions were accredited colleges.

The college was created by legislation passed in the New Hampshire General Court in 1961. The legislation followed several years of investigation and exploration by a special committee.^{[citation needed]} The group took special guidance from the two-year college system then operating in North Carolina. Two-year colleges were an innovation in New Hampshire.^{[citation needed]} The legislation created six colleges and led to an active search for campus sites in Concord, Nashua, Manchester, Portsmouth, Claremont, Laconia and Berlin. Only the Concord college retained the NHTI designation; the six others were named New Hampshire Vocational Technical College at [name of city].

Academics[]

NHTI offers 31 associate degree programs, two professional certificate programs, one diploma degree program (four years), and 32 certificate programs of study. Majors range from business to engineering to criminal justice, and also include a wide range of healthcare options, such as nursing, dental hygiene, radiology, and paramedic training.

Under an agreement with the University of New Hampshire, NHTI engineering technology students can participate in a dual-admissions program that allows them, upon completion of an associate degree, to transfer those credits and continue their studies at UNH or other USNH institutions to earn a bachelor's degree.

The college has an open admission policy, accepting any applicant with a high school diploma, and students may enroll at any time before the school year begins.

The robotics and automation engineering technology (RAET) program was added in 2013 under the support of a $19.97 million federal grant, with the first class of students graduating in May 2015.^[3] This program focuses on the usage of industrial robots in various industries, as well as the use of PLC units in mass production. It additionally includes a course on lean manufacturing, one of the most advanced and efficient ways of manufacturing, invented by Taiichi Ohno.

The most recent curriculum expansion was the addition of an Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA) certification, which was launched in May 2016. The 10-student program consists of 8-weeks of rigorous clinical training for current dental assistants, and is geared toward expanded capabilities and efficiency in dental practices.^[4]

Some of the students who graduate from NHTI choose to transfer to another four-year institution to continue their education. NHTI offers a variety of transfer agreements with various universities that accept most to all of the credits earned at NHTI.^[5]

NHTI offers "Running-Start" credits for high schools around New Hampshire. Specific classes taken at the high school level can be accredited towards an associate degree.^[6]

Campus[]

Sweeney Hall as it appeared in 2008, with the NHTI Bistro below it and the Student Center to the right.

NHTI's main campus in Concord covers 240 acres (97 ha), includes three residence halls, and is also home to the , the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, and the offices for the Community College System of New Hampshire. Approximately 10% of all students live on campus.^{[citation needed]}