Collaboration between NH Colleges and Industry

BUSINESS. I AM FRED KOGER. NEW HAMPSHIRE COLLEGES ARE PARTNERING WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESSES MORE THAN EVER. AND BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF WORKFORCE, ESPECIALLY IN HOSPITALS AND ONE OF THOSE FACULTIES IS LINCOLN COLLEGE IN HENNIKER. NOW AT THE HEAD, ITS FIRST HISPANIC PRESIDENT, DR. WAYNE LESPERANCE. WELCOME. IT’S NICE TO HAVE YOU. THANKS, FRED. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I WOULD BE IN THE STUDIO, YOU JUST BREAK YOUR FOOT AND YOU’RE IN A PLASTER, SO I HOPE YOU’RE GETTING BETTER. YES IT IS. THANK YOU FOR. THANKS FOR. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR COOPERATION WITH HOSPITALS AND ABOUT THE RATES OF DIPLOMAS WHICH ARE INTERESTING AT THIS MOMENT. BUT FIRST, TWO YEARS OF CHANGE HAVE PASSED FOR ALL OF US, FOR THE FACULTY, FOR YOUR STUDENTS, FOR ALL OF US. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WHAT HAPPENED DIFFERENTLY TO THE FACULTY IN THOSE TWO YEARS? WELL, YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT EVERYTHING WE DID DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD TO PUT INTO BOXES AND WONDER HOW WE ARE TO OUR STUDENTS. THEIR ABILITY TO BE ON CAMPUS OR REMOTELY. AND SOMETIMES IT IS ALSO NAVIGATING WHEN THE STUDENT ACTUALLY GOT COVID 19 AND ALLOWING THEM TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR EDUCATION. THE FACULTY HAD TO LEARN TO TEACH IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAY INCLUDING ONLINE AND HYBRID COURSES. YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM ATHLETICS THROUGH DINING ROOM SERVICES TO OUR WELLNESS FACILITIES, VACCINATION CLINIC. AND WE HAD TO FIND HELP FOR ALL THIS. SO PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE STATE, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE ARE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THAT SIDE. BUT HONESTLY, FRED, EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. ALL. FAMILIES BEGAN TO DISPUTE THE VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN GENERAL. YOU KNOW, IF I CAN STUDY FROM HOME, YOU KNOW, SHOULD I GO TO SCHOOL? FOR SOME STUDENTS, IT IS A NON-BEGINNING. THEY DEFINITELY WANT THE CAMPUS EXPERIENCE AT THE FACULTY. BUT FOR OTHERS, LEARNING FROM HOME AND SAVING ON CAMPUS LIVING COSTS ARE IMPORTANT. SO YOU NOW HAVE YOUR TUITION FROZEN FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WHICH IS ALSO A CHANGE. TO SWITCH TO BUSINESS COOPERATION. HERE IS THE TITLE OF THE POST YOU JUST MADE IN DECEMBER. NEW FACULTY IN HIGH DEMAND, NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE PARTNERS WITH CATHOLIC MEDICAL CENTER TO MEET DEMAND FOR MORE NURSES. YOU HAVE NOW WORKED WITH CONCORD HOSPITAL AND NEW HAMPSHIRE INSURANCE WITH STATE OFFICERS TEACHING YOUR STUDENTS. SO, THE QUESTION IS, IS THIS A GROWING TREND IN COLLEGE EDUCATION? ABSOLUTELY NOT. JUST HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, BUT FOR US FOR CERTAINLY, THIS IS A BIG DEAL. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONCORD HOSPITAL, WE ADDED A CATHOLIC MEDICAL CENTER AND RECENTLY ADDED A HOSPITAL. THE DEMAND FOR NURSES WAS GREAT BEFORE THE COVID, AND YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH STRONGER THE DEMAND IS AFTER THE COVID. AND THAT’S WHY WE HAVE A THREE-YEAR ADMISSION PROGRAM FOR NURSES TO PRACTICE IN THE FIELD IMMEDIATELY. THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE IS ALSO IMPORTANT. IMAGINE CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS, BUSINESS STUDENTS HAVING DIRECT ACCESS TO PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND REGULATORS AT THE STATE LEVEL. ALL THIS INFORMS OUR STUDENTS AND LEADS TO THE JOBS THEY FINISH. AND THAT IS OUR POINT. THAT’S THE GOAL WE WANT TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS HAVE A STRONG OPPORTUNITY TO GET A GOOD JOB HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, IF POSSIBLE, WHEN THEY GRADUATE. THAT. FINALLY, NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE GRADUATION RATES. IT WAS IN THE NEWS RECENTLY, AS YOU KNOW. SO I LOOKED UP THE GRADUATION RATES AND HERE THEY ARE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, MAINE CAMPUS, 78%. SENIORS, 77 CAME STATE COLLEGE, 60 OUT OF STATE, 53. FRANKLIN PIERCE, 42. SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY 39. AND NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE 21. ARE THESE RATES FALLING? PRICES ARE FALLING AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS AT THE TOP OF MY LIST AS THE NEW PRESIDENT HERE AT NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE IS ADDRESSING BOTH RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATE. IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO ADDRESS. LIKE MANY SCHOOLS, KOVID 19 HAS AFFECTED US, BUT WE ARE PART OF IT. FRED, WE HAVE LONG BELIEVED THAT PART OF OUR MISSION IS TO USE CASES WITH THE STUDENTS, TO USE CERTAIN CASES WITH THE STUDENTS. IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A 4.0 STUDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL TAKING DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH THE WAY WE THINK OF THEM AND GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AND BE SUCCESSFUL. WE ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. SO OUR DESIRE TO CREATE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS IS WHAT DRIVES US. AND SO, WHEN YOU DO THAT, WHEN YOU TAKE THAT APPROACH, YOU ARE EXPOSED TO GREATER RISK. AND I KNOW I WILL HAVE TO FINISH THEN. DR. WAYNE LESPERANCE, THE NEW PRESIDENT OF NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, FRED. HAVE A NICE DAY. AND IF YOU MISSED PART OF THIS BRIEFING DR. LESPERANCE, YOU CAN GO TO TH

NH Business: Cooperation between NH faculties and industry

Fred Kocher is joined by Dr. Wayne Lesperance to discuss what has changed in higher education since the pandemic began

Updated: January 8, 2023 at 7:18 am EST

Fred Kocher, host of NH Business

New Hampshire colleges and universities are partnering with businesses more than ever. With an ongoing workforce shortage in the healthcare industry, New Hampshire hospitals are showing interest in working with students to fill those gaps. In the latest edition of NH Business, host Fred Kocher is joined by Dr. Wayne Lesperance, president of New England College, to discuss these collaborative efforts and what has changed in higher education since the pandemic began.

MANCHESTER, NH —

New Hampshire colleges and universities are partnering with businesses more than ever. With an ongoing workforce shortage in the healthcare industry, New Hampshire hospitals are showing interest in working with students to fill those gaps.

In the latest edition of NH Business, host Fred Kocher is joined by Dr. Wayne Lesperance, president of New England College, to discuss these collaborative efforts and what has changed in higher education since the pandemic began.