Left: Bob Corrigan, Right: Dan McCrum
The New Hampshire Community College - Berlin will be going through some personnel changes before the start of fall classes. Dan McCrum, Vice President of Academic and Community Affairs, and Bob Corrigan, Community and Corporate Outreach, are retiring this summer after stellar careers at the College.
Dan McCrum began his career at the college in 1971 teaching mathematics. He remained a math professor at the college for 29 years, and in 2000 became the Vice President of Academic and Community Affairs. During his career, McCrum witnessed the tremendous growth the college has gone through. One of the major changes over the past thirty years was the shift in the student body, notes McCrum. In the seventies, when the college focused heavily on vocational courses such as automotive, males dominated the student body count. In the early eighties, when the college integrated business and the nursing program, females made up a large part of the population at the college. Today the college is at a 3-2 female to male ratio. McCrum said he noticed the shift in age differences as well at the college. When he began teaching, students came to NHCTC right out of high school but over the years, the shift was to more nontraditional students. Today the trend has reverted to high school graduates taking advantage of the college's ease of transferability. McCrum says more students are beginning their college careers at NHCTC and then transferring to one of the several four year colleges that accept the credits.
According to McCrum, during his tenure, the College has always been aware of the needs of the community when designing new programs. "As changes occur locally, well thought-out program planning has been critical, not only to the community and businesses, but to the students looking for jobs after graduation," he says. The new Medical Assistant certificate program , which begins in September, is a perfect example of meeting the needs of the community and businesses. "There's a shortage of medical assistants and no place in the area to get that training. College personnel found a way to make that program happen and in September, over 20 students will be enrolled in the Medical Assistant certificate," says McCrum. It's a prime example of the College and businesses working together for a common cause, he adds.
McCrum's hopes for the future of the college include changing NHCTC into a campus with more of a New Hampshire Technical Institute feel. "I'd like to see the college grown into a true campus. Adding more unique programs for students, a wellness center, a residence hall, and a small gymnasium/auditorium also for community use will go a long way to help us in our mission," says McCrum. Expanding and utilizing the Twitchell House for admissions is a good start, he adds. "The college needs to look to maintain community programs and look for more collaborative efforts, like the four-year education degree program that has been set up with Plymouth State University, beginning this fall. President Kathy Eneguess has done a lot of hard work to see things like this happen."
According to McCrum, the College has a truly dedicated faculty and staff who strive to make positive things happen. He knows the can-do attitude will persist when he's gone. "I'm looking forward to retirement, but after 33 years, I'm leaving with mixed emotions. It will seem strange when September rolls around not to be welcoming faculty and students, but I'll adjust." McCrum plans to spend more time with his family, and to hike and ski.
Another void occurred at the college with the semi-retirement of Bob Corrigan, who began his employment at NHCTC in the fall of 2000. Bob actually held two titles at the college, Director of the Center for Training and Business Development (CTBD) and Coordinator of the Division of Community Education (DCE), noncredit offerings. While the two positions exist on each campus of NHCTC, the college has managed to bring the functions together in Berlin by focusing on noncredit training, workshops, and courses. Sometimes as open enrollment programs (DCE) and sometimes as customized training programs (CTBD) delivered as either company-specific or industry-specific training programs. "We must keep focused on the technical side of the college," Corrigan said. "Highly technical manufacturing is alive and well and provides some of the best jobs in New Hampshire."
Although Corrigan started at the college in 2000, his teaching career actually began in 1967, and continued in public schools until 1999. He will begin a part-time position at the college as the Running Start coordinator, later this summer. "The Running Start Program was developed five years ago, and coincides with the growing trend of younger people going to college, and the ease of transferring credits from NHCTC to a four year school," explains Corrigan. "The program provides more options for students who wish to begin receiving college credits while still in high school."
Corrigan's hopes for the College also center on growth. He would like to see the creation of a technical trade center. "We should be utilizing resources that are already in the community to create a center to educate students in the areas of electricity, plumbing, and maybe even carpentry. The market is there. We need to use an entrepreneurial methodology towards creating new programs." Although not at the College as long a McCrum, Corrigan says it will be hard not to see the "team" comprised of College staff and faculty on a daily basis. "This really has been a wonderful place to work. The people are so dedicated and care about the services they are providing. I'm looking forward to returning in a part-time capacity later this summer," says Corrigan.
"I know I speak for all members of our College community when I say these two men will be missed. They represent the epitome of the word gentlemen. They are professional and dedicated to the core. When they leave, a lot of knowledge goes out the door with them. Both will leave big shoes to fill. We wish them well as they transition to the next phase of their lives," says Martha Laflamme, Vice President of Student and Corporate Affairs.
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