WMCC Student Resources

Incentive Program Aimed at Keeping Our Graduates

Katharine Eneguess, President of White Mountains Community College

In the midst of a crisis, it is easy to get so wrapped up in the immediacy of the problem that we fail to see the forest for the trees. Because of the overwhelming need to address the situation before us, there is a tendency to put aside long term planning. There is also a tendency, in this myopic focus on the here-and- now, to think that the future will be a continuation of the present. When times are bad, we think that they will never get any better. When times are good, we think they are never going to get bad again.

In reality, life is a mixture of both good and bad times, in both our personal and professional lives. Trying to stop the ups and downs would be like trying to stop the waves in the ocean, but that shouldn't keep us from sailing forward. While we can't control the actions of the wind and water, we do have it within our control to build and maintain a sea-worthy craft and to plot a course. Part of that maintenance is making sure we have the workforce ready to use their skills and imagination to move us forward.

Over the last few years you've heard much about the aging of the North Country population. This winter the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire released the results of a survey of Coös County youth. It was hardly surprising that a majority of the youth population thinks they will have to leave the North Country in order to make a living. Local and state economic development organizations, too, are aware of this, and have collaborated on workforce development issues. While this situation is especially acute in Coös County, the state is aging, too. Nationally, New Hampshire ranks fifth in median age of the population.

Recently the University System of New Hampshire unveiled an initiative aimed at keeping 55 percent of the graduates of colleges and universities in the state after they have completed their education. A key part of that effort is the Stay Work Play Incentive Program in which participating companies, over the course of four years, pay down up to $8,000 on federal college loans of newly hired college graduates. Rolled out this winter, this program will benefit both the new employee and the employer. Employers can cut down on hiring and training costs, retain good employees, and employees can count on help paying off college loan debt.

The program is open to any company employing entry level workers in New Hampshire. Students are eligible if they've graduated with a degree within the last 36 months from a two or four year New Hampshire college or university. The incentive payments are made directly to the college loan provider in increasing amounts that add up to $8,000 at the end of four years.

As a member of the New Hampshire College and University Council, we are a partner in this effort. Because of the non-residential aspect and the flexible scheduling of the Community College System of New Hampshire, many of our students are already rooted in their communities and don't plan on moving out of state. However, we need to look at the broader picture, and we support these efforts because they make good sense. Our graduates who stay community-based will need skilled and educated co-workers so that their employers can remain competitive, and, when our graduates go into business for themselves, will need their own skilled and educated employees.

Even in challenging economic times there are opportunities. Retaining more of our college graduates will help us take advantage of those opportunities, and will ensure that we have enough hands on deck when the economic winds pick up again.

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