Photo(l-r) Mike Stewart; Deborah Stewart, recipient of the President's Good Steward Award; Scott Whittaker; Rachel Dandeneau, recipient of the President's Leadership Award; College President Katharine Eneguess; and College Vice President Martha Laflamme, who accepted the President's Community Partner Award on behalf of the Family Resource Center in Gorham.
New Hampshire Community College-Berlin recently honored two individuals and one agency for their collective efforts to strengthen and improve local communities. Rachel Dandeneau, Deborah Stewart, and the Family Resource Center in Gorham were the honorees. Each was presented with a President’s Award plaque at a ceremony sponsored by Campus Compact. Campus Compact is a statewide consortium of college and university presidents and private sector partners who are united in their commitment to the civic purposes of higher education. Their mission is to be a catalyst to integrate community service and civic responsibility throughout the academic and student life goals of its member institution.
Rachel Dandeneau was named the recipient of the President's Leadership Award. The award is given to an individual student or student organization that has made outstanding contributions to community service, service learning, or civic engagement efforts on their campus. Dandeneau is a senior at CCSNH-Berlin who will graduate later this month with a degree in Environmental Science. Dandeneau will be continuing her studies at Lyndon State College in September. While attending college, she has been very active as a math tutor, a member of the National Honor Society, a trained peer mediator, and a peer outreach club member. She was elected by her peers to serve as a student representative of the NHCTC Board of Trustees since July 2006, where her unique perspective and involvement have created a great impact. "Our Board of Trustees has specifically asked for her opinion and counsel as they continue to deliberate on many topics. The Board will miss this counsel as she now becomes a graduate," says CCSNH-Berlin College President Katharine Eneguess.
Deborah Stewart was named the recipient of the President's Good Steward Award. The award is for a member of the faculty, administration or staff who has contributed his or her professional expertise in service to the wider community and who has significantly advanced public service on their campus. Stewart is a Professor in the Teacher Education program at the college, which she developed in 2003. In the past four years, she has developed the Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation in Childhood Studies K-8 Certification, a Special Education Certificate, and a Career and Technical Certificate. "Deb has developed the only state-wide partnership with a four-year institution, Plymouth State University, offering a Bachelor of Science K-8 Teachers Certification Program on the NHCTC campus utilizing joint faculty appointments. Deb has a vision for the Teacher Prep Program to capitalize on this partnership to foster student interest in teaching careers at local high schools," says Eneguess. "This initiative allows local access to teacher certification and will help to alleviate the critical shortage of teachers in the North Country," adds Eneguess.
The Family Resource Center in Gorham was named the recipient of the President's Community Partner Award. The award is for a non-profit organization that has enhanced the quality of life in the community in meaningful and measurable ways and engaged in the development of sustained, reciprocal partnerships with a college or university. Since its inception in 1997, the Family Resource Center (FRC) has created programs in response to the needs of the community—programs that have made a measurable difference in the lives of many. The Board, Staff and collaborating agencies of the Resource Center have reaffirmed their mission to be a leader, a facilitator and a connector for actions that will improve lives for individuals, families and the community as a whole. The FRC has become a leader in community development initiatives in the North Country. This involves a commitment to work with a wide collaboration of organizations to look at broader issues effecting the health and social needs of the community. "It was this area that brought the FRC and CCSNH-Berlin together. Various agencies and businesses were brainstorming on ways to meet the demand of employers to fill entry level jobs. What resulted was a pilot workforce development program for low income young adults, that links health and social services to job and life skills training through a collaboration of business and non-profits," says Eneguess. The Community Technical College collaborated with the Resource Center by designing curriculum and providing instructors for the pilot program. Together, the two entities, joined by others, created an opportunity to blend many human, technical and financial resources to re-energize a rural area.
The Campus Compact Presidents' Awards luncheon is an annual event held each April. CCSNH-Berlin is one of 24 participating colleges and universities in the State of New Hampshire.
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