Berlin, N.H. (July 18, 2025) – White Mountains Community College (WMCC) received the Community Partner of The Year Award from the New Hampshire Department of Corrections (NHDOC) for its work with the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility (NNHCF) to provide opportunities for students to enroll in a course of study and earn associate degrees through the college. This foundational partnership culminated in the first-ever graduation ceremony in the facility recently for the inaugural cohort of students, who received degrees in Business and Liberal Arts.
Goals of the program include helping to prepare participants for life and employment post-release, but are also centered on rehabilitation, reducing recidivism and enhancing facility safety. The WMCC NHDOC Prison Education Program model is also the basis for a planned expansion of the program at a second Community College System of NH (CCSNH) College – NHTI – Concord’s Community College. The goal is to provide similar programming within the two corrections facilities in the city serving men and women.
The program began in March 2023. Participants were enrolled in classes full-time and received onsite instruction by WMCC faculty, using the same curriculum offered at the college. Two more cohorts of 26 individuals are currently enrolled in the program.
The ceremony was held in the gym of the NNHCF with over 100 people in attendance including the graduates, their families, faculty and staff from WMCC, CCSNH and the NHDOC. WMCC President Sarmad Saman welcomed attendees, noting the NNHCF serves as another campus for WMCC and that students are given the same academic opportunity and rigor, with access to counseling and advice that helps students complete their programming.
“Our mission is to change lives and make sure we have an educated workforce that will improve our economy – your success is our success,” Saman said.
The program was envisioned and modeled several years ago. WMCC received approval from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as a Second Chance Pell Program (SCP), which allows incarcerated individuals to apply for federal Pell Grants to pay for classes. In 2024, the NHDOC formally approved the Prison Education Program proposal, noting its alignment with both NHDOC’s rehabilitation goals and WMCC’s educational mission.
Nicholas Duffy, director of rehabilitative services with NHDOC, delivered congratulatory remarks on behalf of the department. “You are trailblazers. Real growth comes from perseverance. You turned challenges into stepping stones and adversity into opportunity. Graduation is impressive, but doing so in prison takes more – it means seeing beyond these walls around you and beyond the stigma,” he said.
Commencement ceremonies at the facility are expected to become annual going forward as the effort gains momentum. Legislation passed in New Hampshire 2024 to create a Corrections Education and Vocational Planning Group (CEVPG) will help support program expansion based on key goals. The CEVPG aims to enhance career and educational programming within NHDOC to improve facility safety, public safety, reduce recidivism rates and bolster employability and self-efficacy among incarcerated individuals. Key partners include NHDOC, CCSNH, New England Board of Higher Education, and the University System of New Hampshire.
White Mountains Community College (WMCC) is located in Berlin, New Hampshire with a satellite campus in Littleton, and is one of seven colleges in the Community College System of New Hampshire. WMCC offers associate degree and certificate programs, plus training options, preparing students for 21st century job opportunities as well as transfer pathways to four-year colleges and universities. WMCC is fully accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Courses within WMCC and the Community College System are the most affordable in New Hampshire and the Littleton Academic Center increases access to all students in the North Country Region. Courses are available day, evening and online. WMCC courses transfer to four-year colleges and universities in New Hampshire and across the country.
