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New England College

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Coordinates: 43°10′34″N 71°49′20″W / 43.17611°N 71.82222°W / 43.17611; -71.82222
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Not to be confused with University of New England (disambiguation).
New England College
New England College shield
MottoDura duranda alta petenda
Motto in English
"We work hard to achieve greater heights"
TypePrivate, non-profit
Established1946; 78 years ago (1946)
Academic affiliations
NHCUC
Endowment$24.9 million (2020)[1]
PresidentWayne F. Lesperance, Jr.[2]
Students4,327 (fall 2020)[3]
Undergraduates1,776 (fall 2020)[3]
Postgraduates2,551 (fall 2020)[3]
Location
Henniker, New Hampshire
,
U.S.

43°10′34″N 71°49′20″W / 43.17611°N 71.82222°W / 43.17611; -71.82222
CampusRural, 220 acres (89 ha)
ColorsRed, blue, and navy
NicknamePilgrims
Sporting affiliations
MascotPatty the Pilgrim
Websitewww.nec.edu

New England College (NEC) is a private liberal arts college in Henniker, New Hampshire. As of Fall 2020 New England College's enrollment was 4,327 students (1,776 undergraduate and 2,551 graduate).[4] The college is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.[5]

History

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Founded in 1946,[4] New England College was established to serve the needs of servicemen and women attending college on the G.I. Bill after World War II.[6] In 1970, the college purchased the Tortington Park School for Girls in Arundel, in the English county of West Sussex. For a time, the school functioned as an extension campus for NEC students wishing to study abroad; at one point, the college even changed its logo to incorporate the flags of both countries. However, the Arundel campus closed in 1998.[7]

John Lyons Academic Center

Campus

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NEC is located in the small town of Henniker, New Hampshire, approximately 17 miles (27 km) west of Concord, the state's capital; 31 miles (50 km) northwest of Manchester; and 81 miles (130 km) northwest of Boston.[8] The Contoocook River runs through the center of town and alongside the NEC campus. A covered bridge joins the main campus with roughly 20 acres (8.1 ha) of athletic fields.

The 225-acre (91 ha) campus, which has no distinct borders separating it from the town of Henniker, features 30 buildings, many of which feature white clapboard-style siding or brick mid-century architecture. The campus is known throughout New England for promoting environmental education initiatives. Pats Peak ski resort lies just outside the village center, and many students participate in outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, whitewater rafting, hiking in the White Mountains, and rock-climbing.[9]

Academics

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The Institute of Art & Design at New England College in Manchester

New England College offers nine associate degree programs, 37 bachelor's degree programs, 12 master's degree programs, and one doctoral degree program. The programs are divided into four divisions: Art & Design, Humanities, Management & the Science, Health & Education Division.[10] The college is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and all programs offered by New England College are included in this regional accreditation.[5] The school's business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Additionally, the school's Teacher Education Program (including endorsements in Physical Education, Special Education, Elementary Education, and Secondary Education) is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education.[11] Currently, the school employs 40 full-time faculty members and holds a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio.[10]

U.S. News & World Report ranks New England College #131–#171 in "Regional Universities – North, Tier 2."[12] New England College ranks tied for 173 on the U.S. News & World Report list for "Best Online Bachelor's Programs".[13]

Student life

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Henniker Bridge connects NEC campus with its athletic fields, and is listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.

The college is home to 27 student organizations, including various student government committees and Kappa Delta Phi NAS. There were originally five chapters of Greek life: two sororities (Kappa Phi Sigma and Phi Sigma Sigma) and three fraternities (Sigma Phi Delta, Lambda Epsilon Delta, and Sigma Alpha Beta), but those dissolved beginning in the late 2000s. Students also publish an award-winning campus newspaper called The New Englander and operate a campus-based radio station, WNEC-FM.[10]

New England College opened an esports arena in January 2019.[14] This club sport at NEC is closely connected to several academic programs, such as Game and Digital Media Design and programs focusing on art, writing, marketing, graphic or website design, science, and strategy.[15]

Diversity

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NEC has been publicly recognized by Time magazine as one of the top 25 colleges in the nation which have diversified their student body the most since 1990.[16] The college strengthened its diversity efforts by establishing an Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). The ODI holds annual events that observe minority communities such as African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native American & LGBTQ students."[17]

Athletics

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Not to be confused with New England Pilgrims (professional softball team).

New England College's Pilgrims compete in 21 intercollegiate NCAA Division III athletic sports, including soccer, lacrosse, ice hockey, field hockey, softball, baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, wrestling, volleyball, rugby, and alpine skiing.[18] The Pilgrims compete in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). They were previously members of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) from 2011 to 2018 and the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) from 1989 to 2011.[19] In 2023, NEC announced the official reopening of their varsity football program after a 50-year hiatus. They will compete at the NCAA Division III level, and be coached by Kevin Kelly, a former linebackers coach in the XFL.[20]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  2. ^ "New England College Celebrates Inauguration of President Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr".
  3. ^ a b c "New England College - Profile, Rankings and Data". US News Best Colleges. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b "New England College". New England College. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b "About NEC: Accreditation". New England College. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  6. ^ "New England College Introduces Redesigned Website Featuring Online De…". Archive.is. 29 September 2014. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Tortington Manor History".
  8. ^ "New England College". New England College. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  9. ^ "New England College". New England College. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  10. ^ a b c "New England College". New England College. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  11. ^ "New England College". New England College. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  12. ^ "New England College | Best Colleges | US News". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  13. ^ "New England College | Best Online Programs | US News". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  14. ^ "New England College". New England College. 2019-01-24. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
  15. ^ "New England College". New England College. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
  16. ^ "New England College | Top Diverse Colleges | Time Magazine". Time Magazine. 18 December 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  17. ^ "New England College | Office of Diversity and Inclusion |". Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  18. ^ "Official Athletics Website". New England College Athletics. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  19. ^ "NEC Athletics to Join North Atlantic Conference". New England College Athletics. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  20. ^ "Go Long! New England College Adds Football to Its Athletics Playbook".
  21. ^ Minor, E. Kyle (July 12, 1998), "What's Behind the Forecast? Pure Poetry", New York Times.
  22. ^ Bunning, Rachel. "Graduating with her master’s degree in history, student plunges into the world of research", ASU News, 7 December 2020. Retrieved on 9 March 2021.
  23. ^ Morton, Spencer (February 2, 2009). "Steve Zirnkilton: The man behind the voice". The Maine Campus. University of Maine. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
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