Mission Statement
New England College is a creative and supportive learning community that challenges individuals to transform themselves and their world.
Description of Mission
New England College emphasizes experiential learning as an essential component in the development of an enduring academic community. Building upon a strong liberal arts foundation, we challenge our students to reach their full potential through informed discourse and the pursuit of excellence in a framework of academic freedom that reflects the following values:
- Imaginative, innovative, and creative approaches to all endeavors;
- Respect for self in the development of personal, social, physical, and intellectual abilities;
- Caring and collaborative relationships among members of our community;
- Respect for the varied qualities of individuals, communities, and the world;
- An appreciation of beauty and elegance in the search for truth;
- Inquiry into and the pursuit of social justice;
- Ethical and responsible citizenship, including service to the community;
- The pursuit of ecological sustainability;
- Continuous learning and a lifetime of personal achievement.
Basic Facts: NEC at a Glance
The classic New England village of Henniker is home to New England College. The covered bridge, white clapboard buildings, shops, inns, and restaurants might all be seen on a postcard. With the hills of southern New Hampshire as a backdrop and the Contoocook River running through its midst, NEC’s campus immediately draws visitors in to the picturesque setting and makes them feel genuinely welcomed. The sense of community is pervasive and embracing with a strong connection between the College and the town.
Our campus is nestled in the countryside of southern New Hampshire. We have all the modern conveniences, yet hiking, camping, mountain biking, boating, free snow sports, and the observation and study of nature and wildlife abound. Nordic ski trails are available on campus, and free alpine skiing is just two miles away.
Our campus is only about 15 minutes from the New Hampshire capital of Concord and about an hour from Boston. New York City and Montreal, Canada, are about four hours away.
Students at New England College represent and experience great diversity. They discover a community that is internationally and culturally rich; a campus that is inclusive, informal, and friendly; and an educational experience that is challenging. New England College is the most diverse college campus in New Hampshire, with over 30% ethnic diversity among our students, and offers an active LGBTQ+ community. All of these traits leave lasting impressions.
In addition to the array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs that it offers, New England College features a wide range of co‐curricular activities that include both a high and low ropes course. The College supports intercollegiate men’s athletic teams-alpine skiing, baseball, basketball, cross country, football (coming fall 2024), golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, and wrestling-and women’s athletic teams-alpine skiing, basketball, cross country, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, softball, volleyball, and wrestling. More than half of the student body participates in these intercollegiate sports or a club sport like our state-of-the-art eSports team.
There are more than two dozen student organizations from which to choose, including Adventure Bound; QSA: Queer-Straight Alliance; the Student Government Association; and CiviCorps, our organization of citizen scholars and activists. Students publish a campus newspaper, The New Englander, and manage the College’s radio station, WNEC. Cultural events, social activities, and other co‐curricular experiences are regularly scheduled by the Campus Activities Board in collaboration with the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Engagement.
A Brief History of NEC
Academic visionary Boone Tillet identified an important opportunity to serve the educational needs of the numerous veterans returning home at the close of World War II. Their expanded vision of the world had awakened a keen interest in all they had encountered. With the growing demand for higher education and a new G.I. Bill available to finance their education, the service men and women of the Greatest Generation eagerly sought out the degree offerings of the nation’s colleges and universities.
Tillet chose Henniker, New Hampshire, as the home for a new college dedicated to educating returning veterans. He recruited a fellow scholar, Charles Weber, from Hofstra University to serve as the College’s first dean, and he arrived in Henniker with a car full of books from his own library. In 1946, New England College welcomed its first class of 67 men and one woman.
A tireless entrepreneur, Tillet soon moved on to new ventures; the momentum he had created sustained the institution through its formative stage. After only three years, enrollment at New England College had more than quadrupled. Through the 1950s, the College grew steadily, adding new programs, new faculty, and acquiring additional buildings in Henniker. A period of rapid growth in the 1960s resulted in the construction of several new buildings on campus: a residence hall, dining hall, gymnasium, library, and the Science Building.
New England College continued to expand during the early 1970s, this time across the Atlantic Ocean. The acquisition of a second campus in Arundel, West Sussex, England, proved at that time to be an unconventional and innovative approach to education. Students attending the British campus were immersed in a learning environment that was international in its perspective and served to heighten their educational experience.
By the 1980s, the College had increased its enrollment to more than 1,000 students and added steadily to its inventory of academic buildings. The Lee Clement Ice Arena was one of the largest construction projects completed during that decade.
The advent of the 1990s saw an overall decline in enrollment at the nation’s small liberal arts colleges. New England College persevered during the lean financial years, but reluctantly closed its British Campus and focused its energies on its resources in Henniker. New leadership in the ‘90s led to an unprecedented growth in campus facilities with the construction of the Simon Center in 1993, and in student enrollment. The College greatly expanded its graduate degree offerings and centered its undergraduate programming on innovative delivery. A state‐of‐the‐art teaching facility, the Center for Educational Innovation, opened in 2001, and a new art gallery, theater, and fitness center were brought online during this period.
The most recent additions to the New England College campus include the John Lyons Center, named after NEC’s long-time business professor, and the Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts. The Lyons Center, situated where Larter Hall was located, represents a major expansion of academic program. In addition to ten state-of-the-art classrooms, Lyons offers small-group study areas, open study space, and a small café serving Starbucks coffee. The Lyons Center is adjacent to the former Henniker railroad station, completely renovated and rededicated as the Currier Alumni Center. David P. Currier, a former trustee of the College and a member of the Class of 1972, provided a major gift to create a welcoming gathering place for all alumni of the College. In 2019, the Alumni Center relocated to the newly acquired Contoocook House, and the Office of Academic Affairs now occupies the Currier Center. The Putnam Center provides a contemporary venue that advances the performing arts; fosters civic engagement; and promotes and strengthens New England College’s ties to the community, state, and region. Together, these buildings represent the first phases to expanding the southern portion of NEC’s campus.
In July 2019, New England College announced the Institute of Art and Design at New England College, as the New Hampshire Institute of Art merged into NEC and was rebranded. New England College has a long history of commitment to the arts, and this merger allows the College to expand its art and design programs.
Today, New England College continues to provide an enriching educational experience for both undergraduate and graduate students alike, in a dynamic and supportive learning environment. Our degree programs have recently expanded with new programs added to the Graduate and Professional Studies curriculum and the College’s first doctoral program.
Shared Teaching Commitments: NEC’s Approach to Teaching and Learning
New England College Faculty have committed to the following shared teaching commitments:
- A commitment to natural and civic environments.
The NEC community and curriculum promotes engaged and experiential interaction with our rich natural and civic environments.
- A commitment to engaged and experiential teaching principles and practices.
NEC commits itself to a set of Pedagogical Principles and Practices that characterizes our students’ educational experience.
NEC Pedagogical Principles:
- Classroom experiences are connected to the real world
- Courses include physical, hands‐on exercises
- Faculty use alternative modes of teaching and learning
- Courses include outside‐of‐classroom experiences
- Programs include Community Placements or other Experiential Learning activities
- Students’ questions drive instruction and relevance
NEC Pedagogical Practices:
- Problem‐based Learning
- Service Learning
- Place‐Based Learning
- Project‐Based Learning
- Collaborative Learning
- A commitment to the 21st Century Essential Learning outcomes.
A New England College education is grounded in particular 21st century outcomes as articulated by the LEAP Campaign promoted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. These outcomes promote critical thinking skills which are essential for educated members of our society.
Accreditation
New England College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.). The Teacher Preparation Program (and the licenses in art education, elementary education, physical education, secondary education, special education, theatre education, principal, and superintendent) is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education.
New England College is also a member of the New Hampshire College and University Council (NHCUC). Under its Student Exchange Program, students may enroll at other NHCUC institutions to take individual courses or enroll as full‐time students for one or two semesters. This cross‐registration is on a space‐available basis. Courses taken at NHCUC institutions by a matriculating student are considered equivalent to courses taken at New England College, and are included in computing the NEC grade point average. Students wishing to participate in the Student Exchange Program should consult with their academic advisors and pre‐register with the student‐exchange coordinator in the NEC Registrar’s Office.
NHCUC member institutions include Antioch University of New England, Colby‐Sawyer College, the Community College System of New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce University, Granite State College, Hellenic American University, Keene State College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Plymouth State University, Rivier University, Saint Anselm College, Southern New Hampshire University, and the University of New Hampshire. Students remain degree candidates and continue to pay normal New England College tuition, but must make their own room and board arrangements and pay any extra fees (e.g. student activities) directly to the NHCUC institution. New England College is a charter member of Project Pericles and a member of Campus Compact.
Campus Facilities
(98 Bridge Street Henniker, NH 03242)
Simon Center
The heart of NEC’s campus is the Simon Center. The Simon Center is the focal point for many of the College’s co‐curricular activities and larger public presentations. It also houses the Pathways Center, administrative offices for Student Life, several meeting rooms, the Great Room, the SHIP Student Success Center, Mail Center, and Campus Communications Center. Also in the Simon Center are the Campus Café, Tortington Arms Pub, the Sayce Lounge, Reflection Room (for quiet contemplation), and offices for student-oriented programs and activities.
Center for Educational Innovation
The CEI building is outfitted with the latest in educational technology. The second floor is home to the College’s Education Department for undergraduate through doctoral programming. CEI offers preservice and current teachers a place to explore curriculum, develop teaching skills, and collaborate with faculty and fellow students.
John Lyons Center
The John Lyons Center is a state-of-the-art teaching facility that houses the Management Division. The building contains 10 classrooms, seminar rooms, learning commons, offices, study spaces, and a café.
H. Raymond Danforth Library
Telephone: 603.428.2344
The H. Raymond Danforth Library allows students to conduct academic research or relax with a good book. The Library’s staff is dedicated to providing the New England College community with the professional expertise and personalized attention they need to fulfill their research and information needs. A close working relationship between the College’s faculty and the Library staff allows for a successful coordination of homework and scholarly research.
A full complement of print and electronic resources is available through the Library. More than 100,000 volumes and 150 print periodical subscriptions can be found in the Library’s two floors of open stacks. Access to more than 15,000 periodical titles and full‐text databases and a number of reference sources is provided through the Library web page. Further resources provided on the Library’s webpage include subject‐specific Internet resources as well as assignment‐specific topics designed by the librarians to aid students, faculty and staff with their research needs. The Library serves as a selective depository for New Hampshire state documents and also contains specialized collections of New Hampshire‐related materials and Shakespeare’s work.
The Pathways Tutoring Center, located on the second floor of the Library, provides a variety of academic services including professional and peer tutoring programs. Tutors are available for individual, group, and drop‐in tutoring six days a week. They focus on core academic needs, such as math and writing, as well as support for specific academic courses. Professional and peer tutors also work with faculty members to assist students with study skills, study halls, time management, test reviews, and goal setting. The Center’s major objective is to facilitate academic success while encouraging students to become independent thinkers.
The Library is home to a 30‐seat computer lab, several comfortable reading rooms, quiet study space, and an instruction area. It is open nearly 100 hours each week, and reference assistance is available more than 70 hours a week.
New England College is a member of the New Hampshire College and University Council (NHCUC), which supports an active interlibrary loan program with the participating institutions. The NHCUC members also allow students and faculty common borrowing privileges at each institution’s library and access to their combined holdings of more than five million volumes.
The Library is also a member of GMILCS, Inc., a consortium of public and academic libraries in southern New Hampshire. The consortium allows New England College students with a current ID to check out materials from any of its members, including the public libraries of Amherst, Bedford, Derry, Goffstown, Hooksett, Manchester, Merrimack, Milford, Salem and Windham, New Hampshire. As a participating member in the OCLC worldwide network of libraries, New England College students have access to shared cataloging and interlibrary loan from library collections throughout the world.
Information Technology
Technology means reliable connectivity on today’s college campus, and the Office of Technology at New England College understands and supports this goal. Not only does the Office of Technology maintain all campus technology for teaching and learning, but it also ensures mobile accessibility, wireless connectivity for presentations, and a superior residence hall networking experience. All students at New England College have free access to the full Microsoft 365 suite, including word processing, spreadsheets, and a host of other collaborative software and tools. Students also have one full terabyte of storage at their disposal during their time on campus. Both Windows and Apple computers are readily available, and printers are located in the Danforth Library, the Spaulding Hall Writing Center, and the Pathways Center of the Simon Center. The latter is open 24/7. Graphic Design students even have the full Adobe Suite available free of charge. Our online students access their courses through Blackboard course management software, where our faculty use the latest design software to deliver a highly interactive and engaging system. The New England College Office of Technology is committed to ensuring the technology is in place to support your educational experience, both in and out of the classroom.
Administration Building
Built in 1805 as a resort hotel, the Administration Building maintains its historic charm while serving as the location for many of the College’s administrative offices. In addition to the Office of the President, the Administration Building houses the Undergraduate Admission Office, Marketing, Student Financial Services, and Human Resources.
Science Building
This complex is completely outfitted with laboratories and classrooms. Two of the Science Building’s laboratories underwent extensive renovations in 2011 and now feature new equipment, instruments, and space for student research and experiments. The building contains four multi‐station computer labs, a state‐of‐the‐art Mac Lab that supports our digital photography and graphic design programs, and a video‐conferencing facility that promotes collaboration with an extended network of students and scholars.
Bridges Gymnasium
Bridges Gymnasium is the home of the College’s intercollegiate men’s and women’s basketball teams. It also functions as a center for recreational sports and extracurricular activities such as Tae Kwon Do and dance. Bridges Gymnasium also houses many coaches’ offices, the varsity athletic training room, locker rooms, and the fitness center.
Fitness Center
The fitness center, located on the lower level of Bridges Gymnasium, is open to all members of the New England College community. It is designed to provide the community with a facility dedicated to the pursuit of physical conditioning. In addition, the fitness center serves as a venue for the practical training of our students studying the field of kinesiology. It is equipped with cardio machines, more than 2,000 pounds of free weights, and plate‐loaded Bodymasters weight equipment.
Lee Clement Ice Arena
The Lee Clement Ice Arena is home to the men’s and women’s ice hockey programs and serves the College’s hockey and figure skating clubs. The Office of the Athletic Director is located in the arena, as well as offices of several coaches.
The Field House
The Field House is an all‐purpose facility that serves the College’s varsity and recreational sports teams. It is equipped with an artificial playing surface that replicates outdoor capabilities in an indoor, weather‐protected facility.
Laurie Cox Athletic Fields
With more than 26 acres of athletic fields, New England College offers an extensive facility for intercollegiate and recreational programs. Our students enjoy baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, cross-country track, and informal recreational activities that require the use of open stretches of land.
Don Melander Turf Field
One of the cornerstones of the College’s athletic facilities is the $1.5 million dollar Don Melander Turf Field. Supporting both varsity and recreational sports, the turf field is an integral component of the learning experience of our students and is used by men’s and women’s lacrosse and soccer, field hockey, classes, club sports, recreational sports, individual users, and community groups.
Ropes Course and Trails
New England College has more than three miles of woodland trails for snowshoeing, cross‐country skiing, and short hikes. We also have a state‐of‐the‐art high and low ropes course used for classes in outdoor leadership and education as well as co‐curricular programs that promote team building, leadership development, and communication skills. Downhill skiing and snowboarding facilities are available free to students, faculty, and staff through a partnership with Pats Peak Ski Area in Henniker.
Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts
The Mainstage Theatre makes its home in the Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts. The Putnam Center offers an ideal venue for the ambitious schedule of dramatic performances held throughout the calendar year. This world-class, expertly designed facility includes more than 18,000 square feet, including a 350-seat theater, lobby, box office, control room, dressing rooms, and a mezzanine encompassing three floors.
Art Studio
The Art Studio offers both students and faculty a quiet setting for creative expression in the visual arts. This intimate space is conducive for work in oils, pencil, photography, sculpture, or the graphic arts.
Chester Art Gallery
The Chester Gallery is committed to promoting and exhibiting contemporary and historically significant art to enhance the curriculum and encourage cultural inquiry and dialogue. The Gallery produces rotating exhibitions and programming in support of the mission and values of the College and provides cultural access for the community and the region. The 1,500 square feet of light‐filled exhibition area is ideal for drawings, prints, paintings, photography, sculpture, and multimedia works. The Gallery’s permanent collection includes more than 550 works in a variety of media and a gift of 150 original Andy Warhol photographs through the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program. It is open to the NEC community and the general public free of charge throughout the year.
Carriage House
Located behind the Administration Building, Carriage House contains the offices of the Finance Department, English Language Program, and several classrooms.
Cogswell House
This impressive Colonial‐styled structure is the home of New England College’s president. Many College functions as well as informal meetings for students, staff, and faculty are held at Cogswell House.
Spaulding House
Spaulding House is the home of the Communication, History, Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Writing Departments and the College’s writing lab.
Tower House
The Art Department and art faculty offices are located in Tower House, along with the office of Career and Life Planning.
Davis House
Davis House serves as the Office of the Registrar as well as other administrative offices.
Currier Center
Located in the historic Henniker Train Stations, the Currier Center serves as the Headquarters for the Office of Academic Affairs and the office of the Chief Academic Officer.
Preston Barn
The Preston Barn houses the Theater Department’s properties storage and the costume shop, as well as housing the Chester Art Gallery.
Greenhouse
The Greenhouse was constructed by NEC students and completed in 1973. It is a valuable resource for the Biology Department and is used frequently for horticulture and botany courses.
Contoocook House
This iconic building in town (home to Sonny’s Pizza, a favorite of our campus students) houses the Pilgrim Shop, Graduate Admissions, International Advising, and the Office of Advancement (Alumni) and offers housing for up to 26 students.
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