Donated Airplane Lands in the Classroom for NCC

Last month, an airplane traveled down the highway from Rochester, New Hampshire en route to a hangar at Boire Field in Nashua. The attention-grabbing journey was the beginning of a new life for the plane in Nashua Community College’s (NCC) Aviation Technology program.

The two-seater American Aviation Yankee plane was generously donated to NCC by the family of Retired Lt. Col. Don T. Gonzales. A decorated Air Force pilot, Gonzales had flown B-52 and FB-111A fighter bombers and served as a Strategic Air Command pilot flight instructor. After retiring from the Air Force, Gonzales bought the Yankee plane in the mid-1980s with fellow Air Force pilots Retired Maj. Ed MacNeil and Retired Col. Robert Phoenix. Don and Robert met at Carswell AFB in Texas where they were the first group of FB-111A pilots to be trained on that aircraft. They later met Ed at Pease Air Force Base – known now as Pease Air National Guard Base – in Portsmouth. The three bonded over a shared love of flying and zest for life.

Gonzales was the last surviving owner of the Blue Bomber before he passed away in December 2024. After their father’s death, his children – Bob Gonzales, Melissa Gonzales, Michelle Gonzales Verdi, and Dr. Roxanne Gonzales – searched for a good home for the plane.

“We knew that NCC had an aviation technology program, so it seemed like a good fit. I think all three of the owners would have been ecstatic to know that their legacy continues as their plane is used to teach aviation maintenance to a new generation,” said Dr. Gonzales. The family worked closely with The Foundation for NH Community Colleges to facilitate this legacy gift from the family.

The Blue Bomber now has a new home in a hangar at Nashua Airport’s Boire Field. James Mitchell, the Aviation Technology program coordinator at NCC and an Air Force veteran who served at Pease, is looking forward to using the plane to teach students. “An operating aircraft is essential to providing training opportunities that an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) student mechanic needs to attain a certificate or license,” he said.

NCC’s Aviation Technology program features an intensive, 21-month curriculum covering a wide range of topics including reciprocating engines, turbines, fuel systems, propellers, ignition, electrical systems and hydraulic systems. NCC is the only college in New Hampshire that offers an FAA-approved aviation technology program.

Granite Edvance Donates $15,000 to Support CCSNH Nursing Students

This story was originally published at GraniteEdvance.org and was rewritten for this newsletter.

Ahead of the 2025 school year, Granite Edvance, an NH nonprofit that supports students in navigating their education and career goals, donated $15,000 to help combat the skilled nurse shortage in NH through scholarships that cover nursing student prerequisite courses at any of the seven NH community colleges.

The funds were donated to the Granite State P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S. (People Aligning Resources Towards Nursing Expansion and Retention Strategies) program scholarship fund and are distributed through the Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges. P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S. aims to tackle nursing staffing shortages and strengthen the future of healthcare in NH as a federally funded statewide program led by Elliot Health Systems.

Funds donated by Granite Edvance will work to cover the cost of pre-requisite courses for students in the P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S program. Students can apply for up to $1,050 to cover these courses, and to date, these funds have covered 130 courses for 67 students at CCSNH colleges.

“This crucial support allowed me to cover my essential prerequisite courses, removing a significant financial barrier and allowing me to focus on my studies and gain essential skills for my future career,” said Jesula, who will pursue her associate degree in nursing at Manchester Community College this fall. “This funding has not only made my education more accessible but has also motivated me to excel in my classes without a burden of financial stress.” 

NH Community College System Ranked Best in New England, Top 10 in Nation

Last month, Governor Kelly Ayotte announced that the New Hampshire Community College System has been ranked the best in New England and among the top 10 community college systems in the nation, according to a new report from Wallethub.

"This ranking is a testament to the incredible work being done every day by our students, faculty, and staff, and to New Hampshire's commitment to building a stronger future for our people and our economy," said Governor Ayotte. "We've worked hard to ensure our community colleges are affordable, innovative, and connected to the needs of our employers. New Hampshire is showing the nation what's possible when you put students first and focus on results."

"CCSNH benefits from a clear mission to serve students by providing high-quality educational programs that align with opportunities and needs that are important to New Hampshire's future," said Dr. Mark Rubinstein, CCSNH's Chancellor. "We do that with exceptional educators who are dedicated to their disciplines and to our students' success, with employer partners in every region of the Granite State who contribute to our planning, and with consistent and strategic investments by the State of New Hampshire that allow us to meet the varied needs of our students across the lifecycle of learning, whether on our campuses, online, in more than one hundred New Hampshire high schools, or a myriad of clinical and workplace settings."

In order to determine the best community-college systems in the U.S., Wallethub conducted individual-school level analysis across 653 institutions and 18 key metrics.