Proclaims May “Early College Month” in NH
Concord, NH (May 7, 2025) – Governor Kelly Ayotte issued a proclamation identifying May as Early College Month in New Hampshire. Through its Early College program, the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) provides opportunities for high school students to earn college credit and explore diverse subject areas at low or no cost to New Hampshire families. At a State House event, CCSNH and the Governor also recognized seven educators as “Early College Advocates” for the work they do to promote these opportunities to students.
Marisa Dardagiannopoulos, coordinator of the career center at Nashua Technology Center, was named Nashua Community College Early College Advocate in recognition of her commitment to increasing awareness of Early College programs. Nashua Technology Center is the state’s largest high school career and technical education center, enrolling students from eight Nashua-area high schools.
Through the Early College program, high school students can enroll in college courses at their high school, on a community college campus, or 100% online. Courses enable students to get a jump start on their future by earning high school and college credit that is transferable to most colleges and universities or will help them accelerate their career by entering the workforce with an advantage. Eligible New Hampshire students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade get two free courses per year through the Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Scholarship program and a discounted rate for additional courses through the Early College program.
“Early College helps students earn credit toward a degree and gain experience in a variety of fields before they even graduate high school. This not only saves families thousands of dollars in tuition, it also gives our young people the educational foundation and skills to thrive in the workforce of tomorrow. Thank you to our community colleges for your commitment to this exceptional program,” said Governor Ayotte.
From 2022 to 2025, Early College enrollment increased 25% to a total of 10,863 students in the 2024-2025 academic year. The number of credits earned by Early College students increased 28% between 2022 to 2025, with a record 59,840 posted for 2025.
According to Shawna Young, director of secondary education partnerships for CCSNH, 90% of students taking college courses through the CCSNH Early College program do so by attending courses at their high school, using a college syllabus with courses taught by educators credentialled for college teaching. More than 100 New Hampshire high schools participate in the programs.
“Teachers and school counselors have played a key role in the success and steadily growing popularity of the Early College program. We are honored to recognize seven Early College Advocates who have been outstanding partners this year in our work to ensure that students across New Hampshire have access to high quality, diverse academic opportunities that fast track their time to a college degree or a rewarding career,” said Young.
At the May 7 proclamation ceremony, CCSNH and Governor Ayotte recognized Dardagiannopoulos as Nashua Community College Early College Advocate, as well as the following Early College Advocates from across the state:
- River Valley Community College Early College Advocate: Nate Bisson, School Counseling Department Chair, Fall Mountain Regional High School
- NHTI – Concord’s Community College Early College Advocate: Mark Ciarametaro, School Counselor, Merrimack Valley Regional HS and CSI Charter School
- Great Bay Community College Early College Advocate: Manchester Community College Early College Advocate: Michele Halligan-Foley, CTE Director at RW Creteau Technology Center (Spaulding High School)
- Manchester Community College Early College Advocate: Michelle McGee, Business Teacher, Manchester School of Technology
- Lakes Region Community College Early College Advocate: Jennifer Ouellet, Student Services Coordinator, Lakes Region Technology Center (Kingswood Regional High School)
- White Mountain Community College Early College Advocate: Matt Saladino, School Counselor, Gorham Middle High School
As part of Early College Month events, in-person and virtual Early College information sessions will be held May 19 – 22 at New Hampshire’s community colleges. For more information, visit CCSNH.edu/EarlyCollege.
About CCSNH
The Community College System of NH consists of seven colleges, offering associate degree and certificate programs, professional training, transfer pathways to four-year degrees, and dual-credit partnerships with NH high schools. The System’s colleges are Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth and Rochester; Lakes Region Community College in Laconia; Manchester Community College; Nashua Community College; NHTI – Concord’s Community College; River Valley Community College in Claremont, Lebanon and Keene; and White Mountains Community College in Berlin, Littleton and North Conway. The seven community colleges in the system are committed to working with businesses throughout the state to train and retain employees to develop a robust workforce.
