Jason Olenio graduated from �鶹��ý-Concord�s Community College in 1992 with an associate degree in Radiologic Technology. 34 years later he returned to campus to install medical imaging equipment that will be used by current students enrolled in the same program.

�We do this every day,� said Olenio, describing his job at Associated X-Ray Imaging Corporation. �What�s unique is for �鶹��ý to buy an x-ray system from a former student.�

�鶹��ý�s Radiologic Technology program gives students access to real medical equipment so they can practice their skills. When it came time to make updates, Olenio was thrilled to return to campus.

�It was a hundred times different than what I remember. All the buildings are renovated� said Olenio. �It�s so much better than 1992, but it still feels like home.�

Current �鶹��ý students were excited to see the new equipment being installed and took out their smartphones to photograph the event. Olenio was excited to see their passion for x-rays being shared on social media. �You couldn�t do that in the 90s,� he said.

Jason Olenio is not the only alum who has returned to support the program. �Right now, all of our Radiologic Technology faculty are alumni of the program,� said program coordinator Kate Marcouillier. �That is a testament to �鶹��ý�s impact across the state in the medical imaging field.�

When Jason Olenio enrolled at �鶹��ý in 1991, he knew right away what he wanted to study. As the son of two radiologic technologists, he was already familiar with the medical imaging field and knew �you�re always going to have a job.� Today, �鶹��ý sees a 100% employment rate for graduates of its healthcare programs.

��鶹��ý was the perfect community environment,� said Olenio, who lived on campus. �I�m so glad I went to �鶹��ý where there were 3,000 students instead of 10,000. Being a name, not just a number, is so important.�

After working in a clinical setting for several years, Olenio began working at Associated X-Ray Imaging Corporation�the company his father, John Olenio, started.

John Olenio knew his son and his peers would take diverse career paths. �Your friends at college are going to be administrators and leaders of the future,� Jason Olenio recalled his father saying.

�I�m a big fan of the [Radiologic Technology] program, and sell it to young people all the time,� said John Olenio. Both father and son are proud to see the medical imaging program continue to thrive on �鶹��ý�s campus decades later.

To learn more about �鶹��ý�s prestigious healthcare programs, visit nhti.edu.

Photo 1: Kate Marcoullier, Radiologic Technology program coordinator at �鶹��ý, teaches students how to use x-ray equipment in one of the college’s medical imaging labs.

Photo 2: Jason Olenio graduated from �鶹��ý in 1992 with an associate degree in Radiologic Technology.

While earning an advanced certificate in Early Childhood Education from �鶹��ý-Concord�s Community College, Ashley Crosbie wrote and illustrated an entire children�s book. The Common Man Kitty Band is now available for purchase at several Common Man restaurants and retail locations throughout the state.

�The book was a passion project. I wanted to keep it quiet and safe until I knew it was ready to share with the Common Man,� explained Crosbie.

The children�s book was inspired by a walk with her children several years earlier that led behind the Common Man restaurant in Ashland. On that outing, Crosbie stumbled upon �an adorable gathering of barn cats dining on delicious leftovers set out by a kind cook.”

�The children�s lit class at �鶹��ý helped remind me to ask myself, how is this book going to feel when it�s read aloud? What are some punch words that kids are really going to enjoy? What age group is this story written for?”

After the story was written, Crosbie began the intense process of illustration. �The last time I had painted with watercolor was my freshman year of high school� and now I�m 40,� said Crosbie. After an initial learning curve, the watercolor painting process became a joy.

Even after the book was completed, the project was kept under wraps. Crosbie completed three business courses at Lakes Region Community College (LRCC) to help her put together a business proposal for The Common Man.

The hard work paid off. The Common Man Family eagerly welcomed Crosbie�s book into their stores, and are working with her on complimentary merchandise�candy, dolls, and more.

Crosbie explained that her experiences at �鶹��ý and LRCC gave her the confidence to trust herself and pursue her dreams for the book.

 �My confidence kept growing every time I took a course. When I completed a challenging assignment or earned an A, I told myself, �you can do this�,� said Crosbie. �Receiving positive feedback from my instructors reminded me that I am capable and should chase my dreams, even if they felt a little out of reach.�

Crosbie works as a stay-at-home mom and has been working in early childhood education since 18. She has often dreamed of owning her own preschool, which led her to �鶹��ý.

�I saw this ad on Facebook about a new grant through the Community College System of New Hampshire. It covered the cost of coursework and books for the program. I had been waiting for an opportunity like that,� said Crosbie.

Crosbie completed her �鶹��ý certificate online and graduated in May 2025. Her required observation hours were completed at local school near her home in Holderness. �I love community colleges. It feels like such a close-knit community, even online,� said Crosbie.

Crosbie hopes that other non-traditional students will feel encouraged to pursue their purpose. �As a mom, it can at times feel as though you have lost your sense of self. This project and my experiences at �鶹��ý and LRCC helped me to find my way back to that curious part of me that dared to dream,� she said. �This journey taught me not to count myself out and that everyone�s timing is different.�

Photo: Ashley Crosbie poses with a copy of her book The Common Man Kitty Band at the New Berry�s on the Common in Plymouth.

Three graduates from �鶹��ý�s two-year Civil Engineering Technology program have passed the prestigious Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Civil exam within a year of graduation. This is a milestone typically reached by bachelor�s degree students in their third or fourth year of study.

Sean Dwyer, Lane Madeja, and Hoang Nguyen were initially intimidated by this intense six-hour exam, but each passed within nine months of graduating from �鶹��ý with an associate degree. The FE exam is an important step in the process of becoming a professional engineer.

�I felt I had everything I needed from �鶹��ý. All I needed to do was practice for the test,� said Dwyer.

Dwyer, Madeja, and Nguyen are now pursuing bachelor�s degrees at UNH.

Dwyer explained how �鶹��ý softened the steep transition from high school coursework to college level engineering curriculum. �My classes at UNH would have been too intense right off the bat,� he said.

��鶹��ý is smaller, so it�s easy to get help,� said Madeja. �I could not have gotten into UNH right out of high school, but �鶹��ý sets you up for success.�

To wrap up their bachelor’s degrees, these students will primarily complete courses that are typical for freshmen and sophomores, along with an intense senior capstone project.

�The �鶹��ý engineering curriculum is equivalent to a junior or senior year at UNH,� said Madeja.

The students agreed that �鶹��ý offered the unique opportunity to become familiar with an engineering career within just a few months of study.

�I didn�t 100% know what my major would be, and did not want to spend all that money trying to figure it out,� said Madeja.

All three students will receive their bachelor’s degrees at a significantly reduced cost because their �鶹��ý credits transferred directly into UNH�s engineering curriculum.

Together, Dwyer, Madeja, and Nguyen credit both �鶹��ý and UNH for preparing them for successful careers in the broad, high-demand field of engineering.

To learn more about �鶹��ý�s Civil Engineering Technology program, visit nhti.edu.

Photo: Hoang Nguyen, Sean Dwyer and Lane Madeja studied Civil Engineering Technology together at �鶹��ý.

This year, �鶹��ý�Concord�s Community College turns 60. As �鶹��ý celebrates this milestone, the college invites alumni to return to campus on September 20 for a Homecoming Weekend lunch.

�Whether you�re a member of our first class in 1965 or a recent graduate, we would love to see you,� said �鶹��ý president Patrick Tompkins.

Alumni and their families are invited to join fellow classmates for lunch on Saturday, September 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The outdoor event includes food trucks, yard games, and music.

�The campus will be buzzing with activity,� said �鶹��ý director of athletics, Annie Mattarazzo. �Come early and catch a game in our volleyball tournament, or cheer on your Lynx team during our baseball double header in the afternoon.�

While on campus, alumni can enjoy a wide variety of athletic games and activities, including AerospaceFest hosted by McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

�This is a great opportunity to see how your college has grown over the years to support the next generation of students,� said Tompkins.

�We are fondly known as �The Tech�, but we have evolved into so much more,� Tompkins continued. �Every year we are adding new programs that directly meet our state�s workforce needs�in recent years that�s meant a huge healthcare focus.�

Today the college offers 70+ programs ranging from early childhood education and nursing to criminal justice, carpentry, software development, and paralegal studies.

Alumni are invited to celebrate �鶹��ý�s 60 years of innovative education and community impact by attending Homecoming Weekend on September 20. Learn more and register for the event at nhti.edu/alumni.

Photo: �鶹��ý electronic engineering student in 1965.

�鶹��ý �鶹��ý-Concord�s Community College

�鶹��ý is a dynamic public institution of higher learning that provides accessible, rigorous education for students, businesses, and the community. We create pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement, offering 70+ academic programs to 4,600+ students annually. �鶹��ý is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire and since 1969 has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a nongovernmental, nationally recognized accrediting agency.

Xanthi Russell, Miss New Hampshire 2025, will be competing in the national Miss America competition September 2-7. The ambitious 23-year-old accomplished 4,000+ hours in community service while simultaneously earning her associate degree in �鶹��ý-Concord Community College�s prestigious paralegal program. She graduated with honors just weeks after being crowned.

Since Miss America began in 1921, Miss New Hampshire has never won the competition. Russell hopes to be the first to bring home the crown, gaining recognition for her state and changing society�s views towards young women who value fashion alongside intellect, professional achievements, and volunteerism.

Russell was drawn to the Miss New Hampshire competition because of its purpose as a scholarship program. She has earned $61,000 through the competition and graduated debt-free from �鶹��ý in May. She made it a priority to invest these funds in the best academic opportunities available.

�Community college was a no-brainer,� said Russell, who transferred to �鶹��ý from a traditional four-year college. She found �鶹��ý�s paralegal program offered the best value for her hard-earned scholarship funds. �It was a night and day difference in how I was educated,� she said. �The education is more tailored to your needs. You�re not just a name on a roster in a class of 100 students.� She hopes the Miss America competition can help fund her future plans for a bachelor�s and law degree.

�鶹��ý also accommodated Russell�s intense competition schedule, work responsibilities, and outstanding record of 800+ volunteer hours per year. �If you make volunteering a habit, it will enrich your life,� she said after explaining that these hours accrued organically for her. �Community service is a great social outlet, and great for networking.�

Russell volunteers at local events but primarily gives back to the community by co-advising the Strafford County Youth Leadership Team, a 4-H program that she participated in as a teen. This club fostered her passions for leadership, public speaking, and volunteerism. Now she mentors students to pursue their own unique interests and find meaningful ways to give back to the community.

In preparation for the Miss America competition in early September, Russell is currently working on tap dance choreography for her talent show performance at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando. She has gone the extra mile by recording her own soundtrack for the show. �The gratitude outweighs the nerves,� she said when discussing the upcoming high-pressure environment of the national competition.

Along with preparing for the Miss America events, Russell is continuing her community service work, which she considers to be the �main part of my job as Miss New Hampshire.� She is eager to support local events and initiatives, and can be requested to attend community events at . She hopes to serve as a role model for volunteerism and be an active participant in the Granite State community.

Photo cutline: Xanthi Russell wore her Miss New Hampshire crown and sash to her graduation from �鶹��ý�s prestigious paralegal program.

�鶹��ý �鶹��ý-Concord�s Community College

�鶹��ý is a dynamic public institution of higher learning that provides accessible, rigorous education for students, businesses, and the community. We create pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement, offering 80+ academic programs to 4,600+ students annually. �鶹��ý is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire and since 1969 has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a nongovernmental, nationally recognized accrediting agency.

If you are an alum of �鶹��ý-Concord�s Community College, you are invited to come back to campus to celebrate the college�s 60^th anniversary and Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, September 20. Learn more at nhti.edu/alumni.