CONCORD�October 24, 2023 � �鶹��ý�Concord’s Community College has been ranked one of the best schools for online degrees in a public service field by STEPS (Student Training & Education in Public Service). Only 13% of colleges and universities in the U.S. earned a spot on the rankings for AY 2024.

View ����ձ��s Online Degree Programs: �鶹��ý.edu/academics/onlinelearning

Public service degrees give students the opportunity to pursue careers where they can support those most in need, both locally and globally. This includes fields such as teaching, social work, public administration,
criminal justice and public health.

�Our goal was to identify the best colleges with online degree programs where graduates can make a meaningful difference in their communities through education, public policy and other career paths,� said Kyle Smith,�� a community outreach specialist at STEPS.

This ranking arrives at a time when enrollment in online degree programs remains high. The most recent national data (Fall 2021) from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that 60% of students take at least one class online and 30% are enrolled exclusively in online courses.

�As more and more students gravitate towards online education, identifying flexible, affordable and accredited degree programs that fit into students� busy lives and make college more accessible is essential,� added Smith.

STEPS analyzed multiple datasets from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Key data points used to identify top schools include the following:

• Number of online programs in a given subject area
• Tuition amount per academic year
• Percentage of students receiving institutional financial aid and the amount awarded
• Availability of academic counseling and career placement services

STEPS vetted over 6,000 postsecondary institutions to create its rankings. To qualify, a college or university must hold active accreditation from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and have at least one partially online degree program in a field related to public service. See all of the rankings lists where �鶹��ý appeared:

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�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 90+ 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. Visit for more information

�鶹��ý STEPS

STEPS () started in 2019 with the goal of connecting students with valuable and informative resources to help them get their degrees and find satisfying careers in public service. These free guides range from connecting students with online schools to breaking down options for affording a degree.

As we approach the end of spring semester, keep in mind the �鶹��ý Learning Commons Library � your place to study, discuss topics with friends, and seek help from library staff. Schedule a half-hour research consultation to help with your final! Email us at �鶹��ýlibrary@ccsnh.edu or call us: 603-230-4028.��

Sexual Assault Awareness Month�� ��

April is devoted to raising awareness about sexual violence, how to prevent it, and how to support those affected by it.�� This year�s theme is Building Safe Online Spaces Together. According to the :����“Sexual harassment, assault, and abuse can happen anywhere, including in online spaces. For too long harassment, cyberbullying, and sexual abuse and exploitation have come to be expected as typical and unavoidable behaviors online. Building Safe Online Spaces Together is possible when we practice digital consent, intervene when we see harmful content and behaviors, and promote online communities that value respect, inclusion, and safety.”��

Explore our Anti-Violence Toolkit for information on domestic violence, bystander apathy, and gender identity and sexual orientation.��You can also reach out to New Hampshire�s 24-hour statewide helpline, at 1-866-644-3574.��

National Poetry Month and Other Library Events

While Russia�s war against Ukraine has raged, many Ukrainian artists have continued their work, a sign of defiant hope in the face of violence.�� This National Poetry Month, read .��������

And for more on poetry, join us on April 14 from 4-5:30 p.m. for our next Wings of Knowledge presentation: “Bearing Witness � The Endurance of Voice.”�� For more information, visit here.���Shanta Lee Gander joins us to celebrate the life of Lucy Terry Prince, author of “Bars Fight,” the oldest known poem in the U.S. written by an African American in 1796. Prince was born in Africa, where she was kidnapped by slave traders and transported to Rhode Island. Prince later regained her freedom and moved to Vermont with her husband. She fought for her family’s land rights all the way to the highest court in Vermont. In this presentation, Shanta Lee Gander, a poet herself, illustrates Prince’s importance as a poet, orator, and one unafraid to fight for her rights. Gander will also perform Lucy’s only surviving poem, “Bars Fight.”�� ��

And be sure to look out for our Wings of Knowledge blogs, published soon after the events.�� Check out our two recent blogs: Roots and Culture of the Middle East and The Abolitionists of Noyes Academy.����

Also in April, don�t miss an evening of poetry with Hannah Larrabee, UNH grad and poet selected by NASA to write poetry for the James Webb Space Telescope program. Participate in a contest for space/science/nature writing by attending the writing workshop. Cash prizes of up to $100 will be awarded. Email the.eye.submissions@gmail.com for details. Larrabee won the Airlie Press Poetry Prize and was shortlisted for a Massachusetts Book Award. For an excerpt of her poem �Extraterrestrial,� visit . ��

Earth Day, April 22

This year�s theme is .��Read about the origins of Earth Day, first celebrated in 1970, . Fun N.H. fact: Senator Thomas McIntyre, who delivered 14 speeches in his home state of New Hampshire, set the record for the greatest number of speeches given by one person on that first Earth Day. (Lewis TT. Earth Day. Salem Press Encyclopedia. 2020. Accessed March 18, 2022. )��

Social Media��

Have you checked out the Learning Commons Library on and ? Find updates on scheduling changes and all sorts of timely and interesting items. We devote days of the week to particular themes:��

• On Media Mondays, LCL coordinator Christie Cho highlights a media item or collection from the library�s extensive digital collections.
• On Throwback Thursdays, archivist Megan Mullins tests your knowledge of �鶹��ý history.
• On Fantastic Friday, circulation supervisor Tim Fisher posts his newest sci-fi picks. ����

Foolish Findings��

Why is April 1 also known as April Fools� Day?�� It�s a bit of a , as this poem describes, published in 1760 in Poor Robin�s Almanac:����

The first of April, some do say,
Is set apart for All Fools’ Day.
But why the people call it so,
Nor I, nor they themselves do know.
But on this day are people sent
On purpose for pure merriment.��

(�April Fools� Day.� Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2020. )��

Take a Springtime Break

Visit our and check out our fiction, nonfiction, and DVD collection.��Here are some newly available items:

• (DVD), �a mesmerizing mystery based on the tumultuous real live of Ludwig van Beethoven.�
• , a new novel by Elizabeth Strout exploring the mysteries of marriage.
• , Sandro Galea�s exploration of the forces shaping societal health that left us vulnerable to Covid-19 and how to prepare for the next pandemic.
• , by Nikole Hannah-Jones. Expanding on The New York Times Magazine�s award-winning �1619 Project,� this new book weaves together essays exploring the legacy of slavery with poems and works of fiction illuminating �key moments of oppression, struggle, and resistance.�
• . Investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe reveals the role of one of the richest families in the world in making and marketing OxyContin, the painkiller that was the catalyst for the opioid crisis.

Saving Daylight

This month we set our clocks an hour ahead.��Do you ever wonder why?

Daylight saving time was first suggested in April 1784, by Benjamin Franklin in his essay �An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light� published in the�Journal de Paris. Franklin noted fuel expenses as they related to the extensive Parisian nightlife, and proposed the time adjustment so that individuals and businesses could take advantage of natural daylight in the evening and save on the cost of candle wax.

For more on daylight-saving time, read .

Groundhog Sightings?����

Last year, the library adopted a groundhog who had taken up residence nearby. Nicknamed Clement, the groundhog was seen scurrying on the library lawn, warily emerging from culverts.��Will Clement return? Let us know if you see a groundhog who seems to favor the library.��And if you snap a pic, send it to us at �鶹��ýlibrary@ccsnh.edu.

Upcoming Wings of Knowledge presentation: The Secrets of Cellar Holes��

If you�ve hiked in rural New England, you may well have come across abandoned building foundations or crumbling stone walls. On March 24 from 4:30-5 p.m., author and history sleuth Adair Mulligan presents �A Walk Back in Time: The Secrets of Cellar Holes,� an exploration of the rich story behind such abandoned places.

Learn how one town has set out to create an inventory of cellar holes and how landowners are learning what to do when they discover these archaeological sites on their property. For more information, click

This is especially true during finals week! The �鶹��ý Learning Commons Library is offering extended hours and research assistance Zoom sessions mornings and evenings to help you prepare for your end-of-semester exams. The library will continue safety protocols and make any changes necessary to provide services during the pandemic.

Monday, Dec. 13, through Wednesday, Dec. 15, you can drop into Zoom sessions for help with research:

• From 11 a.m.-12 p.m., join Ellen Grimm, instruction and outreach specialist, at .
• From 5:30-6:30 p.m., join Christie Cho, Learning Commons Library coordinator, .

If these hours do not fit your schedule, you can set up a one-on-one research consultation . If you have any questions, email us at �鶹��ýlibrary@ccsnh.edu, call us at 603-230-4028, or chat with us here.

During the Zoom sessions, you can get help navigating extensive databases in that cover a range of disciplines from Arts, Humanities, and Communications to Health Sciences and Services and STEM. Our library staff can help you broaden your search or zero in on a particular element of interest.

Also during finals week, the library will be open additional hours: 7:30 a.m.�9:00 p.m., Monday through Wednesday; 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursday; and 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday. These hours are subject to change based on the COVID-19 situation on campus.

You can also peruse our online any time. Our shelves contain roughly 60,000 titles, with more than 6x that number available online.

The Learning Commons Library offers more than academic books, too. If you need a break from studying, we have DVDs, audiobooks, popular fiction, graphic novels, and board games on site. Visit to read about the role of recreational reading in academic libraries and its connection to overall academic achievement. You also have access to thousands of videos and full-length films through the library�s streaming service.

No matter your studying style � individual desk, couch, window seat, private study rooms � you�ll find the right spot for you to concentrate! You�ll also find desk-top computers, laptops you can borrow for the day, and library staff ready to help with any question.

Libraries can be paradoxical places; you are alone with your thoughts and studying materials while surrounded by a community of learners. This can be an inspiring combination. You may also wish to discuss a topic with friends. That�s encouraged, while abiding by safety guidelines.

We look forward to assisting you in person and online!

And remember: �When in doubt, go to the library.� � J.K. Rowling

Given the attention mindfulness has received in mainstream media over the last decade, there�s a good chance you have heard of its rise in popularity. You may have even heard about the fact that companies such as Facebook and Google provide mindfulness training to their employees. But did you know that businesses right here in New Hampshire are providing similar training and experiencing its benefits?

One place that is happening is at the Grappone Automotive Group in Concord. Over the last year, I had the pleasure of giving Communicating Mindfully (CM) training to this year�s Leadership Grappone participants. Owner Amanda Grappone Osmer started the group two years ago to build leadership skills among current employees.

One of the benefits of mindfulness is that it helps increase self-awareness and provides people with an increased ability to identify and modify unproductive patterns of behavior. These discoveries and changes take place at home and at work, both of which impact one�s ability to interact productively with others, including colleagues and customers.

“In our mindful communication sessions with Dan I am observing firsthand that our team members are catching themselves before reacting negatively to their own thoughts, or to coworkers,� said Osmer. �We’re having fun while learning a critically important skill.�

While we have not yet been able to measure the financial benefits of CM training at Grappone, Osmer believes there are some. She has seen changes in the way participants interact with customers (or �guests� as those at Grappone prefer to call them) that increase satisfaction. CM participants have also recognized they are less likely to get caught up in frustration and, therefore, are better able to focus on tasks and guide those they supervise. Osmer suspects these kinds of benefits not only lead to increased customer loyalty, increased productivity, and improved work ethic, but also help improve the lives of Grappone�s employees. As a result, the workplace culture becomes one in which employees can speak freely and respectfully, thus sharing vital information that helps reduce mistakes and misunderstandings, while also improving connection, camaraderie, and teamwork. Not only does this kind of communication help a workplace operate more efficiently, but it can also reduce turnover due to increased job satisfaction.

Such experiences are consistent with the findings of a 2013 study by Ute R. Hülsheger et al. that found mindfulness training reduces exhaustion and increases job satisfaction. Other studies have been done in an effort to pinpoint the impact of mindfulness training on the bottom line. In 2015, for instance, Aetna determined that productivity increased after mindfulness training at an annual rate worth $3,000 for every person who took part in the training. The company further calculated an annual $2,000 worth of savings in healthcare costs for each of those same employees. SAP, a German technology company, says it has seen a 200 percent return on its investment in mindfulness training due, in part, to increased employee engagement and reduced absenteeism.

We are in the early stages of the experiment at the Grappone Automotive Group, but Osmer believes the results are significant and will only increase as more employees receive this training, which will be happening when the next Leadership Grappone group begins in September.

�I am grateful to be taking this class alongside ten of my team members,� says Osmer, �and I’m learning every bit as much as they are.”

����ձ��s Business Training Center offers mindful communication trainings in a variety of formats. Each training infuses mindfulness with essential communication skills that are vital participants� workplace performance and overall wellbeing.

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Dan Huston is a professor of English at �鶹��ý. He created the Communicating Mindfully curriculum, which serves as the foundational course for the college�s Mindful Communication certificate.

For more information about mindful communication training, visit the BTC noncredit microcredentials webpage here or contact the �鶹��ý Business Training Center at 603-234-4022 or �鶹��ýbtc@ccsnh.edu.