Nov. 29, 2017
In an effort to expand affordable and accessible Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degree programs in New England, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in Manchester, NH, recently purchased a portion of the aviation assets of the now-closed Daniel Webster College, located in nearby Nashua, NH.
During the auction of Webster’s assets, SNHU was the only bidder on the school’s former flight center, tower building and hangar. After approval from bankruptcy court, SNHU acquired the aviation property for $410,000. The university had previously purchased a Cessna 172 aircraft from Daniel Webster College.
James Smith, SNHU’s executive vice president of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics (CETA), said the purchased assets will serve the needs of the school’s new aviation and aerospace program, which opened this fall.
“We currently offer bachelor’s degrees in aeronautical engineering, air traffic management, aviation management, and we are working on developing a B.S. in aviation science, which includes pilot training and the certification of commercial flight instructor,” Smith said.
“Right now, we have 177 students enrolled in our CETA programs, 24 of which are pursuing our aviation programs. Of that group, 94 students came over to SNHU from Daniel Webster College. I am proud of the way we have responded to the needs of those students, as SNHU has given them a new opportunity to pursue studies in our engineering and aviation programs,” he added. “We are looking forward to growing these programs in the future, and helping our students achieve their goals.”
Since CETA launched this year, SNHU has been building a broad range of outreach programs as the school works to foster relationships with industry leaders to ensure they are offering workforce-relevant programs that set students up for success post-graduation.
“The goal of the new CETA program is to bring the dream of flying back within reach for middle-class students,” Smith said. “We really believe we are building a cost-effective model. Purchasing the Daniel Webster aviation assets is another big step forward to making those dreams a reality.”