and worked to establish Maine Military Authority, which
refurbishes vehicles, equipment and component parts.
Even in its early days, the College worked to not
only provide hands-on
technical experience, but
to broaden the horizons
of young people entering
its doors.
“Not knowing what I
wanted to do with my life
at the age of 18, I wanted
to experience college
life in a smaller, more
intimate environment,”
said Robert Grant, who
came from Houlton
for the tv/radio repair
program,
graduating
in 1969. “In its relative
infancy, the school and its
teachers were exploring
virgin territories with
an
enthusiasm
and
wonder that paralleled
my own as a recent high
school graduate. That
feeling of discovery,
problem solving, and
implementation
of
solutions was a magical
time for all of us who
attended the original
NMVTI in the first
decade of its existence.”
Grant is now the general
manager
for
three
showrooms for Youngs
Furniture
in
South
Portland.
The College evolved over
the years as it strived to meet the region’s needs. In 1970,
NMVTI was granted authority to award the associate
degree to business students, and in 1975 it was authorized
to confer associate degrees to trade students. The College
also became a member of the New England Association of
Schools and Colleges, Inc. in 1975. Through the efforts of
College faculty and staff over the years, NMCC has gained
various accreditations and certifications for departments
26 NMCC Turns Fifty SUMMER 2011
and programs. The overlaying goal has always been to make
graduates more employable and to allow them easier access
to furthering their education.
While technical, handson education will always
be a cornerstone of the
institution, its transition
to a comprehensive
community college has
proved a turning point in
allowing NMCC to better
accomplish its goal of not
only preparing students
for careers, but preparing
them to transfer on to a
four-year degree.
“NMCC really got things
moving for me with
my college career,” said
Kristina Kennison Braley,
a 2008 graduate from
NMCC’s
accounting
information systems and
business administration
programs.
“NMCC
gave me the general
accounting and business
knowledge needed to get
started in my career at
DFAS. It also prepared
me and made me able
to go on and get my BA
from Husson University.”
Since the 1970s, when
the College established an
adult education division
and its first “satellite”
or off-campus location,
making college more
accessible to folks from
across The County has been a major goal.
“NMCC allowed me to work at my own pace both
academically and financially. The courses were affordable
and available at times that worked best for me and my
situation. I was a stay-at-home dad at the time and thanks
to the open class schedule I was able to take classes in the
evening and stay home during the day with my family,”