New England College Designated a Purple Heart College
NEC joins a nationwide network of institutions honoring and supporting America’s service members who have been wounded or killed in combat.
New England College (NEC) received designation as a Purple Heart College in recognition of its ongoing commitment to honoring and supporting America’s service members who have been wounded or killed in combat. The College hosted a special ceremony on Monday, November 10, in the Simon Center Great Room on campus in Henniker.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte and Rep. Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) served as guest speakers for the event, which also featured remarks from Michael Martioski, U.S. Marine Corps Purple Heart recipient and Al Varelas, U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, of the Western Massachusetts Military Order of the Purple Heart (Commander Chapter #875 MOPH).
From left: Rep. Maggie Goodlander (NH-02); Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr., President of New England College; Al Varelas, U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, of the Western Massachusetts Military Order of the Purple Heart (Commander Chapter #875 MOPH); Gov. Kelly Ayotte; and Lex Scourby, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at New England College
“New England College has had an amazing history since World War II of embracing our men and women in uniform and recognizing and honoring those who serve,” Gov. Ayotte remarked. “In New Hampshire, we take great pride and tremendous care in honoring the brave men and women who serve our nation, and to have a college here that also does that wholeheartedly is phenomenal. We are proud of New England College.”
“The story of the Purple Heart is as old as the story of America, and one of the most important things we can do right now is remember together and honor together the values and people who makes America what it is—a fragile and extraordinary act of faith,” stated Rep. Goodlander. “The debt of gratitude we owe to every recipient of the Purple Heart is a debt we can never repay.”
Rep. Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) greets a guest at New England College’s Purple Heart College ceremony on Monday, November 10, in Henniker.
By earning the Purple Heart College designation, New England College joins a national network of higher education institutions dedicated to recognizing the courage, sacrifice, and service of America’s Purple Heart recipients. During the ceremony, the College honored any members of the NEC community who are Purple Heart recipients.
“Our connection to the military community has been part of who we are since the beginning. New England College was founded in 1946 to serve returning World War II veterans, offering education and opportunity to those who had served our nation,” stated Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr., President of NEC. “Nearly 80 years later, that spirit of service and resilience continues to guide us. This designation reaffirms our mission to support those who have served and sacrificed for our nation.”
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