Pit Stop #67: St. Joseph’s College

Recently, I made the two-hour drive from Boston to visit St. Joseph’s College in Maine, located fifteen miles northwest of the booming city of Portland. It was cloudy, and then the skies erupted in a downpour, so my photos don’t quite do the campus justice, but trust me —  St. Joseph’s campus is both beautiful and…Continue readingPit Stop #67: St. Joseph’s College

Pit Stop #64: Curry College

These happy graduates in white were clustered around the entrance sign to Curry College, making it the perfect photo opportunity for me to commemorate my visit. Apparently, it was my week for campus tours– as I hit three colleges in just seven days. By the time I reached Curry College’s main campus, located a mere eight…Continue readingPit Stop #64: Curry College

Pit Stop #63: Bryant University

At the very start of this summer, I had the privilege of visiting Bryant University and its President Ross Gittell. This was my first trip to Bryant, located in Smithfield, Rhode Island just fifty miles south of Boston and twelve miles north of Providence. President Gittell, in addition to being an accomplished economist and economic development…Continue readingPit Stop #63: Bryant University

Pit Stop #62: Sarah Lawrence College

So what small residential liberal arts college has been a question (or answer) on the hit game show Jeopardy! twelve times to date? That would be Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, a mere 15 miles north of Manhattan. Sarah Lawrence is one of several New York institutions looking to move their accreditation to NECHE and…Continue readingPit Stop #62: Sarah Lawrence College

Pit Stop #59: Providence College

Providence College (or PC as it is known to Friartown aficionados) is home to one of NECHE’s commissioners, John Sweeney, and I’ve owed John and PC a visit for too long. John is finishing his sixth and final year volunteering with NECHE and his service to the organization has been extraordinary. In his “day job”…Continue readingPit Stop #59: Providence College

Pit Stop #56: Landmark College

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel north to Putney, Vermont, home of Landmark College, accredited by NECHE since 1991. I know I say this over and over, but almost every time I visit one of NECHE’s schools, I come away thinking, “What a unique institution with such a distinct and valuable mission!” Landmark College certainly fits…Continue readingPit Stop #56: Landmark College

Pit Stop #51: Ralston College

Today, one reads story after story of colleges closing, but rarely if ever do we hear about new institutions of higher education starting up. Part of the reason that’s such a rare occurrence is that the obstacles facing such start-ups are immense, from regulatory and accreditation hurdles to declining demographics and the steep financial cost…Continue readingPit Stop #51: Ralston College

Pit Stop #48: Salve Regina University

On the heels of visiting St. Michael’s College in Vermont, I traveled south to another of NECHE’s liberal arts campuses, Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. One couldn’t ask for a more majestic setting for a college, as Salve’s 80-acre campus is literally perched on the cliffs of the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, the…Continue readingPit Stop #48: Salve Regina University

Pit Stop #47: St. Michael’s College

I haven’t been on the road with NECHE since we visited the African Leadership University, so I welcomed the chance to make the drive north to visit St. Michael’s College (affectionately known as St. Mike’s) located just outside Burlington, Vermont. For a late February day, it was relatively balmy (41 degrees), but with almost no…Continue readingPit Stop #47: St. Michael’s College

Pit Stop #44: Montserrat College of Art

After our first “real” and downright spectacular Fourth of July weekend in Marblehead, I decided to stick close to home and head up the road to visit Montserrat College of Art. Montserrat’s home is the vibrant town of Beverly, Massachusetts and I had the opportunity there to spend some time with President Kurt Steinberg, and Dean…Continue readingPit Stop #44: Montserrat College of Art