NASHUA - Nashua Community College is kicking off its 50th anniversary year this fall, and we’re celebrating by sharing stories from NCC graduates throughout the academic year.
Meet Paul G. Bergeron: Hillsborough County Commissioner and NCC Class of 2003
Lifelong Nashua resident, Paul G. Bergeron, decided to take the famous semester off shortly after high school. Before he knew it, almost two decades had gone by.
Find out what's happening in Nashuafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“I had a full-time career in real estate, but it always bothered me that I didn’t have a college degree. I was involved in the community, volunteered with several nonprofits in the area and found myself with an increasing interest in the human services field. Eighteen years after taking that famous semester off, I decided it was time to start taking a few classes part time at Nashua Community College.”
Not long after, Paul jumped to a full class load, pursuing his Associate in Science in Human Services. “I chose NCC for its convenience, accessibility and affordability. Because it was close to home (I am a proud townie after all), I was able to take an am class and go back in the evening for a 5-8pm class, all while practicing real estate in between.”
Find out what's happening in Nashuafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Dressed up in his suit and tie, in between appointments, his classmates would often mistake him for the professor. “I always got a kick out of that. Once the younger students got used to me being in the class, a couple of them would comment on how they loved that I wasn’t afraid to ask the questions they were too shy to ask. The age difference helped us learn from one another. I really liked that.”
Paul made lifelong friends and connections at NCC and this opened the doors for him in many ways. “I was the blood drive coordinator at the college and when I graduated with an associate degree, it qualified me for a position with the Red Cross as a donor recruitment representative – in fact, one of my professors was one of my references! I worked with the organization full time for eight years and this kept me in touch with many of the NCC students, as well as my former professors.”
Fast forward – today Paul serves as the Hillsborough County NH Commissioner District two, Nashua-Hudson-Litchfield-Pelham, representing 105,000 residents and overseeing the budget for the county, including the Department of Corrections, County Nursing Home, Registry of Deeds, the Sheriff’s Department and County Attorney’s Office. He also serves on the NCC human services advisory board and continues to practice real estate.
“NCC connected me with the community through events and partnerships with area businesses and this has served me well in my role as a commissioner, and as a real estate agent. Beyond this, NCC taught me to see the human side of any action and decision that we make,” said Paul, “Every decision we make, whether in business, in real estate or in politics will have an effect on people in a positive or a negative way. And that’s why it’s crucial to put people first and the rest second.”
NCC is enrolling now for fall 2020 and spring 2021 with online and on-campus instruction planned. Please contact nashua@ccsnh.edu for details.
Want to share your NCC alumni story? Please email your name, program, and date of graduation to cforbes@ccsnh.edu.
This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local sponsor. The views expressed in this post are the author's own.
To learn more about becoming a Community Partner, click here.
