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The History of
New England Institute of Technology
from Post World War II through The New Millennium

by Charles K. Rogers
Special Assistant to the President

Introduction
A Modest Beginning
Transition from Trade School to Computer Age College
College to Career
At the Beginning of a New Millennium
Our Educational Philosophy

For over sixty years, New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) has been a leader in technical education. By tailoring its curriculum to respond to the needs of business and industry, the College successfully educates individuals who can enter the workforce confident in their technical skills. NEIT's history illustrates a commitment to maintaining a student-centered environment able to meet the needs of students and employers.

Back in 1940, Mr. Ernest G. Earle, the founder of what was to become New England Institute of Technology, stretched out his hand fewer than 20 times to congratulate the first class to complete his course in radio repair. The school consisted of three rented rooms on the sixth floor of an office building in downtown Providence.

It's quite possible that the last thing on Mr. Earle's mind was the notion that in 60 years New England Institute of Technology would be a thriving college serving thousands of students from all around the country and the world. His goal was to provide practical, hands-on training at reasonable cost by training that would lead to a job that was a cut above the factory work that was the norm for the times. He was constantly watching the evolution of the economy and was not afraid to respond.

When soldiers came home from World War II, New England Institute of Technology had already invested in a laboratory to offer courses in plastics technology, an infant industry that was about to boom. In those early days, Mr. Earle's students were practical, serious-minded people. The first graduation ceremony lasted less than 15 minutes. It is said that some in the class who were all men had to leave early to go back to work. Mr. Earle rode the swings in the economy much this way through the '50s and '60s. He invested in new training laboratories to teach electronics when electronics was becoming an important industry. He did the same by offering training in appliance and small engine repair and other new disciplines. Along the way he prospered, lost, reinvested and survived. Looking back, we now marvel at how Mr. Earle was able to keep things together as well and for as long as he did. At the same time, we see clearly even today the powerful, binding ties that link our days as a trade school to the success we now enjoy as a college.

By the late 1960s, baby-boomers were entering the workforce by the millions. College degrees were now considered a necessity. Space-age technology was making it very difficult to break into a good job solely because an individual had talented hands and could read a manual. By 1971 it was obvious that New England Institute of Technology had to change direction.

A revolution was started in 1971 when Richard I. Gouse became the College's President. As the first order of business, the narrow definition of a trade school was abandoned and new professional programs were developed to meet the changing needs of the modern workplace. Investments were made in new equipment without any assurances that there would be students to make use of them.

Would students be able to go beyond the how-to's of operating and maintaining equipment? Would they be able to or even want to learn the theory and the communications skills that were essential to perform in the high-technology work environment? That question has now been answered by tens of thousands of our graduates in their performance on the job. Their success has become legendary.

By the end of the '70s, New England Institute of Technology had become a degree-granting college. In the '80s bachelor's degrees were conferred for the first time. When it became clear in the early '80s that New England Institute of Technology had to either embrace the computer age or fall by the wayside, the decision to upgrade the curriculum was the first and most important of many changes to come. Slowly at first, and then in greater and greater numbers, students began to fill the seats in front of factory-fresh computers and in newly-built science, mathematics and humanities classrooms.

Students learned that the idea wasn't to turn New England Institute of Technology into a traditional liberal arts college. Our faculty still focused on giving them specialized training in technical fields that suited their talents and inclination to work with their hands. Our students came to realize that their ability to achieve in liberal arts courses would probably mean the difference between a job with little future or a promising career. Once that message got through, the revolution was underway. Soon it became clear that these young people, many of whom had never tasted success in school before, blossomed in the new learning environment.

To ensure that our curricula were preparing students for the workplace, technical advisory committees were created. Today, we continue to rely upon the input of our technical advisors who come to us from business and industry. They meet with the College's department chairs to review our curricula and offer guidance as to what should be taught based upon the trends in industry and the needs of employers.

Our ties to industry extend beyond our technical advisors. Countless employers consider New England Institute of Technology a primary resource for their hiring needs and contact the College looking for graduates. The College's Career Services Office also contacts employers to identify employment opportunities. As a result, each year new graduates join thousands of New England Institute of Technology graduates in exciting and rewarding careers.

Today more than 2,500 men and women attend classes at New England Institute of Technology, pursuing two- and four-year degrees in 27 technical programs accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.

The campus that started in an older mill-style building in Providence, Rhode Island, now encompasses two locations and includes ten buildings on almost 15 acres of land with approximately 175,000 square feet of state-of-the-art classroom, laboratory, faculty and administration office space.

Each spring, over 5,000 parents and friends crowd into a joyous commencement exercise honoring the nearly 1,000 men and women who have earned degrees from New England Institute of Technology.

Today the College includes:

• The largest library in Rhode Island specializing in the technologies.
• Computer workstations in almost every classroom.
• Expanded laboratories for the study of computers, electronics, CAD, medical technologies, transportation technologies, the building trades and related business technologies, multimedia and much more.
• Parking facilities for students, a full-service bookstore, a student lounge, leisure areas and food services.

The College's credentials continue to grow:

• The Electronics program has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration as an approved collegiate training center.
• The Automotive and Auto Body programs are certified at the master level by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and have been selected as a Sikkins and PPG training site.
• New England Institute of Technology is the only authorized AutoDesk Premier Training Center in Rhode Island and is the only college in Rhode Island authorized as a NOVELL Educational Academic Partner.
• New England Institute of Technology is authorized by Microsoft Corporation as a Microsoft Solution Provider and is a Microsoft Authorized Technical Education Center.
• The bachelor's degree program in Electronics Engineering Technology is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
• There is a training alliance with CADD Edge Inc. providing authorized training in the use of SolidWorks.
• New England Institute of Technology is a training provider for the American Boat and Yacht Council and the American Boat Builders and Repairers Association; and the College's Marine Technology Department has been selected as a Volvo-Penta Training Site.
• New England Institute of Technology is a training provider for the Manufacturing Partnership for Rhode Island Work Force Development and the New England Fuel Institute.
• The College's Surgical Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
• The Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association (ACOTE).

New England Institute of Technology is a private, nonprofit, technical college whose mission is to provide specialized associate and bachelor degree programs for students from diverse educational backgrounds and with differing levels of ability. The College's mission evolved from the principle that all persons, regardless of age, gender, disability, socioeconomic circumstances, religious, racial or ethnic background, should have access to career opportunity through a quality technical education. To achieve this purpose, NEIT is first and foremost an institution committed to teaching.

NEIT believes and affirms that every student can learn; it recognizes that different students may learn in different ways with differing levels of ability; and it recognizes the importance of creating a learning environment in each classroom and laboratory that both challenges and supports. The method of instruction consists of hands-on technical education with a theoretical background, combined with the development of analytical skills in general education subjects. This combination of technical and analytical skills, monitored through performance-based assessments, uniquely prepares students for long-range employment opportunities.

At New England Institute of Technology, students participate in real world programs that offer excellent employment opportunities. The 1997 report of the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council boldly stated that a "robust Rhode Island economy needs to be one that emphasizes technology-based products and processes and a highly skilled workforce." New England Institute of Technology is at the forefront of technical education and is well-positioned to educate the workforce of tomorrow. To accomplish this goal, the College is fortunate to have a talented and sensitive faculty that knows how to bring out the best in our students. In addition, the College has forged a multitude of industry/ education partnerships which the Council has underscored as vital to the growth of the economy. As a result of all this, we enjoy an excellent relationship with the industrial community in New England.

As we celebrate over 60 years since our founding, it is a pleasure and a source of great pride to look back over the highlights that trace New England Institute of Technology's growth and development over the years. Looking back gives us a new appreciation for the importance of the contributions of literally thousands of dedicated individuals to the success we enjoy today. Looking back also makes the exciting challenges that we face as we enter the new century seem all the more achievable.