Chester College of New England

"Chester College" redirects here. For the United Kingdom educational institution formerly known as Chester College, see University of Chester.

Chester College of New England
Established	1965, as White Pines College
Type	Private liberal arts college
President	Robert Baines
Location	Chester, New Hampshire, United States
Campus	Rural
Website	http://www.chestercollege.edu/

Chester College of New England is a bachelor's degree-granting college that provides a foundation in the liberal arts and the fine arts, complemented by majors in the professional arts. Located in Chester, New Hampshire, the college offers degree programs in creative writing; professional writing; photography and media arts (with concentrations in video production, media arts, or photography); graphic design; fine arts; communication arts; and interdisciplinary arts. Chester College also offers minor programs in creative writing, illustration, photojournalism, professional writing – publishing, and theater.

The four-year Bachelor of Arts program takes an interdisciplinary approach to studies, with a strong emphasis on both creativity and professionalism. The small, rural environment fosters intimate workshop classes and draws in artists and writers from all over New England and the United States.

The college features a low student-to-faculty ratio (10:1), artist- and writer-in-residence programs, and a program of guest lectures, exhibitions, art and photography exhibits, internships, and relationships with professional associations.

Visiting Artists and Writers Series

Chester College invites several distinguished artists and writers to campus every semester. The Visiting Artists and Writers Series has welcomed several notable visual artists and authors to campus. Visiting writers and artists host lectures, sit in on classes, and host readings and gallery exhibits on campus.

Notable authors in the past have included Steve Almond, Nicholson Baker, Mary Gaitskill, Jennifer Haigh, Askold Melnyczuk, Sharon Olds, George Saunders, and Michelle Tea. Notable visual artists in the past have included Mary Babcock, Henry Horenstein, Robert Lobe, Pipo Nguyen-duy, Pol Turgeon, and Barbara Westermann.

History

The college was founded in 1965 as White Pines College by Faith Preston, Ed.D., who sought to create a post-secondary learning environment that focused on the needs of the individual student in a way that larger institutions could not. The first class was admitted in 1967.^[1] The name was changed in 2002 when the college expanded from a 2-year program to a 4-year college.

On June 22, 2007, former Manchester Mayor Robert Baines was named interim president. He served half a year before announcing his intention to remain as permanent president.^{[citation needed]}

Notable faculty include published authors David Crouse (former faculty) and Robert W. Crawford (former faculty), as well as Christina Pitsch.

References

1. ^ "White Pines College in Chester Beginning Its Tenth Year Today", The Telegraph, 1976-09-13, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G6QrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=svwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5641,2019236 

External links

• Chester College of New England

Coordinates: 42°57′34″N 71°15′35″W / 42.95944°N 71.25972°W / 42.95944; -71.25972