NH colleges commit to increasing STEM graduates

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's community colleges and four-year school are working together to turn out more high-tech graduates.

Last year, the four University System of New Hampshire schools and the 11 community colleges awarded 1,100 degrees in science, technology, engineering or math. Under an agreement signed Tuesday, that number would increase by 50 percent by 2020 and double by 2025.

Gov. John Lynch said the agreement will bring together not only the various institutions, but businesses that need skilled workers, particularly at a time when New Hampshire is seeing a decline in highly educated workers moving into the state.

Part of the collaboration involves a new initiative to help students in the university system go back and finish the community college degrees they may have dropped when they transferred.