Founders Day 2024
President Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr. requests the honor of your presence at New England College’s Founders Day Celebration.
The celebration of Founders Day was instituted to honor the vision and leadership of the founding faculty, staff, administration, and students of the College.
Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.
Rosamond Page Putnam Center for the Performing Arts
10 Weare Road in Henniker
Or livestreaming at https://team1sports.com/athleticsnec/
View the Founders Day program.
Keynote Speaker Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts
Staff Seargent Ryan Pitts joined the Army in 2003, at the age of 17 under the delayed entry program. He attended basic training and advanced individual training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
Pitts then went to the U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, before being assigned as a radio telephone operator for the 4th Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, and 173rd Airborne Brigade at Camp Ederle, Italy from 2004–2005. He remained headquartered at Camp Ederle as part of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade from 2006–2009.
While assigned to the 173rd, Pitts deployed twice to Afghanistan. His first deployment in 2005 lasted 12 months. His final deployment spanned 15 months beginning in 2007. Pitts departed the active-duty Army in 2009.
His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from the University of New Hampshire at Manchester. He currently resides in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he is in business development for the computer software industry.
His military education includes the U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Pathfinder Course, and the Warrior Leader Course.
Pitts’s other awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal with bronze clasp and two loops, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 4 device, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Parachutists Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Valorous Unit Award.
