Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) visited River Valley Community College’s (RVCC) Lebanon Center to tour the site and hear updates from students, RVCC leadership, as well as staff and instructors.

“Economic success and access to education go hand-in-hand – expanding access to skills training and workforce development programs is key to ensuring Granite State families and our economy have a bright future,” said Rep. Kuster. “I appreciated the opportunity to tour River Valley Community College’s (RVCC) Lebanon Academic Center today and to hear from the college’s leadership, students, and instructors.”

“As our state faces challenges in the labor workforce, I’m proud of the investments RVCC at Lebanon continues to make in students and with local workforce partnerships,” Kuster continued. “These investments benefit not only our economy, but also the health and well-being of our communities – RVCC’s nursing programs can provide direct relief amid the state’s nursing shortage. In Congress, I will continue working to support our community colleges, skills training programs, and workforce development programs which are essential to meet the demands of today’s rapidly changing economy.”

“We at River Valley are excited to host Congresswoman Kuster and share the great things happening at our college. RVCC is committed to being a strong community partner,” said Alfred Williams, President of River Valley Community College. “With the Congresswoman’s support of our Lebanon Center, we have been able to provide vital programming serving the region.”

Congresswoman Kuster’s amendment to the 2014 Farm Bill encouraged USDA’s Rural Development program to grant more resources to the development of rural community colleges like RVCC’s Lebanon Academic Center. Kuster supported the Community College System of NH as it applied for and secured a $1.6 million USDA-RD loan making it possible for them to purchase the Lebanon buildings that are now RVCC. This campus serves as a hub for workforce development and business and industry training, in partnership with local organizations including Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Hypertherm.

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