40 Influential Leaders - Mark Rubinstein

Mark Rubinstein
Chancellor of the NH Community College System

Mark Rubinstein “grew up in a household where college was an expectation,” but he recognizes that is not everyone’s circumstance. He also recognizes the increasing need for a higher education both to get a job and move up the ladder. He tackles both as chancellor of the NH Community College System (NHCCS).

Financial concerns are the primary reason why many feel shut out from a college education, and Rubinstein sees that manifest in two ways. The first in the total cost, which tips the value proposition in an unfavorable direction. The second is, for those who decide to pursue a degree despite the cost, in student loan payments, which can haunt students for decades after they graduate.

“I think there’s probably going to be more of a need for post-secondary education than there was in the past,” Rubinstein says. “The world is changing more rapidly.” In his view, it’s likely that the generation now beginning their careers will navigate an unpredictable world, one in which emerging technologies will create new jobs, and workers will need frequent education to make the most of opportunities.

The NH Community College System is a critical part of the solution, he says. It can put itself in a better position by solving the problem of cost. One solution is expanding the dual enrollment program already in place, which allows students to take courses that will count toward both their high school diploma and a college degree. “That provides some of the best returns on investment for the state when it comes to education,” Rubinstein says. “Over the course of a working lifetime, we are going to need to provide near-continuous access to education that allows New Hampshire’s workforce to remain competitive, and to sustain the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the state.”

CCSNH supports individuals transitioning to new careers. Nearly one-in-five students in the nursing programs already hold a bachelor’s degree in some other field, he says. “Those students made hard choices to do something that matters to them and that matters to their families,” he says. “It [also] matters to New Hampshire, to have that talent and energy redirected to support a critical need in this state.”