Great Bay Community College will host John Ratzenberger, actor and U.S. manufacturing advocate, on Thursday, Oct. 2.
Ratzenberger, who is best known for his roles as “Cliff Clavin” on Cheers and host of the cable program “Made in America,” will tour the college’s Advanced Technology & Academic Center in Rochester and then serve as featured speaker at the college’s Distinguished Leaders Award that night. The event, themed “Advanced Manufacturings Night Out” is the college’s annual fundraiser and is slated to raise more than $300,000 in student scholarships.
The college’s Distinguished Leaders Award event is from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Wentworth by the Sea hotel in New Castle.
GBCC opened ATAC in May 2012 to offer traditional academic programs as well as a certificate program in Advanced Composites Manufacturing. ATAC is the largest single project under the statewide Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in Education initiative, formed by the Community College System of New Hampshire under the federal TAACCCT-NH grant. AMPed NH is sponsored by a $19.97 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration.
Proceeds from the Distinguished Leaders Award event will support scholarships for GBCC. To date, 168 students have received more than $335,500 in scholarship from funds raised at the annual event. In 2013, more than $200,000 was raised with support from 250 industry, education and community leaders. The third annual event is expected to raise in excess of $300,000 in student scholarships.