Mike Decelle, dean of the College of Professional Studies and UNH Manchester, and UNH President Elizabeth Chilton (first and second from left) with ARMI's Chief Operating Officer Dr. Jennifer MacDonald, Chief Administrative Officer Jim Scott and Executive Director and Chairman of the Board, Dean Kamen (third, fourth and fifth from left).
Once the site of the largest textile manufacturer in the world, Manchester’s Amoskeag Millyard is realizing its 21st Century revolution thanks to the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute’s (ARMI) continued progress toward leading the nation’s bioeconomy, through public-private collaboration with industry, academia, and government.
UNH serves as a primary lead for ARMI’s academic and workforce development activities and has partnered with its founder, Dean Kamen, since the time of the original, bold concept, nearly a decade ago, to seek funding through the U.S. Department of Defense for a groundbreaking Manufacturing Innovation Institute in Manchester.
More recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce designated the southern New Hampshire region as the ReGen Valley Tech Hub. Led by ARMI, the goal of the ReGen Valley Tech Hub is to further advance biofabrication-related therapies, train critical workforce and invest in manufacturing capabilities to secure domestic development of these strategic technologies.
To see the progress of this public-private partnership firsthand, UNH President Elizabeth Chilton recently visited the Queen City to check in with leadership from ARMI. Chilton was joined by Mike Decelle, Dean of the College of Professional Studies and UNH Manchester, and founding chief workforce officer at ARMI.
During the visit, UNH leadership was welcomed by ARMI’s Kamen, executive director and chairman of the board, as well as Dr. Jennifer MacDonald, chief operating officer, and Jim Scott, chief administrative officer. The group was led on a tour of ARMI’s world-class facilities, where the work is being done to create an industry to regenerate human tissue and organs. Throughout the tour, UNH and ARMI leaders discussed their successes, the next steps and what’s possible through authentic partnerships like the one happening on the ground in the Millyard today.
“At the heart of every new American industry is a thriving academic center,” says MacDonald. “ReGen Valley’s transformational mission needs innovators and leaders in a broad range of disciplines, and UNH is leading the ReGen Valley Common Campus to build a world-class workforce right here at home.”
“The work being done by ARMI is incredible and will truly change lives,” Chilton says. “UNH’s partnership with ARMI and our leadership of the ReGen Valley Tech Hub provide students with hands-on experiences at the cutting edge of an industry poised to take on some of healthcare’s most pressing challenges.”
Later, Chilton and Decelle made a stop at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester, where they were greeted by Diane Fitzpatrick, the organization’s chief executive officer.
An anchor in the Queen City community, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester has supported generations of working families and currently serves more than 500 youth within Manchester.
The UNH leaders congratulated Fitzpatrick on her community distinction as ‘Citizen of the Year’ by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce this spring, a recognition for her significant leadership and commitment to the Manchester community.
Fitzpatrick led a tour of the ‘Union Street Clubhouse’, the club’s main branch, where access to before and after school programming is available, with choices including tutoring, arts, athletics, the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Lab and the ‘Zen Den’. In addition to this location, the club operates three school-based sites in west, south and east Manchester.
As part of the day’s theme, the tour included the STEAM Lab. Chilton and Decelle met with STEAM Director Keith Darling, who shared more about their growing partnership with UNH, and how the youth they serve through the club will now have access to educational programs, like Manchester Tech Camp, part of an exciting new opportunity with Manchester CREATES, led from UNH’s Manchester campus. This initiative serves students in the region, with an aim to advance education and career opportunities in regenerative medicine and biofabrication.
With summer right around the corner, UNH students will once again serve in full-time program roles at the club’s Camp Foster. The annual award is made possible through UNH’s Small Family Community Fellowship program. The John Small Gift Fund underwrites this program, supporting summer internships for in-state undergraduates at nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester was honored to have President Chilton and UNH Manchester’s Dean Mike Decelle tour the facility and learn about the many programs the club offers to children, families and the community,” says Fitzpatrick. “We are grateful for the partnership with UNH offering New Hampshire undergraduates summer internship opportunities at Camp Foster since 2020. We look forward to expanding our partnership in the coming years.”
“UNH is committed to working hand-in-hand with our local community leaders, and that’s why I was pleased to spend the afternoon at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester,” says Decelle. “UNH is proud to foster unique opportunities with broad impact from the Millyard to right here at the Boys & Clubs of Greater Manchester.”
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Written By:
Amy Slattery | UNH Marketing
