Higher education was not an option for Chloe Puccia when she graduated from high school in Tilton over a decade ago. Her adoptive mother was disabled and required support. Chloe worked three jobs, but she and her mother barely made ends meet. There simply wasn’t time or money to consider additional education or training.
By 2014, Chloe was tired of her uninspiring retail jobs and wanted something more. When a friend informed her about an opportunity to teach English in China, she worked diligently to secure a position. Before long, Chloe was embarking on a new life far from her hometown.
Chloe taught for nearly seven years until a car accident abruptly changed her course. The serious accident almost cost her a leg, but it sparked her interest in prosthetics. The more Chloe learned about the field, the more she realized that most options were, as she puts it, “terrible.” During her time in China, she discovered a passion for neuromuscular prosthetics.
Upon returning to New Hampshire, Chloe explored scholarship opportunities to help her pursue this newfound passion. She received support from several scholarship funds at NHTI and The Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges, which empowered her to enroll in a Mechanical Engineering program with a second major in General Studies. Thanks to support from the Chester W. French Scholarship and the NASA Space Grant Scholarship, Chloe is on track to receive her associate degree in Spring 2025.
As Chloe turns 35, she feels her degree is opening doors to a new life. She hopes to continue her education at a four-year college and earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. “I would not have been able to pursue my studies without scholarship support. The Foundation and the family of Chester W. French have my everlasting gratitude,” she said.
