Tom Clauser – attended 1976 – 1978, studied Industrial Electronics Kim Clauser (Mason) – attended 1977-1978, studied Secretarial Science

Tom and Kim (Mason) Clauser met during an Outdoor Club hike in 1977, organized by ϲվ which was then known as the NH Vocational Technical College at Nashua.

“Our years at NHVTC remain quite memorable and life-changing both personally and career-wise,”

Tom graduated in 1978 with his degree in Industrial Electronics. While at NHVTC, he was a member of the Radio-Electronics Club and vice president of the Delta Phi Omega Fraternity, a college-sponsored fraternity that raised money for charities with car washes, off-campus dances, and raffles. Tom also completed a work study position as an audio-visual technician in the college library.

“My degree and coursework opened doors to challenging opportunities at many of the premiere employers in both New Hampshire and Pennsylvania,” he said.

After NCC

After graduating in 1978, Tom worked as Quality Assurance Technician at Raytheon in Lowell, Mass., which required a confidential security clearance. Tom and Kim moved to Pennsylvania in 1979, where he worked as a quality assurance tech at PA Scale, and a maintenance electronics Tech at American Chain and Cable, AMP Inc., and Caterpillar Tractor. He then spent 22 years at M&M/Mars advancing to Lead Calibration Engineer Technician, achieving American Society for Quality Certification as Calibration Technician in 2007.

Years after earning his first degree, Tom completed his bachelor’s in 2004. “Twenty-three years after graduation from NHVTC, I was thrilled to discover that all of my college credits could still be transferred to Albright College’s Accelerated Degree Program. This made it possible to further my education via a Bachelor’s Degree in a much more reasonable amount of time.” He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology from Albright College in Reading, Penn.

Looking back to her NHVTC days, Kim recounted the first time the two of them met on a rainy hike more than 40 years ago. “Tom and I met Nov. 11, 1977 on an NHVTC Outdoors Club hike I just got home after recovering from a hospital stay, wondering if I should even attempt to climb Mount Moosilauke; at 4,802 feet, a strenuous and difficult summit route due to extremely steep and rough trail conditions. Our college climbing group didn’t expect such a cold, damp, raw day – and I certainly never expected to meet my future husband on that mountain.”

Kim said Tom made sure that she made it back down safely after she struggled on the trail,

“You know, even after 43 years we have yet to reach that mountain summit; but after two sons and four grandchildren, the rest as they say is HISTORY!”

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