For the past nine years, NCC Professor Jason Felton has spearheaded the effort to revive the school's Honda Automotive Program. Courtesy photo/Nashua Community College

NASHUA – For the past nine years, Professor Jason Felton has spearheaded the effort to revive the Honda Automotive Program at Nashua Community College.

As a result of his tireless efforts, NCC was recently recognized by Honda as the Most Improved School.

Felton knew he had a task ahead of him when he took over as program coordinator in 2017 — only four students completed the program that year.

“I reconnected with dealers and I spent a lot of time going out to our partners and building back our industry connections. It’s a huge part of making the program successful: without them, the program fails,” said Felton. “It was really great to hear why they chose to recognize us; it wasn’t just about enrollment numbers.”

So far, 40 students have enrolled in the program for the 2026 fall semester.

“It’s the highest enrollment we’ve ever had this time of year,” said Felton.

He also credited Professor Benjamin Wagstaff for his assistance in reaching out to high school students.

“There were a lot of improvements we made together; Professor Wagstaff has experience at the high school level,” said Felton. “He helped us improve our recruiting strategy since he has seen what works and what doesn’t, and we came up with ways to really engage students during our visits.”

Leslie Macias, Honda’s East Coast coordinator of training operations, said the program has had “measurable growth” during the past three years.

“Since 2023, I have had the opportunity to visit NCC and collaborate with Professor Felton on initiatives aimed at supporting students in successfully completing program requirements,” said Macias. “His commitment to developing future talent and strengthening the workforce is commendable and we are grateful for his continued partnership.”

Felton also received the Challenging Spirit Award for his leadership.

“Professor Felton has played a key role in championing our PACE program, which connects secondary education with post-secondary pathways to build foundational skills and create a seamless pipeline into the automotive workforce,” said Macias.

The program objective is to train students to become ASE-certified master technicians and for employment at Honda/Acura dealerships. The training includes traditional classroom instruction, interactive work in the automotive laboratory and an internship at a dealership.

An open house will be held at the automotive laboratory on Aug. 20 from 5-7 p.m. and the fall semester begins on Aug. 31.