Following is a timeline depicting some of the highlights in the history of the 45-year-old Daniel Webster College, originally New England Aeronautical Institute.

1965: Three prominent Nashua men, then-Attorney General Warren B. Rudman, James N. Tamposi and Harry J. Sheffield charter a private, nonprofit coed college named New England Aeronautical Institute to offer educational courses related specifically to aeronautics and aerospace.

Fall 1965: First classes are held in a cinderblock hangar at Nashua Municipal Airport’s Boire Field.

1966: Construction begins on the original NEAI campus; seven buildings are planned on 20 acres of land off of Pine Hill Road and adjacent to Boire Field. The main building, named Daniel Webster Hall, faced a brand new street called University Drive and included the administration and faculty offices, a dozen classrooms and science laboratories, the school library, cafeteria, book store, and student lounge.

Jan. 1967: Brig. Gen. Harrison R. Thyng, U.S.A.F-Ret., is named director of NEAI.

Spring 1967: The New England Aerospace Training Center is built, featuring an air control tower and four specialized classrooms.

May 1967: NEAI leaders announce plans for an affiliated junior college, saying it would specialize in “general education.” It would be named Daniel Webster Junior College.

Fall 1967: New enrollment figures show that the school’s roughly 150 students come from 14 different states, as well as the West Indies, Canada, India, Persia and South America.

Fall 1969: Dr. William W. McKenna named dean of NEAI.

Dec. 1
972: NEAI and DWJC are awarded regional accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Fall 1974: The colleges add a course in mechanical engineering; the following year, a course in electrical engineering is added.

1975: The school’s air control tower is dedicated the Nicholas N. Tamposi Aerospace Center following the well-known local airline pilot’s death.

1977: Hannah B. McCarthy is appointed the college’s dean of admissions.

1978: NEAI and DWJC merge to form Daniel Webster College. Hannah B. McCarthy is named acting president.

1979: Executive Councilor Lou D’Allesandro is named the school’s executive vice president.

1980: McCarthy named full president.

1981: College opens a new flight center at Boire Field. Four new Cessna primary training planes are purchased for student use.

Jan. 1982: The new College Center building, with a larger dining hall and auditorium, is completed, the first major step in a 10-year improvement plan.

1982: College purchases extensive computer equipment and begins offering computer classes. A travel management course is added to the curriculum. The college now offers five bachelor and nine associates degree programs.

1983: A soccer field and tennis courts are built on what would become the campus athletic complex.

May 1985: College breaks ground for a 25,000 square foot Learning Resource Center, scheduled to open later in the year.

September 1993: DWC completes a $7 million expansion project, including a $1.6 million renovation and expansion of the flight center.

April 1997: Don Newcombe, former pitcher with the old Nashua Dodgers, receives an honorary doctorate degree from DWC on the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the Major League color barrier.

October 1997: DWC is selected by the Federal Aviation Administration as one of nine colleges in the country that will help train future air traffic controllers.

September 25, 2001: DWC students are given the OK by the Federal Aviation Administration to resume training flights, two weeks after they were grounded for security purposes following the events of Sept. 11.

August 2004: Hannah McCarthy announces she is retiring effective June 2005 after nearly 30 years at the school and 25 as president.

February 2005: Robert “Skip” Myers is named president, succeeding McCarthy.

October 2007: College announces the start of a new Homeland Security degree program.

April 2009: ITT Educational Services of Woburn, Mass. announces its purchase of the financially-struggling Daniel Webster College for $23.9 million.

August 2009: College fires president Robert “Skip” Myers and lays off 23 employees, the first of up to 60 expected layoffs. Nadine Dowling, director of ITT’s Woburn campus, is named interim president.

Present: Officials announce the elimination of the college’s flight school.

– DEAN SHALHOUP

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