Bruce Langton
1990 Graduate
Graphic Designer and Retired CT Scan Tech
I chose Lakes Region Community College because a friend had gone through the graphic arts program and highly recommended it. I’d always been drawn to graphic design and the printing arts, and LRCC felt like the right place to explore that interest.
Before attending LRCC, I was never considered a strong student. But once I got there, everything changed. I used every resource available, and for the first time, I felt like I was in an environment built for my success. The one‑on‑one learning, the tight‑knit community, and the instructors who genuinely cared all gave me the space to grow. LRCC was the perfect place to begin my new career after serving in the Air Force. I used the GI Bill to pay for college, and LRCC gave me a solid foundation in every aspect of the printing trades. I left LRCC with real skills, lifelong friends, and a confidence I’d never had before.
One of the most meaningful parts of my time at LRCC was creating the school logo. My instructors, Tom Goulette and Phil King, held a logo design contest for our class. I entered, won the $200 prize, and used it to throw a class party. The inspiration for LRCC’s logo came from a Riverpark logo at Arms Park in Manchester, NH. That design used simple graphics—a river, a bridge, a festive icon—and I loved its clarity. I wanted to bring that same simplicity to LRCC’s mission.
The three elements I chose for the LRCC logo symbolize a fun, healthy environment to learn in. The sailboat represents forward progress and success. It’s exciting to see that logo is still in use today.
After graduating, I worked at Eastern Rainbow, a color separation house, right as digital printing was taking off. I later finished my career at the Eagle Tribune’s commercial printing company, working as an electronic prepress technician and graphic designer. Later, I used the computer skills I gained from graphic design to transition into the radiology field as a CT Scan Technician. I worked in some of Boston’s busiest emergency rooms, providing critical imaging for trauma patients. Today, I’m retired, but I still create graphic designs for my local community.
I’ve always been grateful to my instructors at LRCC. They gave me more than technical skills; they taught me how to be a good student. Before LRCC, I believed people were either “smart or dumb” when it comes to school. LRCC showed me that success comes from hard work. I learned how to take notes, study and build a learning plan, and most importantly I developed a passion for learning that has carried me through every chapter of my career.
It’s been a great ride, and it all started at LRCC.