Extraordinary times

IN MY COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS to the Class of 2022, I noted that I arrived here four years ago, just as many of our graduates were preparing to begin their own journeys at UNH in the fall of 2018. That feels like a lifetime ago.

We have certainly been through extraordinary times together.

The pandemic has impacted virtually every aspect of life on our campuses, in our communities, within our families and at our workplaces. It arrived as the nation’s higher education institutions, including UNH, were already grappling with challenges, including a declining population of high school students, increased competition and rising costs. It felt like a perfect storm at times.

Yet, as this fall approaches, UNH is emerging stronger, more vibrant and relevant than ever — both as a university and as a connected Wildcat community. In fact, I believe our incoming students could not pick a better time to attend New Hampshire’s flagship university.

We are now ranked among the top 10 U.S. public universities for best value, which measures the quality of a school’s education relative to its cost, rising three places from last year. Our graduation rate ranks among the top 50 of more than 500 public universities. We are 25th nationally in the number of students who pursue internships, research projects and other high-impact education experiences. We rose from fifth to fourth in sustainability. And the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law is ranked fourth nationally for intellectual property programs.

In 2021, UNH was awarded $260 million in competitive research support — double our 2020 record — and a reflection of the excellence of our faculty researchers, staff and facilities. UNH also reached an all-time record in philanthropy, raising more than $50 million in private support in the past year.

Most importantly for our students and their families, UNH and its partners in the University System of New Hampshire were able again to freeze in-state tuition for the 2022-23 academic year. Today, our institutions provide more aid to more students than at any other time in their history. That means Granite State students pay less on average now than they did five years ago — in an era of rising costs and inflation, that is remarkable.

How can we commemorate such success in such trying times? Two recent events offer important insights.

At Commencement, we celebrated the outstanding achievements of more than 3,000 students graduating from our three campuses. We can be particularly proud of this year’s graduates, because they excelled as scholars even as they overcame unprecedented hurdles, from learning remotely to watching out for their own physical and mental well-being, while supporting their families and classmates.

I was delighted that we were able to break from tradition and hold smaller ceremonies this year, so that we could announce each graduate’s name. To see their families gathered in person and to hear their cheers was music to my ears.

Our graduates’ success — and UNH’s success — reflect how our campus communities came together for them. From our front-line workers in facilities, dining and residential life to our administrative staff, mental health and career counselors and our medical staff, they never wavered in their work. Commencement was also a wonderful celebration of our renowned faculty, who went above and beyond to honor a strong commitment to support students through turbulent times.

In turn, the achievements of our students, faculty and staff could not be possible without you, our dedicated alumni community.

After two years of cancellations due to COVID, I was thrilled to see so many return to campus for Reunion Weekend in June. Alumni who stay connected with one another and engaged with their alma mater make a real difference in UNH’s success. I love hearing from students that our alumni have mentored or hired in their businesses. During the pandemic, alumni generously supported students as we moved our campus to remote operations. Many also volunteered as career mentors,
guest speakers and panelists for important programs.

I hope that you enjoy seeing the photos and reading the stories about these two momentous events. As we look back on the challenges we have weathered together, we enter this fall semester with a deeper appreciation for the caring character that defines our Wildcat family and makes it stronger.