New Hampshire Superstars

An investment in New Hampshire
In the fall, they came from across New Hampshire, from the Seacoast area to the Vermont border, the 12 students who made up the inaugural class of Hamel Scholars and Scholarship recipients at the University of New Hampshire. Over the course of the semester, the five juniors and seven first-year students convened three times as a group.

On September 22, 2008, the group gathered for a dinner at University President Mark W. Huddleston’s residence. The event provided the students, all selected for their personal integrity as well as intellectual excellence and leadership potential, with an opportunity to meet one another, President Huddleston, and UNH Foundation staff— and to say a few words to their benefactor, Dana Hamel. The Hamel Scholars met twice more during the semester, at topic-focused luncheons in October and November that were designed to foster a feeling of community among the scholars as well as probe issues both relevant to and beyond the students’ experiences.

On October 30, UNH political science professors Dante Scala and Andy Smith, both widely recognized for their political expertise and engaging presentation styles, led a timely discussion about the U.S. Presidential election. On November 25, Cynthia ‘Mil’ Duncan, founding director of the UNH Carsey Institute, and health economics professor Robert Woodward turned the conversation to the U.S. health care system.

The two luncheons were well attended by University Honors Program and UNH Foundation leadership in addition to the Hamel Scholars and Scholarship recipients. The students broadly agreed that these focused discussions were one of the highlights of their fall semester—reinforcing the program’s mission and the significance of their involvement in it. This spring, the Hamel Scholars luncheon program will reconvene to consider several new topics. The first meeting will offer a discussion about academic breadth at UNH, led by provost Bruce Mallory.

In a short period of time, the Hamel Scholars program has established itself as an essential element of the University of New Hampshire’s quest for excellence. In the pages that follow, the 12 inaugural scholars reflect on their first semester as a Hamel Scholar or Scholarship recipient and the ways the program has shaped their UNH experience.

The University of New Hampshire is committed to making UNH accessible to all qualified New Hampshire students, and to attracting exceptional students from diverse backgrounds. To keep the best and brightest New Hampshire students in the state, the ability to offer merit-based scholarship awards and competitive financial aid packages is essential. In fall 2008, the University introduced an important and exciting new way to attract top New Hampshire students to the Durham campus: The Hamel Scholars and Scholarship program, a merit- and need-based program funded through the generosity of longtime UNH benefactor Dana A. Hamel.