UNH Today

WHAT: UNH will host a series of small commencement ceremonies over three days to recognize its 2023 graduates.

DURHAM, N.H.—For over 100 years, New Hampshire has been the first primary election in the country and now the Democratic National Committee has decided that is enough. In a plan proposed by President Joe Biden and approved by a DNC vote earlier this year, the first-in-the-nation status will now go to South Carolina. The decision has been met with a lot of resistance and uncertainty and months later the debate continues as the deadline to comply approaches on June 3, 2023.

DURHAM, N.H.—Mary Johanna Brown '89, founder and president of Brown & Company Design and Big Brown Books, has been named the University of New Hampshire’s Paul J. Holloway Entrepreneur of the Year. She was recognized at this year’s Paul J. Holloway Prize Competition, UNH’s premier business plan competition that celebrates student entrepreneurs and innovators.

DURHAM, N.H.—The University of New Hampshire will welcome its highest-achieving incoming freshman class ever this fall. The class of 2027 will arrive with the highest average GPA, largest number of merit scholarships and greatest number of students ranked in the top 10% of their high school classes.

DURHAM, N.H.—In recognition of their achievements, the University of New Hampshire will award honorary degrees to its commencement speakers as well as to a USDA forest service researcher and a philanthropist at commencement ceremonies across its campuses this May.

DURHAM, N.H.—Thanks to a $2 million gift from the YAS Foundation, the University of New Hampshire has established the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Fund to support a year-long schedule of activities that will celebrate and promote the power of poetry at UNH and beyond, culminating each April in a festival to coincide with national poetry month.

DURHAM, N.H.— This Mother’s Day skip the floral arrangement and give mom a flower experience that will last long after the blooms in a bouquet. Book tickets for this summer to the Isles of Shoals to enjoy the sights and sounds of the enchanting and colorful historic garden of beloved writer and poet Celia Thaxter, which she first planted over a century ago.

DURHAM, N.H.— As Britain prepares for the coronation of King Charles III, there is much speculation over the majesty and size of the event as well as who will be attending. Nicoletta Gullace, associate professor of history at the University of New Hampshire and an expert on the royal family, is available to talk about the historical significance of the ceremony to be held on Saturday, May 6, as well as protocol and what we can expect from the royals.

Gullace can be reached at nicoletta.gullace@unh.edu.

DURHAM, N.H.—Three-quarters of survey respondents with children under age five had searched for childcare in the past 12 months and half of them reported the search was difficult, according to a statewide family needs assessment survey.

DURHAM, N.H.—The University of New Hampshire will open the Hamel Honors and Scholars College in fall of 2024 thanks to a $20 million gift from longtime benefactor and UNH parent Dana Hamel. The support will allow for expansion of in-class and extracurricular opportunities for honors students and Hamel Scholars and create a dedicated living-learning community for high-achieving students.