Student Journalist, Cohen Center Leader, And Local Festival Are Presidents' Awards Honorees
Keene State College proudly announces its recipients of the Campus Compact for New Hampshire’s annual Presidents’ Awards. Colleges across New Hampshire select honorees for three awards: President’s Leadership, President’s Good Steward, and President’s Community Partner.
Tim Bruns, Dr. Kate DeConinck, and The City of Keene’s International Festival were among the state award winners honored Tuesday, April 9, during a recognition gala at the Manchester Country Club.
The Keene State community nominated recipients, and the college’s Cabinet members determined the Keene State winners.
President’s Leadership Award
Keene State senior Tim Bruns was chosen for this recognition because of his outstanding contributions to student journalism, resurrecting the college’s student-run newspaper, and in so doing contributing widely to civic engagement efforts on campus. Tim led the re-emergence of The Equinox following the COVID-19 pandemic, first by reinstituting an eight-page print edition and then an expanded 12-page paper to better cover the Keene State community and the community surrounding the campus as it affects the college. He successfully manages an executive board and staff of more than 50 students to produce a news platform that, between website, print, and social media, reaches more than 10,000 readers and users weekly. Tim’s capability as a leader and a journalist benefits the community through his efforts to uphold free-speech rights, bring issues on campus to light, and inspire calls to action.
President’s Good Steward Award
Contributing passion and professional expertise in service to the wider community and to advance public service on campus, Dr. Kate DeConinck, Director of the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, has been an exemplary leader. Dr. DeConinck has made a significant impact on campus, in the region, and around the state in the less than two years she has been in her role at Keene State. The Cohen Conversations series offers opportunities to learn and bring members of the broader community together. She has taken events like L’Dough V’Dough, held in Keene in 2023, to other cities in the state, including Manchester earlier this year. The Center’s 40th anniversary in 2024 included a range of events that brought people together to think about difficult and pressing issues and to help communities think about the role each of us has in making where we live, and the world, a better place. All the while, Dr. DeConinck provides leadership with compassion, unflagging energy, and boundless generosity.
Community Partner Award
Showcasing and celebrating the rich cultural diversity of the greater Keene community through activities that engage and connect people, The Keene International Festival and the college have formed a meaningful partnership around shared, desired outcomes. Service to the community is a long-standing value at Keene State College, and the accomplishments of the Keene Parks & Recreation Department’s International Festival are significant. The event, now four years running, binds the community in meaningful ways and celebrates diversity. It includes Keene State students who come from different parts of the world as they get to perform and share their culture with a larger audience. Some Keene State faculty have also contributed their cultural talents during the festival. Workshops, demonstrations, games and activities, and a global bazaar are just part of the celebration. Its mission is to show Keene as a welcoming place to live, work, and raise a family. The festival is a win-win in every way. Andy Bohannon and Aggie Cersosimo accepted the award on behalf of the City of Keene.
About Keene State College
Keene State College is a preeminent public liberal arts college that ensures student access to world-class academic programs. Integrating academics with real-world application and active community and civic engagement, Keene State College prepares graduates to meet society’s challenges by thinking critically, acting creatively, and serving the greater good. To learn more about Keene State College, visit www.keene.edu.
