Granite State Awards and Honorary Degrees Conferred by Keene State College
Overview
Granite State Awards are conferred to recognize leaders of business, industry, agriculture, trade associations, and labor organizations, teachers in high or preparatory schools, professional persons, and citizens whose achievements in their own particular spheres have been outstanding for contributions they have made to New Hampshire (i.e. persons of prominence in their own communities who do not easily fit the categories of those eligible for honorary degrees, but who merit commendation). Granite State Awards are also conferred upon agencies, corporations, and foundations when these have provided extraordinary services, or have otherwise proved of great benefit to the state.
Honorary Degrees are awarded to outstanding individuals who bring honor, prestige, and recognition to the state; outstanding alumni and individuals of national and/or international importance whose contributions have enhanced society as a whole or who have otherwise brought significant enrichment or benefit to particular groups.
Committee Criteria
The nomination committee, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, is comprised of nine individuals: the previous two recipients of the Distinguished Teacher Award, the previous two recipients of the Faculty Distinction in Research and Scholarship Award, one student, one staff member from each of the remaining divisions (Finance & Planning, Student Affairs and Advancement), and one alumnus. The student, staff, and alumni representatives will be selected by the student assembly, PAT and OS Councils (on a rotating basis), and KSC Alumni Association respectively. The Chief of Staff will serve as staff to the nomination committee.
Timeline
The nomination committee solicits nominations from faculty, staff, students and alumni. Nominations include a short paragraph or bullet points identifying your choice for the award and your nominee’s qualifications. In mid-spring semester (April) a representative of the committee presents a list of agreed-upon candidates, sufficiently detailed information and a rationale for the choices to the President’s Cabinet. By May 15th the committee forwards to the President final recommendation and rationale, including a summary of the nominees’ accomplishments and an endorsement letter, and the President approves the nomination for awarding the following year.
Candidate Criteria
Nominees will be selected based on the following: individuals of national and/or international importance whose contributions have enhanced society as a whole, or who have otherwise brought significant enrichment or benefit to particular groups; outstanding alumni of the institution, whether residing in the state or out-of-state, or out of the country.
Eligibility
Current Keene State College and USNH employees are ineligible for nomination. With few exceptions, the honorary degree can each be conferred only once to an individual. A recipient may not hold political office when an award is conferred, though a nomination may be accepted for an individual currently in political office. A recipient must be present upon the occasion of the conferral of an honorary degree.
Please contact Stacy King at 603-358-2424 or Stacy.King@keene.edu with questions.