Plymouth State Marks 155th Commencement, Honors Hundreds Of Undergraduates

PLYMOUTH, NH — Plymouth State University celebrated its 155th undergraduate commencement Saturday at the Bank of New Hampshire Field House in the Active Living, Learning, and Wellness North Building on campus in Plymouth.

The university said approximately 685 students were honored during the ceremony. Graduate and doctorate degrees were awarded in a separate ceremony on Friday evening, in the same field house.

PSU President Donald L. Birx addressed undergraduates during the ceremony and pointed to the changing landscape graduates are entering.

“You’ve done this work in a world that has not been standing still,” Birx said. “You’ve adapted, persisted, and moved forward through challenges and change, including the rapid growth of AI, a powerful tool you must master, but not a replacement for the skills you have developed here. You know how to contribute, lead, and serve in thoughtful and meaningful ways. As you leave this place, carry that with you.”

At the undergraduate ceremony, alumna Tina Schumacher delivered the keynote address after the university conferred her Granite State Award. According to the university, the award honors individuals who have made exceptional contributions to New Hampshire. PSU said Schumacher has worked for the past 17 years with Voices Against Violence, supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence and leading trauma-informed education and prevention programs for students and youth.

“My time at Plymouth State has been, and continues to be, fundamental to my transformation as a person,” Schumacher said. “When I came to New Hampshire about 30 years ago, I had none of the essentials we tend to take for granted, such as a job, car, money, friends, or an education. What I did have was family that stood by me when I left an abusive relationship and two young children that needed me to succeed.”

The university also said Class of 2026 President Hannah Lowell urged graduates to build a better world by fighting for higher education, the arts, and human rights.

At Friday’s graduate ceremony, Richard “Dick” Ober, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, delivered the commencement address to 184 graduates.

PSU said Ober, a 1983 graduate of Plymouth State, has led the foundation since 2010.

“As New Hampshire changes, our sense of mutual dependence must become as strong as our independence—or we will lose both,” Ober said.

More information about Plymouth State University is available at plymouth.edu.