MANCHESTER, NH – The New Hampshire Institute of Art has announced that its 2015 commencement speaker will be New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan.
Now in her second term, Hassan has long been an advocate for expanding educational opportunities and the potential for the creative economy to have a transformative effect in the Granite State.
This year’s commencement is especially significant as this will be the first time in the college’s 117-year history that the New Hampshire Institute of Art confers graduate degrees with students from the Institute’s new Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) and Master of Art in Art Education (M.A.A.E.) programs participating in the ceremony in addition to Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) students.
Governor Hassan will receive an honorary doctorate at the commencement ceremony, which will take place at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover Street, Manchester on Sunday, May 17 at 2 p.m.
“I am excited to honor the accomplishments of New Hampshire Institute of Art’s 2015 graduates and commend them for their hard work and dedication to the arts,” Hassan said. “These smart, creative problem solvers have the talent, skills and training to build great lives, contribute to our vibrant arts community and creative economy, and strengthen our communities and our state.”
New Hampshire Institute of Art president Kent Devereaux said it is an honor to have the governor’s support.
“Her commitment on behalf of education and the role it plays in fostering an informed citizenry and a healthy democracy is unquestioned, and the life lessons she can share with our students from her unique perspective as governor will be invaluable,” Devereaux said.
The New Hampshire Institute of Art’s commencement ceremony is part of a weekend-long celebration that also includes the annual Preview Party Scholarship Fundraiser on Saturday, May 16 from 6-9 p.m. and the public opening of this year’s exhibition of works by the 2015 Bachelor of Fine Arts graduating class on Sunday, May 17 at 4 p.m. immediately following the commencement ceremony.
The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, runs through June 14 and takes place at the New Hampshire Institute of Art’s French Building, 148 Concord St., Roger Williams Studios, 77 Amherst St., and 88 Lowell St. galleries in Manchester.
For more information about the Preview Party Scholarship Fundraiser, or to purchase tickets, visit www.nhia.edu/preview-party or call 603.836.2143.
About New Hampshire Institute of Art
Established in 1898 as the Manchester Institute of Arts and Sciences, the New Hampshire Institute of Art offers Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Arts in Art Education and Master of Fine Arts degrees as well as Certificate and Community Education programs in Manchester, Sharon, and Peterborough, NH.
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