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Presidential Inauguration Celebration Saturday, September 30, 2023
Inauguration of Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr. 16th President of New England College Saturday, September 30, 2023 3:00 p.m. Henniker, New Hampshire
Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr. r. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr. was D unanimously elected the 16th President of New England College by the Board of Trustees on December 12, 2022. Dr. Lesperance arrived at NEC in 1999 to serve as Professor of Political Science, a role he relished for 17 years. He transitioned to NEC’s administration in 2016 when he became Dean of Residential Undergraduate Programs. He has served as Director of the Center for Civic Engagement; Vice President of Academic Affairs; and most recently, Provost. A political enthusiast, Dr. Lesperance moved to New Hampshire in 1999 to take advantage of the State’s special place in presidential politics. His love of the political process has helped him lead NEC’s civic engagement focus. He is a frequent commentator in regional and national media outlets, where he is often quoted on public policy, presidential elections, and U.S. foreign policy.
Among his more recent publications, he was Associate Editor of the annually published two-volume Political Handbook of the World (2017–2020), contributor to both Leadership and Legacy: The Presidency of Barack Obama (2021) and The New Islamic State (2016), and author of “American Foreign Policy and the 2016 Election” in the Journal of Social Science and Modern Society (September/October 2016). Additionally, he has authored numerous articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, and other publications. He received his BS in Political Science and MA in International Studies from Old Dominion University and his doctorate in Law and Policy from Northeastern University. Dr. Lesperance was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He resides in Cogswell House with his wife, Stephanie; daughter, Grace; and their two dogs, Nero and Emmitt.
Academic Regalia and Tradition
Opening Procession
The most visible part of any academic ceremony is the traditional cap and gown, or academic regalia. This centuries-old tradition provides a visual distinction of academic degrees and the institution granting that degree. Gowns for three levels of degrees are distinguished mainly by sleeve design. Associate and bachelor’s gowns have open sleeves. Master’s gowns have an oblong tail below the sleeve opening, and doctoral gowns are distinguished by three velvet bars on each sleeve and velvet trim on the gown’s front.
Bagpiper Eric Goodchild
Academic hoods are an integral part of academic regalia. Colors inside the hoods identify the institution conferring the degree and usually have a black shell trimmed in velvet. The color and width of the velvet trim, or hood border, represents the graduate’s academic degree or field of learning. At New England College, academic regalia is worn annually at Convocation, Founders Day, and Commencement—the three celebratory milestones of our academic year—and at special events like Inauguration. Caps, gowns, and academic costume have been worn since the Middle Ages in Europe and Colonial times in America, and we are proud to continue the tradition.
Academic Mace As the longest standing faculty members, Cynthia Burns Martin, MBA (Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness) and Debra Dunlop, BA ’76, PhD (Dean of the Science, Health, and Education Division) will start the tradition of leading New England College faculty in procession at ceremonial events with the Academic Mace. The Academic Mace is a gift presented by the Class of 1973 in honor of their 50th reunion and the inauguration of President Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr.
Faculty Marshals and Mace Cynthia Burns Martin, MBA and Debra Dunlop, BA ’76, PhD The Faculty of New England College Delegates from Academic Institutions The Administration of New England College Invited Speakers The Board of Trustees of New England College President of New England College Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr.
Program Welcome and Introductions of the President, Chairman of the Board, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, and Honored Guests Dr. Jennifer Militello, Director, MFA in Creative Writing Presentation of Colors The New Hampshire Department of Corrections Honor Guard Singing of the National Anthem The St. John Singers Recognition of Veterans Invited Speakers Lex Scourby BS ’75, MBA Chairman of the New England College Board of Trustees Adam Kapner BS ’02 New England College Board of Trustees
Elizabeth Brennan MS ’19, Director of Academic Advising Representing New England College Staff Deborah Scire EdD ’17 Campus Compact of New Hampshire Manuela Bohling and Carmen Kusiak Representing the Lesperance, Bohling, and Pintado Families Investiture of the President and Hooding Presentation Lex Scourby BS ’75, MBA Chairman of the New England College Board of Trustees Presidential Address Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance, Jr. Benediction Honorable JP Marzullo HA ’23 Closing Recessional
Louis Pakula BS ’85 President of the New England College Alumni Association
Please remain seated while the platform party recesses.
Andrew Morgan MFA, Dean of Humanities Division Representing New England College Faculty
Immediately following the Inauguration Ceremony, please join us outside for the First New Hampshire Regiment presentation.
New England College Board of Trustees Lex Scourby, BA ’75, MBA Chairman of the Board Raymond H. Apy, BA ’89, MS Peter A. Bordes, BA ’86
New England College Trustees Emeritus
Jay Lucas, JD
Charlotte Z. Allmayer-Beck
Daniel G. Lynch, BA ’85
Edmund C. Beebe, Jr.
Thomas Markey, BA ’82 Eric Morgan, BA ’83
Christopher G. Brazill, BA ’81, MBA, CPMR
Lori Sherer, BA ’83
Peter A. Bordes, BA ’86
Scott Simpson, MArch
Elbridge T. Gerry III, BA, P ’13
Clarke Smith, III, BA ’79
Thomas W. Farmen, BA ’74, MSA
Mary Simon Streep, BA ’77
Katherine Haley, PhD
Michael K. Thomas, EdD
Don Hasseltine, BA ’84, EdD
Jeffrey K. Towle, P ’99
Adam B. Kapner, BA ’02
TJ Whitelaw, BA ’76, MBA
Stephen Ketchum, BA ’83, MBA
Astrid W. Williams, BA ’81, MS William W. Wyman, MBA
Duane J. Clement Piers M. MacDonald, BA ’74 John Maguire, PhD B. Jenkins Middleton Deborah Spring Reed, BA ’61 John A. Samenfeld, BA ’70 R. Peter Shapiro, Esq.
New England College About
New England College was founded to serve the needs of servicemen and women attending college on the GI Bill after World War II. Today, we serve over 5,000 undergraduate, graduate, and online students annually. We are stronger than ever and so is our commitment to making higher education accessible for everyone who wants to pursue it: students who are the first in their families to attend college, students who are ready to achieve their full potential, students who are going back to school or charting a new course, students from every background.
Mission Statement
New England College is a creative and supportive learning community that challenges individuals to transform themselves and their world.
Acknowledgements With appreciation, we thank our sponsors and offer gratitude for their role in the success of this important event.
New England College Board of Trustees New England College Alumni Association Charlotte Z. Allmayer-Beck Sarah M. Feugill BA ’10 Venkatrama Reddy.Induru H ’23 The Class of 1973: 50th Reunion Julie A. Zahn and Michael T. Zahn
Special Thanks
Inauguration Committee and Advisors: Sky Croswell, Sara “Sunny” Dadian, Shara DiGrazia-Almeida, Debra Dunlop BA ’76, PhD, Dan Gearan, Chelsea Hanrahan, Kaitlyn Harte BA ’15, Holly Hewitt, Ryan Howe, Lori Koziol, Katrina MacIntosh BA ’05, Cynthia Burns Martin, Holly Senay, Duncan Shalda, Anna Twombly, and Julie Zahn.
The Bohling Family The Gingery Family The Kusiak Family The Marzullo Family The Pintado Family The Soule Family