New England College Celebrates Founders Day January 25

The New England College community will celebrate Founders Day 2011 on Tuesday, January 25 at 11:30 a.m. in the Field House. The address will be given by Rebecca Rule, New Hampshire writer and storyteller. Ms. Rule will receive the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

A New Hampshire native, Rebecca Rule is the consummate storyteller in person and in print. She is the author of six books including her latest Headin’ for the Rhubarb! A New Hampshire Dictionary (well, kinda), and the popular Live Free and Eat Pie: A Storyteller’s Guide to New Hampshire. Her book of short stories, The Best Revenge, was hailed by the New Hampshire Writers Project as an Outstanding Work of Fiction and noted as one of the five Essential New Hampshire Books by New Hampshire Magazine. Her performances have been captured on CD with Perley Gets a Dumpsticker, and Better than a Poke in the Eye. Audiences all over the Granite State and beyond  have been entertained by her homespun stories, her unforgettable characters, and her undeniable wit. In addition to her career as a writer, Ms. Rule has supported and encouraged the work of others through her column on New Hampshire books and authors, Bookmarks, that was featured in the Concord Monitor, Nashua Telegraph, and Portsmouth Herald for seventeen years. She served as the co-host for Portsmouth Community Radio’s Speaking Volumes: A Literary Variety Show, for three years, and her program, The Authors Series, airs on New Hampshire Public Television.

“Rebecca Rule is a true New Hampshire treasure,” notes Michele D. Perkins, President of New England College. “Not only do her stories capture the essence of the people and places that we admire, but they are delivered with a deep understanding and respect for this remarkable state, and the genuine affection of a native. We are pleased to honor Rebecca Rule for her outstanding literary talents and her contribution to New Hampshire’s quality of life.”

The celebration of Founders Day at New England College was instituted to honor the vision and leadership of the founding faculty, administration, and students of the College. Founded in 1946 to serve the educational needs of the country’s military men and women returning from World War II, New England College sought to expand the horizons of a new generation of students. Today, the College offers 32 undergraduate programs and 10 graduate and professional programs. Founders Day represents one of the three major academic events of the year that also includes Commencement in May and Convocation in September. The ceremony is designed to acknowledge the many accomplishments of the College, its students, faculty, and staff over the past year.