PSU Announces Keynote Speakers for 151st Undergraduate

Gennet Zewide, Ph.D., former Ethiopian ambassador to India and Ethiopian minister of education, will deliver the keynote address and be recognized by 橙子视频app (PSU) at its 151st undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 7, at 10 a.m. John T. Broderick, Jr., senior director of external affairs at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health and former chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, will be the featured speaker at PSU鈥檚 graduate Commencement ceremony on Friday evening, May 6, at 6 p.m.
鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome Dr. Zewide back to campus for the first time since she graduated in 1973, as we honor this year鈥檚 graduates,鈥 said President Donald L. Birx, Ph.D. 鈥淒r. Zewide has long been an advocate for equal access to education for women and girls and she has been instrumental in empowering women of Ethiopia. Her work embodies PSU鈥檚 motto, Ut Prosim, 鈥楾hat I may serve,鈥 and we are honored to have her join us for this year鈥檚 ceremony.鈥
Dr. Zewide will address undergraduate students and will be honored by PSU with an honorary doctorate in public service degree for her work as a leader in education for women and girls. After graduating from PSU in 1973, Dr. Zewide earned a master鈥檚 degree from Suffolk University and received her Ph.D. in political thought and comparative politics from Jawaharlal Nehru University in India in 2010.
Dr. Zewide was a lecturer at Addis Ababa University (AAU), Ethiopia鈥檚 oldest higher education institution, from 1973 to 1991, and served as a chairperson of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE). She also served as Ethiopia鈥檚 minister of education from 1992 until 2005, when she became ambassador to India, a position she held until 2015. Dr. Zewide was also a member of the executive board of The鈥疷nited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization鈥(UNESCO) representing East Africa and served as an external examiner at Kenyatta University in Kenya. In 2014, she published, Resistance, Freedom and Empowerment: the Ethiopian Women鈥檚 Struggle.
John Broderick Jr. will address students who have earned graduate degrees and certificates from PSU. He will also be presented with the University鈥檚 Granite State Award for his contributions to the state of New Hampshire and his commitment to changing the conversation and eliminating the stigma around mental illness. Broderick holds a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. After more than 20 years in private practice, Broderick served as associate justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court from 1995鈥2004 and as chief justice from 2004鈥2010. He served as dean and president of the University of New Hampshire Law School from 2010鈥2015, and since 2017 has served as senior director of external affairs at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, where he champions the health system鈥檚 R.E.A.C.T. mental health awareness campaign.
Over the past five years, Broderick has shared his personal experience with mental illness with more than 100,000 high school students, college students, business leaders and their employees, veterans, senior citizens, and others throughout New Hampshire and New England. He considers this effort to improve understanding and awareness of mental illness, to eliminate its stigma and encourage discussion and treatment, the most important work of his life.
鈥淲e are honored to welcome Chief Justice Broderick back to campus as this year鈥檚 graduate Commencement speaker and to present him with the Granite State Award,鈥 said President Birx. 鈥淭he stressors of the ongoing pandemic have exacerbated mental health issues, which are a top concern on college campuses. The topic is so important to the PSU community and to New Hampshire, and John has been a tireless crusader for ending the stigma and encouraging conversations around mental health. PSU is continually evaluating and implementing ways to support student mental health and we are inspired by John鈥檚 mission to alter the discourse on this important topic.鈥
The two Commencement exercises will take place indoors at the Bank of New Hampshire Field House on campus. Both ceremonies will be live-streamed for family and friends.