2008 Graduate Commencement Ceremony. Renowned New Hampshire entrepreneur and inventor, Dean Kamen, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University. Kamen is the founder of the Foundation for the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) (http://www.usfirst.org) – FIRST develops innovative programs designed to motivate young people to develop their skills in the fields of science and technology. His goal is to return New Hampshire to having the nation’s highest percentage of schools participating in FIRST. He urged the graduates to focus on education to save the planet, which faces unprecedented threats that only technological advances can halt. “We need to focus on education like we’ve never focused on education before,” said Kamen. “We need to get back the motivation, the focus among kids. It has to start with the people in the schools; I hope you people understand how much leverage you have in changing the world.”

2008 Graduate Commencement Ceremony. Renowned New Hampshire entrepreneur and inventor, Dean Kamen, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University. Kamen is the founder of the Foundation for the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) (http://www.usfirst.org) – FIRST develops innovative programs designed to motivate young people to develop their skills in the fields of science and technology. His goal is to return New Hampshire to having the nation’s highest percentage of schools participating in FIRST. He urged the graduates to focus on education to save the planet, which faces unprecedented threats that only technological advances can halt. “We need to focus on education like we’ve never focused on education before,” said Kamen. “We need to get back the motivation, the focus among kids. It has to start with the people in the schools; I hope you people understand how much leverage you have in changing the world.”