Tina Schumacher and Richard Ober to Address Plymouth State University’s 155th Commencement Ceremonies
Plymouth, N.H. (March 30, 2026) – Plymouth State University (PSU) will welcome alumna Tina Schumacher and Richard “Dick” Ober, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, as keynote speakers for the university’s 2026 commencement ceremonies.
Schumacher will address undergraduates at the 155th undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 10 a.m. Ober will address graduate students at the graduate commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m. Both ceremonies will be held at the Bank of New Hampshire Field House in the Active Living, Learning, and Wellness North Building on Plymouth State’s Holderness campus.
Trauma Informed Training Specialist and PSU alumna Tina Schumacher will deliver the keynote address at Plymouth State University’s 155th undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 10 a.m.
“We are proud to welcome Tina Schumacher and Dick Ober to commencement,” said PSU President Donald L. Birx, Ph.D. “Both have built their work around service to others and to their communities. That is what we ask of our students, and it is what these ceremonies are meant to recognize.”
Schumacher graduated summa cum laude from Plymouth State with a degree in education while balancing her roles as a full-time student, athlete and single mother. She began her career teaching special education for youth with a history of trauma and is certified in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.
For the past 17 years, Schumacher has worked with Voices Against Violence, supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence and leading trauma-informed education and prevention programs for students and youth. Her work centers on helping survivors rebuild their lives in safe and supportive environments.
She is also known for sharing messages of hope and resilience through poetry, songs, and storytelling. Schumacher received the 2017 Outstanding Women’s Advocate Community Partner Award from the PSU President’s Commission on the Status of Women. At commencement, PSU will present her with the Granite State Award, which honors individuals who have made exceptional contributions to New Hampshire.
President and CEO of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation will be the keynote speaker and recipient of an Honorary Doctorate at Plymouth State University’s graduate commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m.
Ober will address students receiving graduate degrees and certificates. He has led the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation since 2010 and is only the fifth president in the organization’s history since its founding in 1962. Under his leadership, the Foundation has expanded its role as the largest private provider of nonprofit grants and student aid in northern New England, managing more than $1 billion in charitable funds and awarding thousands of grants and scholarships each year.
With more than 40 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and civic affairs, Ober has held senior roles with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and the Monadnock Conservancy. He co-founded the Community Foundation Opportunity Network, chaired CF Leads, and has served on the board of the Center for Effective Philanthropy. He has been recognized multiple times as one of New Hampshire’s most influential leaders.
PSU will award Ober an honorary doctorate in environmental studies at the graduate commencement ceremony.
Information about PSU’s commencement ceremonies is available at www.plymouth.edu/commencement/
About Plymouth State University: Established in 1871, Plymouth State University serves the state of New Hampshire and the world beyond by transforming our students through advanced practices where engaged learning produces well-educated undergraduates, and by providing graduate education that deepens and advances knowledge and enhances professional development. The Plymouth State Cluster Learning Model emphasizes open, integrative, and project-based experiences. With distinction, we connect with community and business partners for economic development, technological advances, healthier living, and cultural enrichment with a special commitment of service to the North Country and Lakes Region of New Hampshire. To learn more about Plymouth State University, visit www.plymouth.edu.
