NH Magazine places Giles-Gee on IT List

    The president of Keene State College can add another honor to her long list of achievements. 

 

    New Hampshire Magazine placed Keene State College President Helen Giles-Gee on its annual IT list. The list names 25 people, each year, who make significant contributions to society in New Hampshire. 

 

    According to the magazine, the IT list “is an annual who's who of the most fascinating and happening people in New Hampshire.” Giles-Gee said she was “surprised and honored” to find her name on the list.

 

    “The magazine called me up and said I was going to be named on the list,” Giles-Gee said. “I had no idea this was coming.”

 

    New Hampshire Magazine described Giles-Gee as a “new century leader” and mentioned all of her work over the course of KSC's Centennial celebration. Giles-Gee said the Centennial helped raise KSC's notoriety and probably contributed to her placement on the list.

 

    “During the time of the Centennial I also spoke about the next 100 years of the college and a vision that this college would be even grander than it is today,” Giles-Gee said.

 

    “I think primarily they're extrapolating the benefit that this college brings to the state,” Giles-Gee said. “In the article, it mentioned the number of wonderful things that have happened to the college during recent years that affected so many more people across the campus than myself.”

 

    New Hampshire Magazine applauded Giles-Gee's efforts to improve KSC, in its article, writing “courses have been revised and curricula transformed to ensure students acquire both the academic and technical skills graduates should have.”

 

    Campus spokesperson Robin Dutcher said she was “delighted” when she heard of Giles-Gee's inclusion on the list.

 

    “It's wonderful and I really think she deserves the honor,” Dutcher said. “She's done a lot for the college and the state.” 

 

    Dutcher said she agreed with New Hampshire Magazine's assessment of Giles-Gee as an appropriate guest “for the ultimate dinner party in the Granite State.”

 

    “She'd be wonderful that way,” Dutcher said. “She's out there in the state promoting the college and also involved in the community. That's what I really responded to.”

 

    Along with her duties as president at KSC, Giles-Gee works extensively for various committees and boards, including the New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Association of American Colleges and Universities Board of Directors.

 

    Giles-Gee said she was honored to be named to a list of prominent New Hampshire residents, which includes former Governor John Sununu and documentary filmmaker Ken Burns.

 

    “I was very impressed with the list of people and what they contribute to the state and the nation,” Giles-Gee said. 

 

    Other names on the New Hampshire IT list included United States’ soccer player Charlie Davies, best selling author Dan Brown and actress Laura Silverman. The complete list is available in the November issue of New Hampshire Magazine.