Colby-Sawyer College President Dean McCurdy has been appointed to serve on the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission. McCurdy was nominated by Governor Kelly Ayotte and confirmed by the New Hampshire Executive Council.

An administrative board of the New Hampshire Department of Education, the commission regulates institutions of higher education and administers state financial aid programs.

“I am honored to join the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission,” McCurdy said. “This is a pivotal moment in higher education, and I look forward to collaborating with other college and university leaders to strengthen New Hampshire’s institutions and ensure students across the state are prepared to make meaningful contributions to the workforce and in their communities.”

Members of the Higher Education Commission include the commissioner of the department of education, presidents of the University of New Hampshire, Keene State College and Plymouth State University, two presidents from institutions within the community college system of New Hampshire, the chancellors of the university system and the community college system of New Hampshire, and representatives of the private four-year colleges in New Hampshire. The commission also includes members of the public with no affiliation to any college or university, as well as members representing private postsecondary career schools.

Located in the heart of the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region of New Hampshire, Colby-Sawyer provides excellence in higher education through its commitment to a rich liberal arts and sciences foundation combined with pre-professional academic preparation and required internships in every major. McCurdy joined Colby-Sawyer as the college’s 10th president in June 2025.