Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

Colby-Sawyer’s Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree recognizes an individual of humanitarian character and superior intellect whose life and work have brought about positive, far-reaching change for individuals and organizations.

Thomas R. Horgan

President and CEO
New Hampshire College & University Council (NHCUC)

For his extraordinary, lifelong dedication to higher education, and for his decades of leadership and service to the institutions of New Hampshire, Colby-Sawyer is proud to recognize Thomas R. Horgan, Ed.D., with an honorary degree.

Dr. Horgan is president and CEO of the New Hampshire College & University Council (NHCUC), a statewide not-for-profit consortium of 21 public and private colleges and universities. He joined the NHCUC in 1993 and will step down from the post June 30, though he will stay on one year as a senior consultant for a year. Previously, he served as president of the Nebraska Independent College Foundation (NICF) in Omaha. He also served a term as a State Senator in the Nebraska State Senate, where he was elected chair of the Retirement System Committee.

Prior to joining the Nebraska Independent College Foundation in 1988, he served as Director of State Government Relations for the InterNorth Corporation and was elected to the Omaha School Board.

Dr. Horgan has extensive leadership experience in higher education and inter-institutional collaboration. He is the immediate past chair of the National Association for Collaborative Leaders, was instrumental in the founding of Campus Compact for New Hampshire and in the establishment of the Unique College Savings Plan. He represents New Hampshire as a delegate to the New England Board of Higher Education and as a Commissioner to the Education Commission of the States.

A recognized leader on higher education issues, he was selected by Business New Hampshire Magazine as one of New Hampshire’s Leaders for the 21st Century.

Dr. Horgan is the author of The Role of the Consortium Director, Best Practices in Higher Education Consortia: How Institutions Can Work Together, Josey Bassand Leveraging Resources, Higher Education for Workforce Development, Leveraging Resources Through Partnerships, Josey Bass, 2002.

He holds an undergraduate degree from Morningside College, a master of public administration degree from the University of Nebraska and a doctorate in education from New England College. He resides in Manchester with his wife, Sue. They are the parents of five college graduates and the proud grandparents of two.