The 2026 Founders Day celebration at New England College community marked a major milestone as the school entered its 80th year. The annual event was held Wednesday in the Rosamond Page Putnam Center and recognized that NEC was founded in 1946 for veterans who were coming home from World War II. Each year, the school invites a special keynote speaker to offer their remarks to the audience. This year, Maj. Gen. David Mikolaities of the New Hampshire National Guard was the keynote speaker.
Mikolaities serves as both Military Chief of Staff to the Governor and as the Commissioner of the Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services. Mikolaities joined the New Hampshire Army National Guard in 2007. In his speech, he spoke about how education and service work together for people’s future.
“Your education at New England College is more than just preparing you for a career; it’s about preparing you to be engaged citizens, community leaders, and entrepreneurs who understand that our ideals are worth defending,” Mikolaities said.
U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, (D) New Hampshire, who is a veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserve, sent in a surprise video message and spoke on why Founders Day an important event for NEC.
“Founders Day though really at the end of the day is more than marking an anniversary, it’s a moment and an opportunity to reflect on purpose. And there are few colleges in this country or really anywhere in the world that has a founding story as meaningful, as relevant, as powerful as the founding story of New England College,” Goodlander said.
Mikolaities encouraged NEC students to reflect on the history of the campus and what it means today.
“As you pursue your American Dream, remember the legacy of service that is woven into the very fabric of this college,” Mikolaities said.
