FPU’s Mooney receives top honor

By JESSECA TIMMONS

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript 

Published: 05-17-2024 12:06 PM

Kim Mooney, outgoing President of Franklin Pierce University (FPU), was awarded the first  “Thrive Recognition Award”  by the Greater Monadnock Collaborative Wednesday morning at Monadnock Country Club. Mooney, who is the first woman and the first alumna of the Franklin Pierce University to serve as President, has announced she is retiring after eight years as president of FPU. 

In his remarks Wednesday morning,  Jamie Trowbridge, CEO of Yankee Publishing and a member of the Collaborative board, said that the award  “is designed to recognize people who, through their efforts and contributions, have helped the Monadnock Region thrive.”

Trowbridge noted the economic impact Franklin Pierce has on the state:  according to a report released by  FPU, the university’s total  economic impact in the state of New Hampshire was $101 million, with $21 million of that coming from student and visitor spending, and a total of 951 jobs supported or sustained by its operations.

Trowbridge said the university’s most important role is in attracting young people to New Hampshire and to the Monadnock Region.

“As you all probably know, we are in desperate need of workers here. And young residents. So today we want to recognize Kim for taking active steps to connect the dots between students needing jobs after graduation, and employers needing workers,” Trowbridge said at Wednesday morning’s monthly Collaborative breakfast in Peterborough.

Trowbridge praised FPU’s internship program with Keene-based C & S Wholesale,  which he noted has placed dozens of students at the grocery wholesaler, many of whom chose to stay in the Keene area.

Trowbridge thanked Mooney for her support of the Collaborative over her time at FPU.

“Franklin Pierce was an early financial supporter of the chamber’s ongoing campaign to promote the region and bring more visitors, workers, young residents, and college-age students here. We are very grateful for that support, Kim, and we don’t take that for granted,” Trowbridge said.  “Franklin Pierce held its graduation this weekend, and it was Kim’s last graduation as president. She is retiring on June 30. It’s a big deal for Kim to leave Franklin Pierce. Because before she became its president she served in the positions of provost and VP of academic affairs, trustee, and even undergraduate student. They’re going to miss you, Kim, and so are we.” 

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Mooney thanked Trowbridge and the Collaborative for the honor. 

“We are deeply committed to the Monadnock region, and we are  proud to contribute to the economic vitality of this region,” Mooney said.  “At Franklin Pierce, we do share your vision of fostering opportunities to work together. It has really been one of the main initiatives of my presidency to push us to think beyond our campus and how we can better connect to businesses and industries around us, to support them, and to be mutually supported back. Our goal, like yours, is to lift up businesses and residents of the Monadnock Region, so that we all may thrive.” 

For more information about the Greater Monadnock Collaborative please go to https://news.greatermonadnock.com