A year and a half after announcing a fourth graduate program – eight students walked across the stage in the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and received their hoods, officially becoming the inaugural Master of Public Policy class.
The hooding ceremony was held on Wed., May 6, 2026, during the Politics Department’s end-of-the-year celebration. Students were recognized and honored by their families, friends, professors, and undergraduate peers. The room was filled with beaming smiles and camaraderie as families enthusiastically took photos.
Co-director Professor Jennifer Lucas, Ph.D. delivered remarks before announcing the names. “We want to give our appreciation for your future because you’ve all shown such resilience, curiosity, professionalism, and academic excellence. You will always have a special place in our hearts as the inaugural class.”
Professor Ward Holder, Ph.D. in the politics department hooded the students while co-directors Professor Anne Holthoefer, Ph.D. and Lucas shook their hands on stage.
In a post-event interview, George Karamanakis ’25, M’26, who enrolled in the program after graduating with a politics and philosophy double major, reflected on his time in the program. "One of the most important things I've learned is how nuanced politics can be and how interdisciplinary skills can make you a better prospective politician or government affairs manager. We took classes in government affairs, accounting, and microeconomics. We're didn’t just study politics; we became more well-rounded. And I think that's kind of at the crux of what it is to get a liberal arts education especially at Saint Anselm."
Another student, Michael ‘Mac’ Connors ’25, M’26 expressed his excitement about being in the first cohort and having the opportunity to work with people he otherwise may not have during his undergraduate.
Connors said he learned the importance of precision specifically careful reading and double-checking his work rather than being too confident – a lesson he plans on taking with him in law school.
The Master of Public Policy program is open to all majors, with particular relevance to business administration, community and public health, criminal justice, economics, history, legal studies, politics, psychology, social work, and sociology. Students in the program interned at local lobbying firms such as Community Support Network, Inc.; Demers, Prasol & Thomas, Inc.; J Grimbilas Strategic Solutions as well as with Sandford Survey and Engineering and the Office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
Graduates were also able to walk in the 2026 Commencement Exercises held on Sat. May 16, 2026.