Mark W. Huddleston was installed Tuesday as the 19th president of the University of New Hampshire. Ed Dupont, chair of the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees, provided welcoming remarks at the "virtual" inauguration, charging President Huddleston to "lead in the model of your inauguration today, sustainable, resourceful and leading by example."

President Huddleston, in his remarks, pointed to several positive achievements at UNH over the past year, including the completion of the 12.7-mile long Ecoline pipeline, which means that beginning next semester, "we will be powering most of the campus with clean, green, processed-landfill gas."

He also told those attending the inauguration "the campus looks great. Despite thin capital and meager R&R budgets, we've completed renovations of Fairchild Hall, put up the third residence hall in the Southeast Residential Campus, and completely rebuilt DeMeritt Hall."

He also looked to the future and some initiatives, including the establishment of a Blue Ribbon Panel on Research, the launch of a second panel to examine the university's model of funding intercollegiate athletics, the health of the university called "Healthy UNH," and future fundraising efforts for UNH through a capital campaign.

UNH Cooperative Extension Specialist Julia Peterson, as chair of the Extension Educator's Council, congratulated President Huddleston on his installation, on behalf of Extension educators both on campus and in the county offices across the state. She noted that "Extension provides New Hampshire with research-based education and information designed to help strengthen youth, families and communities, sustain natural resources and improve the economy." She told President Huddleston that his "commitment to providing a forum to promote the work of Cooperative Extension through the County Conversations series is a testament" to his dedication to the university's role as a resource to the entire state of New Hampshire."

Please take a moment to read the full text of President Huddleston's remarks or watch his inauguration.