University

Floor Speech

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Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Paul LeBlanc for his more than two decades of service to Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). An immigrant, a first generation college student, an acclaimed author, and a renowned instructor, Dr. LeBlanc's impact as President and CEO of SNHU cannot be understated. I commend Dr. LeBlanc for his enduring legacy as an educator and an innovator in higher education that will continue to enrich the lives of people across our nation.

After earning his master's degree and PhD, Dr. LeBlanc worked at Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company and transitioned to a career in education. Dr. LeBlanc held the title of President at Marlboro College in Vermont before joining Southern New Hampshire University in 2003.

At the time he took the job, SNHU was a local institution with an enrollment of 2,000 students and was struggling economically. Under Dr. LeBlanc's leadership, SNHU transformed itself and has grown to have a worldwide enrollment of more than 225,000 students. Today SNHU is accessible, equitable, and affordable and is the largest non-profit university in the country. After two decades of Dr. LeBlanc's leadership, SNHU has been named one of the ``World's Fifty Most Innovative Companies'' by Fast Magazine and Dr. LeBlanc himself received numerous accolades, including from Forbes Magazine, Washington Monthly, and the TIAA Institute.

After decades of hard work, including a three month assignment at the Department of Education in 2015, Dr. LeBlanc is stepping aside from his role as President and CEO of SNHU. As a lifelong learner, Dr. LeBlanc hopes to explore and research the development of artificial intelligence during a year-long sabbatical.

On behalf of my constituents in New Hampshire's First Congressional District, I offer my sincere appreciation to Dr. Paul LeBlanc. Dr. LeBlanc has revolutionized education across the State of New Hampshire and country, and he has helped thousands achieve goals that they never thought were possible. I look forward to seeing what his next chapter holds and wish him the best in his academic and professional career.

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