Each year, NEBHE presents ...]]>

University of Rhode Island oceanography professor Robert Ballard, known for the discovery of the wreck of the RMS Titanic, will be among luminaries recognized by the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) in March 2013 at the regional organization's 11th annual New England Higher Education Excellence Awards.

Each year, NEBHE presents Regional Excellence Awards to individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional leadership on behalf of higher education and the advancement of educational opportunity, and State Merit Awards to honor the innovative work of organizations, institutions or individuals in each New England state.

The 2013 awardees are:

Special Lifetime Achievement Award

• Robert D. Ballard, Professor of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, and Director, Institute for Archaeological Oceanography

Regional Awards:

• Thomas D. Ritter, Former Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and Trustee, University of Connecticut (The Governor Walter R. Peterson Award for Leadership)
• Ray M. Di Pasquale, Commissioner, Rhode Island Board of Governors of Higher Education and President, Community College of Rhode Island; and Donald R. Vickers, President and CEO, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (The Eleanor M. McMahon Award for Lifetime Achievement)
• New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Scholarship Program (The Robert J. McKenna Award for Program Achievement)
• Louise S. Berry, Former Chair, Board of Trustees, Connecticut Community College System; and James Karam, Former Chair, Board of Trustees, University of Massachusetts (The David C. Knapp Award for Trusteeship)

State Merit Awards:

• Employee Scholar Program, United Technologies Corp. (Connecticut State Merit Award and Regional Award for Business Contribution to Higher Education)
• Unum (Maine State Merit Award and Regional Award for Business Contribution to Higher Education)
• Massachusetts Community Colleges Experiential Education Committee (Massachusetts State Merit Award)
• Northeast Delta Dental (New Hampshire State Merit Award)
• Neil Steinberg and The Rhode Island Foundation (Rhode Island State Merit Award)
• Johnson State College External Degree Program (Vermont State Merit Award)

NEBHE will present the awards at its New England Higher Education Excellence Awards dinner on Friday, March 8, 2013, at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel in Boston.