Paul Cody

Presidential Award of Excellence, 2014

Counseling Center (now PACS)

Psychologist, Smith Hall

Going back over 25 years, there are hundreds of UNH students and alumni who can credit their success to Paul Cody. Through his selfless contributions as a staff psychologist, educator and advocate, Paul has encouraged them to stay engaged and enrolled at UNH, and to thrive in their professional and personal lives.

That alone is the highest praise for anyone who works with students.

But we also honor Paul today as a trusted colleague and educator who always offers his unwavering support whenever the pressure is on. So, even as his work at the Counseling Center quickly fills his calendar, Paul works even harder to devote himself to teaching one of the most sought-after Department of Social Work courses, providing instruction in counseling Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender People.

As an educator and researcher, he is known nationally for his work in gender identity and expression. As a result, UNH attracts more highly-skilled doctoral students, who often cite his research when they apply for internships.  In the UNH community, Paul’s remarkable legacy as an advocate for social justice and equality is unsurpassed.

Today, he continues to seek new opportunities to expand his own knowledge in order to better serve others. These include his work as a trained Disaster Mental Health Technician, which finds him traveling to disaster sites to provide emotional support. He also travels extensively to provide workshops to K-12 educators, correctional officers and mental health professional, covering topics as diverse as homophobia, Taoism and counseling for transgender young adults. At last count, this totaled more than 350 programs, and Paul continues to offer more.

We are proud that his compassion, knowledge, collegiality – and unfailing endurance -- continue to inspire our community as a whole, and support the many students who seek his wise counsel.