UNH Today

Jack Hamilton ’20 likes to be of service. He’s repaired homes throughout the Northeast, volunteered at a summer camp, traveled to the Dominican Republic to help in disadvantaged communities, and he’s been known to do a little yard work — without being asked — for his neighbors in Bedford, New Hampshire.

Hamilton’s drive to help others is one of the reasons he was named 2017 New Hampshire College Student of the Year by Stay Work Play, an organization that works to keep young New Hampshire natives in the state after college graduation.

 “It’s a huge honor,” Hamilton says. “It means a lot to be recognized and brings awareness to all the hard work that college students across New Hampshire are doing.”

Hamilton’s neighbor Barbara Tors nominated him for the award.

“He’s really quite remarkable,” says Tors. “He’s not only a great college student, but he helps people in the community who are less fortunate than he is.”

“My faith calls me to serve and love others, so that is my main motivation behind everything.”

One of Hamilton’s ongoing service projects is helping with workcampNE, which he has been involved with every summer since middle school. Teen participants in workcampNE spend their days going out into the community in small groups to complete tasks such as roof repair or building wheelchair ramps. Hamilton started out as a camper, then he became a member of the camp staff.

“My faith calls me to serve and love others, so that is my main motivation behind everything. It also gives me great satisfaction and joy,” says Hamilton.

At UNH, Hamilton is a computer science major, and he’s involved in Cru, a Christian club, as well as the robotics club. After graduation, he’d like to attend graduate school for computer science or film. And he’d like to intern and work in the state.

Why New Hampshire?

“There’s something about the people here that’s really genuine," he says. "There are also a lot of cool places to be and go and some great opportunities in this state that you cannot get elsewhere. You’re an hour from the mountains, an hour from the ocean and an hour from Boston. You can live in a small town and still have all of that access."