Michael Nicholson

Mr. Nicholson is a 2016 UMass Amherst graduate, and earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees cum laude in History and Political Science, and two undergraduate certificates in International Relations and Public Administration. He was the first graduate of Commonwealth Honors College to receive three different Honors designations upon graduation, with Departmental Honors in both History and Political Science and Multidisciplinary Honors with a concentration in State and Local Government. After completing his undergraduate career in three years, he participated in the one-year Accelerated Master of Public Policy degree program from the UMass School of Public Policy, earning his degree in 2017. He later earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2021 through the Suffolk University Law School's evening division. Mr. Nicholson is currently serving his third term as the mayor of Gardner, Massachusetts. He was the city’s first Hispanic/Latin American elected official and was one of the youngest mayors ever elected. He has served on the CHC Advisory Board since 2024.