The future of
Nursing PSU’s newest major aims to transform what it means to be a nurse
plymouth state university • spring 2012 • volume xxvii • number i
plymouth state university • spring 2012 • volume xxvii • number i • plymouth.edu/magazine Editor | Barbra Alan Contributors Keith Bouchard ’14 Elizabeth Cheney ’89, ’99G Emilie Coulter Rachael Ferranti ’12 Nicholas Greenwood ’11 Bruce Lyndes Laure Morris Heidi Pettigrew ’99, ’07G, ’11CAGS Jennifer Philion Sara Jayne Steen
Photographers John Anderson Jon Gilbert Fox Kaleb Hart ’11 John Hession John McKeith
Designer | Daphne Bruemmer ’98
Publications Manager | Lisa Prince
Plymouth Magazine is published by the Plymouth State University Office of Public Relations. ©2012, Plymouth State University. Printed by Penmor Lithographers, Lewiston, Maine. Comments Editor, Plymouth Magazine Office of Public Relations, MSC 24 Plymouth State University, 17 High St., Plymouth, NH 03264-1595 or opr@plymouth.edu
Please send address changes to: University Advancement, MSC 50 Plymouth State University 17 High St., Plymouth, NH 03264-1595 alumni@plymouth.edu (800) 772-2620 Alumni may also update their contact information online at my.plymouth.edu.
Supporting responsible use of forest resources. Printed on Chorus Art Silk; 50 percent recycled, FSC-certified paper.
contents 2 Message from the President 3 Of Note 5 Publications 6 Arts: The Art of Preserving History 8 Faculty Forum: Professor of Social Work Stephen Gorin
6 Kaleb Hart ’11 photo.
10 Investing in the Wonder Years | PSU partners with the North Country to support early childhood education.
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14 Icelandic Insights | PSU research in Iceland may help predict climate trends in New England. 16 To Be a Nurse | Two nursing students give an inside look at PSU’s newest major. 21
Ut Prosim: Sam Wisel ’12
22 Honoring a Life’s Work | The Helen Abbott ’39 Professorship in Environmental Studies. 24
The Green
On the cover: PSU nursing students Nathalie Strickrott and Bill Eissler ’11 take a break during clinical rotations at Speare Memorial Hospital. John Hession photo. Opposite: Signs of summer on the PSU campus. Jon Gilbert Fox photo. On the back: Sustainable Italy 2012. This spring professors Warren Tomkiewicz ’66 and Mary Ann McGarry co-taught two PSU undergraduate courses at St. John International University in Vinovo, Italy. Here, the PSU group gathers outside castle Castello Reynaudi near the French Alps as part of their Environmental Science and Policy Seminar service learning project, “Developing a green plan for a 16th century castle.”
Jon Gilbert Fox photo.
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WELCOME TO THE SPRING ISSUE of Plymouth Magazine.
John Hession photo.
“In many ways, this is the epitome of student success: learning well through experience and being recognized for the value of the outcome.”
As you read the pieces in this issue of Plymouth Magazine, the core of PSU’s educational mission shines through. Plymouth State’s commitment to student success, visible in each of this issue’s features, reveals itself in many forms. As an institution, PSU focuses on both workforce preparation and workforce needs. The nursing program, featured here as the cover story for good reason, addresses both. Designed to help meet the growing need for nurses, particularly in New Hampshire, the program is designed flexibly. It not only serves traditional students just starting college and aiming for a nursing degree but it also offers a fully online RN-to-BSN completion track. The Coos County Early Childhood Development Initiative reflects another important institutional commitment, to New Hampshire’s North Country, and one that is partially devoted to professional development and preparation for early childhood teachers. With economists believing that an investment in early childhood development is critical to improving workforce quality in the long term, the initiative is another example of PSU’s dedication to the workforce. Today’s student experience is often enhanced by opportunities that differ from those even recent alumni remember, opportunities that can also increase employment options or prepare students for further study. As you read about Sam Wisel, you can see how. With a major tailored to his interest in nonprofit management and experiences beyond the classroom that have shaped his direction, this new graduate is emblematic of how students are earning meaningful degrees and arming themselves with experiences that set them apart even before they set foot in the workplace beyond college. The National Science Foundation-funded research in Iceland is another example, with students able to engage in hands-on field experience and gain an understanding of the entire scientific process, creating a competitive edge with regard to research experience. And what better way to prepare students than having them learn from faculty like Stephen Gorin (Social Work), featured here in the Faculty Forum, who is a leading figure in his field and involved with national conversations about critical issues. The wonderful story of collaboration and problem-solving that was part of a public mural course developed through a partnership with the Northern Forest Heritage Park illustrates how beneficial today’s learning can be, not just for students, but for partners and communities as well. It is no wonder that the student team who created the Berlin murals has been recognized among New Hampshire’s top “Young Preservationists” and by the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance with a 2012 Preservation Achievement Award for outstanding education and advocacy. In many ways, this is the epitome of student success: learning well through experience and being recognized for the value of the outcome. But for PSU, too, this is success, to deliver an experience like no other for students, and one that has immeasurable value as students prepare for the world beyond college.
Sara Jayne Steen, President
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PSU Faculty Honored by AAHPERD Professor of Physical and Health Education Lynn Johnson and graduate student Morgan O’Connell ’10 of the Department of Health and Human Performance were honored by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) at its national convention in Boston in March. Johnson received the Honor Award, which recognizes recipients for their personal integrity, devoted service to their professions, and outstanding and noteworthy contributions to the advancement of health, physical education, recreation, or dance. O’Connell received the Ruth Abernathy Presidential Scholarship, which is awarded to student AAHPERD members who have achieved academic excellence, showcased leadership in the profession of physical education, and shown a commitment to his/her school and community through professional activities or volunteer services. She will receive a $1,750 scholarship and a three-year complimentary AAHPERD membership.
PSU Collaborates in Statewide Environmental Planning and Protection Effort Thanks to a five-year $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation, researchers from the University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth College, Saint Anselm College, and Plymouth State University will collaborate on a statewide research and education project aimed at better understanding the environment and the complex interactions of the climate-ecological-human system. The project will also provide new education and training opportunities in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology that are necessary for a highly skilled state workforce to advance economic development and employment. “A team from the Center for the Environment will be leading the development of a network of 100 water quality sensors around New Hampshire streams and rivers,” said PSU Professor of Hydrology Mark Green. “The sensors will measure water temperature, specific electrical conductivity, and water height … to provide us information about the hydrology of watersheds around the state. Data from these sensors will also allow us to understand the impact of human activities on the hydrology and water quality across many streams and rivers in the state. … This environmental data will be combined with data about housing and demographics; models based on this information will help policy makers determine the tradeoffs among different land uses, and will inform the development of
Men’s Hockey Wins First MASCAC Championship In an exciting 5-4 double-overtime victory, the Plymouth State University Men’s Hockey Panthers won the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship, defeating the Vikings of Salem State University before a capacity crowd at Hanaway Rink. Led by second-year head coach Craig Russell ’03, the MASCAC Coach of the Year, PSU took a nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1) into the NCAA Tournament. Richard Orr Sports photo.
strategies to adapt to the challenges of changes in land use and climate variability.” The project, administered by the New Hampshire Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and advised by the statewide EPSCoR committee, includes a substantive workforce development effort with partners at Keene State College, White Mountains Community College, and Great Bay Community College, with science education and research experiences for K–12 teachers and students, and community college faculty and students. Students will receive scholarships to science camp, internships for undergraduate research, and transfer incentives to complete a four-year college degree.
PSU Named to President’s Higher Education Community Service 2012 Honor Roll Plymouth State University has been named one of the nation’s top schools for encouraging community service among its students. PSU is one of six New Hampshire institutions of higher learning named to the President’s Honor Roll through the federal Learn and Serve America program, which supports and encourages service learning throughout the United States. Launched in 2006, the honor roll annually highlights the role colleges and universities play in enriching their communities and placing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement by recognizing institutions that
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achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve. “This award recognizes the students who spend hundreds of thousands of hours working on behalf of the region, sometimes with projects related to courses and sometimes as volunteers, because they care about making a difference,” said PSU President Sara Jayne Steen. “And the PSU Community Service Center connects people at PSU with service opportunities in surrounding communities.” New Professorship at PSU A former student of a Plymouth State alumna has honored her teacher and mentor by creating an environmental studies endowed professorship. Janice C. Griffith, professor of law at Suffolk University in Boston, MA, established the Helen Abbott ’39 Professorship in Environmental Studies to honor her 4th grade teacher and lifelong mentor Helen Abbott for her influential role in her life, her considerable contribution toward public education, and her creativity and commitment in educating youth about environmental and ecological issues. “Helen Abbott was a very dynamic teacher,” said Griffith. “She instilled a love of learning in her students—learning was fun. There wasn’t any subject that didn’t interest her. She was very passionate about what she did, passionate about learning and about her students.” Griffith herself has been an extraordinary educator—a law professor, dean, and academic vice president—and national
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leader, whether in developing the plan to restore municipal solvency to New York City or holding significant positions within the American Bar Association. According to President Steen, Griffith’s generosity allows PSU to recognize and support the extraordinary faculty and academic excellence at Plymouth State. “With this generous gift, Janice Griffith assures that Helen Abbott’s story will be honored and that Plymouth State can recognize extraordinary teachers who are continuing that Plymouth State legacy.” The Helen Abbott ’39 Professorship in Environmental Studies is Plymouth State University’s third endowed professorship, following class of 1962 alumni Wallace R. and Meredith Bristow Stevens’ creation of the Stevens-Bristow Endowed Professorship and Ed and Marilyn Wixson’s creation of the Wixson Professorship of Mathematics. For story behind the creation of the Abbott Professorship, see page 22.
Mary Lyon Hall Named to NH Registry of Historic Places One of the most recognizable and beloved buildings on the Plymouth State University campus has been added to the New Hampshire State Registry of Historic Places. Mary Lyon Hall’s iconic brick face and tall white columns have held a special place in the hearts of those who lived there since it first opened in 1915. PSU Provost Julie Bernier said the designation is a well-deserved tribute to the University’s oldest and best-known residence hall. “It’s a fitting tribute to New Hampshire’s first Normal School,” said Bernier. “Mary Lyon Hall is a classic building—the perfect vision of ‘college in New England.’ I’m so pleased that the work of Linda Corriveau ’11G and the graduate faculty in Historic Preservation will result in this addition to the registry.”
Jon Gilbert Fox photo.
For complete media releases and the latest PSU news, visit plymouth.edu/news.
Plymouth State Begins Malaysian Partnership From left, Cynthia Vascak, dean of PSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, and Peng-Khuan Chong, chair of the Department of Social Science, present a gift plate from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) to PSU President Sara Jayne Steen. Vascak and Chong travelled to Malaysia in January and signed an agreement for collaborative projects that include research, faculty exchanges, study visits, and student exchanges between the two institutions. UTAR was established 10 years ago as a comprehensive university dedicated to excellence in teaching and research. The four-campus institution currently has more than 16,000 students. “This plate symbolizes a genuine partnership and exciting opportunities for students from both UTAR and Plymouth State University,” said President Steen.
An Archaeological Survey of Inveruglas Farm: A Search for Clan MacFarlane David R. Starbuck, professor of anthropology and sociology
From 2000 to 2004, author and principal investigator David Starbuck led a team of students and volunteers in an archaeological survey of the medieval-era Inveruglas Farm near Loch Lomond, Scotland. Starbuck, who has a lifelong familial interest in Scotland, believes the sites on the farm are highly representative of medieval or later rural settlements in the area. His book, which includes nearly 150 photos and illustrations, walks readers through foundations, cattle and sheep pens, corn-drying kilns, and other evidence of settlements, gradually painting a picture of a medieval agricultural community that included permanent, year-round residences as well as temporary summer shelters (shielings) in higher grounds. Ultimately, this survey provides archaeologists and historians with significant preliminary information about the past on Loch Lomond, and paves the way for researchers to pursue the study and preservation of sites from medieval and post-medieval Scotland, seeking, in particular, changing architectural or cultural trends.
Rebels in Society: The Perils of Adolescence Marcel Lebrun, chair of the Department of Education and professor of curriculum and instruction
Jam-packed with statistics, stories, and case studies, Marcel Lebrun’s latest publication about
young people at risk challenges every reader to step up and take action. After one particularly heart-rending string of statistics—child poverty, children at risk of going to prison, inadequate education—Lebrun writes, “Now that I have completely shattered any of your ideals about American society and how it treats its youngest participants, it is important to remember that we are not helpless, we can effect change … We can begin one child at a time.” By presenting the risks of childhood and adolescence in exacting detail, Lebrun offers the adults who love and work with young people a starting point to guide their charges through the perils of growing up. He presents solutions ranging from prevention to treatment programs to family and community involvement. Lebrun has over 30 years of experience in public school teaching, special education, and clinical mental health counseling, and has published several books on issues of children in crisis.
Historical Dictionary of Skiing
E. John B. Allen, professor emeritus of history Before planes, before trains, before automobiles … even before the wheel, skiing was a legitimate mode of transportation. As a sport, though, skiing only entered the arena about 150 years ago. E. John B. Allen, who has published eight books about skiing, makes his ninth contribution with the comprehensive Historical Dictionary of Skiing. From A to Z, in detailed, cross-referenced entries, readers
learn about alpine, Nordic, speed, distance, jumping, and sprint skiing; athletes; the Olympics; governance; and skiing’s place in the context of a changing world. The book offers a complete chronology of skiing as well as an introductory essay.
Finding Somewhere
Joseph Monninger, professor of English Two girls, a truck, a map … and a stolen horse. The perfect ingredients for a road trip! Teens Hattie and Delores break away from their New Hampshire town early one morning, ostensibly to save a beloved old horse from being put down by his owners before the hard winter. They are in search of western land where Speed (the horse) can range free for his remaining years. Along the way, though, the two friends slowly come to terms with the deeper reasons they each have for putting distance between themselves and home. They bicker, tell stories, alternately ignore and respond to frantic cell phone messages from their families, and meet characters even Jack Kerouac would have enjoyed. Joseph Monninger has written several nonfiction books and more than a dozen novels, including Wish, Baby, and Hippie Chick.
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Mark Ducharme photo.
The
Art of Preserving History
by Elizabeth Cheney ’89, ’99G
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n its heyday in the early twentieth century, the Brown Company’s Research and Development building in Berlin, NH, housed scientists who were pioneering innovations in the pulp and paper industries, transforming the use of forest products, and enhancing the value and productivity of forests across New England and the world. Nearly a century later, the abandoned building was looking every bit its age, with smashed-out windows that left its interior vulnerable to even
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more vandalism. But thanks to a creative partnership between PSU and the Northern Forest Heritage Park, the building’s façade has gone from eyesore to eye-catching. Last summer, a 768-square-foot mural, composed of two dozen 4' x 8' paintings, replaced the broken windows, not only beautifying the exterior but also protecting the interior of the building, which is currently being renovated for a visitor’s center. The partnership began when Jim Wagner, project manager with the Northern
Forest Heritage Park and the Brown Company Research and Development (R & D) Building Rehabilitation Project, contacted Thad Guldbrandsen of PSU’s Center for Rural Partnerships, with whom he had worked on previous projects, and pitched the mural idea. Guldbrandsen in turn discussed the idea with College of Arts and Sciences Dean Cynthia Vascak and art department faculty member Tom Driscoll ’83, who offered to create a public mural course for the spring 2011 semester.
Driscoll spent the summer of 2010 designing the special topics course and researching materials. The first class was held February 2011 in Berlin, where the students examined the building, measured it for the mural panels, and talked with Wagner about his expectations. They also toured the Brown Company House Museum, which features historic logging photographs and equipment, and Wagner’s own collection of historical Berlin photos and artifacts. Back at the art studio in the Draper & Maynard Building, students split into three groups of four and spent the first six weeks of the semester researching the history of Berlin and the Brown Company and its R & D building, developing themes for each group’s concept, and learning to work as a team. “I made a promise to myself when the project began to leave my ego at the door and be open-minded,” says Kristin Sarette ’12. “Because I was able to do that, I learned so much from the process and my peers.” Driscoll says visual continuity was essential—horizon lines had to work from panel to panel and changes in seasons and weather throughout a year had to be reflected. Repetition of patterns and shapes and color would lend unity to the designs. “There can’t be any interruption from panel to panel of a mural,” he says. Each team mounted their 24 concept drawings on craft paper, replicating what they would look like on the building, and made professional presentations to Wagner, who had to select one concept on which they would all continue to work.
ALL TOGETHER NOW: “Working as a group was a little difficult, more in the design process of the painting than with the actual painting,” says Craig Maines ’12. “Once we worked out all the conflicts, we were able to paint as one.” Bottom right: Detail of a panel. Kaleb Hart ’11 photos.
“We didn’t want to just give Berlin a mural—we wanted to blow them away with something they could admire for a long time.” “I was impressed by the professionalism and the knowledge, energy, and effort the students brought to this project,” Wagner says. “And I had the unenviable task of selecting just one concept from the three.” The students then had about eight weeks left in the semester to prime, sketch, fix, paint, and seal the panels—24 complete paintings to complete in just a few days apiece. Class met twice a week for two hours, and students were required to spend an additional four hours a week on assigned tasks between classes. It was an awesome amount of work, but the students met their end-ofsemester deadline. During the course of those intense weeks, the students learned about organizing a largescale project and what makes a mural work, evaluating and
pricing materials, budgeting, selecting materials best suited to a job, researching content, communicating and providing usable feedback, and how to relinquish their usual solo technique to support each others’ ideas. Last October, the students, along with Driscoll, were recognized by the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance for their role in preserving and promoting Berlin’s heritage. According to Wagner, it’s an honor that was hard-earned and well-deserved. “The students had an opportunity to be engaged in our community’s history,” says Wagner. “They’ve taken on the passion and the emotion and the strong feelings that we as a community have felt for more than a hundred years, and they truly understood and captured that in the mural.”
Tara Krehbiel ’11 says, “We didn’t want to just give Berlin a mural—we wanted to blow them away with something they could admire for a long time.” Berlin will certainly have a chance to admire the mural for many years to come: Once the interior renovation is complete, the panels will be moved inside and displayed as a permanent exhibition in the visitor’s center. “This group of young artists did an amazing job on the project,” says Driscoll. “They worked cooperatively and tirelessly to create a mural that paid homage to the cultural and historical significance of the city of Berlin, while also reflecting the high aesthetic standards of the art department at PSU. I’m fortunate to have been able to work with them. They’ve left a legacy that the people of Berlin and the community of PSU can be proud to claim.”
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Stephen Gorin on
the Future of Social Security In April, Stephen Gorin participated in a panel discussion on Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare sponsored by the NH Citizens Alliance at the Plymouth Senior Center. John Anderson photo. 8 plymouth magazine magazine
professor of social work stephen gorin has earned regional and national recognition for his expertise
in social welfare policy. He served on the President’s Health Care Task Force, the Advisory Council of the Center for Mental Health Services in the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the Coordinating Committee of the National Medicare Education Program. Gorin also served as a delegate to the 1995 and 2005 White House Conferences on Aging and the 1998 White House Conference on Social Security. He has written and spoken widely on Social Security, Medicare, and health care reform and serves as editor-in-chief of the journal Health & Social Work. Plymouth Magazine recently spoke with Gorin about the future of Social Security, one of the hottest issues in the nation today. First, how did you become involved in health care and aging issues? I earned my PhD in Social Welfare Policy at the Heller School at Brandeis University, where many of my fellow students and faculty focused on aging and health care policy and were, or later became, leading figures in the field. I was inspired by them and their work, so I went into these fields. Initially, my interest in health care and aging was purely academic and policy-related. But over the years it has become personal as well. My parents and my wife’s parents were beneficiaries of Social Security and Medicare, and I saw how valuable these programs were to their overall security and well-being. I’m also part of the baby boom generation,
Raising the payroll tax on employees and employers by 1.1 percent would restore Social Security solvency for 75 years. —The State Committee on Aging
and approaching retirement age myself. This has given me a personal stake in studying health care and aging policies. And last but certainly not least, as an educator, I’m concerned about my students’ future and the need to ensure that these programs are around for them. With the baby boomers approaching retirement age, we’re looking at an estimated 80 million people receiving Social Security in the near future. Do you think our country will be able to afford it? I do. It’s important to keep in mind that the early boomers were born in the wake of the Depression and World War II. In the years that followed, our country built an infrastructure both to care for and educate them and provide training, education, and homes for their parents. This was not an insubstantial investment, yet we were able to do it. Much of the concern about the future of Social Security has revolved around the age dependency ratio, which divides the number of people aged 65 and older by the number of people aged 20 to 64, and multiplies the sum by 100. This provides a rough measure of the number of older adults supported by every 100 workers. In 1950, this figure was 13.8, meaning that 100 workers supported around fourteen older adults. By 2000 that
number had jumped to 21, and in 2060 it is projected to be 38.6. This figure is somewhat misleading, however, because it fails to take into account children and young adults, many of whom are also dependents. We can factor in these individuals by turning to the total dependency ratio, which divides the number of people aged 65 and older and those under age 20 by the number aged 20 to 64 and multiplies that figure by 100. This measure peaked in 1965—when every 100 workers supported 94.5 dependents—and has declined since. In 2060, due to a declining number of young people, every 100 workers will support 84 dependents. In other words, we’ve already survived the worst of the problem. Perhaps the most accurate measure is the consumer-toworker support ratio, which examines the number of consumers of any age (including workers themselves) in relation to the number of workers of any age. By this measure, our biggest challenge came in 1960, when there were 268 consumers per 100 workers. In 2050, every 100 workers will need to support only 216 consumers. Again, we’ve already survived the worst. It’s important to keep in mind that Social Security is not in danger of going broke. Assuming we do nothing, and the Social Security trust funds run out in 2038 as the Congressional Budget
Office has projected, the program will still take in enough in taxes to meet 77–81 percent of its obligations. The challenge comes in meeting the shortfall. But I have no doubt we can do this without further raising the retirement age or cutting benefits. With so much focus on the baby boomers, do you think we’re neglecting the needs of younger people? Unfortunately, it’s not widely recognized that Social Security benefits everyone, not just older adults. In addition to providing old age and disability insurance, Social Security supports the children of deceased workers. In fact, it’s the largest federal program for children. From this perspective, Social Security is the means by which generations in our country care for one another. This doesn’t mean there isn’t more we can do for younger people. Some studies suggest that they and future generations will be in poorer health than older people are today. We often assume that life expectancy and disability rates will improve in the years ahead, but this may not be true. The reasons for this are complicated. One factor is the high rate of obesity (which some studies suggest is beginning to level out). Inequality and the high rate of poverty among young people also play an important role. Growing up in poverty can have an adverse impact on future health and mental health and ability to work. The key to preserving Social Security and protecting younger people is to ensure that we have a productive economy and workforce. We need to do all we can to ensure that our young people have good educations, training, health care, and well-paying jobs.
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Investing in the Wonder Years PSU partners with the North Country to support early childhood education by Emilie Coulter
E
arly childhood development is our best bet for improving the overall health of a community, says Pat Cantor, professor and coordinator of Plymouth State University’s early childhood studies program. Children who experience high-quality early childhood programs need fewer resources as they go through school and beyond, and are less likely to experience such social problems as teen pregnancy, poverty, and crime. As adults, they earn higher salaries, pay more taxes, and earn wages longer. A growing body of research demonstrates that, rather than expending resources on top-down economic development projects, communities are better off supporting early childhood education. “Investing in quality early childhood programs has the longest-lasting positive outcomes, not only for the children who participate in those programs,” says Cantor, “but for all of society, because those costs saved is money that stays in taxpayers’ pockets.” Costs saved, she adds, to the tune of seven to fourteen dollars for every dollar invested. “That’s a powerful economic statement. If you have limited resources, where are you going to get the most bang for your buck?” New Hampshire’s beautiful North Country, just north of the White Mountains and encompassing all of Coos County, is an example of a region with limited resources but great potential. One of the most ardent champions of the North Country is the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New
Hampshire Charitable Foundation. The Tillotson Fund was established in 2006 with a vision to “serve as a catalyst to help the North Country move from decades of managing slow decline toward sustainable development.”
“Investing in quality early childhood programs has the longest-lasting positive outcomes, not only for the children who participate in those programs, but for all of society ...”
In 2009, the Tillotson Fund helped kick off the large-scale, multiyear Coos County Early Childhood Development Initiative. Grants were awarded to organizations that support early childhood development and families with young children. Plymouth State University, as one of the grantees, provides professional development and preparation for current and future early childhood teachers in the North Country. Cantor and her colleague, early childhood studies professor Mary Cornish, also shared resources and research with the funders as the initiative was being developed, focusing on the effectiveness of high quality early childhood programs and providing support for teachers to implement play-based learning.
Coos County Early Childhood Leadership Cohort As part of the broader initiative, PSU launched its Coos County Early Childhood Leadership Cohort in September 2011. A group of five early childhood studies majors, all hailing from Coos County, was selected to receive full tuition and a stipend for up to four years at PSU through a grant from the Tillotson Fund. Each of these students has committed to working in early childhood education in Coos County for at least two years following graduation. Cantor and Cornish point to a solid research base showing that having teachers who hold a bachelor’s degree with specialized preparation in early
Back row: Samantha Hallee, Gail Mears ’76, dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services, President Sara Jayne Steen, Kirsten Scobie of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and Kelly Mason. Seated: Dana Lyons, Brooke Stevens, and Amanda Pike.
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childhood leads to better outcomes for children. But there has been a national trend over the last decade or so for fewer early childhood teachers to have bachelor’s degrees. “So we situated this [cohort] in that national research,” Cantor says, “and that need for teachers with bachelor’s degrees, but also in recognition that the tuition payment makes this possible for students.” The five who have taken up this challenge with gusto are third-year students Amanda Pike, Gorham; Dana Lyons, Colebrook; and Brooke Stevens, also of Colebrook; and firstyear students Kelly Mason, Stratford; and Samantha Hallee, Berlin. The expectation for the cohort is that they will use their local knowledge and cultural context, combined with their education and the opportunities that the scholarship affords them, to return to the North Country prepared to be effective in their roles as classroom teachers, early intervention specialists, Head Start educators, or whatever niche they find for themselves.
“I decided to apply for the grant because it seemed like a great opportunity to give back to a community that had already given me so much as I was growing up.” My North Country Home Three years ago Brooke Stevens graduated from her Colebrook high school in a class of 35 students. “Not many people have that experience,” she says. “Coos County has a small population that has been decreasing. Only 16 percent of the people living in Coos County have a bachelor’s degree, and the number of people living below the poverty level is more than 12 percent.” Given these numbers, it’s heartening that Stevens and her PSU early childhood studies peers have made a commitment to return to Coos after their college years in the comparative bustle of Plymouth.
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“These statistics are only a small part of what it is like to live in Coos County,” Stevens says. “It’s a place where everyone knows everyone. People snowmobile, four-wheel, farm, hay, etc. The community is small and close-knit.” The beauty of the region also pulls her—and the others—back. Although Stevens and the other young women express concerns about finding work in Coos, every one of them is determined to pursue this path. Dana Lyons, another Colebrook native, plans to open her own childcare center someday. She gave a lot of thought to her decision to commit to returning to Coos. Ultimately, she believes, it will be worth it. “I think it’s a good program to try and improve the education in the North Country,” she says. “I loved growing up in Coos County.” Stevens agrees. “I decided to apply for the grant because it seemed like a great opportunity to give back to a community that had already given me so much as I was growing up,” she says. “[And] to graduate from Plymouth State University with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and have no student loans to pay off … how could I pass it up?”
In a field in which the salaries are extremely low, giving future teachers a chance to pursue their career path without amassing overwhelming student loan debt is a gift to be taken seriously. “When students have thirty thousand dollars or more in debt,” Cornish says, “they can’t afford to take a job that pays ten to twelve dollars an hour.” PSU: A Piece of the Puzzle The Coos initiative speaks to the University’s mission of service and its expertise in early childhood education. “This is a very large initiative,” Cornish, says. “We are a small piece of the bigger puzzle, with many people collaborating in the North Country around a shared set of goals.” The early childhood studies department is a natural fit in this puzzle; recruiting PSU students who are already profoundly connected to Coos County just makes good sense. “As partners,” Cornish says, “we have the background and the undergraduate program to be able to help provide the bachelor’s degrees for the students.” According to Cantor, “One of the initial goals [of the initiative] was to make Coos a place where young
families would want to go, to really make this a great place for children and families. That’s still a goal because there’s a recognition that a generation is moving away.” Play Time As a related facet of their role in the initiative, Cantor and Cornish provide professional development for North Country childcare providers, this year offering a series of sessions related to the theme of “Play at the Heart of the Curriculum.” “Our familiarity with the research on the importance of a play-based early childhood program and how play promotes children’s success in school later on,” says Cantor, “[allows us to] translate some of that research and help make it real.” Cornish describes how she and Cantor are working with early childhood educators in Coos to strengthen their commitment to the importance of play. “It’s very easy to say children learn through play,” Cornish says. “But to be able to give specific examples of … how they’re engaged in promoting social skills or to show that they’re developing self-regulation, which is known to be a very important factor in children being able to be successful in more formalized school settings, I think that’s helping.”
As a partner in the initiative, PSU is able to bring together educators—current and future—to exchange ideas and present what they have been learning and what they have been implementing in their programs. Face-to-Face Professional Networking: Non-Virtual Connections For the past two years, the state conference of the New Hampshire Association for the Education of Young Children has been held at Plymouth
State. Through the Tillotson Fund, PSU was able to provide free conference registrations and memberships in the national association both years— this year for 55 participants, which is more than half the population of early childhood directors and teachers in Coos County. Cantor says, “When we had this session last year with 40 Coos providers, they said, ‘We’re never in the same room with people from other programs.’” Working in a large rural area, with miles between towns and unreliable online access, can be isolating for early childhood educators. As a partner in the initiative, PSU is able to bring together educators—current and future—to exchange ideas and present what they have been learning and what they have been implementing in their programs. Cantor and Cornish view Plymouth State’s involvement in the initiative as a reciprocal relationship. “We’re learning so much from our colleagues and their efforts in the North Country,” Cornish says. Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders Cantor and Cornish anticipate that the five members of PSU’s cohort will be, in time, among the next generation of leaders in Coos. “There are some strong leaders in early childhood in Coos right now,” Cantor says. “They’re building those networks so they can support each other …. We want these students to move seamlessly into that.” As for Plymouth State’s student cohort, they are excited to begin their early childhood careers, wherever the work takes them. “I love working with children, especially the younger ones,” says Amanda Pike. “There’s never a dull moment, and it’s exciting to watch the children grow and learn as you learn with them.”
Award-winning Educators Many PSU faculty, staff, students, and alumni have recently received awards for educational excellence. Here are just a few of our many honorees. Congratulations, all. David E. Atwood ’67, ’85G Program of the Year Award, NH Technology Education Association Chris Belmont ’01 Massachusetts Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Teacher of the Year National Secondary Teacher of the Year Lori Bresnahan ’74 Granite State Reading Teacher of the Year, Granite State Reading Council of the International Reading Association Gerard Buteau ’86, ’92G, PSU Professor of Education Excellence in Education Award, NH Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development David B. Gingrich, Teacher Certification ’09, current CAGS student, PSU faculty member Pat Keyes Technology Educator Award, NH Society for Technology in Education William Hughen ’89 High School Counselor of the Year Award, NH School Counselor Association Shirley Ann Jacob ’81G Elementary School Counselor of the Year Award, NH School Counselor Association Mark Joyce, Faculty member The Dennise Maslakowski PDK Education Award, Phi Delta Kappa/Plymouth State University David B. Kelly ’87G Christa McAuliffe Sabbatical Award, NH Charitable Foundation Bruce Labs ’81G Superintendent of the Year Award, NH School Administrators Award Jane Lacasse, Coordinator and advisor, COGS Concord site Doris Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award, NH Excellence in Education Retired Educators Association Corrine Lajoie ’07G Middle School Counselor of the Year Award, NH School Counselor Association Matthew Laramie ’90 Assistant Principal of the Year, NH Association of School Principals Robert Manseau, Current MBA student Secondary School Principal of the Year, NH Association of School Principals Angie Miller ’02, ’11G Teacher of the Year, NH Department of Education Sharon Silva ’00G, ’12CAGS, Faculty member Educational Media Professional Service Award, NH School Library Media Association Stephanie Wheeler ’99G, Current CAGS student Presidential Award for Excellence in Math Teaching, Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching
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PSU research in Iceland may help predict climate trends in New England by Jennifer Philion
Above: Christina Maki ’12 and Professor Lisa Doner assemble a Davis weather station at Lake Vatnsdalvatn. This data will be compared with readings from stream and lake sensors to determine effects of weather phenomena on stream and lake conditions.
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A team of Plymouth State University students and faculty members traveled to Iceland last summer to work on an ongoing National Science Foundationfunded research project. Lisa Doner, a research professor at PSU’s Center for the Environment, hopes the research project can establish the existence of a pattern in atmospheric
variation—that perhaps an annual climate phenomenon known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) undergoes cyclical intensification every 80–100 years. This knowledge would improve predictions of future climate trends in the Northern Hemisphere, and especially in NAO-sensitive areas such as New England.
Doner traveled to Iceland with hydrology professor Mark Green and environmental science and policy graduate student Christina Maki ’12 in May 2011, then returned in July with undergraduates Ben Bolaski ’12 and Chris Myers ’11. Maki remained in Iceland during the interim period, camping near Lake Vatnsdalsvatn and studying the surface water hydrology of the area.
“The students are incredibly happy and excited to have hands-on work. They get to see the whole scientific process, from the theory to fieldwork to lab work.” Left: Ben Bolaski ’12 sports a bug net turban while sampling a soil pit along the slopes of Lake Vatnsdalsvatn. The varying chemistry of these samples reflects the combined effects of climate change and human land use over the last 1,000 years. Inset: An Atlantic Puffin perches atop the steep cliffs that dominate the Westfjords region of Iceland, where the study sites are concentrated.
Maki says her work provided an extraordinary learning opportunity. “After several years of working on previously designed research projects, this was an exciting opportunity to study a system, learn where the gaps in the literature exist, design a relevant research project, and get first-hand experiences in northern Iceland collecting the samples needed to answer the question,” she explains. “Not only did I learn that fieldwork takes much longer than expected when working in cold, windy
environments, but also I learned what it means to implement and troubleshoot fieldwork. Regardless of the time invested in the project design, there are always setbacks, and this research experience taught me techniques to work through even the most difficult of situations!” For their part of the project, Bolaski and Myers gathered soil samples to examine their chemical profile, and set up sensors and sediment collectors in the lake. “The [undergraduate] students are incredibly happy and excited to have hands-on work. They get to see the whole scientific process, from the theory to fieldwork to lab work,” Doner says. “This kind of project really gives them a head start on research opportunities and puts them on a competitive playing field when applying to grad school.” Indeed, Myers, who graduated from PSU in December 2011, is now attending Vanderbilt University as a graduate student in geology. Bolaski, a senior from Springfield, VT, says the experience has given him new perspective. “Working on this research project has completely changed the way I think about and view
research science,” he says. “This has given me the opportunity to view science from outside the classroom and apply what I have learned to real-world, cuttingedge research. It is an opportunity that many people would think is only available at larger universities, but it is happening right here at Plymouth State.” This summer, Doner’s team will return to download that sensor data and measure the accumulated sediment. They’ll camp
in a different location and focus on another lake—the project is looking at four lakes overall. After 2011’s unusually dry Icelandic summer, Doner is hoping 2012 brings a change: “It would be nice to have the other extreme,” she says. “Well, it would be miserable working conditions, getting rained on all the time, but it would be good for the project.”
Below: The Iceland Project Team at Lake Vatnsdalsvatn: from left to right, Ben Bolaski (PSU), Ellen Kristiansson (Salem State University) Brad Hubeny (Faculty, Salem State), Christina Maki (PSU), Chris Myers (PSU), and Lisa Doner (PSU).
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Above and at left: Nursing students do all of their clinical rotations as part of a cohort, which typically consists of seven students. John Hession photos.
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To Be a Nurse by Barbra Alan
W
atching someone you love endure chronic pain is incredibly difficult. Bill Eissler knows: his mother has suffered from chronic pain for years, and he has been by her side for countless medical appointments and procedures. Three years ago, she underwent hip replacement surgery. “I saw how the nurses were able to make my mother comfortable and put her at ease, and how their care was immediately benefiting her,” he says. “And I could see that they really loved what they were doing. I wanted to be part of that.” In spring 2011, just before earning his bachelor’s degree in physical education with an option in applied health fitness from PSU, Eissler made the decision he had been contemplating for years: to apply to nursing school. “I was actually looking at other schools,” he recalls. But timing is everything— in April 2011, PSU announced it would offer a bachelor’s degree program in nursing starting in the fall 2011 semester. “When I learned that, I was excited that I could stay here,” says Eissler, whose residence hall is just across the street from the Department of Nursing’s home in Mary Taylor House. “I was comfortable here, and I thought it would be cool to be in the first nursing class at PSU.”
Clearly, Eissler wasn’t the only one who wanted to be part of the historymaking launch. “Our first year was filled almost immediately,” says Mary Bantell, professor and chair of the Department of Nursing. Ninety students were accepted into the program, which offers two tracks: a four-year traditional undergraduate program for students who do not hold an RN license, and an RN to BSN completion program for students who hold an associate’s degree in nursing and have a current license to practice as a registered nurse. Students take courses year-round, including summer, with some courses offered on Saturdays. Starting this summer, the courses in the RN completion track will be offered completely online. “Many of the students in our RN to BSN completion program population are working full-time and have families and numerous other responsibilities, so offering the completion program online gives these students more flexibility and increased access,” explains Bantell, who launched a similar, and very successful, initiative as a member of the nursing faculty at Texas A&M. Bantell began her directorship last July after teaching at Texas A&M for six years and immediately got to work in developing the curriculum for
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the program. She credits Mary Ellen Fleeger, former USNH associate vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and now a member of Keene State College’s nursing faculty, with creating a solid framework for the curriculum during the nursing program’s earliest days. “She was the one who really developed and started this program at PSU,” Bantell says. “She had the vision to create a curriculum that is evidence-based, and informed by findings from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and integrating the Nurse of the Future Competencies (NOFC). There are schools that are revising their curricula to reflect the latest in nursing, but here we are, starting as a new program, with the NOFC as our conceptual framework for our curriculum.”
According to the New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau, registered nurses are among the top of the list of occupations with the most projected openings. Meeting a Need The launch of the nursing program responds to the growing need for more nurses, prompted by an aging population in need of care and a large number of nursing professionals reaching retirement age. According to the New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau, registered nurses are among the top of the list of occupations with the most projected
Above: Nathalie Strickrott, right, is looking forward to a career as an ER or ICU nurse after graduation. John Hession photo.
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openings. As of 2010, there were 613 openings annually in New Hampshire with a 31 percent increase projected over the 10-year period between 2006 and 2016. That represents an additional 4,000 nurses needed by 2016. The demand for baccalaureateeducated nurses is also growing. With advances in medicine and technology enabling people to live longer, and health care delivery becoming more complex, the IOM has called for the percentage of nurses who hold BSN degrees to increase to 80 percent by the year 2020. In 2008, only 27 percent of New Hampshire’s nursing workforce held baccalaureate degrees. The IOM’s recommendation comes as no surprise to Speare Memorial Hospital President and CEO Michelle McEwen ’81. “The role of nurses has changed dramatically over the years,” she says. “They used to be a support function to the physician, but now nurses are crucial members of the care team—their responsibilities have increased exponentially. They require more critical thinking skills, more patient education skills … we need to have more baccalaureate-prepared nurses to meet this expanded role.” A bachelor of science in nursing does more than prepare nurses for the increased demands of the profession, notes Bantell. “It also gives nurses a greater return on salary and provides them with more opportunities in the job market and in graduate education.” More opportunities are exactly what Nathalie Strickrott is hoping for when she graduates from PSU’s nursing
program. The 47-year-old mother of two has been a respiratory therapist for 14 years. “I love my job, but I’m looking for more options,” she says. “As a nurse, you can work in a variety of settings: a school, a doctor’s office, or in various departments within a hospital, and you care for a variety of patients with different health issues.” While Strickrott, a resident of Gilford, considers it “a privilege” to be part of the inaugural nursing class at PSU, she admits to being daunted by the prospect of juggling work, family, and school. Fortunately, she’s got support on all fronts. “My husband was all for my enrolling in the program, and he holds down the fort at home when I’m not there,” she says. And while her 8-year-old daughter is still adjusting to mom’s new schedule, Strickrott’s employer, Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia, has been very supportive. “They’re doing tuition reimbursement and helping me with my schedule; my co-workers have even changed their schedules to help accommodate mine, and I’m so appreciative of that.” Strickrott also appreciates the support and encouragement she’s received from Bantell and the rest of the nursing faculty. “They have said to me, ‘We’re here to help you succeed. If you need anything, come see us.”
“The role of nurses has changed dramatically over the years. They used to be a support function to the physician, but now nurses are crucial members of the care team—their responsibilities have increased exponentially.”
PSU’s Simulation Lab seeks to replicate the hospital room, right down to the last detail. Here Bill Eissler practices nursing procedures on a “sim man” before working with real patients. “The Simulation Lab gives students a safe learning environment to hone their clinical skills,” explains Department of Nursing Chair Mary Bantell. Jon Gilbert Fox photo.
PSU clinical leader Sandra McBournie ’06G meets with the group to review notes after each rotation. John Hession photo.
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Nurses of the Future
Jon Gilbert Fox photo.
“We have a very eclectic student body, and we want them all to feel comfortable in the program,” says Bantell. “We have students with multiple degrees, master’s degrees, and some of them are on their second or third career. One of our students has an art degree, another a music degree—these kinds of backgrounds can have a positive impact on patient outcomes.”
Eissler appreciates his classmates’ diverse backgrounds and especially enjoys it when those who have experience in patient care share their stories. “Just hearing about their experiences, the kinds of patients they’ve had, the kinds of situations they’ve been in—it gives you an idea of what to expect. I like hearing what they have to say.” In March, both Eissler and Strickrott began their clinical rotations at Littleton General Hospital and Speare Memorial Hospital, respectively. Over the course of their nursing education, students will rotate through different health care facilities around the state, including Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, Golden View Health Care Center in Meredith, Cottage Hospital in Woodsville, and Concord Hospital, to get as many practical experiences as possible. In developing these partnerships with area health care providers, Bantell says, “the nurses and administrators I’ve talked with say they’re looking forward to many of their nurses enrolling in the program.”
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For Eissler, who couldn’t wait to transition from practicing nursing procedures on the mannequins in the Simulation Laboratory to caring for real patients in a real hospital setting, his clinical experience “is exciting— I’m on the medical/surgical floor and have the opportunity to assess vital signs, evaluate a patient’s pain level, administer medications, and really care for patients on a personal level.” While patient care is far from new to Strickrott, she too is enjoying her clinicals. “We are having the time of our lives. Everyone at Speare, from the housekeepers to the doctors, is so receptive and helpful to us.” It’s not just the student nurses who benefit from clinical experiences, McEwen points out. Preceptors and health care facilities do, too. “Mentoring a student can be an enriching professional experience for nurses, giving them an opportunity to share what they’ve learned in their careers and help a student succeed,” she says. “It also makes it easier for hospitals and other health care facilities to recruit nurses that have done their training in the community: the
“Mentoring a student can be an enriching professional experience for nurses, giving them an opportunity to share what they’ve learned in their careers and help a student succeed.” recruits know the community and the facility because they’ve already done rotations there. And the hiring organization knows the candidates because they had that early introduction. Hospitals that have BSN programs in their backyard tend to have better results from recruitment.” For Bantell, it’s the benefits to the community that give her the greatest personal satisfaction. “We’ll be graduating approximately 40 students every sequence, and they will go out and help improve the health and lives of people,” she says. “That’s what nursing is all about.”
Above: PSU’s first nursing class, which will have the opportunity to collaborate with students in the graphic design program to create a nursing program pin. They’ll receive the pins at a pinning ceremony, a rite of passage in nursing education that will celebrate their transition from student to nurse.
Sam Wisel Creating a Culture of Philanthropy by Elizabeth Cheney ’89, ’99G According to Sam Wisel ’12, his four years at PSU “were the fastest years of my life.” Even so, he found numerous outlets for his passion to serve, including holding office in student government and starting a student chapter of Habitat for Humanity. For Wisel, the satisfaction of knowing he was making a difference at PSU and within the Plymouth community was reward enough. Then came the news, a mere six weeks before Commencement, that his efforts were being publicly recognized with one of the most prestigious national awards given to students committed to service and improving their communities: the Newman Civic Fellow Award. “I am grateful for receiving this recognition,” he says, “and it’s exciting that the organizations and causes that I am involved with are also receiving recognition through this award.” Campus Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,200 college and university presidents dedicated to campus-based civic engagement, named Wisel a 2012 Newman Civic Fellow in recognition of his personal commitment to creating lasting change for the better in his community and beyond. The award honors inspiring college student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Wisel was one of only 162 student leaders nationwide to receive this honor. With this award, he joins a network of Newman Civic Fellows around the country
who, by sharing ideas and tools through online networking, will leverage an even greater capacity for service and change, and will continue to set examples for their peers and others. Once named, the fellows are fellows for life, with the hope that their service and leadership will continue well after they have graduated and entered the professional world. In Wisel’s case, that’s the plan. His degree in business administration is geared toward nonprofit management, and an internship in PSU’s Office of University Advancement gave him tremendous real-world experience in fundraising that he’ll apply to the working world. Wisel’s interest in community service started in high school, where he participated in a service trip to the Mississippi Gulf to help residents clean up and rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. “That was the most-eye opening experience I have ever had. From that point on, I wanted to travel to different areas of the country and the world to assist in whatever way I could,” says Wisel, who did just that through PSU’s Alternative Spring Break program. As a sophomore, he helped create a student chapter of Habitat for Humanity, partnering with Pemi-Valley Habitat for Humanity to build homes and engage and educate people about affordable housing in the area. He now serves on the board of directors of the Pemi-Valley chapter. In 2010, Wisel joined other students in the Flood of Flags project to raise aid to help with
Sam Wisel ’12 manning the food pantry. John Anderson photo.
the aftermath of the floods in Pakistan. The 25,000 brightly colored Flood of Flags that adorned Alumni Green represented the 20 million people displaced by the floods and acknowledged PSU’s connection to and support of Plymouth State alumni of the Pakistani Educational Leadership Project who were impacted by the devastating floods in their country. Capping off his final year at PSU, Wisel was among members of the Student Support Foundation at PSU who established a student food pantry on campus. The academic-year project provides direct support for students in need, and will contribute its supply of foodstuffs to the local food pantry at the close of school in May, and reopen when the fall semester begins. In addition, as class treasurer, Sam worked with his classmates to raise scholarship funds for a Class of 2012
Scholarship, which will be awarded next year. “What we’re doing, I hope,” says Wisel, “is creating a culture of philanthropy.” Wisel has been the beneficiary of PSU’s culture of philanthropy himself, having earned numerous scholarships including the Sean D. ’89 and Linda Ryan Annual Scholarship, the Student Affairs Scholarship, the Professional and Technical (PAT) Staff Scholarship, and the Morgridge Family Internship Scholarship. “As a student who relied heavily on financial aid to attend college, these scholarships have had a huge impact on me,” he says. “It’s part of the reason I think it’s so important to give back to the community, and why I plan to give back to other students in the future.” Rachael Ferranti ’12 contributed to this story.
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Honoring a Life’s Work
The Helen Abbott ’39 Professorship in Environmental Studies
I
by Barbra Alan
f you’re lucky, you can look back on your years in school and recall that one special teacher who really connected with you, made a subject come alive, and maybe even changed your life. For Janice Griffith, that teacher was Helen (Grace) Abbott, a 1939 graduate of Plymouth Teachers College. Born in West Milton, NH, Helen Grace moved to nearby Union at the age of five, following her parents’ divorce and her mother’s remarriage. A bright child, Helen skipped 2nd and 5th grades, and graduated from Rochester High School at 16. Too young for nursing school, but eager to continue her education, Helen applied and was accepted to Plymouth Normal School. At a time when most of her peers were marrying and starting families, Helen was excelling in her studies, forming lifelong friendships, and working toward a career in education. In fact, she had once said that, “without Plymouth Normal School, I would have been a very unhappy housewife.” Ten days after graduation, she married Emerson Abbott, whom she had met a few years before through a church youth group. That fall, Helen Abbott embarked on a teaching career that would span more than five decades and touch the lives of countless students, Janice Griffith among them.
Meeting Mrs. Abbott Before Griffith was even a student in Mrs. Abbott’s 5th through 8th grade class, the two made an important connection. A 9-year-old inquisitive student, Griffith was the new girl in school, having recently moved to small-town Union from Eugene, Oregon, with her mother and two
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Above: “Plymouth [State] meant a lot to her,” says Janice Griffith of her former teacher Helen Abbott, pictured at her 1939 Commencement.
younger siblings. Missing her father and bored by repeating subjects she had already learned in Oregon, Griffith spent a lot of time looking out the window and daydreaming in her 4th grade classroom. It was Griffith’s drawing of a forest, inspired by a picture she had seen of a California forest, that first captured Mrs. Abbott’s attention. “She was a naturalist and she loved trees, and she told me that she liked my picture,” recalls Griffith, whose own love of nature was beginning to take root at that time. The recognition she received from Mrs. Abbott, who was herself a child of divorce, meant the world to the lonely little girl. “She was so nice and pleasant,” says Griffith. “After so many months of being bored and overlooked in class, being recognized by her made such an impression on me.”
A Dynamic Teacher Things started to turn around for Griffith the following year, when she entered Mrs. Abbott’s class, where she would be through the 8th grade. “Helen Abbott was a dynamic teacher,” Griffith says. “She instilled a love of learning in her students and made everything fun. There wasn’t a subject that didn’t interest her.” Of particular interest to Mrs. Abbott was nature, the environment, and conserving natural resources—all lessons she passed on to her students in the classroom and on regular field trips. She even took professional development workshops in conservation and environmental science to expand her understanding of these topics and enhance her teaching. “This was the mid-50s,” Griffith says. “Our country didn’t start getting serious about environmental issues until well into the 1970s, so she was way ahead of her time.” Not only was Mrs. Abbott a talented and dedicated teacher, she “was a very caring, emotional person,” Griffith Below: Helen Abbott (far right) took every opportunity to take her students on field trips and have them interact with the natural world.
says. “She gave me confidence in myself. She believed in me and encouraged me to do well, and became like a second parent to me.” And Janice Griffith wasn’t the only one to experience such caring. “Mrs. Abbott took an interest in all of her students; we could tell that she was invested in us,” she says. “Once you were one of her students, you never left her fold.” A Lifelong Connection Griffith and Mrs. Abbott maintained their connection for the rest of Mrs. Abbott’s life. A close friend of the family, Mrs. Abbott attended Griffith’s high school and college graduations and even sang at her wedding. She stayed abreast of Griffith’s successes, from being one of only five female students in her graduating class at the University of Chicago Law School, to practicing municipal finance law, to teaching law. Today, Janice Griffith is a professor of law at Suffolk University, teaching courses in environmental law and state and local government law. Throughout the years, Mrs. Abbott continued to teach—in many cases teaching three generations of Union families—and marked her 50th year of teaching in 1989. In 2010, with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to a former teacher, mentor, role model, and friend, Griffith began thinking of a meaningful way she could somehow honor Mrs. Abbott. A gift to Mrs. Abbott’s alma mater, Plymouth State University, instantly came to mind. “Plymouth [State] meant a lot to her. Even as a child, I was aware that she graduated from Plymouth Teachers College—she shared many stories from college,” Griffith recalls.
Helen Abbott, far right, with her students at the Conservation Pageant. The pageant, and Abbott’s commitment to the environment, are among Janice Griffith’s most vivid school memories and part of the inspiration for her creating the endowed professorship. Griffith is in the first row standing, fourth from the left.
“Helen Abbott was a dynamic teacher. She instilled a love of learning in her students and made everything fun.” Honoring a Life’s Work The Helen Abbott ’39 Professorship in Environmental Studies honors Helen Abbott, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 91, and two of her greatest passions: teaching and the environment. The professorship provides financial support and public recognition to an exemplary Plymouth State faculty member in any department who integrates elements of environmental studies into his or her coursework or research. To recognize and reward as many faculty members as possible, the professorship will be awarded for a three-year term. Named professorships are instrumental in attracting and retaining leading faculty, enhancing the University’s breadth of talent, and ensuring a well-rounded education for students. Of the gift, Griffith says, “I just wanted to honor Mrs. Abbott and acknowledge her skill as a teacher and the importance of her life’s work in educating children. We so often don’t give teachers the recognition they deserve.”
Janice Griffith, John Anderson photo. Photos of Helen Abbott courtesy of the Abbott family.
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Alumni Reunion Weekend · June 22–24, 2012
reconnect · rediscover · reunite
Reconnect with classmates and meet other proud PSU alumni. Rediscover what made Plymouth State home for you, and renew your connection to this special place.
contents
For more information and event updates: Visit: http://go.plymouth.edu/reunion Call: 1 (800) 772-2620 or (603) 535-2589 E-mail: alumni@plymouth.edu
25 Seasoned Volunteer Joins President’s Council
Getting to Know Rodney Ekstrom ’09G
26 Class Notes 27 Class of 1962: Paving the Way for a New Frontier 28 In Memoriam 31 Exchanging Vows
New Arrivals
32 Alumni Profile: Jon Hall ’79
Homecoming & Family Celebration September 28–30, 2012
Athletics Hall of Fame Weekend October 13–14, 2012
PSU’s beloved Mary Lyon Hall has been added to the New Hampshire State Registry of Historic Places. For story, see page 4. Jon Gilbert Fox photo.
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Seasoned Volunteer Joins President’s Council to Help Expand the Circle “This place is a gem! It is a great story that is waiting to be told,” Will Davis said about Plymouth State. Davis is the newest member of the President’s Council, the volunteer leadership group of alumni, parents, and friends of the University who seek financial support for its mission and advocate on its behalf. Recently retired from a successful career in brokerage, primarily at Donaldson, Lufkin, and Jenrette (now Credit Suisse) in Boston, Davis has been drawn to Plymouth State for many reasons. He and his wife, retired Harvard professor and writer Jessica Hoffman Davis, became residents of neighboring Holderness in 1980. Since that time, they’ve participated in several arts and cultural events at the University, including the annual Educational Theatre
Collaborative (ETC) production directed by Professor of Education Patricia Lindberg. “ETC is emblematic of the entire University in the way it brings the community together,” he said. “It’s pure joy.” Davis especially appreciates President Sara Jayne Steen’s efforts to partner the University more purposefully with the local community, and thus wanted to help her and the President’s Council achieve the vision for the University’s future. “Will brings a special set of talents to the council. His significant volunteer experience on the finance committee, and later as chair of the board, at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and his fundraising experience with prominent organizations like the Boston Center for the Arts
Jessica Hoffman Davis and Will Davis. Kaleb Hart ’11 photo.
and Massachusetts College of Art and Design, are incredible assets to the council,” President Steen commented. “He will be especially helpful in bringing new supporters into the circle, people like him who don’t necessarily have a previous affiliation with us.”
Davis views successful fundraising as starting first with “friend-raising.” He said, “I’m confident that once more people understand the University’s unique contributions to higher education and to New Hampshire, they will want to support it.”—Laure A. Morris
Getting to Know Rodney Ekstrom ’09G, Director of Alumni Relations Plymouth State to interactions with students who are close to graduating to lively discussions with the Alumni Association Board of Directors, each day leaves me energized for the next. I am constantly inspired by our alumni and their passion and commitment to their alma mater. Why the shift to Alumni Relations?
Kaleb Hart ’11 photo. In January, Rodney Ekstrom ’09G joined university advancement as the director of alumni relations after serving for ten years as Plymouth State’s assistant director for student activities. Students and alumni were invited to send questions for Ekstrom as he embarks on this new journey. Heidi Pettigrew ’99, ’07G, ’11CAGS recently sat down to ask him some of their questions.
You’ve had a few months to settle in to this new role. What are you enjoying most? I begin each day eager for what’s to come. From conversations with alumni about their experience at
It was really the right opportunity at the right time. I have honed my skills in volunteer management and event planning, and along the way developed strong relationships with students, now our alumni, and my campus colleagues. I feel fortunate to have found a position that fits my passion and skills at a place I call home. What do you see as the greatest challenges facing Alumni Relations efforts today? Because the work of alumni relations is about connections and relationships, the challenges mirror those of modern life. Technology and social media make it easier to stay in-tune with information, but we struggle to make time for meaningful face-toface interactions. My conversations with alumni reveal excitement and energy about staying engaged with Plymouth State. I hear many stories from alumni of how pivotal Plymouth State was to their development and
career preparation. So my job is to find ways for alumni to have that meaningful relationship with what is important and what they value, their alma mater.
read Goodnight Moon before bed each night, along with any book about tractors or animals.
What plans do you envision to increase alumni participation?
I’ll never forget a cold January day in the Kilkenny Range where I was teaching Winter Backcountry Travel in the Adventure Education Program. A student who was struggling with the experience had left his water bottle in the snow at camp, and his tent mate found it, half-frozen. The ensuing conversation revealed the stress this student was under trying to keep up. He felt everyone else was having fun and making it look easy. What happened next was almost magical. The class shared that they were working hard to stay warm, but they were functioning as a team. Instead of trying to do it all alone, he needed to ask for help. The course provided a perfect teachable moment, and for me, it reinforced my personal philosophy on teaching, learning, and living. Achieving competence at your craft and success in life requires a struggle as you master the unfamiliar, working together to achieve more than one ever could alone.
We’re currently working on a survey to learn more about how our alumni want to be involved and engaged with each other and with the University. The information we receive will certainly inform our future direction, and by best matching our efforts with identified interests we’ll naturally see an increase in alumni participation. What do you enjoy doing during your free time? My wife, Angel, my two-year-old son, Bridger, and I enjoy spending time outside. Our activities follow the seasons, and we love to ski, hike, climb, bike, and garden together. We’re thankful to live in a place where opportunities for these pursuits exist right out our front door. I also enjoy reading. Currently on my nightstand are Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford and Gary Snyder’s prize-winning collection of poetry Turtle Island. Gary Snyder is a favorite, and I’ve read that collection many times. Bridger and I
Do you have a favorite Plymouth moment or Plymouth State story?
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spring 2012 Class Notes Compiled by Communications Assistant Nicholas Greenwood ’11
1955
Elizabeth (Anderson) Bilodeau retired after 34 years of teaching and entered the ministry. She completed mission work in Kentucky and in 2002 was asked to pastor in Maine. She’s enjoying life playing in a town band and performing with school pit bands.
1960
Guy Kenneson enjoys his work in the woods at a timber stand improvement project in Holderness, NH.
1963
Nancy (Bailey) Snyder passed away from complications of diabetes in February. Memorial contributions are being directed to The Nancy B. Snyder Semester-at-Sea Scholarship at PSU, established in 2010 by her daughter Jennifer Snyder.
1965
Virginia (O’Hara) Wheeler retired from the Federal Savings Bank in Barrington, NH, after 15 years, including 10 as branch manager.
1967
Duane Merrill is the owner and president of Duane Merrill & Company Auctioneers and Appraisers in Williston, VT.
1968
James Hogancamp is the senior partner at James Hogancamp & Associates, an accounting firm in Keene, NH. Kathleen (Kelley) Bowen retired from a successful teaching career and became a certified professional coach specializing in parenting and transitions.
1969
Skip Whitmore is retired though he still plays rock and roll, vacations in Maine, and likes to keep in touch with as many Plymouth State alumni as possible.
1973
Steve Holdsworth is entering his 16th year as a court security officer at the Rudman Federal Courthouse in Concord, NH. Gale (Woodworth) Heine is living in Florida and is an advertising representative for Golfers Directory.
1974
Tobey Leske runs a research vessel out of Groton, CT, for Project Oceanology, a non-profit marine science and environmental education organization. William Franks is the managing attorney and litigation director for legal services of the Virgin Islands
Keep in Touch! Your classmates want to know what you’ve been up to. Send us your personal and professional accomplishments so that we can share your news. Visit http://go.plymouth.edu/class-notes to submit your class notes today. facebook.com/plymouthstatealumni youtube.com/plymouthstatealumni twitter.com/plymouthstate
and lives in St. Croix. In November, William finished his 25th New York City marathon.
1975
Barbara (Michaud) Kelly has enjoyed a 36-year career as a technical writer and instructional designer. She currently works for ACI Worldwide, Inc., an electronic payment systems provider.
1976
Janet Condon-Krieger is a school counselor in New York’s Hudson Valley. Jack Mayhew is an associate professor and chair of the teacher education department at Weber State University in Ogden, UT. Patricia (Lawlor) Parent retired after 34 years of teaching physical education and coaching in North Andover, MA. She now works a “retirement job” in campus safety at Phillips Exeter Academy, in Exeter, NH.
1977
Pamela (Durkee) Bennett is an administrative officer for the Department of Defense. Patricia (McDonald) Watts is working part-time at UNH after a 26-year career as an orthodontic office manager.
Alumni and members of the class of 2012 gathered in Boston prior to watching the Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays on April 15, 2012. Pictured (l to r): Laura Brusseau ’04, Erin McDonough ’11, Leah Zenaty ’02, and Jeff Manzella.
26 plymouth magazine
Wilburn Stone retired to Alabama after 35 years with General Dynamic Electric Boat, where he was the supervisor of planning and material for the designer and builder of nuclear submarines for the United States Navy.
1978
John Fischer was named the interim deputy commissioner at the Vermont Department of Education.
1979
Gary Elsmore is the general manager of TD Garden Sportservice in Boston, MA.
1980
Karen (Mitchell) O’Shaughnessy is a 4th grade teacher at Jewett Street School in Manchester, NH. Jane Slayton has served as the principal of a K–8 school in Andover, NH, for the past 14 years. Neal Cobleigh is the boys’ basketball coach at Wheeler High School in North Stonington, CT. Charles Waehler is an associate professor in the Collaborative Program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Akron. He recently coauthored What Do I Say? A Therapist’s Guide to Answering Client Questions.
1981
Glen Avery is a librarian at Houghton College in Houghton, NY. He recently became one of only 330 people to have completed a marathon on all seven continents.
1982
Randy Hollister is the headmaster of Loudoun Country Day School in Leesburg, VA, and head coach of the school’s basketball team.
Class of 1962
Paving the Way for a New Frontier by Heidi Pettigrew ’99, ’07G, ’11CAGS
AT THE DAWN OF THE 1960S, President John F. Kennedy described the decade as the “frontier of unknown opportunities and perils, the frontier of unfilled hopes and unfilled threats.” The concept of new frontiers permeated the American rhetoric and inspired people to think about problems and possibilities that had yet to be explored. “The idea really resonated with our classmates, and we chose ‘Freshmen Enter New Frontiers of Education’ as the theme for our yearbook,” notes class officer Meredith (Bristow) Stevens. The class of 1962—the last to earn degrees from Plymouth Teachers College—pledged to follow the course of Plymouth’s “New Frontiersmen” and provide guidance and encouragement as the incoming students began their educational journey. “We were unified as a class, a conscientious, thoughtful group of leaders who hoped to offer undergraduates an example worthy of following,” she recalls. In the 50 years since graduating, they’ve done just that. From classroom to corporate boardroom, individual members of the class have explored and embraced the new frontier in their own unique ways. As a class, they have become one of Plymouth State’s most generous and involved. “We have lived our lives as committed and involved citizens who still feel solidarity as the class of 1962,” Meredith observes. According to her husband, Wally Stevens, “There are a number of areas in which Plymouth State excels. I think we all like to be associated with programs of excellence. Our class, having all been educators, particularly admires the role that education plays in moving society forward.”
From a named laboratory in Boyd Science Center to the Class of 1962 Scholarship to years of active engagement with their alma mater, the class has always responded to urgent needs at Plymouth State. Recognizing the financial pressure being placed on needy, deserving students—due in part to the $6 million annual cut in state funding to Plymouth State—the class is marking their 50th reunion with a goal that reaches well beyond any previous class gift efforts. They’ve pledged to build their endowed scholarship fund to $250,000. The 88 remaining class members and their families intend to give $50,000 by the time of their reunion in June and pledge another $200,000 through their estate plans. “Together we are making and will continue to make a tremendous difference in the lives of Plymouth State students who could not finish their education without us,” says Sharon (Langlois) Andrews. Reunion Committee members Bill and Sharon Andrews, Barbara (Dyer) Cullen, John MacArthur, Claira (Pirozzi) Monier, Rita (Laplante) Norander, and Wally and Meredith Stevens have spearheaded both reunion planning and their class gift. According to Sharon, “We formed wonderful friendships during our years at PTC, and those friendships are still there.” That kind of lifelong connection translates into a strong desire to give back to students, especially considering students currently receive significantly less tuition support from the state than the class of 1962 did—6 percent now compared with 50 percent in the late 1950s and early 1960s. “Our class’s giving reflects a responsibility toward the next generation that we felt even as students,” Meredith adds.
The Class of 1962 Scholarship has helped to support eight students since its establishment in 2002. “We just look at these students to whom we give scholarships, and we’re amazed at what they accomplish,” say Sharon and Bill. “They are working while carrying full course loads. And half of our scholarship recipients have graduated summa cum laude! It’s very inspiring.” Emphasizing the connection across the generations, the class of 1962 is joining this year’s undergraduate and graduate students at the annual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 19, before celebrating their 50th reunion on June 22–24.
“Both our class gift and our reunion weekend are important to us all,” Bill adds. “One celebrates our commitment to the students who are following us to PSU and entering their generations’ new frontiers. The other celebrates our friendship with each other, and both reflect our loyalty to our alma mater.” Above: Members of the class of 1962 held one of several planning meetings on March 17, 2012. Left to right: Bill and Sharon (Langlois) Andrews, Meredith (Bristow) and Wally Stevens, and Rita (Laplante) Norander. John Anderson photo.
“We’d like to see everyone from the class come back for reunion, but we understand that not everyone can. We hope to see at least half of our classmates and their spouses and partners,” says Sharon.
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I n M emoriam 1933
Hilda (Orr) Dearborn, October 29, 2011, Concord, NH
Evelyn (Cling) Knapp, November 14, 2011, Concord, NH
Mildred (Harrington) Uhlman, November 26, 2011, Zephyrhills, FL
1937
Josephine (Keay) Young, November 17, 2011, Rye, NH
1940
Caesar Gregory, September 28, 2011, Fort Myers, FL
1941
Ethel (Bartlett) Wood, February 4, 2012, Slater, MO
1942
Pauline Pushee, August 14, 2011, Monroe, NH
Elizabeth (Nixon) Anthony, October 8, 2011, Laconia, NH
1945
Winona (Ford) Anketell, December 9, 2011, Boscawen, NH
1947
Eleanor (Jackson) Hilliard, November 22, 2011, Springfield, VT
1952
Lionel DeLacey, December 5, 2011, Concord, NH
1954
Roland Stickney, February 26, 2012, Anchorage, AK
1955
Samuel Smith, August 14, 2011, Las Vegas, NV
1956
Edward O’Connor, September 12, 2011, Barrington, NH
Daulette (Pestonji) O’Mara, September 13, 2011, Laconia, NH
1957
Harold Peaslee, January 6, 2012, Laconia, NH
1961
Mary Anne (Ciresoli) Prescott, December 25, 2011, Essex, VT
1962
Judith (Parker) Millen, November 9, 2011, Littleton, NH
Marilyn (Morse) Colby, July 17, 2011, Wilder, VT
1963
Nancy (Pike) Hubbell, September 19, 2011, Atkinson, NH
Charles Morley, November 7, 2011, Manchester, NH
Nancy (Bailey) Snyder, February 29, 2012, Norwich, VT
William Baston, March 1, 2012, South Hadley, MA
1965
Raymond Turcotte, August 6, 2011, Gardner, MA
1967
Cynthia (Putnam) Miles, October 6, 2011, Goffstown, NH
1968
Mary (Grey) Downing, November 24, 2011, Cape Elizabeth, ME
1971
William Jacques, November 13, 2011, Belmont, NH
1972
Lois Ladner, August 19, 2011, Easton, ME
Laurance Lord, August 21, 2011, El Cajon, CA
1975
Douglas Young, August 22, 2011, Berlin, NH
1978
David Penney, September 17, 2011, North Hollywood, CA
1984
Marcia (Livingstone) VanderMast, January 20, 2012, Wentworth, NH
1998
Emily (Delaney) Narris, February 5, 2012, Worcester, MA
2001
Kristin Shurtleff, February 18, 2012, North Easton, MA
2003
Ryan Blethen, January 11, 2012, Waterville, ME
2004
Kimberly Sholik, January 1, 2012, Manchester, MA
2007
Benjamin Brackett, March 1, 2012, Tahoe City, CA
2009
Tara (Jacobs) Balich, September 27, 2011, Ludlow, MA
Friends of the University Dayton Spaulding, March 12, 2011, Bedford, NH David Switzer, February 10, 2012, Meredith, NH Thomas Schlesinger, February 12, 2012, Lebanon, NH
28 plymouth magazine
1985
1988
1987
Kimberly (Hover) Willard received her MFA in acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in NYC.
Monique (L’Etoile) Newsom is the director of retail operations for Music and Arts in Frederick, MD.
Colin Sachs is a financial data analyst at the University of Washington within the student fiscal services department. Thom O’Mara is the curriculum area coordinator of teacher education at Carteret Community College.
LTC David Tuttle is currently serving as the US Army civil affairs liaison officer to the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
Duncan Walsh was inducted into the New Hampshire Legends of Hockey Hall of Fame. Shawn Murphy is chair of the journalism department at State University of New York College at Plattsburgh. For more on Murphy, see his profile.
Shawn Murphy ’88 Shawn Murphy remembers the moment Plymouth State Professor of English Robert Garlitz changed his life with a single question: “Have you ever considered being a college professor?” Almost 30 years have passed since that day, and Murphy still recalls how he felt prior to his conversation with Garlitz. His grades had fallen low, and he had begun to question his worth as a poet and writer. Murphy had asked Professor Garlitz to meet with him at Biederman’s Deli and Pub to discuss his future. His reaction to Garlitz’s question was slow at first, but emphatic: “Teaching? Teaching! That’s what I really want to do ...” In that moment, Murphy realized his latent aspiration to share his love of learning. He wanted most of all to offer students guidance and a sense of purpose—and perhaps teach them something along the way. This year marks Murphy’s 20th as a college professor and advisor to student-run newspapers. Currently, he is a professor and chair of the journalism department at State University of New York (SUNY) College at Plattsburgh, and the advisor to the student newspaper, Cardinal Points. The paper has received 12 All-American rankings by the Associated Collegiate Press, was named a Pacemaker Finalist by the National Scholastic Press Association, and in 2010 was named to the college newspaper Hall of Fame. As for his passion for penning poetry, Murphy notes, “I’m afraid that my career, coupled with life’s other demands, has not allowed me time to write poetry beyond the occasional love poem for my wife or quirky limerick for my children!”—Keith Bouchard ’14 Above: Murphy (l) with former Nightline anchor Ted Koppel, and Peter Ensel, the co-director of the Center of Communication and Journalism at SUNY College at Plattsburg, at the News Literacy: Setting a National Agenda Conference held at Stony Brook University in 2009.
1989
LTC Duane Bragg recently moved from Warner-Robins, GA, where he was assigned to Robins Air Force Base to Fort Detrick in Frederick, MD. In November, he returned from a five-month deployment to Iraq where he served as a medical support squadron commander and hospital administrator. John Rothstein opened a new law firm, the Law Office of John A. Rothstein, PC, in Canton, MA.
1990 Carol (Miniutti) Blau is a software analyst at Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc., in Atlanta, GA. Megan Foley is working toward her doctorate in music education from Boston University. David Chauvette was named the director of Spirit of Knowledge Charter School in Worcester, MA. Rich Taylor is the head of brokerage operations at ING Financial Partners.
1991
Danielle (DiSisto) Bolduc is the principal of the Gilford Elementary School in Gilford, NH. Steven Temperino is the NH Homeland Security assistant director.
1993
Belinda Hughes is an AIG facilitator/math interventionist for Durham Public Schools in Raleigh-Durham, NC. Nicole (Burg) Guida is the director of the Weekday Nursery School in New Rochelle, NY. Michael Szabo is the head basketball coach at Trinity High School in Louisville, KY.
1994
David Ryan was named as the 2012 recipient of the Charles A. Napoli New Hampshire Secondary School Principal of the Year. David is in his sixth year as a principal of Nashua High School North in Nashua, NH, and is a doctoral student in education administration at Boston College.
Paul LaPolice has been named as a finalist for the Canadian Football League’s Coach of the Year Award. Paul led his team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, to a first-place finish in the East Division and a Grey Cup appearance. Jason Lyon, CEO of the Common Man Family of Restaurants, was elected to serve on the board of the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers. Peter Viteritti is a women’s volleyball coach at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH.
1996
George Brown is the front man for the George Brown Band. The band includes classmates Bryan Litchfield, Lex Buzzell, and Nate Herrick.
1997
Douglas Bacon was selected as the Utah representative for the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council’s Mine Waste and Biochemical Reactor Teams. Lee Russell is a 6th grade social studies teacher in Newport, RI. For more on Russell, see his profile.
1999
Lee Russell ’97 “Picture for a moment your worst day and multiply it by ten and you start to get a sense of how difficult it is to live in Ethiopia.” That is exactly what Lee Russell and his wife, Susan, experienced when they travelled to Ethiopia in 2009 to adopt a nine-month-old baby girl named Aster. In a country where it’s a daily struggle to find clean water and food, the reality of life in Ethiopia was in stark contrast to Lee’s and Susan’s own, and what they were hoping to provide for Aster. “The adoption process was certainly life-changing. Traveling to Africa, specifically a third-world country like Ethiopia, has given us a new perspective,” says Russell, a 6th grade social studies teacher in Newport, RI. Susan also teaches at a local middle school. Their experience in Africa and in becoming parents changed not only how they perceive the world, but also how they feel about teaching, Russell says. “We now have a deeper understanding of the kids who are in front of us in our classrooms.” Aster seems to have inherited her father’s “can-do” attitude. “Aster is amazing,” Russell says. “She is a survivor, and it is evident in her strong-willed determination to accomplish everything on her own. She has taught us the definition of proud.”—Heidi Pettigrew
Jessica Sturges works in Freeport, ME, as the district’s K–12 ESL teacher. Michael Bronner is a licensed professional counselor in Connecticut. Thomas Hill is a field supervisor for William G. Frank Medical Gas Services where he earned his ANSI/ASSE 6030 and MGPHO (Medical Gas Professional Healthcare Organization) Verifier #121 credentials.
Neil Gagne works for William G. Frank Medical Gas Services and is a credentialed Medical Gas Verifier #135 through MGPHO (Medical Gas Professional Healthcare Organization).
2001
Jamie Monteiro is a controller for Halliburton Drill Bits and Services in Houston, TX.
Madeline McElaney is the community manager of Plymouth BetterBuildings in Plymouth, NH. Jared Hoffman is a meteorologist with WOWK, a CBS affiliate in West Virginia.
2003
Melissa Roy is the assistant principal of Hickory Grove Elementary School in Charlotte, NC.
Raymond Way is a project manager with New England Construction.
Missy (Conant) Lohin works for Spire Metering Technology, a supplier of high quality ultrasonic flow meters, as an international sales representative.
Adam Lynch is a police officer with the Charleston Police Department in Charleston, SC.
2002
Michael Cowles is a social studies teacher at Franklin High School in Franklin, NH.
2000
Marcia Wood coached the Scarborough, ME, girls lacrosse team to the state championship in June 2010.
Michael Fabian is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in East Lyme, CT.
spring 2012
29
The Ripple Effect
Ronald Faverty is the marketing manager for Rome Snowboards in Waterbury, VT.
2004
Su (Bartlett) McGlone is the director of fraternity and sorority life at Tufts University. Robert Knipstein is the general manager of Improv Louisville. Matthew Whiton is a theatre production manager and scenic designer.
2005 Repeatedly I see a strong and consistent Plymouth State ripple effect in northern New England. As a superintendent of schools, I regularly witness the impact that our graduates make in classrooms, within our schools, and in their communities. From principal to teacher, teacher to student, student to family, family to community… a Plymouth State education reaches far beyond the individual. I faithfully support the Annual Fund because I believe in the power of education and the importance of nurturing that ripple effect. MICHAEL MORGAN ’81G SUPERINTENDENT, SAU 16, NEW HAMPSHIRE
The Annual Fund supports the University’s core programs and initiatives and provides critical resources that create and maintain the unique Plymouth State experience for our students. Each year, alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends make Annual Fund gifts of all sizes that strengthen the University and support day-to-day operational expenses not covered by tuition. Your annual gift creates a ripple effect that begins in the classroom and extends throughout New Hampshire and beyond. Your gift makes a difference. Make your gift today Return your gift in the business reply envelope enclosed in this magazine or visit our secure online giving form at http://giveto.plymouth.edu. Increase the impact of your gift More than 10,000 employers sponsor matching gift programs that match charitable contributions made by their employees, employees’ family members, retired employees, and board members. For more information visit matchinggift.com/plymouth. John McKeith photo. 30 plymouth magazine
Elizabeth Hamlin is the human resources manager at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, NH. David Sarnoski is a West Coast product driver for Specified Professions Product. Erin O’Brien is partnered with John G. Lake Ministries and is living in India doing mission work with local villagers.
2006
Matthew Blocker-Glynn is the director of the Center for Community Service at University of Hartford. Sandra McBournie is a clinical professor in Plymouth State University’s new nursing program.
2007
Jason Vanasse is a master-at-arms in the United States Navy with a focus on harbor security and patrol in Hawaii. Andrew McLean completed his master’s degree in public policy from Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine. He also announced his candidacy for the Maine House of Representatives for District 129 in Gorham, ME.
2008
Meghan (Pierce) Skelton is in her second year as a second grade teacher at Dresden Elementary School in Dresden, ME.
Brian MacArthur is the overnight assistant manager of Sam’s Club in Kannapolis, NC. He received his MBA from Strayer University in December 2011 and purchased Saltshaker Boat Rental in Mooresville, NC, in September 2011. Mary Dahn was promoted from computer teacher to math specialist at Palomino Primary School in Phoenix, AZ. Noah Blocker-Glynn is pursuing a master of music in choral conducting at the Hartt School at University of Hartford. Noah is the artistic director for the Greater New Haven (CT) Community Chorus, a 120-voice performing ensemble; artistic advisor and founder of Celesti Sondato, an auditioned 24-voice choir of the Hartt School’s Community Division; and music director for the Shoreline Chorale, a 40-voice choir. Becky Rudolf works in the special education department at the Lincoln Akerman School in Hampton Falls, NH, and acts in shows on the Seacoast. Katie (Hill) LaRoche is the owner of Dancing Feet Studios in Bristol, NH. Jennifer Cooper was recently accepted into the master of music (choral) program at the University of Southern Maine. Jennifer is in her third year of teaching at Gould Academy in Bethel, ME. Katherine Pingree-Shippee is a scientific programmer at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
2009
Stephen Hunt is the senior residence director in the department of residential life at Becker College in Worcester, MA.
2010
Kathleen Murdough was named as the October 2011 employee of the month at Kennett High School in North Conway, NH. Curtis Jackson is an actor/educator at ChicSpeare Production Company in Chicago, IL. Curtis performs in an all-male adaption of Romeo and Juliet with Idle Muse Theatre Company in Chicago.
Emily Thorner completed a run as Mme. Silverpeal in Mozart’s The Impresario with Florida State Opera Outreach.
Exchanging Vows 1990
Carol (Miniutti) Blau and Jeff Blau, April 2, 2011
1996 Delilah Smith ’01G, ’11CAGS and Kerrie Williams, August 13, 2011 1997
Douglas Bacon and Mary Grochowski, February 26, 2011
2003
Michael Fabian and Taryn Shepard, July 2, 2011
2004
Samantha (Rambeau) Astarita and John Astarita, July 30, 2011
2006
Trinette (Goeke) Doherty and David Doherty, June 10, 2011
Angela (Pellegrino) Warn works in the alumni relations and annual giving department at Colby-Sawyer College.
2007
Caitlin (Stevens) Andrews and John Andrews, June 25, 2011
Erika (Borne) Dietsch and Richard Dietsch III, July 17, 2010
Lindsey (Green) Maziarz and Scott Maziarz, September 9, 2011
Christopher Westfield is a commercial credit analyst at TD Bank.
2008
Meghan (Pierce) Skelton and Daniel Skelton, October 9, 2010
2011
Riah Forbes is a direct support specialist for individuals with mental disabilities.
Kortney Nedeau is a national sales representative with eversave.com. Mitchell Shortell is a private equity fund accountant at Citigroup in New York City. Eric Scoville is an associate lobbyist at the O’Leary Group/Schepker Associates, LLC. Ashley Wolf is a meteorological intern at the National Weather Service office in Green Bay, WI.
Delilah Smith and Kerrie Williams
Katherine Pingree-Shippee and Norman Shippee ’08, ’10G, August 20, 2011 Amanda Jennison-Sousa and PFC Christopher Sousa, August 19, 2011
Brian MacArthur and Nichole Akers, May 7, 2011
Noah Blocker-Glynn and Matthew Blocker-Glynn ’06G, October 8, 2011 2009
Kim (DuBois) Cote and Richard Cote ’08, June 24, 2011
Stephen Hunt and Samantha (Palmer) Hunt, June 13, 2010
2011
Angela (Pellegrino) Warn and Jason Warn, September 17, 2011
Daniel Brevik is pursuing a graduate degree at the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. His recent performance as Don Pedro in La Périchole earned rave reviews. Class notes are viewable online at plymouth.edu/alumni.
Noah (left) and Matthew Blocker-Glynn
Lindsey (Green) Maziarz and Scott Maziarz wedding Alumni in attendance: Nicholas Duval ’09, Patrick Quinn ’09, Andrew Moore ’07, Andrew McLean ’07, Kaitlin Jones ’09, Robert Feeny ’10, Jef (John) Fries ’07, Jake Burbank ’09, Dan Brown ’05, Tyler Green ’09, Matthew Blocker-Glynn ’06G, Noah Blocker-Glynn ’08, Sarah Airozo ’11, Laura Chase ’08, Nicholas Lancaster ’09, Sally Warren ’10, Michael Maziarz ’10, Brandi (Wylie) Moore ’09, Stacy BachelderGiles ’97, and Karen Munz ’06, ’08G.
N ew A rri vals 1998
Erica (Provost) Furze and Christian Furze welcomed their son Samuel Richard on December 31, 2010.
2002
Kathrine (O’Brien) Monteiro and Jamie Monteiro ’01 welcomed their son Curtis in May 2011.
2003
Missy (Conant) Lohin and Jonathan Lohin welcomed their daughter Avery Mary on February 23, 2011.
Laurie (Higgins) Hale and Jason Hale welcomed their son Cooper on December 25, 2010.
2004
Katie (Saucier) Olsen and RJ Saucier ’02 welcomed their son Tyler Richard on September 1, 2011.
Jaclyn (Wakely) Gervais and Marcel Gervais welcomed their son Harrison Joseph on May 24, 2011.
2005
Robert Knipstein welcomed his son Bennett on February 9, 2011.
2008
Meghan (Pierce) Skelton and Daniel Skelton welcomed their son Landyn Hill on September 23, 2011.
PSU’s #1 fan, Harrison Joseph Gervais
spring 2012
31
One Shot in Life—Making It Count by Emilie Coulter
“My years at Plymouth were and still are special to me. I continue to benefit to this day. I hope my support and involvement have enabled Plymouth to help students the way it helped me.”
one of his favorite local volunteer experiences has been as director of coaching for a youth soccer program for more than 500 children in his community. He has coached for years, and is proud of the state championship his under-14 boys’ team netted. He is also a consistent supporter of both United Way and the Nature Conservancy.
Looking at Jon Hall ’79 on paper—executive vice president
of FM Global, one of the world’s largest business property insurance companies; husband; father of three sons—one might think that Hall has little energy or time to spare for volunteer efforts. But those who know Jon Hall know differently. “I believe as you mature, you begin to think about your legacy,” Hall says. “As they say, you only get one shot in life. As part of reflecting on my life and what will be my legacy, I have chosen to volunteer and to support organizations I believe in.” Plymouth State is among them. In addition to being a regular and generous supporter of Plymouth State’s Annual Fund and a member of the Heritage Society for his bequest intention, Hall stays actively involved on campus. In each of the past two years, he has visited PSU to meet and speak 32 plymouth magazine
with business majors and faculty. “Talking to the students creates an energy for me that is very uplifting,” Hall says. “I hope I can give them some insight on business and life that will help to prepare them for the road ahead.” Trent Boggess, dean of the College of Business Administration and professor of economics, notes, “Our students really appreciate hearing from a successful PSU alumnus who once sat in the same seats they are in now.” Hall’s service does not stop at PSU, however. As chair of FM Global’s Sustainability Committee, Hall and his colleagues lead the company’s “green initiative” as part of their larger commitment to sustainability. He is also involved in FM Global’s “Total Health” effort—helping employees achieve a healthy, more sustainable work/ life balance by exercising and eating right. Modeling that himself,
Hall believes his PSU education has served him well. Growing up near Hartford, Connecticut (the “insurance capitol of the world”), Hall says, “I suspected I might end up in insurance.” At Plymouth State, he became interested in business management. As Hall says, “I liked the fact I was studying practical subjects I believed I could use in the ‘real world.’” What he valued at PSU in the 1970s still holds true for students today. “The small class size allowed for true interaction with my professors,” Hall says, “and the practical curriculum resulted in a true transfer of knowledge about what really happens in the business world.” In his professional, family, and volunteer roles, Hall believes “the
only limitation becomes yourself, how hard you want to work, how much you want to put into it.” His own career proves that theory. Hall has steadily progressed through the ranks of FM Global. This commercial insurance company, with assets totaling over $14 billion, has provided coverage for roughly 30 percent of the Fortune 1000, including such corporate heavyweights as General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, Google, and Amazon. Clearly, though, Hall lives the work/life balance that he promotes. His wife, Cornelia, has also become part of the Plymouth State community through their attendance at alumni events, visits to campus, and connections with Hall’s lifelong PSU friends. Hall stays in touch with a number of his classmates from Plymouth State, e-mailing regularly and getting together at least annually. “My years at Plymouth were and still are special to me,” he says. “I continue to benefit to this day. I hope my support and involvement have enabled Plymouth to help students the way it helped me.”
Jon Hall visited the PSU campus in April to speak with students and faculty in a variety of classes and settings. Pictured (l to r): Logan Sullivan ’14, Kyle Walker ’12, Alex Nix ’13, Jon Hall ’79, Casey Marchaland ’13, and Kelsey Barrett ’12. John Anderson photos.
Shared values.
Mutual respect.
Common goals. These are the building blocks of successful partnerships. Like the partnership between Plymouth State University and its corporate supporter Northeast Delta Dental. “We have long admired Plymouth State’s commitment to the community and the leadership role it plays in northern New England,” said Tom Raffio, CEO of Northeast Delta Dental, a dental benefits administrator in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Offering dental insurance for individuals and families and for organizations of all sizes, Northeast Delta Dental is wellknown for its excellent customer service; but its civic involvement also sets it apart. Since 2002, the company has supported the performing arts, the visual arts, and athletics at Plymouth State. Recently, Northeast Delta Dental made a significant commitment to support activities and programming within the new Welcome Center and Ice Arena. “The University’s reputation as a leader in health and wellness is in sync with our mission of promoting good oral health as a facet of overall health,” Raffio said. “And both organizations are clearly committed to serving their communities. We are proud to be affiliated with Plymouth State and to support exciting programs in the new Ice Arena that promote physical exercise and overall good health.” Explore the mutual benefit of a partnership or sponsorship between your business and Plymouth State. Call John Scheinman at (603) 535-2805.
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