After 110 minutes of scoreless play, the second-seeded KSC women’s soccer team connected on four of their five penalty kicks to capture the ECAC New England tournament crown from top-seeded and two-time defending champion Brandeis University 4-2 in Waltham, Mass. on Saturday, November 14. KSC sophomore goalkeeper Megan Dempsey, registered her third-straight shutout and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Thanks in no small part to the dedicated efforts of KSC students, faculty, staff, and friends churning out clever carved gourds at this year’s Pumpkin Lobotomy, the City of Keene’s Pumpkin Festival wowed visitors with a total of 29,762 lighted jack-o-lanterns. That total broke the festival’s previous record of 28,952, set in 2003, but fell a bit short of the world record 30,128, set in Boston three years ago. But we’re within striking distance of recapturing the Guinness record. Wait till next year!
Are you a fan of comic book art? Then stop in at the Thorne and check out the current show, “Out of Sequence: Underrepresented Voices in American Comics,” for a celebration of historical and contemporary comics creators that includes women and minority artists. The show features works by a diverse group of comic illustrators and writers including Ethel Hays’ 1927 depictions of Flapper Fanny, Dale Messick’s popular Brenda Starr in 1945, and 21st century artists such as Nat Turner, creator of Kyle Baker, and Ann Telnaes’ digital projection, Drawing the Line. The exhibit ends on December 6.
KSC freshman Tyler Penn was born three months premature, and with cerebral palsy, but he’s sure never let that slow him down. He believes he can do anything he sets his mind to, and playing soccer is one of those things. Lately, he’s been experiencing a dream come true – he made the U.S. Paralympic soccer team. For the past two weeks, he’s been in Amsterdam playing in the World Paralympic Games. Here’s a report on how the team finished their overseas trip.
When he’s here at KSC, he’s always up for a game, and frequently knocks on doors in his dorm, looking for people to go out and play. Though he’s proud to be representing his country at the World Games, he’s happy to be playing anywhere. “I consider myself lucky every time I step on the soccer field,” he said.
If you’re looking for a job and can get to campus on Thursday, November 19, spruce up your resume, dress for success, and stop by the Putnam Science Center lobby between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for the next Career Connections networking event. There will be nearly 30 employers looking for good people.
Need help with your resume? Call or stop by Academic & Career Advising on the 1st floor of the Elliot Center.
The basketballs and the stars are aligned for what promises to be a wild and wooly night in the Spaulding Gym this Friday, October 23, when the KSC men’s and women’s basketball teams kick off the season with their 13th annual Midnight Madness. Not only is this event open to alumni and the public, you’re encouraged to attend. So come on down and get a good seat (well, at least you can try).
The doors open at 10:30 p.m. and the fun begins at 11. Besides all the madness and games, did you know you can also get a free haircut?
The Keene State College Alumni Association recognized three distinguished individual at its Annual Meeting and Luncheon during Reunion weekend.
For more information about past recipients or nominate a future honoree, please visit the Awards page on the Alumni website.
The Criminal Justice Studies Program and the Department of Health Sciences will be hosting a discussion with Richard Van Wickler, member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), Superintendent of the Cheshire County House of Corrections, and an instructor here at Keene State. Van Wickler will focus on drug prohibition policies, October 19th at 7 p.m. in the Mountain View Room in the Student Center.
Superintendent Van Wickler will discuss the many failures associated with the “War on Drugs” and how this social problem needs to be redefined as something other than a criminal justice issue. The mission of LEAP is to reduce the multitude of unintended harmful consequences resulting from fighting the war on drugs and to lessen the incidence of death, disease, crime, and addiction by ultimately ending drug prohibition.
We’re happy to be able to offer parents and alumni a limited number of on-campus parking spaces during the City of Keene Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, October 17th. Passes will be available first-come, first-serve until October 10 until all available parking spaces are spoken for.
The fine print:
Parking passes are not transferable and automobile-specific; therefore, you should complete all of the requested information online for the automobile you plan to park on campus. Once you have your pass, you must park by noon on October 17. Each alum or parent may register only one vehicle.
UPDATE: Thanks to overwhelming response to this offer, we’re out of reserved spots! Thanks for your interest. For more parking options, please visit the Pumpkin Festival website. If you’ve registered already, your parking pass will be sent to you in the next several days.
And while we’re talking about employment…
Career Connections is a series of networking events held through the academic year, highlighting major career fields at Keene State College. Career Connections events offer students an opportunity to talk one-on-one with local and regional employers in an informal setting and to learn about internships and career opportunities. Employers have an opportunity to acquaint students with the company they represent and the career paths available.Typically 25 to 30 companies participate in each event, and the next one will be held November 19th in the Science Center Lobby, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., featuring careers in the sciences, business management and government.
Alumni are welcome to sign up to present or attend. Please contact Mary Pleasanton at Academic and Career Advising, (603) 358-2462.
Do you need childcare, office work, yard work or odd jobs done — on a one-time basis or year round?
Maybe you’re looking for interns to assist you (graphic design, computer science, safety, marketing, sociology …).
Maybe you’d like to be sure Keene State alumni know about the opportunities available within your organization, wherever it’s located.
Think big: Openings for part-time jobs, internships, summer jobs and career opportunities can be advertised to our students and Alumni at no charge.
To earn more about what our students can do for you, visit the Academic and Career Advising site and post your job, or contact Mary Pleasanton, (603) 358-2462.
Gerda Weissmann Klein, Holocaust survivor; author of All But My Life (her autobiography), The Hours After, and Promise of a New Spring: the Holocaust and Renewal (a children’s book); and subject of the 1996 Academy Award-winning documentary, One Survivor Remembers (watch her acceptance speech), packed the Mabel Brown Room with a standing-room-only crowd on Monday night, Sept. 21, when she delivered this year’s Holocaust Memorial Lecture. Her powerful and inspiring story stirred her audience, which included KSC students, faculty, and staff; members of the local community; and students and their teachers from several area middle and high schools.
Though Mrs. Klein grew tired after speaking for over an hour, she displayed a remarkable graciousness as she praised teachers for the hope and leadership they provide for the future signed books carried by a long line of people, including many young students.
Have you seen Gerda Weissmann Klein? Use the “comments” link below to tell us your impressions of her moving story.
KSC alum Natali Kendrick Pope ’85 headed to Hollywood to become an actress but found a rewarding career as a set dresser for several feature films and TV shows, including the current season of House.
As Theatre and Dance chair Daniel Patterson recalls, “Natali called me several years ago and wanted pictures of our theatre rigging fly gallery and loft. She had to recreate the fly gallery of an old theatre for the movie The Majestic. I also called her when I needed a roast suckling pig for my production of The Servant of Two Masters. She asked, ‘How big?’ and sent me a lovely plastic one on a platter to use in the show. She knows how to get or build just about anything one might want.”
Here’s an audio slideshow from the LA Times of her work on the set of House.
In August, Dr. Anne-Marie Mallon was named 2009 Distinguished Teacher by the Keene State Alumni Association. Congratulations to Dr. Mallon, who, like her predecessors in receiving this award, is characterized by excellence in the classroom, encouragement of independent thinking, rapport with students both in and out of the classroom, and effective student advising. For more on her scholarship and background, take a look at the official news release.
But if you didn’t go through “The Mallon Experience” yourself at KSC, and want to get a sense of how she presents to students, we have a fantastic video of her address at this year’s New Student Convocation (also available at the KSC YouTube Channel):
Keene State has teamed up with the Building Performance Institute to offer Certified Building Analyst training, which presents a holistic “house as a system” approach. Participants will learn fundamentals of building science, identifying and understanding such building performance issues as ice dams, mold and mildew, and indoor air quality, and they’ll learn effective diagnostic techniques.
The second fall session runs from October 20 through November 17, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6 to 10 p.m. Besides the training, the $1,200 fee covers the written and field certification examinations.
KSC’s annual Alumni Homecoming event is getting a well-deserved makeover. Unfortunately, this means we will have to suspend the event for 2009 during our renovation period.
The Alumni Association Board of Directors, supported by the Keene State administration, has decided to take the time to envision and plan a new Homecoming Weekend for 2010 that will appeal to the entire alumni body, as well as students and the campus community, based on questions, discussions, and feedback from alumni, students, the alumni board, and members of faculty.
A task force of alumni, current board members, past board members, students, and KSC staff is being assembled and offers a wonderful opportunity to revive some beloved traditions and begin some new ones that we can all be proud of as we move forward.
To join the renovation team, please contact me, Kay MacLean (603-358-2424) or Sara Telfer (603-358-2425) know as we certainly would like your involvement. Please also share your thoughts on what Homecoming means to you and your favorite event at Homecoming.