“It takes a very special group of students to make the decision to spend their spring break laboring away at a park,” said Sean Dixon, chief ranger at Belle Isle State Park in Lancaster, Virginia, after spending seven days with nine hard-working students from Plymouth State University for Alternative Spring Break (ASB). 

What is ASB? It’s a service-oriented program held during Spring Break that allows for students to travel to different parts of the country and volunteer in local communities. As sophomore student Hannah Smith describes, “I’m always looking for an opportunity to travel and see other parts of the country. With ASB you get to do that in a constructive and meaningful way with other like-minded people.”

This year, there were three ASB trips. One student group went to Memphis, Tennessee, to work with a local animal shelter and childcare center. A second group went to Alabama to work with Habitat for Humanity. Finally, a third group (myself included) traveled to Virginia, and worked throughout the week in Belle Isle State Park.

Nine of us climbed into a van and made the thirteen-hour drive to the state park. The drive down to Virginia was made much more interesting by the ever-changing weather along the way. From snow to cold to rain to warm, we experienced a little bit of everything on our drive.

Our main project was to work with park managers to build a sixty-foot-long bridge over a swampy area that would complete a new trail. We dove right into the work and completed the project in only two days! After that, we installed new signposts throughout the park, and put together Easter giveaways for children set to visit for an Easter egg hunt.

Of course, it wasn’t all work and no play while we were in Virginia. We enjoyed each other’s company beyond work hours, sitting by the campfire, chatting away, taking pictures, and playing card games.

We had a number of new experiences while in Virginia. We visited a true Southern barbecue for dinner and had delicious pulled chicken and ribs. Also, we tried geocaching, searching for hidden objects using a GPS. We found all kinds of hidden objects, awesome views of the river, and even a bald eagle’s nest!

“The group that we had this year from Plymouth University was great. Everyone was eager to jump in and get their ‘feet wet’ with the project. They were quick to learn and did a fantastic job,” said Ranger Dixon. Alternative Spring Break is something I look forward to every year here at PSU, and this year did not disappoint. I would highly recommend other students consider participating in ASB. It is a great way to have fun, make friends, and volunteer to make a difference.

Did you participate in Alternative Spring Break? Share your stories and photos with us at plymouth.edu/alumni/class-notes/alumni-experiences.

For more information about Alternative Spring Break, contact Linda Corriveau in the Community Service Center.

Through Plymouth State University’s Freshman Abroad Program, I was able to study abroad at the University of Limerick in Ireland during my first semester of college. I first heard about the program from a brochure that I received before I’d officially enrolled as an undergraduate student. The prospect of living and studying in another country definitely influenced my decision to attend PSU.

I applied for the program and was accepted! I was in a state of ecstatic disbelief that I would be living in Europe for nearly four months. My parents were nervous about sending me so far away but they knew that I had so much to gain from the experience. I remember how surreal the first morning I arrived felt, staring out the bus at the misty green landscape that I would come to call home.

Not only was I transitioning from high school to college but also from one culture to another. I was more excited than anything to go through something so huge and adventurous. Fifteen other Plymouth State students and I all went through this enormous change together. We learned what it was like to live on our own. We navigated through the city of Limerick both for leisure and for necessities, such as grocery shopping and errands. No one could go home with laundry on the weekends or to visit our American households. Our lives were truly directed without a heavy dependence on our parents. Thankfully, I had the support of my housemates, and as the only first-year student in the townhouse where I lived they often provided me with useful college advice.

Going abroad was the perfect opportunity to explore another country while simultaneously fulfilling my general education requirements. I took two classes taught by a Plymouth State professor and three classes through the University of Limerick (UL). Plymouth State Professor Monninger taught a First-Year Seminar and The Outsider. In The Outsider, we examined what it means to be an outsider in society and applied the concept to our own experience as Americans living abroad. The UL courses explored the Irish culture and customs, such as Irish folklore and traditional music and dance. UL has a strong standing in the science field and, as a biology major, if I studied abroad at the university again, I’d enroll in their science course offerings.

After studying abroad, I feel that I have a much stronger understanding of other cultures. Living in Ireland provided me with knowledge about the country and its people that I wouldn’t have gotten through a textbook or online. I now know the meaning of common Irish phrases such as “What’s the craic?” and learned that no one ever actually says “Top of the mornin’ to ya!” I traveled all around the country, to Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Kerry, and the Cliffs of Moher. I was able to travel to other countries in Europe as well, making weekend trips to England and France. Every day felt like a new adventure.

Out of everything that I experienced, I will always remember the friends I made during my semester in Ireland. I met so many new and awesome people-my PSU Freshman Abroad group who travelled with me, my housemates in Kilmurry Village, and the Irish students at UL. I won’t ever forget those late nights watching movies, spontaneously planting pumpkins on campus, going to TGIF events held by the International Society with the other PSU students, or hearing my housemates cheer “Go Pack, go!” The bonds I made through this unique experience will always be an unforgettable part of my life.

I can never thank Plymouth State University enough for this amazing time.

Did you participate in a Study Abroad experience? Share your stories and photos with us at plymouth.edu/alumni/class-notes/alumni-experiences.

On April 13, 2013, volleyball alumnae gathered for the annual alumni match. Alumni came back to PSU for the afternoon to see the campus and play with some of their old teammates and got to meet the current PSU Volleyball team. This year the Alumni match was alumni players versus alumni players!

Sitting (L to R): Casey Stoodley ’13, Danielle Stoodley ’12. Kneeling (L to R): Kirsten Perrotta ’16, Meghan Sullivan ’12, Kelsey Petty ’11, Alex Avery ’12). Squatting (L to R): Sarah Spears ’09, Kathy Frankowski ’10. Standing (L to R): Meg Delaney ’15, Cassie Pelton ’14, Shelly Phoenix ’15, Becca Gosselin ’15, Kaitlyn Tedeschi ’14, Jana Nieman ’15, Kaitlyn Coon ’16, and Miranda Casey ’16.

On April 4, Charlie Lopresti ’00, chief meteorologist at WGME in Portland, Maine, spoke to students in Professor Brendon Hoch’s Broadcast Meteorology class. As meteorology major, I had the opportunity to attend his presentation. Charlie presented vital information about one of the most competitive components of a career in meteorology—television.

Charlie began his broadcasting career at WVII in Bangor, Maine, continuing his passion for forecast meteorology that he developed while at Plymouth State. This passion eventually landed him at WLNE in Providence, Rhode Island, though he’d return to Maine and his current station, WGME. Charlie has been designated a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist by the American Meteorological Society (AMS), and was awarded Best Weathercast for the past four years by the Maine Association of Broadcasters.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’ve wanted to be a television meteorologist since I was in second grade. I’ve always had a huge fascination with weather—storms in particular, how they form, and how they impact people in different ways. Charlie’s visit to campus only further affirmed that desire. Charlie helped me realize that it’s about more than the science when broadcasting live— it’s about presenting complicated information in a manner that viewers can understand and enjoy.

What I felt was most inspiring about Charlie’s presentation was his emphasis on the responsibility he feels to accurately report on major weather events. Whether it’s a group of severe thunderstorms or an impending hurricane, reporting accurate and timely information can be the difference between life and death. That responsibility can be a lot to handle, but Charlie showed us how he’s been able to effectively manage those situations, through his on air experience and expertise. By presenting himself in a calm and collected manner in the face of dangerous weather, he is able to most effectively communicate to people what they need to know, as soon as they need it, like during Hurricanes Irene and Sandy.

My classmates and I appreciated that Charlie took time to come back to campus and visit us, and share his stories of success in a field we all hope to enter in the future.

The Plymouth State University Department of Athletics invites you to register for the 11th Annual Athletics Golf Tournament. If you’ve played before, you know that this is a special day that attracts scores of Plymouth State alumni and friends.

Register today!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Owl’s Nest Resort & Golf Club

Schedule

• 8:45-9:45 a.m. – Registration/Coffee and doughnuts/Open range
• 10 a.m. – Shotgun Start
• 2:30 p.m. - Après Golf Awards BBQ

Registration

Your registration fee of $125 p/p includes coffee and doughnuts, driving range, greens fees and cart, lunch served on-course, tournament gifts and raffle, après golf awards BBQ, longest drive award, and closest to pin award.

Register as an individual or as part of a team, but be sure to register by June 10, 2013! Register today!

Do you know an alumna or alumnus whose accomplishments are worthy of recognition?

More than 30,000 Plymouth State alumni make a difference worldwide, through their career accomplishments and commitment to service. PSUAA Board Chair Gerry Buteau ’86, ’92G notes, “I’m proud that our Alumni Association recognizes the great work of our alumni. The annual Alumni Recognition Awards ceremony is a special occasion that I look forward to every year.”

This year’s ceremony will be held during the Celebrating Excellence Dinner at Homecoming & Family Celebration on Saturday, October 5. Nominations are now being accepted for the following awards:

• Alumni Achievement Award
• Distinguished Alumni Service Award
• Faculty/Staff Award of Excellence
• Graduating Senior Award of Excellence
• Outstanding Graduate Alumni Award
• Recent Alumni Award of Excellence
• Ut Prosim Award

Please, take a moment and nominate alumni you know who are worthy of an Alumni Recognition Award. Nominations must be received by June 30.

Click here to submit your nomination today!

For the second year, the Advancement Video Team captured “Panther Praise Shout Outs” at Graduates Day. We invited undergraduate and graduate students to record a short thank you video message to family, friends, faculty, and others who helped them during their time at PSU.

Here is a link to a teaser video, where you’ll also find links to five individual videos with messages from our soon-to-be graduates. The videos were shot and produced by Kaleb Hart ’11, Daniel Robertson ’13, Alexa Pervanas ’14, and Rachael Glazner ’16.