Plymouth State University

Twenty-one new first-year Plymouth State University students and five experienced student leaders from seven states spent August 24–30 getting to know each other by volunteering in the regional community and attending leadership seminars.

Community Service Orientation (CSO) is an innovative program for new PSU students that introduces participants to the campus community with leadership activities, service projects and social events. Participating students arrive a week before the majority of returning students.

This year’s CSO theme, “What Doors Will You Open,” encourages participants to consider that every opportunity at PSU leads to other possibilities, and to think about what doors they can open, according to program director Linda Corriveau.

One advantage for incoming first-year students is an opportunity to make connections in the community and on campus before the start of classes.They also have the opportunity to create lasting relationships with other first-year students. “Our overall hope is that CSO will be the beginning of their involvement on campus,” said Corriveau.

After an overnight team-building retreat at North Woods Camp in Ossipee Monday and Tuesday, the group split up to tackle three days of projects.

Partner sites where students worked this year included Prescott Farm Audubon Center in Laconia, Newfound Audubon Center in Hebron, Pemi Youth Center, a private home in Plymouth, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, Plymouth Senior Center, Believe in Books Literacy Foundation in Intervale and Blue Ocean Society in Portsmouth.

“Through service, we will raise awareness of local, national and international social concerns; an awareness that will compel us to action,” Corriveau said.

Students participating in the 2008 CSO are:

Mandy Cameron from Barrington, Megan Burke, Lauren Cote and Amanda Morse from Keene, Brian Chase and Daniel Mack Jr. from Londonderry, Abbey Plankey from Vergennes, Vt., Lauren Gale from Norwich, Conn. and Maureen Rowe from Hillsboro.

Also Frank Balantic from Niantic, Conn., Katie Darragh from Lynnfield, Mass., Rannon Gray from Ridgefield, Conn., Alex Unger from New York City, Katie Watts from Fairfield, Conn. and Geoff Roest from Albany, N.Y.

Also Maegen Bassett from Fremont, Joshua Clyde Hunter from Lyndonville, Vt., Samuel Norton from Peterborough, Stephanie Caron from Bristol, Conn., Christine Schultz from Annandale, N.J. and Jacob DeFeo from Center Conway.

Student leaders are Ian Sindlinger, a junior from Hanover, Pa., Tim Sacco, a senior from Loudon, and sophomores Alexa Fusilier from Dover, David Lewis from Middleborough, Mass. and Patrick Kenney from Goffstown.

Plymouth Pemi Center Photos:

Top Left, Stephanie Caron

Middle Right, Geoff Roest and Amanda Morse

For information about community service at PSU, contact Linda Corriveau at
(603)535-3026 or lmcorriveau1@plymouth.edu.

For more information contact Bruce Lyndes, media relations manager at blyndes@plymouth.edu