PSU At A Glance
Is the Clean Air Act Working?
Do federal laws really work to reduce acid rain
in northeast lakes? Plymouth State University’s Center for the Environment and partnering researchers have been chosen to help find the answer through
a $1.1 million grant from
the Environmental Protection Agency. The five-year grant, one of the largest
ever received by PSU, will fund collecting and analyzing lake samples from
Maine to the Adirondacks to gauge whether the Clean Air Act has helped reduce
the effects of acid rain on northeast surface waters.
“Over the last decade, surface water chemistry data has played an important
role in assessing ecological response to Clean Air Act programs, such as the
Acid Rain Program,” said Brian McLean, director of the EPA’s Office
of Atmospheric Programs. “As we move forward with implementing new programs,
such as the Clean Air Interstate Rule, these data will be invaluable in helping
us to understand whether we are adequately protecting sensitive ecosystems.”
CFE
Director Steve Kahl has studied acid rain in New England’s surface
waters for more than 25 years. The EPA grant will be instrumental in continuing
this research to shed important light on the health of invaluable natural resources
and whether current laws are effective in protecting them.
“The importance of the work relates directly to the federal Clean Air
Act and future amendments in Congress,” Kahl said. “The key questions
are: do reductions in acid-forming emissions from power plants and vehicles
result in reductions in acid rain; and if so, do these reductions in acid rain
result
in less acidity in lakes? The answers to these questions will provide information
for the EPA to assess the need for future reductions in atmospheric deposition.”
Researchers
will also collect samples from high elevation lakes in Maine, and plan to sample
high elevation lakes in New Hampshire. These are the “canary” lakes
that are most responsive to acid rain.
The grant will help fund the new regional
lake chemistry laboratory at PSU, being developed in partnership with the state
Department of Environmental Services
to assist lake associations and other management groups with environmental
data.
Adam Baumann, a graduate student in PSU’s Environmental Science and Policy
master’s degree program, is conducting thesis research on the topic.
Bill McDowell, director of the Water Resources Research Center at UNH, is
a co-principal investigator on the grant and his laboratory will conduct some
of the sample analyses. The grant also funds researchers at the University
of Maine
and Dartmouth College evaluating long-term changes in biological communities
by
analyzing changes in zooplankton over the past 20 years.—Bruce Lyndes
Meteorology Scholarships Recognize the Best
Four Plymouth State University
meteorology students received Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarships
for this academic year. Daniel Scott Michaud of
Madbury, N.H., Katherine Anne Pingree of Coventry, Conn., Jared Rennie of
Woburn, Mass., and Melissa Payer of Pepperell, Mass., are among a group of
only 101 juniors and seniors nationwide to receive the Hollings scholarship,
which includes up to $8,000 in funding each.
The scholarship program is administered
by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education on behalf of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The PSU scholarship recipients join colleagues from other well-known institutions
of higher learning, including Harvard, Stanford, Texas A&M, and the University
of Pennsylvania in achieving this highly-sought recognition.
“This is a well-deserved honor for these students and also for our university,” PSU
President Sara Jayne Steen
said. “The
Judd Gregg Meteorology Institute in Boyd Science Center provides
students with some of the finest meteorology facilities in the country and is
a great resource for
our region.”
The PSU scholarship winners participated in a 10-week summer
internship and attended the Hollings Scholarship Program conference. The purpose
of the Hollings scholarship
is to increase public understanding and recruit and prepare students for public
service careers or careers as teachers and educators in oceanic and atmospheric
science.
The scholarships are awarded in honor of U.S. Senator Ernest Hollings
(D–South
Carolina), who championed creation of NOAA during his 36-year tenure in
Congress.—Bruce Lyndes
Pass (on) the Salt
Road salt (sodium chloride) is recognized increasingly as
a contaminant in New England surface waters. Chloride is often linked to a
general decrease
in water quality as nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus increase in
lakes, leading to algal blooms and an increase in invasive plant species.
Increases in chloride of as much as 400 percent in lakes in New England in
the past 20 years have been documented. Certain lake water supplies in central
New Hampshire have recently recorded 50 percent increases in sodium chloride.
Some streams in the state are regularly in violation of the aquatic life
toxicity limit of 230 parts per millions of chloride.
PSU researchers Steve
Kahl and Dari Sassan have received a $40,000 grant from the N.H. Department
of Environmental Services to study protection of
waterways
by reducing use of road salt. Sassan, a graduate student in the Center
for the
Environment, will use the data for his master’s thesis in environmental
science and policy. The project will evaluate sources of salt in five southern
New Hampshire towns to assess how to decrease the amount of chloride in streams
in order to meet water quality criteria.
Kahl, founding director of the CFE and
professor of environmental science, is a veteran researcher in water quality
studies, including studies on the fate
and transport of road salt in watersheds. He believes the road salt project
is a “win-win situation” for both DES and PSU: “This is an
example of how PSU as a regional university is enhancing its expertise to serve
New Hampshire
in a cost-effective manner, by integrating regional service into its new graduate
programs.”
Sassan, a New Hampshire native, cited his primary career objective
as preserving the character of northern New Hampshire in a way that creates
economic and environmental sustainability. He applauded PSU’s demonstrated
commitment to serving the region: “Through this and other projects the
Center for the Environment has taken on, CFE graduate students are gaining
valuable, real world knowledge
that will allow them to hit the ground running as they enter the workforce.”—Bruce
Lyndes
Good Sports: PSU Men’s Basketball Team Honored for Sportsmanship
The Plymouth
State University men’s basketball team was honored by the
Collegiate Basketball Officials Association for their hard work, commitment
to teammates and respect for other players, fans and coaches last spring. The
Panthers were chosen as the Eastern New England regional recipient of the prestigious
Sam Shoenfeld Sportsmanship Award, the first New Hampshire basketball team
to receive this honor.
The award is presented each year to “the basketball
program [that] exemplifies the highest degree of sportsmanship, character,
and ethics among their players,
coaches and spectators.” The Shoenfeld award is the highest honor that
the CBOA annually awards.
PSU head coach John Scheinman, along with the rest
of the coaching staff and the Panther student-athletes, were formally commended
this fall at the CBOA’s
annual meeting.
“We are proud to recognize Plymouth State University and the members
of the 2006 men’s basketball program for their sportsmanship,” said
Ronald L. Martel, dean of students at Johnson & Wales University and New
England East representative of the CBOA.
Scheinman praised his team’s
admirable work ethic, dedication and positive attitude: “The kids are
pretty grounded. They play for the right reasons,” he
said. “What an honor for the team as well as all of the student athletes,
coaches, support personnel and fans who have been with us for the past seven
years. It’s a credit to everybody.”—Kristin Proulx Jarvis
2006 Brings Six New Members to the Athletic Hall of Fame
Six outstanding student-athletes
are the newest members of the Plymouth
State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
The newcomers were enshrined in the 22nd annual induction ceremony at the annual
Hall of Fame Banquet on Sept. 24, 2006. This year’s
group brings the number of Hall of Fame inductees to 110 individuals and six
teams since 1985.
The new inductees are Kathy Boyd Thompson ’99, who set
12 school records and still holds four PSU standards in both swimming and diving;
Anda Curuta ’01,
a 10-time All-American in alpine skiing who won four straight Eastern Regional
individual titles as well as the 2001 combined alpine national championship;
Jim Davis ’85, a former Plymouth State football player who has made outstanding
career contributions as an educator and athletic administrator in New Hampshire
and Massachusetts; Gary Parsons ’73, in his 26th year as men’s soccer
coach at Oakland University (Mich.)—he has led the team to 15 NCAA Tournament
berths and is one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history with over 300 victories;
Betty Shepard ’68, a former field hockey and tennis player at Plymouth
Teachers College who enjoyed a long and successful career at Pinkerton Academy
(N.H.) as coach and a pioneer for girls sports; and Mark Thompson ’99,
a four-year starter on the Panther baseball team who earned All-New England honors
and still holds or shares seven school records, including home runs in a season.
The
entire list of inductees and profiles on each member, as well as a nomination
form open to the public, is available online.—Kent
Cherrington
PSU Replays Historic First Soccer Match
Plymouth State University recognized
a landmark in its athletic history this fall, as the men’s soccer program
reached its Golden anniversary, celebrating its 50th season of competition.
At the same time, women’s soccer marked its Silver anniversary: recognizing
25 years of competition since joining the NCAA.
During the Silver and
Gold Weekend,
October 7–8, alumni from around the
world returned to Plymouth, including members from the first team, to join in
the festivities and look back at two of our most storied athletic programs:
Men’s soccer began in the fall of 1957, when the school had a modest
enrollment of 453 students. Under the guidance of Coach Howard Goldman, the
Panthers opened the season on October 1 against Gorham Teachers College (now
the University of
Southern Maine), which was also playing their first game, emerging victorious
with a score of 2 to 1. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this historic
game, PSU invited the original
competitors from both PSC and Gorham to recreate the contest, and it ended with
same outcome: Plymouth State
defeated Southern Maine, 2-1.
The celebration included several pre-game and halftime
ceremonies. Coach Goldman,
along with Bill Hagner ’58, who scored the first goal for Plymouth State
50 years ago, were on hand to make the ceremonial pre-game coin toss; five of
the seven Panther men’s soccer coaches in history were in attendance, representing
43 of the 50 years of head coaches; and an official proclamation sent from New
Hampshire Governor John H. Lynch to Plymouth State University was presented to
President Sara Jayne Steen.
In proceeding seasons, under the stewardship of coaches
Joe Clark, Douglas Wiseman, Gerd Lutter, Shawn Griffin, Keith Byrnes and Rob
Wright, the program has amassed
16 NCAA Tournament appearances, 10 ECAC tournament appearances, and three ECAC
Championships.
The Panther women’s program started as a club team in the
mid-1970s, and achieved varsity status in 1978. In 1982, the NCAA accepted
women’s sports
into the fold. Under coaches Steve Knipstein, Christine Rizzieri, Janet Nell,
Phil Rowe, Nancy Feldman, Marti Kingsley, Beth Field, Rebecca Lisack, Keith
Scarlett and Gene Smith, the program has posted 10 NCAA Tournament appearances,
eight
ECAC tournament appearances, and three ECAC championships.
The weekend also
marked the official unveiling of additions to Panther Field: new lighting,
public address system, signage, goals and bench areas. Thanks
to Scott and Patti Biederman and their fundraising team, both players and fans
can
enjoy a new and better soccer experience at PSU.—Kent Cherrington
An Amazing Experience: PSU Student Chosen to Teach in Spain
From the familiar
surroundings of New Hampshire to a small schoolroom in a remote Spanish town,
Plymouth State University senior Heather Dowd is having
the experience of a lifetime.
Dowd was chosen from hundreds of applicants
for a prestigious Language and Culture assistant teaching position by the Spanish
Ministry of Education
and Sciences.
Dowd, a double major in Spanish and Communication
Studies, began her teaching
experience in October 2006 in Bailen, an Andalucien town. Dowd has been teaching
at a secondary school called Hermanos Medina Rivilla.
“It is a chance to complete my degree in a place that I love, doing
something that I love,” said Dowd. “I get to teach English and
also share aspects of American culture.”
PSU’s Associate Professor
Barbara Lopez-Mayhew, chair of the Department
of Languages and Linguistics,
believes Dowd is embarking on a unique journey.
“To
be given the opportunity to be immersed in another culture, not only as a student
but as a professional, reaffirms that we are providing our students
valuable knowledge and a strong development of language skills in our courses
as well as through study abroad programs,” Lopez-Mayhew said. “Undoubtedly,
Heather’s year in Spain as a teaching assistant will be a valuable and
unforgettable capstone experience.”
Dowd credits PSU and the Plymouth
school system with preparing and recommending her for the assignment. She spent
a semester in Seville, Spain at the CC-CS
Study Abroad program, and also taught Spanish in Plymouth area elementary schools.—Bruce
Lyndes
Holmes House Saved From Fire
A historic building on the Plymouth State University
campus was saved from serious damage after an apparent lightning strike started
a fire on Oct.
20.
A barn adjoining Holmes House was hit just before 5 p.m. when a violent
electrical
storm moved through the region.
University Police Lt. Pete Chierichetti arrived
at Holmes a few minutes later to unlock a basement room. He smelled smoke and
noticed emergency lights on.
Chierichetti, a volunteer firefighter in Wentworth, discovered that the smoke
was coming from the attic and immediately called the Plymouth Fire Department.
The Plymouth firefighters responded without delay and extinguished the blaze
within 10 minutes. Damage was limited to a barn wall and interior hallway and
is estimated at $10,000, according to the Plymouth Fire Department.
“We were very lucky, very fortunate that a police officer was there to
call it in,” said Captain John Olmstead of the Plymouth Fire Department.
“We are grateful to the Plymouth Fire Department for their fast response
and effective work in putting the fire out,” said PSU President Sara
Jayne Steen. “Older buildings can go up very quickly, and we are pleased
that no one was hurt and the damage was kept to a minimum.”
Holmes House
has a long and rich association with the University’s various
academic institutions. The 170-year-old structure once served as faculty housing
for Holmes Plymouth Academy, the first educational institution on the site
where PSU stands today. Dr. Ernest Silver, the eighth president of Plymouth
Teachers
College, lived in the house from 1944–49. The house was purchased by
the University System of New Hampshire in 1989 from Dr. Silver’s 101-year-old
widow, Gertrude Shaw Silver. Since then, it has been used for Residential Life
staff offices.—Bruce Lyndes
PSU Loses a Dear Friend
Richard E. Collins, a dear friend and long-time benefactor
of Plymouth State University, died peacefully at home on Saturday, Dec. 2 after
a brief illness.
R.E.’s generosity to PSU was truly exceptional. He supported
scholarships in art, music, foreign language, and education; funded the Jeanneatte
and Richard
E. Collins Endowment and the Jeannette and Richard E. Collins Challenge Fund;
supported women’s studies,
the Educational
Theatre Collaborative, PSU
field
hockey, performing arts programming, campus activities, the Center
for Women’s
Services, and international touring by the Symphonic Band and the PSU Concert
Choir. The student art gallery in the D&M building was named in his honor
and the atrium entrance to the Boyd Science Center was named in memory of Jeannette
Morey Collins. R.E. was the first recipient of the Richard E. Collins Philanthropy
Medal, which honors those exhibiting R.E.’s spirit and distinguished philanthropy
to PSU.
“R.E. was extraordinarily generous to Plymouth State University, and
his legacy is significant,” said President Sara Jayne Steen. “We
will miss him.”
On Friday, Dec. 8, the Plymouth State University flag
flew at half-staff in mourning and tribute to R.E. Collins.— Marcia
L. Santore
Tables for Many
Every Thursday evening, dozens of Plymouth area citizens are
welcomed into the community room of the Congregational Church on Main Street,
and are given
a free, warm meal. The Meals for Many program depends on volunteers, and
Plymouth State University is well represented, with members of sports teams
and student organizations helping out on a regular basis.
For one student,
though, there is a special pride in helping the Meals for Many
program. Jerod Kerouac, a senior communication studies major, raised enough money
to buy
11 new tables for the program. Kerouac’s incentive to replace the tables
started one night when he and another student volunteer were putting away the
old tables.
“A piece of a table broke off, and it fell on my friend’s foot. I
knew something had to be done,” said Kerouac, who has volunteered for the
program for about a year. Kerouac was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Alumni
Tower Fund last spring, with the promise he would match that amount from other
sources while participating in a community enhancing project. Kerouac’s
idea to raise money for new tables was embraced by generous donors in Residential
Life and University Police, as well as various members of the Congregational
Church. He was able to raise $1,175 dollars, which, along with the grant, was
enough for 11 lightweight tables capable of seating eight adults.
“The best part about the tables is that they have a 10-year warranty on
them,” said Kerouac. “Hopefully, they will not break, but if something
happens to them at least they can be replaced.”—Bruce Lyndes
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