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From the President

Opportunities Abound

By the time you read this issue of Plymouth Magazine, the winter’s record snowfall will have receded into memory, and the University will be honoring the achievements of our graduates at ceremonies across the campus.

Students’ opportunities at Plymouth State University are many and varied. In this issue you’ll learn about a class that traveled to southeastern India to visit a village known for its initiatives in environmental sustainability; an innovative program in tourism and a faculty member who makes New Hampshire’s grand hotels come alive through fiction; a graduate student who has taken her experiences with the Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute into her own school classroom with powerful effects on her and on her students; and much more. You’ll learn about research in health that is supporting active living and healthy communities, people serving others, and extraordinary student art.

"You are part of our community and we welcome your involvement." 

You’ll also see photos of the remodeled Mary Lyon Residence Hall, which I invite you to visit. Mary Lyon Hall opened in 1916, and its grand re-opening this autumn after a $15 million remodel, was joyous. The building is beautiful again, and 40–50 percent more energy efficient than it had been. Alumni tell wonderful stories about bowling in the basement (which no longer has a bowling lane, but does house the excellent College of University Studies for students deciding on a major). They recall singing around the piano and gazing out the windows to the town of Plymouth and the hills beyond.  Current students, too, love Mary Lyon Hall. One young woman said on move-in day that she didn’t know what she could have done in her life to be so lucky as to be attending PSU and living in Mary Lyon Hall. That’s the kind of comment that we all hope for.  And current students have been remarkably indulgent when alums have asked to tour the building.

In March, I gave a State of the University Address in which I discussed highlights of this past year and outlined the University’s successes and challenges. That address is available to you online, on the president’s office Web site. If you read it, you will be proud, as I am, of the University and its people and programs. Plymouth State is a vibrant place to live and learn.

Finally, I encourage you to visit our Web site or, even better, come to campus to attend sports contests, arts events, or public lectures. You are part of our community, and we welcome your involvement.

Sara Jayne Steen, President