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Of Note

Endowed Fund Created In Memory Of Dennise Maslakowski

The Plymouth State University community lost a beloved educator, mentor, colleague, and friend when Associate Vice President for the College of Graduate Studies Dennise Maslakowski passed away on December 19, 2008 after a courageous struggle with cancer. She had spent more than three decades working in education, 25 of those years at Plymouth State.

To honor Maslakowski's commitment to teaching and nurturing talented and dedicated educators, her family, friends, and colleagues established the Dennise Maslakowski Graduate Education Scholarship Fund. The endowed fund will provide scholarships each year to deserving New Hampshire residents enrolled in master's or doctoral education programs in the College of Graduate Studies.

Karen Redd '91, a graduate student pursuing her MEd in K-12 Education with a concentration in special education, is the first recipient of the Maslakowski scholarship. “I have wanted to work with kids in special education all my life,” says Redd, who was taught by Maslakowski as an undergraduate. “I'm very honored by this scholarship because it symbolizes Dennise.”

Virginia Barry Named NH Education Commissioner

Former PSU educator and administrator Virginia Barry has been nominated by Governor John Lynch and approved by New Hampshire's Executive Council  to be the state's new commissioner of education. President Sara Jayne Steen praised Barry's nomination, saying, “Virginia Barry will be a wonderful commissioner. She brings to the position leadership experience across the educational levels, knowledge of the state's educational opportunities, and an energy and intelligence that will serve New Hampshire well.”

Most recently, Barry was a professor in PSU's College of Graduate Studies. Previously, she served as the University's acting president and provost and vice president for academic affairs. Barry has been widely recognized for her expertise in education, receiving PSU's Harold E. Hyde Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership, the College of Graduate Studies Award for Outstanding Transformational Leadership, the Distinguished Teaching Award, and the New York State Award for Support of People with Disabilities.

Getting ‘Kids2College'

Nearly 30 sixth-graders from the Lincoln, NH, Lin-Wood Public School got an early taste of college life when they visited PSU as part of the Kids2College program in April.

Sponsored by the Sallie Mae Fund, a student loan program, Kids2College highlights the value and accessibility of a college education.

Gail Carr, director of Continuing Education at PSU's Frost School, was excited to bring this program to the University for the first time. “If one student who thought he couldn't go to college now knows he can, it's worth it,” she says.

Lin-Wood teacher Kristie Morris says her students enjoyed visiting campus and learning about the possibilities of higher education. “We're thankful and happy PSU coordinated with us on this program; it's invaluable for the kids' future.”

PSU President's Commission On The Status Of Women Honors Administrator And Student

A longtime administrator and a criminal justice major were honored at the annual PSU President's Commission on the Status of Women awards ceremony in recognition of their work as advocates for women.

Athletic Director John P. Clark received the Theo Kalikow Award for his efforts in working toward the advancement of women at PSU, particularly in the field of athletics. Clark, who has been at PSU for more than four decades, says, “This means more to me than you can ever imagine. I respect, admire, and love Theo Kalikow.”

Harmony Reid, a criminal justice major, received the Powerful Outstanding Women Advocate (POWA) award for her work in helping victims of violence against women. Reid, a native of North Kingstown, RI, is an intern for the New Hampshire Coalition against Sexual and Domestic Violence, tracking legislation at the New Hampshire State House. “My goal is to continue to work helping victims of sexual violence against women, because it is a huge problem for our society,” Reid says.

PSU Named To Presidential Honor Roll For Community Service

The Corporation for National and Community Service honored Plymouth State University with a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for exemplary service efforts and service to America's communities. PSU is one of only 83 schools nationwide and one of only two schools in New Hampshire to achieve this level of recognition in 2008. Says Provost Julie Bernier, “Every year, hundreds of Plymouth State University students commit thousands of volunteer hours for community service … because giving back to the community is something they care about. It's part of the Plymouth State culture.”

Graduate Student's Research Earns National Recognition

Nick Stevenson, a student in the Master of Science in Environmental Science and Policy program, recently won the 2009 Student Poster Competition at the National Water Conference in St. Louis, MO, with his poster, “Changing Homeowners' Lawn Care Behavior to Reduce Nutrient Losses in New England's Urbanizing Watersheds: The Role of  Social Science.” Stevenson's poster, which was selected from a field of nearly 40 posters submitted by master's and doctoral students nationwide, highlights a multi-year project to protect water quality by reducing homeowners' over-fertilization of lawns.

NH Judges Discuss Criminal Justice Hot Topics With PSU Students

A distinguished panel of judges from across New Hampshire gathered at PSU in February for a discussion of issues facing the state and federal judicial systems. Steven McAuliffe, chief judge of the federal district court of New Hampshire, spoke to a standing-room-only audience in Heritage Hall about the federal system of sentencing guidelines, leading into a discussion with panelists William Batchelder, retired New Hampshire Supreme Court justice; Timothy Vaughan, New Hampshire superior court judge; and Edwin Kelly, head administrative judge in New Hampshire district court.

Discussing the number of citizens currently in jail in the United States—recent figures show one in 100 adults is incarcerated—the judges called for creativity and balance in the penal system. Batchelder raised the stakes even higher, citing the famous judicial standard that “the harm to be perceived defines the duty to be obeyed.” According to the retired justice, “We have a lot of people in prison—too many—and we need to decide why people should really be there.”

Green Alert

Going Trayless Saves Tons of Money and Waste

Since PSU and its dining contractor Sodexo decided to go trayless in Prospect Dining Hall in spring 2008, the University has saved nearly $160,000 and slashed its food waste by 35 tons, roughly the weight equivalent of six African elephants.

Small Changes—Large Impact

Beginning with the Fall 2008 issue, PSU's Office of Public Relations began printing Plymouth Magazine using a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paper composed of 50 percent recycled content, 25 percent of which is post-consumer waste, in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint.

The FSC is an international non-profit organization that promotes responsible management of the world's forests. This certification means that the magazine's paper can be traced back to the forest from which it originated, ensuring that conservation and environmental stewardship are maintained throughout the paper's lifecycle.

Here's what our switch to greener paper means for the environment:

Annual Environmental Savings

• wood = 20 tons
  (that's about 138 trees)
• energy = 96 million BTUs
  (more than the amount of energy used by an average household in one year)
• water = 50,130 gallons
• greenhouse gases = 15,360 lbs
  (the equivalent of the greenhouse gases released by an average car in one year)