A closer look at
Keene State College
Keene State College's Ninth President,
Dr. Helen Giles-Gee
Keene State College's new president predicted "thrilling" years ahead as she visited the College last April to accept the position. Dr. Giles-Gee has more than three decades of experience as a professor and administrator at public institutions of higher education, serving most recently as provost at Rowan University in New Jersey. She assumed the presidency on July 1 from Dr. Stanley Yarosewick, who retired after 11 years as KSC's president.
"As a lifelong educator, I am honored to be named the president of such a remarkable institution," Dr Giles-Gee said. "Together with the faculty, administrators, professional and support staff, and students, we will assure that Keene State will continue to move forward to meet the increasing demands of the future with strong demonstrations of academic excellence and valuable contributions to the Keene community, the state of New Hampshire, and the country."
Dr. Giles-Gee received a bachelor of arts degree in psychobiology, a master of science degree in science education, and a Ph.D. with distinction in measurement techniques of experimental research, all from the University of Pennsylvania. She also earned a master of science degree in zoology from Rutgers University.
In her opening address to the faculty and staff on August 22, Dr. Giles-Gee outlined the work for the year ahead. She gave top priority to academic excellence, stating categorically, "We are in pursuit of excellence – there is no other path for us." She also stressed that service learning is an essential component in producing citizen-scholars, educated individuals who are engaged with their communities.
Administration site: http://www.keene.edu/admin/
Opening of the New Zorn Dining Commons
October 31, 2005, will go down in gustatory history at Keene State. That morning at 7 a.m., the brand new Zorn Dining Commons opened, replacing the current 1960s-vintage dining hall.
The expansive new two-story dining commons seats 920 students, a 50-percent increase over the capacity of the old building. The new facility also houses a staff/faculty dining room and a take-out food service for students.
The new Zorn, located near the center of the campus on Appian Way, has been designed with a variety of foods and healthy choices in mind. Student diners choose their meals from seven serving options, including a pizza bakery, grill, deli, vegetarian bar, Euro-kitchen, stir-fry area, and dessert bar.
The old dining commons, built in 1965, will be completely renovated for use as a Media Arts Center.
Read the Keene State Today feature article on the new Zorn Dining Commons.
Construction Begins on Residence Halls
Two new residence halls will help Keene State meet its goal of being able to house 60 percent of its students. Designed with four- to 10-person suites, the new halls will create many opportunities for living and learning communities. In addition, they will be air-conditioned, making them extra appealing for use in summer programs. Butler Court, on the west side of campus, is due to open for students in August 2006. It will house 216 students. Pondside 3, on the southern edge of the campus, will open its doors to 154 students midway through the 2006-07 academic year. Both buildings are three stories tall and built of brick in a style compatible with other buildings on campus.
More information about contruction on campus, www.keene.edu/admin/construction/
Faculty and Students Working as Partners
Lights, camera, action!
The city of Keene's only local television news program, KSC-TV News, is run by students at Keene State. Each week, armed with news reports and a script, the broadcasters take their places in the control room on the set to produce the show. "The first time I worked in the studio was probably the most stressed I've been in my life," says Katie Dominello. "But as the year went on I gained more confidence. Now, doing the broadcasts, I just sit and enjoy it and I learn something every week." The key to a good program, says Cara O'Brien, is teamwork: "If people weren't willing to pull their own weight and work together, it would never work. It is a total team effort." The Amazing Isotope Machine
One of the treasures of the Science Center is a piece of equipment about the size of a small refrigerator. Called an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS), this sophisticated instrument has placed Keene State College in the forefront of scientific research in northern New England, attracting graduate students from regional universities and enabling Keene State undergrads to take advantage of a rare opportunity to use state-of-the-art technology to explore the natural world. Architectural Outreach
Every April, students from the Collaborative Architectural Project class present design plans and recommendations for individual and community organization construction projects in the Monadnock region. This year, students presented plans for senior housing facilities in Winchester, Hancock, Keene, and Alstead. What Is That We're Breathing?
KSC researchers are among a team of N.H. scientists awarded a $12-million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish a research center on lung diseases in the state. The grant will support research at Keene State, Dartmouth, and Dartmouth Medical School. Keene State students and faculty will study the environmental factors that contribute to lung diseases, including lung cancer. The Keene State research team will include students and faculty from several departments. New Atlas for N.H. Schools
The New Hampshire Atlas, published in late March, was the brainchild of Klaus Bayr, professor of geography. The atlas is intended for use by fourth graders and the maps are colorful, big, and easy to read. Bayr enlisted the help of several students from his cartography classes on the project. In July, Bayr and the Geography department published a similar atlas for Vermont. Academic Excellence Conference
Students develop their professional presentation skills by exchanging intellectual ideas with peers, parents, faculty, and the community every spring at the Academic Excellence Conference. Students present a diverse range of material in the form of workshops, performances, poster sessions, oral presentations, and panel and round-table discussions. This year more than 100 students displayed and discussed their work.
News for You at www.keene.edu
For up-to-the-minute news about innovative academic programs at Keene State College, visit our web site at www.keene.edu/academics. While you're in the neighborhood, take a peek at KSC Newsline, a monthly e-newsletter full of news, views, and information about the College and our community. Go to KSC Newsline (www.keene.edu/alumni/e_news/).
Athletics
Keene State College is a NCAA Division III school that sponsors an 18-sport intercollegiate athletics program.
During the 2004-05 seasons, 16 of 18 KSC teams reached post-season tournaments. The Owls produced six All-Americans, along with eight All-Region, 31 All-New England, 27 All-New England Division III, four All-ECAC, and 106 All-Little East student athletes.
Keene State athletes approach their studies with the same enthusiasm they display on the field. In 2004-05, KSC had the distinction of having 168 student athletes with a grade point average over 3.0. These hard-working players make up more than 41 percent of the total participants in the varsity program.
Keene State learned in August that it had been selected as the 2005 ECAC Jostens Institution of the Year. The prestigious award is presented annually to the institution that best exemplifies the highest standards of collegiate academics and performance. Previous winners include Williams, Princeton, Middlebury, Georgetown, University of Maryland, and Harvard. We're celebrating at KSC!
Redfern Arts Center
In 2005-06, the Redfern Arts Center on Brickyard Pond celebrates its 25th year of presenting the finest professional dance and theatre companies and musical ensembles to area audiences. This season opened with the puppets and trapeze artistry of Sandglass Theatre. The presenting series also features the Martha Graham Dance Company, Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Hot Club of San Francisco, Aquila Theatre, and others. For information, see www.keene.edu/racbp.
Applying to Keene State
While Keene State considers applications on a rolling admissions basis, students are encouraged to apply by April 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. Once capacity is reached, KSC reserves the right to close admissions regardless of these application dates.
First-year student scholarships are available based on academic performance. These limited scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Awards are determined from a review of the admissions applications; students do not need to fill out a separate application for the scholarship. Please note that the Admissions Office recalculates GPA for all awards. For more information regarding admissions requirements, visit the admissions web site at www.keene.edu/admissions/applying.cfm.
How Are We Doing?
We want to hear from you! Keene State admissions counselors spend a great deal of time visiting your high schools and we want to get your feedback. Please take a moment and e-mail Peggy Richmond at mrichmon@keene.edu with your suggestions and comments. What can we do to make our visits more effective for you and your students?
Admissions Staff
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