Keene State celebrates Homecoming and the city's famous Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 20-21. This issue of KSC Newsline also explains why some faculty members might look a bit weary, offers reminders of upcoming events on campus, and includes items of particular interest to alumni.
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The Word Along Appian Way
Why Faculty Have that Lean and Hungry Look
The transformation of Keene State's curriculum has been achieved through a phenomenal effort by the KSC faculty, deans, and academic and advising staff.
The process, years in the making, culminates this fall in a complete rewriting and reordering of classes for 2007 in line with the new Integrative Studies general-education requirements and the shift from a three-credit to four-credit model. A change of this magnitude requires a strong final effort (copious amounts of caffeine and midnight oil, we're told) on top of the demands of normal academic life, and congratulations are due all around.
Can You Say "Education"?
In line with curricular change in the teacher education program comes a new old name: Education Department. Twelve years ago, the departments of Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Education merged under the acronym ESEC. The three departments are still unified, but Dean John Couture and the faculty have decided to resume using the name Education to encompass the whole.
Hannaford Gives Money for Sprouts
Anyone who has seen the beautiful garden beds in the Childhood Development Center (CDC) playground behind Elliot Hall knows that the little "sprouts" who attend the CDC have their fingers in a wonderful new activity.
CDC's "Early Sprouts" program teaches the youngsters about dirt, seeds, plants, weeds, and the joys of eating home-grown vegetables and fruits. Health Science assistant professor Karrie Kalich, who is developing the curriculum, approached local Hannaford manager Andy Harris about the project, and he helped the CDC obtain a $5,000 grant from the grocer to support the program.
Earlier this year, MacMillan Company of Keene provided $2,500 to fund the construction of the raised beds.
The Year of Cross-Country
Led by runners Breanne Lucey (left) and Jennifer Adams, the Owl women harriers are climbing the hills of the Monadnock Region and ascending national polls at the same time. After a strong performance at the New England championships on Oct. 7, the Owls zoomed to 14th nationally in Division III, the highest ranking ever for the program.
Lucey has paced the Owls in every race. At the New Englands, she finished 7th among 314 runners, racing over the 5K course in a personal-best 17:36.
Watch Sports Illustrated for a "Faces in the Crowd" feature on Lucey, who is also a striker on the varsity soccer team.
See It on keene.edu
The Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies
New design and improved navigation highlight one of the nation's oldest Holocaust Resource Centers. Continuously updated, the site is an important asset for educators, students, and researchers.
College Relations
The first stop for information about media relations and communciation, the College Relations office is dedicated to serving both the media and the campus community. Use the resources here to contact the right person, research facts about the College, or download a publication style sheet.
Last month, we asked if anyone knew the depth of Brickyard Pond. Rumors say it is bottomless!
But Cate Brennan '05 sent the quickest, most accurate answer when she said it is about 5 feet deep. Director of Physical Plant Frank Mazzola confirmed that 5 feet is a good average, although it is 12 feet deep in some spots. (Who knew?)
The site was being dug for clay to make bricks when the excavators hit an underground spring, creating what landscapers call a "water feature" on campus. Thanks, Cate, for your answer. We're sending you a genuine KSC baseball cap.
Jeff's Journal At a recent New Hampshire Humanities Council dinner, the keynote speaker asked if we could remember where we were 16 years ago, or, for that matter, if we could imagine where we would be 16 years from now.
My answer to the first question was a definite yes. In 1990, it had been two years since I graduated from Keene State College. I had not yet realized all that Keene State had given me: lifelong relationships, a valuable degree, the ability to reason and think critically, and an appreciation of art, history, science, and culture.
I'm not sure I can imagine Keene State 16 years from now, or myself for that matter. One thing is certain: getting there, personally and institutionally, will require us to maintain our relationships, increase the value of our degrees, reason and think critically about our future, and appreciate our past.
To help get us there, the Alumni Association has already implemented plans to launch an alumni online community with such features as free lifetime e-mail forwarding; interest and affinity chat rooms; business, social, and career networking services; enhanced directory services; online giving; and increased affinity partnership benefits.
As we approach the College's Centennial in 2009, I encourage you to stay connected, stay involved, and have pride in your alma mater.
– Jeff LaValley '88, director of Alumni and Parent Relations
Questions for Parents
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Events
CDC's "Early Sprouts" program teaches the youngsters about dirt, seeds, plants, weeds, and the joys of eating home-grown vegetables and fruits. 
At a recent New Hampshire Humanities Council dinner, the keynote speaker asked if we could remember where we were 16 years ago, or, for that matter, if we could imagine where we would be 16 years from now.
