Drs. Hodgdon ’94 and Filitis ’01 Find the Keene State Connection

Biology major Dan Filitis ’01 went on to medical school at Boston University and then to Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY, for a one-year internship. He never expected to bump into another KSC alum there, but sure enough, he did, when he met critical-care physician Travis Hodgdon ’94. The two bonded over stories of their days at Keene State, and especially of their respect for Biology Professor Ken Bergman. The memories must have been particularly fond, because both doctors wrote to Dr. Bergman to tell him what a powerful influence he’d been on their lives and careers.

“You have been one of the most memorable and influential professors from any institution I’ve ever attended,” wrote Dr. Filitis. “Your command and love of the subject matter was always evident and inspiring.”

“I’ll always love KSC … four great years filled with friends and experiences,” Dr. Hodgdon told Dr. Bergman. “Thanks to you and a few other professors, I got to where I wanted to go. What long ago was a dream has been a reality for 15-plus years. … I am proud that I went to KSC and will always feel I had a great educational experience and a great value. Sincerely, it was challenging classes like yours that pushed me to the point of being confident to go to medical school and prepared once I got there. I am heavily involved in the training programs at our hospital and truly enjoy it.”

Dr. Filitis returned to New Hampshire after his internship and is currently a dermatology resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, NH. Dr. Hodgdon, a member of Keene State’s 1909 Society, is still in Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which may be having a effect on him. When he moved into his house and saw the fence in his backyard, he became determined to turn it into a replica of Fenway Park’s legendary Green Monster. Read all about it in the Times Union.

— Mark Reynolds