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A ‘Major’ Event

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“I’ll have a hamburger and fries – and while I’m here, I’ll take a major in biology and a minor in environmental studies, please.”

Keene State students got a chance to pick up lunch and contemplate their fields of study at the fourth annual Major Event, held recently at the Student Center Atrium and West Dining Room. The event provided students who are undecided about their majors an opportunity to meet with faculty and or students associated with majors offered at the College.

“We encourage students to ask questions and find out who the contact people might be in order to declare your major,” said Gloria Lodge, an academic and career advisor and organizer of the event. “The earlier students can declare their major and make a connection with faculty in that discipline, the greater the chances they are going to get the courses that they need and they are going to graduate on time.”

Students filtering through the student center liked the idea of one-stop shopping for a major. “I think it’s really helpful,” said Lauren Carney, a first-year student from Southington, CT. “I’m undecided, so it’s nice to be able to talk to students rather than teachers and hear their opinions.”

“It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time,” said John Savina, a sophomore from Plaistow, NH, who is considering majoring in biology or in sustainable product design and innovation. “I feel there are a lot of opportunities. I can go in a lot of different directions and I like how students are very active in participating in the event.”

According to Lodge, over 25 departments signed up to take part. They used an assortment of enticements, including mechanical robots, a telescope, and a large globe, to draw students to their tables.

Professors and students staffing the tables made convincing sales pitches. “Students are really getting interested in the major,” said Ryan Milewski, a junior sustainable product design and innovation major from Ashburnham, MA. “A lot of kids get overwhelmed. The see this major as something they can’t do. But I always say, you can’t knock it until you try it.”

A junior from Danville, NH, Jessica Markarian promoted the broad appeal of being a communication major. “You have endless opportunities. That’s why it’s so awesome,” she said. “I hope they ask about the faculty. I feel like the faculty is such a big part of it – they are awesome. It’s a small department, so everyone knows each other and the faculty is really helpful.”

Several professors took part in the event, stressing the unique aspects of their fields. “I think economics is a major that fosters critical thinking, especially the way we teach it at Keene State,” said Professor Patrick Dolenc. “I don’t think it’s on most students’ radar when they start out. It’s something they often discover when they are enrolled in our courses as a part of their general college curriculum.”

A professor of physics at KSC, Steve Harkness, said many students are intimidated by the physics major. “You’ve got to be prepared to work and be tenacious, and don’t get too down,” said Harkness, standing by a Dobsonian telescope. “But the work is worth it in the end, because you can really go on to do anything. Employers realize it’s a difficult major that requires a lot of conceptual and mathematical skills, so I think that’s a good place to start.”

Regardless of the major, Lodge said, the Academic and Career Advising Office is there to help students make one of the most critical decisions of their college careers. “We work with them,” she said. “We can make an appointment to meet with them if they want to look at a department before talking with a faculty member, but we always give them the advising contact name for that department as well. That’s where they are going to get the most accurate and up-to-date information.”

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