The Future is Bright for the Class of 2020
What’s ahead for members of Keene State College’s graduating senior class? Plenty! Read on for just a sampling of the job, graduate school, internship, and volunteer experiences the students have lined up. (Note: Seniors, scroll to the bottom to find out how to be included on this list!)
Music performance major Kirsten Becker will continue to teach elementary music and piano lessons at private schools and her home studio. She plans to study composition and build her piano performance repertoire, with a goal of becoming a published composer and sought-after performer/collaborative pianist. At Keene State she was student conductor of the concert choir, performed with the contemporary ensemble, orchestra, concert band, and piano quintet, and received awards including Instrumentalist of the Year, Presser Scholar, Swett Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship, and Music Talent Scholarship.
Brandon Curcio, a music technology major, plans to work as an engineer in a recording studio in the Keene area. He performed with the jazz band and jazz combos.
Emily McIntyre, a music education major, is applying to graduate schools in music education. She performed with the chamber singers and in Theatre and Dance Department productions and was a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honors Society.
Sarah Ames, with an individualized major in music therapy, will work as an educational technician while earning a master’s in clinical mental health counseling – music therapy at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She performed with the chamber singers, vocal consort, and concert choir. Lauren Koldras, a psychology major/ human resource management minor, will be working as an assistant case manager and analyst with Mednick Associates in Wilton, Connecticut. Her goal is to work for a couple of years and then pursue a master’s degree.
Hallie Berry, an early childhood education major with a minor in sociology, has landed a job as associate teacher at Rise for Baby and Family in Keene, New Hampshire.
Christian Terry, a music education major, has landed a job as band director and general music teacher at Lebanon (NH) Middle School.
Andrew Lecuyer, a music education major, plans to perform in the New England area and is applying for positions as a music educator. Andrew performed with Keene State’s jazz ensemble, jazz combos, and percussion ensemble.
Jason Coburn, a music education major, plans to teach and play music professional in the greater Londonderry, New Hampshire, area. As a student, he was president of the Keene State student chapter of the Music Teachers National Association and performed with the jazz ensemble and jazz combos, and was a recipient of the Music Department Talent Scholarship.
Music major Max Leader will be working as a freelance performer. As an undergrad, he played with the Keene State orchestra, brass quartet, and jazz band, and was a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.
Kelly Uselton, a music performance major, is heading to the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she’ll be pursuing a master’s in music performance, aided by a scholarship and teaching assistantship. At Keene State, she was public relations coordinator of the Collage chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, performed in the Opera Workshop production and the vocal consort, and won the Music Department Endowment Scholarship, the Vocalist of the Year award, and the Carroll Lehman Award, in addition to being a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.
Music education major William Wright plans to work as a music educator. At Keene State, Will was president of the College chapter of the national Association for Music Education and was trombone soloist for the inauguration of Dr. Melinda Treadwell as the 11th College president. His honors include being a Danny Paul Hunter Scholarship recipient, Instrumentalist of the Year, Douglas A Nelson Outstanding Band Member of the Year, and principal trombonist of a New England intercollegiate band. He also plays trombone with the Keene Jazz Orchestra.
Mackenzie Bennett, a secondary education major, will be teaching high school social studies at Eastside High School in Covington, Georgia. She’ll also serve as a coach for the girls’ basketball team.
Michael Fremeau, a history major / information studies minor who hails from Rye, New Hampshire, will continue his studies in the fall in Keene State’s master’s program in history and archives. Michael is involved in the Keene Observation Archive, a graduate student-led project to document and archive the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the KSC community. He is also involved in a grant project, funded by the New Hampshire Conservation Plate project, to archive and digitize the College’s Jonathan Daniels Collection. Michael hopes to do his graduate internship at the Boston Archdiocese Archives in spring 2021.
Nicole De Almeida, with majors in secondary education and mathematics and a minor in statistics, will continue on at Keene State in the fall, working toward a master of education in the New Teacher as Leader program.
Biology major Hien Thach is applying to a number of medical schools and master’s programs in medical sciences. She’ll make her decision after she receives acceptances.
Teresa Masci, a nutrition major, plans to start a dietetic internship/master’s program at the University of New Hampshire in the fall.
Safety and occupational health applied sciences major Sam Czel will be joining the Environmental Health & Safety Leadership Program at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
Brian Vieira, a safety major, is heading to Washington, DC to work for James G. Davis Construction.
Elementary education major Olivia Pechulis will enter Keene State’s master’s program in special education in the fall.
Connor Walsh, a safety major, will be working for CGI Business Solutions in Auburn, New Hampshire, as a business insurance advisor.
Tyler Fitzgerald, a business management major, has a job offer from New York Life in Waltham, Massachusetts. He’s also waiting to hear from schools about possibly playing a fifth year of baseball and working toward an MBA.
Safety major JoEllen Racicot will continue working with Dimeo, a Rhode Island-based construction company, post graduation. She’s been interning with Dimeo for the past year, starting as a summer site safety intern in May 2019. She says, “I’m beyond thankful Keene State helped me building this relationship that kicked-started my career!”
Paige Rust, with a major in safety major and a minor in construction safety sciences, will be working in the Power Division at Michels Corporation, an international infrastructure and utility contractor, where she interned last summer. “I am thankful to Keene State College and our safety program for leading me into my future!” she says.
Connor Nolan, a safety major, has landed a job with Turner Construction in Boston. He interned with Turner last summer, working on a three-phase, $950 million project on the campus of MIT. “Attending foreman meetings, recording compliance audits, and attending safety trainings were some of the everyday tasks that I completed,” he says.
Safety major Anthony Marcella will be moving to Washington, DC, where he has landed a job as a safety coordinator/manager with Clark Construction. He’ll be working in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Lauren Perkowski, an environmental studies major, is finalizing plans to study environmental policy at the graduate level and also running indoor and outdoor track.
Sydney McGough, a nursing major, is heading to the University of New Hampshire, where she will be working toward a master’s degree in nursing.
Emily Peach, an early childhood education major, will complete student teaching in the fall and will then start an online master’s program in curriculum and instruction, with a reading focus, at Southern New Hampshire University. She plans to seek a long-term substitute position while she’s studying.
Holocaust and genocide studies major Miranda Cloutier will be attending the Vermont Law School master’s program in restorative justice.
Samantha French, a Holocaust and genocide studies major with a minor in German, will be working toward a master’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
Chandler Couture, a safety major, has landed a job as a safety representative with Elecnor Hawkeye, a utility company based in Manchester, Connecticut. He writes: “I will be traveling around New England doing safety on utility poles and also working on new transformers.”
Ryan Linehan, a criminal justice major, is preparing for local and regional police tests, with a goal of being hired by a law enforcement agency.
Brooke Arruda, an early childhood education major, is joining AmeriCorps NCCC – or National Civilian Community Corps. NCCC members perform direct, hands-on service in the areas of natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development.
Hailey Beaupre, a history major, is hoping to pursue a master’s degree in museum studies at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Her goal is to one day work in Scotland’s tourism industry.
Katelyn Fournier, a biology major with minors in environmental studies and sustainability, will head to Mexico as a climate change educator and youth empowerment volunteer with the Peace Corps.
Rachel Loseby, with majors in psychology and in Holocaust and genocide studies, is planning to spend a year working in social work and then go on to graduate school for a master’s in social work. Her goal is to become a marriage and family therapist.
Jessica Madore is using her public health degree in her new role as field services associate at Better Life Partners in Hanover, New Hampshire. She plans to eventually earn her Master’s in Public Health.
Sophie Bushey received both a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She has accepted a teaching position at the Sarah Porter School. Sophie will teach a combined first and second grade class in a historic two-room school house in rural Langdon, New Hampshire.
Whitney Wyman received a Bachelor of Science for Elementary Education and General Science. She was recently hired as a third grade teacher at Charlestown Primary School in Charlestown, NH.
Nick Phillips is applying his Bachelor of Science in Business Management in his new role at City Office Janitorial, as regional manager of Keene and Manchester locations.
Kyle Murdock has started a position with Blattner Energy in Minco, Oklahoma, as site safety coordinator. Kyle majored in Safety and Occupational Health Applied Sciences. He plans to start to earn his master’s in safety at Keene State in fall 2020.
Kelly Hunt, criminal justice major with a minor in addictions, is an applicant in the selection process to become a Connecticut State Trooper. Kelly plans to attend the State Police Academy at the end of the year.
Recent graduates, if you’d like to have your plans included in this story, please contact Kelly Ricaurte at kricaurte@keene.edu.