Finally – after years of planning, construction, and campaigning, the KSC Advancement Division is moving to its new home in the Alumni Center on Main Street across from the Hale Building. Who’s in the Advancement Division? The Offices of the Vice President for Advancement, Alumni & Parent Relations, Advancement Services, Marketing and Communications (formerly College and Media Relations and Online Communications), and Development.

We’re packing our boxes and should be hauling stuff to our new offices the week of March 15th. Want to know more about this project? Maybe you’d even like to see photos of the progress. It’s all on the Alumni Center page.

Oh, and even though our entire division is moving, our individual phone numbers and mailstop numbers will stay the same.

Alumni Board President Sue Fortier '86 presented Past President David Gagne '73 with a handsome KSC wall clock at the Winter Celebration.

Though Alumni Board Past President Past President David Gagne ‘73 planned to attend the Winter Celebration in the Rhodes Hall atrium on January 30, he was very surprised when current Board President Sue Fortier ‘86 presented him with a handsome KSC wall clock at the gala. With wife Pamela and several alums, including Norma Walker ‘51, Mike ‘72 and Kitty ‘73 Maher, and Steve Fortier ‘86 looking on, David graciously accepted the gift of appreciation.

While David has served the college in many capacities in the past, including as an Alumni Board member and as the Alumni Trustee to the USNH system, he had a tremendous impact as Board president, a position he held for four years. Thank you, David, for your leadership and the vision you have for KSC alumni and students.

Construction on the Alumni Center, just across Main St. from Hale, is almost finished. Alumni from all over the country have pitched in to help raise funds for the project, and we truly appreciate everyone’s support!

The entire Advancement Division (Advancement Services, Alumni & Parent Relations, Development, and Marketing & Communications) are sorting files and packing boxes, getting ready to move into their new offices on March 16th!

For more information about the project or to help support the Alumni “All in” fundraising effort, please visit the Alumni Center page. There you will find architectural renderings, floor plans, and information about the new programs for alumni. We look forward to welcoming you to our new home!

Your membership in the KSC community sure doesn’t end when you graduate, and we’re always looking for ways we can serve our alums. We just finished a Herculean effort (whew!) to update and improve our alumni database, and now we’d like your help. As you know, a database is only as good as the information in it, so please check out our new Update Us! form and make sure the personal and career information we have for you is up to date.

Why personal info? This helps us create programs of interest to you, in your area, and make sure the alumni magazine, Keene State Today, and other information (including Newsline!) reaches you.

Why career info? We are launching a new career network program that should be a great resource for alumni and students. Alums working in related fields, or seeking employment in a particular field, can share information, and students hoping to enter a career can contact alums to learn of job opportunities or internships and receive professional advice.

So keep in touch, and we’ll keep in touch with you!

You’re always welcome on campus, and never more so than during Reunion, when we really roll out the red carpet and do our best to host a great party. Reunion this year is June 4, 5, and 6, so mark your calendar and start making plans!

Is your class celebrating its 10th, 25th, or 50th reunion? Your classmates are likely planning special gatherings and dinners to celebrate. Relive the good old days by booking a room in one of our classic dorms like Huntress or Fiske, or experience a couple of nights in our new dorms by booking a spot in one of the Pondside III suites.

Keep checking the Reunion webpage for updated info and online registration. And be sure to block the first weekend in June 2010 as “Save for Keene”!

The 1969–70 Women's Basketball Team

Keene State College will be commemorating its 40th year of sponsoring women’s basketball on Saturday, January 23, at Spaulding Gym, when the Owls host the Beacons of UMass-Boston.

If you were a former women’s player or coach, or if you contributed to the program’s growth in any way, KSC extends you a special invitation to attend. Players and coaches will be introduced at halftime of the women’s game and are invited to a post-game social at the Night Owl Café.

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Women: Keene State vs. UMass-Boston, 1 p.m.
(Former players and coaches will be recognized at halftime.
)

Men: Keene State vs. UMass-Boston, 3 p.m.
(Players- and coaches-only reception at halftime.
)

Post-Game Reception from 5–7 p.m. in the Night Owl Café (Young Student Center)

If you plan to attend, please use the online registration form to tell us you’re coming.

If you can’t make it, use the “comment” link below to drop us a note. Heck, drop us a note and share your memories even if you can make it.

More information.

Alum Jon Sharpe ‘98 from United Staging and Rigging will hold a rigging workshop on December 11 at 1 p.m. for students and interested theater and dance alumni. Jon has been with USR for ten years and will share his considerable expertise in this highly technical field.

Interested? Contact Craig Lindsay in the Keene State Theatre and Dance department.

The Keene State College Alumni Association recognized three distinguished individual at its Annual Meeting and Luncheon during Reunion weekend.

• Debora Murray ’99 was recognized with the Sprague W. Drenan Award for her active leadership and tireless efforts on behalf of alumni, both as the Chair of several Reunions and as an active two-term member of the Board of Directors.
• Lorna Letourneau ’57 was awarded the Alumni Achievement Award in recognition for her exceptional career in education, both primary and secondary and her commitment to helping students who initially struggle in their academic pursuits to succeed through the founding and stewardship of an alternative high school.
• Larry Benaquist, Professor of Film Studies, was honored with the Outstanding Service award, which recognizes service to Keene State College through leadership, commitment, and influence in programs and activities of the College.

For more information about past recipients or nominate a future honoree, please visit the Awards page on the Alumni website.

We’re happy to be able to offer parents and alumni a limited number of on-campus parking spaces during the City of Keene Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, October 17th. Passes will be available first-come, first-serve until October 10 until all available parking spaces are spoken for.

The fine print:
Parking passes are not transferable and automobile-specific; therefore, you should complete all of the requested information online for the automobile you plan to park on campus. Once you have your pass, you must park by noon on October 17. Each alum or parent may register only one vehicle.

UPDATE: Thanks to overwhelming response to this offer, we’re out of reserved spots! Thanks for your interest. For more parking options, please visit the Pumpkin Festival website. If you’ve registered already, your parking pass will be sent to you in the next several days.

KSC’s annual Alumni Homecoming event is getting a well-deserved makeover. Unfortunately, this means we will have to suspend the event for 2009 during our renovation period.

The Alumni Association Board of Directors, supported by the Keene State administration, has decided to take the time to envision and plan a new Homecoming Weekend for 2010 that will appeal to the entire alumni body, as well as students and the campus community, based on questions, discussions, and feedback from alumni, students, the alumni board, and members of faculty.

A task force of alumni, current board members, past board members, students, and KSC staff is being assembled and offers a wonderful opportunity to revive some beloved traditions and begin some new ones that we can all be proud of as we move forward.

To join the renovation team, please contact me, Kay MacLean (603-358-2424) or Sara Telfer (603-358-2425) know as we certainly would like your involvement. Please also  share your thoughts on what Homecoming means to you and your favorite event at Homecoming.