All smiles: the 2010 ECAC basketball champs (photo by Ryan McKernan)

Everyone who was at the ECAC Championship game in Spaulding Gym on Sunday are probably wondering why their fingernails are so short today. The Owls defeated the Plymouth State Panthers 69-68 in overtime in a real nail-biter. “This was certainly one of the most exciting games I’ve seen at Keene State,” said sports information coordinator Stuart Kaufman. “It had all the elements: heated rivalry, back-and-forth scoring, and our five seniors in their last game.”

Were you there? Tell us about it.

If you weren’t there, visit the Women’s Basketball pages for a blow by blow.

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.

Presented annually since 1971, the KSC Alumni Association Distinguished Teacher Award recognizes excellence in teaching at Keene State College, based upon the following criteria: excellence in classroom teaching, encouragement of independent thinking, rapport with students in and out of the classroom, and effective student advising.

So if you know a beloved KSC prof who fits that criteria, nominate him or her for the award. They deserve it! Nominations are due April 16, 2010. You can download the nomination form on the Distinguished Teacher Award page. Get on it!

Then on February 28, 10 KSC alums volunteered to participate in the Student Center Leadership Development Program’s Second Annual Etiquette Dinner. This group of alums joined 60 current students for an evening of networking, conversation, and sharing.

Students with Sasha Kaylor ’06 (l) and Karen Naharay ’06 (r) at the Etiquette Dinner

Later this spring, recent alums will participate in a “Life after KSC” panel covering such topics as choosing a career path, navigating the transition from school to professional life, deciding about graduate school, and much more.

Beginning with summer session 2010, Keene State College will switch from the Federal Family Educational Loan Program (FFELP), which we had been using, to the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program for Stafford and PLUS loans, because we believe the Direct Loan (DL) Program offers more advantages for our students and their families.

Because the FAFSA serves as the loan application, the application process is easier, and, because you’re now borrowing from a single lender – the federal government, instead of one or more of the 3,500 lenders who are part of the FFELP program – the process is much less complicated. Parents will be able to take out a Federal PLUS loan at a 7.9% fixed interest rate (FFELP charges 8.5%), with a loan origination cost of 2.5% (FFELP charges 4%). Now, you’ve got to admit, that’s good news.

Direct Loans are great for student borrowers too. Student borrowers can choose from among five repayment plans, including one in which the government forgives the balance of the loan after 25 years, if you’ve been making regular payments during that time. In addition, the government will forgive remaining debt after 10 years if the borrower has made regular loan repayments and been working in a key public service profession such as teaching, government, social work, law enforcement, or a non-profit organization. You can consolidate all federal loans to the Direct Loan Program and still be eligible for some of the loan forgiveness programs.

If you intend to borrow a Stafford loan during the 2010–2011 academic year, you must file your 2010–2011 FAFSA and complete a new Master Promissory Note (MPN). Please note: Stafford loan funds cannot be disbursed to a student account until a new MPN has been completed. The MPN can be completed online. Additionally, parents who would like to borrow a federal Parent PLUS loan during the 2010–2011 academic year must also complete a new loan application/credit authorization and MPN.

Visit the Student Financial Services webpages for more information.

This is a non-juried exhibit, and the gallery will accept pieces on a first-come, first-served basis and display as many items as it can. The exhibit is not meant to promote a business or product, so nothing will be for sale.

This will be the third Passionate Pursuits exhibit. Past exhibits have included a bird-carving collection, rock-climbing photos, handcrafted baskets, hand-colored photos, baseball memorabilia, a Native American collection, hand-knitted items, wood-turned containers, and an antique penny-farthing bicycle.

If you’d like to share your passion, please fill out our online form by Monday, April 19. We’d also like you to write a paragraph explaining why you are passionate about the material you’ve submitted and what the Thorne Gallery means to you and the community.

NEISDA 2010 Swimmers of the Meet Cody Larrimore and Kaila Umbarger.

The Owl men and women swimmers are awash in victory! They headed to the Upper Valley Aquatic Center in White River Junction, Vt., on Sunday, Feb. 21 to defend their New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championships and did just that. Both teams expected Bentley College to be a formidable foe. Maybe it was, but that still didn’t stop the Owls. The women posted a 924-802 victory over Bentley, capturing their third-consecutive crown, and the men earned their second-straight title with a 656-555 victory.

The KSC men and women set 30 school records and six meet marks in the three-day event. Cody Larrimore, a senior from Trappe, Md., was named the men’s Swimmer of the Meet, while Kaila Umbarger, a freshman from Chelmsford, Mass., was selected as the women’s Swimmer of the Meet. Kristine Trutor, a Holden, Mass., native, won the award for most points by a senior.

More information.

After Melanie took over the New Hampshire Food Bank in 2003, she saw the organization’s food distribution more than double from 2.3 to 5.8 million pounds in 2009. The Food Bank also now supports 411 programs – more than twice as many as it did when she first took the reins. Quite an accomplishment!

Do you know Melanie? Use the “comments” link below to drop us a note.

The Owls hope that this White Out will bring the same luck as the first one, held back in Feb. 11, 2008, when the KSC women came from behind to beat UMass-Dartmouth (59-46), and the Keene State men stunned the heavily favored and #2 ranked Corsairs (92-85) with a thrilling upset. This year, the Owls take on Plymouth State. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m. Tip off for the men’s game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

KSC students with an ID will be given a free specially designed t-shirt. Members of the public will be asked for a donation of at least $5 that will be given to the Kay Yow Breast Cancer Fund.

More information.