IMPLEMENTING SUPPORT FOR STUDENT-VETERANS. The winding down of the war in Iraq coupled with recent amendments to the Post-9/11 GI Bill have led to a substantial increase in military veterans enrolling in college. The bill covers between 40-100 percent of a veteran’s tuition, awards a housing allowance, and includes a book stipend. The benefit has been expanded to include qualifying family members and is available up to 15 years after retirement. The Veteran’s Administration is moving towards an automated system to make eligibility decisions, thereby helping to streamline the process. The number of college-bound veterans is projected to continue to grow over the next years as more veterans and their families take advantage of the increased and easily accessed benefits.

Over 20 new student-veterans arrived on Vermont’s Lyndon State campus in fall 2011, and at least six more are scheduled to begin in spring of 2012.

LSC is implementing services to meet the needs of these returning veterans and is undergoing a shift toward making the college a more “military-friendly” environment. The support begins when the veteran applies to LSC. A full-time veterans administrator is on staff to guide the student through the enrollment process. The College waives both the application fee and the tuition deposit for veterans, and has instituted a “Yellow Ribbon Program” which awards five $2,000 scholarships annually. Veterans from out of state pay the in-state tuition rate.

The support extends to enrolled veterans as well. The Veterans Club was established in fall of 2010, making it one of the few student-veteran run organizations on a Vermont campus. The club seeks to make the transition easier for incoming veterans by “supporting the health, well-being, and social integration of student veterans and their families into the Lyndon community.” The club also aims to enlighten faculty and staff about the inherent “problems, issues, and challenges” each veteran faces in returning to school.

Yet many veterans possess the skills colleges look for in students: they are on time for class, with homework done, polite, no excuses, and fantastic classroom participants. They can be positive role models for traditional undergraduates.

A Veterans Club-sponsored seminar, “Soldier in the Classroom” held on October 25 was well-attended. The audience learned how the issues student-veterans face impact their experiences in and out of the classroom. Counselors from Boston’s Home Base Program gave information about post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. And more than 100 members of the college community attended a memorial service on Veteran’s Day hosted by the Veterans Club.

The Veterans Club has proposed the construction of a Veterans Memorial Park to recognize and honor all Lyndon veterans, past, present and future. The multi-phase project has been cleared in concept by the Campus Planning Committee and Interim President Steven Gold. The club is currently working with the College to determine a design and location.

Area teachers monitor a Reading Recovery “intervention” in a specially-constructed classroom at LSC.

ECVLC TO BE FEATURED. East Central Vermont Literacy Consortium will be featured in an upcoming article in The Journal of Reading Recovery. ECVLC will also figure prominently on the organization’s website. The consortium, a training site for literacy intervention professionals, will be one of three case studies cited for achievements during its 20 years of operation. ECVLC’s commitment to ongoing professional development is the core of its sustained success. The consortium has trained more than 125 teachers, administrators and professionals. The majority of the teachers and trained professionals receive their graduate-level course work at Lyndon State. The LSC campus also houses a specially constructed classroom where administrators and classroom teachers can observe Reading Recovery lessons through a one-way mirror.

ECVLC covers a region nearly a third of Vermont’s geographic area, serves 40 schools and roughly 2500 students. The challenge in this region is rural poverty. The region has been recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture as one of five national Rural Economic Area Partnerships Zones. These zones are defined as geographically isolated communities with a low density settlement, an absence of metropolitan centers, continued population loss and economic distress. Many students in these areas have little access to books and other literacy materials. At least 60 percent of the pupils are eligible for free or reduced -rate lunches.

The consortium was formed in 1991 to bring Reading Recovery to this region’s schools. Reading Recovery is a short-term intervention program for first- grade students who are the lowest 20 percent in their class in literacy skills. These students are recommended by classroom teachers. The intervention lasts for 20 weeks and is taught daily in 30 minute sessions. Student results are measured and documented and this data is compiled into an annual evaluation.

Nationwide, the data shows that 75 percent of students who complete the Reading Recovery program meet the grade-level standard in both reading and writing. The ECVLC site report for 2010-11 concludes that “of all students served, even for only one lesson, 75 percent of students were successfully discontinued from the program.” The success rate jumps to an astonishing 87percent for students who received the full 20 –week intervention.

Susan Lynaugh, Senior Teacher-Leader has been working with the consortium since its inception. She credits the success of ECVLC to sustained professional development which leads to deeper training. This allows for “horizontal movement” among teachers and reduces the occurrence of ‘burn out’. Lynaugh states that a school’s commitment to the “systemic implementation of the Reading Recovery process leads to accountability and responsibility for all children.”

In early December, ECVLC will also be the focus of an in-depth interview and film segment shot by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Fountas and Pinnell co-authored a literacy intervention system that offers research-based practical advice for literacy professionals and teachers.

Steve Gold, Garet Nelson, Paul Searls, and Tony and Margo Daniels at the installation of the “Volk” bust of Abraham Lincoln in Lyndon’s Samuel Read Hall Library.

LYNDON ALUMNI PRESENT LINCOLN BUST IN HONOR OF GRAHAM NEWELL. Tony and Margo Daniels, 1970 graduates of Lyndon State College, have presented a cast bust of Abraham Lincoln to the College in honor of long time Professor of History Graham Newell.

The bust was officially installed in the Vermont Room of the Samuel Read Hall Library the morning of October 27. Joining the Daniels for the occasion were Lyndon’s Interim President Steve Gold; Library Director Garet Nelson; Assistant Professor of Social Science and History Paul Searls, who holds the Graham Newell Chair in History at the College; and Dean of Institutional Advancement, Bob Whittaker.

Tony Daniels majored in history at Lyndon and thus had Professor Newell for “more classes than I can recall.” Daniels says, “In your life you’ll have half a dozen teachers who really make their mark—they’ll be with you forever. For me, Graham Newell was one of those teachers.” Like so many of Newell’s students, he cites the passion and enthusiasm Graham brought to his lectures. “He made it seem as if whatever he was talking about on any given day was absolutely the most important thing happening at that moment. I try to bring that energy to my teaching.”

Tony was a student at Lyndon at a time when he and classmates were able to partake in an early form of distance learning inspired by Graham Newell’s dual roles as college professor and Vermont State Senator. When the legislature was in session a phone line and speaker system occasionally had to be deployed so the professor could broadcast lessons from a cubbyhole office in Montpelier.

Both Tony and Margo, who earned her degree at LSC in Education, spent their teaching careers in Jackson, N.J., and both were selected for “Teacher of the Year” honors by their colleagues. They are now retired and split their time between Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and Florida.

Tony’s love for history didn’t start or finish at Lyndon. American history figures prominently in both a favorite past time—Civil War reenacting—and an outside art and business interest. Which is where the story comes full circle.

The bust presented to the College was manufactured by Great Storm Gallery—an internet-based business founded by Tony Daniels and his son, Anthony, to make and sell museum-quality busts, plaques, masks, and jewelry of Abraham Lincoln, Civil War-era, and other American subjects. The “Volk” bust presented to the College was created by American artist Leonard Volk in 1860, and came to be known as the “Hermes” bust of Lincoln. The gallery’s customers include Tom Brokaw and filmmaker Ken Burns.

WCAX’s Dan Dowling, students Alex Avalos, Brian Knopick, and Chelsea Ingram. Front Row: Fox 44’s Kerrin Jeromin, Jim Cantore, and student Kevin Kelly.

THE WEATHER CHANNEL’S JIM CANTORE AT LSC. The Weather Channel’s on-air personality and self-described ‘Weather Geek’ Jim Cantore (Class of ’86) visited Lyndon State for his annual workshop “TV Weathercasting Techniques” on November 12. This is the eighth year Cantore has given the class. The full day class offers senior broadcast meteorology students the opportunity to be mentored, coached, and critiqued by Cantore. Cantore was again joined by meteorologist Kerrin Jeromin (Class of ’08). Jeromin is the meteorologist for Fox 44 Local News This Morning and ABC22 This Morning in Burlington, Vermont.

The day began with a presentation about the general state of broadcast meteorology, strategies for breaking into the business, and trends from within the field including the push towards “hyperlocal.” Cantore stressed the importance of being both passionate and compassionate in your line of work. Both Cantore and Jeromin discussed the process of finding that first broadcast job and tips on becoming successful. The class visited via Skype with Lou Michaels of Talent Dynamics. Michaels talked to the students about producing a solid resume tape. She also discussed developing a viewer-friendly personality and the importance of on-air appearance. Michaels spoke of the role of social media and helped with advice about the job search.

The afternoon session concentrated on one-on-one studio work. Cantore watched tapes of each student’s earlier broadcast work and offered individual critiques and guidance. The student then had time to work in front of the chroma-key wall (green screen) where weather maps are projected. These sessions were taped and allowed Cantore and the students a final individual session. While Cantore was in studio, Jeromin watched show tapes with the other students and shared advice on improving on-air performance.

The class didn’t end there. Both Cantore and Jeromin subsequently send each student a written assessment. The pair will watch more broadcasts in the spring and submit analysis on the students’ progress.

The 2011 Robert E. Long Scholarship Recipients

LYNDON STATE AND DONOR/PARTNERS AWARD 174 SCHOLARSHIPS: Every October the Lyndon State College community sets aside an afternoon to celebrate and congratulate students for their hard work, their persistence, and their accomplishments. It is also an opportunity to introduce scholarship recipients to some of the generous donors that make awards available to students. Lyndon State College’s Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony was held the afternoon of October 20. A total of 174 awards were given out in 39 different scholarship categories.

The Robert E. Long Scholarship was established in 1982 in the memory of Robert E. Long, the fourth president of Lyndon. This award honors students who have completed at least two semesters at Lyndon and who have achieved a GPA of at least 3.75 with at least 12 graded credits. This year’s recipients were Jennifer L. Adams, Taylore Aussiker, Andrew Cochran, David Daly, Rosalyn Devincentis, Chase Dunham, Jeremiah Hamel, Wesley Hatch, Patrick Hilton, Kyle Kurtich, Aja Lessard, Chelsea Merrill, Erin Milne, Anna Mumford, Allison Poulin, Emma Shattuck, Willis Stearns, Isaac Tanney, and Julia Trombley.

The Alumni Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated academic achievement and community service, have completed 30 credit hours at the College, and have maintained a GPA of at least 3.0. Rachel Keller, Gabrielle Matthewson, Julia Trombley, Mariah Ogden, and Michelle Wilcox were this year’s winners.

Rachel Keller and Samantha Wolf were awarded the Irene Blanchard Scholarship For Vermont Women, created by Professor Emerita Irene Blanchard, a staunch advocate of women’s rights. Her goal is to support women attending LSC who are natives to the area with clear leadership skills and who contribute to making better the lives of others through their work. This year’s Susan C. Gallagher Scholarship in Psychology was presented to Jennifer L. Adams and Rosalyn Devincentis. This honor is given to deserving students studying psychology with preference to students majoring in the field.

The Kennametal Scholarship is given to a Vermont student, preferably from the Northeast Kingdom, who is a junior in the business program, and who demonstrates strong performance and leadership in the field. Lyndonville’s Patrick Hilton received the honor this year. The Angelo Bona Entrepreneur Scholarship honors the spirit of entrepreneurship in a returning business student. Created by the family of Angelo Bona, a well-respected Lyndonville businessman, this award was given to Willis Stearns in recognition of his vision for creating economic opportunities in our area.

The Edmund B. Mello Memorial Scholarship, started by friends of Edmund B. Mello, a long-time and well-respected business professor at Lyndon, was given to Clint Glover. The scholarship rewards a returning student majoring in business who has achieved academic success and demonstrates courage and fortitude. Julia Trombley and Susan Wood received The Barry McCormick Memorial Scholarship, an honor that recognizes outstanding Vermont students majoring in business who embody the spirit and self-determination of the scholarship’s namesake, Barry McCormick.

Samantha Winsor and David Young were recipients of the Barbara Bona Memorial Scholarship, established by Fred Bona and his family in honor of Fred’s wife, Barbara, to support Concord High School students who are attending Lyndon.

The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore, a 1986 graduate of Lyndon’s Meteorology department, has established a scholarship at Lyndon to support students majoring in Atmospheric Sciences and specializing in Electronic Journalism Arts. Amanda Curran and Christopher McCray were winners of this year’s Jim Cantore Scholarship.

Two other awards were given out for Atmospheric Sciences students. The Gil and Avis Ford Scholarship was awarded to Nicholas Merianos and Curt Olson. The award supports Atmospheric Sciences students showing academic promise and a commitment to service to their community. The Norman Sebastian Scholarship honors Atmospheric Science majors based upon their academic potential and community involvement, and was awarded to Nicholas Aresco.

Eric Blaisdell, editor of “The Critic,” the College’s student newspaper, was the recipient of the Helen and Weldon Chamberlin Scholarship—awarded to a returning student from the northeast who demonstrates superior writing skills. The James Doyle Scholarship was awarded to Sarah Aube and Shera Howe. This fund provides assistance and support to deserving students pursuing studies in the liberal arts, particularly English.

The Louise Daniel Human Services Award, awarded to students based on scholarship, community service, and their commitment to pursuing a career in human services, was presented to Olivia Hastings and Aja Lessard.

Peacham’s Jan Eastman started The Edgerton Scholarship in 2004 in honor of her mother and grandmother, both students of Lyndon Normal School. It is awarded to education students selected by the Education Department for demonstrating promise in their major. This year’s recipients were Nicholas Brien, Shari Larocque, Gabrielle Mathewson, Sunshine McNabb, Erin Milne, Ethan Mitchell, Chelsea Murray, Danielle Pinson, and Miranda Saunders.

The Helen R. Guild Scholarship, which is awarded to a student majoring in Elementary Education who displays academic promise, was presented to Julie Burkholder. This scholarship was founded by alumni Jay Hurd in memory of his mother-in-law, Helen Guild, a long-time educator.

Sarah Wolcott won both The Kathleen Perry and The Florence Drew Scholarships. The Perry award is given to an elementary education student who is maintaining a competitive grade-point average, and is likely to make a promising contribution to the profession of teaching. The Florence Drew Scholarship was created in memory of Florence E. Drew, who served as the Dean of Women at Lyndon Normal School for 22 years.

The Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Awards Committee selected these students who have all completed two semesters of full-time study at Lyndon and who have maintained at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA as the 2011-12 Faculty and Staff Scholars: Vance Brooks, Kelly Butler, Erin Milne, Mariah Ogden, and Julia Trombley.

Jennifer Adams, David Daly, Daniel Haycook, and Curt Olson were awarded the The Faculty Federation Scholarship, created to assist returning students who have a proven record of academic excellence or have shown academic improvement.

The H. Franklin Irwin Scholarship was awarded to Wesley Hatch. This award is named for the president of the College from 1971 to 1975 and is given to a meritorious student pursuing studies in certain academic disciplines, particularly English.

The LSC Foundation Scholarships are specially marked for Vermont and Northeast Kingdom residents who have demonstrated academic potential and community service. Recipients were Jennifer Adams, Michael Cartularo, Cynthia Dizazzo, Richard Hackett, Kenedi Hall, Anna Mumford, Colleen Shepard, and Tyler Tinker.

Shelby Coutu was awarded the Lynda Morgan Visual Arts Scholarship, which was established by long-time Institutional Advancement assistant Lynda Morgan to assist a Vermont student studying Graphic Design and maintaining a competitive GPA.

Recently retired Lyndon president Moore was on hand to present the President Carol A. Moore Scholarship for Women in the Sciences to Kelly Butler and Samantha Wolf.

The Passumpsic Savings Bank sponsors an endowment for a Lyndon student from the Northeast Kingdom who is majoring in business, is planning a career in business, and shows great academic achievement. This year’s award went to Amber Tabor. Aja Lessard won the Honors Scholarship, also funded by the Bank, given to a student who demonstrates outstanding academic performance and who resides in the Passumpsic Savings Bank service area in the Northeast Kingdom or northern New Hampshire.

The Richard and Terry Portner Fine and Performing Arts Award, established to support an upper-class student who, regardless of major, has been consistently involved in music, art, or theater while at Lyndon State College, was presented to Aaron Gingras.

The Alfred Toborg Scholarship was presented to Nicholas Ledo; the Peggy Williams Leadership Scholarship was awarded to Emma Shattuck; and Felicia Lacoss received The Ben and Rosalie Harris Nursing Scholarship, established to support a pre-nursing student showing academic promise.

The Vermont Association of Broadcasters Scholarship award was created to encourage and help deserving broadcast students enter the field of broadcasting. This year the award was given to fifteen dedicated and deserving Electronic Journalism Arts students: David Carmichael, Justin Chenette, Alexander Farnworth, Michael Howard, Jace Kaszycki, Aaron Kormos, Kevin Lessard, Peter Lipomi, Erica Ponte, Erik Randlov, Brian Stone, Catherine Vitale, Julianne Walshaw, Michelle Wilcox, and Jason Zheng.

The Cola H. Hudson Endowment is the result of Lyndon State College working with the Lyndon Institute Alumni Association to honor the life and work of Representative Cola H. Hudson. This endowment provides a perpetual source of scholarship support to Lyndon Institute graduates from Burke, Sutton, and Lyndon attending the College, and was awarded this year to Taylore Aussiker and Felicia Lacoss.

The Danny Gore Family Scholarship award honors Danny’s wife, Barbara Whitney. He always gives it in fond memory, but also in very good humor… this year to Jennifer Morin and Rene Thibault.

Nicole Pfahl was the recipient of the Lewis/Larkin Scholarship, named in honor of two former female Lyndon students whose lives were sadly cut short. This award is given to a young lady in the Mountain Recreation Management program who exemplifies the work ethic, spirit, and dedication for which Ashley Lewis and Tammy Larkin are remembered. Also in the Mountain Recreation Department, the Charles and Alice Pudvah Sinon scholarship went to Allison Poulin.

Created in honor of Martha Wood, a former professor in the Exercise Science Department respected for her honesty and work ethic, the Martha E. Wood Scholarship was awarded to a young man who has quickly carved out a name for himself at Lyndon, Wildens Fils.

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund sponsors students living in Coos County in New Hampshire and surrounding communities who are pursuing an education in early childhood studies. The Tillotson award was granted to Lindsey Fitch.

The T.N. Vail/Woodall Scholarship, one of Lyndon’s most prestigious, honors a student or students with an outstanding academic record. Nicholas Aresco and Uriah Burhans were announced as this year’s recipients.

The Early Promise Scholarship is awarded to incoming freshmen who show bright academic promise and who have chosen college despite the monetary burden, recognizing that the value of an education far outweighs the cost of an education. This year the College presented the award to Hilary Bailey, Tyler Breault, Lauren Clancy, Cynthia Dizazzo, Ashleigh Downing, Matthew Green, Wesley Hatch, Naomi Larrabee, Hannah Lingley, Kaylee Maclure, Chelsea Merrill, Teera Paye, Rebecca Poginy, Dylan Poutre, Kyle Piper, Nickolus Potter, Chelsea L. Smith, Michael Sullivan, Jessica Therrien, Hanna White, Kristen Wright, and Heidi Young.

MOUNTAINEERING IN THE KARAKORAM. Climbers Freddie Wilkinson and Janet Bergman will be at Lyndon State College on Tuesday, November 8, to present a multimedia tour of climbing and mountaineering adventures in India. The presentation, “Karakoram Frontiers: A Season of First Ascents in the Himalaya’s Last Refuge,” chronicles their season of epic first ascents and skin-of-your-teeth adventures that culminated in the first ascent of Saser Kangri II (7518 meters), the world’s second highest unclimbed mountain.

Once an historic crossroads of caravans and camels, the mountains of the eastern Karakoram have been transformed into a high-altitude battlefield by the simmering border conflict between Pakistan and India. With nearly all foreign visitors blocked from the region for the last thirty years, it has become an unlikely refuge for the last, highest unclimbed mountains in the world. In the summer of 2011, Freddie Wilkinson and Janet Bergman joined a team of four other Americans to explore one of the Karakoram’s highest uncharted glaciers.

Freddie Wilkinson is a climbing guide, alpinist, and author of “One Mountain Thousand Summits: The Untold Story of Tragedy and True Heroism on K2.” He’s made significant first ascents in Alaska, Patagonia, and the Himalaya, but his favorite place to climb is still Cathedral Ledge in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Janet Bergman is a rock climber and alpinist with many first ascents. She works as a consultant to non-profit organizations; is a Mountain Hardware featured athlete; and former executive director of the Kismet Rock Foundation, an educational rock climbing program for New England youth. She finds inspiration in long alpine rock climbing in the mountains and first ascents, whether on a one-day ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite or a first ascent in the Indian Himalaya. Janet and Freddie reside in New Hampshire.

The 90-minute presentation will start at 6:30 p.m. in ASAC 100—the auditorium space in the College’s new Academic and Student Activities Center. There will also be a free gear raffle. The event is open to the public and offered free of charge.

LYNDON LAUNCHES CENTER FOR RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom has long been characterized by limited economic opportunities and a low percentage of residents with a four-year college education. Lyndon State College is working to reverse this trend with the establishment of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship (CRE). The creation of the CRE is the latest step in fulfilling the College’s mission of educating first-in-family and low- and moderate-income students, and serving as an economic engine for the region.

The CRE represents a natural outgrowth of two existing programs at the College: Incubator Without Walls (IWoW) and the Northeast Kingdom Manufacturing Training Program. These and other new initiatives on the drawing boards will now be under the umbrella of the CRE and its director, Ann Nygard, who has been promoted from her previous position as director of IWoW. The CRE will continue to work alongside the College’s Leahy Center for Rural Students to raise student aspirations in the Northeast Kingdom and to spark workforce development.

IWoW matches the expertise of Lyndon faculty and students in support of local businesses in the form of technical assistance including market analysis, business plan development, cost analysis, and graphic and web design. Since its creation three yeas ago, IWoW has provided support for 52 different enterprises in the Northeast Kingdom, including Kennametal, Kent’s Soda, and Kingdom Kernal Kettle Corn.

Another IWoW client is Sutton’s Tara Lynn Designs. Fashion designer and dress maker Tara Lynn Scheidet recently hired her first employee—an LSC accounting student who had been working with her as part of the IWoW program. Tara says, “I really appreciate the time, energy, and passion the IWoW students are putting in to help me improve my business operations and plans. As a result of their cost analysis, I have doubled the price of my dresses. Who knows where I would be now if I had been charging what I should have been charging for the last three years?”

Central to the mission of the CRE is steering regional education efforts from pre-kindergarten through grade 16 toward four industry “clusters” that have the best potential to keep and create jobs in the NEK that require a college degree. Working with Northeastern Vermont Development Agency (NVDA) and the Vermont Department of Labor, these industries have been identified as manufacturing, tourism, agriculture/working landscape, and bio-medical.

A key component of efforts to support the manufacturing cluster has been the Northeast Kingdom Manufacturing Training Program (NEKMTP), taught at the Charles Carter Business Resource Center in the Lyndonville/St. Johnsbury Industrial Park. This intensive program includes equal parts classroom instruction and hands-on training in computer numerical control machining. Qualified candidates participate in the program free of charge. The NEKMTP graduated its second class of trainees on October 26, bringing the total to 11 newly-qualified machinists. The next class is scheduled to start in January 2012. Short-term, customized trainings for incumbent employees of area manufacturers will take place for the remainder of 2011.

The NEKMTP is a partnership between the College, Lyndon Institute, St. Johnsbury Academy, the Vermont Department of Labor, NVDA, and Northern Community Investment Corporation. Employer partners are Northeast Precision, NSA industries, Vermont Aerospace, and Weidmann.

Efforts supporting the development of the CRE have been aided by a $150,000 gift to the College pledged earlier this year and the recent award of two significant grants. In July, the College secured a $66,867 Rural Business Enterprise Grant from the USDA Rural Development to continue providing technical assistance to local businesses through IWoW.

On October 5, Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, Representative Peter Welch, and Governor Peter Shumlin announced that $128,500 in Northern Border Regional Commission funds will go to support economic development projects. The College and NVDA will use these funds to boost manufacturing in the area by developing professional resources; creating collaboration among Northeast Kingdom manufacturing employers; expanding training programs; and furthering collaborative programs between area high schools, career and technical centers, and Lyndon State College.

A native of the Northeast Kingdom, CRE Director Ann Nygard is a graduate of the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. She went on to receive her M.B.A. at Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration in Finland. After working in Europe and Africa for thirteen years, Ann decided to return to the NEK to raise her family in 2002. Prior to taking on her duties at Lyndon, Ann worked as the executive director of the Northeast Kingdom Travel and Tourism Association and in Washington, D.C. as Associate Director of The Center for Sustainable Destinations at the National Geographic Society.

Ann notes, “The stronger the nest you build, the further you can fly. The Center for Rural Entrepreneurship will help students build upon their classroom education at every age and stage by engaging them in real-world, work-based learning in growth industries in the NEK. By fostering the collaboration and coordination of local businesses and educators, those growing up in the NEK will be better equipped to spread their professional wings and soar.”

Students at the most recent class of the Northeast Kingdom Manufacturing Training Program.

A MANUFACTURING CAREER FAIR will be held by Lyndon State College and area partners on Thursday, November 3 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Charles Carter Business Resource Center in the Lyndonville/St. Johnsbury Industrial Park. Representatives from local manufacturers will be there to recruit candidates to enroll in the Northeast Kingdom Manufacturing Training Program (NEKMTP). The NEKMTP trains workers to be qualified for employment as entry-level machinists. The next training class is scheduled to start January 2012.

Area residents with good math skills, work history, and work references who would like to pursue a career in machining are urged to attend. Experience in a manufacturing environment is helpful, but not required. Applicants must be interested in developing new skills and working in manufacturing.

The training is an opportunity to learn the basic skills required to be a safe and efficient entry-level machinist: blueprint reading; machining mathematics; CNC milling and turning; machine setup and safety; feed and speed rates; machinability; shop floor measurement and inspection; and basic programming of CNC machines.

Training candidates will be asked to participate in a math and mechanical aptitude assessment and an interview. For those accepted into the program, all tuition, materials, and books are provided at no cost.

Partners with the College in the Career Fair and the NEKMTP are Northeast Precision, NSA Industries, Vermont Aerospace, Weidmann, Lyndon Institute, St. Johnsbury Academy, the Vermont Department of Labor, Northeastern Vermont Development Association, and Northern Community Investment Corporation.

Interested candidates are stongly urged to attend the Manufacturing Career Fair on November 3. Individuals can also complete an application at the Vermont Department of Labor office in St. Johnsbury or Newport, or contact Lyndon State College’s Center for Rural Entrepreneurship at 802 626-4867. The program is funded in part by a Next Generation (Act 46) Grant from the Vermont Department of Labor.

Large photo, left to right: Mariann Bertolini, David Plazek, Alexandre Strokanov, and Jon Fitch. Top right: Deborah Markowitz. Center right: Margaret Darrow.

LSC AUTHORS CONTRIBUTE TO RUSSIAN BOOK ON GOVERNANCE. Lyndon State College Professor of Social Science and History Alexandre Strokanov has announced the publication of “Power and Management in the Contemporary Russian City,” by the publishing house of Russia’s Perm National Research Polytechnic University.

The 450-page book opens with a special chapter devoted to the analysis of local self-government in the U.S. from a distinctly Vermont perspective. The chapter’s authors include four members of the Lyndon community and has six articles about our state’s governance:

“Municipal Management in Vermont: Basic Principles and Legal Foundations,” coauthored by former Vermont Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz and Alexandre Strokanov, professor of History, chair of Social Sciences department, and director of the Institute of Russian Language, History and Culture at Lyndon State College. This article describes major principals and elements of municipal management in Vermont. It provides an overview of the laws that generally govern and limit municipal authority as well as those rules that govern the relationships of municipal officials to each other and which guarantee accountability to the public.

“Vershire: Small Scale Democracy,” by Margaret H. Darrow, professor of History and chair of the History Department at Dartmouth College, describes how a town of only 600 residents is governed and managed—and the role played by all the town’s citizens.

“Municipal Management in the United States: Case Study of Saint Johnsbury, Vermont,” was contributed by Alexandre Strokanov. His article describes an example of government and management in a medium size town, such as Saint Johnsbury. It explains the role of the town manager, members of selectboard, and other town officials. The article also many aspects of local financing and taxation.

The article “Town Meetings in Vermont,” by David Plazek, assistant professor of Political Science, Lyndon State College, is a comparative discussion of Greek and Vermont town meetings with an emphasis on the conditions that make this type of political institution practical and viable.

“How Vermont Schools are Managed,” by Mariann Bertolini, director of Northeast Kingdom School Development Center at LSC, focuses on the governance structure of Vermont schools from the legislative process to the implementation of local school board policy. It presents the fiscal challenges of administrators in providing quality programs in a sparsely populated region with limited resources. Her article also emphasizes rewards for educators who teach Vermont children.

“An Alternative Criminal Corrections Procedure: A Vermont Community Justice Program at St. Johnsbury. Introduction and Overview of Restorative Versus Retributive Justice,” was contributed by Jon Fitch, retired professor of Psychology at Lyndon State College. Jon offers a description of how a small town has widened representation from the entire community in restoring equilibrium for victims, citizens, and the accused, in lieu of imprisonment.

Alexandre Strokanov was a member of the three-person editorial board responsible for the publication—which is printed in Russian only. Other members were Viktor Mokhov, Russia, and Emil Markwart, Germany. The book is fruit born of the collaboration between the Institute of Russian language, History, and Culture at Lyndon State College, and the Perm National Research Polytechnic University.

Bill Cotte

THE MUSICAL VOICES OF 20TH CENTURY AMERICA. The Lyndon State College Lecture and Arts Series will present three evening lectures on “The Musical Voices of 20th Century America,” highlighting the music of composers Charles Ives, Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, and many others—in sight and in sound.

The audio-visual lectures will be held on three consecutive Monday evenings, October 31, November 7, and November 14, in the Burke Mountain Room at Lyndon State College, hosted by Bill Cotte of the music faculty at LSC.

Spanning the entire 20th Century, composers such as Ives, Copland, Harris, Howard Hanson, Samuel Barber, and Walter Piston represent the very best of the classical tradition in America, infusing through their unique styles that which, in the best sense of the word, is truly “Americana.” Through sight and sound this series will explore the finest music of these musical pioneers who, like Walt Whitman (whose works inspired many of these composers) heard America singing.

This lecture series is free and open to the public. The programs will begin at 7 p.m. The Burke Mountain Room is located on the top floor of the Samuel Read Hall Library. All are welcome to come share in this great American adventure with us.

DR. ANTONIA MAIONI TO SPEAK ON CANADIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. As Americans continue their long-running national debate about how to deliver affordable, high quality healthcare to our citizens, many across the political spectrum have taken a closer look at Canadian healthcare—some as a blueprint to emulate, others as a model to avoid.

On Thursday, October 20, Lyndon State College will present a lecture on the Canadian healthcare system by a leading scholar of the subject, McGill University Professor of Political Science Antonia Maioni. Dr. Maioni is a frequent media commentator and has published and spoken widely on Canadian and comparative politics, public and social policy, and healthcare reform.

Antonia Maioni is Director of the Institute for the Study of Canada at McGill University, where she also holds the positions of Associate Professor of Political Science and William Dawson Scholar. A sought-after media expert on Canadian and Quebec politics and public policy, in both English and French, Professor Maioni has been a political analyst with CTV News since 2008. She was named CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) Scholar-in-Residence for the Conference Board of Canada, and McGill’s Top Newsmaker in 2006.

She has taught at the University of Ottawa, and has held visiting appointments at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, Harvard’s Center for European Studies, the North American Studies Program at Duke University, and the Robert Schuman Centre of the European University Institute.

Professor Maioni’s recent research projects were funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, and the Max Bell Foundation. She currently teaches in the Department of Political Science and Canadian Studies at McGill University, and is a member of the International Masters in Health Leadership team in the Desautels Faculty of Management.

The lecture will start at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 20, in the Burke Mountain Room, on the fourth floor of the Samuel Read Hall Library on the Lyndon State College campus. The event is free and open to the public. Antonia Maioni’s talk is presented as part of Lyndon’s Centennial Celebration Series—lectures, events, and performances in recognition of the College’s 100th anniversary. The event is sponsored by Hayes Ford and made possible in part by the Harriett M. Sherman Lecture Fund and the Institute of Canadian Studies at LSC.

LYNDON HOLDS ANNUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY: Most students know what to expect from college. They’ll receive a comprehensive education that will equip them for a changing workplace, most will specialize in a field of study to prepare them for entry into a specific career or graduate school, and they’ll learn to be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers. At Vermont’s Lyndon State College, they are also expected to learn what it means to be part of an active, caring community, in hopes of developing a life-long habit of service to others.

On Friday, September 16, 375 first year students traveled to 26 locations to participate in Lyndon’s second annual Community Service Day. The activity was coordinated by the College’s Director of First Year Experience, Donna Keely, with the assistance of many members of the College’s staff, who took a day off from their regular duties to work alongside students in the field.

This year three groups of students traveled beyond the Northeast Kingdom to help in disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Irene. In Berlin students helped clear debris from two mobile homes at the Weston Trailer Park that had been inundated with flood water, including one belonging to an 86-year-old grandmother. The student aid was particularly timely—WCAX TV had reported that these residents had not received any assistance a full three weeks after the storm hit. Others assisted at a church and the ice arena with a variety of cleaning and clearing tasks.

In East Montpelier students helped the Central Vermont Human Society get ready for their “Prepare Your Pet for Disaster” event scheduled for the following day. In Waterbury, 26 students helped prepare two homes for final repairs by removing water- and mud-damaged sheetrock. On the Lyndon Campus, 40 more students and four staff members sorted some the 18,000 garments donated by Carhartt in order to make clothing bundles ready for distribution around the state.

Elsewhere in the Northeast Kingdom, 28 students and two staff members helped harvest produce at the St. Johnsbury Community Garden on the banks of the Passumpsic River. Perishable vegetables were tagged to go to a produce giveaway at the North Church the following day. The rest were earmarked for the St. Johnsbury Food Shelf. Eight students spent the day at the NEK Animal Shelter cleaning windows, floors, and the containment space reserved for newly arrived cats. They also did a little maintenance on the exterior sign. And six students assisted NEK Youth Services by raising awareness for the organization’s upcoming Shelter Walk.

Students heading north for the day assisted with trail clearing at Kingdom Trails in East Burke, helped build a climbing wall and clear trails at the Northwoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston, and painted the stage at the Vermont Children’s Theater.

The Lyndon Grange Hall and First Congregational Church in Lyndon Corner were the site of significant work by 30 students and 2 staff members. They painted the grange porch; did a thorough cleaning at both buildings; installed new energy-efficient light bulbs; removed brush, sand, and debris from storm wash-outs; fixed driveways and edged sidewalks; and removed material from under the church in order to prepare the building for foundation repairs. Elsewhere in Lyndon, volunteers cleaned the Fenton Chester Ice Arena, power washed the grandstand at the Caledonia County Fairgrounds, and repaired swing sets at the Lyndon Children’s Center.

The cheerfully sunny fall day was reflected in the enthusiasm and high spirits of the student volunteers working throughout the northern part of the state. Not incidentally, students also had a chance to form ties with new classmates and other members of the Lyndon community. Lessons learned by students as part of Community Service Day are designed to broaden the scope of their college education—all while helping countless Vermonters who are now their neighbors.

LYNDON NAMED A TOP REGIONAL PUBLIC COLLEGE. U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of Best U.S. Colleges has recognized Lyndon as a top regional public college.

The list ranks Lyndon as 15th in the northern region. The survey divides the U.S. into four regions and defines regional colleges as schools that focus on undergraduate education, but grant fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines. Vermont Technical College (VTC), one of Lyndon’s “sister” schools in the Vermont State College system, was the only other public college in Vermont to make the list of 15 Top Regional Public Colleges.

In a message to the College community, Interim President Steve Gold noted, “This is a wonderful tribute to the extraordinary work that all members of this college community do day in and day out.” He also extended his congratulations to VTC and President Philip A. Conroy.

According to the magazine’s website, the influential list of rankings rates over 1,600 schools based on up to 16 key measures of quality falling into seven broad categories: peer assessment; graduation and retention rates; faculty resources (for example, class size); student selectivity (for example, average admissions test scores of incoming students); financial resources; alumni giving; and, only for national universities and national liberal arts colleges, graduation rate performance and high school counselor undergraduate academic reputation ratings.

The Best U.S. Colleges list was published online on September 13.

Lyndon freshman Austen Roman of Seymour, Conn., at the Carhartt clothing sort for Vermont hurricane victims.

STUDENTS HELP DISTRIBUTE CARHARTT CLOTHING DONATED TO VERMONTERS. Carhartt, America’s premium work wear brand since 1889, is partnering with Lyndon to help those affected by flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. College students, faculty, and staff will help distribute Carhartt’s donation of 18,495 pieces of apparel to Vermont flood victims.

“The damage to communities throughout Vermont is devastating. We want to help those affected,” said Jonathan Davis, Lyndon’s associate dean for student affairs. “Partnering with Carhartt to help distribute clothing will definitely help folks who need it most. It’s also a chance for our students to soak up the College’s mission of promoting service to the community.”

On Monday, September 12, a trailer truck filled with 872 cartons containing over 18,000 items of clothing arrived at Lyndon State College. It took nine people 2.5 hours to unload the donations. Meadow Leasing of Littleton, N.H., generously donated the use of a tractor trailer for three weeks of storage.

The inventory includes men’s pants, jeans, coats, sweatshirts, and gloves; and women’s pants, jeans, coats, skirts, shirts, vests, sweatshirts, and gloves.

Lyndon State College students are helping to distribute the clothing as part of the College’s annual Student Community Service Day. On Friday the 16th, 40 Lyndon freshman gathered to sort and label clothing into bundles tagged by garment, gender, and size, and to load trailers for shipping.

Over half of the donation will be heading to the Salvation Army’s Rutland, Vermont, warehouse. “They have the space and distribution networks in place to help get these items into the hands of folks who need them,” noted Davis. Other bundles will be heading off to the Bethel area in central Vermont, and to families in the Northeast Kingdom already identified by Lyndon’s faculty and staff and by VTResponse.

People who are in need of assistance, or know where assistance may be needed, are urged to contact Captain Bill Thompson at the Salvation Army at (802) 864-6991, ext. 105. In the Northeast Kingdom, contact Jonathan Davis at Lyndon State College, (802) 626-6418.

In addition to aiding victims of Hurricane Irene, some clothing will be going to help those who’s need is not a direct result of the storm.

Carhartt President and CEO Mark Valade is a 1979 graduate of Lyndon State College.

READ ROBERT MICHAUD’S “LYNDON MEMORIES.” The Office of Institutional Advancement  has published Lyndon Memories, Robert Michaud’s memoir of a critical period of growth in the College’s history, printed to coincide with the centennial year celebration.

Bob Michaud worked at Lyndon as business manager (1963-70), director of physical plant (1970-80), and director of purchasing (1980-88). During his 25 years at LSC the school grew from a single building with several hundred students primarily enrolled in teacher training programs, to a comprehensive liberal arts and professional studies college with a modern campus and 1000 undergraduates.

In Lyndon Memories Michaud shares the behind-the-scenes stories of the College’s transformation: seven presidents, the construction of 15 new campus buildings, the addition of key new programs, the fate of the much-beloved Vail Hall, the evolution of the College’s seal and anthem, and much more.

Along the way we meet imposters and heroes, politicians and VIPs, students and townspeople, and many of the faculty and staff members “present at the creation.” This is a very human narrative told with affection and good humor by a writer who cares deeply for the College—and can spin a good yarn!

Prior to his tenure at Lyndon, Bob worked for Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation and was a field underwriter for New York Life Insurance Co. Bob lives with his wife of 64 years, Colleen, in East Burke, Vermont, overlooking Burke Mountain.

The book is on sale in the Lyndon State College Bookstore and Green Mountain Books in Lyndonville.

NEW FACULTY AT LYNDON. The College starts the new academic year with four new full-time faculty members and 11 new adjunct instructors.

John Castaldo joins the faculty as visiting assistant professor of Business Administration. John has been teaching in the Vermont State College (VSC) system part-time since 1989, and has a solid track record of effective teaching. He worked at Barre Granite Association from 1995 to 2010, first as manager of  finance and administration and then as the executive director. This combination of teaching and real-world experience in the accounting and business realms makes John an ideal fit for Lyndon’s hands-on, eperiential education.

This fall the Mountain Recreation Management department is welcoming Sean Doll as their newest instructor. Sean has taught the past few semesters in the department as an enthusiastic and engaged part-time faculty member, and the College is pleased to bring him on board now in a full-time position. He has recreation experience spanning ten years at New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Resort, including assisting in the overall operations of the Bretton Woods Ski Area. He is a Resort Industry Leadership Institute (RiLi) graduate and has served as a RiLi coach. Sean has a wide range of experience in the field and highly beneficial industry connections.

Britt Moore has joined the College faculty as a tenure-track instructor in the Music and Performing Arts Department. She is currently working on her Master’s degree, and has worked in Lyndon’s Music Business and Industry program since its inception, as well as working with the Twilight Players theater group on set production. Britt is an accomplished musician who is currently working on recording an album of her own music and is exploring the creation of a record label.

Donna Smith returns this fall as a visiting instructor in Electronic Journalism Arts. For Donna, a ’96 alum of Lyndon State College, this will be her second year as a visiting instructor on a two-year appointment. She has spent ten years at WMUR-TV in Manchester, N.H., as a news producer. Her experience in electronic journalism as a producer, anchor, reporter, writer, and editor will continue to be an asset to the department and to the College’s students.

Joining the ranks of part-time instructors this fall are Kristy Ellis, Graduate Education; Angie Gittleman, English; George Hacking, Criminal Justice; Lawrence Hayes, Atmospheric Sciences; Lilias Ide, Mountain Recreation Management; Nicole Leone, Mathematics; Ellen Luna, English; John Mackenzie, English; Barbara Morrow, English; William A. Moore, Mountain Recreation Management; David Sleigh, Criminal Justice; and Nicholas Vaden, Music Business and Industry.

VT SYMPHONY AT LYNDON, SEPT 29. The Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s annual Made in Vermont Music Festival foliage tour presents a colorful program to complement the turning leaves.

The program starts off with one of Mozart’s most humorous pieces, Serenata Notturno, in which the timpanist gets equal billing with a solo string quartet. Tuneful and charming, this lighthearted work was written for the city of Salzburg’s New Year’s celebration in 1776. Next we take a fond look backward at summer with Honegger’s lovely Pastorale d’été, a short, serene symphonic poem. A salute to autumn follows naturally, in a world premiere commission by award-winning composer Robert Paterson.

The second half begins with one of Sibelius’ signature pieces, Valse Triste. Originally part of the incidental music for a play called Kuolema, it was an instant hit with the public and took on a life of its own. Beloved of filmmakers, Valse Triste portrays an unearthly waltz by spectral couples. Our finale is Haydn’s Symphony No. 53, aptly nicknamed L’Imperiale.

Program

MOZART: Serenata Notturno

HONEGGER: Pastorale d’été

ROBERT PATERSON: Dark Mountains (premiere)

SIBELIUS: Valse Triste

HAYDN: Symphony No. 53, L’imperiale

The September 29 performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $26 adults, $22 seniors, $13 students, $13 Lyndon/VSC faculty & staff, $6 Lyndon/VSC students. Available at CatamounTix.org or at Linda Wacholder’s office in the Advising Resource Center at Lyndon State College.

The VSO performance is part of Lyndon’s Centennial -Celebration Series. Sponsored by the LSC Lecture and Arts Fund, Hayes Ford, and the Harriett M. Sherman Lecture Fund. Media sponsor: Vermont Broadcast Associates

Lyndon State College’s interim President Steve Gold, right, congratulates graduates of the NEK Manufacturing Training Program.

LYNDON’S PRESIDENT REFLECTS ON THE COMING ACADEMIC YEAR. On July 5, 2011, Steve Gold took over the reins as Lyndon State College’s interim president. Now a little over a month into his tenure, Gold is excited to be on the job. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to help guide Lyndon through this transition. The College plays a vital role in the Northeast Kingdom and I am committed to working with the entire Lyndon community throughout the coming academic year to ensure its ongoing success.”

Gold spent his first several weeks at Lyndon getting to know the College and its people better. On his second day on campus he hosted a barbecue lunch for the entire college community, meeting and talking with many faculty, staff, and students. During his first weeks on campus he is meeting individually with campus leaders to hear first-hand what they think is most important for the College as a whole, for themselves in their professional roles, and to learn what they expect from their president in the coming year.

In early August Interim President Gold officiated at the graduation of the first class of machinists trained as part of the Northeast Kingdom Manufacturing Training Program (NEK MTP), an initiative of the College’s Center for Rural Entrepreneurship in partnership with Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC), Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA), two regional Career and Technical Education Centers (Lyndon Institute and St. Johnsbury Academy), White Mountains Community College, local manufacturers, and the Vermont Department of Labor.

This intensive eight-week training program is an important component of the College’s growing mission to be a driving force in regional economic development by educating a “21st century workforce.”

Prominent on the Gold’s radar in the coming year are new degree programs in Criminal Justice and Radio Production, the second full year of the College’s competing in intercollegiate athletics in the NCAA, and working to successfully complete Lyndon’s $10 million “Second Century Campaign” to coincide with the conclusion of the College’s Centennial Celebration this December. This fall the College is also celebrating near-record enrollment for the incoming freshman class—figures buoyed by the popularity of a number of professional programs with out-of-state students. Gold notes, “It’s exciting to see so many students from outside Vermont recognize what we have to offer here at Lyndon. I am especially enthusiastic about the partnership between the liberal arts and professional studies here at Lyndon.”

The campus itself has some new touches—some more visible than others—ranging from a new elevator adjacent to the College’s television broadcast facility to the most exciting project for students, the construction of a new 6,000-square-foot skatepark, scheduled for completion during the fall semester.

When describing his management style, Gold says, “I think listening is much more important that talking. I think that working together collaboratively and recognizing and using each person’s unique strengths is the way to accomplish extraordinary things. Effective leadership is not about you; it is about what you enable others to do.” He also believes in service. “A college, like a government program, exists for the people it is designed to serve; that needs to be in the forefront of all our thinking and doing.”

Interim President Gold has been a familiar face in Vermont State government. Over the course of his 35 years of service to the state he has worked at the Commissioner and Deputy Secretary level in two administrations. During the last four years of Governor Howard Dean’s administration, Gold served as Commissioner of the then Department of Employment and Training. Under Governor Jim Douglas, Gold served in multiple capacities, including Commissioner of Corrections, Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Human Services, and Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Administration.

Gold retired from state government in 2007—remaining active as a part-time consultant to the Legislative Joint Fiscal Office. The 66-year-old Massachusetts native came out of retirement to accept the post at Lyndon. “It was truly an offer I could not refuse. While I have enjoyed retirement very much, I could not resist the opportunity to be a part of the Vermont State Colleges system, for which I have great respect and with which I worked closely in two of my State jobs.”

Gold’s interim presidency is expected to last one year and comes in the wake of President Carol A. Moore’s retirement after thirteen years of service at Lyndon. The Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Colleges is expected to designate a search committee to begin a national search for a new president of Lyndon State College early in the fall.

Architect’s rendering of Lyndon State College’s new 6,000-square-foot skatepark.

A NEW SKATEPARK AND DISC GOLF MAP FOR FALL 2011. Until this summer, Lyndon State College had a mini ramp for skateboarders located near the residence halls on campus. That had to be sacrificed when the school undertook a major project to reconstruct the Stonehenge parking lot.

So they decided to build a full skatepark in its place. “We had to give something back to the students,” says Lyndon’s Adventure Program Coordinator Jamie Struck. “We took away their ramp, so we decided to step it up with the park.”

And a big step up it will be. American Ramp Company (ARC) will drop off the 6,000 square foot skatepark in pre-fabricated sections, which Struck says should be pretty easy to put together. “We plan on having a community build for the project. The entire park is pre-cut and pre-drilled, we will just need some people to come volunteer to help put it together.”

Missouri-based ARC describes itself as the world’s largest skatepark provider, with over 1400 parks in place around the globe. Lyndon’s park will feature bank ramps, quarter-pipes, grind rails, grind ledges, grind boxes, stairs, wedges and flats, a spine, a pyramid section, and a planter. It will be located to the east of the new Stonehenge lot and feature a great view of Burke Mountain.

The grand opening for the skatepark will be announced this fall, hosted by the College, Kingdom Trails, Ide Ride, and Sinister Bikes.

Complementing the new skatepark is a newly published map of the College’s 18-hole disc golf course. The front nine skirts the northern edge of the campus starting at the Rita Bole Complex and ending near the College’s’ baseball/softball complex. The back nine explores open land and forest in the hills on the western border of the campus, including portions of President’s Hill.

A map to the course is available online at LyndonState.edu. The public is welcome to use the course. Lyndon’s Student Government Association (SGA) funded the entire project—less a new lawn mower that will be used specifically for the adventure program. Struck says, “This course will look like a Florida course by next year.” Another gift from the SGA is the concrete tee boxes that will be at the start of every hole, also scheduled for completion in the fall.

Lyndon State College senior Abbey Heimlich combined her love of gardening with her studies in human services to create an internship in local food and community gardening.

LSC’S ABBEY HEIMLICH DISCOVERS THE POWER OF PLANTS. Abbey Heimlich of Tamworth, N.H., will receive her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Services from Lyndon State College at the end of this summer after completing a unique internship with the St. Johnsbury Food Co-op and working at the St. Johnsbury Community Garden.

Although she majored in human services, Abbey wanted to find a suitable fit between her passion for gardening and her passion for helping others. “There are no ‘garden’ classes at Lyndon, but I was looking to find a good connection between my human services major and my love for gardening and being outdoors. Then I stumbled upon horticultural therapy,” Abbey says. She talked to Assistant Professor of Psychology and Human Services Meri Stiles about her passion for the outdoors, gardens, and working with people and Stiles helped her create this internship.

The therapeutic benefits of a garden have been understood for hundreds of years. In the 19th Century, Dr. Benjamin Rush found that gardens had a curing effect on patients with mental illnesses. Horticultural therapists help people to work, learn, and relax in the garden, and they specialize on making the most out of the garden in order to help people in every way possible.

A new member of the American Horticultural Therapy Association, Abbey covered a diverse range of topics at her demonstration and information table at the Co-op, ranging from the benefits of planting and sorting seeds to pressing flowers as a venue to discuss difficult emotions. In her last demonstration, Abbey gave out free aromatherapy sessions, which she says can be effective at calming, energizing, and focusing.

Abbey plans to stay in the horticultural field in the future. She hopes to attend a program in Colorado to become a certified horticultural therapist. “My goal for the future is to start a community garden in Lyndon, and share my experience with the rest of the town.”

Tom Bishop, right, teaching the first class of students at the NEK Manufacturing Training Program.

LYNDON AND LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Manufacturers in the area can look forward to having a larger pool of skilled workers to hire thanks to the Northeast Kingdom Manufacturing Training Program (NEK MFP). The new program will be graduating their first class of five students on Monday, August 1, at 12 p.m. at the Charles Carter Business Resource Center in the Lyndonville/St. Johnsbury Industrial Park.

Vermont Department of Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan will be the special guest. Steve Gold, Lyndon State College’s interim president, will also be in attendance.

Lyndon State College partnered with NSA Industries, Weidmann, Vermont Aerospace, Northeast Precision, Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC), Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA), two regional Career and Technical Education Centers (Lyndon Institute and St. Johnsbury Academy), and White Mountains Community College, to offer the pilot session of the NEK MTP beginning in May. The College developed this program after learning that regional economic growth has been limited in recent years by the availability of qualified employees—manufacturing is in fact a growing segment of the American economy. Compounding this challenge, up to half of the employees of the participating manufacturers will reach retirement age over the next 5 to 10 years.

The full program will train up to 48 individuals in its first year and plans to expand capacity to train additional employees in future years through the combined support of the employers, private gifts, and public funding.

The comprehensive 8-week course teaches the basic skills required to be a safe and efficient entry-level machinist: blueprint reading, machining mathematics, CNC milling and turning, machine setup and safety, feed and speed rates, machinability, shop floor measurement/inspection, and basic programming of CNC machines. Each session can accommodate up to 12 students. Two manufacturing training specialists, Tom Bishop and David Seipel, have been hired on a temporary basis to teach this program.

The next session of the NEK MTP starts August 22. Areas resident who are interested in this employee-sponsored training opportunity are urged to attend a Manufacturing Career Fair Thursday, August 4, from 4-7 p.m. at the Carter Center in the Lyndonville/St. J Industrial Park. Interested candidates can also complete an application at the Vermont Department of Labor office in St. Johnsbury or Newport, or contact the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship at (802) 626-4867. For those accepted into the program, all tuition, materials, and books are -provided at no cost. The program is funded in part by a Next Generation (Act 46) Grant from the Vermont Department of Labor.

Students of Shenzhen Second Senior High School in China deliver and record a “mock” News 7 News Break under the watchful eye of EJA Instructor and former N.H. Chronicles producer Donna Cutting Smith ‘96.

CHINESE HIGH SCHOOLERS VIST LSC

Most high school students like to visit colleges before they decide where they want to go. Often these tours mean long trips in the car with family or friends, but rarely do students travel halfway around the globe to visit a college. On July 19 forty-two students and eight teachers from Shenzhen Second Senior High School, in Shenzhen, China did just that to visit a number of U.S. colleges and universities, including Lyndon State College in Lyndonville, Vermont.

Guests were treated to a campus tour, presentation about Lyndon State programs, sample classes, and a traditional American-style barbecue.  The Shenzhen group was here as a part of a 14-day tour of the United States that included stops at seven colleges and universities: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Lyndon State College, St. Michael’s College, and California State University, Dominguez Hills.

At Lyndon seven of the high school visitors took part in a News7 News Break mock production, taking over the anchor desk, camera, and production positions to get a taste of how a television newsroom actually works. Along with their broadcast experiences, they had a chance to check out the weather observation deck in the Academic and Student Activity Center with the Atmospheric Sciences department.

Visiting students learned more about renewable power from Assistant Professor of Physics Ben Luce, a leading expert on alternative energy sources. Associate Professor of Psychology and Human Services Peggy Sherrer showed visiting students what an American college class is like. Professor of History Alexandre Strokanov presented on China and the global market, and Business Instructor Ann Nygard discussed social entrepreneurship. Teachers from Shenzhen had their questions answered by Dean of Academic and Student Affairs Donna Dalton. To cap off the afternoon, the Chinese students and teachers were treated to barbecue on campus.

This marked the second year that students from Shenzhen, China, visited Lyndon State College. Three students from Shenzhen are enrolled at Lyndon for the upcoming school year.

LSC’S JULIANNE WALSHAW RECEIVES NHAB SCHOLARSHIP

The New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters (NHAB) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2011-2012 Student Broadcaster Scholarship. Awarded annually in the amount of $2,500, the scholarships are given to students pursuing a career in over-the-air broadcasting and are enrolled in a broadcast program at a two or four-year accredited school. This year, five Granite State residents were selected from over 75 applicants. Winners were chosen based on financial need, academic achievement, extracurricular and community involvement and an essay about their interest in broadcasting.

The recipients and their families were part of a brief presentation at WMUR TV on July 19, 2011. NHAB Vice President of Television and WMUR-TV General Manager Jeff Bartlett handed out scholarships to three-time recipient Erica Tomaszewski of Nashua, a student at Franklin Pierce University; Ty Tomassian of Wolfeboro, attending Liberty University; Angelina Bossone of Weare, attending the University of New Hampshire; and two-time recipients Julianne Walshaw from Franklin, a student at Lyndon State College, and Dylan Lovering of Wolfeboro, a student at High Point University.

In its third year, an additional scholarship fund was awarded in memory of the late Al Sprague, former president of the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters. Awarded in the amount of $5,000, the scholarship was given to Elizabeth Faiella, four-time scholarship award winner from Northwood, who attends Dartmouth College.

Established in 1954, the New Hampshire Association (NHAB) of Broadcasters is the only voluntary, statewide trade organization serving the Granite State’s over-the-air radio and television stations. The Association’s key responsibilities include assisting its members with general and broadcast-specific business challenges and assisting in the networking of fellow broadcasters. The NHAB aims to promote broadcasting as a viable and exciting career choice by offering annual scholarships and maintaining an online database of available jobs for individuals searching for a career in radio or television, as well as the opportunity to post a resume online. Please visit www.nhab.org for more information.

MEET LSC PRESIDENT STEVE GOLD. On July 5, 2011, Steve Gold assumed the role of interim president at Lyndon State College. Here are some of President Gold’s reflections on taking the leadership position at LSC.

We hear you retired from state government in 2007. What about this position coaxed you back into service? It was truly an offer I could not refuse. While I have enjoyed retirement very much, I could not resist the opportunity to be a part of the Vermont State Colleges system, for which I have great respect and with which I worked closely in two of my State jobs (Welfare To Work [Reach Up] Programs Director and Commissioner of the Dept. of Employment and Training), and to have a unique, new and exciting but time-limited experience working in a higher education institution like LSC. Additionally, three of the four other presidents, Dave Wolk, Joyce Judy and Barbara Murphy, are all good friends of many years so I knew I would have a wonderful peer support group from the start.

What do you see as your greatest challenges and opportunities in the coming year? My personal challenges will be learning about LSC’s programs, how the enterprise functions, and developing effective relationships with its administration, faculty, staff, and most importantly its students. I think my greatest challenge will be to do everything I can to ensure that this will be a great year for the College and, at the same time, to provide for a smooth transition to the next permanent president. In terms of opportunities, I am really looking forward to being in such a stimulating environment. I want to engage with as many members of the LSC community, especially the students, as I can. I have a great deal to learn about the college and its programs and I expect to discover many opportunities as I go forward with that learning.

What are you most looking forward to in serving as Lyndon’s interim president? I am looking forward to the whole experience, but especially observing and supporting the students, both in their academic pursuits and in their extracurricular endeavors. I am certain I will come away from this year having gained new insights, deeper understanding and great hope for the future of Vermont, the United States and the world through my exposure to LSC’s students.

You’ve worked in many different aspects of Vermont state government. How does that color your view of higher education? I worked in human services for most of my career, and as a result I have a very keen appreciation for the practical importance of attaining a higher education degree. This is true both for personal success in economic and civic terms, and also for success, in the face of the great challenges facing our state, our country and the world, in the our shared future. Although my undergraduate degree was a basic liberal arts degree without any vocational focus, I believe degrees from colleges with programs like those at LSC that provide both an exposure to the liberal arts and a targeted focus on advanced professional skills are essential to success in the 21st Century.

We understand you’ll be on campus for the first two weeks in July, then start in earnest in early August. What is your strategy for the first two weeks? I intend to meet with as many college leaders as I can and to learn my way around the campus. I have three core questions for each person I meet: What is most important for Lyndon State College in the coming year? What is most important for you in your professional or student role at LSC in the coming year? What do you want from me as interim president in the coming year?

How would you describe your management style? I think listening is much more important than talking. I think that mutual respect, courtesy and honesty, even when there are disagreements, are essential. I think that working together collaboratively and recognizing and using each person’s unique strengths is the way to accomplish extraordinary things. I expect mutual accountability. I think I am very good at recognizing a good idea when I hear one and am willing to move it forward. A college, like a government program, exists for the people it is designed to serve; that needs to be in the forefront of all our thinking and doing.

Will you be commuting to Lyndon from Montpelier or taking up residence on President’s Hill? I will be commuting for the first two weeks or so. I plan on residing at LSC at least four days a week, Monday through Thursday, starting sometime in August. I anticipate that there will be many weeks when I will be in residence for more than four days and nights.

This is the first time many members of the Lyndon community will be hearing from you… is there anything else you’d like to share with us? I have some principles on which I base my own work life and which I try to instill in those who work with me.

The order of priorities for each of us should be: first, our health; second, our family; third, our work. I learned that from Con Hogan when he was Secretary of Human Services and it has served me well.

We can accomplish tremendous things if it doesn’t matter who gets the credit. I learned this from Sister Elizabeth Candon when she was Secretary of Human Services.

Each of us needs to figure out to what we are ultimately committed in our work. When Sister Janice Ryan was my Deputy Commissioner at Corrections, she once sat me down and told me “I work for Justice, not for Corrections.” My public sector work was about creating opportunities to make real, positive changes for those who hadn’t had much success in their lives.

Effective leadership is not about you; it is about what you enable others to do.

What do you like to do in your free time? I am an avid fresh and salt water fisherman, which also means I am an optimist and given to hope. I try to work out regularly; I was an athlete in high school and college and as an adult in central Vermont; my sports were football, lacrosse, basketball and white water canoeing. I enjoy watching college sports, especially basketball and lacrosse. I love to go to live arts performances: music, especially jazz; dance; performance art. I listen to jazz recordings. For relaxation I read crime novels.

And finally… Is there any truth to the rumor that you accepted this position in order to spend more time fishing Lake Willoughby? It would be hard to spend more time fishing on Lake Willoughby than I have done in the past four years in May and October, but I must admit that the proximity of LSC to Willoughby has not escaped my attention. Perhaps there will be some late afternoon two or three person meetings on that lake in my boat this October and next May.

LSC ASSISTS YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR. Kent’s is a soda with a story. The new line of beverages is the brain child of 9-year old Kent Melville of St. Johnsbury, Vt., who started the business to help autistic children like himself. The fledgling business is poised to take off after a feature on the Huffington Post, one of the nation’s top news blogs, netted 3.5 million hits on kentssoda.com. Now orders are coming in from as far away as Malaysia.

Lyndon State College’s Incubator Without Walls (IWoW) took Kent’s Soda as a client in November 2010. Lauren Turmel ‘11, working under the supervision of Associate Professor of Visual Arts Barclay Tucker, designed the label for the soda to promote the charitable cause and reflect Kent’s brand image. Assistant Business Professor Rod Jacobson lead a cost analysis project with business student Ricky Paparo ‘12.

IWoW leverages the talents and expertise of Lyndon faculty and students to meet the needs of small businesses and nonprofit organizations in the Northeast Kingdom. The internships students take as part of the program give them valuable real-world experience while contributing to regional economic development.

IWoW is continuing the consulting relationship with Kent’s Soda. Students are currently revising the company’s business plan to accommodate an upgraded sales forecast to achieve scalable growth. “We couldn’t have done it without IWoW,” says Kent’s father Aaron Melville. Aaron is also an adjunct professor in Lyndon’s Business department.

The Caledonian Record sparked broad interest in Kent’s Soda when it was featured in a front page story about their presence at the 2011 St. Johnsbury World Maple Festival in April. According to Kent’s website, the company is devoted to the positive social development of children with autism.  A portion of sales will be donated to benefit of social clubs, camps, and other social development programs for children with autism and their families. Click here to read The Huffington Post story.

RICK COCHRAN, LYNDON ’06, U.S. SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR.

Congratulations go out to Rick Cochran, founder and CEO of Mobile Medical International Corporation (MMIC) in St. Johnsbury, who was named the U.S. Small Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Association in ceremonies held late May in Washington, D.C. MMIC manufactures self-contained, mobile surgical and health care facilities that can be deployed quickly anywhere emergency medical care is needed.

Rick started the company in the basement of his Walden, Vt., home in 1996. Today he employs 54 people in St. Johnsbury… and has a global reach. Way to go Rick!