The countdown has begun and I’ve officially marked May 6 on my calendar as my final day as a student at Keene State College.

Now that I’ve begun my eighth and final semester as an Owl, it’s time to try and reflect on the past three and a half years, all while looking ahead to the future and figuring out my plans for the post-graduate life.

Back in August of 2013 I moved into Fiske Hall to begin orientation before entering my first year at KSC. I lived on the third floor with a perfect view of Fiske Quad. Weather permitting, there were almost always dozens of students playing games or taking in the sun and enjoying the open space that the Quad provided.

On May 6, I’ll be taking part in the graduation ceremony on that very same Quad.

I’ll be walking up to the stage, receiving my diploma and officially become a Keene State alumnus and make the transformation into being a working member of society.

The big question that remains at this point is where I’ll be working come May 7, and if I’ll be working at all.

The job application process has started. I’ve done my research, perfected my resume, written dozens of cover letters and submitted my credentials to just as many open positions with the hopes that I’d hear back from potential employers with a chance to make my case and earn a spot working for them.

I’ve talked with plenty of my classmates and it seems like the majority of them don’t want graduation to come around. The reality of facing the post-graduate life can be terrifying for a lot of people.

Whether they’re worried about joining the real world or don’t want to let go of the college life, they all have reasonable concerns about reaching college graduation.

Not me, though. I’m ready for graduation and have been for quite a while. It’s not that I’m so ready to leave KSC, it’s that I’m ready to see what life holds for me once I’ve left.

There are numerous aspects of my life that I’m ready to know about.

Samantha Moore / Art Director

Whether it’s where I’ll be living or what kind of work I’ll be doing, I’m just curious about it all and in a few months, once I graduate, I’ll have a much better idea of where my life will be headed.

Just because I’m excited to graduate, people take a lot of assumptions about who I am and why I’m so ready.

Mostly, people think I’m naive and that I don’t know what’s waiting for me after I cross the finish line on May 6.

I know what I’m in for, and I know it’ll be a change from the college lifestyle I live, but I’m ready for it.

Perhaps the biggest assumption that people make when I tell them I’m excited to graduate is that I haven’t enjoyed my time at KSC, and that’s wrong.

KSC has provided me with some experiences that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

I’ve met lifelong friends, had the chance to learn from one-of-a-kind mentors and worked for an award-winning newspaper.

I’m confident that I wouldn’t have had this type of experience had I attended any one of the other colleges and universities I applied to.

KSC has proven to me time and time again that it’s where I belonged for these past three and a half years and that I made the right choice in becoming an Owl.

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com

Headlined by a new and unique feature titled “The Journey,” EA Sports’ newest edition of the FIFA franchise is a fun and revamped upgrade from the 2016 version, which always left me frustrated.

The newest game mode focuses on an up-and-coming English footballer named Alex Hunter, who’s working his way up the ranks in an attempt to make it in the big leagues.

Soon enough, Hunter (you) is given the option to sign with just about any one of the English Premier League clubs. Once you choose your club, the adventure really begins. From playing games, to post-game interviews, to social media activity and more, you are at the helm of every decision Hunter makes.

Beyond the game modes and into the actual gameplay, the improvements from last year are immediately noticeable upon entering an exhibition.

Graphically, everything from the goal celebrations to the action movements look sharper and more realistic.

Other facets of the game have also become more realistic, including the AI’s ability to defend.

Most of the time, when I’m playing FIFA ‘17, I’m using one of the online modes, specifically “Seasons.”

The “Seasons” mode is set up just about the same as the past few editions, where you start in Division 10 and try to work your way up to Division one by competing in online matches against random opponents from around the world. This game mode is where I’ve learned the most about the new, detailed gameplay in FIFA ‘17.

First and foremost, the difference in passing seems to be what most people are noticing during gameplay. When passing to a teammate, the amount of power used and the direction in which you’re passing have to be much more precise than in past editions of the game. A slight mistake could lead to a turnover.

Not only is passing a difference, but EA Sports seems to have done a complete overhaul of the offensive tactical system.

Shots on goal, much like passing, require a much more accurate and precise attempt in order to be a legitimate scoring threat, even though the goalkeeping seems to be much weaker in this year’s game.

Set pieces have a whole new look as well. Close-range free kicks give the gamer much more room for creativity in preparation for the kick including a starting point, which foot to use and more.

Corner kicks and long-range free kicks were also given a new system in this year’s edition.

EA took the view in which long-range free kicks are usually taken from and made it an alternate view, as these kicks will now be taken from the usual gameplay view.

With long-range free kicks and corner kicks, aiming is a whole new process as the gamer is given a target that can be moved around the field, which is roughly where the ball will land when struck.

The new system provides gamers with a chance to create better scoring opportunities and turns the game into a more exciting experience.

Overall, FIFA ‘17 is a huge step up from the 2016 edition. The numerous improvements make the game much more enjoyable and the inclusion of “The Journey” makes the game worth buying.

The new game mode was exactly what the franchise needed to make the jump from last year’s disappointing effort.

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com

Hope Walsh, Ryan Boraski and Nate Shepard headlined Keene State College’s swim and dive performance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 3 by breaking KSC school records.

Keene State Swimming & Diving/ Contributed Photo

Walsh, a junior from Hampden, Massachusetts, started off day one breaking her own record in the 1,650 with a NCAA “B” cut time of 17:21.95. She cut nearly four full seconds off of her original time. All-American swimmer Boraski, a senior from North Attleborough, Massachusetts, started off the morning by breaking the school record in the 50 freestyle. In 2015, Greg Youngstrom set the record with a time of 20.39 seconds. Boraski swam a 20.24 to break Youngstrom’s record. Later in the day, Boraski broke his own record by breaking the 20-second barrier and swimming the 50 freestyle in 19.95 seconds.

Shepard, a senior and Keene native, broke what was the oldest record in the KSC record book when he swam the 50 breaststroke in 25.85 seconds. Shepard’s time barely broke the previous time of 25.90, but was enough to break the record previously held by Domingo Rose in 2009. Not only was Shepard’s time a record-breaker, but it was also an NCAA B-cut.The Owls have a bit of a break and aren’t in action again until Jan. 14, when they host Bentley College.

Full story to come in next week’s edition of The Equinox.

Crae Messer canbe contacted at Cmesser@kscequinox.com

The Keene State College men’s club hockey team has been giving back to the community as of late by taking part in a Learn to Play program at Keene Ice.

Members of the team have been instructing youth players from around the Keene area twice a week since September.

Andrew Pierce, a forward on the KSC men’s club hockey team, handles the organization of the program, and said it’s a rewarding experience to take part in.

“We just try to play fun games with them, [and] keep them interested in hockey,” Pierce said.

Pierce said it gives the kids a chance to work on skills beyond just skating, like stickhandling and passing the puck.

Customer Service Manager and Skating Director at Keene Ice Beth Jasinski handles the managerial side of things for the Learn to Play program. Jasinski said that once they knew the program would be run in-house, she began looking for an on-ice director. She then found Pierce as someone who would be a good choice to run a program like this one. Jasinski said that Pierce has since brought on other players from the KSC men’s club hockey team to help out with the program.

Jasinski also said that Keene Youth Hockey put on the Learn to Play program last year, but this year it was taken over by the people at Keene Ice and has been running since September.

Jasinski said that the number of Keene State players that participate varies from about three to six, whereas the number of youth players that attend the program is at about 14.

“A lot of them [the parents] like it a lot. A lot of the young kids come and watch the hockey games and watch the boys play,” Jasinski said.

Debi King, whose five-year-old daughter takes part in the Learn to Play program, had only good things to say.

“I think it’s great. It’s definitely nice for them [members of the KSC club hockey team] to work with the younger kids. I know my daughter is very excited when she’s out on the ice,” King said.

Dan Smith’s six-year-old son also participates in the program, and Smith said the KSC players work really well with the kids and agreed with King in saying that KSC players provide really good energy for the kids.

King said her daughter is so much faster at skating since coming to the Learn to Play sessions, and Smith said his son’s balance has improved tremendously.

“My guy could barely stand up without falling down, now he’s skating on both legs and everything. He’s doing great,” Smith said.

Jasinski said this type of program is just one way to make a positive impact on the relationship between Keene State College and the Keene community.

Pierce said he’s gotten a good amount of positive feedback since beginning the program and that the improvement he’s seen is what makes it such a rewarding experience.

Pierce said that knowing that he was once in the shoes, or skates, of those youth players is part of what makes helping out so enjoyable. Pierce has come a long way since then, and is now the leading scorer for Keene State with 31 points on the season, according to kschockey.com.

Pierce also said the experience is gratifying for another reason. “Since starting to work with the kids, you can just see such a difference; you can see how much they enjoy it,” Pierce said.

Crae Messer can be contacted at Cmesser@kscequinox.com

For non-traditional aged student Crystal Pringle, the path to Keene State College (KSC) was filled with twists and turns, but she’s finally found her passion in the geology department. Pringle is a 41-year-old student, majoring in geology at KSC.

“I struggled in high school tremendously,” Crystal said. “I was never academically inclined. I was always horrible at math and I loved science.”

Crystal said that she went to community college directly out of high school, but did not enjoy her experience, so she dropped out.

Crystal tried college again at the age of 23. “After several years, I tried college again. I was out after a semester,” Pringle said.

Crystal’s son, MIkey Valliere, is on the [Autism] spectrum, but is high functioning according to Crystal.

“Up until he was nine years old, you wouldn’t know there was something wrong with him,” Crystal said.

With her commitment to her son, Crystal said she missed classes for various reasons and said she kept trying to make it work but kept failing.

Finally, last spring, Crystal decided to give college one more try and came to Keene State College. Crystal said that she could tell KSC was exactly where she wanted to be.

“I’m where I belong. I haven’t had a sense of that in so long, maybe forever,” Crystal said.

She continued, “I loved the vibe of Keene. When I came for my first tour and met with the geology professors, they just got me, they got my passion.”

When Crystal came to Keene, she knew she was in the right place when she got in A in one of her first classes.

“I knew that I had so much more knowledge than I gave myself credit for,” Crystal said.

Part of the reason that the adjustment was so difficult for Crystal was because of the number of students that are non-traditionally aged at KSC.

“At community college, I was definitely not the old person,” Crystal said. She continued to say that there are very few adult learners here at KSC compared to her past experiences, and that traditional students, “didn’t know how to take [her].”

Crystal said that while she may not be the same age as many of her peers, she faces the same struggles as any other college student.

“I have the same pressures that regular students go through, just a little bit different,” Crystal said. “I’m actually going through the same thing you are.”

Crystal said that, eventually, other students realized that as well and she has since formed friendships.

“People figured out that I’m not that different and I’ve gotten some really close friends at Keene,” Crystal said.

Crystal’s husband, Travis Pringle, works in the Zorn Dining Commons at KSC and has been there to support Crystal through her journey.

“I think it’s pretty profound,” Travis said. “[Crystal] was able to overcome adversities and still keep a positive mindset and go get her goals.”

Crystal said she wouldn’t be so successful at Keene if not for her husband.

“He seriously pushed me when I felt stupid. He gets me to see laughter and get through life,” Crystal said.

Travis also said that Crystal fits in well at KSC, it’s clear why she succeeds.

“It’s a perfect place for her to thrive as a successful college student,” Travis said.

Two professors who Crystal said have been influential on her since arriving at KSC were Steven Bill and Carol Leger. After several attempts to contact both Bill and Leger, both were unavailable for comment.

As far as her love for science, Crystal describes her passion for geology as something most people can’t see.

“When I look at a rock, I see a story, I see history. I see a piece of a puzzle that will tell me what happened here,” Crystal said.

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com

Dedication is one of the traits that has helped Keene State College’s President Anne Huot impact higher education. Huot recently received an award for her dedication to higher education from the University of Vermont (UVM).

On Oct. 19, Keene State College announced that Huot had received the 2016 Medical Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award from UVM.

Huot graduated from UVM in 1988 with her Master’s in Science and later went on to earn her PhD in 1990.

Prior to holding her current position of president at Keene State College, Huot served as the interim dean and executive dean of the Graduate College at the University of Vermont from 1999-2003.

Photo Illustration by Tim Smith / Photo Editor

Huot then moved on to the State University of New York-System Administration in Albany, New York, where she held the positions of associate provost and executive vice provost until 2007. From 2007 to 2013, Huot worked as the provost and vice president at the College of Brockport, State University of New York. Huot came to Keene State in 2013, but defined her time at UVM as “very formative in a couple of ways.”

“I met the first and most important mentor of my life when I was there,” Huot said, referring to Rene LaChapelle. Since coming to Keene State, Huot and her partner Dr. Joanne Cepelak have endowed a gift in LaChapelle’s name.

“I would say as a person, I think it [her experience] deepened a set of values that actually go back to my parents, and the way they raised their kids, which was really about trying to do good things for other people,” Huot said. “I had no idea what he saw in me, [but] he saw something in me I couldn’t see and when I was a young person thinking about graduate school, he stayed with me.”

When Huot received the award, she said she felt humbled not only for being chosen, but because this is the first year in which the award was given for success in academic administration.

“When I got the call I just kind of held the phone for a minute, thinking. The University of Vermont and the College of Medicine have a long history and some incredible people have been educated there. I’m sure there were lots of choices, so it was really very, very humbling,” Huot said.

“You kind of know you’re going to touch the lives of people, but to be standing in an audience and hear the people from 20 years ago say those things about you, it was pretty overwhelming.”

While Huot’s background and degree do not directly correlate with her position at KSC, her experiences have given her a unique perspective in the field of academic administration.

“On the administrative side of things, being a scientist is really helpful. It allows me to look at things from a variety of perspectives, because that’s the kind of training that scientists have,” Huot said. “It causes me to look a lot at data, to [have] inform[ed] decision making and it causes me to go back and assess whether or not the decision was a good decision.”

Provost of KSC William Seigh stated he commended President Huot’s success in an e-mail on Tuesday, Nov. 8.“President Huot’s dedication to higher education, and student success in particular, is evident in the way she leads our college. Her consistent focus is on helping students accomplish their goals,” Seigh wrote.

Huot also acknowledged the help she’s gotten from other people over the years.

“In this profession, nobody does it alone. It takes a team of people to really move an organization forward and I’ve been blessed to have that, really, throughout my career,” Huot said.

KSC’s Student Body President Laura Graham lauded President Huot’s abilities. “President Huot has shown Keene State that she is a hard working individual with the best intentions for the college,” Graham said.

Huot reiterated that her motivation comes from within. “It’s not a job. It’s an advocation and a passion for wanting to make your lives different and better because you’re going to make someone else’s life different and better and I think that’s what being a good citizen is,” Huot said.

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com

Two goals in four games is a great start for any soccer player at the collegiate level, and Keene State’s midfielder Glenn Smith has done just that – as a first-year.

Smith tallied two goals against Wheaton College on September 10 in what was his second collegiate game ever. Just 3 minutes and 44 seconds into the game, Smith was fed a pass by Captain Riley Steele and beat the Wheaton goalkeeper to get scoring started.

Smith made his way on the scoresheet again just under four minutes later when he put home a pass from Promise Kpee.

Smith said scoring his first collegiate goal was, “pretty exciting.”

Men’s Soccer Head Coach Rick Scott said that Smith had been generating interest for a long time prior to him actually coming to KSC.

“He came up on our radar a few years ago,” Scott said.

He added that while Scott and his staff were interested in Smith as a player, they didn’t think he was interested in them.

However, Smith’s club team coach gave Scott a call and told him to reach out to Smith.

“We couldn’t be more happy with him as a player and a person on and off the field. We couldn’t ask for anyone to give more effort or commitment,” Scott said.

Smith said knowing that Keene was interested in him has definitely made him more confident.

“It was a really good feeling knowing that [Scott] wanted me to come here,” Smith said. “To be able to come in and make an impact my freshman year is crazy – a good feeling.”

tim Smith/ Photo Editor

According to Scott, Smith has a number of qualities that make him a player they want on their squad.

“He’s got a very high soccer IQ and it’s paying off,” Scott said. “He knows how to use his body very well.”

Smith partly attributes his success to the chemistry amongst him and his teammates. Scott and Steele conquered with Smith in regards to the team chemistry, saying that it’s been key to the team’s 4-0 start this season.

Steele said that in past years, the team chemistry has had it’s ups and downs, but this year is different.

“This year, definitely from an upperclassman standpoint, every single [first-year] fits in and buys into the program that we’re trying to build and he’s just another piece of the puzzle,” Steele said.

In order to become an important piece of the puzzle, Smith had to fit in with the rest of the team. That can sometimes mean finding a role model to look up to. Smith said he’s been looking up to Promise Kpee ever since he spent his overnight trip with him as a recruit. Smith said he looked up to Kpee to see what he did, so he knew what he would have to do to earn a starting spot on the team.

Even though the younger players often find role models by looking at the upperclassmen, that can sometimes be a two way street.

Steele said that when he sees younger guys working hard, it makes him work even harder. Steele said that Smith is a perfect example of that because of his work ethic and his positive attitude.

Steele, along with his coach, had plenty to say about the importance of Smith and his abilities as a player.

“I can see him being a very good player for Keene State for four years,” Scott said.

Steele agreed, saying that he has the potential for a successful career at KSC.

“If he keeps going how he’s been going and keeps pushing himself day in and day out, I think it’ll be a great season and a great career for him,” Steele said.

“It’d be a totally different team without him and we’re very lucky and very happy that he’s with us.”

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com

Kaitlin Nolan 

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

Women’s Lacrosse

Kaitlin Nolan scored three goals and tallied three assists in Keene State College’s matchup against the University of Massachussetts Dartmouth on Saturday, April 23. The Owls defeated UMass by a score of 15-2 thanks to Nolan’s effort. Nolan is a senior from Mahopac, New York.

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com

On Saturday, April 23, and Sunday, April 24, the Keene State College Ultimate Frisbee club played host to seven teams from around the Northeast who competed in a tournament at Joyce Fields.

The University of Maine Farmington beat the Keene State College alumni team in the finals by a score of 13-8 to take home the title. Keene State College’s current team beat Franklin Pierce University to earn third place in the tournament. The other teams that participated in the annual event were from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Saint Anselm College and Bennington, Vermont.

Jared Sumner, President and Captain of the Keene State College Ultimate Frisbee club, said that there were originally ten teams expected to be in attendance for the tournament, but that a couple of the teams had to drop out at the last minute.

When asked how many times KSC has hosted the tournament, Sumner said that this was his, “second or third” tournament.

“We usually have the same teams show up, but then each year we try to build and grow the number of teams that come in,” Sumner said.

Seth Dube is another captain of the KSC Ultimate Frisbee club. Dube, who is in his second year as a member of the team, said that the club provides people with more than just competitive environment.

“It’s a great way to make friends,” Dube said. “A lot of my really good friends I’ve made through the team.”

Even though the club has a strong social aspect that doesn’t stop them from taking things seriously. Dube added that the team is definitely there to win.

“We like to have a lot of fun, but we also like to get after it and really play hard,” Dube said.

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

The current KSC club earned three wins and two losses on the first day of the tournament, in a round known as pool play. On Sunday, the team had one game remaining in pool play, as well as a bye, before entering the second round known as bracket play. Bracket play is when teams begin to be eliminated.

After the first day of the tournament, Dube said the team needed to focus on not beating themselves on Sunday.

“Once we make a mistake, it kind of tends to snowball and leads to a lot of other mistakes,” Dube said.

KSC was able to keep that focus and earn third place in the tournament, defeating FPU by a score of 13-7.

John McCullagh from the University of Maine Farmington said that his team has been to the tournament three or four teams.

McCullagh also said that his team went undefeated on the first day of the tournament, winning all four of their games. However, he also added that the team had, “a couple things to work on” for day two of the tournament.

McCullagh noted that his team has been around for a while, but this is his first year as captain of the UMaine Farmington Frisbee club. Since the year began their club have had several tournaments, kipping them busy throughout the years.

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

“We went to New York and New Jersey,” McCullagh said. “It’s hard to get to tournaments in Maine because of all the snow, so we have to head a bit south.”

He said that of the several events they participate in, Keene’s is definitely a fun one.

“It’s always a lot of fun, this is always a really fun tournament,” McCullagh said.

Kristen Tarr, another member of the UMaine Farmington team, agreed with McCullagh and said, “This is one tournament that everyone really looks forward to so we enjoy coming down.”

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com

Mariah Crisp

Softball 

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

Mariah Crisp broke the Keene State College record for career strikeouts last weekend against Baruch College in Virginia. Crisp now has 537 career strikeouts. Crisp is a senior pitcher for the Owls from Greenland, New Hampshire.

Crae Messer can be contacted at cmesser@kscequinox.com