Plymouth State honors students, faculty with awards

PLYMOUTH — A Plymouth State University faculty member, students, and a local community partner were honored at the Campus Compact for New Hampshire’s annual Presidents’ Awards presentation on April 9 in Manchester. CCNH is a statewide group of college and university presidents dedicated to advancing the civic purposes of higher education. The individuals and groups recognized were nominated by PSU President Donald Birx and members of the PSU community for their commitment to serving the Plymouth-area communities.

“The recipients of this year’s Campus Compact Awards are committed to making our campus community, our region, and our state stronger,” said Birx. “We are proud of each of them, and truly appreciate their dedication and service.”

Molly Cassidy was named a Newman Civic Fellow, which recognizes and supports one student at each Campus Compact member institution who is a change-maker and problem-solver, and demonstrates potential for public leadership. Cassidy is a senior sociology major nominated by President Birx because she “exemplifies a student leader who is making significant contributions to the development of her peers, and to the local and global communities. [She] is an AmeriCorps alumnus...and dedicates her time to engaging her peers in service and serving the area through community identified projects.” 

PSU Enactus was honored with the president's Leadership Award recognizing students or student groups who have made outstanding contributions to civic engagement. The PSU Enactus chapter has launched multiple projects to benefit the broader community, including the One Scoop at A Time initiative, in partnership with the Common Man family of restaurants. The initiative involves manufacturing, packaging and marketing of ice cream in various flavors at Common Man restaurants and other locations. All proceeds go to the Bridge House Homeless Shelter in Plymouth to support Veterans experiencing homelessness.

Rachelle Lyons, M.Ed., was honored with the president’s Good Steward Award, recognizing faculty or staff members who contribute professional expertise in service to the wider community. Lyons is a research assistant professor of environmental studies and first year fellow at PSU. She manages community-initiated partnerships and field-based learning opportunities for multiple clusters. Lyons’s first-year seminar classes focus on food security, and engage students in active service with organizations like the PSU Student Support Foundation, Inner City Food Drop and D’Acres.

D’Acres in Dorchester was awarded the Presidents’ Community Partner Award, given to a nonprofit organization enhancing the quality of life in the community and engaged in the development of sustained, reciprocal partnerships with a college or university. D’Acres is a permaculture farm and educational center that researches, applies, and teaches people sustainable living and small-scale farming skills. D’Acres has supported PSU student learning for many years by hosting class visits, interns and service-learning students, and student volunteers. This past year, D’Acres partnered with PSU’s office of community impact to welcome first-year students to the region, offered volunteer opportunities during the day of service, and partnered with the PSU Student Support Foundation on its Swipe It Forward campaign to assist students who are food insecure.

“Each of this year’s awardees exemplifies Plymouth State University’s culture of service, and are leaders and role models for our campus community,” said Birx.

For more information about Plymouth State University visit www.plymouth.edu.