Who Got You Through?

Cara Hayward ’08: I can’t pick just one but a few include the Whittemore Center (I was a figure skater), College Woods and Breaking New Grounds — also really missing some of my favorite food like Libby’s Asiago Spinach Dip, a DHOP slice, Franz’s breakfast sandwich special and Karl’s snotty fries!

Alex Carbone ’22: The lounges of my dorm when I did not want to travel far from my room, Union Court in the MUB during the week when I had time to kill between classes and was craving a turkey avocado melt, and in the quiet rooms at the library when a deadline was fast approaching and I needed to be in a distraction-free zone to stay focused. The Hamel Rec Center was my second home for my four years of undergrad — early morning lifts, work shifts, evening group fitness classes and summer access to the outdoor pool. College Woods was another fan favorite spot — great for a mind-clearing walk or run, especially during peak foliage.

Susie Piotrkowski ’10: Memorial Field — that’s really where I became an authentic person. When I bring my kid back to campus, I let her run around on the field. It’s a special space to me.

Cheryl Kuebler Dickson ’63: Going to UNH in the early 1960s was so much fun. Downtown had a couple of eateries, a small movie theatre and a few stores, but the MUB was the center of activities, holding movie nights, games and card play areas and an occasional dance. This was the place to go and hang out with friends and have a bite to eat. The food was wonderful compared to Commons, the only dining hall on campus, that served “mystery meat” almost nightly. I am always happy when I attend an event at the MUB now as an alum.

If you could go back and give yourself freshman-year advice, what would it be?

David Morin ’94: Take the time to understand how you learn as an individual. There are many ways to learn and retain information, so don’t be afraid to try new techniques. Look for and participate in alternative “classrooms” to educate yourself. I participated in a summer course on Appledore Island at the UNH/Cornell Shoals Marine Lab and it changed my life. Take the time to do extracurricular activities. The memories you will create will follow you for the rest of your life.

Susie Piotrkowski ’10: Embrace exactly who you are. Allow your confidence to be defined by your authenticity. For me a big part of that was my sexuality — honestly, what I would really tell my first-year self is: “Girl, you are gay!” For a long time you’re figuring out who you are and trying to fit into these various spaces; but the things that will inevitably define your success will be the things that are uniquely your own. For me that continued into my early career. You don’t have to be everybody’s cup of tea, but if you lead with kindness and empathy, you really start to gain identity. That’s when I really found myself, my calling, my family, my career. When I learned to embrace that I didn’t fit anything that was preconceived is when I really started to grow.

How has your UNH education helped you in your career?

Cara Hayward ’08: UNH provided me with so many opportunities to highlight the value I could bring to the real world outside of good grades. It also connected me with so many amazing alumni who helped prepare me for the working world. I strongly feel I wouldn’t have gotten my first job in finance if it wasn’t for the resume I was able to build from opportunities right on campus. I also feel that I grew as a person so much at UNH that it gave me the confidence to trust in myself when I faced hard times in my career and to know that everything will turn out OK.

Martha Foley Jackson ’76 ’96G: In my working days, I always felt that being a UNH alum was beneficial to my career. Much of my career was at UNH; for many years in admissions and later on in academic support for student-athletes. I taught ESL in the public school system for several years and worked in personnel at Pratt & Whitney for a few years while living in Connecticut. For obvious reasons, it was very helpful to have graduated from UNH relative to my career there. However, I felt well prepared by UNH in general, and specifically by my classes in French and in other required coursework, as this broad UNH education required me to hone my skills in public speaking and in written communication. I believe that competency in both of these areas is key to success in any career.

Mike Hickey ’73: The research, critical thinking and communications skills developed as a sociology major have served me for life. Over the years, my UNH connections advanced my work in nonprofit, government, academic and private sectors — in New Hampshire, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. I left Durham as class of ’73 secretary and leveraged the assignment to stay in touch with classmates. Decades later, I served for 10 years on the UNH Alumni Association Board of Directors and have since served on the Paul College and UNH Athletics advisory boards. My personal connections from UNH were woven tightly into my professional life.

Douglas Martin ’76: It has given me a sense of community wherever I have been, knowing there are others around me that I could always reach out to.

Sid Nigam ’16: It’s had a profound impact. The University of New Hampshire provided me with an excellent education that laid a strong foundation for my professional journey. I was able to secure a fully funded master’s in mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder and have worked at exciting companies like Deloitte Consulting, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and now RapDev. The UNH alumni community is incredibly supportive and tight-knit. I have been part of the Denver and Boston alumni networks, and now I’m serving on the Alumni Association Board of Directors as well as the CEPS Advisory Board. All of these involvements have added to my career opportunities, and helped me get reconnected with friends from college — including Bonnie Lai ’04, who even helped me buy my house!

Hannah Saulnier ’20: One valuable lesson I learned after graduating from UNH is the importance of leveraging your network in order to secure new job opportunities or advance within your current company. Networking not only enhances your social connections but also boosts your self-assurance and increases your professional visibility.

Alex Carbone ’22: UNH did an excellent job preparing me for my nursing career. I was exposed to a wide variety of clinical experiences and received detailed classroom education from the amazing Nursing faculty and staff. The addition of the Health Science Simulation Center my senior year augmented an already impressive simulation experience. I owe a significant amount of thanks and appreciation to UNH for preparing me to be a functioning nurse in the real world.

David Steelman ’67 ’70G: I was fortunate to attend UNH on scholarship. My parents could not afford my college costs, and I had to bear them all myself. As a result, I have made many contributions to the university to help students financially. In addition, my entire career before retirement had to do with helping public officials serve citizens by making effective and efficient use of finite public resources.

Carrie Harcus ’94: It set me up to succeed in the corporate world. I left New Hampshire and moved to Atlanta not long after graduation. Friends I had met while at UNH provided a safety net while I explored living in a place so different from home. I secured my first job at Ocean Spray Cranberries, where my boss encouraged me to get my MBA. While taking classes I met other students who were working at Coca-Cola. And the career just kept going from there.

How did you stay involved with UNH after you graduated?

Cheryl Kuebler Dickson ’63: I married a football/lacrosse player (Bo Dickson) who loved to attend the games and was very involved. Bo was also instrumental in starting the Athletic Hall of Fame. I was involved in sorority life and have stayed in contact with my sisters. Together with our friends, we would follow the teams and cheer on the Wildcats. I encourage the new alums to reach out to your friends, plan get-togethers/trips, call and chat frequently and, when possible, return to campus for your reunions. Those four years at UNH were the best.

Alex Carbone ’22: I continued to work a few shifts at the Hamel Recreation Center before starting my full-time job at a Boston hospital. I stayed in touch with many UNH professors with whom I had formed strong bonds. I came back to speak with senior nursing students about my transition to practice and to answer questions they had as they prepared for board exams and starting their new graduate nursing programs. I’m back on campus once a week during the semester to work in the simulation lab with the senior nursing students — it’s been an awesome chance to support students who are in a position I was in not too long ago.

What’s one UNH tradition/event that we should try not to miss?

David Steelman ’67 ’70G: Whenever my spouse and I go to a hockey game at the Whitt and see UNH students taunting a goalie or another team’s player going into the penalty box, I think to myself that all the students are doing their job — being silly and “sophomoric.” So that is something to be sure to be part of. In my time as an undergraduate, UNH and Durham were “dry” in the sense that alcoholic beverages were not served to students on campus or in the town. It was common to go by car to bars in Dover that catered to students, and each year some students did not make it back to campus alive at the end of the evening (because of drunk driving). Part of “growing up” involves trying a bunch of things to learn about your own strengths and shortcomings, and to learn for yourself when to stop short of doing something that might harm you or others.

Shawn Morrill ’97: I wouldn’t blow off your Gen Eds (formerly General Education courses, now referred to as Discovery courses). Through my Gen Eds I found I like history, and since then I’ve always been fascinated with ancient Greek history, as well as the 1700s. That led me to become a Revolutionary War reenactor, and I’ve even come back to campus to present on life during that time. So academics shouldn’t be just about your major; those other experiences can lead you to an interesting hobby or a passion you didn’t know you had.

Susie Piotrkowski ’10: Get nachos at Libby’s. Seriously, Durham’s got a pretty great food scene going on, so bring your friends and family around when they come to visit … I would crush some DHOP pizza right now.

In life after UNH, did you find that it was your extracurriculars or your academics that were most valuable in finding a job?

Hannah Saulnier ’20: Participating in extracurricular activities was integral in enhancing my employability and securing job opportunities. The guidance and support from my peers and mentors played a pivotal role in my professional growth and transition into adulthood.

Douglas Martin ’76: Both, as it made a well-rounded individual. I had the fundamentals to take on any engineering job in my major, and could easily communicate and relate to the people around me both professionally and personally.

Carrie Harcus ’94: Both. I did four internships while I was at UNH. I thought I wanted to go into advertising so I interned at agencies in Portsmouth, where I learned about client management, graphic design and working in an office setting. I did a marketing internship at a community theatre in Epping and ended up loving the theatre so much I joined the cast for two shows! Academically, my education provided me with valuable perspective; it taught me critical thinking and opened my mind to creative expression. The women’s studies courses sparked a lifelong passion for women’s leadership development and pushing for equality in the workplace.

Cara Hayward ’08: I’d like to say both but I’ll pick extracurriculars because technically the ones I chose included some elements of academics. My extracurriculars allowed me to learn the soft skills that I use in business every day: leadership, time management, effective communication, working with people and, most important of all, learning how to prioritize what you have to do with what you love to do!

Alex Carbone ’22: I would say this was a pretty even split for me. While my nursing education obviously played a major role in preparing me for my boards and on-the-job knowledge, my extracurriculars are not to be overlooked. The conflict resolution and leadership skills that I acquired from my time as a UNH RA and supervisor at the Hamel Rec Center are skills that I continue to use on a daily basis not only in my career, but in my everyday life.

What was your favorite club or extracurricular activity at UNH, and why was that your favorite?

Bonnie Lai ’04: I was a part of the Diversity Support Coalition throughout the entire four years I was at UNH. I really enjoyed learning about many different diverse cultures, the opportunities of taking on various leadership roles. We learned so many important skills: how to run a team, event planning, budgeting, leadership training and so many more. These skillsets have served me well later in life in any jobs I take on. Not to mention it was always fun to hang out with such an incredible community of friends with different cultural backgrounds.

Rina Drake ’88: I was a nerdy occupational therapy student, but weirdly, joining a Greek organization was pretty great. It was a nice balance to the overwhelming academic work to be social and get involved in something totally different.

Mike Hickey ’73: Freshman Camp made all the difference to me – during my years at UNH and in life after school. I made fast friendships as an entering freshman and enjoyed my three years as a Freshman Camp counselor. Friendships gained have lasted a lifetime. My favorite pastime was cheering on the UNH Wildcats at Snively Arena. I met my future wife on the first night of freshman year. Marilyn and I attended every game we could during our years together at UNH. Her dad was goalie for UNH from 1933-35. UNH hockey remains a major thread in our lives to this day.

Shawn Morrill ’97: I worked in those computer clusters in McConnell and Kingsbury, where I got a lot of exposure to different kinds of software. I also worked at Cabletron during school and gained some corporate experience there, and I set up the flags for the Marching Band, where I met a lot of different people.

What is one resource you wish you took advantage of while at UNH that you feel like you missed after you graduated (and why)?

Susie Piotrkowski ’10: I so wish I studied abroad. I probably would have gone to Australia.

Alex Carbone ’22: I slept through senior sunrise on T-Hall Lawn after graduation and I still kick myself for missing that.

Mike Hickey ’73: Career Services was helpful to me, but I should have leveraged it much more proactively. I should have also leveraged my relationships with faculty more than I did. I admired my advisor, Professor Melvin Bobick. I learned so much about him in both the classroom and in office conversations during my time in Durham. I regret not having stayed in touch with him after graduation.

What should seniors make sure they do before they graduate?

Hannah Saulnier ’20: Parents Weekend. It is a great way to bring the campus community together. I really enjoyed having all my friends meet my parents and getting to meet theirs, too!

Cara Hayward ’08: Make a pact with your best friends how often and how you’ll stay in touch, use all your Holloway credits if you have them (food is expensive in the real world!) and finally, if you haven’t explored all the Seacoast has to offer, get out and enjoy it, especially if you’re moving away! I miss it so much and wish I had taken more advantage.

I’m a freshman and I find myself pretty nervous and anxious about being so new. What’s your advice for coping with first-year jitters?

David Steelman ’67 ’70G: Although a freshman will see many classmates and upper-class students who appear to be more sophisticated, most of them are just as uncertain and afraid about the new environment they’ve entered. It’s important to look out for possible friends in the dormitory, in classes, in the dining room, at the MUB, at sporting events, in downtown Durham or rushing a sorority or fraternity. It’s all about finding your own way in the world by starting to define for yourself who you are as an adult. A good way to do that is to consider your own thoughts and responses to what your classmates, upper-class students, professors and college staff are doing.

Rina Drake ’88: The first year of being away from home can be very anxiety producing! I’d suggest going in expecting those feelings and giving yourself the space to feel them. But also getting yourself out there a bit and meeting people totally helps. Leave your door open and reach out to dorm mates to start … It’s a promise that they all feel the same way!

Hannah Saulnier ’20: One piece of advice for freshmen who may be feeling slightly overwhelmed with college is to remember that it is completely normal to feel that way. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable in new situations. Remember that facing challenges and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is all part of the growth process in achieving your dreams.

What did you take with you into the “real world” after graduating from UNH?

Scott Aronson ’92: The relationships with faculty and other students. A friend from UNH heard that I was looking to get into healthcare consulting and introduced me to the then department head for health management & policy. I was a political science major and had no interactions with him during my undergraduate studies. He took me under his wing as if I had been one of his students. He not only provided counsel for educational and consulting opportunities, but he also guided me as I started my own business and, many years later, officiated my wedding.

Douglas Martin ’76: The ability to work collaboratively with my peers. The drive and focus to make the best out of any situation.

Cara Hayward ’08: In addition to a group of lifelong friendships, I would say the importance of networking and advocating for yourself.

Susie Piotrkowski ’10: How to deal with real-life challenges; not everything is going to go as you expect it, and not every relationship will be without confrontation. As an adult, you are responsible for the good, the bad and the ugly. I learned how to handle even the most difficult situations.

David Steelman ’67 ’70G: I took a sense that I know enough about myself and the world to make my way. Most of all, I had confidence in my own ability (a) to write well, (b) to address day-to-day problems, (c) to perform the wide array of mundane tasks required to complete my work and (d) to promote the common good.

Carrie Harcus ’94: Broader understanding and appreciation of diverse people, cultures and experiences. I grew up living in a community where everyone looked like me and gender roles were quite traditional. UNH introduced me to other students who came from other backgrounds, had different traditions and perspectives. And the classroom challenged my thinking about what truth is. I found this especially true for classes such as media studies, propaganda and women’s studies.

Shawn Morrill ’97: Being a political science major, while I didn’t go into a career in politics, I learned how to analyze data and institutions, and how to see patterns — those are valuable skills for my career. My degree also taught me how to do research. When I first started working at Fidelity, I worked on the website, which at the time was all static pages; we were working to make it more dynamic. But there were no books back then on how to test websites. So I went back to my research skills: if you don’t have the information, you go find it, and if it doesn’t exist, you go and make it.