In 1962, Michael Trimpi ’92 lived and worked in one of the most remote places on the planet—Eights Station in Antarctica. As a radioscience researcher for Stanford University, his groundbreaking research in upper-atmospheric noise set the course for the rest of his career. For more than two decades, he has designed and built measurement instruments that can withstand the sub-zero temperatures in Antarctica for Dartmouth College’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Though Trimpi’s career has focused on the electronic and scientific, his lifelong passion for music led him to Plymouth State where he studied classical guitar and earned a degree in music. He quickly became part of the community and discovered that many of his young classmates struggled to meet the costs of their education. He felt compassion for their financial burdens and took action.

For more than 15 years, Trimpi made anonymous gifts to support students and the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance, including when the department was in need of new pianos. “My accountant thought I was out of my mind to do that,” he said, “But I knew it had to be done.” He eventually decided to go public with his support, and in 2009, the first Michael L. Trimpi ’92 Endowment for Performance Studies Talent Grants were awarded.

Trimpi turns to a quote by Albert Pine when talking about his decision to give: “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Thanks to his generosity, Plymouth State’s students will be able to pursue their passions for generations to come.

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