PSU’s visionary approach to education is tearing down academic silos and creating seven interdisciplinary academic clusters that promote an integrated educational experience. The Integrated Cluster approach prepares students to be 21st century marketplace standouts and builds real-world collaborations between the University, industry, and communities.

At the core—the heart—of each cluster is the critical need for Open Laboratories: transformational spaces for students and faculty to engage with businesses and communities and apply their classroom experiences to solve challenging problems. For the Health and Human Enrichment (HHE) cluster, the Open Lab is the AllWell Complex on the Holderness Campus. The University plans to build new and upgrade current facilities at ALLWell to integrate academics, athletics, and outreach.
“This exciting strategic initiative lets us maximize the benefit of PSU’s splendid natural resources,” says Don Birx, president of Plymouth State University. “The new, world-class facilities will enable students to develop their academic and athletic prowess, while linking outdoors, indoors, tourism, health care, sports, hands-on learning, and regional economic growth. Thanks to the New Hampshire State Legislature, Plymouth State will receive $3 million toward the construction of this Open Lab.”

Upgrades of the AllWell Complex feature:

• Two artificial turf playing fields to extend outdoor activities year-round
• Stadium seating and lighting to expand outdoor operational hours
• Six tennis courts to replace courts that were eliminated with the
  construction of ALLWell North
• Grass field enhancements to improve the fields’ longevity
• Strength & Conditioning Open Lab to be co-located with
  the stadium and turf fields

Recruitment and Retention

Among PSU’s high-level priorities are recruiting and retaining top students, particularly those who are committed to active lifestyles. PSU’s lack of turf fields is a huge challenge in attracting first-class student athletes in all sports.

Benefits of artificial turf fields:

• The University estimates that 90% of all students will use the stadium and turf field for academic instruction as well as recreational, intramural, and club sports.
• PSU’s construction of facilities supporting ice hockey and track and field, for example, ushered in large enrollment increases. PSU projects similar increased enrollment with the new facilities and upgrades of the ALLWell Complex.
• The turf fields will serve as Open Laboratories for academic programs and will be located immediately adjacent to the Strength and Conditioning Open Lab.
• Turf fields offer top-quality playing surfaces year-round.
• One-third of student athletes enrolling at PSU graduated from high schools with turf fields. To competitively recruit these potential PSU students, the University needs similar facilities at the collegiate level.
• Without a turf field, PSU is unable to host NCAA playoff games. Field hockey teams practice and compete off-campus because they cannot play on grass. Similarly, the lack of a turf field rarely allows spring teams to host home games.

Academic and Regional Transformations

The Strength and Conditioning Open Lab offers transformational opportunities to students, the community, and the region. It will be an academic hub, integrating knowledge gained in the classroom with hands-on expertise refined in the Open Lab. “This new Open Lab will encourage real-world teamwork,” says Gail Mears, dean College of Education, Health and Human Services. “It will incorporate multiple perspectives and solutions, create partnerships with industries, organizations and communities, and address gaps in the region’s economy.”

• Students enrolled in athletic training, physical education, outdoor recreation, physical therapy, exercise and sports physiology and other allied health fields will use top-notch equipment and work in state-of-the-art facilities.
• The facilities will attract high quality student athletes, faculty and coaches who will enhance the academic rigor of programs and performance of athletic teams.
• The interdisciplinary perspectives gained by the Strength and Conditioning Open Lab will aid in making PSU a renown center of excellence in New Hampshire and beyond.
• New and upgraded facilities enable new training grounds and programmatic opportunities for faculty and students to serve special populations, such as Special Olympic athletes, Wounded Warriors, and other under-served groups. 
• Enlarging students’ cache of real-world skills, complemented by gaining a network of strong professional connections, addresses local employers’ needs for a highly-qualified workforce. It also enables New Hampshire natives to stay and live in New Hampshire—a benefit both for students and regional economic development.

For additional information about supporting this new initiative through a philanthropic investment or bequest, please contact Vice President of  University Advancement Paula Lee Hobson or Director of Development John Scheinman.

■ Orna Feldman

Tags:  ALLWell North athletic director athletics Health and Human Enrichment integrated clusters integrated clusters initiative open laboratories turf field