Photo by Krystal Hicks

For Craig Werth, the associate director at the Center for Academic Resources, or CFAR, his professional career at UNH began back in 1983, but his university experience began prior to that. Before he sat down to listen to students' academic woes, he was strumming away on his guitar in the stairwells of our very own, Christensen Hall. "It pretty much all started here at UNH," says Craig, "My song writing took off and I was able to meet a lot more people who were interested in the same things I was." His musical ambitions grew and still remain to be a huge part of his, and his family's, life. With a CD out, and his son and wife to sing with at home, Craig continues to play venues and is even opening for one of his favorite artists this year in Maine.

As an undergrad, Craig's human service activities started him out on the road he would ultimately pursue as a profession. After being part of the orientation staff, Craig eventually made his way into the Upward Bound program, which enabled him to work with high school students. After graduating, he became the student coordinator for CFAR, which then, was called the Training for Academic Skills, or TASk, Center. Located in Stoke Hall, Craig worked his way into grad school and over a span of four years, acquired his Master's Degree in education and counseling. This of course launched him into his present day position at Wolff House with CFAR. A degree isn't the only thing Craig came out of those four years with though. He also met his wife Liz there, and together, they took time off from school to get married, and come back later as a student couple.

It seems pretty apparent that he was destined to work where he does, describing his work at CFAR as one of the most positive and "enriching" parts of his life. "I am definitely affected by the people who I'm close to and help or support here," he mentions, "and it really helps my own personal development and growth." While admitting that he enjoys the highly intellectual student community here at UNH, Craig, the oldest of six kids, explains his true passions lie within the familial context of his life.

"In the winter time, I love going snow shoeing through New Durham, where we live," he explains, "and in the summer, we kayak all around the coast and it's great." Since he was raised in a family that took part in many outdoor activities, Craig loves the fact that his family is able to come together and do the same. "I just remember we'd all try and pile into this one little boat we had and go out together." Says Craig when asked about his childhood, "We'd go out in the Great Bay off of Long Island, New York, and we'd snorkel all day. It was amazing to be a child and discover that undersea world."

But don't think any of this even begins to explain what Craig actually does everyday. If he's not talking to students about tips on performing better academically, campus life transition dilemmas, or other unavoidable predicaments students seem to encounter, he's probably battling it out with the computer systems. Apparently, students aren't the only ones who require his attention. "I try and help out as much as I can," he says about the computers laughing, "I guess you can also call me a technology assistant as well." If it's not one thing it's another, but he never seems to tire. And as a person who has befriended this problem solving, guitar playing, snorkeler, I am thankful to know that there are mentors here like Craig Werth, who students like myself can look up to, because college would be a tremendously monotonous experience without them.