"I found my peace here."
Deployed to Afghanistan, AJ Beaudoin 鈥�17 served in the United States Army as a Paratrooper Sergeant, and returned a wounded warrior in 2010.
鈥淲hen I got out of the Army, I received my DD214 [discharge papers], with no plans or goals. I spent years trying to find a sense of purpose and where to belong,鈥� Beaudoin says.
In 2014, AJ and his wife (and high school sweetheart), Nicole, came up from Irving, New York, to the Adirondacks for vacation. 鈥淚 wanted to see this college I heard about,鈥� Beaudoin adds.
The Beaudoins visited Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 and met with Amy Tuthill, the Director of Veteran Services from 2000 to 2019鈥攁nd proud Army Veteran Mom herself.
They were so impressed by Amy鈥檚 dedication to veterans and efforts to build a veterans鈥� community at Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 that he immediately enrolled, majoring in Fisheries & Wildlife Management.
鈥淭hen we moved up here,鈥� Nicole adds.
Beaudoin says that Paul Smith鈥檚 14,000-acre campus should be seen as a destination college for veterans to find peace, even those with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], like himself . 鈥淚t鈥檚 a destination to heal,鈥� says Beaudoin, 鈥淚 found my peace here鈥攁nd others have, too鈥攁nd I hope more will come and follow and find their own peace.鈥�
Beaudoin felt that Paul Smith鈥檚 was a comfortable and welcoming experience for recovering vets. He was even permitted to bring his young son to labs on occasion. 鈥淔or a father to be able to bring his son, and for the professors to be open to that, meant a lot to me and allowed me to reintegrate into the community,鈥� Beaudoin recalls, 鈥淎nd, not only was I allowed to bring my own son to campus, but I took some faculty鈥檚 family out fishing.鈥�
Do You Battle Fish?
Beaudoin did not grow up as an avid fisherman, but through his experience at Paul Smith鈥檚, he became one鈥攁nd learned that he likes the teaching aspects as well and sharing the joys of fishing with others. As a result, Beaudoin is the Founder of Battle Fish University, an organization that teaches military veterans the ins and outs of operating a successful fishing charter business.
In June 2024, Battle Fish University and the Global Center for Social Entrepreneurship Network, National Center for Veteran Ventures (GCSEN-NCVV) sponsored a three-day, accredited Certification program with Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉. The program taught 14 active duty transition and military veterans and family members鈥攆rom as far away as Wyoming and Kansas鈥攖he essential steps to become outdoor guides as well as GCSEN 4P Social Entrepreneurs for People, Profit, Planet and Place.
The program started with greetings from Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 President, Dr. Dan
Kelting, GCSEN鈥檚 President/Founder Professor Mike Caslin, and Beaudoin. Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 Professor of Environmental Studies & Outdoor Leadership, Dr. Eric Holmlund, Caslin, and Beaudoin led the vets in a variety of marketing and entrepreneurship classes.
From Lower St. Regis Lake and its connected waterways of the St. Regis Wilderness Canoe area, BFU embraced the healing powers of Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 nature while creating unique, innovative-out-of-the box and practical fishing guide, career- and, CEO-level business training. Experiential learning was a key design concept, supported by interactive lecture workshops and combined with real-life inspiration stories that prove 鈥渋t鈥檚 possible鈥� via GCSEN鈥檚 Veteran鈥檚 Playbook, that features veterans from across the Armed Forces.
It鈥檚 About Community
Beaudoin continues his outreach and efforts to bring underserved members of the community some of the peace and healing he found at Paul Smith鈥檚.
Now in its second year, Beaudoin has led approximately 30 kids in the Reeling for Recovery Kids鈥� Camp, in July 2024.
鈥淩eeling for Recovery is a free program to drive awareness of addiction and the negative impact it leaves on our youth,鈥� Beaudoin explains.
At the three-day camp, the kids are taught fishing, hiking, and outdoor adventure.
鈥淓very kid catches a fish!鈥� Beaudoin insists.
Revitalizing Veteran Services
Nicole Beaudoin joined Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 as Director of Veteran Services in June 2024. She says it was her meeting with Amy Tuthill years ago that inspired and empowered her for this critical role.
鈥淚鈥檓 focused on rebuilding and revitalizing veterans services, getting all the aspects back in one place, such as admissions, recruitment, and retention for vets,鈥� Nicole says.
A large part of her outreach efforts are focused on U.S. Army Ft. Drum, Home of the 10th Mountain Division. Nicole has been traveling the two hours to the Watertown area setting up tabling events and meeting with the Ft. Drum administration and separating soldiers to create a revitalized awareness of Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉.
She was instrumental in making the Battle Fish University event a success. In fact, there were three soldiers from Ft. Drum who attended, and two others who are planning to enroll at Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉!
Not only is Nicole honoring our vets and servicemembers at events and Ft. Drum, but ensuring that we properly honor them, and our country, right here on campus. In June 2024, Nicole arranged for a new American flag to replace the tattered one flying over the Great Lawn.
In Fall 2024, a new Veterans鈥� Lounge was opened in the lower level of the Phelps Administration Building.
AJ will be joining Nicole on campus, at least for a little bit, as a returning student.
鈥淚 have some benefits left, and as a life-long learner, I want to be sure to use them. I鈥檓 going to study Stream Ecology,鈥� Beaudoin says.
Smitty On
To learn more about how Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 can work with our vets, contact Nicole Beaudoin at 518-327-6091 or nbeaudoin@paulsmiths.edu.
By Jeff Macharyas and Nicole Beaudoin
Photos (previous page):
Battle Fish University, Summer 2024
(photo left) The Outdoor Classroom
at Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉 with Professor Eric Holmlund conducting class.
Photo (adjacent): AJ Beaudoin
Photo (above): The new Veterans鈥� Lounge at Paul Smith鈥檚 美女萝莉