Friday, February 2, 2007

 

MWCC TO HOST FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR AND ISLAMIC CULTURE EXPERT

By Kimberly B. Caisse

Later this month, MWCC will host a Fulbright scholar from Malaysia who will share his insights on Islamic culture with students, faculty and communities groups.

Dr. Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil

Dr. Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil’s visit is part of the Fulbright Visiting Specialists Program: Direct Access to the Muslim World and is made possible in part by Four Points by Sheraton and Wachusett Village Inn.

“We applied for this grant to bring a better understanding of the Muslim world to our students, professors and staff as well as our greater community. I expect Dr. Adil’s visit to be filled with healthy exchanges of ideas,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino.

“Americans have been grappling with how the ideals of freedom and liberty can overcome violent Islamic extremism since the September 11, 2001, terrorists’ attacks,” Asquino noted. “It is important for us to address these issues as our soldiers fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq and our investigative agencies track terrorists to thwart future attacks.”

Dr. Adil will be at MWCC between Tuesday, February 20 and Friday, March 9.

In Malaysia, Dr. Adil is a lecturer at the Centre for Islamic Thought and Understanding at Mara University of Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Shari’a in the field of Shari’a and Law from the University of Malaya and master’s and doctorate degrees in law from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.

In his application to the Fulbright program, Dr. Adil said he wanted to come to the United States to dispel misconceptions about Islam. “Since September 11, 2001, the U.S. perception towards Islam is that it promotes terrorism,” he wrote. “The fanaticism taught by a few radical Muslim preachers has to some extent tarnished the image and beauty of the religion of Islam. The word ‘Islam’ means peace and tranquility.”

During his visit here, Dr. Adil will speak about the fundamentals of Islam, Islam and gender issues, Muslims’ and non-Muslims’ rights, law and religion, Islam in Malaysia and the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Islam Hadhari Project.

He is bringing his message to MWCC students, faculty and staff as well as local schools and community organizations. His itinerary includes speaking in various classes, meeting with faculty and staff and the following public events:

Sunday, Feb. 25
• 2 p.m., lecture entitled “Fundamentals of Islam and Religious Freedom,” open to the public, First Church Unitarian Universalist, Leominster

Wednesday, Feb. 28
• 6 p.m., an “Overview of Islam” and discussion of “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” free and open to the public, Leo & Theresa LaChance Library, light refreshments served

Friday, March 2
• 11:30 a.m., panel discussion entitled “Different Faces of Islam” featuring Muslim scholars from other countries, free and open to the public, room 127 of the Gardner campus

For the full itinerary, visit http://www.mwcc.edu/info/fulbright.html.

For more information, contact a member of the Fulbright Visiting Specialist planning committee: Heather Layton at (978) 630-9154 or hlayton@mwcc.mass.edu, Sharyn Rice at (978) 630-9216 or srice@mwcc.mass.edu, Bonnie Toothaker at (978) 630-9312 or btoothaker@mwcc.mass.edu, Kimberly B. Caisse at (978) 630-9547 or kcaisse@mwcc.mass.edu, Heidi McCann at (978) 630-9255 or hmccann@mwcc.mass.edu, John Fielding at (978) 630-9295 or jfielding@mwcc.mass.edu, Ray Coleman at (978) 630-9329 or rcoleman@mwcc.mass.edu or Pete Trainor at (978) 630-9134 or ptrainor@mwcc.mass.edu.

More MWCC News:

• IRS-trained volunteers, including 30 MWCC students, will be helping low- and moderate-income taxpayers prepare and file their federal tax returns for free as part of the federal Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. At the Leominster campus, the service will be offered on Fridays beginning Feb. 2 through April 13 from 1 to 8 p.m. (The Leominster campus will be closed on Friday, March 16 for the Evacuation Day state holiday.) At the Gardner campus, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site will be in Room 250 on Thursdays beginning Feb. 8 through April 12 from 1 to 8 p.m. MWCC’s financial aid officers will be on hand at some sessions to assist taxpayers interested in attending college with filling out financial aid forms. To schedule an appointment, taxpayers may contact Denise Whitney at (978) 630-9124 or dwhitney@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC’s Student Life Office, CATS, ALANA Club, PRIDE Club and the International Club are sponsoring a Mardi Gras Carnival on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. in the Gardner campus’ south cafeteria. Students, faculty, staff and guests will enjoy karaoke from 6:30 to 8:30 and dancing from 8:30 to 11. Cash prizes for the top three costumes will be awarded. Cash donations will be collected for the AshaKiran Jubilee Hope Center, an HIV/AIDS care facility in India. For more information, contact Student Life Director Greg Clement at (978) 630-9252 or gclement@mwcc.mass.edu.
• Theatre at the Mount will hold auditions for the children’s musical “Suessical Jr.” by appointment only on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. for ages 8 to 12 and 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. for ages 13 to 18. To schedule an appointment, call the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or e-mail your appointment request to box-office@mwcc.mass.edu. Auditions will be held in room 182. Auditions will consist of singing and dancing auditions. Vocal selection and dance combination will both be taught at the audition. Teens will also be asked to do a reading from Dr. Seuss – copies of readings are available at the box office in advance of the audition. The tentative rehearsal schedule is Sunday afternoons, Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning Sunday, Feb. 25. Performances of “Seussical Jr.” are Tuesday, April 24 through Friday, April 27 at 9:30 a.m. and noon; and Saturday, April 28 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information, contact Professor Gail Steele at (978) 630-9162 or visit the Theatre at the Mount website at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• David Hansen

  MWCC faculty and staff who take the IRS’ Link and Learn Taxes course and pass the certification exam may participate in the VITA program as well. Link and Learn can be accessed through www.irs.gov by typing "Link & Learn Taxes" in the keyword/search box in the upper right-hand corner of the page or by clicking the following link: http://www.irs.gov/app/vita/index.jsp. Contact Assistant Professor of Business John Reilly at (978) 630-9296 or Vice President of Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development Jackie Feldman at (978)630-9309 for more information.
• David Hansen, professor and director of the program in Philosophy and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, will discuss the new book, “Ethical Visions of Education: Philosophies in Practice,” on Monday, Feb. 12 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus as part of the college’s 2006-2007 What’s Next Speaker Series. A complimentary lunch will be provided, courtesy of the Center for Democracy and Humanity at MWCC. For more information, contact Eveliz Rivera at (978) 630-9324 whatsnext@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC’s new Biotechnology program will host information sessions Wednesdays Feb. 14, March 7, April 11 and May 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. at the main campus, 444 Green St., Gardner. Sessions will be held at the Leominster campus, 100 Erdman Way, on Tuesday, Feb. 20; Monday, March 19; Monday, April 23; and Wednesday, May 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. With the decision by the drug manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb to locate a large biotechnology company at Devens, the college anticipates starting the biotech program in fall 2007 at the Devens and Gardner campuses. Registration is required. To register and for more information, contact MWCC’s Dean of Science Charles Weitze at cweitze@mwcc.mass.edu or (978) 630-9207.
• MWCC is pleased to bring a Fulbright scholar and Islamic culture expert to students, faculty and our communities between Tuesday, February 20 and Friday, March 9. Dr. Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil’s visit is part of the Fulbright Visiting Specialists Program: Direct Access to the Muslim World. During his visit here, Dr. Adil is speaking about the fundamentals of Islam, Islam and gender issues, Muslims’ and non-Muslims’ rights, law and religion, Islam in Malaysia and the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Islam Hadhari Project. He is bringing his message to MWCC students, faculty and staff as well as local schools and community organizations. His itinerary includes speaking in various classes, meeting with faculty and staff and the following community events: Sunday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m., lecture entitled “Fundamentals of Islam and Religious Freedom,” First Church Unitarian Universalist, Leominster; Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m., an “Overview of Islam” and discussion of “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” Leo & Theresa LaChance Library, light refreshments available; Friday, March 2 at 11:30 a.m., panel discussion entitled “Different Faces of Islam” featuring Muslim scholars from various countries, room 127 of the Gardner campus. These events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.mwcc.edu/info/fulbright.html or contact MWCC Public Relations Specialist Kimberly B. Caisse at (978) 630-9547.
• The Art Department is hosting the exhibit “Connected Partners: Sharing a Life and an Aesthetic Vision” featuring works by Dug Morton (’86) and Dawn Haley Morton in the East Wing Gallery through Saturday, March 10. The paintings on display were done by Dug; the photographs taken by Dawn. A reception for the artists will be held Friday, Feb. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. The East Wing Gallery, located in the Raymond M. LaFontaine Fine Arts Center at the Gardner campus, is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact Professor John Pacheco (978) 630-9184 or jpacheco@mwcc.mass.edu.
• Theatre at the Mount will present “Smokey Joe’s Café” for five performances beginning Friday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. “Smokey Joe's Café” is an explosion of immortal hits including “Stand By Me,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “There Goes My Baby” and many more. Other performances will be held on Saturday, Feb. 24, Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets for “Smokey Joe’s Café” are on sale at the Theatre at the Mount box office Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., or call (978) 632-2403. Tickets can also be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu. Tickets are $20 for evening performances and $15 for matinees, with discounts available for children, Mount students and groups. Subscriptions for Theatre at the Mount’s 2007 season, at total of five shows, are also available for just $65.
• MWCC will host the "Black Cinema 101 Tour” in observance of Black History Month on Wednesday, Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the commons area of the Gardner campus. The Black Cinema Gallery is an inspirational tribute to Black actors, actresses and authors who inspired the world through their outstanding performances and works, taking Hollywood to a different plateau. The display is sponsored by the Student Life Office.
• Free college. Earn a paycheck. Apply to be a Community Scholar at MWCC. Community Scholars receive free tuition, fees and books, $10,000 in annual wages by working at a local nonprofit organization, leadership development opportunities and a $1,000 education award toward a four-year degree. For a brochure and application, send your name and mailing address to communityscholars@mwcc.mass.edu. The application deadline is Monday, March 12.

• Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I of England

  Learn more about Community Scholars at two upcoming information sessions: Monday, February 26 and Wednesday, February 28 from 6 to 7 p.m. Both sessions will be at the Gardner campus, 444 Green St. For an advanced brochure, send your name and mailing address to communityscholars@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC will host a Renaissance performance by actor Marilyn Murphy Meardon on Wednesday, Feb. 28th from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the main campus. The 45-minute, solo performance, “Queen Elizabeth I: In her Own Words,” was researched and composed by Meardon, who used the Queen's own letters, poetry, prayers and speeches to create a performance that brings the monarch's words to life. Meardon’s performance will complement the “Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend” traveling exhibition on display in the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library through March 30, 2007. For more information, contact the library at (978) 630-9125.
• MWCC’s Art Club will host the Walk for a New Spring, an annual interfaith walk for peace taken by Buddhist monks and nuns and walkers, for lunch at the college’s north dining area on Wednesday, Feb. 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The group will arrive at MWCC from Noonday Farm in Winchendon, a Catholic worker-owned farm that grows vegetables for soup kitchens in Boston. From the college, they will meet Fitchburg Mayor Dan Mylott, visit Fitchburg State College and meet Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella. For more information, contact Assistant Professor Tom Matsuda at (978) 630-9340 or tmatsuda@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC will hold a four-session Explorer course Wednesdays March 7, March 21, April 4, and April 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. at its Gardner campus. The Explorer program is intended for those who are considering farming as a business. This course offering is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Agricultural Business Training Program, in cooperation with the Explorer creator, the New England Small Farm Institute in Belchertown, with additional support from MWCC. For a registration form, please contact Rick Chandler, MDAR, 25 West Experiment Station, UMass, Amherst MA 01003 or rchandler@umext.umass.edu.
• MWCC’s Leo & Theresa LaChance Library will host the "Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend" traveling exhibit through March 30. The library is one of only 40 public and academic libraries in the nation to host this exhibit. This new exhibit commemorates the 400th anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England and encourages audiences not only to reacquaint themselves with the Queen, but also to become more familiar with the historical and cultural forces that shaped her personality and her time, and to examine the mixture of history and legend that continues to surround her today. The American Library Association Public Programs Office, in partnership with The Newberry Library of Chicago and the National Endowment for the Humanities, is sponsoring the traveling exhibit. All showings of the exhibition and related programs will be free and open to the public. For more information, contact Reference and Instruction Librarian Ellen Pratt at (978) 630-9125.
• MWCC will host an informal discussion with Jibreel Khazan, formerly Ezell Blair Jr., one of the “Greensboro Four” who took part in the Woolworth sit-ins of the Civil Rights Movement, on Friday, March 9 at 10:30 a.m. in the theatre. The decision of four African American students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College to stage a sit-in at the Greensboro Woolworth lunch counter on Feb. 1, 1960, led to civil rights sit-ins in 54 other cities in nine states. By the end of July 1960, Woolworths decided to integrate its lunch counter. For more information, contact MWCC Public Relations Specialist Kimberly B. Caisse at (978) 630-9547 or kcaisse@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC’s English Department is sponsoring a lecture by Dr. Arthur F. Kinney, Thomas W. Copeland Professor of Literary History and director of the Center for Renaissance Studies at UMass-Amherst, on Friday, March 9 from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the north cafeteria of the Gardner campus. Kinney is the author or editor of more than 30 books and his work has served scholars and professors for more than three decades. Last year, he was presented with the Paul Oskar Kristeller Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest international award for a Renaissance Scholar. Kinney’s most recent book is “Shakespeare and Cognition – Aristotle’s Legacy and Shakespearean Drama.” For more information, contact MWCC Public Relations Specialist Kimberly B. Caisse at (978) 630-9547 or kcaisse@mwcc.mass.edu.