MWCC's Weekly e-newsletter

Friday, February 4, 2005

Multi Service Center to Honor MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino with the Dr. Robert H. Goldman Community Service Award

	President Daniel M. Asquino

The Multi-Service Center in Leominster announces that it will honor Mount Wachusett Community College President Daniel M. Asquino with the Dr. Robert H. Goldman Community Service Award at its annual dinner, Thursday, April 28 at the Best Western Royal Plaza in Fitchburg. “We believe Dr. Asquino embodies all of the values of the Multi Service Center,” said Multi-Service Center President Dr. Philip Fallon. Formerly Superintendent of the Fitchburg Public Schools, Fallon will serve as emcee at the annual dinner.

“I have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Asquino over the years and have always been impressed with the effort he makes everyday to help people from all walks of life find opportunity. Whether it’s through the college or one of the numerous community agencies he is affiliated with, he is constantly striving toward this goal,” said Fallon.

“Identifying and serving the needs of the community at large are our major goals,” said Multi-Service Center Executive Director Barbara Abraham. “President Asquino’s incredible efforts to build community through the college’s Decade of Civic Engagement initiative and the Center for Democracy and Humanity have demonstrated how truly innovative and creative a leader can be. He has demonstrated an incredible amount of commitment to making all of our communities better places to work and live.”

Since arriving at Mount Wachusett Community College in 1987, Asquino has focused his efforts on improving curriculum, community outreach and economic development. Under his leadership the college enrollment has grown to over 8,000 credit and non-credit students. Satellite campuses have been established at Devens, in Leominster, Fitchburg and Orange.

Asquino holds a Ph.D. and M.P.A in Public Administration and Political Science and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Asquino has twice been chosen to Chair the Committee of Community College Presidents. He has also served as two-term Chair of the New England College Council, chair of the Regional College Board Advisory Committee and is currently Chair of the College/University Advisory Board of Roger Williams University. Asquino also serves as chair of the Community College Council’s Labor Relations Committee and Chairs the Distance Education and Personnel Committee of the Council. He is also a member of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission on Learning and Technology. Asquino was instrumental in the founding of Massachusetts Colleges Online.

He has served as Chairman of the Greater Gardner United Way, Chairman of the North Central Massachusetts United Way Campaign, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Service Learning Compact, Chairman of the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce, the board of the Boys and Girls Club of North Central Massachusetts and on a number of regional statewide and national commissions and committees.

Asquino’s honors include Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year (2002) and also a Community Service Award, Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership and the Governor’s Pride in Performance awards.

Dr. Asquino is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Heywood Hospital, former board member of the Leominster Hospital (now HealthAlliance), the GFA Supervisory Board and the Board of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Robert Goldman, a Leominster physician and healthcare visionary, founded the Multi-Service Center in 1975. He opened it with $1,800 from the United Way and the philosophy of providing a place where any person could receive health services for little or no cost.

STUDENTS RAISE MONEY TO HELP INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI VICTIMS

	Susan Sayball, the SGA’s student trustee, sells raffle tickets to Director of Facilities Operations Jody Paul Wednesday, Feb. 2 to raise money for tsunami relief.

By Kimberly B. Caisse

MWCC student groups held several fund raisers at the college this week to help survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami victims. All proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross’ International Response Fund set up to provide disaster relief in that part of the world.

The Student Government Association held a week-long raffle for some collectibles, including an afghan handmade by MWCC student Caitlin Barclay’s mother, to raise money for the Red Cross campaign. Alpha Beta Gamma sold baked goods in the cafeteria hallway Wednesday, Feb. 2 to support the effort. MWCC’s Civic Engagement Department offered hot chocolate to students and faculty who donated $1 or more at a “tsunami café” in the South Cafeteria hallway the morning of Friday, Feb. 4.

	Alpha Beta Gamma Treasurer Paula Murphy sells baked goods to students as part of the group’s campaign to raise money for tsunami relief.

A 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered large tsunamis, a Japanese word for harbor wave, that hit the shores of 11 countries, including the crowded beaches of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and southern India. At least 159,976 people died, with tens of thousands more missing and presumed dead, many were injured and millions were displaced. Homes and businesses were destroyed.

The Red Cross has estimated it will need $400 million for its relief effort, a dual-phased approach. The first phase has a $134 million target. It will lay the foundation—through the identification of service delivery networks and implementation of monitoring and accountability systems—for the second stage. For more information on the Red Cross of North Central Massachusetts and ways to get involved locally, visit www.redcrossncm.org.

	MWCC student Anthony Archambault fixes his cup of hot chocolate at the “tsunami café.”

Since the fall of 2002, MWCC has strived to foster a greater sense of civic responsibility among its students, faculty, staff and greater community. With civic engagement and service learning in the curriculum, students gain practical experience that sets them apart in a competitive job market, their communities benefit and classroom learning is reinforced. They also become more knowledgeable, self-confident, active and engaged citizens with effective community engagement and critical thinking skills. For more information, visit www.mwcc.edu/civic.

THEATRE AT THE MOUNT KICKS OFF 2005 SEASON WITH ‘JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’

Theatre at the Mount’s 2005 season begins with the world’s first and classic rock opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.

The story conception chronicles the last seven days in Jesus’ life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. Judas (played by Joe Andrade) begins to doubt the divinity of Jesus Christ (played by Ethan Caouette) after observing Jesus’ seemingly inconsistent behavior – his relationship with Mary Magdalene (played by Fatima Elmi), his loss of control at the moneylenders in the temple, and pushing away the sick when they come to him for healing and comfort. As he watches Jesus’ followers take Jesus’ teachings and present what Judas believes to be outlandish prophecies, Judas decides to go to the priests and help them capture Jesus. Soon after leading the soldiers to Gethsemane, Judas realizes that he was tricked by God into being the cause of Jesus’ martyrdom and becomes so angry that Jesus will be remembered as a “superstar” that he hangs himself.

Other members of the cast include Paul Caouette as Herod, Peter Landry as Pontius Pilate, Jaime Perez as Simon Zealotes, Taylor Lawton as Peter, Joe Arsenault as Annas, Hans Foy as Caiaphas and a large ensemble of singers and dancers. The music score contains some of musical theatre’s most captivating songs, including “I Don’t Know How To Love Him,” “Everything’s Alright” and, of course, “Superstar!”

Jesus Christ Superstar will be performed on Friday, Feb. 25, Saturday, Feb. 26, Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m. Parental discretion is advised for children under age 13. Tickets are $18 for evening performances and $15 for matinees, with special discounts available for groups. For information or to reserve tickets call the Theatre at the Mount box office at 978 632-2403. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu. Season tickets for the entire Theatre at the Mount 2005 season are also on sale at just $78 per person for all six shows. Call the box office or visit the TAM web site for details.

Campus Events:

• Sign up your child for MWCC’s next r.a.d.KIDS session Monday, February 21 through Friday, February 25 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Gardner campus. R.a.d.KIDS is a comprehensive, foundational safety education program for children ages 5 to 7 and 8 to 12. It educates children with the tools, knowledge and power to recognize and avoid danger as well as to resist and protect themselves from physical abuse. The program focuses on seven core areas: home safety, school safety, out-and-about safety, vehicle safety, stranger tricks (including physical defense against abduction), personal safety (including good, bad and uncomfortable touching) and self-realization of personal power. To resister, contact Melissa Garneau at (978) 630-9150 or mgarneau@mwcc.mass.edu.

• In Celebration of Black History Month, MWCC will host a black inventions exhibit on Friday, Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the commons area. This exhibit highlights the accomplishments of African Americans in the fields of science, aerospace communication, health care, agriculture, transportation and engineering. The golf tee, automatic traffic light, cellular phone and the world’s fastest computer—peaking at 3.1 billion calculations per second—were created by African Americans. The exhibit is sponsored by the Office for Student Life. For more information, call (978) 630-9322 or (978) 630-9547.

• MWCC and the Forest & Wood Products Institute will host a 10-hour OSHA safety training session Monday, Feb. 14 and Tuesday, Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wood Products Workforce Development Coordinator Ken Hanson will cover at least nine OSHA safety standards. The cost is only $198 per person and includes lunch. To register, please call Hanson at (978) 630-9179.

• The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at MWCC’s Gardner campus on Wednesday, Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The blood drive will operate in the commons area and is open to the public. Call Marianne Stoy or Diane King at (978) 630-9136 to register. Walk-ins also are welcome.

• MWCC’s Entrepreneurial Resource Center, located at the Devens campus, will host the Entrepreneur Speaker Series presentation “Taking the Mystery Out of Bulk Mailing” by management consultant Paul Lambert on Thursday, Feb. 17 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Direct mail can be an effective marketing tool. Lambert will review such issues as determining when direct mail is cost effective, purchasing mailing lists versus creating your own and direct-mail software options. The cost is only $15, and includes lunch. To register, call (978) 630-9569.

• Tickets are on sale now for “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which will be performed in the Theatre at the Mount on Friday, Feb. 25, Saturday, Feb. 26, Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m. Parental discretion is advised for children under age 13. Tickets are $18 for evening performances and $15 for matinees, with special discounts available for groups. For information or to reserve tickets, call the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• Register now for the MWCC Fitness & Wellness Center’s annual golf lessons, which begin the week of Monday, Feb. 28. Directed by PGA Professional Mike Egan, the lessons include individual instruction and video analysis. Participants can bring their own clubs or use the center’s. Beginner lessons will be held Mondays and Thursdays at 7:15 p.m. Intermediate classes will meet Tuesdays at 7:15 and 8:15 p.m. and Thursdays at 8:15 p.m. Advanced lessons will be held on Mondays at 8:15 p.m. The cost is $85 per session; fitness center members are eligible for a 10 percent discount. For more information, call the center at (978) 630-9212.

• The MWCC Pacers, the college’s American Cancer Society Relay for Life team, are looking for 30 members for this year’s Relay on Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11. The 2004 Relay raised $758,000, the highest amount of the other 156 relays in New England. The Gardner Relay has raised over $5 million dollars since its inception 11 years ago. This year’s goal is to raise $800,000. Other benchmarks reached at the 2004 Relay include having 733 survivors walk the track, a number unheard of at any of the other relays, and being ranked No. 11 nationwide in funds raised (out of 4,200 relays). To join the MWCC Pacers, contact Sue Goldstein, JoAnn Brooks and Jan LeClair to get your relay packet.

• Registrations to take Cycle 4 classes at MWCC’s Leominster campus will be accepted through Monday, March 21 for Monday-Wednesday courses and Tuesday, March 22 for Tuesday-Thursday courses. The accelerated Cycle courses each run for three hours throughout the day and evening, twice a week for seven-and-a-half weeks. For a full list of Cycle 4 courses, check out www.mwcc.mass.edu/PDFs/cycle3.pdf on the Web or pick up a copy of the Spring 2005 Course Bulletin at any MWCC campus location. For assistance with registration, call the Leominster campus at (978) 840-3221, the Gardner campus at (978) 630-9110 or visit www.mwcc.mass.edu/prospective/register.html.

• The Mount Wachusett Community College Winchendon Skills Program, funded by a grant from Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, is offering free GED prep classes at the Community Action Center at 273 Central St., Winchendon, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Enrollment is ongoing. For more information, call Janet Brown at (978) 297-1667 or Tim Robinson at (978) 630-9259.

Lea Ann Erickson
Director of Community Relations
Mount Wachusett Community College
Phone: (978) 630-9322
Fax: (978) 630-9561
cell: (508) 517-5202
l_erickson@mwcc.mass.edu

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