Friday, Feb. 8, 2008

 

AREA NONPROFITS EXPRESS INTEREST IN BUSINESS VENTURE PROGRAM

By Janice O'Connor

Miriam Scagnetti, left, program assistant for planning and stewardship for the Trustees for Reservations, spoke about the business venture opportunity with Alysia Johnson Fullen, senior consultant for Community Wealth Ventures.

More than 60 people representing area nonprofit organizations turned out for a presentation this week to learn how to participate in the North Central Massachusetts Community Wealth Workshop Series, being offered this year by MWCC's Institute for Nonprofit Development and the United Way of North Central Massachusetts.

Representatives from Community Wealth Ventures, a nationally renowned social enterprise consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., led the information session on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at the Four Points Sheraton in Leominster. The workshops series, to begin this spring, is a six-month development process designed to help nonprofit organizations become more self-sustaining by generating revenue through business ventures and corporate partnerships. Up to eight nonprofit organizations will be selected this year to engage in a rigorous business planning process to help them launch or grow an earned income venture. In addition, organizations that apply for this opportunity will have access to additional support in developing new revenue streams through other intensive technical assistance and/or training opportunities available through the INPD.

"I'm really excited about this," MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino said at the start of the two-hour meeting. "It's a creative approach to strengthening our nonprofits." Asquino explained that creating a for-profit business to support an agency's philanthropic mission "isn't a magic bullet, and it won't be the right choice for every nonprofit." However all area nonprofits will benefit from a variety of services that will be offered through the INPD as part of a three-year, $600,000 Health and Human Services grant the college received. "We are able to offer these expanded services because Mount Wachusett was recently awarded a very competitive federal grant—the only community college to have received this support and only one of 37 grantees nationally," he said.

Community Wealth Ventures was founded in 1997 as a for-profit subsidiary of Share Our Strength, one of the nation’s leading anti-hunger and anti-poverty organizations. Billy Shore, executive director of Share Our Strength, has twice brought the organization's inspirational message to the North Central region.

This week's meetings featued presentations by Community Wealth Ventures senior consultant Alysia Johnson Fullen and managing director Heather Peeler. Anne Wunderli, director of program support services for Pine Street Inn in Boston, shared how the technical assistance she and her colleagues received from the consultants led to a significant expansion of the organization's Abundant Table social enterprise. "It really can energize the entire organization," she said.

"The fundraising environment for nonprofits in our community is changing," said Scott Howard, a member of the United Way board. "It is getting more and more difficult to sustain the traditional sources of revenue. The opportunity before us today – through Community Wealth Ventures – has the potential to transform our nonprofit community."

Applications for the workshop series are available on the Community Wealth Ventures website. The deadline to apply is March 4. For more information, contact Alysia Johnson Fullen at ajohnsonfullen@communitywealth.com or 202-478-6543.

MWCC STUDENTS RECEIVE TRAINING FROM IRS TO PROVIDE TAX PREP SERVICE

Starting next week, a group of MWCC students, faculty and staff will begin 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. The service will be provided at the Gardner and Leominster campuses.

MWCC business students, who have passed the IRS’ Link and Learn Taxes certification exam, are among the many trained community volunteers across the country who not only help taxpayers with their federal forms, but also to seek special credits, such as Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly. The volunteers also have received training to complete the Massachusetts state income tax form.

At the Gardner campus, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site will be in Room 248. Appointments are available on Thursdays beginning Feb. 14 through April 10 from 1 to 8 p.m. The service will be offered on Fridays at the Leominster campus, beginning Feb. 15 through April 13 from 1 to 8 p.m. To schedule an appointment, taxpayers may contact Denise Whitney at (978) 630-9124 or dwhitney@mwcc.mass.edu.

This is a service-learning project for the students and was coordinated by Division of Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development and the Business Department. The program provides an opportunity for students to gain valuable professional experience, while also serving their community.

The Division of Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development is seeking additional community volunteers to participate in the effort. Volunteers who take the IRS’ Link and Learn Taxes course and pass the certification exam may participate. Link and Learn can be accessed through www.irs.gov by typing Link & Learn Taxes in the keyword/search box. Interested volunteers may 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.

CENTER FOR TEACHING & LEARNING LEADING THE WAY TO 21st CENTURY TECHNOLOGY

Increasingly, MWCC faculty and staff are turning to the college's new Center for Teaching & Learning to discover how to use the most current technology in their classrooms and offices.

Professors Christine Kisiel, Lara Dowland and Janice Barney, for instance, are into podcasting and screencasting. "They record their lectures in real time with a digital recorder, with a lapel mic, and then they go about their lecture and forget it's even there," explained Don Westover, director of Instructional Design. "Then they upload that into Blackboard and make it available for their students. The students can go back and listen to the lecture again and take additional notes. It definitely leads to better understanding and retention."

Westover and Vin Ialenti, assistant dean of Distance Learning and Instructional Design, are eager to shed some light on the latest technology available on campus. The Center has scheduled an open house for faculty, adjunct professors and staff on Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in room 344. Westover and Ialenti will be available to speak about ways to enhance the teaching and learning experience through technology integration.

The Center for Teaching & Learning provides support and resources to the tech savvy and neophytes alike. Services include instructional design and strategy, course design, course content development, distance education, Blackboard support and training, assessment, technology integration, mobile technologies, software training, hardware technology training and web design.

"This is the future," Westover said. "High school students, the college students of tomorrow, are constantly immersed in technology. By the time they get to college, it's not an additional item, it's a requirement for them. Students will be expecting the technology. They'll be expecting Blackboard and all-the-time information. So we have to meet that expectation if we want to progress."

Karen Costa, assistant director of enrollment services and an adjunct instructor, said she turned to the center to learn how to make better use of Blackboard in the first year seminar course she teaches, which is now offered entirely online. She discovered that screencasting is an excellent option. "The big thing we've been doing, which is really cool - the students really like it - is creating a PowerPoint with audio," she said. Costa records a lecture and creates a PowerPoint presentation, then integrates the two on Blackboard for students to access. "They've got lots of cool gadgets up there, which are very helpful. The center's website also has a ton of information for improving teaching and learning, aside from the technology," Costa said. "The bottom line is, I think the course is more interesting for students and more engaging."

More information about the Center for Teaching & Learning can be found on its website www.ctlmwcc.com

More MWCC News:

• Darwin Day, the commemoration of the birth of Charles Darwin, will be observed on Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the LaChance Library. The event, which features a book signing of Darwin's The Origin of Species by "Darwin" himself, is similar to celebrations taking place across the country marking the evolutionary biologist's 199th birthday. Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England on Feb. 12 1809 at his family home, known as The Mount. Refreshments will be served.

• The Democracy Café Qwizdom Contest, focusing on current events and the race for the Oval Office, will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 11:30 to 12:30 in the South Café. This fun and interactive contest, sponsored by the Center for Democracy and Humanity, will feature the cool new Qwizdom technology currently in use in many MWCC courses. Qwizdom clickers will be available at the tables in the South Cafe, and the winners will be chosen based on which table has the highest score at the end of the event. Hints and facts will be posted around campus prior to the event to provide clues to the questions. The winners will walk away with bragging rights and some fabulous prizes.

• The Campus Activities Team for Students (CATS) and the Student Life office are sponsoring a Valentine's Day Celebration Chocolate Sampler on Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 11:30 to 12:30 in the South Café. Free samples of chocolate desserts will be available for students, faculty and staff, while supplies last.

• An American Red Cross Blood Drive will take place Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Commons area. To register, call health Services at 978-630-9136. Walk-ins are welcome.

• Blank Slate/Clean Slate, an exhibition of sculptures by artist Tim de Christopher, runs through March 20 in the East Wing Gallery of the Raymond M. LaFontaine Fine Arts Center. A gallery talk will take place on Thursday, Feb. 14 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., and an artist's reception is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibit can be viewed during regular gallery hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• The Academic Affairs Lunch & Learn program continues of Friday, Feb. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in room 071, with a presentation on MP3's and Library Services. Whether you’re commuting, exercising, or just relaxing, the small and portable iPods and other MP3 players are very useful. These products can used to record and save lectures and other podcasts, but they also can be used to listen to journal articles, books, and other resources. The upcoming presentation, led by Linda Oldach, assistant dean of Library and Information Services, will provide an overview of available free and subscription resources, and some tips on selecting a player and accessories. The focus of this spring's Lunch & Learn series is on technology in the classroom. The program is geared toward faculty, however is also open to MWCC staff.

• The Spring Film Series series kicks off on Wednesday, Feb. 20 with The U.S. vs. John Lennon, which offers a compelling look at the United States government’s attempt to silence one of rock & roll's most outspoken critics of the Vietnam War. The documentary details the struggle between the Richard Nixon administration and the iconic peace activist and former Beatle. The 96-minute film will be shown at 11:30 a.m. in the North Cafeteria and is free and open to the public. For more information about the film, go to www.theusversusjohnlennon.com The film series will continue on March 5 with "Murder on a Sunday Morning," and on April 16 with "Supersize Me."

• Mardi Gras Carnaval will take place Thursday, Feb. 21 in South Café. The event, sponsored by Campus Activities Team for Students (CATS) and the Student Life office, will feature karaoke from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., followed by video dance from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded for best costumes and a $100 door prize will be given out every hour. The event is free for MWCC students, faculty and staff.

• Theatre at the Mount opens its 2008 season with a production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, with performances on February 22, 23, 29, March 1 at 8 p.m., and on March 2 at 2 p.m. This rock ’n’ roll musical extravaganza has received worldwide praise and numerous prestigious awards and nominations, including two Laurence Olivier Awards (one for Best Musical), a Tony Award, and two Outer Circle Awards. Buddy is the story of rock and roll legend Buddy Holly and his meteoric climb to the top of the charts to become the biggest selling recording artist worldwide before his tragic death in a plane crash at the age of 22. The production features more than 20 Buddy Holly hit songs, including Peggy Sue, That’ll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, Heartbeat, and Raining in My Heart, all performed live on stage. Tickets are $20 for evening performances and $15 for matinees and may be purchased at the TAM box office at 978 632-2403. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu

• Volunteer musicians and singers are needed to perform in educational recording sessions during an advanced audio production course at MWCC. Students enrolled in the college’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications degree program will record the performers on Wednesday evenings between 5 to 8 p.m. throughout the spring semester as part of the academic program. Choirs, quartets, soloists and other singing groups are needed, as well as woodwind, brass, percussion and string musicians, a brass quartet and a big band jazz band. Rock bands are not being recorded as part of this course. The volunteer performers will get an opportunity to learn more about the recording process as it pertains to their specialty. Some performances may be aired on cable access stations. For more information, or to reserve a recording space, contact adjunct instructor John Little at jlittle@mwcc.mass.edu.

• The enrollment center is offering Information Sessions on a number of academic programs. Upcoming sessions will take place on the following dates: Clinical Laboratory Science: Feb. 13 and March 12 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Heywood Hospital, Dining Room B; Biotechnology/Biomanufacturing: Feb. 21 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner Campus, room 341 and March 25 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Leominster Campus, 100 Erdman Way; A.S. Nursing: Feb. 12 and March 11 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Practical Nursing Certificate program: Feb. 21 and March 20 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Complementary Health Care: Feb. 25 and March 24 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Dental Hygiene: March 5 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, Room 12. Prospective students interested in attending an information session are asked to call the enrollment center at (978) 630-9110 (TTY (978) 632-4916), or send an email to admissions@mwcc.mass.edu