Friday, March 9, 2007

 

MWCC’S FULBRIGHT VISITING SPECIALIST SHARED INSIGHT ON MANY MUSLIM ISSUES

A three-week-long, intense conversation about Islam that addressed the complex role it plays in world affairs comes to an end today, as Fulbright Visiting Specialist Dr. Mohamed Azam begins his trip back to his home in Malaysia.

Dr. Mohamed Azam answers a question posed by a student in the Journalism and Business Ethics Honors Colloquium.

During his meetings with MWCC students, faculty and staff, area residents and local school students, Dr. Mohamed Azam spoke about being a Muslim in Malaysia, predominantly Muslim Malaysia’s treatment of non-Muslims, his view of the difference between Islamic fundamentalism and radicalism, gender bias in Islamic countries, the Quran’s teachings about gender roles, common law and Islamic law in Malaysia, the Shiite and Sunni conflict in Iraq, the term infidel and Muslims’ views of non-Muslims, censorship in Malaysia, punishment for apostasy, suicide bombing, world peace, religious differences and much more.

“Of course, three weeks are very short indeed. Nevertheless, I’ve tried my best effort to disseminate some of the true understanding and clear picture with regard to the religion of Islam to the people of Massachusetts,” Azam said at the college Assembly meeting Monday, March 5. “The so-called narrow perspective towards the religion has tarnished the image of Islam. My presence to this part of the world can to some extent eliminate such perception. During my short visit to this country in general and to this state in particular, I found that lots of efforts should be taken by both sides, Muslims and non-Muslims, to understand each other, so that we can live in peace and harmony without any prejudice.”

The Islamic traditions and customs practiced in Muslim countries and the religion itself are two different things, Azam told many groups. The poor treatment of women in some Muslim countries is an example of this, he said. But in Malaysia, Muslim women work in a variety of jobs and are not required to “wear the veil.” Both Muslim men and women in Malaysia are expected to cover portions of their bodies when out in public.

He explained to Professor Paula Pitkiewicz’s women’s literature class that the practice of killing baby girls in pre-Islamic Arab countries is condemned in the Quran. But it took time for this practice to stop.

Pre-Islamic marriage traditions in a number of Islamic countries are still unfair for women and girls. During a discussion about Islam and the book “Reading Lolita in Tehran” at the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library, he said educating more women in these countries would be a way for them to learn and demand the rights given to them in the Quran.

Azam acknowledged that the Quran states that men are expected to lead their households in consultation with their wife, he told several groups. But men are also expected to help their wife with housework or to hire a maid.

What Islam emphasizes, Azam told Pitkiewicz’s students, is that what you do in the world is more important than whether you are a man or a woman. “In the eyes of Allah, you are equal. It’s what you did” that will be judged, he said.

Azam said on several occasions that radicals are not special to the Islamic religion and represent a small portion of the world’s Muslims. “In every religion, we can’t run away from fanatic groups,” he told members of the International Club. “There must be a lot of effort” among moderate Muslims to promote peace and harmony.

He stressed that Muslims who adhere to the teachings of the entire Quran are fundamentalists because they understand the fundamentals of the religion. Those who believe certain passages of the Quaran permit violence to achieve a political goal are radicals. “The ends don’t justify the means,” Azam said on many occasions.

“I believe Dr. Azam’s visit enlightened students about the extent of Islam within the world and the variations in the practice of Islam across so many different countries,” said Professor Bonnie Toothaker, who had Azam speak to her American Policing and Procedures and Courts classes. “It offered students the opportunity to think about the world beyond one’s immediate comfort zone and helped to dispel myth and stereotyping.

“It was interesting to think about the influence of religion and Islamic law in combination with government and how that translates in Muslim life towards individual internalization of duty and obligation compared to American life and individual rights, independence, and autonomy,” she added.

Azam’s “explanations of the cultural differences in the Muslim world helped us understand behaviors, customs and religion that define Muslims wherever they live,” said Catherine Rahaim, an adjunct professor of American Ethnic History. “In their journal entries written after Dr. Azam's presentation, many students expressed a change in their opinions—mostly stereotypical—that they had of the Muslim population. Especially enlightening was the point Azam stressed that many of the gender discrepancies we hear and read about are the result of the local custom and are not regulations of Islam.”

Azam’s discussion with students in the Journalism and Business Ethics Honors Colloquium course covered a variety of topics. The students learned about the media in Malaysia and how most of the media are controlled by the government – except for the Internet. That is where Malaysian residents get their news, which the students found interesting, said Associate Professor Sue Goldstein.

Azam also talked a little about his views on Iraq and the Middle East as a whole, the effect of the Iranian Revolution on Malaysia, the spread of Islam around the world and how a group in London, who he considered “radicals,” are talking about uniting Muslims around the world under one leader.

At several stops, Azam showed a DVD of his university. “The SGA (Student Government Association) really enjoyed learning about Azam’s university and sharing information about his country,” said Assistant Dean of Student Services Greg Clement. “The university is so large and different than here.”

The SGA made Azam an honorary member during his meeting with them. “The students were so happy that he was so touch by being made an honorary member,” Clement said.

Azam also shared some basic facts about Malaysia with his audiences. The country is made up of a peninsula, below Thailand, and a portion of the island of Borneo. Sixty percent of the population is Muslim and is comprised of Malays, Chinese and Indians. The remaining 40 percent are Hindus, Christians and of other religions.

Malaysia has been a Dutch, Portuguese and British colony. The country gained its independence peacefully from Britain in 1957. Singapore, which had joined Malaysia in 1963, broke away to become its own country in 1965. The states of Sarawak and Sabah on the northern coast of Borneo also joined Malaysia in 1963.

Malaysians watch American television programs via satellite, Azam told members of the International Club. Smallville, CSI, Law & Order and The Simpsons are popular.

Azam’s visit was not without tense moments, as some listeners asked difficult, emotionally charged questions to gain a better understanding of the Islamic faith, practices and politics. A Gardner resident who sat in on the International Club meeting with Azam stormed out of the room after asking him several questions about the meaning of Islam and Muslims’ view of non-Muslims.

At the Assembly meeting, Azam urged both Muslims and non-Muslims to gain a better understanding of each other. “Surely everyone has a role to play, both Muslims and non-Muslims,” he said. “We can all try to contribute and to make that little bit of difference. Let us all try to do little things that we can promote world peace and we can begin by trying to understand and respect fellow human beings no matter how different they may be from us.”

“If Muslims can try to improve themselves to become better Muslims, they will indeed be able to showcase that Islam is a blessing to mankind as Allah has intended it to be,” he continued. “And if non-Muslims are able to accept that Islam is not a threat to anyone, on the contrary that it should bring so much benefit to mankind, as it had proven before, I think we have hope for a better future.”

In Malaysia, Azam is a lecturer at the Centre for Islamic Thought and Understanding at Mara University of Technology in Selangor, Malaysia. 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.

His visit was part of the Fulbright Visiting Specialists Program: Direct Access to the Muslim World and was made possible in part by Four Points by Sheraton and Wachusett Village Inn. The Johnny Appleseed Trail Visitors Center also contributed to his stay.

AUTHOR: WORK OF INFLUENTIAL AFRICAN MIDWIFE CONTINUES IN MANY WAYS

Author and former Peace Corps volunteer Kris Holloway says she has a great deal of hope for sub-Saharan Africa because of her experience working with a wise, awe-inspiring young midwife in Mali, West Africa. She spoke and read from her book “Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali” in the commons area of MWCC’s Gardner campus on Tuesday, March 6.

Kris Holloway signs a copy of her book for Adjunct Professor Sue Blain.

Mali, a landlocked, mostly dessert country the size of Texas and California combined, is home to 11 million people. It is in one of the poorest regions in the world. One in 12 women die in childbirth or pregnancy compared to one in 3,200 women in the U.S. and one in 6,000 women in northern Europe. Most Mali women have 6.8 children.

Despite having few resources, Monique Dembele felt she was called to serve the women and children in her village, Holloway explained. “Monique was bringing thousands of babies into the world with nothing,” she said.

“I see her as a model of a grassroots woman in Africa,” Holloway noted. “How many Moniques are out there?”

Holloway, whose appearance was sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library in observance of Women’s History Month, said she met Monique when she became the village’s first Peace Corps volunteer. An earth science graduate, she was supposed to be its natural resources agent. “I saw this amazing woman and decided I had to work with her,” she said of Monique.

Although Monique had a 6th-grade education, many of her village’s female members had little to no education. “Monique did all her education orally,” Holloway explained. She would give small group discussions, show pictures, give presentations and talk one-on-one. When she wasn’t working with pregnant women or helping with a birth, Monique taught mothers the importance of childhood vaccinations, weighing babies and making nutritious baby food.

Monique, herself a mother of three at the time of Holloway’s service, sought to improve the condition of women in her village. During her service, she demanded and received—with Holloway’s help—a salary, she encouraged sending girls to school, tacked female genital mutilation and worked to improve health care.

Several years after Holloway returned to the U.S., Monique died in childbirth. But her influences is still felt in her village and the U.S.

Her children, two girls and a boy, are still in school, the village’s current midwife earns a salary and a health clinic was started in her memory. Holloway’s dentist when she lived in Ohio, who fixed Monique’s teeth when she was visiting the States, decided upon meeting her that he would give up his practice and dedicate his life to providing dental care in developing countries.

“Monique’s energy continues to spiral outward,” Holloway said.

Copies of “Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali” were available for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds supporting “Cabinet de soins Monique,” begun in Kauri, Mali, to honor Monique and continue her work.

Holloway served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali from 1989 to 1991, where she met her husband, John Bidwell. She holds a master’s in public health from the University of Michigan and works in writing and development for nonprofit organizations. She lives in Northampton with John and their two children.

NONPROFITS AND SMALL BUSINESSES INVITED TO A FREE APPRECIATION DAY WORKSHOP AT MWCC

The Institute for Nonprofit Development at MWCC, together with the college’s Entrepreneurial Resource Center and Community Builders, will host a free Appreciation Day Workshop entitled “Relevant Trends, Valuable Tools” for area nonprofits and small businesses on Thursday, March 15 at MWCC’s Leominster campus, 100 Erdman Way.

Ordinarily a $75 value, the college is offering this valuable information to show appreciation for the contributions nonprofit organizations and small businesses make to the economy and communities of North Central Massachusetts.

Space is limited. Registration is available via erc@mwcc.mass.edu. Check-in begins at 8:15 a.m. A complementary light breakfast will be served. Participants will have a chance to win a free membership to the ERC and a free membership to the INDP.

The INPD is sponsoring a panel discussion about health care reform in Massachusetts beginning at 8:30 a.m. Participants will get an

overview of health care reform, including information on the new Commonwealth Care program. Panelists will include Michaela Lincoln of Health Care For All, representatives from the state Insurance Partnership and attorney Walter Foster of Sheehan, Phinney, Bass & Green.

At 10:15 a.m., Community Builders, a partnership between Mount Wachusett Community College and the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, will train participants on its Project Volunteer web application. This interactive tool allows nonprofits to modernize volunteer recruitment efforts, reach a larger, more targeted recruiting audience, engage energized, tech-savvy young volunteers and much more.

Also at 10:15, the ERC will train participants to use the Resource USA software application. This is an essential research tool for marketing research, consumer analysis reports and new donor outreach.

Use of Project Volunteer and Resource USA will continue from 11 a.m. to noon.

For more information, contact Jennifer Wiley-Cordone, capacity building coordinator, at (978) 840-3221 ext. 201 or jwiley-cordone@mwcc.mass.edu.

More MWCC News:

• MWCC student Josh Bettez records Gardner Rotarian Peter Sargent conducting the annual Live Rotary Auction, which was broadcast from the college's studio Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3. Thirteen students participated in every production role, including camera, audio and director.

  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 through April 13 from 1 to 8 p.m. except on March 16, when classes will not run because of the Evacuation Day state holiday.) At the Gardner campus, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site will be in Room 250 on Thursdays 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.
• Free college. Earn a paycheck. Apply to be a Community Scholar at MWCC. Community Scholars receive free tuition, fees and books, guaranteed employment working at a local nonprofit organization, leadership development opportunities and a $1,000 education award toward a four-year degree. For a brochure, send your name and mailing address to communityscholars@mwcc.mass.edu. Applications are due Monday, March 12.
• The Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety at MWCC and HealthAlliance Hospital are sponsoring a panel discussion on teen driving and speed safety for young drivers and their parents Monday, March 12 at 5:30 p.m. at HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster campus’ Simonds Building, Guild Conference Room. The panel will feature state Rep. Jennifer Flanagan (D-Leominster), state Rep. Stephen DiNatale (D-Fitchburg), Fitchburg Police Sgt. Glenn Fossa, Leominster Police Lt. Robert Healey, HealthAlliance Emergency Department Director Deborah Delaney, RN, HealthAlliance Chief Medical Officer Dr. Val Slayton and Drivers Education Instructor Tom Starr. This event is free and open to the public. To register, call (978) 466-2191.
• The What’s Next Speaker Series’ focus on poverty continues with a lecture by Paul Dudley Hart, director at-large of Mercy Corps, entitled “Addressing Poverty from a Global Perspective” on Tuesday, March 13 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Doyle Conservation Center, 464 Abbott Ave., Leominster. Mercy Corps works to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Complimentary lunch will be provided. Registration is required. To register, contact Eveliz Rivera (978) 630-9324 or whatsnext@mwcc.mass.edu by Friday, March 2. The series is sponsored by the college’s Center for Democracy and Humanity, the Twin Cities Latino Coalition and the Montachusett Opportunity Council.

• Paul Dudley Hart

  The Institute for Nonprofit Development at MWCC, together with the college’s Entrepreneurial Resource Center and Community Builders, will host a free Appreciation Day Workshop entitled “Relevant Trends, Valuable Tools” for area nonprofits and small businesses on Thursday, March 15 at the Leominster campus, 100 Erdman Way, from 8:15 a.m. to noon. Space is limited. Registration is available via erc@mwcc.mass.edu. A complementary light breakfast will be served. Participants will have a chance to win a free membership to the ERC and a free membership to the INDP.
• MWCC’s new Biotechnology program will host information sessions at the Leominster campus, 100 Erdman Way, on Monday, March 19; Monday, April 23; and Wednesday, May 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. Sessions also will be held Wednesdays 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. 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.
• 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.

• As part of its Works in Clay exhibition series, the Art Department presents the work of Terry Rumble, which will be on display through Friday, March 16 in the East Wing Gallery. The gallery is open to the public 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 Joyce Miller at (978) 630-9221.

  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’s Human Resources Office is sponsoring Spring Into Wellness on Tuesday, March 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the commons area of the Gardner campus. Happy Trails Natural Foods of Gardner will have natural food products and information, the college’s Relay for Life team, the MWCC Pacers, will have a registration table, the American Red Cross will have a table with CPR and emergency preparedness information, the MWCC Fitness & Wellness Center will have program and membership information available and much more. For more information, call Marsha Poor at (978) 630-9374.
• Computer Graphic Design and Computer Information Systems professionals and MWCC alumni will discuss their careers and answer students’ questions on Wednesday, March 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the commons area of the Gardner campus. The panel is aimed at students who are thinking about working with computers, interested in designing web pages or print ads, have a knack for learning new software and programming languages or curious about the field of network administration. For more information, contact MWCC Academic/Career Counselor Michelle Contey at (978) 630-9482 or mcontey@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC’s Career Placement and Visions programs and Chartwells are sponsoring “Dining Etiquette and the Employment Interview,” a presentation by Chartwell’s Joe Kraskouskas, for Visions students on Friday, March 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the north dining area. Creating a great first impression during a job interview has always been important. Employers expect that and more today. They want their employees to know table etiquette and how to make small talk, network and dress for the job, and much more. Interested students can contact Pat Brewerton at (978) 630-9254 or pbrewerton@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC’s Admissions Office is hosting the annual Healthcare Expo on Tuesday, March 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Gardner campus. Healthcare program faculty and admissions and financial aid officials will be on hand to speak about MWCC’s programs and career opportunities. MWCC has several options: biotechnology, certified nurse aide, clinical lab science, complementary healthcare, emergency medical technician, dental hygiene, fitness leadership and exercise science, massage therapy, medical assisting and medical office, nursing, phlebotomy, physical therapist assistant, practical nursing. To register, contact the Admissions Office at (978) 630-9110 or admissions@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC’s Advising & Counseling Center is sponsoring Choose a Major Week between March 26 and 30 in Room 134 at the Gardner campus. With summer and fall registration just around the corner, this is the best time for students to select a major. Advisors are available for drop-in meetings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., or students may schedule an appointment at a more convenient time. Light refreshments will be provided each day, and students may enter a drawing for two free Red Sox tickets. To schedule an appointment, or to get more information, call (978) 630-9568. Information is also available at http://www.mwcc.edu/prospective/advising.html.