Friday, April 6, 2007

 

MWCC AMONG THE COUNTRY’S TOP TECH-SAVVY COMMUNITY COLLEGES

By Kimberly B. Caisse

Twenty-three percent of Mount Wachusett Community College students are taking at least one of the 82 online courses the college offered this semester. With a click of a mouse, individuals can apply to MWCC, and all students can register online.

These and other digital enhancements to MWCC services and operations recently earned the college recognition as being one of the country’s top tech-savvy community colleges. The Center for Digital Education and the American Association of Community Colleges’ ranking was established based on the third national Digital Community Colleges Survey, which examined how colleges are deploying technology to streamline operations and better serve students, faculty and staff.

“We are extremely honored to receive this recognition,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “We continue to invest in new technology to improve the college experience for our students and to make college more widely accessible.”

“Once again, the community colleges are implementing innovative projects and programs with technology that are setting new standards for post-secondary education,” said Marina Leight, vice president for education of the Center for Digital Education. “This year’s community college winners have made a resounding commitment to improved delivery of services to students as well as leading the way for rich learning environments designed to make a difference in a student’s career.”

MWCC’s implementation of information technology projects has directly improved faculty and student interaction and supported student success. This is done primarily through Blackboard, a system that gives faculty tools to conduct classroom discussions, online tests, real-time whiteboard and chat forums, video and audio sharing and access presentations.

MWCC automatically makes Blackboard available for every course section, and 60 percent of faculty use Blackboard for their on-campus courses. An instructional designer is responsible for helping faculty fully utilize Blackboard features. In addition, students have 24/7 access to Blackboard customer service.

“The Internet is the future of college education delivery,” Asquino said. “Through our membership with the Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium, students also have 24/7 access to free professional tutoring in a variety of subjects from eTutoring.org.”

To support student coursework, the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library provides remote access to the more than 60 online databases for all students, online access to the catalog holdings of over 100 area libraries through a membership in the Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing consortium (C/WMARS) and a blog.

MWCC continues its rollout of wireless technology (WiFi) at the main campus as well as at its satellite locations in Leominster, Devens and Orange. This supports the increasing number of students who bring laptops to the college.

Nearly 200 community colleges across the country participated in the Digital Community Colleges Survey, which was sponsored by Alcatel-Lucent. MWCC was ranked seventh in the small colleges category.

JUNIOR SYMPOSIUM CONTINUES TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE BENEFITS OF COLLEGE

By Kimberly B. Caisse

Antonio Henley, director of the McNair Scholars Program at the University of New Hampshire, greeted the Junior Symposium attendees in several different languages. “You live in a world where you need to know as many languages as possible,” he said.

Over 200 students from area high schools gained a better understanding of why a college degree is necessary in the global economy during the Junior Symposium hosted by the College and Preparation Programs and Admissions Office Thursday, April 5.

The workshops they attended included financial aid and mastering the college essay. MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino and Antonio Henley, director of the McNair Scholars Program at the University of New Hampshire, spoke to them in the theatre.

President Asquino shared his personal journey through the educational system. Born with a disability that required him to wear braces on his legs, and being small for his age, he said he was picked on by other children and treated differently by his teachers. “We are what we believe,” he said, adding that he didn’t have a positive outlook throughout elementary, junior high and high school.

President Asquino applied for several colleges, after watching many friends get accepted, but was denied a seat because he didn’t take the right classes in high school. He worked for a year and then joined the Navy, where he served for four and a half years.

He enrolled in several Navy schools, and each time graduated the first in his class. Then he began taking USAFI courses to prepare for college. Today, he 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. (President Asquino’s bio is available at http://www.mwcc.edu/info/bios.html.)

“The lesson? There are two lessons. You can do it. But don’t do it the hard way like I did,” he told the students.

More MWCC News:

• Tim Bullock and his wife, Myrna

  The MWCC Legal Studies Group is conducting a food drive the week of April 9 through 13 to support the Feinstein Foundation food drive. LSG members will place bins around both the Leominster and Gardner campuses to collect canned food. At the Gardner campus, members will be in the cafeteria hallway between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to collect donations. With a donation of three cans, contributors will receive two free raffle tickets for a chance to win one of four gasoline gift cards. Without a food donation, the raffle tickets are 50 cents each or five for $2. For more information, contact Nathaniel Katisch at (617) 653- 6998 or nathanieljk@gmail.com.
• Through Friday, April 13, MWCC will host the 24th annual High School Art Exhibition. The work of high school students from 18 area high schools will be on display in the East Wing Gallery, located in the Raymond M. LaFontaine Fine Arts Center at the Gardner campus. Student awards will be presented at a reception, Thursday, April 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception will also feature a live performance by the Gardner high School Jazz Band. The East Wing Gallery 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.
• The Institute for Nonprofit Development at MWCC will kick off its third annual Capacity Building Mini-Grants on Tuesday, April 10 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Gardner Campus. Past grantees will talk about organizational transformation and adaptation. Only INPD members holding a 501(c)(3) status are eligible for the awards. Up to seven grants—each between $1,000 and $3,000—will be awarded. Details and application guidelines are available at http://nonprofit.mwcc.edu. For more information or to become an Institute member contact Jennifer Wiley-Cordone at (978) 840-3221, ext. 199 or nonprofit@mwcc.mass.edu.
• The Art Club is sponsoring a lecture by AIDS activist Tim Bullock on Tuesday, April 10 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the north cafeteria and from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library. He will speak about his working with AIDS sufferers in Africa and his experience on the Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage, a year-long journey that retraced the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade from the United States to West Africa to South Africa. For more information, contact Assistant Professor of Art Tom Matsuda at (978) 630-9340 or tmatsuda@mwcc.mass.edu.
• The Molly Bish Institute for Child Health & Safety at MWCC and HealthAlliance Hospital are sponsoring the presentation “Internet Safety 101: What You and Your Children Need to Know” by Fitchburg Police Sgt. Glenn Fossa (’80) on Tuesday, April 10 at 5:30 pm at the HealthAlliance Hospital – Leominster Campus’ Simonds Building. Fossa will cover how to identify the potential hazards and what parents can do to make sure their children are protected. MySpace.com safety will also be discussed. This program is free, but pre-registration is required. To register, call (978) 466-2191.
• The college will host a free Spring Fling for new and current MWCC students on Wednesday, April 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free and open to MWCC students, faculty, and staff. It will feature a BBQ, an a cappella performance by the House Jacks, go racers, big chair photos, glass etching, speed pitch, sign shop and more. The BBQ begins at 11:30 a.m. (while supplies last). A map with locations of activities will be available on the day of the event. The Green Society Spring will be holding its compact fluorescent light “bulb” sale that will feature 13-watt (60-watt equivalent), 23-watt (100-watt equivalent) and LED nightlights. For more information, contact Assistant Dean of Student Life Greg Clement at (978) 630-9252 or gclement@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC’s new Biotechnology program will host information sessions at the Gardner campus 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. Sessions also will be held at the Leominster campus, 100 Erdman Way, on 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.
• 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.
• Beginning Friday, April 13 during community time (11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), MWCC Professors Susan Blake, Lorie Donahue, Yoav Elinevsky, Sue Goldstein, Thomas Matsuda, Elena Natalizia, David Patterson and Michelle Valois are sponsoring a three-part Iraq War forum. The forum kicks off with a free showing of the film “The Ground Truth” in the north cafeteria. It continues Friday, April 20 at 11:30 a.m. in room 127 with a lecture by Tyler Boudreau, a Marine officer who served in Iraq, about his experiences in Iraq and his lessons from the war. It concludes Friday, April 27 at 11:30 a.m. in room 127 with a lecture by David Entin, a Vietnam veteran, about the parallels he sees between the Vietnam War and the war in Iraq. For more information, contact Kimberly B. Caisse, public relations specialist, at (978) 630-9547 or kcaisse@mwcc.mass.edu.

• Jordan Levy

  Did you know that eight million Americans have eating disorders? Students in Professor Sheila Murphy’s Abnormal Psychology courses, Corrie Ares, Melissa Brewer, Kristyn Hanifyn, Brittany Brassard, Lisa Niskala, Krystle Ricard, Brittini Burns and Melissa Asante, are participating in a service-learning project entitled “Eating Disorder Awareness Day.” The event, which is dedicated to helping students and local residents gain knowledge and information about eating disorders, will be held in the commons area of the Gardner campus Friday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Representatives from local service agencies and fitness centers will be available. Eating disorder experts will be speaking during community time, from 11:40 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. Purple ribbons which represent eating disorders will be available, so stop by to get a ribbon and wear it in support of the millions of Americans who suffer from eating disorder. For more information, contact Murphy at smurphy@mwcc.mass.edu.
• In his lecture “Talking Acadian” on Friday, April 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., communication specialist and local, renowned author Dr. John Chetro-Szivos will take us on a journey through the cultural experiences and major historical events leading up to Acadian immigration to the Gardner area. A professor at Fitchburg State College, Chetro-Szivos will cover the following topics: growing up Acadian, employment as a central feature of Acadian culture, strong forces of family, church and work, and constitutive nature of the language people speak. A book signing and sale will follow. Acadian food will be served. To register, contact the MWCC information desk at (978) 632-6600.
• The LIFE program at MWCC is hosting a Victorian Tea Saturday, April 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Colonial Hotel. Create a memory with your daughter, granddaughter, mother, aunt or friend. This is a fancy party and guests are urged to “dress up”, even hats and gloves would be welcome. Enjoy scrumptious desserts, and enjoy conversation. Sheila and Sherrill Murphy will weave a tale with their skit set in Edwardian/Victorian times. They will use clothing and accessories from their collectibles business “Robins in the Trundle Bed” to enhance the story. Reserve by calling MWCC with a credit card, or send a check to MWCC: 444 Green Street, Gardner, MA 01440. (The check’s memo line should read "LIFE Tea".) Tickets are $20 for adults; $10 for children 12 and under. For further information, contact Lorraine Wickman at (978) 630-9176 or lwickman@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC is partnering with Fitchburg State College and MASSCAP to host the Montachusett Opportunity Council, Inc.’s 40th anniversary "Poverty at Home/Reasons for Hope" symposium on Thursday, April 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30. This all-day symposium at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, Fitchburg, is intended to explore the causes of poverty in our community and provide inspiration to change the patterns that lead to poverty. The registration form is available at http://democracy.mwcc.edu/pages/PovertySymposium.html. The $35 fee includes a continental breakfast, lunch and reception.

• Eileen Ivers

  After witnessing firsthand the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy systems and conservation measures, MWCC will bring the compelling, Academy Award winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” to its Gardner campus on Thursday, April 26 at 6 p.m. in observance of Earth Day. This free showing will be followed by a brief discussion, led by climate change experts, including a representative from Clean Air – Cool Planet, on ways ordinary citizens can save money while saving the environment. MWCC’s Green Society will be selling compact fluorescent light bulbs. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kimberly B. Caisse, MWCC’s public relations specialist, at (978) 630-9547 or kcaisse@mwcc.mass.edu.
• The Center for Democracy and Humanity has rescheduled the next Democracy Café panel discussion on all the presidential hopefuls for Monday, April 30 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the north cafeteria at the Gardner campus. WTAG talk show host and former Worcester Mayor Jordan Levy will moderate. The panelists include MWCC Political Science Professor William Welch, MWCC student Jack White, Gardner Mayor Gerald St. Hilaire, Worcester State College Director of Student Affairs Sybil Brownlee and Fitchburg State College Political Science Professor Rodney Christy. Complimentary coffee and refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP to ahart@mwcc.mass.edu or (978) 630-9458. Learn more at http://democracy.mwcc.edu/pages/DemocracyProject.html.
• Tickets are on sale for a special performance by renowned fiddler Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul at Theatre of the Mount. Tickets for this May 5th performance are $35 each, with a $2 online service charge. Tickets may be purchased at the Theatre at the Mount box office and online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu. Proceeds will benefit Theatre at the Mount.