Friday, April 25, 2008

 

INTERNATIONAL JOURNALIST BIRGIT BRAUER NAMED 2008 ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

By Janice O'Connor

Birgit Brauer, 2008 Alumna of the Year

Birgit Brauer, who earned an associate’s degree in Broadcasting and Telecommunications from Mount Wachusett Community College in 1989 and went on to establish a career as an international journalist, will be honored as the 2008 Alumna of the Year at the college’s 43rd commencement on Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. in the Fitness & Wellness Center.

“We are proud to honor Birgit Brauer as our 2008 Alumna of the Year,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “She came to the Mount as an international student eager to learn about a career in the media and continued on to achieve tremendous success both academically and professionally. Her determination to reach her goals truly serves as an inspiration to our students.”

After graduating from MWCC, Brauer graduated cum laude from Harvard University Extension School in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, and received a master’s degree in International Journalism from American University in Washington, D.C. in 1993. She currently is a Ph.D. candidate at the Center for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Based in Kazakhstan, Brauer is a correspondent for The Economist, writing articles on the political, economic and social situation in Central Asia, including the 2005 presidential elections in Kazakhstan and the Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan and its consequences. Brauer also has worked as a correspondent for The New York Times, Bloomberg News, and The Associated Press, covering such topics as economic development, foreign investment, oil and gas projects, banking, telecommunications and human rights. She previously worked as editor and publisher of a monthly newsletter for the U.S.-Kyrgyz Business Council in Washington and in Bishkek. The not-for-profit organization headed by former California Senator Alan Cranston analyzed events affecting U.S.-Kyrgyz trade.

“For me, the Mount was a great place to start out, and I look back on my studies with great fondness,” said Brauer, who was originally from Germany and moved to Fort Devens in the mid-1980s a few months prior to enrolling at MWCC. She credits her professors at the time, Vincent Ialenti, now assistant dean of distance learning and instructional technology, Tony Cerubini and John Koller, with providing a solid foundation in radio and television broadcasting. “The hands-on training I received would have been inconceivable in Germany at that time, and allowed me to find out, by trial and error, about my strengths and weaknesses and choose my career path accordingly.”

MWCC established the award in 1989 to showcase the accomplishments of its graduates.

CITIZENSHIP ACADEMY STUDENTS TO BEGIN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS IN FITCHBURG

By Janice O'Connor

Members of the Citizenship Academy Class of 2008 with Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong, front center, during a recent class at Fitchburg High School.

A group of Fitchburg High School students enrolled in MWCC’s Citizenship Academy will complete the program this spring with six college credits under their belts as well as experience planning and implementing service projects to benefit the community.

The 14-week Citizenship Academy introduces high school students to higher education, civic engagement and community service. While earning college credits, students learn the basics of thinking and writing with clarity, as well as how to become engaged in their communities through a service-learning component. As part of the college’s “Decade of Civic Engagement” initiative, MWCC offers Citizenship Academy to students completely free of charge, including tuition, fees and books. The program is administered by MWCC’s Center for Democracy and Humanity in collaboration with the division of Access and Transition’s College Access and Preparation Programs.

This year, Citizenship Academy was integrated into the existing schedule at Fitchburg High for the first time, a change that enabled participants to have easier access to the two college-level sociology courses, Introduction to Sociology and Social Problems. Students were required to test into English 101, which is a pre-requisite for the Citizenship Academy courses.

The students met three days a week for classes led by an MWCC instructor, once a week for a homework assistance class and once a week for a service learning and civic engagement class. Guest speakers during the semester included Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong and State Rep. Stephen DiNatale.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to start out earning college credits,” said student Jeannette Gonzalez. “It’s actually a fun class and it has been really interesting.”

Shane Haase, who is interested in a career in human services, said he has particularly enjoyed learning more about municipal government and city issues. “I like this class because you can understand why our community is the way it is and what you can do to change it for the better."

The class has been working in three groups on the service learning component to develop community projects. They have been guided throughout the semester by Fagan Forhan and Andrea Hart de Gravelle of the Center for Democracy and Humanity.

One group is reviving a garden in the lower Cleghorn neighborhood. The garden project, which includes a clean up day on May 3 and planting on May 24, will promote healthy eating for the community and also establish a memorial for FHS students who have passed away. The garden will include signage in five languages, representing the multicultural community.

Another group is focusing on creating a field day at Memorial Middle School, as budget cuts have eliminated this popular activity from schools. The Citizenship Academy students recognize the value of creating such a day for students to enjoy the outdoors and appreciate fitness.

A third group of students will create a mural on the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center that will promote unity and diversity. They are currently working with artists on the design and are seeking donations of paint and supplies.

BARBERSHOP, PERCUSSION AND ALL THAT JAZZ RECORDED LIVE AT MWCC STUDIOS

By Janice O'Connor

Jason Blanchard, a student in the advanced audio production course, works in a recording studio as the Oakmont Regional High School Jazz Band performs.

It was lights, cameras, action – and music – at Mount Wachusett Community College when the Oakmont Regional High School Jazz Band was invited to take part in an elaborate audio and video recording session. The collaborative effort gave the band an opportunity to experience what it’s like to be professionally recorded in a studio, while the Mount’s audio and broadcasting students were able to hone their production skills.

The four-hour recording of the performances, interviews and behind the scenes footage will be edited into a 30-minute program and aired on cable access stations throughout the area later this spring.

The 22-member jazz band was invited to the college by John Little, former percussion teacher at the high school and now an adjunct instructor at MWCC. Students in Little’s advanced audio production course have spent the past semester making audio recordings of various community musicians and bands. Little wanted to end the semester with a “spectacle” that would combine the efforts of MWCC audio production students and broadcasting students. The session involved 32 microphones on the band, two digital 24-track audio recordings synchronized together and also synchronized to five video recordings, and a flurry of activity in several audio and video studios.

“It’s the first time anything this technically involved has been done,” Little explained. “I knew this would be a colossal undertaking.”

Throughout the semester, the audio production students honed their skills by recording a number of other local musicians and singers including the Chair City Pipers women's barbershop chorus and area drummer Rob Richard, creator and administrator of handidrummed.com, a website for disabled drummers.

Formerly called the Broadcasting and Telecommunications program, the two-year associate degree program at MWCC was recently renamed to Broadcasting and Electronic Media to better reflect advances in technology and the broad range of career opportunities, said Joel Anderson, the department’s chairman. The program prepares students for careers in the television, radio, recording, multimedia and cable industries. Equipment and facilities include two television studios, four audio studios, DVC-Pro electronic field production equipment, digital video editing suites and audio workstations.

“The 30-minute piece that will be created from this recording will be sent out to cable companies in the college’s service area to show people in the community what we do, while also showcasing the Oakmont music program.”

The band recorded three numbers: Carl Strommen’s “Backburner,” Sammy Nestico’s “Samantha,” and “Feelin’ the Funk” by Erik Morales.

“It’s a really great opportunity for them,” Oakmont Music Director Kris DeMoura said of the 22-band members. “They’re very excited to be doing this. There was a lot more preparation on their part than a rehearsal or concert setting” due to the intricate recording component. “It’s really giving them a chance to shine.”

GARDNER NATIVE SHARES ECONOMIC VIEWS IN INTERVIEWS AIRING IN THE REGION

By Janice O'Connor

Gardner native Raymond B. Carey, Jr., left, recently shared his views on democratic capitalism during interviews with Professor Michael T. Greenwood, chairman of the business department at MWCC. The interviews were conducted and recorded in the college's broadcasting and electronic media studios and began airing this week on Gardner Cable Channel 8. The interviews will continue running this spring in Gardner and on Ashburnham-Westminster cable access.

Gardner native and business leader Raymond B. Carey, Jr. recently shared his views on democratic capitalism during interviews with Professor Michael T. Greenwood, chairman of the business department at Mount Wachusett Community College. The interviews were conducted and recorded in the college’s broadcasting and electronic media studios and are airing this spring on Gardner Cable Channel 8.

The interviews will be broadcast on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m.; Friday, April 25 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m.; and Sunday, April 27 at 7 p.m. The final two parts of the series will air later this spring. The interviews also are airing on Ashburnham-Westminster cable access.

“We produced these interviews with Ray in 15-minute segments in order to make the concepts easy to grasp.” Greenwood said. “Ray makes basic, everyday economics understandable for anyone trying to cope in these uncertain economic times.”

According to Carey’s website, http://www.democratic-capitalism.com, the mission of the Carey Center for Democratic Capitalism is to educate students, citizens and leaders in the fundamentals upon which the American republic was constructed – democracy and capitalism. Leaders learn that any social structure can be managed best by freeing and educating people, and by fostering environments in which individual ambition harmonizes with social cooperation. In the interviews, Carey presents the theory and practice of democratic capitalism by coupling his experience with a synthesis of the thought of Adam Smith, Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill. According to Carey, the evidence is clear: democratic capitalist companies produce superior results, and nations that support economic freedom and keep money neutral improve the lives of their people.

A graduate of Gardner High School, Carey served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946, graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1948, and received his master’s degree from Harvard Business School in 1950. He chaired the ADT Inc. board for more than 16 years and served on numerous other corporate boards. He also served on the New York Board of Junior Achievement and on the organization’s national board. He is a self-taught democratic capitalist and has written articles and books on this subject. In 1987, he organized the Raymond B. Carey Foundation, named after his father, who is also a graduate of Gardner High School and Holy Cross. The foundation’s purpose anticipated the mission of the Carey Center for Democratic Capitalism.

More MWCC News:

• The LaChance Library will be open to students, faculty, staff and the public on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All services will be available.

• The 13th annual Employees Service Awards Ceremony will take place Monday, April 28 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the North Cafe. Employees will be recognized for years of service to MWCC and the winners of the Healthy Behaviors Activity Challenge will be announced.

• Academic Affairs will recognize students during a Service Learning Celebration on Tuesday, April 29 at 11:30 a.m. in the North Cafeteria. Collectively, students participating in service learning projects throughout the academic year contributed thousands of hours to the community. Five students will receive Community Builders awards, and students who volunteered for 40 hours or more will be awarded medallions.

• MWCC's annual Evening of Excellence will be held on Thursday, May 8 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton in Leominster. Students will be honored with merit and scholarship awards during this special ceremony. For more information, contact Jackie Suhoski at (978) 630-9142.

• MWCC’s 43rd Commencement will take place Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. at the Fitness & Wellness Center. Ron Claiborne, weekend news anchor for Good Morning America, will deliver the commencement address. Outside the fitness center, members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society will conduct the 5th annual “Project Graduation, Feed a Body, Feed a Mind” food and book drive. All graduates and their guests are requested to bring a new or gently used children’s book or a non-perishable food item to the Commencement rehearsal or ceremony. All donations will given to the Greater Gardner Community Health Center’s food pantry and “Reach Out and Read” program.

• Central Massachusetts residents interested in starting a nonprofit organization are invited to attend a two-part workshop, "Nuts and Bolts of Creating Social Change Organizations," sponsored by MWCC's Institute for Nonprofit Development. The first session will take place on Wednesday, May 21 from 9 to 11 a.m. at MWCC's Leominster campus, 100 Erdman Way. Pete Cormier, Institute member and founder of Sterling Music Exchange, will lead a discussion on reasons why and why not to start a nonprofit organization, how to develop a mission statement, choosing a name, membership, officers, choosing your fiscal year, and dissolution clauses. The second session will take place on Wednesday, June 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Leominster campus, and will cover the topics of: board of directors, bylaws, conflict of interest policy, tax exempt status. The fee is $20 per session. Please contact the Institute for Nonprofit Development at 978-840-3221 x216 or nonprofit@mwcc.mass.edu with any questions or for more information.

• The Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety at MWCC will host the fifth annual Kid Expo Saturday, June 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus. In addition, Health Alliance Hospital, Leominster Campus is teaming up with MWCC to host a Kid Expo on Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Both events are free and will feature Molly Bish Foundation child safety I.D. kits, karate demonstrations, hands-on health and safety activities for children and families, car seat safety inspections and free bike helmets while supplies last. The Gardner event also includes a Lifeflight helicopter landing, the State Police's Convincer Rollover Simulator, the B.A.T mobile, lots of safety vehicles to explore, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue dogs and Mobile Command Unit, r.a.d.KIDS self-defense demonstrations with Campus Police, a health and safety resource fair, raffles for bikes, car seats, a playhouse, gift baskets, appearances by Smokey Bear and McGruff the Crime Dog, free food, music, entertainment, lots of fun fitness games and activities such as a climbing wall, and much more. For more information, log on to http://mollybish.mwcc.edu or call Andrea Hart de Gravelle at (978) 630-9458.

• 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: May 14 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Heywood Hospital, Dining Room B; Biotechnology/Biomanufacturing: May 7 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Devens Campus and May 14 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Leominster campus; A.S. Nursing: May 13 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Practical Nursing Certificate program: May 8 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Complementary Health Care: April 28 and May 19 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Dental Hygiene: May 7 and June 4 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