Friday, June 6, 2008

 

GATEWAY TO COLLEGE CONGRATULATES 2008 GRADUATES; WELCOMES NEW STUDENTS

By Janice O'Connor

Gateway to College 2008 graduates included, from left, Brittany Noonan, Courtney Stroschine and Amy Flanagan.

Thirteen area students who previously dropped out of high school for various reasons reached a milestone when they received their diplomas as part of Mount Wachusett Community College’s Gateway to College program, in partnership with Gardner Public Schools. The students, who were dually enrolled at Gardner High School and MWCC through the program, graduated from Gardner High on May 31.

The Gateway to College program opens a new door of opportunity for students ages 16 to 20 who have dropped out or on the verge of dropping out of high school, reside in a Massachusetts school district and are significantly behind in high school credits for their age or grade.

Leominster resident Amy Flanagan, 18, was elated to receive her diploma following a difficult stretch in her young life. While she enjoyed high school, her junior year brought new challenges and heartache. Flanagan’s daughter, Grace, was born in April, 2007, and just four days later, Flanagan suffered the loss of her mother, Donna Marcello, to breast cancer. Flanagan’s guidance counselor at Leominster High School suggested the Gateway program as an option for continuing her education.

“I’ve always enjoyed school, so coming here was a great experience,” she said. “I enjoyed it a lot. For those who didn’t enjoy high school, they should try Gateway because it’s inexpensive and it’s a great opportunity to attend college and high school. They might enjoy it better because there’s less drama and the hours are more flexible.” Flanagan, who earned college credits in education and human services courses, said she is interested in continuing on for a college degree when her daughter is a bit older.

“It’s great to see the Gateway program gaining momentum and graduating more students each year,” said program director Deb Bibeau. “This time last year, there were two graduates when this program was in its fledgling stages. Now that Gateway has gained a strong footing, more people are realizing what a terrific gem this is.”

The Gateway to College program at MWCC began in 2006 through a $300,000 start-up grant provided by Portland Community College, with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and their partners, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and receives funding from Massachusetts Chapter 70 Funds. Students are responsible for a one-time $10 MWCC application fee and a $75 fee for each semester they are enrolled in the program. There may be an additional fee if the student earns less than a grade of ‘C’ in any class.

Students admitted to the Gateway to College program are enrolled in a small learning community of 20 to 25 peers who take their first semester foundation classes together in preparation for the transition to the traditional college curriculum.

After successfully completing the first semester foundation courses, students can transition to college courses, where they continue to earn both high school and college credits while working toward a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or certificate. Throughout the program, students receive assistance from a resource specialist in advising and guidance counseling, as well as access to free tutoring services.

Prospective students or their parents may obtain an application packet by calling MWCC’s Gateway to College program at (978) 630-9248. Applications for the fall 2008 semester also can be downloaded from the College Access and Preparation Programs website at www.mwcc.mass.edu/services/CAPP/welcome.html.

Applicants are required to attend a two-day information session. Upcoming Gateway to College information sessions are scheduled for June 10-11; 24-25; July 8-9; 29-30; and August 12-13. The sessions will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. at MWCC’s Gardner campus.

FIFTH ANNUAL KID EXPO FEATURES EXPANDED HOURS AND ACTIVITIES

By Janice O'Connor

Children explore a fire truck during last weekend's Molly Bish Kid Expo at HealthAlliance Hospital, Leominster Campus. The fifth annual Molly Bish Kid Expo at MWCC's Gardner campus takes place June 14.

The fifth annual Molly Bish Kid Expo, greatly expanded this year to include longer hours, and more activities, demonstrations and giveaways than ever, will take place Saturday June 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at MWCC'S Gardner campus.

The free festival, hosted by the Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety at MWCC with the support of numerous sponsors and partners from throughout the region, helps raise awareness of child health and safety issues for parents, caregivers, and children by providing hands-on learning opportunities. At the heart of the event is the distribution of free Child Safety I.D. kits provided by the Molly Bish Foundation. The Molly Bish Institute was established by MWCC and John and Magi Bish in memory of their 16-year-old daughter Molly, who was abducted while serving as a lifeguard at Comins Pond in Warren in June, 2000.

A similar event this past weekend at HealthAlliance Hospital, Leominster Campus, drew a record crowd of more than 2,000.

“The Molly Bish Kid Expo truly is a community effort,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “Hundreds of volunteers and community partners join together each year to present thousands of attendees with a fun and exciting day that also provides crucial information about health and safety matters. We are proud to host this event for the fifth year and are deeply grateful to John and Magi Bish, and all of our partners, for their commitment and dedication to keeping the children of Massachusetts safe and healthy,” he said.

“We are honored that this event continues to grow and reach more and more families each year,” said Magi Bish. “We see Molly in every child, and are heartened by the ongoing efforts that are being made in her memory to keep children safe.”

The event will feature Molly Bish Foundation Child Safety I.D. kits; r.a.d.KIDS self-defense demonstrations with campus police; karate demonstrations; car seat safety inspections; a health and safety resource fair featuring more than 30 community organizations; free bike helmets courtesy of Heywood Hospital (while supplies last); and raffles for bikes, car seats, a playhouse and gift baskets. The event also includes a Life Flight helicopter landing; DCU hot air balloon rides from 9 to 10 a.m. (weather permitting); the State Police's Convincer Rollover Simulator (seat belt safety) and B.A.T Mobile, (Breath Alcohol Test Mobile Unit); lots of safety vehicles to explore; the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue dogs and Mobile Command Unit; appearances by Smoky Bear and McGruff the Crime Dog; free food; music; entertainment; crafts; a climbing wall, batting cage and other fun fitness games.

Kid Expo is made possible through the generous support of numerous businesses and organizations in the region. Major sponsors include Heywood Hospital, HealthAlliance Hospital, Fallon Community Health Plan, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Hannaford Supermarkets, DCU and MWCC. For more information, log on to http://mollybish.mwcc.edu or contact Andrea Hart de Gravelle at (978) 630-9458 or ahart@mwcc.mass.edu.

LT. GOVERNOR MURRAY, AREA LEGISLATORS, STRATEGIZE WITH CENTRAL MASS NONPROFITS

By Jennifer Wiley-Cordone

The Institute for Nonprofit Development at MWCC and our allies at the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation co-sponsored the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network's Central Regional meeting on Thursday, May 29, featuring a discussion with Lt. Governor Tim Murray and special guests Senators Edward Augustus, Harriette Chandler, and Richard Moore and Representatives Stephen DiNatale, John Fresolo, and Robert Spellane.

What emerged? Every legislator on the panel had significant personal engagement with nonprofits in their communities, both as elected officials and in their personal lives as volunteers, board members, and previous employees. Representative DiNatale singled out regional non-profits by name, from a large organization serving 20,000 people to a grassroots effort making significant impacts in the lives of 25 homeless families. The more personally connected these individuals were with an organization or an issue, the more informed they were about relevant challenges and benefits.

The legislators demonstrated a clear understanding of the value that nonprofits bring to the Massachusetts economy-noting that employees of nonprofits represent 15% of the state workforce and are the only sector to continue to grow during periods of recession. The panel also clearly supported the value that nonprofits bring to our society-not just economically-and pointed to the need for front-line workers and nonprofit leadership to become involved as directly as possible in educating them about community priorities, and the real impact of policy, both unintended and direct.

Representative Fresolo was joined by Senators Moore and Chandler in reiterating the need for nonprofits to diversify funding, as reliance on state support is not a viable strategy. State support is increasingly structured around leveraging small investments for maximum impact programs that require community based-matching donations and long-term sustainability without the expectation of continued state support. The message was combined with a clear call for accountability and responsible stewardship of state and federal funds, endowments, and private donations, potentially including caps on nonprofit CEO salaries, as well as the need for collaboration among agencies.

The Institute for Nonprofit Development is working hard to bring more resources to help area nonprofits address these trends. The next forum will take place on June 12 at 9 a.m. in the Murphy Conference Room at the college's Gardner campus.

THEATRE AT THE MOUNT OPENS SUMMER SEASON WITH TONY AWARD WINNING 'THE SECRET GARDEN'

By Gail M. Steele

Theatre at the Mount is proud to kick off its summer season with the Tony Award winning musical The Secret Garden. Based on the beloved children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden opened on Broadway in 1991 and ran for over 700 performances. A beautiful story about the healing power of love and the miracle of rebirth, this captivating musical has a gorgeous score written by Lucy Simon and a touching story adapted for the stage by Tony-Award winning Marsha Norman.

The Secret Garden is the story of Mary Lennox (played by Linda Bittenson), a young and lonely English girl orphaned by a cholera epidemic in India. She is sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven (Rob Houle), in Yorkshire, England. Archibald is still grieving the loss of his wife, Lily (Elaine Crane), who died 10 years earlier in childbirth, and is distraught over the condition of his bedridden son, Colin (Luke Dombroski). The mood in the manor is dark until Mary discovers a secret garden that once belonged to Lily. Aided by her young maid Martha (Nicole Kirrane), Martha’s mystical brother Dickon (Sam Simahk), and a crotchety old gardener named Ben (Rick Woods), Mary unlocks the secrets of the hidden garden and releases the magic and adventures locked inside. By nursing the garden back to life, Mary also restores life to her grieving uncle and his sick son.

Sure to appeal to both young and old, The Secret Garden contains such beautiful melodies as “Lilly’s Eyes” and “How Could I Ever Know.” The lyrical score by Lucy Simon creates a world where lost loves are found, lost lives are saved, spring comes again, and beauty reigns. The original Broadway production garnered the 1991 Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Daisy Egan, the youngest actress ever to receive the Tony Award), and Best Scenic Design.

The Secret Garden opens for five performances on June 20, 21, 27, 28 at 8 p.m. and June 29 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for evenings and $15 for matinees and may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 978 632-2403, or online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu                 

INTERNATIONAL CLUB WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL SEMESTER WITH NYC TRIP

By Heidi McCann and Heather Layton

The International Club at Central Park.(Photo by Gaurav Khanna)

MWCC’s International Club recently enjoyed an end-of-the year trip to New York City. Twenty club members and four MWCC staff members, including the club co-advisors, soaked in two days of cultural sight seeing at Central Park, Ground Zero, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island.

Another highlight of the trip was dinner at a Senegalese restaurant, arranged by Club Treasurer Cheikh Diagne. Staying at the Hostelling International New York youth hostel, club members had an opportunity to interact with young people from around the world.

The club, which expanded from five to more than 25 members in one year, successfully raised over $2,000 during the spring semester to make this trip a reality, thanks to the generous contributions of MWCC faculty, staff, and students.

The trip, according to one student who posted this reflection on the Club’s Facebook page, "was simply AWESOME!! I discovered how good people can be, and how much fun we can have even though we have different beliefs, various backgrounds, and dissimilar cultures."

The International Club hopes to make an end-of-the year trip to a culturally significant city an annual tradition.

More MWCC News:

• The American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Gardner, recognized last year as the largest in New England and the seventh largest in the country, returns to MWCC June 6 - 7. Over the past 14 years, the Gardner relay has raised $7.7 million for the ACS to fund research.

  Theatre at the Mount announces auditions for its August production of Disney’s High School Musical. Director Rob Houle, music director Joanne Landry and choreographer Alison Laverdiere are looking for 45 - 50 young people, ages 15 and up, who can realistically portray high school age, as well as three adults. Auditions will be held by appointment only on Saturday, June 7 between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday, June 10 between 6 to 9 p.m. Auditions will consist of singing and dancing, followed by cold readings for some roles. All performers should come prepared with a short vocal selection that shows range and ability and should bring sheet music for the accompanist. Performances of High School Musical are August 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 8 p.m. and August 10 and 17 at 2 p.m. To schedule an appointment call the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403, or e-mail your appointment request to box-office@mwcc.mass.edu. For more information contact Professor Gail Steele at 978 630-9162 or visit the Theatre at the Mount web site at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• The North Central Massachusetts Minority Coalition will present the forum, Internalized Racism: Racial Inferiority and Superiority, on Thursday, June 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton in Leominster. Sponsored by MWCC, the final forum the coalition's four-part series, "Facing Race: We're Better Together," will include group circle dialogues led by Sayra Pinto-Wilson, associate vice president of inclusion and community learning at MWCC and executive director of the Partnership for Latino Success. The forum aims to increased understanding of internalized racism as well as increase awareness about the unintended impact of racism between different groups of people within our organizations, families and communities. Lunch will be provided. Registration is $25 and free for MWCC employees. MWCC employees can register at theminoritycoalition@mwcc.mass.edu. For more information, contact Marsha Poor at (978) 630-9374.

• The Entrepreneurial Resource Center at MWCC is accepting applications for the fourth annual Business Plan Competition. The competition, open to residents in MWCC's 29-town service area, gives innovators an opportunity to submit business plans and vie for up to $12,000 in cash prizes and more than $8,000 of in-kind services. One finalist will be chosen in each of the following three categories: start up profit, expanding profit business and start-up and expanding nonprofits. A grand prize winner will be selected from among the three finalists. Competition workshops will take place June 17 in partnership with Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce at MWCC's Devens campus, July 25 in partnership with Wachusett Chamber of Commerce at Clinton Hospital, and on Aug. 1 at Experience Gardner, above BDO Seidman. Competition guidelines and applications are available at http://erc.mwcc.edu For more information, contact Lisa Derby Oden at (978) 840-3221 ext. 163.

• Registrations are now being accepted for MWCC Foundation, Inc.’s 13th Annual Golf Tournament to benefit student scholarships. The tournament will take place Monday, August 18 at Gardner Municipal Golf course, with the 19th hole at the Colonial Hotel in Gardner. Sir Jeremy Bell (aka Man in a Skirt), dressed in full highland kilt with bagpipes blaring, will emcee the post-game awards ceremony with hilarious roasts and toasts. The cost is $150 per person to play and $40 for dinner at the Colonial. Registration begins at 8:30 AM with a shotgun start at 10:00. The tournament will conclude with a social hour at 3 p.m., followed by dinner, an auction and the awards ceremony with Sir Jeremy Bell, who has entertained celebrities from Clint Eastwood to Julia Roberts. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are still available. Visit www.mwcc.edu/alumni and click on golf tournament for details. For more information, contact Carol Cullins at (978) 630-9594.

• MWCC, in association with the Broadcasting and Electronic Media program and Phi Theta Kappa, is pleased to once again offer Commencement DVDs. This professional quality, edited DVD of MWCC’s 2008 graduation ceremony will be available for a limited time at a cost of $15 each. This low cost includes the cost of shipping and handling. Fifty percent of the profits from the DVD sales will go to MWCC’s Phi Delta Chapter of the PTK Honor Society. PTK students will donate the other 50 percent of the profits directly to the Greater Gardner Community Health Center's food pantry. To place an order in advance, contact Sheila Murphy, PTK advisor, at smurphy@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: June 18 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Heywood Hospital; Biotechnology/Biomanufacturing: June 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 341; A.S. Nursing: June 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Practical Nursing Certificate program: June 19 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Complementary Health Care: June 16 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, room 12; Dental Hygiene: 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