Friday, August 17 , 2007

 

ACCREDITATION COMMISSION SMILES UPON NEW DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM

By Janice O'Connor

Mount Wachusett Community College’s new Dental Hygiene program at HealthAlliance’s Burbank campus in Fitchburg has received official word that it has been granted full accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The program also achieved the rare distinction of receiving two commendations for excellence.

For the second consecutive year, Mount Wachusett Dental Hygiene students participated in the Special Olympics Special Smiles program at Harvard University in Boston. The program is part of the Massachusetts Summer State Games and relies on the volunteerism of many, including dental hygiene students from around the state. MWCC students who volunteered on June 16 include sophomores Christine Ricciardi, Alison Landry and Kristin DeRuzzo and freshmen Ali Ambroz and Mildred Goyco.

“We knew that the program we created with the support of HealthAlliance and the dental community was strong and would fill a critical need for more dental hygienists throughout the region,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “That the program not only received full approval from the Commission on Dental Accreditation, but two commendations for excellence as well, demonstrates the strength of community partnerships. I applaud the commitment and dedication of our staff and faculty and all of the partners involved in bringing the Dental Hygiene program to this level of success.”

The associate’s degree Dental Hygiene program was commended in the area of educational support services and facility for incorporating “the use of modern technology and equipment in both the classroom and clinic. The faculty and administration are commended for providing a state-of-the-art learning environment and fostering student success.” In the category of institutional effectiveness, the program was commended for having “exceptional financial support from the local and state dental societies, as well as grants from private foundations.”

The program is unique in the state because of its partnership with a community dental clinic. With the help of donations, grants and support from HealthAlliance, MWCC located the dental hygiene program in the same building as Community Health Connections, Dental Services, a clinic that serves uninsured and underinsured residents of the area. Students helped attend to the clinic’s high volume of dental care cases, seeing over 1,000 patients during the program’s three clinical semesters. The first class of students graduated this spring.

The partnership developed out of interest in the local dental community for MWCC to offer a dental hygiene program to address the North Central Massachusetts region’s critical shortage of dental hygienists. HealthAlliance’s leaders made the program possible by renovating 5,300 square feet in the former Burbank Hospital. Contributors who helped make the program possible include the Massachusetts Dental Society Foundation, the Wachusett District Dental Society, the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, the Delta Dental Foundation and the Oral Health Initiative of North Central Massachusetts.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” Anne Malkasian, Director of the Dental Hygiene program, said of the approval and commendations. “One of the members of the accreditation team said she only remembers once or twice giving a school a commendation, and never two. We are truly grateful for the support we received from HealthAlliance and the dental community.”

PRESIDENT ASQUINO APPOINTED TO COMMONWEALTH READINESS COUNCIL

By Janice O’Connor

Mount Wachusett Community College President Daniel M. Asquino has been appointed to Gov. Deval Patrick’s Leadership Council of the Commonwealth Readiness Project. The Leadership Council will develop a 10-year strategic plan to continuously improve public education. President Asquino’s appointment was announced during the governor’s press conference on Aug. 6 at the Statehouse.

In June, Governor Patrick unveiled his vision for a comprehensive, child-centered public education system in the Commonwealth that begins before kindergarten, continues through grade 12 and higher education, and extends to workforce development and lifelong learning.

“There is no greater gateway to opportunity and success than a first-rate education,” Gov. Patrick said when announcing the appointments. “We have a strategy for that. The Readiness project is about getting there. Each member of the Leadership Council is a talented professional who will bring a unique perspective to improving teaching and learning across the Commonwealth. Together they will build a long-term plan that guides us through the next phase of education reform to ensure all of our children are ready to compete in the global economy.”

The 18-member Leadership Council will work with the Commonwealth Readiness Project’s three co-chairs, Jackie Jenkins-Scott, president of Wheelock College, Tom Payzant, former superintendent of the Boston and Oklahoma City Public Schools, and Joe Tucci, chairman, president, and CEO of EMC Corporation. In addition, more than 100 experts and practitioners from throughout Massachusetts will be involved in the project by serving on subcommittees. The Readiness Project’s mission is to develop a 10-year strategic plan to implement the governor’s vision for education in the Commonwealth, including specific action steps, timelines, benchmarks and cost estimates.

“I am honored to be selected for this tremendously crucial endeavor,” Asquino said. “The Readiness Project will allow us to review all aspects of the Commonwealth’s education system, from pre-kindergarten through college, to determine ways to enhance services to students and prepare people for employment in areas critical to today’s economy. This plan is important to the future economic vitality of the Commonwealth.”

STUDENTS IN MWCC’S THIRD ANNUAL LEADERSHIP CAMP HELP RESTORE HABITAT HOUSE

By Janice O’Connor

As part of the service learning component of MWCC’s third annual Leadership Camp, 27 incoming freshmen volunteered Friday, Aug. 17 to help renovate a house in Gardner that will soon be home to a new family through Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts. The students, along with several college administrators, faculty and staff, worked on landscaping, interior painting and deck restoration, among other tasks, at a Habitat house on Harvard Street. The house is the first in Gardner that the North Central Habitat organization has purchased back from a previous owner to refurbish for a new family, said Megan Foley, executive director of the organization.

“When we sell a house, we sell it at what our costs are and a zero interest loan, and there’s a deed restriction on it that enables us to buy it back at a reasonable cost,” she said. The house will be restored to as-new condition, rededicated and presented to a new owner in early fall, she said.

“For us, this is the first time we’ve had someone move on from one of our houses here in this area. It’s just a real success story. A homeowner, a single mom, put herself through courses, got a better job, got married and has moved on,” she said.

The volunteer crew from Mount Wachusett gave the restoration “a big boost,” Foley said. “It really gives this project a lift, getting that many bodies in at one time.”

“The students who attend our Leadership Camp not only are developing their own skills and abilities, but they are taking an active role in strengthening our community,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “We’re delighted that this year’s project ties in with this Habitat success story. We strongly believe in civic engagement and the benefits our student leaders gain from their volunteerism experiences.”

In addition to the Habitat project, students enrolled in Leadership Camp spent two days this week developing leadership skills and learning the benefits of being involved in the college community. Research shows that the more students who are actively engaged in college co-curricular activities, the more likely they are to reach their academic goals. The Leadership Camp is sponsored by the college’s Student Life office with participation from administrators, faculty and staff from throughout the campus.

“This is a great opportunity for them as they begin their academic careers,” said Peter Trainor, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs and a Habitat volunteer. “You can already see the bonds forming, the friendships being made,” added Assistant Dean of Student Life Greg Clement, who also volunteered on the restoration. “Today’s volunteerism component of Leadership Camp working with Habitat for Humanity is extremely important to our new student’s leadership development.”

MWCC CELEBRATES ACHIEVEMENTS OF PRACTICAL NURSING GRADUATES

The academic success of 23 graduates of Mount Wachusett Community College’s Practical Nurse program at Devens was recognized during a traditional pinning ceremony on August 3 at the Gardner campus. The class is the first to complete the program as part-time students. The program is run in partnership with the Leo P. LaChance Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, Life Care Centers of America and Merrimack Health Group.

“Yours really is a very noble profession, because you do make a difference every day by making life better for others,” MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino told the graduates.

Collectively, the members of the graduating class have worked in healthcare for 307 years, including 261 years as Certified Nursing Assistants before attending the college’s practical nursing program to advance their careers, noted MWCC Dean Emeritus Stuart Shuman, who taught two psychology courses to the class. The medical profession recognizes that health care workers who have already demonstrated a commitment to patient care by working as CNAs naturally excel as nurses, he said.

During the ceremony, each graduate, dressed in a traditional nurse uniform, was welcomed into the profession by having a nursing pin fastened to her/his lapel by a fellow nurse—a family member, friend or faculty member. The nursing pin symbolizes the medal of excellence Florence Nightingale presented to the women who nursed the wounded of the Crimean War.

“The pinning ceremony is more than an event that marks the completion of nursing school,” explained Judy Giacoppe, Director of the Practical Nursing program. “It is a time when nursing students light a candle and recite a pledge to honor the dedication of Nurse Nightingale. It is an event where new nurses symbolically plan to carry the ideals for which she stood.”

MWCC’s 2007 graduates in the Devens Part-time Practical Nursing program are:

Acton: Tamera Gilberti
Ashby: Florence Lauziere
Auburn: Julius Babu
Cherry Valley: Christine Skorb
Dracut: James Mbugua
Fitchburg: Stephanie Demeulle, Lisa O’Connell
Gardner: Brenda Klash
Hudson: Mariam Sembatya
Leominster: Patricia Moriasi, Chanreth Nutter, Theresa Saveall (class president)
Littleton: David Hinga
Lowell: Tejansien Bangura, Privilege Dhliwayo, Samuel K. Siawor
Pepperell: Linda DeGroote
Southbridge: Kaleena Boulos, Jessica Njuguna
Webster: Donna Johnson, Sherrie Leboeuf
Winchendon: Marlene O’Dea, Mary Young

 

More MWCC News:

• Don’t miss your last chance to see Theatre at the Mount’s acclaimed production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” based on the book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by Dick Scanlan, on Friday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. and Sunday Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. Audiences will jump into the madcap merriment of the Jazz Age when women were bobbing their hair, raising their hemlines and raising eyebrows. Frisky flappers, romantic trysts, speakeasies, tap dancing and flashy fun abound in this tale of a Midwestern girl determined to take the Big Apple by storm. Tickets for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” are available at the Theatre at the Mount box office Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., or by calling (978) 632-2403. Tickets also can be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu. Tickets are $20 for evening performances and $15 for matinees, with discounts available for children, Mount students and groups.
• MWCC’s Institute for Nonprofit Development is sponsoring a workshop on August 29, “Building and Sustaining a Dynamic Board,” from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gardner campus. Participants will learn new ways to free board members from the minutia of meetings and enable them to better use their time, talents and resources to energize the entire organization. Sarah Lange, MSW, founder of Legacy Consulting, will lead the session. Lange is counsel to numerous organizations and their leaders and works extensively with nonprofits of all sizes. She is a frequent presenter on nonprofit management, leadership, strategic planning, organizational theory and development. The cost is $50 per person for INPD members and $75 for nonmembers. To register, contact Jennifer Wiley-Cordone at (978) 840-3221, ext. 199 or jwiley-cordone@mwcc.mass.edu.
• Now entering its ninth year of service to senior learners age 50 and over, the LIFE Program at MWCC is accepting registrations for a variety of courses being offered throughout the fall 2007 semester. Upcoming courses are being offered in computers, writer’s workshop, poetry workshop, writing your family memoirs, current events, and exploring the sacred writings of four major religions. The Mount Walkers meet weekly on Thursday mornings at 10:30 to walk the bike path. In addition, submissions of prose, poetry, short stories or historical memoirs are also being accepted for Tapestries, An Anthology, a quality annual publication of writings published, distributed and sponsored by the LIFE Program. The LIFE Program directs three Intergenerational Projects that match senior citizens with elementary, high school and college students on a writing project, an arts project and a poetry/arts project. “Senior Moments” and “Reminisce” are TV shows that feature outstanding seniors and take the viewer back to the ‘good old days’ on WGET, Gardner. To be placed on the LIFE Program mailing list to receive a course description booklet, contact Lorraine Wickman at l_wickman@mwcc.mass.edu or call (978) 632-9176.
• The Clinical Laboratory Science program offers an associate’s degree and integrates general education courses with science and hospital rotations. Students enrolled in this program will learn how to use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and computers to analyze blood and other body specimens. The generation of accurate results of laboratory tests allows physicians to detect, diagnose and treat disease. Information sessions will be offered on Wednesdays on Aug. 22, Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. in the Volney Howe Conference Room or the OBS Conference Room at Heywood Hospital. The sessions will include a tour of the clinical laboratory. Prospective students interested in attending an information session are asked to call the admissions office at (978) 630-9110 (TTY (978) 632-4916), or send an email to admissions@mwcc.mass.edu.
• Do you have an idea for a new business or nonprofit organization? Do you want to start it in North Central Massachusetts? If you answered yes to these questions, now is your chance to turn that idea into a business plan for cash and other prizes. It’s all part of MWCC’s 2007 Business Plan Competition. You’ll be among the group of innovators seeking to win up to $14,000 in cash prizes, as well as over $14,000 of in-kind services, to help you start or expand a business or nonprofit in the region. Applications and final business plans are due Tuesday, Sept. 18. Semi-finalists, finalists and the grand-prize winner will be announced in November. Learn all the competition details and get an application at http://erc.mwcc.edu or call Lisa Derby Oden at (978) 840-3221 ext. 163.
• MWCC, in association with the Broadcasting and Telecommunications program and Phi Theta Kappa, is pleased to once again offer 2007 Commencement DVDs. This professional quality, edited DVD of MWCC’s 2007 graduation day 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 Cleghorn Neighborhood Center. To place an order in advance, contact Sheila Murphy, PTK advisor, at smurphy@mwcc.mass.edu.
• The Leo & Theresa LaChance Library will be open regular hours over the summer, but there will be no public access to the Mezzanine and lower levels through Friday, Aug. 31, due to the library renovation. Access to the book collection will be extremely limited, so patrons should call ahead if they need something in particular. Staff may be able to access parts of the collection at various times, but they cannot guarantee that they will be able to retrieve specific titles at specific times. The main level will provide public access computers and printing. The rooms on the lower level will not be available during this time. The renovation project is funded through the college's capital campaign, which raised nearly $4 million. If you have any questions, please call Assistant Dean of Library and Information Services Linda Oldach at (978) 630-9126.