Friday, Aug. 29, 2008

 

MWCC WELCOMES NEW DEAN OF LIBERAL ARTS, MATH AND DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION

Dr. Vincent M. Bates, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Math and Developmental Education

Dr. Vincent Michael Bates joined Mount Wachusett Community College this month as Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Math and Developmental Education, bringing with him extensive experience in community college education.

Prior to arriving at MWCC, Bates served at Prince George's Community College in Largo, Md., as chairman of developmental mathematics from 2001 to 2007 and as course coordinator and associate professor from 1999 to 2001. Previously, he was associate professor of mathematics at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Md., from 1984 to 1999. In addition, he was an adjunct faculty member at Morgan State University in Baltimore from 1992 to 1994.

He replaces Dr. Richard Shine, who will work in the Division of Academic Affairs as Dean of Special Projects until his retirement in January.

"Dr. Bates is a creative educator who is dedicated to helping students succeed," said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino."We are most fortunate to have him join our college community."

As dean, Bates will oversee a school that has been reorganized to now include the mathematics department to facilitate advancements in the delivery of developmental education.

His academic writings include "The Impact of Preparedness, Self-Efficacy, and Math Anxiety on the Success of African American Males in developmental Mathematics at the Community College," and "Pathways to Success in Mathematics."

Bates said he gained an interest in community college leadership while pursuing his doctorate when he completed an internship at Cumberland County Community College in New Jersey under the college's president, Dr. Kenneth Ender. "I knew I wanted my career to remain in the community colleges," Bates said. "He opened my eyes to administration."

He is looking forward to working with his MWCC colleagues to help students achieve their academic goals.

Bates earned his doctorate of education in community college leadership from Morgan State University in Baltimore, his master's of science in applied mathematics from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and a bachelor's of science in mathematics from Shaw University in Raleigh, NC. He is a member of the National Association of Development Education, the American Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges, the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics and the Developmental Education Association of Maryland. He serves as treasurer of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and is an active member and participant in its national campaign, "Go to high school - Go to College."

In addition to his passion for teaching and mathematics, Bates is an avid comic book collector, film buff and traveler.

MWCC RECEIVES $75,000 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION TRANSITIONS GRANT

Area residents age 16 and above who have completed their GED and are interested in pursuing a college degree are eligible for a new program that will cover the cost of their first year of college.

MWCC has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide developmental coursework, tutoring and a variety of other support services to help Adult Basic Education graduates successfully transition to college. Over the course of two semesters, the program will provide an intensive orientation to the college and an introduction to college technology, in addition to coursework in developmental math, reading and writing.

The ABE Transitions program, funded by a three-year renewable grant, is open to area residents who have completed their GED at MWCC’s Adult Learning Centers in Gardner, Fitchburg, Leominster or Devens, the Clinton Adult Learning Center, or any Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-funded Learning Center. A limited number of seats are also available to students who have obtained their GED through privately-funded programs, such as the Winchendon Life Skills program.

“This is a wonderful opportunity, because it provides a next step for students who have earned their GED and want to come to college, but aren’t sure where to start,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino.

Deborah Bibeau, director of the Gateway to College program at MWCC, said students will be enrolled in small classes of 15 participants or less. Upon completion of the program, most students will be ready to transition into college level courses. Accommodations are available to students with disabilities. Students with children will receive priority referrals to the MWCC child care center.

“This program has the complete wraparound support package to help students succeed,” she said.

For more information about applying for the ABE Transitions program, call the Division of Access and Transition at 978-630-9248 or email dbibeau@mwcc.mass.edu.

MICHELLE VALOIS RECEIVES COURSE OF DISTINCTION AWARD IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

Michelle Valois

Michelle Valois, assistant professor of English at MWCC, was recognized as an E-Learning pioneer at the fifth annual Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO) E-Learning Conference held at Middlesex Community College in Lowell this summer.  Her course, “The Art of Being Human,” was selected from more than 1,400 courses offered through MCO, a consortium of the nine state and 15 community colleges in Massachusetts, to receive the MCO Course of Distinction (COD) Award. Eighteen state college and community college professors from across the state were selected for the award.

In addition to accepting an award plaque at a special luncheon at the conference, Valois was invited to present an overview of her course as part of the conference’s Best Practices Showcase.

“The Art of Being Human” introduces students to the humanities—art, literature, music, theater, philosophy, and religion—and is being offered again online this fall. Each week, students are required to read the assigned material in the textbook and take quizzes to assess their comprehension of the basic ideas and concepts presented in the chapter. They are also required to watch the PowerPoint presentations, which highlight key concepts and provide students with links to interesting web sites. The real heart of the course takes place on the weekly discussion board. Questions are posed to engage and provoke students and to help them connect to ideas from our reading and connect ideas from our reading to their world.

Valois was nominated for the award by Dr. Vincent Ialenti, assistant dean of distance learning and instructional technology.

“The faculty who receive the COD Award are master teachers who are using technology in amazing ways to reach students who might not otherwise have access to higher education,” said David Kelley, executive director of MCO. “Our state and community colleges are leading the way in distance learning and the COD winners are the stars.”

Massachusetts Colleges Online is a consortium of the 15 community colleges and nine state colleges in Massachusetts. The institutions have joined to share their over 1400 courses and close to 80 programs ranging from certificates to master’s degrees with students throughout the state and beyond. For the latest information on MCO, including one-stop shopping for online course offerings, visit the website at www.mco.mass.edu.

MWCC TO PRESENT AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY 'DIVIDED WE FALL'
Film Inspires National Dialogue on Race and Religion During 9/11 Anniversary

Mount Wachusett Community College will present two screenings of the award-winning documentary Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath, the first feature-length documentary on hate violence following Sept. 11, 2001. Screenings will take place in the North Cafeteria at the Gardner campus on Friday, Sept. 12 at 10:20 a.m. and at 7 p.m. A community dialogue, led by a trio of facilitators, will follow each presentation. Admission is free and open to the public.

Following the screenings, a discussion will be facilitated by Kuljeet S. Tuteja, MPH, Joint Secretary at the New England Sikh Study Circle, based in Milford, Mass., Stephen Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Keene State College, and the Rev. Karen Nell Smith, pastor of the Congregational Church of Christ, UCC, in North Leominster.

The film is screening in 50 cities across the U.S. in September in a grassroots campaign for deep dialogue about racism, religion and renewal in America in commemoration of Sept 11 and Sept. 15, the anniversary of the murder of Balbir Singh Sodhi the first person killed in retribution for the terrorist attacks.

Divided We Fall follows the journey of 20-year-old college student Valarie Kaur as she documents hate violence against Sikhs and Muslims in the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001 and examines the larger question of “who counts” as American.  On a two-year international tour, the film has won more than a dozen awards and reached 150 campuses and communities in 90 cities across the United States.

"This film provides an opportunity to open up channels of dialogue about religious intolerance, which can be a difficult subject to broach," said Heidi McCann, reference and instructional services librarian and one of the event's organizers. "This topic is still so timely, and it is my perception that students and members of the community appreciate opportunities to talk about these issues and also move toward a collective healing."

The facilitators will help attendees understand the multi-dimensional aspects of the film.

Smith co-created "Walking in the Way of Peace," a program of conflict transformation and peace-building for communities of faith throughout New England. She is member of Roots of Shalom, LLC, a consulting organization providing congregations assistance in times of turmoil or transition. She holds a Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School and has received a certificate in mediation and conflict transformation from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry from Hartford Seminary with an emphasis on conflict transformation and interfaith dialogue, she is a member of the Seminary’s Building Abrahamic Partnerships facilitation team and program director of The Brookfield Institute, a non-profit organization committed to healing and peace-building located in Brookfield, Mass.

Tuteja is Joint Secretary at the New England Sikh Study Circle located in Milford, Mass. A native of Worcester County, he is a senior consultant/software developer in the medical software field, at J2 Interactive in Charlestown. He holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree concentrating in medical information systems.

Clark is active on a number of committees related to social justice at Keene State, including the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, the Campus Commission on the Status of Diversity and Multiculturalism, and the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Minor Council. He also teaches several courses with social justice themes including his senior seminar on the Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination and a course on quantitative literacy entitled “The Mismeasure of Man.” His research interests focus on the intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation.

Partners of the Divided We Fall film campaign include the Discrimination and National Security Initiative, Facing History and Ourselves, Global Family for Love and Peace, The Pluralism Project at Harvard University, National Lawyers Guild, Interfaith Youth Core, Islamic Society of North America, Religions for Peace - USA, South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikhchic, the Sikh Coalition, Sikh Foundation, SikhNet, Sikh Spectrum, and South Asians for Obama.

More information about the film can be found at www.dwf-film.com

 More MWCC News:

• State Senate candidates Rep. Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster, and former state Rep. Brian Knuuttila of Gardner listen to a question posed during an Aug. 26 debate in the South Cafe. Nearly 300 area residents turned out for the debate, sponsored by MWCC's Center for Democracy and Humanity and The Gardner News and moderated byPresident Daniel M. Asquino. The two Democrats fielded questions on the economy, fuel and food prices, education, transportation, health care and other topics in advance of a Sept. 16 primary that will determine the successor to the Worcester/Middlesex District seat.

  MWCC is pleased to announce the beginning of the 16th year of the Winchendon Skills Program, a free GED preparation program offered in collaboration with the Winchendon Community Action Committee.  This program offers pre-GED and GED preparation classes at the Winchendon CAC on 273 Central Street. Classes are held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will begin on Monday, September 8. Enrollment is on-going throughout the year as space is available. For more information, contact Pamela Dempsey-O’Connell at 978-630-9259 or Janet Brown at 978-297-1667.  This program is made possible with funding received from the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, Inc.

• "Recent Painting and Collage," an exhibition by artist Heidi D'Entremonte, open Sept. 3 in the Raymond LaFontaine Fine Arts Center. An artist's reception will take place Friday, Sept. 26 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. D'Entremont, a founding member of the Central Massachusett's chapter of the Women's Caucus for Art, earned a BFA in painting from Montserrate College of Art in Beverly. The exhibit, sponsored by the Art Department, runs through Oct. 12.

• MWCC's Fitness & Wellness Center and the Silver Sneakers program will sponsor "As We Age," a free health fair for senior citizens, on Tuesday, Sept. 16 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Fitness Center. Free screenings, demonstrations, raffle prizes and product samples will be available. More than 30 businesses and health professionals from Central Massachusetts will be available to present information on a variety of topics, including home healthcare, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis and more.

• MWCC's Admissions Office will host the annual New England Association of College Admissions Counseling (NEACAC) College Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Fitness and Wellness Center. The fair is the largest college fair held in Worcester County and allows attendees to interact with representatives from more than 160 public and private colleges and universities, as well as military institutions. The fair is open to the public and is geared toward high school juniors and seniors from the college's service area as well as MWCC students interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree after completing their associate's degree. More than 1,200 people attended last year's fair. For more information, contact the MWCC Admissions Office at (978) 630-9284 or online at www.NEACAC.org.

• The enrollment center is offering Information Sessions on a number of academic programs. Upcoming sessions will take place on the following dates: A.S. Nursing: Sept. 9 and Oct. 14 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, Room 12; Practical Nursing Certificate: Sept. 18 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner Campus, Wetmore Wing, Room 12 and Oct. 16 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Devens campus; Dental Hygiene: Sept. 10 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner Campus, Wetmore Wing, Room 12 and Oct. 1 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Burbank Campus in Fitchburg; Complementary Health Care/Massage Therapy & Physical Therapist Assistant: Sept. 29 and Oct. 20 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Gardner campus, Wetmore Wing, Room 12; Clinical Laboratory Science: Sept. 17 and Oct. 15 from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Heywood Hospital, Laboratory Education Area; Biotechnology/Biomanufacturing: Sept. 8 and Sept. 23 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Devens campus and Oct. 7 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Gardner campus. In addition, General Information Sessions and Tours take place on Mondays (except holidays) at 3 p.m. at the Enrollment Center. 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

• 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 guidelines and applications are available at http://erc.mwcc.edu For more information, contact Lisa Derby Oden at (978) 840-3221 ext. 163.