Friday, October 5, 2007

MWCC DENTAL HYGIENE STUDENTS ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES IN ORAL HEALTH

By Janice O'Connor

Students Amanda Despres, left, and Deanna Grubenskas, right, pictured assisting a patient at MWCC's Dental Hygiene Clinic at the Burbank Campus, will be among the group attending a legislative hearing at the Statehouse to advocate for changes affecting their profession and oral health care.

Twelve second-year Dental Hygiene students, program director Anne Malkasian and faculty member Ellen McCracken will join colleagues from throughout the Commonwealth at the Statehouse on Oct. 24 to advocate for legislative changes that affect oral health care in Massachusetts.

“We want to be a voice for our profession and show support for every resident accessing preventive dental care,” said Malkasian, who was asked by the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association to provide written testimony for the hearing before the Joint Committee on Public Health.

 “October is Dental Hygiene Month, so this is a great way to celebrate it, by stepping forward and trying to make a difference in our profession,” she said. “It’s also a great lesson in civic engagement for our students. They’re at the beginning of their careers and these legislative changes in dental hygiene will have a direct impact on the way they practice in the future.”

The Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association is supporting two legislative bills that were filed in January. “An Act to Increase Access to Oral Health Services” would allow registered dental hygienists to practice in public health settings, such as public schools, Head Start programs, community health centers and nursing homes, without the direct supervision of a dentist. The association endorses the change as a way to provide greater access to preventive care to residents of Massachusetts, particularly those who are uninsured or underinsured.

According to the MDHA, the bill is rooted in recent statistics conducted by the Oral Health Collaborative of Massachusetts that showed that many residents of Massachusetts lack access to quality oral health care professionals. Of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, nearly 20 percent do not have a practicing dentist, and in the remaining 282 cities and towns, 30 percent do not have enough dentists. More than half of the towns and cities in Massachusetts do not have dentists that accept MassHealth. In many parts of Massachusetts, it can take from six months to one year to be seen by a MassHealth dentist. The MDHA supports the bill as a way to give thousands more people access to oral health care.

The MDHA is also supporting “An Act to Increase the Presence of Dental Hygienists on the Board of Registration in Dentistry.” This bill would increase representation of licensed dental hygienists on the six-member board that oversees the dental profession.

Carolyn Wehler, vice chairman of the MDHA’s Council on Regulation and Practice, said dental hygiene students, program directors and faculty members at colleges that offer degrees in the field have been encouraged to attend the Oct. 24 hearing.  In addition to these two bills, the committee will be accepting testimony on other bills that pertain to dental care and health care, including nurse staffing issues.

“The students will get to see how the committee handles our issues, as well as the other topics that are before them,” Wehler said.

Students Amanda Despres and Deanna Grubenskas said they support the two legislative changes endorsed by the MDHA and are excited to be going to Beacon Hill to show their support. “Helping people in the community is part of our job, especially those who don’t have dental insurance,” Grubenskas said.

MWCC STUDENTS EXPERIENCING GREATER TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIES

By Janice O'Connor

After graduating from MWCC in May, Michelle Totman became the first student to receive a full 60-credit Articulation Award at the New England Institute of Art, where she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in graphic design.

Michelle Totman, a 2007 alumna of MWCC’s Computer Graphic Design-Print program, became a pioneer of sorts this fall when she transferred to the New England Institute of Art in Brookline, Mass. Totman is the first community college student to receive a full 60-credit Articulation Award at the New England Institute of Art and enter into a bachelor’s degree program in graphic design with junior standing.

“Michelle was a very hard working, talented student here and I’m extremely excited about the articulation that she received,” said Professor Leslie Cullen, director of MWCC’s CGD program.

The two colleges this year finalized three distinct articulation agreements ensuring seamless transfer.  MWCC’s associate’s degree in Computer Graphic Design – Print can be transferred to NEiA’s bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design; MWCC’s degree in Computer Graphic Design-Web receives transferrable credits to the NEiA’s degree in Interactive Media Design; and MWCC’s degree in Broadcasting and Telecommunications can be transferred into NEiA’s Digital Filmmaking and Video Production degree program.

To be eligible for the full transfer, students must graduate in good standing from MWCC with a grade of C or better.

The new articulation agreement already has sparked interest among incoming freshmen, Cullen said. “The key selling point is the fact that they can obtain a tremendous amount of skill and education within graphic design here, and save a ton of money before transferring to the New England Institute of Art for a bachelor’s degree.”

Totman, who stopped by MWCC for a visit this week, said she decided to continue on for a bachelor’s degree as a way to further invest in her career and future. She said the education she received while at MWCC prepared her well for the next stage of her academic career. “The program here was outstanding. The professors are all awesome. Anytime you needed help, they were there.” Her advice to other students is to take an active role in pursuing their transfer options.

MWCC now has 137 articulation agreements with 15 colleges. Nancy Greenlaw, associate director of Transfer Services in the Advising & Counseling Center, will be attending the October department chair meetings and visiting with division deans throughout the fall semester to discuss new documents that were created to provide details about Joint Admissions and Tuition Advantage programs, the Commonwealth Transfer Compact, the Education Compact, articulations and other agreements, and "Transfer Information by Program" sheets.

A greater number of students are visiting the Transfer Services website, which provides “a gold mine of information” for students who would like to transfer their associate degree credits toward a bachelor’s degree, and for faculty in guiding their students in academic and career decisions, Greenlaw said.

Students can learn more about transfer opportunities at a Transfer Fair on Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the South Cafeteria. Admissions representatives from more than 60 four-year private and public colleges and universities are scheduled to be on hand to answer questions about continuing on for a bachelor’s degree.

For an up-to-date list of institutions attending the Transfer Fair, go to www.mwcc.edu/services/transfer/fair.html

More MWCC News:

• The office of Student Life is sponsoring the photo exhibit, "The Road to Freedom," Oct. 9 through Oct. 12 in the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library. The exhibit focuses on children, teens and adults with the full spectrum of physical, sensory, learning and mental disabilities. Along with color photographs by Gigi Kaeser, the exhibit features interviews conducted and edited by Peggy Gillespie and eighth grade students at the Four Rivers Charter School in Greenfield, Mass. The exhibit can be viewed Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Authors Pat Gozemba and Karen Kahn will discuss their book, Courting Equality, on Oct. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the North Cafe. On Nov. 18, 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court granted equal marriage benefits to same-sex couples. The decision provoked a searing public debate over the meaning of marriage and family, civil rights and the role of religion in law and society. Through engaging storytelling and powerful photographs, Courting Equality takes readers through the volatile public debate following the decision and introduces some of the many lesbian and gay families who have taken advantage of equal marriage laws. The event is sponsored by the office of Student Life.
• "Empty Place at the Table" an exhibit that commemorates the lives lost in Massachusetts over the past year as a result of domestic violence, can be viewed Oct. 15 through Oct. 19 in the Upper Commons Area. The display was created by Battered Women's Resources, Inc. of Leominster and consists of a formal dining room table set up with two plates for each victim, one with a name and the other with a brief description of the murder. The exhibit is sponsored by the office of Student Life.
• Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc. will honor long-serving community volunteer Richard W. Nobile as the 2007 Harold E. Drake Citizen of the Year at the Annual Foundation Dinner Wednesday, Oct. 17 at the Colonial Hotel in Gardner. Outstanding MWCC students who receive Foundation scholarships also will be honored. The award recognizes community members who exemplify Mr. Drake’s extraordinary commitment to the North Central Massachusetts region.Tickets to the Annual Foundation Dinner are $75 per person. A social hour will begin at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m. Reservations are required by Oct. 9 and may be made by contacting Darlene Cloutier in the Foundation Office at (978) 630-9387 or dcloutier@mwcc.mass.edu.
• The Chi Gamma Chapter of the Alpha Beta Gamma business honor society invites students, faculty and staff to the Annual Speaker Dinner Friday, Oct. 19. Robert Ansin, founder, president and chief executive officer of MassInnovation, LLC, will be the guest speaker. The event will begin with a social gathering at 6 p.m. in the South dining area, followed by a buffet style dinner at 6:30. Tickets are $20 per person, with proceeds benefiting the Bob Wilson Memorial Scholarship and the college’s Chi Gamma Chapter of Alpha Beta Gamma. Reservations are required by Oct. 9 and can be made by contacting Professor Linda Bolduc at (978) 630-9385.
• The photo exhibit Nothing to Hide can be viewed Oct. 22 through Oct. 26 at the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library. The exhibit, sponsored by the Office of Student Life, provides people coping with mental illness and their families a chance to come out of the shadows and into the public eye. The compelling stories of children, siblings, parents, grandparents and extended family members demonstrate strength, courage, integrity and accomplishment in the face of adversity and stigma. The exhibit can be viewed Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• The Fall Film Series 2007: Documenting Society continues on Wednesday, Oct. 24 with An Inconvenient Truth. The film runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the North Cafeteria. An Inconvenient Truth offers a passionate and inspirational look at one man's fervent crusade to halt global warming's deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. That man is former Vice President Al Gore, who is seen as never before in the media - funny, engaging, open and on fire about getting the stirring truth about what he calls our "planetary emergency" out to ordinary citizens before it's too late.
• What do storybook characters, murder, comedy, imagination and a mystery have in common? find out on Friday Oct. 26 at an audience interactive dinner theater production of "Murder in the Land of Lost Pages, a Fairy Tear-able Tale." Sponsored by the MWCC Alumni Association, the event will begin with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by a full dinner and the show at 7 p.m. at the Best Western Royal Hotel Plaza, 150 Royal Plaza Drive, Fitchburg. the show will be performed by the Massachusetts-based Comical Mystery tour, which has been in production since 1995. Admission is $40 per person or $75 for two people. Reservations are required by Oct. 17. Proceeds will benefit the Alumni Association scholarship. For tickets or more information, contact Carol Cullins, director of alumni affairs, at (978) 630-9594 or ccullins@mwcc.mass.edu
• It is football season at Theatre at the Mount and the big game comes to the stage in the hilarious children’s musical, Miss Nelson Has a Field Day. Bring your pom-poms and cheer for this delightful sequel to last season’s Miss Nelson is Missing! Miss Nelson and Viola Swamp are at it again in this musical romp of schoolhouse humor based on the book by Harry Allard. Miss Nelson Has a Field Day will be performed on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. and all tickets are $4. Advance purchase is recommended by calling the box office at 978 632-2403 or purchasing online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu
• MWCC’s Campus Activities Team for Students (CATS) and Student Life office and Alumni Association will sponsor the annual Scary Karaoke Night Thursday, Oct. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Gardner campus. Faculty, staff and alumni are challenged to come in costume and ready to sing. There will be snacks, door prizes and cash prizes for costumes and more.
• 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: Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. in OBS Conference Room at Heywood Hospital; Biotechnology/Biomanufacturing: Oct. 18 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 241, and Oct. 16 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Leominster campus; A.S. Nursing: Oct. 9 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 125; Complementary Health Care: Oct. 15 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 125, and Oct. 19 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gardner campus, room 258. 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
• Register now for the second annual Bob Wilson Memorial Scholarship 5k Run/Walk at Fitchburg State College’s Elliot Field Track. Organized by his wife, Tina Wilson, Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems at MWCC, the 5K will take place Sunday, Oct. 28. The Walk will begin at 12:15 p.m.; the Run at 1 p.m. Race Day Registration will start at 10:30 a.m. Proceeds benefit scholarships, through Fitchburg State College and Fitchburg Access Television, to communications and broadcasting students attending MWCC and Fitchburg State. Last year, 180 people registered to walk or run and raised $4,800 for scholarships. Registration forms are available at www.bobwilsonfund.com. For more information, contact Tina Wilson at t_wilson@verizon.net or (978) 630-9225.
• The Democracy Café - Gardner Mayoral Debate will take place Monday, Oct. 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Commons Area. Hosted by the Center for Democracy and Humanity and The Gardner News, the event will provide an opportunity to hear incumbent Mayor Gerald St. Hilaire and candidate Mark Hawke square off in what is sure to be an informative and spirited conversation. Light refreshments will be served.
• Jewelry and other pieces of art created by MWCC alumnus Michael Remillard are on display through Nov. 9 in the East Wing Gallery of the Raymond M. LaFontaine Fine Arts Center. Expressed in jewelry and carving, the work embodies humor traditioin and shamanism in revernece to the natural and spiritual world. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.