MWCC News & Events: What's Up at the Mount

MWCC's weekly e-newsletter

 

Friday, Oct. 20, 2006

 

BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROVES COLLEGE’S

BIOTECHNOLOGY/BIOMANUFACTURING PROGRAM

By Kimberly B. Caisse

The Board of Higher Education approved the college’s proposal to offer a biotechnology/biomanufacturing technician training program Thursday, Oct. 19, making it the sixth Massachusetts community college to have a biotechnology program.

“With the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council reporting that a significant percent of biotech companies’ employees have associate’s degrees, it is essential the college respond to this workforce training need,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “These will be high-paying, entry-level jobs within a reasonable communing distance for residents of North Central Massachusetts.”

The US Department of Labor predicted that the demand for “biological technicians” would grow by more than 19 percent between 2002 and 2012. The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council predicts more than 100,000 biotechnology jobs will be added statewide by the end of the decade.

The college anticipates individuals seeking career enhancement or retraining as a result of unemployment or underemployment will most likely enroll in the programs. Individuals interested in a second career and those directly out of high school are also expected to enroll. Technicians may earn up to $60,000 a year.

Through grants, donations, tuition, legislative funding and internal resources, the college plans to invest in highly trained faculty and specialized equipment for a biomanufacturing center at or near its current Devens campus, located on Jackson Road. In addition, the college intends to develop recruitment programs for general and vocational high schools in North Central Massachusetts and the region’s workers’ assistance offices.

A 64-credit degree program is anticipated to begin at its Devens campus in fall 2007 and a 28-credit certificate program in fall 2008. The college wishes to be proactive in developing this program to meet the needs of Bristol-Meyers Squibb, which plans to locate a biomanufacturing plant in Devens.

AUTHOR COUNTERS MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE ANIMAL PROTECTION MOVEMENT

By Kimberly B. Caisse

When she began her book “For the Prevention of Cruelty: The History and Legacy of Animal Rights Activism in the U.S.,” Dr. Diane Beers wanted to tell “an untold story” about the 140-year social history of the animal protection movement.

Dr. Diane Beers speaking in Room 125.

Taking a closer look at the history of this movement, Beers told about 30 people during a lecture Wednesday, Oct. 18, is part of “a more complicated portrait of ourselves” that some American historians are interested in revealing.

It’s important to note, Beers said, that this movement has been successful not only because it has improved the treatment of animals since 1866, but also because it has help people change their attitudes towards animals.

There are several misperceptions about the movement, according to Beers, whose appearance was sponsored by the Leo & Theresa LaChance Library. One is that animal rights activists would rather save animals than children. In fact, she said, these activists are usually supporters or leaders of other social justice movements such as the prevention of child abuse, women’s rights and civil rights.

Another misperception is this is “just a fringe movement,” she said. In fact, the movement has spurred a tremendous amount of change in people’s beliefs about animal treatment.

When the movement began, it was legal and acceptable to beat a workhorse to death on a public street, experiment on dogs without anesthesia, and throw stray dogs in cages and dump them in a river.

Today, a person can go to jail for being cruel to animals, stray dogs and cats are treated better in special shelters and a growing number of people think wearing fur is wrong.

Associate Professor Raeann LeBlanc will follow-up Beers’ discussion when she gives a presentation on her experience volunteering in New Orleans for the Animal Rescue League of New Orleans this past summer Monday, Oct. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the commons.

More MWCC News:

• Gateway to College, one of MWCC’s College Access and Preparation Programs, offers high-school dropouts and students on the verge of dropping out of high school an opportunity to earn a diploma in a college-like setting and earn college credits. Massachusetts residents who meet the program’s eligibility requirements may apply. Information sessions for the session that begins in January 2007 will be held on Monday, Oct. 23; Monday, Nov. 6; and Monday, Dec. 4. To register for an information session or to request materials, call (978) 630-9481 or (978) 630-9450, or visit http://www.mwcc.edu/services/CAPP/default.html.
• Associate Professor Raeann LeBlanc will give a presentation on her personal service-learning experience volunteering in New Orleans for the Animal Rescue League of New Orleans this past summer Monday, Oct. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the commons. From her second trip after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, learn about the animal rescue efforts and challenges, the current issues facing homeless animals in New Orleans and the consciousness around legislation to protect animals as part of an evacuation plan for future disasters. To register, contact the information desk at informationcenter@mwcc.mass.edu.
• In observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Battered Women’s Resources Inc. of Leominster will present the exhibit “Body of Evidence” by Wisconsin artist Judy Zeolzer Levine in MWCC’s Leo & Theresa LaChance Library between Monday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Oct. 27. The display is a series of 20 quilts created to explore the way women are viewed and used in our society. For more information, contact Student Life Director Greg Clement at (978) 630-9252 or gclement@mwcc.mass.edu.
• Tickets are on sale for a murder mystery dinner benefiting the MWCC Alumni Association Friday, Oct. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Colonial Hotel. The Hat Trick Mystery Theatre will present “The Ghost of Mad Table Manor.” The event will feature a cocktail hour with cash bar from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by dinner and the show from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person. For tickets or more information, please contact Alumni Association President Missi Sargent at (978) 630-9273 or msargent@mwcc.mass.edu.
• By popular demand, Theatre at the Mount will perform its wild and wacky adaptation "Miss Nelson is Missing: The Musical" for an additional performance on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 3:30 p.m. The Saturday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m. performance is sold out. The award-winning musical, geared to children in grades K-6, is adapted from one of the books in the popular Miss Nelson series by Harry Allard and James Marshall. All tickets for “Miss Nelson is Missing” are $4 and can be purchased by calling the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403. Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
• Through Thursday, Nov. 9, the Student Government Association is holding its annual food drive. Members are collecting non-perishable food items for students in need and a local food pantry. Food items can be dropped off at the Student Life office, room 151, or in one of several designated baskets that are located around the first floor of the Gardner campus’ main building. For more information, contact Director of Student Life Greg Clement at (978) 630-9252 or gclement@mwcc.mass.edu.
• MWCC has launched the new Clinical Laboratory Science program. Students enrolled in this program will learn how to use sophisticated biomedical instrumentation and computers to analyze blood and other body specimens. Information sessions will take place Wednesdays Nov. 15 and Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. in the OBS Conference Room on the second floor of Heywood Hospital. Prospective students interested in attending the 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. Information about the new CLS program also is posted on the college Blackboard website called CLS Information Center. To access more information, go to https://bb.mwcc.edu and then enter “cls” as both the username and password.
• The First Connections Mothers Group’s weekly meetings are held every Friday. At the gatherings, which take place in the Children’s Room at Levi Heywood Memorial Library from 10:30 a.m. to noon, attendees discuss topics such as feeding, sibling rivalry, temper tantrums, appropriate toys, traveling with children and how to choose a daycare provider. All mothers and their babies are invited. For more information, contact MWCC Professor Nancy Duphily, the meeting facilitator, at duphi@yahoo.com or (978) 630-9233. Duphily will be assisted by MWCC nursing students as part of their service-learning project.
• The What’s Next Speaker Series will continue Friday, Nov. 17 with Jack Foley, founder of the Clark University Park Partnership in Worcester, giving the presentation “A Model to Address Poverty Among Disadvantaged Children.” The lecture will take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster. A complimentary lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required. Submit registrations to whatsnext@mwcc.mass.edu or (978) 630-9324. The event is sponsored by the Center for Democracy and Humanity, the Twin Cities Latino Coalition and the Trustees of Reservations.