MWCC's Weekly e-newsletter

Fri., Mar. 19, 2004

Longtime MWCC Employee Ashton "Larry" Payne Honored as Unsung Hero

By Lea Ann Erickson

Ashton "Larry" Payne

Ashton "Larry" Payne served his country in the Air Force, the Navy and the Army National Guard. Upon returning to his hometown of Gardner Massachusetts , he continued service to his community. A life member of the Disabled American Veteran (DAV), Vietnam veteran and Chaplain and member of the Executive Board of the American Legion, Payne worked twice to bring the Vietnam Moving Wall memorial to his community at Mount Wachusett Community College . "So many veterans were deeply moved when they saw it," said Payne, "At first they wouldn't want to talk about it, but when I said, 'I was there, I know,' they were willing to talk about it."

In addition, Payne devoted numerous hours to the Mayor's Summer Celebration effort and has volunteered at MWCC basketball tournaments to provide scholarships to student athletes.

Payne said he was grateful for the opportunity to serve in his hometown. "I've been to other countries where people wouldn't even have the opportunity to work with the mayor." He added, "Gardner is a great community and if more people got involved, it could be even greater."

The Unsung Hero initiative is co-sponsored by Mount Wachusett Community College and the Sentinel and Enterprise . Honorees will be recognized at a celebratory dinner, Thurs., April 22.

Wachusett Folk Café Returns with Opening Performance by Richard Shindell

	Richard Shindell

The Wachusett Folk Cafe is back! Tickets are now on sale for the much anticipated re-opening of the folk music venue. Expatriate New Yorker, now living in Argentina , Richard Shindell will appear on stage, Fri., April 2, at 7:30p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 at the door.

Proceeds from the concert, sponsored by the MWCC Foundation, Inc., will benefit student scholarships.

Shindell is a meticulous craftsman of song whose four studio albums and recent live recording have been revered by critics and fans alike. Scott Alarik, of The Boston Globe raved, "Shindell is a master builder of songs, yet always leading listeners toward the emotional essence of the moment or character he is evoking. As with all master craftsmen, knowing what to leave out is as important to him as what he puts in. Shindell has uncanny sense of the theater of a song, building his ballads sparely and subtly, set to sweeping graceful melodies." Entertainment Weekly said, "Disturbing, beautifully drawn portraits of frantic losers - a stockbroker bribing a pharmacist, a failed family man committing suicide in a hurricane. Balancing the lunacy is an exhilarating Celtic reel and a heavenly tune about a nun changing a tire. A quiet grabber. "

Tickets may be purchased on line at http://theatre.mwcc.edu> or at the box office at 978.632.2403. Box Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Online tickets may be purchased via credit card (MC, VISA or Discover). There is no charge for using this service, however you cannot choose a specific seat. Our box office personnel will give you the best available seat(s) at the time of purchase and hold your ticket(s) at the door. For more information, call Diane Hamilton at 978.630.9387.

Over 350 Students Attend Sophomore Career Day

Sophmore Career Day

More than 350 high school sophomores from 10 local high schools learned about careers and participated in hands-on learning activities at Mount Wachusett Community College , Tues., Mar. 16. MWCC Alumn and 13 year police officer Jason Poitras is shown here telling students about careers in criminal justice.

Campus Events:

• Over 400 Mount Wachusett Community college students will be studying Charles Dickens' Hard Times this semester. Six faculty members will be teaching the book in English 102 courses. In addition to classroom discussion, students, faculty and staff-as well as the general public will be able to participate in the following:

Film: Charles Dickens: A Tale of Ambition and Genius: Mon., Mar. 22, from 12:40 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 127

Panel Discussion on Hard Times: Fri., Mar. 26, from 12:40 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 127. Faculty, students, and staff will participate in a roundtable-style discussion on some of the major stylistic and social issues raised in the novel.

A display of material related to Charles Dickens and Victorian England will be featured outside of the library throughout the month.

• Sixth grade students at Gardner Middle School will be given a presentation about the nursing profession, Tues., Mar. 30 from local nurses who will discuss their healthcare careers as part of Kids to College program. The six-week curriculum combines hands-on activities with information on careers and college life. Kids to College is part of a Federal TRIO Program, Project Greater Opportunities (Project GO), with additional funding from Sallie Mae and the Worcester Consortium. For more information or to attend this event, please contact the College Access and Preparation Programs Program Assistant, Melanie Holloway, at 978.630.9248.

• The Wachusett Folk Cafe is back! Tickets are now on sale for the much anticipated re-opening of the folk music venue. Expatriate New Yorker, now living in Argentina , Richard Shindell will appear on stage, Fri., April 2, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15 in advance and $17 at the door. Shindell is a meticulous craftsman of song whose four studio albums and recent live recording have been revered by critics and fans alike. Tickets may be purchased on line at http://theatre.mwcc.edu> or at the box office at 978.632.2403. Box Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Online tickets may be purchased via credit card (MC, VISA or Discover). There is no charge for using this service, however you cannot choose a specific seat. Our box office personnel will give you the best available seat(s) at the time of purchase and hold your ticket(s) at the door. For more information, call Diane Hamilton at 978.630.9387.

• A free Discover MWCC Expo will be held, Sat., April 3, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Participants will be able to learn about MWCC's majors, meet faculty and students, tour the campus and learn how to transfer to four year colleges and universities and save money through Joint Admissions and the Tuition Advantage Program. For more information, call admissions at 978.630.9110.

• As part of MWCC's Decade of Civic Engagement , Theatre at the Mount, in collaboration with the Molly Bish Foundation , will provide complimentary Child Identification Kits to parents on Sat., April 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the theatre lobby before and after 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. performances of the Children's Musical, Charlotte's Web, based on the book by E. B. White. These kits are used to keep a child's current photograph, fingerprints and identifying data together in a readily accessible location. Since October 2000, the Foundation has provided kits to approximately 60,000 children and adults throughout the region. The show begins as young Fern Arable adopts a baby pig on her family farm. When it looks as if her favorite pig will end up under the butcher's knife, the wise spider Charlotte and her animal friends come to the rescue - making Wilbur famous in the process. Tickets are $6.00 and may be purchased at the Theatre at the Mount box office at 978.632.2403 or online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu . For additional information concerning the Child Identification Program, contact Emily Ball at 978.630.9564. The Free Child ID Kits are available to all parents, with or without the purchase of theatre tickets.

• As part of the Works in Clay Exhibit series, the East Wing Gallery is featuring the work of MWCC alumna Donna Pobuk. After graduation from the Mount, Pobuk received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Smith College and Master's of Fine Arts from Boston University . Her work explores the relationship between female roles, female forms as well as alternative firing techniques.

• Students enrolled in any college or college alumni are encouraged to attend one of the largest career fairs in Worcester County , Tues., Mar. 23, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn on Lincoln Street in Worcester . Discover some of today's best employers under one roof and have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with company representatives. Information will be available on career opportunities in allied health, education, financial services government, high tech and much more. In addition, there will be a drawing for a free palm pilot. The event is sponsored by the Colleges of Worcester Consortium. For more information, call Patricia Brewerton at 978.630.9254.

• Working full-time? Find out how you can earn your Early Childhood Education Associate Degree in three years by attending weekend courses once or twice a month in combination with convenient online courses. A free Information session will be held Wed., Mar. 24, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Murphy Conference room at the Gardner campus. Schedules for this option begin in the fall and are planned in advance so students will know exactly what is expected of them for the entire program. No cancelled classes. To pre-register, call Missi Howlett at 978.630.9273 or email her at mhowlett@mwcc.mass.edu Learn about the program, schedule and financial aid opportunities and see an online learning demonstration. For more information about the program, go to http://earlychildhood.mwcc.edu

• Tickets are now on sale for THE NEW SENIOR DAY (for adults 50 and over), hosted by MWCC's LIFE program and the Gardner Council on Aging and sponsored in part by Fallon Community Health Plan . Entertainment, vendors, health screenings and speakers will be at the Colonial Hotel, 425 Betty Spring Road , Gardner , MA on Thursday, May 27 th 2004 . Festivities begin at 10:00 a.m. with luncheon served between 11:30 a.m. and noon . Cost is $5. Eight-year old Mackenzie Melemed, "The Little Piano Man", has performed over 125 concerts; he plays, composes music, and sings and was recently honored on Channel 4 TV as a Hometown Hero for outstanding accomplishments in New England . Registration for this event will be held at the Gardner Senior Center , 70 Waterford St. , Gardner . Office hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Fri., 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information, contact Lorraine Wickman at 978.630.9176 or by email at lwickman@mwcc.mass.edu.

• The Fitness & Wellness Center at Mount Wachusett Community College is offering two sessions of the Red Cross lifeguard certification course . The first session will run during April on Mon., Wed., & Thurs. from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (no class on 19th). The second session will run in May on Mon., Wed., & Thurs. from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (no class on May 31st). Course will lead to Red Cross certification(s); Lifeguard, First Aid, CPR for the FPR, AED, and Waterfront module. Cost: $230.00 for non members and $200.00 for members. Re-certification fee is $100.00. Register at the Fitness & Wellness Center or call 978.630.9212 for further information.

Lea Ann Erickson
Director of Community Relations
Mount Wachusett Community College
Phone: (978) 630-9322
Fax: (978) 630-9561
cell: (508) 517-5202
l_erickson@mwcc.mass.edu

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