MWCC's Weekly e-newsletter

Fri., May 14, 2004

SERVICE ABOVE SELF AWARDS TO BE PRESENTED FOR COMMUNITY DEDICATION AT
MWCC’S 39th COMMENCEMENT

By Nichole Moreau and Lea Ann Erickson

	Ron Burton

As part of Mount Wachusett Community College’s "Decade of Civic Engagement," the college is honoring four Service Above Self Award recipients who have demonstrated great dedication to serving their communities: President and CEO of I-C Federal Credit Union of Fitchburg Norman J. Boudreau; President and Treasurer of W.E. Aubuchon Co., Inc. M. Marcus Moran, Jr.; Executive Vice President of I-C Federal Credit Union Richard W. Nobile; and, a posthumous award will be given in honor of Ronald E. Burton, former New England Patriots running back, founder of the Ron Burton Training Village in Hubbardston, and father of this year's commencement keynote speaker, Boston’s CBS 4 sportscaster Steve Burton. The awards will be presented during the college’s 39th Commencement ceremony, Thurs., May 20 at 6 p.m. in the Fitness & Wellness Center.

The Service Above Self Awards recognize those who have made significant contributions to MWCC and to the North Central Massachusetts region the college serves. "We are proud to honor four people who have put service above themselves in many ways: helping nonprofit organizations, serving on boards, serving as advisors, and fundraising," said Daniel M. Asquino, president of MWCC. “Mount Wachusett Community College promotes civic responsibility in its students and community leaders. During commencement, we are proud to honor those who have taken time to serve others and contribute to the social capital of the region."

Norman J. Boudreau is President and CEO of I-C Federal Credit Union of Fitchburg. He is also a current director of the credit union as well as the Boys & Girls Club of Leominster. He is a member of the board of trustees for HealthAlliance and Fitchburg State College and is a member of the BEEF committee at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Boudreau has chaired and served on many fundraising committees including the Multi-Service Center of Leominster, the Spanish-American Center of Leominster, Nashua Valley Boy Scouts of America in Lunenburg, Ginny’s Helping Hand of Leominster, Our Father’s House of Fitchburg, and the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts.

Boudreau is affiliated with many clubs in the surrounding communities such as the Fay Club, Oak Hill Country Club, Fitchburg Rotary Club, Irish American Association, Italian American War Veterans, Serra Club of Worcester Northern, Sons of Italy, and the Knights of Columbus Council 99.

Boudreau is the past recipient of the 2003 Dr. Robert H. Goldman Award from the Multi-Service Center; 2002 Philanthropist of Distinction Award; 2000 Outstanding Parishioner Award, Worcester Diocese; 2000 Harry J. O’Haire Award, Serra International; 2000 Father Junipero Serra Award, Serra International; 1996 Community Award, Montachusett Regional Vocational High School; 1991 Distinguished Citizen Award, Boy Scouts of America; 1989 Leadership Award, Fitchburg State College Community; 1978 Leadership Award, Fitchburg State College Community; 1978 Excellence in Volunteerism, Children Aid & Family Service; 1989 Man of the Year, American Legion; 1985 Citizen Extraordinaire, Home Health Aid Service; and 1979 Man of the Year, Cable Club.

Boudreau is a Gardner High School graduate, and has a BBS Degree in Marketing from Clark University.

M. Marcus Moran, Jr. is President and Treasurer of W.E. Aubuchon Co., Inc., chain of retail hardware stores based in Westminster. He is also chair of the board of I-C Federal Credit Union (he has served as a director since 1986).

Moran has served as a director of: The United Way of North Central Massachusetts, the Fitchburg State College Foundation, Children’s Aid and Family Service, and the Fitchburg Visiting Nurses Association. He was an instructor at Fitchburg State College, Boston University, North Shore Community College and Mount Wachusett Community College. He was a trustee at Cushing Academy, Julie Country Day School, Nichols College, Fitchburg State College and Notre Dame Academy in Worcester. Moran co-authored a community college textbook, Business in Mathematics.

His past professional affiliations include former director of First Service Bank, former president of the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, former campaign chair of the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, past general co-chair of the Private Edge Campaign at Fitchburg State College, as well as a charter clerk of Fitchburg State College Foundation. Moran was also a past member of Business Education at Montachusett Technical Vocational High School, past president and director of the Fay Club, Inc., and past general co-chair of the Endowment & Improvement Fund at Julie Country Day School.

Marcus has received the Outstanding Citizen Award from Fitchburg State College; 1993 Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award from the Nashua Valley Council Boy Scouts of America; he received the Key to the City of Fitchburg, was a recipient of the “Outstanding Young Men in America” award and is listed in “Who’s Who in America.”

He has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Babson College, a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Nichols College, and was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the National Honor Business Fraternity, the Zeta Alpha Phi Scholastic Honor Society and was an Honors graduate.

Richard W. Nobile is Executive Vice President of I-C Federal Credit Union, and also serves on the credit union’s board of directors. Nobile is a founder and current chair of the board of directors of the North Central Massachusetts Community Foundation as well as an advisory director for the Leominster Boys & Girls Club.

He was a former division chair of the United Way of North Central Massachusetts and has been affiliated with that organization for 16 years. He was a former director on the United Way executive committee, former chair of the United Way annual campaign drive, and served two years as chair of the board of directors for the United Way of North Central Mass. He was also former director for the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce and former director for the Worcester Better Business Bureau.

Nobile is a past recipient of the Dr. Goldman Award from the Multi-Service Center of Leominster, where he also headed up the organization’s annual fund drive for several years. He has received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Nashua Valley Boy Scouts of America and is the published author of “Benefits of Individual Retirement Accounts” in 1974 in the Connecticut Business Journal.

Nobile is a graduate of Long Island University and also attended City University in New York. He has been in banking for more than 32 years and is a former director for Eascorp (the equivalent of Federal Reserve for New England credit unions) and is former executive vice president of the Bank of New England.

Ronald E. Burton, New England Patriots great, is being honored posthumously. A running back and kick returner, Burton played six years with the Patriots and recorded 4,249 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns. In 1962, he rushed for a career-high 548 yards on 134 carries. Burton became better known for his community-building efforts. The New England Patriots established a community service award in his name. Patriots owner Robert Kraft said of Burton, “He was an inspiration to everyone he came in contact with and positively impacted the lives of thousands of children.” He founded the Ron Burton Training Village in Hubbardston, where he taught campers the importance of love, peace, patience and humility. The non-profit Training Camp enables underprivileged teenagers to grow athletically and academically through intense, structured daily programs. His vision continues to provide a bright future for teens that face a variety of obstacles.

Burton worked as an executive consultant in community affairs for John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., and was a motivational speaker who delivered an intensely personal message about how love, strong family values and hard work can overcome any handicap.

MOUNT WACHUSETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECOGNIZES STUDENT EXCELLENCE

By Lea Ann Erickson

(l to r): Maryann Kane, Kimberly Bliss and Roseanne Morel. Bliss was honored with the Early Childhood Education Curriculum Award and one of 90 Phi Theta Kappa Honorees at the 2004 MWCC Evening of Excellence celebration, Thurs., May 13 at the Sheraton Four Points.

More than 275 family and friends were on hand when a record number of outstanding Mount Wachusett Community College students were recognized at the annual “Evening of Excellence,” celebration, Thurs., May 13, at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Leominster.
Twenty-two students received Curriculum Awards. Eight students received Memorial Awards. Eight students received Nursing Awards. Ninety-one students received Honors Society recognition and nine Honors Program students were recognized. In addition, 22 Foundation Scholarships were awarded. Fifty-five students were recognized with Outstanding Achievement Awards, including 41 students who have been honored by inclusion into “Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges.”

MWCC AmeriCorps Vista Emily Ball collects books for Africa

MWCC AmeriCorps VISTA Emily Ball has collected over 1250 books to be shipped to Africa. According to Ball, books will continue to be collected on campus until Graduation, Thurs., May 20. Since 1988, Books For Africa has shipped millions of books to Africa. Children in Africa share books at a ratio of 7 students per book. Some villages do not even own a single book to educate their children. The books are on once-empty library shelves, in classrooms in rural schools, and in the hands of children who have never before held a book. The books are donated by publishers, schools, libraries, individuals, and organizations. They are sorted and packed by volunteers, carefully choosing books that are age and subject appropriate.

There is still time to donate books to this worthy cause. Drop boxes are located at the bookstore, library, cafeteria hallway, and the second and third floors by the elevator. If you have questions, contact Emily Ball at 978.630.9564.

More than 300 student drawings, paintings, sculptures and ceramics are on display in the East Wing Gallery at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner. The exhibit of student work completed this spring semester, is free and open to the public through Thurs., May 20.

Campus Events:

• The Wachusett Folk Café performance featuring Carol Noonan for Fri., May 14, at 7:30 p.m. HAS BEEN CANCELLED. To read about future performances, visit the Folk Café on line at: http://wfc.mwcc.edu/. For more information, call Diane Hamilton at 978.630.9387.

• A Spring Pops Concert featuring the Greater Gardner Youth Choir and Greater Gardner Community Choir will be held at the college, Sun., May 16 at 5:00 p.m. Both choirs are directed by Diane Cushing and feature nearly 100 members from Gardner and the surrounding communities. This year’s concert will feature a tribute to American composer Aaron Copland, with his “Zion’s Walls,” “Ching-a-Ring Chaw,” “At the River,” and “Simple Gifts.” Other selections include John Rutter’s “Distant Land,” Mark Hayes “Fly Away Medley,” and “Shenandoah,” and Daniel Gawthrop’s “Sing Me to Heaven.” From the Broadway stage will be such popular songs as the title song from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Whistle Down the Wind,” and “This is the Moment” from Jekyll and Hyde. The Youth Choir, winners of a gold medal in the 2002 MICA Music Festival, will sing Mozart’s “Alleluia,” Faure’s “Pavane,” Copland’s “I Bought Me a Cat,” and other popular tunes. Both choruses combine for a rollicking finale that includes “Down to the River to Pray,” “This Land is Your Land,” and a tribute to our men and women in the military “Song for the Unsung Hero.” Tickets for the concert are available at the door at $5.00 per person. Senior citizens are free.

• 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. Free Information sessions will be held, Mon., May 17 and Wed., June 9 in the Murphy Conference room from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 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.

• Over 75 Nursing graduates will be pinned on Tues., May 18 at 6 p.m., in the theatre. This will be the 31st Annual Pinning Ceremony, symbolizing a welcoming into the nursing profession. The program has grown tremendously through the years. Most recently, MWCC began offering day and evening programs; a new Practical Nurse Certificate, introduced last year at a new Orange campus; and has collaborated with area organizations to offer training to address the area nursing shortage. During the ceremony, each graduate will be dressed in uniform and welcomed to the profession by having the nursing pin fastened to his/her lapel by a fellow nurse, whether family, friend, or faculty member. The eight-starred pin is imprinted with the words “Service to Humanity and the World” with the nursing symbol in the middle. Many of the Nursing graduates will now go on to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

• Boston’s WBZ 4 sportscaster Steve Burton is slated to deliver Mount Wachusett Community College’s 2004 commencement address, Thurs., May 20. “Burton devotes much of his free time in service to others,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “I think our graduates will enjoy hearing what he has to say and we are proud to be welcoming someone who has made a commitment to giving back to community.” Burton is a sports anchor and reporter for CBS4 News on CBS4 and for sister station UPN38 in Boston. A New England native, he joined CBS4 in August 1994. Prior to that Burton worked as a sports anchor and reporter for New England Sports Network (NESN) since 1988. While at NESN, Burton hosted the pre and post game shows for the Boston Red Sox. Raised in Framingham, Massachusetts, Burton grew up in a sports family. His father, Ron Burton, played for the New England Patriots football team. Young Burton graduated from Framingham High School, where he was the quarterback for the school’s football team and went on to play quarterback for Northwestern University.

• As part of the college’s Decade of Civic Engagement initiative, graduates, their families and guests will be bringing non-perishable food items to commencement exercises, Thurs., May 20 and also at graduation rehearsal. The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is organizing the initiative “Project Graduation,” which is designed to help alleviate hunger in our community. After the graduation ceremony, the food will be given to Gardner Community Action Committee.
  Phi Theta Kappa students will be collecting food at the entrance to the Fitness Center and under the graduation tent prior to commencement. For further information, contact Sheila Murphy at 978.630.9331.

• Mount Wachusett Community College’s College Access and Preparation Programs and Project GO (Greater Opportunities) will be hosting a Write On! Celebration Fri., June 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Celebration for Clinton, Gardner, Fitchburg, Leominster and Winchendon Project GO/Excel middle school students, celebrates students’ artistic accomplishments from the Write On! competition. The competition included poetry, artwork and short compositions. The day is designed to encourage students to continue their artistic abilities and will include multiple activities lead by Regie Gibson, poet, songwriter, author, workshop facilitator, and educator. He has performed, taught, and lectured at schools, universities, theaters and various other venues on two continents and in seven countries. Project GO is a College Access and Preparation Program of Mount Wachusett Community College. It is a federal TRIO program funded through the U.S. Department of Education and Administered by Mount Wachusett Community College.

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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