MWCC's Weekly e-newsletter

Friday, August 20, 2004

MWCC CAPITAL CAMPAIGN REACHES $1.25 MILLION BENCHMARK

By LeaAnn Erickson

The Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc. Capital Campaign to build a new childcare center for the community, increase civic participation among students and renovate the library has reached its first milestone.

The campaign’s goal is $2.25 million. According to Campaign General Chair Leo P. LaChance, over $1.25 million has been raised to date. The campaign, “Mount Wachusett Community College: Where Learning Never Ends,” is designed to support the college in serving the needs of both its students and the greater community.

“Mount Wachusett Community College has been helping students achieve their dreams for over 40 years,” said LaChance. “We want to ensure that students continue to thrive –and our communities continue to benefit.”

“When I owned my first and only factory and needed workers and planners, it was always the graduates of the college that exceeded my expectations,” said LaChance. “Years later, when I needed nurses for my nursing home, MWCC impressed me once again. The quality of the students produced by MWCC is outstanding. I know this first hand. So many people talk about MWCC in the community. The college serves the greater good, leaving no doubt for my support. How could I not be involved in this campaign knowing all the amazing things MWCC does?" asked LaChance.

“This is the first time the college has reached out to the community through a major capital campaign,” said Mount Wachusett Community College President Daniel M. Asquino, who is beginning his 18th year at the college’s helm. “We have witnessed both expanding student enrollment and shrinking financial support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” he explained. The college, which is experiencing the fastest growth of any college in the state—over 34 percent in the past three years—receives only 28 percent of its operating budget from the state.

The campaign has three major goals:

Providing Quality Childcare and Early Childhood Education:

The campaign will help make a long-time dream a reality: a new childcare facility on campus. The 4,200-square foot Early Childhood Education Center will not only double the current childcare facility, but also, provide a hands-on learning environment for MWCC Early Childhood Education students. It will serve as the home for the Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety. The center will feature wireless Internet access, observable classrooms and rooms designed specifically for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

“So many of our students struggle to balance their family responsibilities with coursework,” said Asquino. “It is not unusual to see a mother registering for classes pushing a stroller. We are committed to doing everything we can to help these students—and their children—succeed.”

Creating Greater Civic Awareness:

MWCC graduates work and live in the 29 cities and towns the college serves. “We recognize our unique role in promoting greater civic participation,” said President Asquino. “Our students come from the area, enhance their education and skills at the Mount and then build their lives and communities right here in North Central Massachusetts. We have the opportunity to teach our students the value of getting involved in their government and their community.” As part of its Decade of Civic Engagement initiative, Mount Wachusett Community College students have performed over 4,000 hours of service in partnership with more than 50 agencies and public officials. Through their efforts, over 1,000 community members have been served.

In addition, the college has adopted a general education competency stressing the importance of civic engagement. The new competency calls for, “students to demonstrate the importance of caring for one’s self and the awareness of civic and cultural issues relevant to the past, present and future.” Student projects include nursing students helping new mothers, biology students implementing a public awareness campaign about bacteria and political science students working with elected officials on a variety of public issues.

Improving The Heart of the College: The MWCC Library

During the recent Massachusetts budget crunch, the MWCC library was hit particularly hard. “Our students deserve the best research tools we can provide,” said Asquino. Research resources—both books and electronic databases—as well as wireless capabilities, enhanced cataloguing and security equipment are needed to protect these investments.

For more information on the “Where Learning Never Ends” campaign, contact Darlene Morrilly at 978.630.9276.

Campus Events:

• Theatre at the Mount’s summer season concludes with the show Time Magazine called “the best musical of the 20th century,” Carousel. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s own favorite musical, Carousel, has some of their best music: You’ll Never Walk Alone, If I Loved You, June is Bustin’ Out All Over, and many, many more. Remaining performances are on Fri., Aug. 20 and Sat., Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. The Aug. 22 performance is sold out. Carousel is sponsored by The Gardner News. The show is directed by Jeff Williams and choreographed by Nicole Couture. Tickets for evening performances are $18. Group discounts are available. For information and reservations, call the Theatre at the Mount box office at 978.632.2403. Tickets may also be purchase online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• Learn basic self defense for children at a r.a.d.KIDS course sponsored by the MWCC Campus Police. Classes for 8- to 12-year-olds will be held Mon., Aug. 23 through Fri., Aug. 27 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The r.a.d.KIDS program educates children with the tools, knowledge and power to recognize and avoid danger as well as to resist and protect themselves from physical abuse. It was founded by a dedicated alliance of educators, law enforcement professionals, personal safety experts and concerned parents. R.a.d.KIDS is a comprehensive, foundational safety education program for children aged 5-7 and 8-12 that focuses on seven core areas: home safety, school safety, out-and-about safety, vehicle safety, stranger tricks (including physical defense against abduction), personal safety (including good, bad and uncomfortable touch) and self-realization of personal power. For more information, contact MWCC Police Chief Bob Mackie at 978.630.9365 or Officer Melissa Garneau at 978.630.9150.

• At the International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair in Atlanta Thurs. through Sun., Aug. 26-29, MWCC’s Forest and Wood Products Institute Workforce Development Coordinator Ken Hanson will lead a professional development session sponsored by WoodLINKS for high school woodworking teachers. Hanson will speak about the institute’s two distance learning courses on wood products, the student design contest held in June and WoodLINKS activities in the Northeast. The Forest and Wood Products Institute is WoodLINKS’s Northeast coordinator. The fair is one of the world’s largest trade shows for the furniture manufacturing, architectural woodwork, custom and general woodworking industries.

• As part of the college’s Decade of Civic Engagement initiative, MWCC and Rock the Vote will make sure Voting is a Piece of Cake during its Welcome Back Fest for new students. This will give MWCC students a chance to register to vote on Thurs., Sept. 2, Wed., Sept. 15, Thurs., Sept. 30 and Wed., Oct. 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cafeteria and to get a piece of free cake. College organizers will take completed registration forms to the appropriate town and city clerks’ offices. For more information, call Lea Ann Erickson at 978.630.9322.

• The week before the state’s primary election on Sept. 14, MWCC and the Sentinel and Enterprise will co-host two candidates’ nights. On Tues., Sept. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at MWCC’s Gardner campus, candidates vying for the Second Worcester District House of Representatives seat, Brian Knuuttila and Doreen Noble, will debate the issues. The debate on Thurs., Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Leominster City Hall will feature the Democratic and Republican candidates seeking to fill the Fourth Worcester District House of Representatives seat, Kathleen Reynolds Daigneal, Jennifer Flanagan, Claire Freda, Kathleen Perla, David Nault and John Souza. For more information, call Lea Ann Erickson at 978.630.9322.

• MWCC’s Health Services will sponsor an American Red Cross Blood Drive in the commons area of the Mount on Mon., Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call the American Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543).

• The Greater Gardner Community Choir will hold sign-up and first rehearsal for the fall semester on Mon., Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. Under the direction of Diane Cushing, the choir meets Monday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in room 182 at Mount Wachusett Community College. GGCC is open to all adults who love to sing—no experience or audition required. Music for the fall semester includes classical and contemporary selections for a holiday concert at the Mount and for a special appearance with “Rockapella” at Fitchburg State College. A $20 music purchase fee is the only cost associated with joining. For more information, contact Professor Gail Steele at 978.630.9162 or by e-mail at gsteele@mwcc.mass.edu.

• MWCC’s Student Life Office, Diversity Committee and C.A.R.S. (Committee for Activities and Recreation for Students) will sponsor a performance by Grupo Fantasia on Mon., Sept. 20 in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Grupo Fantasia, an award-winning Latin music band, will perform in the South Cafeteria from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

• To further the mission of the college’s Decade of Civic Engagement initiative, MWCC will host a Volunteer Fair on Fri., Sept. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cafeteria. This will give local nonprofit organizations a chance to find Mount students interested in learning about internship and volunteer opportunities that may relate to their major and even possibly allow them to earn college credits. More than 25 organizations are expected to participate. For more information, call Lea Ann Erickson at 978.630.9322.

• Learn more about the degree program that will prepare you for a career as an electronic technician or an information technologist at a free info event, Mon., Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. in the Murphy Conference Room at the Gardner campus. In addition to learning how to test, repair, and maintain complex electric systems, this program includes training in program hardware, software and networking. Electronic technicians can work in a variety of fields including telecommunications, manufacturing, security, avionics, and biomedical instrumentation. Information technologist install, maintain and troubleshoot computers and computer networks in an office or industrial environment setting. As a graduate with suitable work experience in information technology, you will be prepared for Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and A+ computer certification examination. For more information, call 978.630.9110.

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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