MWCC's Weekly e-newsletter

Friday, September 10, 2004

HUNDREDS ATTEND TWO CANDIDATES’ DEBATES SPONSORED BY MWCC AND SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE

By LeaAnn Erickson

Gardner Debate	Leominster Debate

In preparation for the primary election, Tues., Sept. 14, Mount Wachusett Community College and the Sentinel & Enterprise hosted two candidates' debates that drew hundreds of voters—and countless others who will watch the televised forums. MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino moderated both debates.

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, debated the issues. The debate on Thurs., Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Leominster City Hall featured the Democratic and Republican candidates seeking to fill the Fourth Worcester District House of Representatives seat, Kathleen Reynolds Daigneault, Jennifer Flanagan, Claire Freda, Kathleen Perla, David Nault and John Souza. MWCC distributed voter registration forms at both events as part of its Rock the Vote initiative. (See listing in campus events for more voter registration information or call Lea Ann Erickson at 978.630.9322.)

MWCC FOUNDATION TO HOST CAPITAL CAMPAIGN KICKOFF CELEBRATION

By LeaAnn Erickson

The Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc. will formally kick off its Capital Campaign, Tues., Sept. 14 at 5:00 p.m. in the Library. The campaign “Mount Wachusett Community College: Where Learning Never Ends,” has three main goals:

• To build a new childcare center for the community
• Increase civic participation through the establishment of the Center for Democracy and the Humanities
• Renovate the MWCC library

The campaign’s goal is $2.25 million. According to Campaign General Chair Leo P. LaChance, over $1.75 million has been raised to date. “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.” “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. “Investment in this campaign will help not only our students, but help us to build healthy communities.”

The celebration will feature remarks from MWCC Board of Trustees chair Jay Davis Drake, Foundation Board Chair Dick Flannagan, MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino, MWCC Alumni Advisory Board Chair Shawn Bernard and MWCC Student Government Association President Diana Russo.

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

MWCC’S 'TRI FOR THE GOLD' TO BENEFIT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS

By Kimberly B. Caisse

Mount Wachusett Community College’s Fitness & Wellness Center will hold its fourth annual Tri for the Gold on Sun., Sept. 12 to raise money for the North Central Special Olympics.

“We are proud to be hosting this event again this year,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “I’m extremely proud of our staff who are participating and of the generosity of our greater community in supporting this worthy cause.”

Tri for the Gold, first organized in 2000 as part of the college’s Decade for Civic Engagement, raised $2,100 last year. “I’d like to double that,” said the event’s organizer, Aquatics Staff Assistant Kelly Mendoza. “That means we have to double the number of entries.” One hundred percent of the registration fee benefits the North Central Special Olympics, she added.

Several members of MWCC’s staff will participate. One team was formed by Asquino, Vice President of Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development Jacqueline Feldman and Admissions Director John Walsh. Asquino will swim, Feldman will bike and Walsh will run.

“This is a wonderful community event that allows me to participate in something I enjoy while supporting a good cause,” Feldman said.

“I have been a volunteer of one form or another for Special Olympics for over 20 years,” Walsh said. “I was approached by two teams for the effort at MWCC. When I was asked to support the Special Olympics triathlon as a participant, it was an easy decision.”

Campus Police Officer Jeff LaFrenier is forming another team. He will be biking in his third Tri for the Gold. Another team member, Fitness & Wellness Center Lifeguard Liz LeBlanc, will swim. If LaFrenier is unsuccessful finding a runner for his team, he will compete in that part of the triathlon as well.

“It’s a wonderful group of people who enjoy fitness, but don’t regularly engage in this type of competition,” LaFrenier said. “Most of the people work out all year at the Fitness Center—the Tri gives them an opportunity to test out their fitness with a group of people who are there to have fun, all for a good cause.”

“The triathlon is a great family event,” Mendoza said. “We’ve tried to keep it so that anyone can do it.”

Individual contestants swim 150 yards, bike 11.9 miles and run 3.1 miles. Teams will have one member for each event.

Volunteers also are needed to help with the event. “It takes a lot of people to make sure everyone is safe,” Mendoza said.

The entry fee is $60 for individuals; $85 for teams. Race day entries will be charged an additional $5. Registration forms are available at the Fitness & Wellness Center, 444 Green St., Gardner. For more information, call the center at 978.630.9212 or the Special Olympics at 978.537.7766.

Campus Events:

• The MWCC Art Department is pleased to present, as part of the Works in Clay exhibition series, the 1830s reproduction work and original pottery by Holden artist Mary Picard through Tues., Sept. 28 in the East Wing Gallery outside the Theatre at the Mount. Picard studied at Worcester Center for Crafts and the ceramics program at Harvard University. She is a production potter at Old Sturbridge Village, where she reproduces 1830s New England redware and stoneware. Picard also is a studio potter in Holden, where she also creates her own exquisite functional work. For any further information, contact Joyce Miller 978.630.9221.

• 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 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 college will offer a new associate’s degree in dental hygiene in September 2005. If you would like to learn more, attend a free dental hygiene information session, Wed., Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. in the Murphy Conference Room. To learn more about this exciting program, including the mandatory prerequisite requirements for all applicants, or to RSVP, please call Admissions at 978.630.9110. Other information sessions are planned for Wed., Oct. 13, Wed., Nov. 3, Wed., Dec. 8 and Wed., Jan. 5, 2005.

• The undergraduate team at Cambridge College is holding an information session on Wed., Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. at 1000 Mass Ave., Cambridge. Individuals interested in earning a bachelor’s degree, are encourage to attend or call Cambridge College for an individual appointment. For more information, call Christopher Russo at 617.873.0253.

• 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 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.

• Nearly 200 colleges and universities—public, private, large and small—will be at a College Fair on Wed., Sept. 22 at Mount Wachusett Community College’s Fitness & Wellness Center from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Through their schools, high school seniors and juniors from North Central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire have been invited to attend the fair, sponsored by the New England Association of College Admissions Counselors. Students will be bussed to the Mount for the event. After the fair, NEACAC’s two-year college committee will hold its fall meeting, also in the North Cafeteria. Featured discussions this year will be on international students and retention issues. For more information, contact MWCC admissions office at 978.630.9110 or admissions@mwcc.mass.edu.

• 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 Kathy Laperrier at 978.630.9219.

• Auditions for Theatre at the Mount’s December production of Daniel Sullivan’s Inspecting Carol will be held on Sun., Sept. 26 and Tues., Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in room 182 at Mount Wachusett Community College. Callbacks (if needed) will be held Wed., Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. Director Mark F. LeBlanc is looking for a cast of four adult women, eight adult men, and one young boy age 11 to 13. Mix together a struggling theatre company, a tired production of A Christmas Carol, a really bad actor, and a visiting inspector for the National Endowment for the Arts and you end up with an off-the-wall holiday farce. Everything that could possibly go wrong does as a fictitious theater company struggles to mount their annual production of the holiday classic. Bad theatre has never been this much fun before! For more information, contact Professor Gail Steele at 978.630.9162, or visit the Theatre at the Mount web site at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• The spirit of small-town America will come to the stage at Theatre at the Mount in Mike Craver and Mark Hardwick’s Radio Gals. Set in the late 1920s, Radio Gals concerns an enterprising woman, Hazel Hunt (played by Pattie Pichette), of Cedar Ridge, Ark., who, upon her retirement as the town music teacher, receives a Western Electric 500 watt radio transmitter and begins broadcasting as radio station “WGAL.” The New York Times called Radio Gals “a lively, cheery, nostalgia-dipped musical.” Other members of the Radio Gals cast are Lisa Hughes as America and Debbie Moylan as Rennabelle. The show is directed by Craig Cormier, music directed by David Twiss and choreographed by Sandie Couture. Performances are Fri., Oct. 8, Sat., Oct. 9, Fri., Oct. 15 and Sat., Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. and Sun., Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. For information and reservations call the Theatre at the Mount box office at 978.632.2403. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• MWCC’s Lifelong Learning Institute for Enrichment (LIFE) is sponsoring a writing contest to coincide with the second annual Wachusett Writer’s Conference, sponsored by The Gardner News, in November. Contestants must submit a 1,000-word short story to LIFE Program Coordinator Lorraine Wickman, Mount Wachusett Community College, 444 Green St., Gardner MA 01440, by Fri., Oct. 1. Submissions should be double-spaced with text only on one side. Three copies must be provided—two with the contestant’s name, address, phone number and e-mail and one without the information. This writing contest is open to anyone of any age. For more information, contact Wickman at 978.630.9176 or lwickman@mwcc.mass.edu.

• MWCC Transfer Services will host the annual Transfer Fair on Wed., Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the cafeteria. This is a once-a-year opportunity for MWCC students to speak with several transfer representatives from New England public and private four-year colleges and universities. For more information, call Nancy Greenlaw at 978.630.9321.

• MWCC’s Division of Health Science will sponsor a lecture on “The Healing Power of Touch” by Sandy Superchi, RN, CMT, at MWCC, room 242, on Wed., Oct. 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Superchi is currently employed as a nurse working with developmentally delayed adults. She has a massage therapy practice as well with a focus on wellness, cancer and people living with grief. Students, staff and the public are welcome. To participate in this free program, please contact Gayle Jaillet at 978.630.9265 or by email at g_jaillet@mwcc.mass.edu.

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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