MWCC's Weekly e-newsletter

Friday, December 17, 2004

MASSACHUSETTS DENTAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT TO MWCC DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM

By Lea Ann Erickson

	Dr. Robert Boose, executive director of the Massachusetts Dental Society, gives a $63,600 check to Dean of the School of Health Sciences Debbie Orre and MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino.

To fulfill a commitment to help address the critical shortage of dental hygienists and dental assistants in the state, the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) Foundation awarded Mount Wachusett Community College a $63,600 grant on Wednesday, Dec. 15 to fund its new dental hygiene program, which will be opening in fall 2005 at the HealthAlliance-Burbank Campus in Fitchburg in partnership with Community Health Connections Dental Clinic.

“We are deeply grateful to the MDS Foundation for this grant. Mount Wachusett Community College has a long history of providing our communities with great health care professionals,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “Our nurses consistently score among the highest in the state on the NCLEX licensure exam and we are confident that our dental hygienists will be just as successful.”

The funds will be used to outfit six dental treatment areas, as well as radiography, laboratory, classroom, faculty office space and the learning resource area.

The anticipated date for the program to begin is September 2005. MWCC is currently accepting applications. Program Director Anne Malkasian is currently overseeing the American Dental Association accreditation process, which should be completed in January.

“The MDS Foundation is very pleased to be able to support this worthwhile program that is so important to the students, the college and the dental profession,” said Richard LoGuercio, DDS, chairman of the foundation. “It is our hope that this funding can help Mount Wachusett Community College make their new program available to students who want to have careers in dentistry.”

The MDS Foundation was founded in 1999 to not only address the shortage of hygienists and assistants, but also to create, expand and enhance programs offering access to dental care for those in need. The foundation is supported through several MDS-sponsored charitable events held throughout the year, as well as by contributions made by member dentists and many outside organizations.

Campus Events:

• The Mount Wachusett Community College library will be open extended hours this weekend to help students prepare for final exams. The hours will be Friday, Dec. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 18 from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, call the library at (978) 630-9125.

• The Greater Gardner Community Choir will present a holiday concert at MWCC on Sunday, Dec. 19 at 4 p.m. The theme of the concert is “A Season of Glorias.” Tickets for the concert will be available at the door for $5. Senior citizens will be admitted at no charge. For additional information, contact Professor Gail Steele at (978) 630-9162.

• Hanging in the East Wing Gallery, outside the Theatre at the Mount, until Wednesday, Jan. 19 are works produced by MWCC students Andy Argon, Corinne Goodrich, Marsha Hersey and Alaina Youngsma. An artist reception will be held in the gallery Sunday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call Professor John Pacheco at (978) 630-9184.

• The MWCC Health Science Division will host the second annual Practical Nursing Pinning Ceremony on Monday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Theatre at the Mount. (Snow date is Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.) About 20 students, who have successfully completed MWCC’s practical nursing program, will receive pins and certificates recognizing their completion of the certification program. For more information, call the Health Sciences Division at (978) 630-9265.

• Slots are still available for most of the Fitness & Wellness Center at MWCC’s annual baseball and pitching clinics. The age-appropriate baseball clinics will run on Sundays Jan. 9, Jan. 16, Jan. 30, Feb. 27, March 6 and March 13 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Each session is limited to an enrollment of 32. The cost is $45 per player. There is still room in the pitching clinic for children 13 and up that will be held on Sundays March 20 and March 27 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Enrollment is limited to 20. The cost is $25 per player. For more information, call the center at (978) 630-9212.

• Register now for the Fitness & Wellness Center’s annual golf lessons, which begin the week of Monday, Feb. 28. Directed by PGA Professional Mike Egan, the lessons include individual instruction and video analysis. Participants can bring their own clubs or use the center’s. Beginner lessons will be held Mondays and Thursdays at 7:15 p.m. Intermediate classes will meet Tuesdays at 7:15 and 8:15 p.m. and Thursdays at 8:15 p.m. Advanced lessons will be held on Mondays at 8:15 p.m. The cost is $85 per session; fitness center members are eligible for a 10 percent discount. For more information, call the center at (978) 630-9212.

• Theatre at the Mount will hold auditions for the children’s musical “Honk! Jr.” by appointment only on Monday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Director Sharon Asher, music director Bill Asher and choreographer Nicole Couture are looking for a large cast of children and teens (age 8 to 18) with singing, dancing and acting ability. “Honk! Jr.” is a contemporary re-telling of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic story, “The Ugly Duckling.” To schedule an appointment, call the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or e-mail your appointment request to box-office@mwcc.mass.edu. Auditions—consist of singing, dance/movement and cold readings from the script—will be held in room 182 at MWCC. Performances of “Honk! Jr.” are Thursday, March 31, Friday, April 1, Wednesday, April 6, Thursday, April 7 and Friday, April 8 at 9:30 a.m.; April 1, 6, 7 and 8 at noon; and Saturday, April 9 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tentative rehearsal schedule is Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. For more information, contact Professor Gail Steele at (978) 630-9162 or visit the Theatre at the Mount website at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

• The Mount Wachusett Community College Entrepreneurial Resource Center, 100 Jackson Road, Devens, will host its next Entrepreneur Speaker Series presentation, “Human Resource Basics: Top Five Pitfalls to Avoid” by Kathleen Mills, founder of HR Off Site Resources in Leominster, on Thursday, Jan. 27 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Mills will review all the areas human resources covers, the importance of being in compliance and common pitfalls. Participants also will take a mini-audit to help them understand how prepared they are. The cost is only $15, and includes lunch. To register, call (978) 630-9569.

• The Mount Wachusett Community College Entrepreneurial Resource Center, 100 Jackson Road, Devens, will host the Entrepreneur Speaker Series presentation “Taking the Mystery Out of Bulk Mailing” by management consultant Paul Lambert on Thursday, Feb. 17 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Direct mail can be an effective marketing tool. Lambert will review such issues as determining when direct mail is cost effective, purchasing mailing lists versus creating your own and direct-mail software options. The cost is only $15, and includes lunch. To register, call (978) 630-9569.

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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