fall 2014 issue of the collegian
Post on 06-Apr-2016
221 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
The Newsletter of the New England College Council
Collegian Fall 2014
NECC Officers
Dr. Daniel M. Asquino, President
Mount Wachusett Community College
444 Green Street
Gardner, MA 01440
Tel: 978-632-6600
www.mwcc.edu
Dr. Ronald Cantor, President
Southern Maine Community College
2 Fort Road
South Portland, ME 04106
Tel: 207-741-5500
www.smccme.edu
Ray M. Di Pasquale, President
Community College of Rhode Island
400 East Avenue
Warwick, RI 02886
Tel: 401-825-1000
www.ccri.edu
Dr. Barbara Douglass, President
Northwestern Connecticut Community
College
Park Place East
Winsted, CT 06098
Tel: 860-738-6300
www.nwcc.edu
Dr. Susan D. Huard, President
Manchester Community College
1066 Front Street
Manchester, NH 03102
603-206-8000
www.mccnh.edu
Dr. Joyce Judy, President
Community College of Vermont
660 Elm Street, P.O. Box 489
Montpelier, VT 05601
802-828-2800
www.ccv.edu
College Council New England Massachusetts Community Colleges Executive Office
Massachusetts Community Colleges Awarded Highest Funded TAACCT Grant in the Country
L to R: US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, Massachusetts Secretary of Workforce and Labor Rachel Kaprelian, Quinsigamond Community College President Gail Carberry and Executive Officer of Massachusetts Community Colleges Bill Hart
A consortia proposal submitted by the 15
community colleges in Massachusetts and led
by Massasoit Community College was selected
by the U.S. Department of Labor for the final
round of federal funding from the Trade
Adjustment Assistance Community College
and Career Training Grant (TAACCCT). The
$20 million grant is the highest funded of the
66 awarded in the country by U.S. DOL. The
project, Guided Pathways to Success in STEM
(GPSTEM), will use the national Complete
College America Guided Pathways to Success
model to assist eligible students in obtaining
degrees and certificates in STEM fields. The
model focuses on reducing the time to
completion of certificates and degrees,
resulting in more students entering
employment in the Commonwealth and/or
transferring to baccalaureate education to add
to their credentials.
During the grant period, 24 STEM degree options and 58 certificate programs will be
newly created or significantly enhanced in partnership with business/industry, the
Commonwealth‘s workforce system, the state universities and UMass. The project will
also build capacity on the highly successful Career & College Navigator model the
Massachusetts Community Colleges designed and implemented during the Round I
TAACCCT Grant Award in 2011. An important part of the Round IV initiative will
focus on creating collaborative pipelines for students to seamlessly transfer to
baccalaureate programs in order to meet industry demand in certain STEM industry
areas. ―Creating key pipeline collaborations in the STEM fields in conjunction with the
state universities and UMass will serve as a new model for creating comprehensive
higher education and industry partnerships in the Commonwealth,‖ said Bill Hart,
Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Community Colleges Council of Presidents.
Additionally, $5M of the $20M will be for a specific statewide collaborative (referred
to as the Data Bus) to work with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the
state‘s workforce system (state career centers and Workforce Investment Boards) to
create a pilot around technology enabled solutions to integrate systems at the
community colleges and the state‘s career centers to aggregate data and inform
decisions.
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 2
Mount Wachusett Community College, its students and
alumni add more than $207 million in income each year
to North Central Massachusetts and the Commonwealth,
according to a newly released regional economic impact
report.
The study, prepared for the college by Economic
Modeling Specialists, Inc., involved a regional economic
impact analysis and an investment analysis during the
2012-2013 fiscal year. According to the findings, MWCC
promotes economic growth in the 29 cities and towns that
comprise its service area in a variety of ways. The college
is one of the region‘s largest employers, it is a buyer of
goods and services, is a primary source of education to
local residents, and supplies local industry with trained
workers.
MWCC creates a significant positive impact on the local
business community and generates a return on investment
to its major stakeholder groups – students, society and
taxpayers. During the analysis year, income created by
MWCC as a result of college operations equaled $37.8
million and income created as the result of student
productivity equaled $169.8 million, for a total effect of
$207.6 million.
―The role of community colleges as economic engines
has long been recognized and this study provides updated
data on the positive impact MWCC has in our region and
the state,‖ said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino.
―We enroll more than 12,000 credit and noncredit
students each year, and the majority of our alumni remain
in the region and in the state to contribute to the local
economy.‖
The return on investment to students, society and
taxpayers is significant, the report found. Students paid a
total of $16.2 million to cover the cost of tuition, fees,
books and supplies during the analysis year. In return for
their investment, students will receive a present value of
$409.5 million in increased earnings over their working
lives. This translates to a return of $6.30 in higher future
income for every $1 that students invest in their
education, for an average annual return for students of
25.4 percent.
Mount Wachusett Community College
MWCC’s Annual Economic Impact on Region, State, Tops $207
Million Society as a whole in Massachusetts will receive a
present value of $955.3 million in added state income
over the course of the students‘ working lives. Society
will also benefit from $15.3 million in present value
social savings related to reduced crime, lower
unemployment and increased health and well-being
across the state. For every dollar that society spent on
MWCC educations during the analysis year, society will
receive a cumulative value of $9.80 in benefits, for as
long as MWCC‘s 2012-13 students remain active in the
state workforce.
From the taxpayer perspective, state taxpayers invested
$16.3 million to support the operations of MWCC. The
net present value of added tax revenue stemming from
the students' higher lifetime incomes and the increased
output of business amounts to $78.6 million in benefits to
taxpayers. Savings to the public sector add another $4.5
million in benefits due to the reduced demand for
government-funded services in Massachusetts. By
dividing benefits to taxpayers by the associated costs, the
average annual return on investment for taxpayers is 13.2
percent, or $5.10 in benefits for every $1.
Other highlights include:
MWCC employed a total of 1,069 faculty and
staff in FY2012-13. Payroll amounted to $32.7
million, much of which was spent in the
MWCC service region to purchase groceries,
clothing and other household goods and
services. The college spent another $14.3
million to support its day-to-day operations.
The net impact of college payroll and expenses
in the MWCC service region during the analysis
year was approximately $37.8 million in added
regional income.
Overall, the added income created by MWCC
and its students supported 3,294 job equivalents
in the region.
MWCC
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 3
Manchester Community College
NH Community Colleges Partner with University System to Meet the Demand for More Nurses in New Hampshire The Community College System of New Hampshire and the University System of NH signed an agreement in
2014 to help meet the rising demand for more nurses in New Hampshire and throughout the region.
Starting in January of 2015, New Hampshire universities and community colleges will work together to
streamline the process for nursing students to earn their bachelor‘s degrees. Through online classes, tuition aid
and reduced fees, and through an unprecedented cooperation between schools, nursing students will be able to
receive the level of training needed to meet the changing professional landscape.
MCC
MCC Community College of Rhode Island
CCRI Coordinator Explores New Approach to Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Rhode Island (represented by CCRI, the University of Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Office of Postsecondary
Education) has joined partners from Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon,
Utah, the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), and the Association of American Colleges and
Universities (AACU) to develop a system-level learning outcomes assessment model that does not rely on
standardized testing. The resulting Multi-State Collaborative to Advance Learning Outcomes Assessment has been
developing and testing a learning outcomes assessment model that is rooted in campus/system collaboration, authentic
student work, and faculty curriculum development and teaching activity. The project builds on the AACU LEAP
initiative through which it developed a common set of rubrics—VALUE Rubrics—to assess the LEAP Essential
Learning Outcomes. In its initial phase of examining student work at 68 higher education institutions in nine states,
the project is evaluating student achievement of two of the most important outcomes of a college education: written
communication and quantitative reasoning.
Jeanne Mullaney, assessment coordinator at the Community College of Rhode Island, has been leading faculty
engagement efforts on new approaches to Student Learning Outcomes assessment a member of the Multi-State
Collaborative. Over the summer, Ms. Mullaney reports, faculty from ten different departments at CCRI worked in a
faculty learning community, studying the AACU VALUE rubrics for quantitative literacy and written communication
and evaluating the alignment of the rubrics to assignments that they regularly give their students. Working as
consultants for each other, the group adapted their assignments to better align to the rubric and they are now training
their colleagues on the rubrics and gathering data (in the form of student work) in their courses. At this point, the
initiative is engaging 50 faculty members at CCRI. Ms. Mullaney noted that it‘s a bit like quantitative literacy across
the curriculum and writing across the curriculum because the faculty members are looking at how these skills are
developed and assessed in a wide variety of disciplines.
MCC
The seven community colleges that are part of the Community College System of NH train more than half of the nursing
graduates in the Granite State. With this new partnership, a more streamlined program will graduate approximately 600
nurses each year, to meet New Hampshire‘s demand and to meet a similar demand in neighboring states.
The program increases bachelors and master‘s degree capacity in nationally accredited programs for both students and
existing registered nurses in the workforce.
By working together to offer an affordable path toward these degrees, New Hampshire is leveraging the staff, labs,
students and administration that are already in place to keep costs down while increasing the number of skilled
graduates.
CCRI
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 4
It‘s 3 o‘clock on a Tuesday afternoon. Sean Tognazzi
completes his final class, and heads to Union 302 at
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT), a
room that was formerly a physics classroom. Sean eases
into a workstation, boots up his computer, and clicks his
mouse. In an instant, he transforms from full-time
technical college student to part-time technical support
specialist – all while staying on campus
―I jumped on this opportunity to further my career goals,‖
said the 20-year-old sophomore from Salem, Mass. ―I‘m
learning skills that will transfer to any job, and I never
have to worry about being late for work due to traffic.‖
BFIT, a private non-profit technical college, and
PlumChoice, a national leader in technical support
solutions, recently formed a partnership to co-fund and
co-manage a new on-campus facility dedicated to training
BFIT students to become tech support leaders of the
future. Today, 25 students enrolled in the college‘s
computer technology and health information technology
programs, work 10 to 25 hours per week at the renovated
customer service center, outfitted with rows of dual-
monitor computer stations.
Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology
School-Work-Life Balance @ BFIT
―It‘s very important to earn a good wage. I have bills to
pay,‖ Tognazzi said. ―I was working at a hotel until I
found something I truly liked. This job as a tech support
specialist is tied to my career and life goals.‖
Students provide technical support in the evening to
customers from across the nation on behalf of major
companies, including Fortune 1000s. They hone their
technical skills, but also pick up ―soft skills‖ such as
communications, goal-setting and time management. After
a few months, they can work from home, bringing school-
work-life balance to a whole new level.
Students are paid during training and start at several dollars
an hour above fast-food and retail jobs. They also keep
more earnings in their pockets through transportation
savings. The higher pay, they say, enables them to focus
more on their course-work, and less on making ends meet.
Sean Tognazzi,
a student in
BFIT’s Computer
Technology
program, works
part-time on
campus at
PlumChoice,
providing tech
support to
customers across
the nation.
On campus, BFIT
students provide
tech support on
behalf of major
U.S. companies,
earning a
competitive wage
and saving
money on
transportation
costs.
Some high school juniors and seniors in BFIT‘s dual
enrollment program are getting hired even before they
matriculate at the college. As a result, these students
become BFIT freshmen and PlumChoice employees right
from the start.
This partnership builds on BFIT‘s model of providing both
theoretical and practical experience in the classroom and
lab. Through skills-based curricula, BFIT encourages
students to think beyond the classroom to the problem
solving they will do in the work world.
―BFIT works closely with industry leaders to be sure that
what we teach is relevant and practical in today‘s
competitive marketplace,‖ said Anthony Benoit, president
of BFIT. ―Young people are more and more aware that an
associate degree in a technical field is a great investment.
Partnerships like this one with PlumChoice show that the
education we provide is valuable, not only to our students,
but to the businesses of the commonwealth.‖
According to David Temlak, senior vice president for
customer service, innovation and delivery at PlumChoice,
this partnership helps his company meet the growing
demand for technical support specialists and provides good
jobs for local technical students who continue to immerse
themselves in emerging technologies.
―When these students graduate, they‘re not just leaving
with a piece of paper, they leave with real-world
experience that gives them a leg up in their professional
careers. That opportunity, in turn, enables us to recruit
some of the best technical agents in our own backyard –
and across the country,‖ Temlak said.
BFIT
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 5
MCC
Capital Community College
Capital Community College Announces New Sustainable
Food Service Program at Rocky Hill Vet Center
CCC
Manny Jimenez, president of the Capital
Community College Veterans Club
Capital Community College student veteran
Ayanna Wright Capital Community College student veteran
Ayanna Wright
Capital Community College student veteran
Ayanna Wright
In December a new Sustainable Food Service program will begin at the Veterans Center in Rocky Hill. Developed
as the result of a U.S. Department of Labor Northeast Resiliency Consortium grant awarded to Capital Community
College, the program specifically targets veterans, displaced workers, unemployed and underemployed individuals,
to provide them with opportunities to advance their careers through credit and non-credit programs in Information
Technology, Environmental Technology and Healthcare. The Sustainable Food Service program is open to veterans
and the public who are interested in pursuing careers in Food Service or Local Farming.
―This is only the beginning
of what we see as an
ongoing, robust program
offering veterans at Rocky
Hill and statewide the
opportunity to further their
education and skills.‖
Organized and taught by Capital Community College, classes for
the Sustainable Food Service program will be held at the Veterans
Center, where the use of land and a greenhouse have been donated
for farming, and kitchen space has been provided for instruction
and hands-on learning. The curriculum will include everything
from planting herbs and vegetables to setting up an institutional
food kitchen and preparing nutritious and delicious meals. Students
will also study for and take the ServSafe training exam to prepare
for a position in the Food Service industry.
―We are excited to offer veterans and other individuals, innovative
programs like this one and help prepare them for their transition to
careers,‖ said Dr. Wilfredo Nieves, Capital Community College‘s
president. ―Thanks to this grant, our graduates will be provided
with the skills to secure good-paying jobs in high growth fields.‖
―We look forward to working with Capital Community College and are
very happy to provide a venue for students to learn these valuable skills,‖
said Acting Commissioner of the CT Department of Veterans‘ Affairs,
Joseph T. Perkins.
CCC
NECC News Brief
Thanks to enormous donor support
through the Quinebaug Valley
Community College Foundation, no
QVCC student has graduated with any
Federal debt in the past three years.
NECC News Brief
Thanks to enormous donor support
through the Quinebaug Valley
Community College Foundation, no
QVCC student has graduated with any
Federal debt in the past three years. QVCC
NECC News Brief
Thanks to enormous donor support through
the Quinebaug Valley Community
College Foundation, no QVCC student has
graduated with any Federal debt in the past
three years.
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 6
Manchester Community College
MCC Named a Military Friendly® School for 2015
Good news for area veterans, Manchester Community College
has been named a Military Friendly® school by Victory Media,
Inc., for 2015.
The college again earned rights to the coveted Military
Friendly® trademarked designation for another year in
succession because of its scores on a rigorous survey assessment
of some 12,000 schools nationwide.
The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and
trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America‘s
military service members, veterans and spouses as students and
ensure their success on campus. Connecticut is home to 275,000
military veterans, more than 14,000 of whom are women.
MCC has repeatedly been recognized for its services to
veterans. For example, on Friday, November 7, the college held
its first Veteran‘s Professional Development Day dedicated to
students who are military veterans and specifically to providing
skills and employment opportunities to them. On the agenda
were seminars in resume building and interview techniques, an
employer and college panel, and time to socialize and network.
In addition, the Veterans OASIS (Operation Academic Support
for Incoming Service Members) provides ongoing support and
resources for local veterans. Each public college in Connecticut
has a Veterans OASIS dedicated to providing a supportive
space for veterans and military service men and women to
network, socialize, study and share, as they integrate into the
college experience. MCC students as well as non-students
are welcome at the OASIS.
The OASIS is also used to host monthly meetings of the
MCC VETS (Veterans Empowering Themselves to
Succeed) Club. VETS is an on-campus club that assists local
veterans and their dependents to network, and it also serves
as a liaison for the veterans‘ community outside the college.
MCC
From left, MCC Professor Bobbi Fox (U.S. Navy) serves as faculty advisor to the MCC VETS (Veterans Empowering Themselves to Succeed) Club. With her at a recent club meeting are Michelle LaBelle, of East Hartford, CT (U.S. Army), studying business; Edwin Peck, of Windsor Locks, CT (U.S. Navy), studying engineering science; Caitlin Cardello, of East Granby, CT (U.S. Air Force); studying psychology; and Glenn Manning of Bolton, CT (U.S. Army), studying respiratory care.
Manchester Community College, with the support of local residents Anthony G. and
Paula Viscogliosi, staged two important events in November that helped reach
fundraising goals needed to launch its Viscogliosi Entrepreneurship Center
successfully: a VIP reception at the historic Philip Cheney Mansion and a ribbon
cutting with guest entrepreneurs Tom and Kate Chappell, who founded Tom‘s of
Maine and Ramblers Way Farm. Together these raised more than $109,000 for VEC
programs. The funds raised will contribute to educational programs and networking
opportunities.
―The Viscogliosi Entrepreneurship Center will help provide students and small
businesses owners with the support they need to help strengthen our economy and
create good-paying jobs with good benefits right here in Connecticut,‖ said Governor
Dannel P. Malloy. ―I commend Paula and Anthony Viscogliosi for their gracious
donation and encourage the community to take advantage of this invaluable new
resource.‖
The VEC is also supported by a gift by the Viscogliosis, whose international
experience as accomplished entrepreneurs, visionaries and philanthropists have led
them to Manchester, where they work with local organizations in arts, education and
entrepreneurship.
Viscogliosi Entrepreneurship Center Dedication Events Help MCC Achieve Launch Goals
Anthony G. and Paula Viscogliosi cut the ribbon at the dedication of the
entrepreneurship center named in their honor at MCC on Main
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 7
Roxbury Community College
Roxbury Community College Earns Platinum Endorsement for Life Sciences Programs Roxbury Community College (RCC) has been awarded the Platinum Level Endorsement for the College‘s Biotechnology
Certificate and Associate Degree Program. This is the highest level of endorsement granted by the Massachusetts Life
Sciences Education Consortium (MLSEC), a partnership of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation and the
Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.
Dr. Valerie Roberson, President of RCC, said, ―We are extremely grateful to the MLSEC for the vote of confidence that this
endorsement represents. It validates the efforts of our dedicated faculty and staff who work with students in the
Biotechnology Program and prepare them to enter the life sciences workforce.
This is the second time that MLSEC has recognized the contributions that community college programs are making to
develop a skilled STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) workforce across the Commonwealth. This recognition
from MLSEC also reflects RCC‘s participation in the College Success Campaign to double the numbers of Massachusetts
college graduates from low-income backgrounds and college graduates in the state with STEM degrees.
The awards ceremony takes place on December 2nd
in Lexington where awardees and all of the programs that applied for
silver, gold and platinum endorsements will gather to celebrate.
RCC
Activities at Tunxis during the week included a Human Services Club event on campus for young mothers and fathers
from New Britain in which they toured Tunxis, learned about Admissions, financial aid and Tunxis Early Childhood
Center, and attended a class to experience what it is like to attend college; a Community Outreach Club collection of travel-
sized toiletry donations, which club members included in bags they assembled and donated to St. Vincent de Paul
Mission Shelter in Bristol; a Human Services club donation of proceeds from a bake sale to Kyla’s Kids Fund to benefit
the children of a Tunxis student who was slain over the summer by her husband in a murder-suicide; a book drive started
by the Alpha Iota Alpha Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa in support of early literacy for the “Read to Grow” program; and a
food drive in which an art class drew still lifes in class before donating 123 pounds of non-perishable food to the
Plainville Food Pantry.
Tunxis contributes service through a diverse range of programs, student club projects and alternative break trips that engage
students annually in service to local, state, national and international communities. The diverse range of projects over the
years have included providing dental hygiene services for uninsured Connecticut residents, several Native American
reservations, and South American populations without access to dental care; enlisting as mentor-tutors in the Bristol Public
Schools, volunteering for Hands on Hartford‘s Peter's Retreat program, in which students donated food, cooked, and
served meals for 25 homeless men and women living with HIV/AIDS; and volunteering at Imagine Nation Museum and
Urban Oaks Organic Farm.
Tunxis Community College
Tunxis Helps Its Communities During CT’s Public Service Week
TCC
Students and faculty of Tunxis Community College in
Farmington, CT engaged in service to the community Oct.
19-25 during “Connecticut Make a Difference
Week.” The week-long series of public service activities
initiated by Tunxis and the other public colleges and
universities around the state highlighted the diverse
number of community involvement efforts ongoing
throughout the year that promote civic engagement,
develop students‘ citizenship skills, forge community
partnerships and integrate service learning and
volunteering.
Tunxis Community Outreach Club’s
Corina Scagliola, Barbara Turner,
Chelsea Armistead, Andrew
Albert, and Club Advisor Marie
Clucas, Ph.D., were among those
from the Tunxis community who
participated in “Connecticut Make
a Difference Week.” The group
assembled and donated 25 large
bags of toiletries for St. Vincent
de Paul Mission Shelter in Bristol.
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 8
Mount Wachusett Community College
Mount Wachusett Receives MassINC 2014 Gateway Cities Innovation Award for GEAR UP Partnership
Mount Wachusett Community College and Fitchburg
High School have been recognized with a 2014
Gateway Cities Innovation Award from the MassINC
Gateway Innovation Institute for the GEAR UP
program, a 15-year-old partnership between the two
institutions. Each year, MassINC recognizes
organizations and individuals that utilize innovative
models to grow the economies of the Commonwealth‘s
Gateway Cities.
Through GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early
Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs,
MWCC‘s Division of Access and Transition provides
academic support and early college-awareness activities
to Fitchburg High School students.
―This year‘s awards celebrate leaders who have
advanced educational excellence in their communities,‖
said Ben Forman, executive director of the Gateway
Cities Innovation Institute. ―They each achieved this by
working collaboratively to build new learning models
that take advantage of unique Gateway City educational
opportunities.‖
In 2010, MWCC‘s Division of Access and Transition
received a $3.6-million grant from the U.S. Department
of Education to expand the college‘s partnership with
Fitchburg Public Schools. The grant allowed MWCC to
offer college-preparation services to every student
entering sixth and seventh grades, lasting until their
respective graduations in 2016 and 2017.
―We wish to thank the MassINC Gateways Innovation
Institute for identifying GEAR UP as one of five model
partnerships,‖ said MWCC President Daniel M.
Asquino. ―Fitchburg is a critically important city in our
service area, and we are proud of the bond we have
developed with Fitchburg High School. GEAR UP has
allowed us to foster increased access to higher
education for students, which has long been one of our
fundamental goals at MWCC.‖
―The GEAR Up program with Mount Wachusett
Community College is one of the longest-sustained
educational partnerships we have had as a school
district,‖ said Fitchburg Public Schools Superintendent
Andre Ravenelle. ―This collaboration has brought not
only an institutional commitment to the Fitchburg Public
Schools, but more importantly a one-on-one commitment
of MWCC staff to hundreds of FHS students, helping
them navigate the challenges in life to eventual academic
success.‖
GEAR UP students receive academic counseling,
tutoring, homework support, MCAS and PSAT/SAT
preparation and college admissions assistance. GEAR UP
also offers after-school academic and social activities,
workshops on college awareness and financial aid, and
access to internships, as well as professional-
development seminars for faculty and staff. The program
also exists to provide public school districts sustainable
curricula in science, math, technology, engineering and
math (STEM), with the goal of improving instruction and
knowledge acquisition in these areas.
―These award winners exemplify the creativity and
dedication Gateway Cities have shown in attempting to
build new learning modules that respond to the needs of
students and families in our changing economy,‖ said
Forman. ―The time has come to take a hard look at how
we change funding models developed two decades ago to
better position leaders to bring effective new learning
models to scale.‖
MWCC
NECC News Brief
Mount Wachusett Community College has
partnered with the AASCU, Keene State College, and
29 other colleges and universities on a national
initiative to examine and address economic inequality.
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 9
York County Community College (YCCC) is pleased to
announce that Victoria Kent of Warm Fuzzies took home
the Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 10th
Annual Entrepreneur Awards Dinner, which was held on
November 13th at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunk,
Maine.
Each nominee in this category must be a YCCC student,
have achieved something significant, and succeeded
against the odds. Kent‘s story and the success of Warm
Fuzzies proved to the awards committee that she was
more than worthy of this year‘s honor. Handcrafted from
the heart, Warm Fuzzies produces custom children‘s
sweaters with one-of-a kind designs featuring varieties
of animals.
―I don't come from a background of recognition or
praise,‖ said Kent ―When I learned I was nominated, I
was stunned, overwhelmed and humbled. Now that I am
on the other side of it, mostly what I feel is an immense
gratitude and appreciation to be included with such an
amazing group of people on such a special occasion.‖
Kent openly talks about her troubled childhood as the
fifth child in a family of ten. She was the only one of her
siblings to graduate from high school and the first in her
family to earn a college degree. Kent began knitting at
the age of 13 after a relative showed her how to do it
because they thought she was 'too stupid‘ to learn
anything else. Those words were harsh on the 13 year-
old Kent; however, they made her incredibly determined
to succeed. For over a decade she honed her craft, and
she began selling her sweaters after her 5 year-old son
came home from his first day of school with orders from
four teachers who loved her work. Being recently
divorced with little means, Kent discovered that knitting
provided her and her family with more than warm,
fashionable clothes; her work brought in much-needed
funds for Christmas gifts and for winter fuel.
―My daughter says that handmade sweaters are 'hugs you
can wear'.‖ said Kent ―She is also the one to give my
little company its name, Warm Fuzzies.‖
York County Community College
Victoria Kent Receives YCCC Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Over the years, Kent has used her skills to teach other
people the joy of knitting and creating handmade goods.
She regularly donates her beautiful children‘s sweaters to
non-profits that help children of domestic violence.
Although most of Warm Fuzzies‘ sales are through word
of mouth and local craft fairs, Kent is in the process of
establishing an Etsy account and learning about e-
commerce. Kent holds an AA in Liberal Studies from
YCCC and will graduate from YCCC with her second AA
in Behavioral Health this December.
―I'm sad that my time at YCCC is coming to a close, but I
know that YCCC has prepared me for my adventure
ahead,‖ said Kent. ―It has changed my past and given me
a future. I am YCCC‘s biggest cheerleader and I'm proud
to be an alumna.‖
(left to right): Victoria Kent receiving her YCCC
Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award from
Entrepreneur Committee Member Dave Moravick
YCCC
NECC News Brief Manchester Community College is
collaborating with the New Britain Museum of
American Art (NBMAA) to give east-of-the-river
exposure to world-class art collections. The first
such exhibition, ―Planet Pulp,‖ opened in
September at the Adolf & Virginia Dehn Gallery
in the Manchester Community College Arts and
Education Center, MCC on Main. MCC
President Dr. Gena Glickman and NBMAA
Director Douglas Hyland plan on additional east-
of-the-river collaborations.
NECC News Brief Manchester Community College is
collaborating with the New Britain Museum of
American Art (NBMAA) to give east-of-the-river
exposure to world-class art collections. The first
such exhibition, ―Planet Pulp,‖ opened in
September at the Adolf & Virginia Dehn Gallery
in the Manchester Community College Arts and
Education Center, MCC on Main. MCC
President Dr. Gena Glickman and NBMAA
Director Douglas Hyland plan on additional east-
of-the-river collaborations.
MCC
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 10
Tunxis Community College has partnered with EDAC
Technologies of Cheshire to offer an Advanced
Manufacturing Machine Technology Certificate
which provides machine operator training and
responds to Connecticut manufacturer demand for a
workforce with advanced skills.
The accelerated program is the first of its type in
Connecticut, and the only credit college program in
Connecticut that conducts all of its course work and
training onsite at a corporate facility.
―Tunxis is very pleased and excited to team with
EDAC in addressing a critical workforce need,‖ said
David England, Ed.D., Tunxis dean of institutional
outreach and effectiveness. ―As we all know, the
manufacturing industry is facing a shortage of skilled
workers, and this program is designed to help address
that demand and be a catalyst for economic
development in the state.‖
―The Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology
Program has strategic importance to EDAC,‖ said
Mark McDonald, president and CEO of EDAC. ―Our
forecasted business growth, driven by strong customer
demand, requires the continued development of
manufacturing resources and skillsets. This program
will provide the vehicle to address that demand as
well as supporting economic growth in Connecticut.‖
The Advanced Manufacturing Certificate Program
will start in January and includes classroom
instruction and hands-on shop floor training at EDAC.
Instruction will provide skills in Computer Numeric
Control (CNC) machining, tool making, programming
inspection, and other areas, and will be delivered at an
accelerated pace which enables students to complete
the program‘s one-year curriculum in about six
months.
Tunxis Community College
Tunxis and EDAC Technologies Partner to Deliver Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology Certificate
After the initial six months of training, EDAC will offer
six-month paid internships to selected students,
followed by two-year company sponsored
apprenticeships. During this period students can choose
from a number of specialty areas and work at EDAC‘s
Farmington, Cheshire or Newington sites. All graduates
of the program will be qualified for entry-level
manufacturing positions, with starting salaries around
$40,000 a year.
Credits from the certificate can be applied to an
associate degree in Technology Studies: Machine
Technology. Those who successfully complete the
associate degree will be guaranteed admission to
Central Connecticut State University‘s School of
Technology or Charter Oak State College, where
students can earn a bachelor‘s degree in engineering
technology, industrial technology or technology
education.
EDAC Technologies is a world leader in the
manufacture and repair of metallic and composite
aircraft engine components. EDAC‘s additional
services include machine tool support, electron beam
welding and the design and manufacture of high-
precision molds, fixtures, gauges, and dies for a wide
range of applications. EDAC operates 10 facilities, with
locations in the United States and Mexico, and locally
in Farmington, Cheshire and Newington, CT.
TCC
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 11
Community College of Rhode Island
Open House Shines Light on CCRI's Advanced Manufacturing Lab, Programs
CCRI
The Engineering and Technology Department at the
Community College of Rhode Island celebrated
National Manufacturing Day in October with an open
house in its manufacturing lab, which recently
underwent substantial upgrades.
The college received a $378,965 Champlin
Foundations grant to replace four vertical milling
machines, four 14-inch lathes, four surface grinders
and one drill press. Institutional funding and monies
provided by the RIDE Perkins Grant also were used for
the upgrades, said Dean of Business, Science and
Technology Peter Woodberry.
More than 50 guests assembled in the lab during the
three-hour open house, where they toured the facility,
networking and learning about CCRI's new
Introduction to CNC Manufacturing and CNC
Manufacturing and 3-D Modeling certificate programs
along the way.
Guests included CCRI faculty, staff and students and
prospective students as well as representatives from the
state manufacturing industry. Two of those on hand
were Bruce Gileau and Larry Fox from Porter
Machining in West Greenwich. As the two men looked
over course materials, they spoke about what drew
them to the open house.
"We're looking to train employees and get employees,"
said Gileau, who said that Porter Machining recently
joined the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association
and heard about the event. He added that training
programs were crucial for creating the type of skilled
machinists Porter needs. "These courses will help them
get their feet wet," he said.
Student Dan Chappell of Warwick said he came to the
event to network with representatives from local
industry. Chappell said he is underemployed in the
industry and registered for the CNC certificate program
courses to upgrade his skills and become more well-
rounded. "The classes have been a lot of fun so far," he
said.
Chappell's enthusiasm was matched by Assistant
Professor Ray Ankrom, who teaches in the department.
Ankrom said that the recent upgrades to the college's lab
brought CCRI into the 21st century. "Some of the
equipment in here was made in February and March.
We're building up our student base, and events like this
allow us to talk to companies and see what they're
looking for in our students. It's an exciting time; we're
just imagining the possibilities," he said.
Those possibilities were certainly on the mind of Vice
President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gregory
Lamontagne as he surveyed the lab, saying that the
curriculum the upgrades makes possible is "able to give
students more opportunities to become highly skilled,"
adding that new students could benefit just as much as
lifelong learners looking to add to their credentials or
transfer on to other institutions.
President Ray Di Pasquale briefly addressed the
assembled crowd, congratulating the Engineering and
Technology Department and industry partners alike with
moving CCRI's manufacturing programs forward.
"We can all stand here very proud of the fact that the
college has done this, and that we can be a part of
making our state stronger," he said.
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 12
Champlain College
CC’s David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry (AI): The First Academic Center Exclusively Dedicated to Advancing the Theory & Practice of AI
The David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative
Inquiry at Champlain College, dedicated on November
8th
, is the only academic center in the world focused
entirely on Appreciative Inquiry. AI, as it's known by
practitioners across the globe, emphasizes a strengths-
based approach to organizational development and
management.
Co-created by Dr. David L. Cooperrider, Appreciative
Inquiry is embraced by a broad spectrum of business and
social sector leaders and executives. The stated purpose
of the Center is to educate leaders to be the best in the
world at seeing the best for the world, in order to
discover and design positive institutions - organizations
and communities that elevate, magnify, and bring our
highest human strengths to the practice of positive
organizational development and change.
Dr. Cooperrider, a global thought leader in AI and
positive organizational development, will serve as
honorary chair of the Center, act as strategic consultant
for the Robert P. Stiller School of Business at Champlain
College, and participate in executive workshops at the
College's Burlington, Vermont campus and in other
locations.
The internationally-renowned academic leader, business
consultant, motivational speaker, and author of 15 books
has a long affiliation with Vermont through Bob Stiller,
the founder of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. Stiller
embraced Appreciative Inquiry to build the socially
responsible and successful publicly-traded company in its
early days. The Cooperrider Center is made possible
through a transformational $10 million gift received in
2012 from Bob and Christine Stiller to support
programs in AI and positive organizational
development at Champlain College.
"The Stiller School of Business at Champlain College
welcomes Dr. Cooperrider to an institution that is fast
becoming the finest professionally and globally-
focused small college in the U.S.," said Donald
Laackman, president of Champlain College. "Teaming
with Dr. Cooperrider, our growing network of
scholars, executives and certified Appreciative Inquiry
practitioners will demonstrate and teach how
strengths-based organizations can and do succeed."
Ranging from the U.S. Navy to the sand and oil-and-
gas exploration company Fairmount Santrol (NYSE:
FMSA), organizations are embracing Appreciative
Inquiry to create healthy systems that vault the
companies or nonprofits to where they want to be
instead of focusing on what's wrong and needs to be
fixed.
CC
"It's a great skill to be able to reframe budding
problems into opportunities, and to seize the
positive potential in every situation," said Wes
Balda, dean of the Stiller School of Business at
Champlain College. "These are the talents that our
Appreciative Inquiry team will be honing with
management students and business and nonprofit
leaders from around the world."
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 13
Kennebec Valley Community College
KVCC Expands, Launches New Programs Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) has
dramatically expanded opportunities for students this fall
with the soft opening of a second campus and the launch
of new academic programs in culinary arts and computer
systems integration.
The Harold Alfond Campus in Hinckley opened August
25 for the fall semester, with more than 500 students
taking some or all of their classes at the new location.
While still in development, the new campus is already
having an enormous impact on the College.
The 600-acre campus is located six miles north of
KVCC‘s main campus in Fairfield, and is now the hub
for academic programs in sustainable agriculture,
culinary arts, business, liberal studies, mental health, and
early childhood education.
The transformation of the property has been dramatic, as
KVCC began a major overhaul of what was once the
central campus of the Good Will-Hinckley School,
originally founded in 1889. Extensive improvements to
buildings, parking, and infrastructure began in 2013.
More than 20 full-time staff and faculty are now based
there as well as adjunct faculty. Most student support
services available at KVCC‘s Fairfield campus are being
duplicated at the Alfond Campus.
Most striking on the new campus is the new Sustainable
Agriculture building, a modern 16,500 square foot
classroom and laboratory structure merging the study of
agriculture, food technology, culinary arts and food
entrepreneurship a modern academic facility.
Classes are scheduled to begin in the new building in
January 2015. The building contains classrooms, faculty
offices, laboratories, a computer lab, an auditorium, a
student lounge, and informal learning space. It is designed
to take advantage of the latest advances in renewable
energy technology and building efficiency practices.
While development of the new campus has dominated the
last year at KVCC, advances are also underway at the
Fairfield campus, including the launch of a new two-year
Business program option in Computer Systems
Integration, and expansion of other programs including the
Electrical Lineworker Technology program.
Both KVCC campuses will benefit from $2.5 million in
federal funding over the next three years to advance health
care, social work, and construction careers in Maine
through new and existing programs of study thanks to a
grant awarded through the Trade Adjustment Assistance
Community College and Career Training Grant
(TAACCCT) Program in September.
The grant is projected to serve more than 140 participants
directly and many more after grant funding ends by
allowing KVCC to expand and enhance its existing degree
and certificate programs in Medical Assisting and Mental
Health while creating a new two-year degree program in
to Sustainable Design-Build (Timber Frame).
One of the most exciting developments at the Alfond Campus has been the installation of a state-of-the-art culinary kitchen and cooking studio - unique, stylish facilities placing KVCC’s new degree program in Culinary Arts at the forefront of culinary arts education in Maine.
This historic barn is part of a 120-acre farm on the new Harold Alfond Campus which has been revived over the past year, providing students in the Sustainable Agriculture program with hands-on experience with livestock and vegetable production. Barns are being rehabilitated, greenhouses erected, and a welcome center constructed. In its first season the farm has produced more than 30 varieties of vegetables, fruits, and herbs in addition to organic eggs.
KVCC
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 14
North Shore Community College
NSCC Launches CommUniverCity at Lynn
CommUniverCity at Lynn charter partners, from left, NSCC President
Patricia Gentile, Lynn Mayor Judith Kennedy, SSU President Patricia
Maguire Meservey, state Senator Thomas McGee, NS WIB Director
Mary Sarris, Lynn Public Schools Supt Cathy Latham and Lynn
Community Health Center ED Lori Berry
Over 150 educators, community organization representatives,
elected officials and members of the North Shore Workforce
Investment Board (WIB) and Career Center convened
recently to begin North Shore Community College‘s new
collaborative innovation – the CommUniverCity at Lynn.
The CommUniverCity at Lynn, the brainchild of NSCC
President Patricia Gentile, is an urban education-workforce
development collaboration involving NSCC, Lynn Public
Schools, Salem State University (for bachelor degree
completion programs at NSCC Lynn campus), the city of
Lynn, Lynn Community Health Center (providing access to
comprehensive health services to NSCC students), and the
North Shore WIB (bringing career services to the NSCC
campus) working in tandem to build seamless pathways in
public education from pre-K all the way through to gainful
employment. Massachusetts Senator Thomas M. McGee is
also a supportive leader of the initiative. Partners will have a
presence on the NSCC Lynn Campus under the
CommUniverCity at Lynn ―one stop‖ umbrella.
It is named the CommUniverCity at Lynn – spelled with a C-
i-t-y - to convey the breadth of community collaboration and
education sector support needed to drive systemic change.
Hallmark values underpinning this student success endeavor
are access, affordability and accountability through
partnerships, education and career pathways, and…..systemic
change. Work on the initiative has been underway for the
past six months, and is being spearheaded by Donna
Richemond who is serving as its Executive Director, as well
as the Chief Officer of the Lynn Campus.
―This concept goes beyond interagency partnerships to a
place of depth and scope that transforms people and
systems,‖ explains President Gentile.
Through the CommUniverCity at Lynn, NSCC and its
partners commit to increasing the number of Lynn residents
who attend and complete post-secondary training and
education goals and enter into sustaining careers in area
industry. This will be accomplished by: expanding Early
Childhood education training and opportunities; vertically
integrating college readiness in the pre-K through 12 public
education system through various initiatives including early
college and dual enrollment opportunities; and establishing
clear academic pathways to relevant current and future
careers from high school to North Shore Community
College To the CommUniverCity at Lynn will also aim to
link adult basic education and English as a Second
Language programs to move worker-learners to acquire a
minimum of one year of post-secondary education or career
technical training.
To aid students in retaining and completing their education
and career goals, surmount economic barriers, and move
toward economic mobility, the CommUniverCity at Lynn
will partner with community based organizations and social
service agencies to connect students to state and federal
financial resources and local community services on the
NSCC Lynn campus. To support sound decision making
and ensure that students consider and understand affordable
education options, a financial literacy opportunity will be
made a mandatory component of the pathway.
Lynn Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy said, "I love it when
people dream big about Lynn. Thank you for bringing your
big ideas to our little city President Gentile. The timing is
perfect.‖ Dr. Patricia Maguire Meservey, President of SSU,
noted, "It is wonderful to harness the energy and devotion to
Lynn with this strategic initiative."
―The collaborative, I believe, will create efficiencies that
will enhance an affordable education pathway – one that
doesn‘t burden students with unreasonably high loans that
hamper their ability to raise themselves and their families to
a better quality of life,‖ said President Gentile.
NSCC
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 15
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Altschuler Computer Center Newest Addition to
'High-Tech Highway'
Wentworth Institute of Technology announces the
opening of The Altschuler Computer Center— an
advanced, highly innovative facility for computer
science and networking. On May 15, students, faculty,
staff, corporators, and trustees will gather to officially
dedicate the center and honor key donors Samuel and
Nancy Altschuler, whose generous contribution helped
make the space‘s renovation possible.
―I believe I speak for the entire Wentworth family when
I say ‗thank you‘ to Samuel and Nancy for their
generous gift and commitment to our school. This center
will not only advance our students‘ classroom
experience, but also offer them the valuable firsthand
experience needed to succeed in real world situations,‖
said Wentworth President Zorica Pantić. ―For years,
Wentworth graduates have helped design and build
much of our city‘s physical infrastructure. Now, thanks
to this innovative center, our graduates will help craft the
infrastructure of our digital world.‖
The center, which was funded in part by a $1 million
donation from Wentworth alumnus Samuel Altschuler,
Hon. ‘08, and his wife Nancy Altschuler, features a
range of industry-standard equipment for networking and
data storage. Wentworth students will gain practical
experience related to cyber security, network
engineering and maintenance. Students will have access
to the latest technology such as 35 Cisco switches, 30
Cisco routers, 20 Dell servers, five Cisco Nexus
switches, and one EMC storage array, as well as cables,
racks, and power-distribution equipment.
―We‘re very enthusiastic about what will be one of the
finest networking centers in the United States,‖ said
Samuel Altschuler. ―What inspires me the most about
Wentworth is that it is pointing the way to continued
growth and enhancement of its facilities and in the
education provided for its students.‖
Altschuler, a 50-year veteran of the electronics industry,
founded Altron Incorporated in 1970, which became a
leading manufacturer of electronics equipment, primarily
surface-mount assemblies, custom-designed backplanes,
and circuit boards.
The Altschuler family tradition at Wentworth
continues today as Sam and Nancy‘s son, Jeffrey
Altschuler, Wentworth ‘84 and founder and CEO of
Altronics Manufacturing, is a corporator for the
Institute while their grandson, David, is currently
enrolled in the Computer Networking program, and
will be a part of the first group of students to use the
center this summer.
―Amazon, Facebook, and Google all run data centers
with hundreds of thousands of servers,‖ said Charlie
Wiseman, assistant professor of computer science and
computer networking. ―Now our students can build
their own data center systems using industry-standard
technologies. This new computer center enables us to
teach these types of real-world skills to Wentworth
undergraduates that are not found in other programs
around the country.‖
The opening of The Altschuler Computer Center marks
the latest enhancement to the ground floors of
Wentworth, Williston, and Dobbs Halls. The highly
successful Manufacturing Center opened in 2011, and
construction is underway on a complete overhaul of
laboratories for the study of strength of materials,
materials science, and nanotechnology. Together, these
facilities compose a ―High-Tech Highway‖ for learning
along one of the Institute‘s primary academic corridors.
Nancy and Samuel Altschuler
WIT
Fall 2014 Collegian Page 16
Wentworth Institute of Technology
WIT Officially Dedicates Gelfand Strength of Materials Lab
With family, friends, and colleagues surrounding him,
Mark Gelfand stood in front of the new strength of
materials lab named in his honor and smiled. ―When
you take a photo of yourself, you call it a ‗selfie,‘‖ he
said. ―But when I take a look at a place that has a need
for a philanthropic opportunity, I call it a ‗Gelfie.‘‖
Thanks in part to a $1 million gift from the Gelfand
Family Charitable Trust—led by Gelfand and his
partner, Cynthia Calabrese—the Gelfand Strength of
Materials Laboratory was officially dedicated on
October 19 in Dobbs Hall.
Gelfand‘s road to Wentworth was paved thanks to
Calabrese, the mother of two sons who attended
Wentworth and the sister of a Wentworth
alumnus. After meeting Calabrese, Gelfand quickly
recognized Wentworth as a school with standout
students, but one that could benefit from physical
updates.
―These are the types of machines that I grew up
using,‖ said Gelfand, a software engineer and
entrepreneur whose love of engineering was sparked
by his Uncle Len, an engineer at Cleveland-based
ERICO Products. ―And I‘m so happy that students at
Wentworth will have the opportunities that I did.‖
The Gelfand Lab features industry-standard equipment
and modern machinery that tests tensile strength,
torsion, structural behavior, and more. The lab space is
part of the larger Materials Science Center, which also
includes the Sweeney Nanotechnology Lab, the
Amelia and Eugene Lutrzykowski Collaboration
Space, and a new materials science lab. The
collaboration space is named for Calabrese‘s parents
and is funded by a $250,000 gift by Gelfand and
Calabrese.
Pieced with the Manufacturing Lab (2011) and the
Altschuler Computer Center (2014), the Materials
Science Center adds to the High-Tech Highway at
Wentworth.
―We are very thankful to Mark and Cynthia for
making sure that we continue to stay competitive and
provide a great education for our students,‖ said
President Zorica Panti. ―This is a transformative gift.‖
Mike Jackson, Chair of the College of Engineering
and Technology, described the looks of awe that
students have worn while entering the Gelfand Lab in
recent weeks. He also noted the new opportunities the
space offers students of all generations. ―This opens
the door for future and current students, but it also
helps those who have left Wentworth,‖ he said. ―This
lab allows us to now offer more master‘s programs
(due to specific equipment).‖
One person immediately befitting from the lab is Alex
Schwarzkopf, a fifth-year electromechanical
engineering student who spoke during the dedication.
Schwarzkopf returned from a co-op at Tesla Motors in
California this summer and joked that he felt like he
was in a different school upon his return. ―The old
machines are gone,‖ he said. ―Everything is new and
state of the art. It really gives us an edge (as students)
and lets us compete in the 21st century.‖
Schwarzkopf also thanked Gelfand and Calabrese.
―Both of you have given every student who will set
foot through here a very precious gift,‖ he told the
duo. ―There is no loftier present than a dream realized,
and for this I thank you.‖
Calabrese and Wentworth Trustee Ryan Hutchins also
Mark Gelfand, Cynthia Calabrese, and President Zorica Pantic cut the ribbon for the Gelfand Strength of Materials Lab
WIT
top related