MCCC 2011 Graduation Photos by Norman Detweiler

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MCCC’s Largest Graduating Class Embraces Nation’s Second Lady

By Sarah Grebe, Montgazette Staff Writer

Montgomery County Community College’s largest graduating class did not go quietly as they gave the nation’s Second Lady – Dr. Jill Biden – a standing ovation during the school’s 44^th Commencement on May 19.

Biden, a community college professor who grew up in Willow Grove, said she felt right at home addressing not only a hometown audience but, particularly, community college graduates.

“People often ask me why I continue to teach, and my answer is very simple: it’s you. It’s the students,” Biden said. “Tales are often told of teachers inspiring students, but I find it is more often the other way around.

Biden shined her spotlight on three MCCC graduates who completed degrees despite at-home challenges or outside responsibilities. They are: Karen Vasko, who, at 57, aspires to be a nurse and fulfill a promise she made to her late father-in-law; Elizabeth Neuman, a biotechnology research assistant and Brian Lukens, who served two tours of duty in Iraq with the Marines before returning to college to complete his degree at MCCC.

In her address, college President Dr. Karen Stout noted the evening’s historical significance.

“Big results require big ambitions,” Dr. Stout said as she welcomed the crowd. “Our entire community comes together to salute the achievements of the class of 2011, the largest in our history.”

The significance of the evening wasn’t lost on Central Campus Student Government President Antonio Marrero.

His voice emphatic, his finger pointing, Marrero electrified the graduates and praised them for their “incorruptible powers of ingenuity, strength and courage” to complete their studies and earn degrees.

“We all know how it feels to wonder if we would graduate on time, or even at all. But it’s during those rough times when we find the raw materials to build who we want to be.

Marrero wrapped up his speech by informing faculty, administrators, community, state and national leaders to pay attention to this graduating class.

“We will not go quietly,” he said. “No. Not tonight. The graduates here are the vital futures of our humble community, this great Commonwealth and this illustrious nation. As the age of networking comes into fruition we will unite and we will conquer not only our own futures but the future of the common good. Mustangs, tonight is ours!

The crowd, at Marrero’s insistence, gave themselves a standing ovation.

Dr. Stout’s reaction to Marrero’s speech?

“Wow.”

Dr. Biden’s?

“Thank you for your inspiring words,” she told Marrero from the stage. “Should I start calling you Mr. President right now?”

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Relay for Life

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Relay Renews Hope, Raises Funds

By Sarah Grebe, Montgazette Staff Writer

Participants forming 28 teams took part in the 12-hour walk on Central Campus April 29-30 and raised more than $24,400 for the American Cancer Society, exceeding their goal by $9,400.

Additionally, the event also attracted more participants than projected and earned seven corporate sponsorships.

Opening ceremony, April 29

Cancer survivors kicked off the event with a walk around the campus called The Survivor’s Lap. Joining them were college President Dr. Karen Stout, who shared the story of her best friend’s bout with melanoma; event Co-Chair Joshua Schwartz, a cancer survivor; Co-Chair Grace Pusey, whose deceased mother was a huge proponent/organizer of her local Relay for Life; and Miss Pennsylvania International Julia Pauline, who shared her story about cancer’s impact on her loved ones.

“Look around tonight. Look at the masterpiece we have all created!” Schwartz told the crowd. “You will witness courage during the survivor lap. You will witness hope during the luminaria event. And you will witness faith that a cure for cancer will one day be found between all our enthusiasm and participation here at the first ever Relay for Life event.”

Stout said the greater-than-anticipated level of fundraising is a reflection of the good people of Montgomery County Community College and its supporters.

Through the night

Friends were made and stories were shared all night.

Club Thrive leader and musician Seth recalled the story of his best friend Linda, who was diagnosed with throat cancer.

“What and inspiration she was,” Seth said. He performed a song he had written for Linda, titled “Super Girl.”

At the beginning of the candle lantern, or luminary, ceremony, the most moving and touching portion of the night, Barbara Schaeffer shared her sad story of how her son, Brian, slowly slipped away from the effects of his cancer.

“Though cancer took Brian’s life, he was and is a surviving spirit, along with each living spirit here tonight,” she said. “Let’s light up the night with the people and [their] stories.”

More than 200 people walked in silence during the ceremony to remember loved ones. Students, faculty members and residents—young and old— all came together because they shared one thing in common: hope that researchers will find a cure for the disease that affects millions every year.

4 a.m. April 30

By 4 a.m., after a performance by the band Coda and while the rest of the East Coast slept, the excitement and energy continued on campus as walkers carried maracas and participated in “fun laps” that included game of limbo and dancing the cha-cha.

Though temperatures dropped and the winds picked up, walkers did not stop. They walked wrapped up in blankets, they walked in close groups, and they walked sipping hot coffee, or even ran laps to keep warm.

There was excitement in the air and a smile on every face throughout that sleepless but encouraging night.

The Montgomery County Community College Chapter of the American Cancer Society will keep the opportunity open for those who would like to donate. Donations will be accepted through August 2011. For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org/pamccc.

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More Parking Slated for Central

By Billie Sherwood-Bakhshi, Montgazette Staff Writer

“Green” parking anyone?

The removal of construction trailers from an area adjacent to Parkhouse Hall and the Advanced Technology Center clears space to add 185 parking spots.

Most students and staff returning in the fall will have a statistically better chance of finding a space that’s within a considerably shorter walk to their activities on Central Campus.

A minimum of six spaces will be handicapped-accessible, according to Thomas R. Freitag, the college’s Vice President for Finance and Administration. He noted that plans for the accessible spaces have yet to be finalized because they have to comply with statutes.

Freitag said the new parking lot would be “green” in that plans call for electric car charging stations, a rain garden complete with water cisterns and plants that would help alleviate runoff and prevent flooding.

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A Literary Ether

By Julia Tasca, Montgazette Staff Writer

English class and I had a pretty straight-forward understanding of each other for a very long time: it hated me and I hated it.  I should have failed 10th grade English. My instructor must have really liked me because I passed by a 10th of a point.  Over-achiever, I know.

Never in a million years did I think that I would enjoy writing, and I certainly didn’t fathom pursuing a career as a writer.

Literature is magic.  The most attractive thing about being a writer is knowing that anything can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. 

Trap a character inside of a walk-in freezer with another character.  The objective is not for the characters to escape, but for them to figure out how to survive inside of the freezer without food or water.  And no, cannibalism is not an option because their teeth have been pulled.  That’s easily a story.

Dr. Tiffany Rayl, Ph.D., (Dr. T) is an English professor here at Montgomery County Community College.  To honor my pursuit of being a professional writer, I got to know a little bit more about the writing classes she teaches as well as some of her educational background. 

Aside from English composition courses, Dr. T offers basic and advanced creative writing courses. 

Basic creative writing is perfect for all students who are interested in expressing themselves, even if they’ve never written before.  From poetry to short stories and everything in between, basic creative writing is an introductory class that allows students to get a taste of creative writing on a college level, says Dr. T.  Students participate in workshop, a circuit that gives them the opportunity to evaluate and be evaluated, she adds.

For writers eager to sharpen their skills and have a sturdy interest in writing, the advanced creative writing course is a great elective to take.  Dr. T tells me that it is writing intensive and workshop heavy, unlike the introductory course.  Advanced creative writing is being offered for summer session I at Montco’s main campus by Dr. T this year.

Basic creative writing is a pre-requisite to the advanced course.

Dr. T says she’s been intrigued by writing since the third grade.  For her, it was a great way to be able to find a way to say things.  “[Writing] just came naturally to me,” she says.

As she moved on to college, Dr. T began to think of writing as more of a career choice than a hobby.  She received her MFA degree at University of Montana in creative writing fiction and her literary Ph.D. at the University of Houston.  Along the way, Dr. T has had some of her short stories published in various literary journals.

“I get to do what I love every day,” Dr. T comments about teaching her English classes.  She says seeing her students become as fired up about their writing as she is can be very rewarding.

Unfortunately for aspiring writers and journalists like me, producing a successful living by writing isn’t the easiest career path to follow. 

But sure enough, Stephenie Meyers is making a killing writing about glittery vampires.  More generally speaking, books written on a third grade level seem to become best sellers. 

On the contrary, there are writers like Steven King and James Patterson who take the literary cake because they can effectively grab their readers by the – well – spherical organs.

If I do become a published writer, there is not guarantee that my work will generate enough revenue on which I can live.  So I guess I’ll either have to be extremely skilled at writing horrible cliché’s or extremely skilled at writing.

But I’m going to have to agree with Dr. T on this one: “It’s not about the money.”

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Announcement: Become an AmeriCorps Vista Community Fellow

MCCC IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

AmeriCorps is an opportunity to make a big difference in your life and in the lives of those around you. It’s a chance to apply your skills and ideals toward helping others and meeting critical needs in the community.

Each year, AmeriCorps offers 75,000 opportunities for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups. Whether your service makes a community safer, gives a child a second chance, or helps protect the environment, you’ll be getting things done through AmeriCorps!

AmeriCorps members address critical needs in communities all across America. As an AmeriCorps member, you can

• Tutor and mentor disadvantaged youth.
• Fight illiteracy.
• Improve health services.
• Build affordable housing.
• Teach computer skills.
• Clean parks and streams.
• Manage or operate after-school programs.
• Help communities respond to disasters.
• Build organizational capacity.

As an AmeriCorps member, you’ll gain new skills and experiences—and you’ll also find the tremendous satisfaction that comes from helping others. In addition, full-time members who complete their service earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $4,725 to pay for college, graduate school, or to pay back qualified student loans; members who serve part-time receive a partial Award. Some AmeriCorps members may also receive a modest living allowance during their term of service.

For more information, please contact the AmeriCorps Campus Administrator, Shantelle K. Jenkins, at 215-641-6363 or email sjenkins@mc3.edu.

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College Renovations Slightly Behind

By Moises Carreras Jr., Special to the Montgazette

Trackhoes, backhoes and bulldozers contribute to the sounds of spring at Montgomery County Community College.

But the noises and inconveniences created by the construction at Central Campus are for everyone’s benefit, according to the College. The result will be a more convenient and modern campus.

The construction was originally scheduled to be finished in the spring of 2012, but College Facilities Director Charles Scandone said as of right now it’s about one to two months behind.  Due to difficulties encountered while moving departments from one location to another, the process has taken slightly longer than anticipated, he said.

Scandone said the construction would help address one of the problems of College Hall – that it looks too plain.

College Hall’s new entrance will make the building more recognizable. The tall, steel columns and a glass exterior would leave a good impression on all students who use it, Scandone said.

In addition to the ongoing work to the Brendlinger Library and Student Success Center, workers will add three conference rooms adjacent to the cafeteria.

This is done “in the hopes to someday bring commencement back to the campus, and be able to accommodate a nice reception following the commencement ceremony,” Scandone said.

In addition to College Hall’s new look, all of the systems in the building are being re-done.  New, more efficient boilers and water pumps are being installed, along with newly renovated bathroom facilities, Scandone said.  Also, a new solar hot water system has been installed on the building’s roof.

Parkhouse Hall’s renovations are almost completed.

This is not the end of the renovations at MCCC. 

The College has plans to renovate the Physical Education Center.  Scandone said the goal is to create an Allied Health Building and move the Allied Health Programs out of the Science Center and down to the Physical Education Center.  This move will result in a larger area for the programs along with a Wellness Center that will include new inside running tracks, new yoga rooms, new workout rooms and a new gymnasium to support MCCC’s basketball program.

To get a better understanding of how the faculty feel about the construction some faculty were asked about it, and those interviewed said the construction does not really affect them other than the minor inconvenience of having to keep track of what is and isn’t open.  They do receive e-mails to keep them up to speed with what is going on, and they really only have to adjust their route from time to time when the occasional stairwell is closed off or removed.

When asked what he looked forward to about the construction, Jason Wertz, assistant professor of computer science, said that he looks forward to improved classroom space and more modern buildings like the Advanced Technology Center.

“I think the construction is a good thing, even though it’s a pain in the neck while it’s going on, I think everybody will be happy when it’s done,” Wertz said.

The construction here at MCCC has affected many students as well.  It has led to inconveniences for many students, and this even stretches in to some school clubs. 

“The construction here at Montco has affected the game room,” said Penn Martin, an applied science major, who is also the head of the College’s video game club.  “We used to have a spacious area where we could socialize, but now we’re limited to a confined space in the cafeteria.”

Even though the club has been re-located, Martin still believes that the construction is a good thing and that when the renovations are completed it will add room to the college and allow for students to feel comfortable.

Criminal justice major Micah Albert considers the construction as a mixed blessing.

 “The hassle that is created is bad, but the overall improvements in the end will balance things out,” he said.

 

Moises Carreras Jr. wrote this article as an assignment for his communications class taught by instructor Cosmas Akuta.

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Norm’s Niche

By Norman Detweiler, Montgazette Staff Writer

Well it’s finally happened: gas has topped $4 a gallon.

I hear a lot of crying about rising fuel costs, but those cries don’t bother me too much.

I’m kind of glad that the price of gas has risen so high. Paying more at the pump seems to be the only way to get people to change their driving habits.

Even as I write this column, there is a steady stream of cars passing by my window. Evidently, the price isn’t high enough.

Yet.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to see people suffer. I just think we need to change wasteful and polluting habits acquired over the past 100 years. But it seems we won’t change these habits unless there’s a higher price tag attached.

On April 29 and 30, the college sponsored its first “Relay for Life” for the American Cancer Society on the Central Campus in Blue Bell. I didn’t attend the event and I feel a little guilty about that. While wallowing in a large pool of self-loathing I concluded that I walk every day to help fight cancer.

I walk everywhere. It’s one of my main forms of transportation. I’ve been trying to distance myself from the “car culture” for the past 10 years or so and have been very successful.

The automobile is responsible for a wealth of cancer-causing agents, emissions that foul the air, oil and grease that contaminate the water supply and disposables that include non-recyclable plastics.

Even after it has been taken to the junkyard, a car and the waste associated with it can make people sick. The emissions alone are toxic and carcinogenic, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

So why would anyone want to drive more than absolutely necessary?

Many people drive needlessly because it’s a habit that’s been passed down from the days of cheap gas and environmental ignorance. But it’s time to change those habits. And I hear that change knocking. It’s time to answer the door and let it come in.

Spring Means Farmers Markets

One place I walk to on Saturday mornings is the local farmers market. Farmers’ markets are becoming more popular across the area. At MCCC, both West and Central campuses will host a farmers’ market every Friday through the growing season. I’ve never been to ours, but I have been to the Saturday morning farmers’ markets in Telford, Lansdale and Phoenixville. Telford’s sells wine from a local winery. Lansdale’s had a wonderful display of fresh baked breads and pies. And Phoenixville’s had live music and “whoopee pies.”

Phoenixville is my favorite of the local farmers’ markets. But the closest for me is the one in Telford, which also has live music from time to time. By shopping at local farmers’ markets, consumers can cut the environmental costs (pollution) associated with long-distance shipping of fruits and vegetables. Also, the food is better. It’s picked closer to its peak maturity, and that means better taste and nutrients. Fresh local peaches and sweet corn are always in my refrigerator when they’re in season. To find a market near you go to: http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Pennsylvania.htm

Get Your Hands Dirty

If you find yourself at home around fruits and vegetables, you may want to think about planting a garden. A garden seems like such a simple necessity. It’s the most basic of things one would need in order to survive. It could be termed as minimalist – sow some seeds then sit back and wait.  It just seems so easy and so potentially rewarding if for no other reason than to get a little hands-on biology lesson and to understand where our food comes from.

 I’ve got about 30 small tomato plants that I started from seeds planted in old egg cartons and used coffee cups. They sit on the window sills of my apartment. This yield is from one $3 pack of seeds.  I wasn’t sure if any of them would sprout, but they all did.

Tomatoes and zucchini seem to grow really well in this area. Zucchini is great when peeled, cut into thick slices, lightly sautéed in olive oil and then seasoned to taste. Tomatoes are good almost any way or just eaten fresh-picked and sprinkled with a little salt.

The Green Kiln

While we are on the topic of vegetables and art (common things that will be found at farmers’ markets), you may be interested in knowing that our ceramics department here at MCCC is trying to raise money to build a “green” kiln that would be fueled by the used vegetable oil from college food services. According to the head of the ceramics department, Assistant Professor Michael Connelly, this is not a new concept. He said he has been involved in building such kilns before. One of the main benefits of the project is to re-use a waste product that would otherwise be shipped to a landfill or burned off.

The green kiln project would follow the College’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and it would be used as a teaching tool for students majoring in the environmental sciences. And it will be built as part of a credit class to involve the Ceramics Club. 

Have a great summer and get outdoors!

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