Montco Radio: Your Voice Can Be Heard

By: Josh Stafford

Montgazette Staff Writer

If you ever wondered how to change lives, be an inspiration, make someone laugh or share musical interests, Montgomery County Community College’s Montco Radio provides the forum to express yourself.

Almost any idea can be turned into its own show. Sofia Rojas, Montco Radio Club President, said, “Getting air time can be as easy as turning in a show proposal.”

Matt Porter, Senior Producer & Technical Services Manager for the Arts and Humanities Division, said, “[The radio’s] programming reflects the diversity of the participants, you never know what you are going to hear.”

Shows broadcast anything from sports, to music, to news,to a show for Bigfoot enthusiasts.

Unlike most radio stations, Montco Radio doesn’t use a radio tower. The broadcasts are sent out over the internet through its website, montcoradio.wix.com. The new Montco Radio app,developed by Dustin Markle, also carries the shows to most smartphones and tablets.

Porter was enthusiastic when explaining that students “have the opportunity to broadcast to anyone on the planet.”

The goal of the club is to help students learn on state-of-the-art, real-world equipment while learning about the radio industry and having fun at the same time.

Montco Radio is involved with the campus community. The station promotes college groups, events, other clubs and public service announcements along with its regularly scheduled shows.

This club is one of the oldest clubs at Montco. Its roots are traced back to a record spinning club that once broadcast from College Hall. Now, this club firmly resides on the first floor of the Advanced Technology Center next to the television studio.

Montco Radio club members meet every Monday between 12:20 p.m. and 1:20 p.m. in the ATC, Room 107. Stop by and let your broadcasting adventure begin.

Montco Radio Personality on the Air
Joshua Stafford/Montgazette

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Golden Ticket: Chelsea and the Community College

By: Matthew DiSanto

Montgazette Staff Writer

Montgomery County Community College students recently produced a short film that mixes reality with a famous “Oompa-Loompa” theme. “Chelsea and the Community College,” was written and directed by student movie director Matthew Marinelli and starred Associate Professor of Communication Neil Goldstein with communication student Phoebe Gavula as Chelsea.

The movie follows Chelsea who dreams of being a singer. At the beginning she finds a brochure for Montco. She enrolls to unlock the golden opportunity of all of the course offerings, specifically “in the world of communication.”

This movie parodies the 1971 movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Professor Neil Goldstein takes on the role of the zany chocolate maker and sings as he guides Chelsea and other familiar student faces through their own chocolate factory of course offerings. Throughout the movie, some motifs of the 1971 match what happens to Chelsea and the other characters.

Matthew Marinelli said he has liked “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” since his childhood and found it interesting that the director of that movie viewed music as the highest form of art.

“Chelsea and the Community College” was filmed over four months from March 2015 to June 2015, as part of a student directing course. The movie was to show last semester on the big screen for the endof-semester screening. However, due to the time it took to produce the film, work had to be completed over the summer.

Achieving dreams through education and confidence are key themes of the movie. Marinelli said if there is one thing he wanted people to take away from the movie was to “stop being afraid and go out and do it.”

During the production of his movie, Marinelli said he found the hardest part to be scheduling because many people were involved.

Marinelli said his favorite part of making the movie was getting the best out of the lead actress. One part of the movie shows Phoebe Gavula very upset. Instead of asking her to fake a cry, Marinelli asked her to show him her breaking point and in the final product, her acting was convincing.

The film was co-produced by students Matthew Mashaintonio and Dani Moulton. “Chelsea and the Community College” is viewable in the Portal of the Advanced Technology Center. Students can also view the film via Matthew Marinelli’s YouTube channel. Just search “Chelsea and the Community College.”

“Chelsea and the Community College” is one example of many great productions made here at Montgomery County Community College. Remember, here you have all the golden tckets you need to make your way.

Professor Niel Goldstein starring in Chelsea and the Community College along with
Dani Moulton, Matt Mashaintonio and Phoeba Gavula

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Student Drama Club Presents “Fuddy Meers”

By: Coraline Pettine

Montgazette Staff Writer

During the second week of November, Montgomery County Community College’s West End Student Theatre group will present “Fuddy Meers.”

“Fuddy Meers,” a play on words of someone incorrectly pronouncing “funny mirrors” is an unorthodox comedy about a woman who acquires amnesia then awakes one morning to be swept away as a series of antics unfold. Michaela Santiago, who plays Claire, the protagonist in “Fuddy Meers,” is excited to portray such a strong, female character. She says she finds the play so remarkable because the writer gave every role an interestingly idiosyncratic personality.

“Each of the characters are so incredibly unique in a twisted way,” she said.

Joe Donley, President of the West End Student Theatre group, or WEST, is the set designer and one of the play’s leading characters. He says that there is more to “Fuddy Meers” than a hilarious plot. Joe described the play as “an extremely emotionally resonant story of domestic violence hidden under some zany antics.”

[[[Domestic Violence is the underlining theme of WEST’s plays this year, especially present in the Spring production of A Lie of the Mind. A partial amount of the shows’ proceeds will go towards Laurel House, a local charity working to end domestic violence and providing counseling, shelter, response teams, legal advocates, and other services to abuse victims. The rest of the proceeds contribute to Drama scholarships.]]]]

WEST puts on plays in an attempt to “to bring high quality student-run theatre to the Pottstown campus and community,” Donley said. But the club runs a variety of other events aside from the biannual plays.

Performances of “Fuddy Meers” will take place on November 12, 13 and 14 at 7 p.m. and a fourth time on November 13 at 12:30 p.m. For more information, log onto mc3.edu and click on Student Performance under the Arts tab.

Drama clubs practices before performance of Fuddy Meers.
Coraline Pettine/Montgazette

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West Campus Adds a Wind Ensemble

By: Tayla Haulcy-Clark

Montgazette Staff Writer

The Wind Ensemble is a new addition to the fine arts clubs at Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus.

The ensemble, which is a smaller version of a concert band but with similar instruments, such as woodwinds, brass and percussion, is run by adjunct faculty member Dr. Janet Huggens.

This enseble started at MCCC’s Central Campus but was moved to MCCC’s West Campus because of Huggens’ strength in directing bands. It was originally slated to be a class but was turned into a student club due to low enrollment.

The band currently consists of one flute, two clarinets, one alto sax, one trumpet, one tuba and one percussionist. All played by students of MCCC’s West Campus.

The set list of songs they played during the spring 2015 semester included Children’s Prayer from “Hansel and Gretel,” The Navy Hymn, Amazing Grace and Londonderry Air.

Huggens said she is unsure if there will be any upcoming performances but would like for people to come and join. “The more the merrier,” she said.

The Wind Ensemble meets in North Hall on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you are interested in being a part of The Wind Ensemble, contact Dr. Huggens at jhuggens@mc3.edu.

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West End Student Theatre

By: Carly Watson

Montgazette Staff Writer

Have an interest in performing, working back stage, building sets or any other part of putting on a play? If so the West End Student Theatre, or WEST, at Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus is for you!

What started four years ago with only a handful of students is now a club with over forty members. Besides putting on shows, WEST also promotes the arts of MCCC’s West Campus and sponsors charity events and organizes community projects.

MCCC student Jeff Chernesky, the president of WEST, said he takes pride in the club and what it stands for.

“We want people to feel something from the stories we decide to tell through the plays we select,” he said. “All while promoting the arts on campus and in the community.”

During club meetings, members discuss upcoming projects and events and even play improvisational acting games.

WEST also holds a reading committee to select plays for upcoming semesters while constructing sets and building scenery for the play they currently produce.

Although WEST students support their fellow theatre students at Central Campus by attending their performances and collaborating on workshops, there is a spirit of friendly competition.

“We hope to expand the theatre department at West Campus and make it as successful, if not more so than the one at Central,” Chernesky said.

If you would like to become a part of the West End Student Theatre, stop by one of their meetings. They are held every Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in North Hall room 105.

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Film vs. TV

By: Jordan Allison

Montgazette Staff Writer

Film and television are both entertainment media industries but they are very different. Film, better known as the movies, and television deal with characters and stories in ways that are unique to each medium.

Drew Goddard, a noted television screenwriter and director, explained to entertainment magazine IGN why his “Daredevil” franchise wasn’t made into a film and instead became a Netflix show.

“It felt that we’d have more freedom,” Goddard said, “to make it on the small screen and make it more adult. We…got to really explore the character. I feel like Netflix was the best possible home for that, otherwise you’d end up with a watered down version.”

Netflix, an online streaming media service, is opening up its own series-style, televisionformatted shows. This gives Netflix, and other companies like Amazon, opportunities that films can not. These television shows via streaming services have to dive into a character’s background with more in-depth storytelling.

Brad Nau, the Senior Executive of special projects at Comcast and Sound Recording Technology Lecturer at Montgomery County Community College, said, “I do TV. And what you do in TV is tell what is. Versus in film, you create.”

A documentary is one major example of the “tell what is” of television versus the “create” of film. Many documentaries, like the current Danny Boyle’s film, “Steve Jobs,” embellish certain truths about a character to create a storytelling element or theme. However, if anyone who looks at the film industry sees clearly that a majority of the blockbusters are fictional. Television, on the other hand, makes it money in news and reality shows.

So, despite the differences between film and television, they both bring stories and characters we can relate to.

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Bias in Politics: Donald Trump

Joshua Kellem

Montgazette Staff Writer

I have traveled around the news to find political bias. First stop: The 2016 presidential election coverage of Donald Trump.

In, 2015, he spoke at a protest for the Iran nuclear deal. Trump repeatedly bashed President Obama with no interruption from his public relations people. At first, Trump declared, “This deal and the people who agreed on it are incumbent.” Trump then goes on to say, “The deal is a disgrace.”

Hold on, ladies and gentlemen. The best part of his speech came as Trump exclaimed, “They [Iran] have suckered us. They have taken advantage of stupid people.”

The news report and the anchor didn’t add any opinions, but the way the story was reported was sided in favor of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Next up, CBS’s coverage of what some people in Iowa called the “China factor.” The news is shown without the lead anchor expressing his opinion but it was not objective.

The so-called “China factor” came from Iowa exporting two-hundred million soybeans to China every year. China, however, was thinking about growing their own soybeans, leaving a big hole in Iowa’s economy. This problem was so prominent that Donald Trump, yes Donald Trump, stated, “I’m not going to let China rip us off.”

Third was the coverage from MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” also regarding the Iran nuclear deal protests. A show known for its liberal spin, none of the coverage was done about President Obama.

Contrary to CBS’s national news, Chris Matthews spoke upfor the President. Matthews called the people who spoke at the rally the “Usual Suspects,” composed of former Vice-President Dick Cheyney and political pundits Scooter Libby, John Bolton , and Paul Wolfowitz. About this group of men, Matthews said they’re, “Back together for another big war fest. Cheering American boys to the front from the safety of the op-ed pages.”

Matthews then showed Texas Senator, Ted Cruz, speaking. Cruz said, “If this deal goes through, we know to an absolute certainty people will die.” Matthews wasted no time attacking Cruz’s statement. “Last time, Cruz was certain of anything was the Iraq war that cost the lives of two hundred-thousand, including four thousand Americans.”

During the rally, Donald Trump, returned saying, “We will have so much winning, if I get elected, that you may get bored of winning.”

Matthews interrupted Trump’s words. “Getting a little tired, isn’t it?”

News and news hosts are not completely objective, because there is always some bias. In the end, whether Donald Trump’s mouth gets into the White House is up to you.

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Free College: Montgomery County students may be able to attend Community College for free

By: Sarah Mearhoff

Montgazette Staff Writer

Residents of Montgomery County may be able to attend Montgomery County Community College free of tuition costs thanks to the proposition of America’s College Promise. With this initiative, students may be able to receive two years of instruction at community colleges at no tuition cost under the government-funded plan.

Though the plan remains indefinite at this time, Dr. Steady Moono, former Vice President of MCCC’s West Campus, said that national conversations about the importance of community colleges are taking place.

“We are talking about the value of community college education. We are talking about the promise, this America’s Promise, that is embedded in the community college mission,” he said.

The goal of America’s College Promise is to allow Americans a easier access to secondary education in order to prepare them for a competitive job market or take the necessary steps toward a higher degree.

“You can read any community college mission in any community college in the country. There are a lot of similar things. And the similar things are, anyone who wants higher [education], should be able to get higher [education],” Moono said.

With career and transfer services available to all students, MCCC prioritizes the next steps in its students’ lives.

“[We] make sure that our advisors and counselors work persistently and consistently with students on a path of progression,” Moono said.

America’s College Promise will be a key support for students in maintaining many requirements like enrollment and grade point average.

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Students Successful in Creating Game Lounge at West Campus

By: Andrew A Waslo

Montgazette Staff Writer

Students at Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus wanted a place to relax and hang out with friends in between classes. With the help of the Student Government Association at Central Campus and the Student Leadership and Involvement staff at West Campus, they successfully created a game lounge in the cafeteria next to the South Hall main entrance.

The idea for the lounge started in 20l2, when students at West Campus submitted a list of surveys with suggestions to Student Government at Central Campus. The students at West Campus listed having a lounge as one of their most important suggestions. The SGA took these surveys to the West Campus SLI staff to review the project.

The Student Leadership and Involvement office allotted nearly $36,000 from extra club funding for the project.

The Student Leadership office then got in touch with K.I. Furniture and allowed West Campus students to try different styles and types to make the final decisions on what would go in the lounge. They also got to choose what games they wanted, as well as give suggestions for the lighting.

“We [ran into] some snags with wanting to do more with the lighting, but because of the way that it’s set up in there, we actually got in touch with the Theatre Arts Program. [T]hey helped us come up with gel inserts so we could at least dim it so it could…look more like mood lighting,” Jenna Klaus of Student Leadership and Involvement said.

On December 6th, 2013, the game lounge was finished and opened to students. Over the next two years, students have used it to relax and play pool, ping pong and video games, amongst other activities.

The lounge is always a work in progress so it can continue to expand with more student use. Of this, Klaus said, “My hope is that it gets so much use that we have to go and do something else. Something bigger.”

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Montco’s Many Ways to Get Involved

By: Alex Wall

Montgazette Staff Writer

Montgomery County Community College has many methods to make it easier for students to get involved with the college and its surrounding communities.

The Office of Student Leadership and Involvement, located in College Hall room 103 on Central Campus and South Hall room 106 on West Campus, is the best, but not the only, place to start.

GetInvolved Campus Life Weekly Updates are sent out every Friday to every student’s campus email. These weekly updates are packed with information about happenings in and around the college campus. The Montgazette, Montco’s student-run newspaper, also has information on campus events and can be accessed in more ways than just the printed edition. The paper is available on most smartphones using The Buzz: MCCC app and can be read online at montgazette. wordpress.com.

One of the major digital methods to keep up to date on Montco’s activities, events, along with club and organization news, is Campus Life, powered by OrgSync. Campus Life is easily accessed by students through their MCCC accounts. Like The Montgazette, it can be accessed online or via the OrgSync app for most smartphones. Campus Life is similar to Facebook and Twitter in the way it functions, but it easy to learn even if you’re not familiar with either social network.

The staff of the Student Leadership and Involvement Office, or SLI, helps the Montco students by encouraging them to apply their learning by getting involved in their community.

Melissa Phillips, Assistant Director of Civic and Community Engagement, said, “Students who get involved will feel the joy of helping others and giving back to the community. We want our students to gain leadership, communication, and other transferable skills outside of the classroom which they will need post-graduation.”

She added that students also have opportunities to make friends and have fun in the process of helping others, which is a great thing for people of all ages. There are endless reasons and endless ways to get involved. It’s easy to do with the resources and staff at Montco.

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