Fall 2014 Issue of the Collegian

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

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.


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


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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fall 2014 Issue of the Collegian

Documents

Transcript of Fall 2014 Issue of the Collegian