MCCC Bigdreams Winter09.Indd
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FOR ALUMNI, FRIENDS AND DONORS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE VOLUME 3 I NUMBER 1 WINTER 2009 Education, Industry, Community &PARTNERSHIPS SERVICESERVICE LLEARNINGEARNING INTERNSINTERNS AASSISTSSIST NNON-PROFITSON-PROFITS AUTOAUTO TTECHECH CCOLLABORATESOLLABORATES WWITHITH DDEALERSEALERS AASSOCIATIONSSOCIATION ”COURAGE”COURAGE TTOO CCREATE”REATE” GGOESOES PPUBLICUBLIC pages 15-23 FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT PRESIDENT’Smessage big Dreams n many ways, community colleges are built to partner. Strong community VOLUME 3 I NUMBER 1 partnerships with high schools, technical schools, four-year colleges and WINTER2009contents universities, business, industry and civic organizations enables our College to meet Faculty Profi le ....................................................3 I Student Profi le ...................................................4 residents where they are to provide a customized approach to education and training. Our Service Learning Grant Partners strategic plan through 2010 places an emphasis on extending community and strategic Students and Non-Profi ts ..............................5 partnerships by making it one of our six guiding goals. In Brief ................................................................ 6 Partnerships with community organizations, such as the Pottstown Health and Partnerships, Grant Boost Auto Tech Program .........................................7 Wellness Foundation, enable us to send our students out into the community, boosting Students Develop Biotechnology Skills the capacity of local non-profi t organizations to fulfi ll their missions while training leaders in Industry Hot-Bed......................................8-9 of the future through a service learning initiative. In 2008, each of the eight students in High School Students Earn College Credits this initiative spent 220 hours with their community partners, which included Ken Crest, through Dual Enrollment ................................9 Campaign Enters Public Phase .................... 10 Tri-County YWCA, Pottstown Police Athletic League and Schuylkill River National Class Notes ......................................................12 and State Heritage Area. Alumni Profi le .................................................. 13 The College’s strong partnership with the Montgomery County Workforce On The Calendar.............................................. 14 Investment Board has helped to establish our Center for Workforce Development as the Special Section: Foundation Annual Report ......................15-23 primary training and grant management resource for businesses in the region. In addition On the cover: Student Rachel Markley enrolled to our partnerships on the non-credit side, a new industry partnership with Rohm and in Biotechnology classes at the College to get Haas, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, allows our biotechnology the laboratory skills she needs for graduate school. Photo by John Welsh. students to work side-by-side with researchers and scientists in the fi elds of bio and nanotechnology. Our partnerships with high schools, technical schools and four-year colleges and EDITOR Alana Janelle Mauger universities extend access to higher education through dual credit and transfer programs. The College’s University Center is thriving at our West Campus in Pottstown, with COLLEGE PRESIDENT Dr. Karen A. Stout strong enrollment at Albright College and Temple University. The College’s Automotive Technology program, housed at the Mobile Air Conditioning Society in Lansdale and VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT Pottstown High School, offers dual credit opportunities for high school students while Susan Adams they work toward an associate’s degree in their fi eld. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Our donors are among the College’s most important partners, and they are featured OF DEVELOPMENT in this special issue of big Dreams on pages 15-23. Helping students to succeed is the core Tina Flint Hennessey inspiration for all that we do at the College, and our donors continue to renew and inspire COORDINATOR OF the College community with their investment in our mission. ALUMNI RELATIONS Through its 44 years, Montgomery County Community College has touched tens of Melissa LoRusso thousands of students and community members in some meaningful way. I encourage you bigDreams is published four times to connect with us in partnership as we continue to serve our community. annually by Montgomery County Community College, and is available online at mc3.edu/bigdreams. Please submit news items and story ideas via email to [email protected]. Sincerely, ©2009 Montgomery County Community College Karen A. Stout President FACULTYprofile Professor Experiences Cultural Geography by Sam Strike Photo courtesy of Wayne Brew Wayne Photo courtesy of Assistant Professor of Geography Wayne Brew stands on a ferry with the white cliffs of Dover in the background. s he watched the sloped orange rooftops and she and her husband were lifelong supporters of the College. of northeastern France turn into the step- Brew’s trip was a natural fi t to his study of geography—and not A gable style in Belgium, and heard the just because he has hundreds of photos that will help educate his students. Latin- and Germanic-based languages turn Slavic, Assistant Brew hopes that his experience will help him teach geography scholars what Professor of Geography Wayne Brew saw his studies rise in he tries to every year—to think a little less ethnocentrically. front of him like the dark hills of Bohemia. “When you see things in the world, when you look at the geography For Brew, the study of cultural geography seeks to know and history of them, you might fi nd maybe we’re not so different from other why there are particular patterns between countries and people,” said Brew. cultures. This summer he got to see some of those patterns While there are both differences and similarities that are important to in person as one of 30 community college instructors who learn, there are also those that simply please the senses, like the innumerable were sent on the two-week, fi ve-country European History European culinary delights Brew tasted that vary distinctly kilometer and Culture Sampler tour organized by Community by kilometer. Colleges for International Development, Inc. “I’m very lucky,” said Brew. Not just because the other tour attendees Through the Gladys and Raymond Pearlstine Chair, and the bus driver and guide were great travel companions, and not just Montgomery County Community College’s Foundation because he was able to visit so many places he never thought he’d go, but sponsored Brew’s trip. The Chair is a permanent fund at because the teacher was able to learn something profound about the world. the College’s Foundation, to be used “for activities that “I think when you travel there’s a two-way street,” he said. “As we were improve the quality of life for faculty and rejuvenate them leaving, the person who organized the trip from the United States said, by in professional ways.” Gladys Pearlstine was a charter going to these places you’ll really get to learn a lot about culture. By learning member and former chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, about other cultures, you learn about your own.” FACULTY/STAFFnotes Assistant Professor of Psychology Diane Haar, program for people in mental health recovery. Suzanne Holloman, Dean Adjunct Lecturer Mindi Raggi and POWER of Workforce Development Paraprofessional Mae Harden gave a presentation Instructor of English Dana Murray-Resente and Continuing Education, about the College’s POWER Program at the National was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of has been elected to serve Organization for Human Services in Tucson, Ariz. in the Philadelphia Writers Conference, a non-profi t as chairperson for the October. Their presentation was titled “A Re-Entry organization whose purpose is to bring together Pennsylvania Commission Program for Persons in Mental Health Recovery.” writers for instruction, counsel, fellowship, and the on Community Colleges POWER, which stands for Partnership On Work exchange of ideas. Dana has chaired the College’s Workforce Development Enrichment and Readiness, is a 14-week educational annual Writers Conference for the past two years. Committee for next year. bigDreams WINTER 2009 3 STUDENTprofile photo: John Welsh photo: John SARASSARAARA MINKLERMMINKLERINKLER Chronicles 100 Years of YWCA by Alana Janelle Mauger hen Liberal Studies student Sara Minkler enrolled in a various methods used in researching history, a skill that will help history course last summer, she did not expect to make her in her ultimate goal to study constitutional law after she an impact on one of the oldest non-profi t organizations transfers to a four-year school. Win the Pottstown community. However, after being selected for a paid service She has also prepared for her intended fi eld of study by learning internship through a grant from the Pottstown Health and Wellness completing an internship with Senator Rick Santorum and Foundation (see page 5), Sara was charged with chronicling the history of the Tri- volunteering with the 2004 presidential campaign. In addition, County YWCA as part of its 100-year anniversary celebration. Sara currently serves as the President of the Student Government Armed with more than 50 scrapbooks dating back to 1913, Sara developed a Association at the College’s West Campus. graphical presentation of pivotal moments in the YWCA’s history, including the After she graduates