No. 23 Published by the Students of Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell & Pottstown, Pa. May/June 2010 Meet Some Top Graduates from the Class of 2010 By Emmanuella Jean-Ulysse grade-point average above 3.5. college faculty and his many cam- Staff Writer The majority of the estimated pus activities. They include serving 1,300 graduates completed as president of the MCCC Honors At 18, Matt Keene is finishing coursework at the Central Campus Club, senator for the Student Gov- what most people his age havenʼt in Blue Bell. There are 227 who ernment Association, senator and even begun to start. completed their studies at the West board member of the Drama Club, And heʼs finishing perfectly. Campus in Pottstown, according to member of the ACE as well as On May 20, Keene will graduate the college. CAP-G and the International Club. from Montgomery County Commu- The college expects to award Keene is a national finalist in the nity College with a perfect grade- 671 associate degrees in science, All-USA Academic Team, was point average. Heʼs the youngest 378 associate degrees in applied nominated to the USA Today All- among this crop of graduates and science and 117 associate degrees USA Academic Team and the is among 16 students who have in arts. Coca-Cola All State Academic earned a 4.0 GPA. Parents, spouses and friends will Team. More than 1,300 graduates will mark what has been an excep- “My first semester at the college, receive diplomas at the spring tional year for Montco and its high- being only 15, was quite a trying 2010 Graduate Matt Keene commencement, which for the first achieving students. semester,” Keene recalled, adding Photo by Dennis Verbo, Photo Editor time in recent memory will be held Keene, who will graduate with a that he befriended many students off the Central Campus in Blue degree in liberal studies, said heʼs who wanted to get the most out of back.” Bell. The 7 p.m. commencement going to miss the campus but real- their education. That, he said, After graduation, Keene said he will be at the Valley Forge Conven- izes that his future canʼt wait. “makes going here that much more would like to be an astrophysicist. tion Center in Upper Merion. “If I did not have to pursue my enjoyable.” Heʼs awaiting a decision from the According to early figures pro- career, I would stay at Montco in- Whatʼs his advice to students? University of California at Berkeley. vided by the college, the graduat- definitely,” he said. “Try Montco, give it a shot and ing class is about 20 percent larger He attributes his success to the go for it ʻhead-firstʼ – no holding cont. on page 3 than the class that received diplo- mas last May. The numbers for the May 20 commencement include men and women who either com- No Place For Hate at Temple pleted studies in the summer or fall Threat of a protest by radical church group prompts students to rally for peace and tolerance of 2009 and who expect to com- plete coursework this spring or By Tara Durkin, Staff Writer stage a counter-protest of the Web site. summer. More than 400 graduates radical Westboro Baptist Church When they learned that West- will have earned a cumulative Dressed as Jesus and carry- of Topeka, Kan. boro Baptist would send protest- ing a donation box, Gregory Par- But it soon became clear that ers to Temple on April 1, adis brushed aside his long blond the threat was empty. Thatʼs members of Purple Circle, a hair and hugged a group of girls when the large crowd turned its branch of the schoolʼs Queer Stu- in Temple T-shirts. ire into a rally for peace and dent Union, quickly arranged a In this Issue The girls dropped a couple of human rights. counter-protest. dollars in the box, prompting Par- Westboro Baptist is known for The church had reportedly News...................pgs 1-6 adis to yell, “I love you!” protesting military funerals. Mem- planned to voice opposition to the There was much love shown bers attribute soldier deaths to schoolʼs performance of the Op / Ed................pg 8-10 on the Temple campus on April the United Statesʼ tolerance of AIDS-awareness rock musical Foolʼs Day, but only because a homosexuality. And they believe “Rent” and “The Laramie Project,” A & E................pgs 12-15 church that preaches hate had tornadoes are sent by God to a play about the 1998 hate-crime threatened a protest. punish the nationʼs morally killing of 21-year-old Matthew That threat spurred more than twisted citizens. Church members Shepard, a gay youth from Campus & 1,100 students, faculty, neighbor- carry signs that say “God Hates Laramie, Wyo. Community.............pg 16 hood residents and activists to Fags,” a reference to the churchʼs cont. on page 4 The Montgazette, Page 2 News From the Editor-in-Chief It seems odd to be writing this letter, which more of what it should be: the studentʼs voice. No. 23 May/June 2010 is my last editorʼs letter. I remember taking the This is all due to my staff. position of editor and thinking, “how am I am I would also like to say a huge thank you to Editor-in-Chief: Renee Bergandino going to be in the nursing program and be the my advisors, Alana Mauger and Harry editor of a school paper?” I was scared, nerv- Yanoshak, because without them I would of Photography Editor: Dennis Verbo ous and all around unsure if I could make it have been lost. Believe me, there have been work, but I learned a lot about myself in these many hard times with the paper, but both Harry Online Editor: Brian J. Nichols past months. and Alana have always been right by my side In a radio interview with Dr. Karen Stout, I and guided me. My amazing writers, you all Montgazette Staff Alessandra Aste told her that this was probably one of the hard- know who you are, thank you so much for Shanel Burroughs est things for me to do, to step up to the plate everything each of you has done. I encourage Norman Detweiler as editor-in-chief. I knew for a fact that nursing you to keep on writing whether it is for The Kevin Devine came first no matter what, but I was lucky to Montgazette or another college newspaper. Paul Dittmar have such amazing people by my side that Also, Iʼd like to give a big shout out to my Tara Durkin guided me and sent me in the right directions. I awesome photographers; each of you has Paul Goraczko do know for a fact that without the staff I was made an impact. Without your photos to go Kerri Hughes blessed with, this paper would not have been along with the stories, the paper wouldnʼt be Evan Kravitz as exceptional as it was. what it is today. Nirmal Makadia I was lucky enough to have such excep- I have such confidence that the paper will John Ozga tional writers who were willing to take stories to continue to grow with the guidance of the new Hannah Sweeney the next level. Not only would they do what editor, Kevin Devine. I have such faith him-- Emmanuella Jean-Ulysse was asked, but they took it a step further, and I tons of luck Kevin! believe that The Montgazette has become With that being said, I want to thank every Contributors: Lillian Allen-Betts person who has Patrick Costelli touched my life on Chris DiFerdinando this campus. It has Karla Dumas been an amazing Madison Hart few years. I have Aaron Leimbach met some amazing Ryan Teterus people who have Courtney Wilkerson made me who I am today, and I thank Masthead Design: John Straw you all for that. Just remember, take Faculty Editorial Advisor: chances, because Harry Yanoshak without me taking chance, I would have Managing Advisor: Alana J. Mauger never done all that I did--and I am hon- The Montgazette is published on the first Tuesday of estly very grateful I every month, September-December and did. February-May, by the students of Montgomery County Community College. Sincerely, Correspondence should be emailed to [email protected]. Members of the 2009-2010 staff of The Montgazette. Renee Bergandino Photo courtesy of Jenna Meehan The deadline for the next issue is Aug. 23, 2010. For advertising information, visit http://montgazette.wordpress.com or email The Montgazette is looking for reporters, [email protected]. The Montgazette reserves the right to refuse ads photographers and artists for the 2010-2011 year. based on content. Leadership positions are available. The Montgazette is printed by Montgomery Email [email protected] for info. Newspapers, Exton, Pa., The Montgazette, Page 3 News SGA president for the Central Campus and a Top Graduates Phi Theta Kappa member. She was also a cont. from page 1 member of the President Leadership Council and the All-Pennsylvania Academic Team. Graduate Patricia OʼMalley said sheʼs thank- OʼMalley has had to show exemplary leader- ful that the college provided her with the chance ship amid family-related challenges. She re- to love learning. evaluated her plans of becoming a professional “I was possibly the worst high school student dancer to stay with her mother, who had devel- ever, so I had to start from scratch, learning the oped a brain tumor. OʼMalley showed resiliency basics again and even teaching myself how to after she had taken a year off from school to study was difficult,” OʼMalley said.