Updates from the President
Upcoming Events
- 9:30 a.m. Saturday, October 27 – Open House, Bedford Campus Center
- Monday, October 29 – Mini-mester II begins
- 7 p.m. Friday, November 2 – Carlos Odria Ensemble in concert, Academic Arts Center Recital Hall, Lowell Campus
- 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 4 – Trustee Meeting with Student Union Government Association (SUGA), Nesmith House, 229 Andover St., Lowell
- 7 p.m. Friday, December 7 – PTK Honor Society Induction Ceremony, Café East, Bedford
MCC in the News
- Art for the artist’s hometown? (Lowell Sun, 10/18/18)
- 5 Things to do in Bedford: Quilt Show & Poet Richard Hoffman (Bedford Minuteman, 10/18/18)
- MCC Enabled Alum to Discover His Calling as a Children’s Advocate (Bedford Patch, 10/17/18)
- Student Win $105K in Scholarships Through the PHCC (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association) Educational Foundation (10/15/18)
- GLCF sees potential in hard work of students (Lowell Sun, 10/12/18)
- Diplomatic mission to say: ‘Thank you’ (Lowell Sun, 10/11/18)
- Needham Bank names new Wellesley management team (Wellesley Wicked Local, 10/9/18)
- MCC earns No. 3 U.S. rank in Hospitality (Lowell Sun, 10/7/18)
Current Grant Initiatives
AANAPISI Grant Update
Family Night
On Thursday, October 11, the Program for Asian American Advancement (PAASA) hosted a Family Night event. Over 100 participants attended the event that included faculty, staff, students and their families. Students and their families learned about the wide range of campus resources from staff members from Financial Aid, Personal Counseling, Student Accounts, Student Engagement Office, ACE and the Asian American Connections Center. Additionally, attendees heard from a panel of current MCC students sharing their college experiences. Participants enjoyed an Asian dinner while listening to Khmer traditional music performed by music masters, Sovann Khon and Sithul Eang. PAASA assists students and their families in transitioning to college by providing them with the opportunity to meet and build connections with faculty, staff and current MCC students.
MCC 360 Update
Collegewide trainings for MCC Navigate began this month with Friday trainings being offered on both campuses (alternating locations). In addition, three MCC Navigate training sessions were offered at the All-College Professional Day. Over 50 faculty and staff signed up to be introduced to MCC Navigate on this day.
In addition to the Navigate planning tool, the Student Portal continues to develop through other Title III efforts, as well. An Online Orientation is in development and a one-time supplemental award to Title III projects for the coming year will support a Financial Wellness initiative. The Financial Wellness work will build on efforts currently underway and provide learning content for students through an online platform, as well as direct services through classroom/workshop modules and individual counseling.
Academic Divisions
Arts, Humanities & World Languages
Art Department
We welcome, new full-time Art faculty member Angela Ales. Angela holds an MFA from Miami International University of Art and Design. She has been a professional working artist for the past 23 years and has participated in over 40 solo and group exhibitions in the United States and Latin America. Her work can be found in private collections in North, Central, and South America, as well as Europe. In addition, Ms. Alés has 23 years of experience teaching art in K through 12th grade and higher education. She served as an adjunct instructor at MCC before joining the ranks as full-time faculty this fall. Her teaching areas of concentration include, painting, drawing, figure drawing, concept development and color theory. She has already joined the Advisory Board for the new Academic Arts Center which will draw on her background in dance and theater, as well as studio art. We appreciate Angela’s considerable joy, creativity and commitment to students.
Business, Education & Public Service
Fashion Merchandising
Fashion Merchandising students and Entrepreneurship students attended the EforAll Social Impact pitch contest in Lowell with Professor Ashli Ree. Students were engaged in networking with local entrepreneurs and participated in voting for the winners.
Hospitality and Culinary Arts
The MCC Hospitality Management online program has been ranked one of the best in the country by Affordable Colleges Online.
“In our seventh annual survey of online learning programs across the nation, we wanted to honor the colleges and universities that are providing innovative ways for students to complete a degree,” said Dan Schuessler, CEO and Founder of AffordableCollegesOnline.org. “These schools are going above and beyond the industry standard to help make online education programs more accessible and affordable.”
An online degree in hotel management and hospitality can open the doors for many career opportunities, and with the travel and tourism industry in MA very strong, our program is poised to help students find gainful employment in this vibrant industry.
The Hospitality and Culinary Arts Professional Development series kicked off this fall when students from the Hospitality and Culinary Arts programs visited the UML Inn and Conference Center in early October. Students toured the hotel and met with several members of the ICC management team for an informational session.
Lynne Luongo, General Manager of the Verve Hotel in Natick, spoke with students for the second event in this series. With over 25 years of experience in the hotel industry, Lynne shared stories, career advice and answered a variety of student questions during a lively session.
Public Service
Paralegal Studies
Halye Sugarman is co-author of the new publication from Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), “A Practical Guide to Ethics for Paralegals and Legal Assistants.”
Enrollment Management
Admissions and Student Recruitment
The Admissions staff has been busy this fall visiting high schools and attending college fairs. So far, the staff has been to over 30 high schools and fairs, and will continue with visiting throughout the fall and winter months. In the next few weeks Alison Handy, Kristie Faletra, Jeff Tejada and Jennifer Migliozzi will be at Lawrence High School as part of their Application Week initiative, where students can apply to college and have their questions answered on the spot. Additionally, Jeff Tejada has been attending Salem State University’s annual Fall Open Houses.
You may have also seen us at fall community events. Jenna Engelsen represented Middlesex at Bedford Day, and Jeff Tejada and Jennifer Migliozzi were at the Harvest Mill Festival in Lowell. Alison Handy attended the Greater Lowell and Nashoba Valley Chamber’s Annual Business Expo & Showcase in Chelmsford. If you do see us at any of these local events, don’t be shy, come say hi!
Admissions continues to provide personal tours for different high schools and organizations. Jenna Engelsen gave a tour of the Bedford campus for Valley Collaborative students, while Jeff Tejada toured a group of students from Lawrence High School at the Lowell Campus. Coming up, Alison Handy and Kristie Faletra will be touring a group from Hudson High School. These tours are a great way to introduce prospective students to our campuses and for them to see first-hand the opportunities that Middlesex has to offer.
Finally, we’d like to congratulate our very own Jenna Engelsen and all participating MCC students and employees on completing the NECC Campus Classic 5K!
Institutional Advancement
Marketing Communications
Update Your MCC Directory Photo
The Office of Marketing Communications has once again arranged for a photographer to take professional headshots of interested faculty and staff prior to the start of the November 1 Faculty & Staff Association (FSA) meeting in Bedford. You must pre-register to have your photo taken, and spaces are limited. Starting at 1 p.m., time slots are broken into five-minute increments, and we can accommodate three people per slot.
Your photo will be shared with you within 3 weeks of the shoot. Headshots are available free of charge and you are encouraged to add yours to your MCC Directory listing.
• Headshots @ FSA – 1 p.m. Thursday, November 1 (Bedford)
Please fill out this form to reserve your space:
https://doodle.com/poll/vwxh9zbqhd4ghsh5
Contact marketing@middlesex.mass.edu with questions.
Send Us Your News!
Marketing Communications is always looking for “good news” to include in news releases and social media. So, don’t be shy: Please let us know when you or your division/department receive an award or grant – or any other good news about students, faculty and staff. Submit an online Marketing Communications Request Form to request a news release. Include the “4 Ws” info – who, what, when & where – with your Request Form. We will do our best to share your good news with the wider community.
We recently sent news stories to media outlets about two outstanding MCC students: Fatima Al-Muntafik and Raonak Ezahan Shristy. Keep us posted so we can shine a light on YOUR super-star students!
Adult Learning Center
The Adult Learning Center (ALC) and Links Program are proud to highlight past student and 2018 MCC Graduate Natalie Mukankusi. Natalie’s journey at MCC started in the spring of 2015 when she enrolled in the Adult Learning Center on the Bedford campus to prepare for the High School Equivalency Certificate Exam. She attended classes faithfully for several months and was able to successfully pass the HiSET in May 2015. During the fall semester, Natalie enrolled in Links, where she completed “First Year Experience,” “Explorations in Science” and “Basic Writing.”
In the spring semester of 2016, Ms. Mukankusi became enrolled in our Liberal Studies Program, and by the fall was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She also joined the Commonwealth Honors Program. Not wanting to waste any time, she completed the 63 credits needed for her degree by December 2017. In May 2018, Natalie graduated from MCC with high honors and was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS). She has now transferred to Carlow University in Pittsburgh with a full scholarship and is enrolled in an accelerated (BS + MS) Biology-Cardiovascular Perfusion program.
This summer Natalie came in to say good-bye and asked us to pass along this message: “Thank you MCC for nurturing me into who I am and who I will be. Many thanks to the staff who have been part of my successful journey.”
College Advancement
MCC Foundation Scholarships and Student Outreach:
Amy Lee met with Supplemental Instructors in the ACE Center on October 19 to provide information on the MCC Foundation Scholarship application and how the supplemental instructors can help spread the word in classrooms about scholarship opportunities. Amy will also be available to help students at the Scholarship Workshop hosted by the Asian American Center on October 25.
On November 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Advancement staff will be tabling on each campus (Main Street in Bedford and Lowell Campus Cafeteria) to answer student questions about MCCF scholarships. Please encourage students to stop by with questions or to learn more about scholarship opportunities. Enrolled MCC students may apply for scholarships online at: www.middlesex.mass.edu/foundation/scholarships. The Application Deadline is FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14. Please contact Amy Lee at leea@middlesex.mass.edu for more information.
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Following Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this year’s #GivingTuesday takes place on November 27 and will kick off the giving season by inspiring people to collaborate and give back. The Middlesex Community College Foundation will be participating in #GivingTuesday and hope you will join us on the Lowell Campus in the Cowan Center lobby or on the Bedford Campus Main Street.
Community Education and Training
Community Education hosted 24 local police, fire, and EMT’s representing communities such as Bedford, Burlington, Chelmsford, Lowell, and Tewksbury on the Bedford campus to take part in “Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care for First Responders.” This one-day course was facilitated by Tammy Pozerycki, owner of Alternatives in Alzheimer’s Care. We will be hosting two sessions, spring 2019. For more information contact Caitlin Campopiano at x3680.
Program Manager Lauren Ellis participated in the 7th annual Mill City Grows Harvest Festival on October 13. This family friendly event showcases Lowell’s community’s growers and farmers, and highlights cultural harvest and food traditions. MCC is a proud sponsor of this event which allows the college to showcase our academic, noncredit, and College for Kids programs.
On October 10, our M.I.L.E.S members enjoyed keynote speaker and local author David S. Brody. David is a real estate attorney turned fiction writer, author and self-proclaimed “rock nerd.” His keynote presentation focused on sites and artifacts that evidence pre-Columbus exploration of America. For more information on our MILES program visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/careertraining/miles.aspx
Twenty-four Registered Dental Hygienists successfully completed our 60-hour “Local Anesthesia Certification” program on October 8.
The following noncredit programs began during October: “MS Excel,” “Intro to SQL,” “Learn to Draw for Adults,” “Watercolors for Beginners,” “Exceptional Customer Service,” “Essentials of Human Resources Management,” “Home Electrical Repair,” “Wine Tasting & Pairing” and “Vino Rosso: The Incomparable Red Wines of Italy.”
Corporate Education & Training
Corporate Education & Training delivered or will be delivering:
- Customized training for Job Related English Speakers of Other Languages Intermediate I Part 2 at Aved Electronics in North Billerica.
- Customized trainings for Intermediate and Advanced Levels of English Speakers of Other Languages at WNA in Chelmsford.
- Medication Administration Recertification training for LifeLinks. This course is conducted at MCC in order to provide employees exposure to taking classes in a college setting.
- Leadership Development: Engaging Employees training session for Lowell General Hospital at the Main Campus.
- Emotional Intelligence training at E Ink in Billerica.
- Quality Training program offered through the Massachusetts Advanced Manufacturing TechHire Grant at the Cowan Center.
- General Education Seminar: “First Year Experience” (IDS 101) course for offenders at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office in Billerica.
Corporate Education & Training collaborated with Resource Development and submitted a Workforce Training Fund Grant for Juniper Networks in Westford that was awarded. Training will include Leadership Skill Development, Project Management, Introduction to Python, C++ Programming, and Software Defined Networks (SDN).
Middlesex Connector 