MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CONNECTION
OCTOBER 2011
Mott Community College Named one of
Top Ten Community Colleges in America
MCC
FACULTY
& STAFF
NEWSLETTER
WHAT’S
INSIDE
AROUND CAMPUS
GLOBAL ISSUES
FILM FESTIVAL
PATTI SMITH TO
SPEAK AND
PERFORM AT MCC
HUNDREDS ATTEND
MCC 9/11
DEDICATION
CEREMONY
AL JAZEERA
JOURNALIST TO
SPEAK AT MCC
QUOTE OF
THE M ONTH
"You must be the change you wish to
see in the world."
– Mohandas K. Ghandi
Mott Community College has been named
one of the 10 finalist community colleges by the
Washington-based Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program. MCC now enters the last stage
of the competition for the $1 million prize fund
that will be awarded in December in Washington,
D.C., to the first national winner and as many as
three runners-up. This is the first national recognition of extraordinary accomplishments at individual community colleges. It
follows on the April project launch and the White
House Community College Summit that attracted
participation and endorsement from President
Barack Obama, as well as luminaries in American
education, labor, business and civil society. According to the Aspen Institute, Mott College
demonstrated very strong improvement in the
number of students that earned degrees and certificates over the past five years. In April, the
Aspen Institute named MCC as one of the top ten
percent of community colleges but in an announcement on Sept. 13, they went further, designating MCC as one of the top ten. "We appreciate
the validation from national experts that Mott
College is actually doing what we say we are;
seeking ways to bring our students to success,"
said MCC President Dick Shaink. "We are committed to serve our community and we are well
aware of the challenges we all face right now.
Higher education is a critical gateway to a successful career and Mott College is the affordable,
high-quality option."
Visitors from the Aspen Institute tour MCC’s
FABLAB and Student Services.
White House Highlights Dr. Shaink and
MCC as "Champions of Change"
Each week the White House highlights "Champions of Change" who are making an impact in their
communities and helping America rise to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The White House invited Dr. Shaink to participate in a roundtable discussion on the positive impact of many community colleges across the nation. The college community was able to watch this roundtable live, at
www.whitehouse.gov/ at 2 pm EDT on Sept. 21. MCC has been successful at fostering success for
graduates in the labor market, even in the economically challenged area of Flint and Genesee County.
Dr. Shaink and the College were recognized by the White House for emphasis on creating career
pathways, and their creation of linkages between workforce training programs and credit bearing classes
leading to a portable credential or degree.
Around Campus
Choir Director Matthew Packer shares news from the Music Department. Students, faculty, and staff, are invited to join MCC's new
Gospel Choir. Rehearsals begin Thursday, Oct. 6 from 4:30 to 6 pm at
Woodside Church. The choir will be directed by Salina Bowie, and
Matt will serve as the MCC faculty contact for the group. Members of
the community are also welcome to join. For more information, contact
Salina Bowie at (810) 610-1090 or sosmilesmusic@aol.com or
Matthew Packer at (810) 610-3692 or matthew.packer@mcc.edu. A
music convocation featuring a lecture by operatic baritone, Scott Bearden, will be held at 2:45 p.m. Oct. 18 in Mott Memorial Building Auditorium. Bearden has made a career as an opera performer. He is a 1984
graduate of Swartz Creek High School who lives in New York City.
This event is free and open to the public.
MCC's Constitution Day 2011 program featured a discussion of the
relationship between national security and individual rights and liberties. Political Science Instructor Christine Stoliecki gave a talk on the
Patriot Act, and History Instructor Brian Harding gave a talk on the
1798 Alien & Sedition Acts, followed by a Q&A and discussion period
from students.
Counselor Kim Hart's dad will be 105 years old on Oct. 8. "God
bless him," says Kim. "He is a remarkable man who hopes to make it to
110 years of age. I am doing all I can to help him to reach his goal. He
is truly a blessing and someone that I have learned better, how to appreciate the simple things in life. I am amazed by how much I am still able
to learn from him."
Public Safety Supervisor Nancy Metcalfe lets us know that the
Annual Halloween Party for the community is scheduled for Friday,
October 28 from 5 to 8 pm at the Ballenger Field House. Donations are
welcome.
Early Childhood Education faculty members Sue Lechota, Jan
Herriman and Becky Garske will be presenting a three-hour workshop at the Metro Detroit Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) conference being held at Oakland Schools in Waterford
Oct. 15, 2011. Also presenting is Paula Spencer and Betsy Spiker.
Betsy Spiker and Becky Garske will also be presenting at the Michigan
AEYC Infant/Toddler Conference in Dearborn on Oct. 28.
Kathleen Rollin, retired English composition and literature instructor, author of the novel Misfits and Heroes: West from Africa, will
be among local authors with a book featured at the Genesee County Literacy Coalition book signing event. This is a fund-raising event to be
held at Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 5151 Lennon Road in Flint,
and will include snacks and entertainment for youth ages 8 -18. For
more information, check out the Genesee County Literacy Coalition
Facebook page. All proceeds go to train volunteers who help adults
learn to read.
History Instructor John Burks has a bronze sculpture featured in
the 2011 Open Competition in the Alfred Berkowitz Gallery at the University of Michigan-Dearborn through Oct. 27. The Gallery is located
on the third floor of UM-Dearborn's Mardigian Library. John worked
on the sculpture here at MCC. Call (313) 593-3592 for more information.
Art Prof. Thomas Bohnert has work showcased in two exhibits.
He is among more than 100 visual artists with works featured in the
2011 Actual Size Biennial in Detroit through Oct. 30. The multi-media
exhibition that includes sculpture, painting, photo, video, assemblage
and more is at Whitdel Arts, located at 1250 Hubbard Street in Detroit
with the entrance to the gallery on Porter Street. For more information,
call (313) 899-2243 or visit www.whitdelarts.com. Thom also had art
work featured in "Art in the Carts" on Sept. 9 at Mark's Carts Courtyard
in Ann Arbor.
New employee: MCC welcomes Jeff Simms, Disability Services
Coordinator (Software/Adaptive Technology, Learning Center, start
date: September 12.
Global Issues Film
Festival at MCC
Mott Community College is partnering with Kettering University and the University of Michigan-Flint for an eighth year to present the Global Issues Film Festival, continuing the tradition of
bringing provocative films to Flint from filmmakers from around the
world. Four thought-provoking films will be shown over the weekend of Nov. 4-6 in the auditorium of the MCC Regional Technology
Center. Admission is free.
The films are between 80 and 110 minutes long, featuring topics
that range from the impact of one good deed to genetic engineering
of the food supply. Following is a listing, screening schedule and descriptions of the films.
King Corn/Big River • Friday, Nov. 4, 7pm
King Corn/ Big River is a two-part documentary. King Corn follows
two college buddies who trace the use of Iowa corn. They find that
the majority of Americans eat mostly corn, or to be more specific,
food products derived from or containing corn. In the follow-up film
Big River, the same pair follow the water run-off and environmental
impact from their Iowa corn acreage.
A Small Act • Saturday, Nov. 5, 1pm
A stranger helps a woman escape Nazi Germany. That woman sponsors a child in Kenya. That child becomes a man who starts a scholarship fund to help many more children. Director Jennifer Arnold
makes a film about the ripple effect one small act can have. This is a
film of encouragement in a world full of discouraging news.
Waste Land • Saturday, Nov. 5, 3pm
The outskirts of Rio de Janero, Brazil is the home of the world's
largest garbage dump. Self-appointed pickers scavenge these fresh
mounds and pull recyclable materials. Waste Land is a story of the
pickers and an artist who sees both an unusual medium and the faces
of humanity in trash.
The World According to Monsanto • Sunday, Nov. 6, 3pm
The company that gave the world "Agent Orange" has continued to
develop and sell a number of controversial products. The film-maker
spent three years and travelled around the world to document many
horrible health effects attributed to these products.
Part Two of the Global Issues Film Festival will be held January 2529, 2012 at Kettering University. Five more films will be introduced
at that time. For more information, please contact Liz Murphy at
232-2554.
Patti Smith to speak and
perform at MCC, Oct. 13
Don't forget to mark your calendars for "An Evening with Patti
Smith," set for Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 at 7 pm in the Ballenger Field
House. Patti Smith, singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, will be speaking and performing for the fall installment of the Mott Community College
Ballenger Eminent Persons Lecture Series. This event is free and open to
the public. Nicknamed the "Godmother of Punk," she was named one of
the "100 most influential people in the world" by Time Magazine this year.
For more information about the Ballenger Lecture Series, call the Foundation for Mott Community College at (810) 762-0425.
Hundreds Attend MCC 9/11
Dedication Ceremony
A respectful gathering of more than 350 community leaders, elected
officials and residents joined Mott Community College staff and students on Sunday Sept. 11, 2011 to honor first responders –which include
law enforcement officers, fire fighters, emergency response workers and
medical professionals. The actions of first responders during the terrorist
attacks of September 11, 2001 drew worldwide attention, and MCC recognized the 10th anniversary of 9/11 as a perfect opportunity to honor
local police, fire and emergency response professionals.
The college was among a number of recipients awarded an artifact
of the World Trade Center by the Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey, which was unveiled at the end of the program. MCC Department
of Public Safety student officers David Becker, Lawrence Maclin and
Christine Perry were chosen to remove the tarp covering the piece of
steel, now on display as a permanent memorial in front of the Prahl College Center.
The program featured uniformed officers from several area police
and fire departments. Dr. Shaink gave welcoming remarks and
acknowledgements. The ceremony also featured comments by Flint
Mayor Dayne Walling, Chief Alvern Lock, Flint's Director of Public
Safety and Denise Dedman, a local American Red Cross volunteer who
responded during the 9/11 attacks. MCC History Instructor Aaron
Gulyas gave additional remarks about the historical nature surrounding
the 9/11 events. Assistant Sociology Professor Terrance Stewart sang
the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the opening of the
ceremony and "God Bless America" at the end. In addition, a moment of
silence in memory of those who perished as a result of the 9/11 attacks,
was lead by Chief James Harmes, Grand Blanc Fire Department. The
sound of bagpipes, played by Mike Powers, Chief, Clayton Township
Police Department, marked several poignant moments throughout the
ceremony. First responders and their families were invited to a reception
in MCC's Applewood Café at the conclusion of the ceremony.
MCC and 2011 Bikes On
the Bricks Event
Officers with MCC's Department of Public Safety participated in
the City of Flint's Fifth Annual Bikes on the Bricks motorcycle program
again this year, held Sept. 23-25. Officers with MCC Public Safety
provided officers from across the region an opportunity to train as riders
in high stress situations within a controlled environment, and were
among the group of officers from across the region heading up the
Police-Escorted Ride.
Health Services Center
Announces Schedule for
October
Nurse practitioners are available to perform physical examinations in
Health Services by appointment. Physicals are $25. Visitors to the Center
should pay the cashier in the Prahl College Center, and bring a receipt to
the clinic, located at CM 1146. Healthcare counseling with the nurse
practitioners will also be available by appointment. There is no charge for
this service. If you need to see a nurse practitioner, please call in advance. However, nurses on staff will accept walk-ins if no one else is
scheduled. Russell Bush, MD, MPH is the Medical Director. Nurse
Practitioners are MCC Nursing faculty members Pat Ward and Lynn
Zink. Nurse Practitioners will be available on the following days:
Monday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. – 12 noon
Tuesday, Oct. 4, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 10, 3 – 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 17, 3 – 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 24, 3 – 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 31, 3 – 5 p.m.
Additional dates may be added later. Tuberculosis (TB), Tetanus,
Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccinations are available 8 am to 4:30 pm
on most days by appointment. TB Tests are $10, Tetanus and MMR
vaccinations are $50. TB Tests, Tetanus, Measles, Mumps and Rubella
vaccinations are available from 8 am to 4:30 pm most days by appointment. Please pay at the cashier's office in the Prahl Center and bring
the receipt to CM-1146. For information, call Lt. Michael Becker,
Paramedic and MCC Public Safety Health Services Coordinator at
762-0541.
Al Jazeera Journalist to
Speak at MCC on Oct. 20
The Arab American Heritage Council and Mott Community College
will present Zeina Awad, the co-host of the Fault Lines, Al Jazeera English's flagship current affairs program about the Americas, from 1 to 3
p.m., Thursday Oct. 20 in the Mott Memorial Building Auditorium.
Awad's Fault Lines coverage brought her to India where she looked at
U.S. pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical research abroad.
Awad also traveled to Puerto Rico, projected to be the world's slowest
growing economy, to analyze the harsh economic policies imposed on its
people. She rounds out this season's coverage with an exploration of the
growing gap between the wealthiest one percent of Americans and the
rest of society. At a time when U.S. income inequality soars to unprecedented heights, Awad examines the political and social impact of this
growing divide on the U.S. Before joining the Fault Lines team, Awad
was based in the Middle East and traveled throughout the region
covering stories ranging from the Gaza war to Lebanon's violent unrest.
Awad's reporting also brought her to Africa where her coverage spans the
continent and focuses on issues such as the Darfur conflict and the Zimbabwean exodus. She has reported from Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan,
Palestinian territories, South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, Algeria, Canada,
the U.S. and India. Awad has interviewed numerous world leaders, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Hamas Prime
Minister Ismail Haniyeh, veteran Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt,
members of the U.S. Congress and Arab and African ministers.
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OCTOBER 2011
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday
Friday
Saturday
For more calendar items visit
www.events.mcc.edu
3
4
Women in Education
1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
PCC 1120
10
11
Flint River Wld Ones
Meeting
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Genesee Room
17
Andy Warhol
Exhibit Begins
VADC
24
Board of Trustees Meeting
7:30 pm • RTC 1301
31
18
5
Friends of Mott Library
Silent Auction
11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Mott Library-1204
12
Bruin Club
Board Meeting
12:00-1:30 p.m.
PCC 1230
19
26
7
1
2
8
9
15
16
22
23
29
30
GSA Club Meeting
2:30-4:00 p.m.
Genesee Room
13
14
Patti Smith Lecture
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Ballenger Field House
20
Alijareeza Network
Journalist Zeina Awad
1:00-3:00 p.m.
MMB 1130
University Awareness
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
CM Fishbowl
25
6
Sunday
27
MCC College Fair
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Ballenger Field House
21
Band/Choir/Chamber
Singers concert
3:00-5:00 p.m.
MMB 1130
GSA Club Meeting
2:30-4:00 p.m.
Genesee Room
28
MCC Halloween Party
5:00-8:00 p.m.
Ballenger Field House