MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CONNECTION
JANUARY 2008
MCC
FACULTY
& STAFF
NEWSLETTER
WHAT’S
INSIDE
AROUND CAMPUS
BEARS GET
TEAM RINGS
CLEARY
ANNOUNCES
TUITION GRANT
FOR MCC
EMPLOYEES
MCC LAPEER TO
HOST FREE JOB
FAIR FOR TRUCK
DRIVERS, JAN. 10
HIGHLIGHTS
2007
OF
Q UOTE OF
THE M ONTH
“Our lives begin to end the day we
become silent about things that
matter.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Anti-racist Activist/Author Tim Wise
to Speak at 29th Annual MLK Tribute
Dinner, Jan. 10
Tim Wise, one of the nation's most
prominent anti-racist activists, will
headline the 29th Annual Citywide
Tribute Dinner in honor of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. this month.
The King Tribute Dinner is scheduled for 6 pm, Thursday Jan. 10 at the
Sarvis Conference Center, located at
1231 E. Kearsley St. in Flint. Tickets are
$30 per person and $240 per corporation/table. All proceeds will go toward a
Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship for
students. Corporate tickets must be purchased by Thursday, Jan. 3. This event is
open to the public, but limited seating is
available. Tickets may be purchased by
calling the Foundation for Mott Community College at (810) 762-0425.
"We are pleased to have Tim Wise as the keynote speaker for the 2008 Martin Luther
King, Jr. Tribute Dinner," said Lennetta Coney, President of the Foundation for MCC and CoChair of the MLK Tribute Dinner Planning Committee. "Mr. Wise is among the best antiracism writers in this country. He is an eloquent speaker who can speak directly from the front
lines of racial combat in this country. We know he will bring much needed awareness to a
topic too frequently represented by African Americans alone."
Tim Wise is the director of the newly-formed Association for White Anti-Racist Education
(AWARE) in Nashville, Tenn. and lectures across the country about the need to combat institutional racism, gender bias and the growing gap between rich and poor in the U.S. Wise is a
graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, where he went on to receive antiracism training
at the New Orleans-based People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. He is perhaps best
known for his anti-racism efforts with the Louisiana Coalition Against Racism and Nazism –
the largest of various organizations founded for the purpose of defeating neo-Nazi political
candidate, David Duke, who ran for the U.S. Senate and Governor of Louisiana in 1990 and
1991, respectively.
Wise is the author of several books and essays, including White Like Me: Reflections on
Race from a Privileged Son; Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White;
Disasters, Natural and Otherwise: Race, Class and the Destruction of New Orleans and a collection of essays entitled Speaking Treason Fluently: Dissident Reflections on Race, Faith and
Nation. He has provided anti-racism training to government, corporate, entertainment and military groups and has been lecturing on the issue of racism since 1995, having spoken in 48
states and on more than 400 college campuses.
d
Ca m pus
Mary Lou Sullivan, former
Student & Administrative
Services Resource
Administrator and new retiree
sends a thank-you note. "A
very special thank-you to
everyone that stopped by to
wish Nina and me a ‘happy
retirement’ on Nov. 29. We
were overwhelmed by the time
and effort that was put into
planning the party, the delicious
food, decorations and most importantly, all of our MCC family that
stopped by with many kind words and well wishes. We will miss all
of you and will remember our years at MCC fondly."
Fine Arts Dean Jessie Sirna brings news from the Fine Arts
Division: From the Music area: Three of our music combos participated once again in the Holiday Evenings at the Flint Farmers
Market on Dec. 6 and Dec. 20. The Jazz Combo, under the direction
of Chuck Iwanusa; the Clarinet Ensemble, under the direction of
Mary Procopio and the Guitar Ensemble under the direction of Mari
Yancho performed. In Art: A reception was held on Dec. 11 to honor
the five gold card students whose art work was exhibited in the MCC
Fine Arts Gallery. "These ‘Masters of Lifelong Learning’ each
exhibited an excellent body of work and were honored for their creative talents, their work ethic and their being excellent role models as
they interact in a positive manner with the younger students in their
classes," Jessie said. "Both these music and art students and our faculty represent the Fine Arts Division and MCC in a most positive
manner in our community."
From Northern Tier Center Site Coordinator Desiree
Londrigan: "On behalf of the MCC students and faculty at the
Northern Tier Center, a BIG thank-you goes to the MCC College
Bookstore for their generous donation of books for the Northern Tier
Center’s Reading Corner. The support of the Follett Corporation for
this project is greatly appreciated!"
From Health Sciences Division Secretary Patti Estep: Her
daughter, Kassie Ellis, who works in the MCC Cashier’s Office, just
came back to work a couple of weeks ago after having her first baby.
Arou
n
Team Rings for Mott Bears
MCC Men's
Basketball team got their
championship rings at
the Dec. 17 game against
Lansing Community
College. The Bears
became the 2007 NJCAA
Division Two national
champions in March
after an impressive 75-61
victory over Monroe
County Community
College of New York.
This was the second
National Championship for the Bears in the last five years. The Bears
won their first national championship in 2003 and were runners-up in
2001 and 2004. In addition, Coach Steve Schmidt was named 2007
NJCAA division two national coach of the year. The Bears also won
that game against LCC with a score of 79-71.
Patti said, "It's really special because Kassie is "my baby:" she is the
youngest of my seven children. Also, my lucky number has always
been 13, and Tanner Joseph just happens to be my 13th grandchild,
and he weighed in at 7 pounds and 13 ounces!"
Theater Instructor Dan Gerics lets us know that the Flint City
Theatre will hold auditions for Short Play Festival, several one-act
plays by playwrights from around the country, on Jan 28 at 6 pm. No
need to prepare and audition -- cold readings. Performances: Mar 13,
14, 15, 21, 8pm; Mar 22, 2:30 and 8pm at the Good Beans Café.
Community Outreach & Engagement Coordinator Carlos
Cisneros has been appointed to serve on the board of directors of the
Greater Flint Health Coalition. His term will run from 2008-2011. He
will be the Hispanic/Latino Community representative replacing Dr.
Hector Garcia whose term has expired. Carlos has also been selected
to serve on the Resource Center's Board of Directors. His first board
meeting as a member will be Tuesday, Jan. 8.
Academic Affairs Secretary Laurie LaCross-Wright provides
an update on upcoming performances by The Rusty Wright Band.
They will be performing at the Pix Theatre in Lapeer 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 19 as part of the Pix Theatre's Premiere Concert
Series. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for students/seniors. The Pix
Theatre is located at 172 West Nepessing Street in downtown Lapeer.
Theatre box office hours are Noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For
more information, call (810) 664-4824.
Student Financial Services' Sue Lossing recently completed the
MCC Scuba Diving class. "This is a real accomplishment for me
since I cannot tread water," Sue said. "Since age 14 (the last time I
almost drowned), I had avoided swimming over my head." Sue is
encouraging MCC employees to consider taking the Scuba Diving
Class.
Accounting's Karen Amore has graduated from the University of
Michigan–Flint with a bachelor's degree in history. Congratulations,
Karen!
English Prof. Greg Shafer's essay "Dialects, Gender, and the
Writing Class" was published in the December edition of Teaching
English in the Two year College.
Cleary Announces Tuition
Grant For MCC Employees
Cleary University is pleased to announce that all MCC staff and
immediate family members are eligible for a 20% tuition grant on all
Cleary University undergraduate and graduate programs. Cleary's
tuition program is all- inclusive covering all required text books and
fees. In addition, Cleary University has a tuition guarantee that states
as long as a student stays continuously enrolled at least part-time
tuition rates will stay the same through degree completion. Application
fees will also be waived for all eligible staff and family. Cleary
University will be holding an Information Session on Wednesday, Jan.
23 from 6 to 8 pm in the Mott Memorial Building, room 1010 for all
interested in learning more about the programs. To RSVP or for more
information, please contact Melissa Nuckles, Cleary admissions representative at 232-8004 or mnuckles@cleary.edu. You may also stop by
the Cleary University office at the University Center in MMB 1012
and Melissa will be happy to provide you with the necessary information. Winter classes begin Feb. 25 and there is still plenty of time to
find out how Cleary University can help you complete your degree or
add a graduate degree.
Highlights of 2007
MCC had a number of exciting events, special programs and
major achievements taking place throughout 2007. Here are a few
highlights:
January - Expansion of Northern Tier Center: ribbon cutting event
held for new location on Vienna Road in Clio
February - MCC and Ferris State University mark 11-Year alliance,
renewing partnership and announcing new Honors Program
Articulation Agreement
March - Legendary entertainer Bill Cosby addressed a capacity crowd
gathered at Ballenger Field House on March 22. More than 2,000 people from across the community gathered to hear Cosby's inspirational
message: "My Life: Who's in Charge."
MCC Chefs Matt Cooper (left) and William Crawford make ice sculptures at the C.S. Mott Applewood Estate on Dec. 4. The ice carving
was done for the Cultural Center's Annual Holiday Walk.
MCC Lapeer to Host Free
Job Fair for Truck
Drivers, Jan. 10
The Mott Community College Lapeer Extension Center will be
the host site for a free job fair offering employment opportunities for
experienced local and over the road truck drivers.
E.L. Hollingsworth & Co. will be hosting the Truck Driver
Recruitment Job Fair at the MCC Lapeer Extension Center, located at
550 Lake Drive near M-21 and DeMille Road in Lapeer on Thursday,
Jan. 10. Recruiters will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The job fair
is free and open to the public.
CDL drivers will need to bring their driver's license, Department
of Transportation (DOT) Cards along with a Social Security Card for
on-the-spot verification, orientation and sign up. The demand is great
for individuals who have their commercial driver's license (CDL), with
1-year Class –A experience and no more than 4-points on their
Michigan Vehicle Registration (MVR).
"We are hiring qualified truck drivers, so you can get the job
that's waiting for you," said Jerry Piper, a recruiter with E.L.
Hollingsworth & Co. "You can start immediately."
E.L. Hollingsworth & Co., located at 3039 Airpark Drive in Flint,
is a Native American-owned and operated company that has been
hauling freight since 1924. For more information about the job fair,
call 888-300-9935. Visit the E.L. Hollingsworth & Co. website at
www.elhc.net.
MCC will be offering an accelerated, eleven-week Basic
Building and Construction Certificate (BCON) training program at
the MCC Livingston Center in Howell beginning in January. This
training is offered as part of a Department of Labor grant to
address the projected future shortfall of construction workers due
to massive retirements. The program will be free to participants
meeting No Worker Left Behind qualification criteria. Students
will emerge from the program with a broad set of skills suitable
for entry into a variety of construction and construction-related
jobs. Please call 810-232-2065 for more information.
The Men's Basketball Team clinched the 2007 NJCAA Division Two
National Championship. It was the second national championship for
the Mott Bears: they won their first national championship in 2003.
April - MCC and Kettering University renew articulation agreement.
This strategic partnership, initially formalized in February, 2003, has
been a fruitful one, with more students transferring from MCC to
Kettering than from any other institutions Kettering partners with.
May - Entertainer/Activist Harry Belafonte: Keynoter kicking off 2007
Ballenger Lecture Series, speaking on topic: "Giving a Community
Hope."
June - MCC Board of Trustees Chair Lenore Croudy was named the
winner of the State of Michigan's most prestigious award for community service: the Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement
Award for Volunteerism.
July - Trustee Sally Shaheen Joseph is sworn in and officially welcomed to the MCC Board of Trustees, replacing Ehren Gonzales.
August - The MCC Millage Renewal passes with overwhelming support from voters. The proposal passed by a more than 2 to 1 ratio.
September - Board of Trustees Chair Lenore Croudy elected Chair of
the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA); Trustee Celia
Turner elected to the Association of Community College Trustees
(ACCT) Board of Directors as a Delegate-at-Large.
Foundation for MCC's Second Annual Motown, Mott & More Lip
Sync Scholarship Show featured several new acts as well as surprise
return of the Blues Brothers, a.k.a. MCC President Dr. Richard Shaink
and Foundation for MCC Foundation Chair Richard Shick.
October - Civil Rights Attorney Morris Dees, co-founder and chief
trial counsel of the Southern Poverty Law Center, keynotes the second
installment of the 2007 Ballenger Lecture Series.
November - MCC received recognition in the Nov. 19, 2007 issue of
the national magazine, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, for
providing an environment where Hispanic students can "thrive and
persist." MCC made the magazine's "2007 Publisher's Picks" for the
sixth year in a row.
December - MCC participated in the annual Holiday Food Drive to
benefit the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.
JANUARY 2008
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday
1
2
3
Friday
Saturday
4
5
Men’s & Women’s
Basketball Game
1-5 p.m.-Ballenger
8
7
Sierra Club Meeting
5:30-9:30 pm
Genesee Room
9
10
11
14
15
College Cultural
Neighborhood
Association
7-9 pm • RTC 1005
21
22
Board of Trustees Meeting
7 pm • PCC 109
17
18
Men’s & Women’s
Basketball Game
5:30-9:30 p.m.-Ballenger
23
13
19
20
Men’s & Women’s
Basketball Game
1-5 p.m.-Ballenger
24
25
26
27
Cervical Cancer
Awareness/HPV Vaccine
1-4 pm
RTC 1005
Martin Luther King Day
College Closed
28
16
6
Men’s & Women’s
Basketball Game
1-5 p.m.-Ballenger
Men’s & Women’s
Basketball Game
1-5 p.m.-Ballenger
Men’s & Women’s
Basketball Game
5:30-9:30 p.m.-Ballenger
Audubon Society
Meeting
6-9:30 pm
Gorman
12
Sunday
29
30
31
Men’s & Women’s
Basketball Game
5:30-9:30 p.m.-Ballenger
PRESORTED
STANDARD
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Flint, MI
Permit NO 51
1401 East Court Street
Flint, Michigan 48503-2089