MWCC Recognizes Nine Students at Dental Program Pinning Ceremony
October 2, 2020, Gardner, MA - Students who graduated this past August with their Dental Hygiene associate degree were honored on Friday, September 18, during an outdoor, socially distant pinning ceremony at Mount Wachusett Community College’s Gardner campus.
This honor is particularly special for this group of students who passed the ADEX Clinical Board Licensing Exam after spending their final semester learning remotely without the opportunity to practice their skills for several months.
“As you know, this year was particularly challenging for our students,” noted Cindy Cadoret, Dental Education Program Director. “In normal times, they spend the final semester of the program honing their clinical skills in preparation for this exam. COVID abruptly halted their clinical training and many students did not pick up an instrument until we were able to safely return to the clinic this summer. Faculty worked hard to develop innovative simulated clinical experiences for students to keep their technical and critical thinking skills sharp. Their hard work paid off.”
“Over the past six months I have continually been in awe of the perseverance and achievements of the MWCC community in the face of unprecedented challenges,” stated James Vander Hooven, President of MWCC. “The dental hygiene students and faculty are a shining example of that resilience and determination.”
Students receiving their Dental Hygiene Pins were:
Katelyn Carmody of Shelburn Falls
Kathryn Graveson of Sutton
Tori Hatch of Westminster
Tori Kirk of Gardner
Savannah LaRoche of Athol
Maria Marinho-Womer of Leominster
Amy Mabardy of Lancaster
Gela Serda of Leominster
Massachusetts Community Colleges Advanced Manufacturing Summit
October 6, 2020 - Gardner, MA - The Massachusetts Community Colleges Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Council, together with the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, is pleased to present “Pathways to Your High Demand Industry: A Massachusetts Community College Summit on Advanced Manufacturing” on Thursday, October 8, 2020 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.
Developed for educators, employers, policy makers and workforce development professionals with the goal of supporting pathways to careers in Advanced Manufacturing through cooperative efforts, this inaugural event helps to kick off Advanced Manufacturing Month in the Commonwealth. Keynote speakers are James Vander Hooven, President of Mount Wachusett Community College, and Christine Abrams, President and CEO of Commonwealth Corporation.
Following the keynote addresses Brian Norris of the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium will introduce panel discussion moderator Mary Sarris, Executive Director of the North Shore Women In Business who will be speaking with panelists from GE, Straumann, and Mack. Joining the panel will be Keith Williamson, Dean of Business and Technology at Fitchburg State University, Lee Duerden, Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Manufacturing Technology at Quinsigamond Community College, and Kyle Brenner, Superintended and Director at Bay Path Regional School District. The summit will be hosted on the Zoom platform. Please visit this link https://bit.ly/3l33Q9m to register.
About the MACC PLA Council
The Massachusetts Community College Prior Learning Council seeks to enhance the process by which adults applying to community colleges are able to be awarded credit for accumulated learnings from their past work, life and military experience as well as documented examinations and competency evaluations. The process for determining the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) that can be granted is referred to as Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). CPL can reduce the costs of college education and accelerate the student to successful program completion. Learn more at MyExperienceCounts.mass.edu.
With Help from the USDA Monty Tech Offers Free Meals to Students in School and at Home
FITCHBURG---- The 2020-2021 school year began like no other, and so to make a difficult beginning a little easier for students and families, Monty Tech announced that all students would be eligible for free breakfasts and lunches – a move applauded by parents and guardians across the district. But what about those students who chose to learn from home on the Remote Learning Plan? How could they take advantage of this tremendous benefit? On Monday, October 5th, Monty Tech expanded the free meal program to now include those students, through a simple registration and pick-up process.
Relying on the school’s new Food Service Director, Jason Yeagle, whose talents and organizational skills would be critical to the program’s success, the Monty Tech leadership team developed a registration form, sent it out to all students, and advertised the opportunity through various social media outlets. With 299 students registering in the first week of the roll-out, Yeagle is sure the program will expand in coming weeks, ‘Once students see the quality and contents of each bag, we hope word gets around and they convince their friends to give it a try. This is food we are proud to offer and we hope every student takes advantage of this opportunity that the United States Department of Agriculture, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and our team are making possible.”
So often, Monty Tech calls on our partners in business and industry, whether to employ a recent graduate, provide guidance in technical education curriculum, or even to make a tool or equipment donation. So it came as no surprise when the school’s most consistent and generous donors, Ashok Hingorany and his wife Achla Bahl Madan, heard about the Remote Learning Meal Program and asked how they might help. Monty Tech’s MCJROTC Instructor Paul Jornet recalls, “Without hesitation, Ashok asked what we needed. I said a big refrigerator, and he made it happen. Preparing large insulated totes filled with five days worth of food, distributing them to hundreds of students simply requires space we did not have. Without their quick response and the additional refrigeration space, this program would not be possible.”
Superintendent-Director Sheila Harrity reflected on the donation, the program, and the tremendous impact this food will have on families across the 18 cities and towns making up the Monty Tech district. “This is a tough time for families and students. People may not be working or earning what they had in the past, and schools that were once something consistent that kids could count on, now look and feel so different. This program is an excellent example of giving back, and recognizing that we are all in this together.” Monty Tech is home to an incredibly dedicated and talented food service team, often recognized for the high quality and fresh food offered in the cafeteria. Now, in addition to preparing and serving approximately 3,000 meals weekly, they are also filling hundreds of bags with fresh fruit, produce and baked goods, milk, orange juice, frozen meals, and ready-to-eat options. The goal was to provide food our students would want to eat while at home, Yeagle says. “I think we have done just that! We will refine the menu each week, and include a list of contents, nutritional information, and suggested preparation information. We want to make it easy on everyone, helping any way we can.”
Monty Tech students are encouraged to participate in this program at no cost. To opt in to the program, simply visit: www.montytech.net/remotelearningdaysmealplan. Families may do this at any time and will receive a confirmation email outlining program start and pick up details.
Pictured from left: Jason Yeagle, Food Service Director, School Supporter Achla Bahl Madan, Superintendent Sheila Harrity, Principal Tom Browne
Pictured from left: Jason Yeagle, Food Service Director, School Supporter Achla Bahl Madan, Superintendent Sheila Harrity, Principal Tom Browne