Alumni Milestones

Evening in Paris
At a recent meeting of the Massasoit Community College Foundation, President Rose described the preparations for this year's Gala fundraiser event scheduled at the MCC Conference Center on March 3. In discussing his efforts to raise money for student scholarships, he stated that he is ready and willing to go out and talk to prospective sponsors about the benefits that MCC can offer to its major donors. He asked the members of the Foundation to help him identify corporations in the area that would be willing to sponsor a table of eight at the Gala. "Our goal this year is to sell thirty sponsor tables," President Rose announced, "and to have four hundred people in attendance. We hope to net at least $50,000. In addition, every dollar donated is eligible for a $0.50 match from the Commonwealth under the Endowment Incentive Program."

The main event will include an assortment of gourmet French food, roving musicians and artists, can-can dancers and a mini casino. Winnings from the casino can be traded in for free raffle tickets. First prize is one week's exclusive use of a five-bedroom villa in Italy, 90 miles south of Rome, plus $500 for expenses. In addition to the villa, many other valuable prizes will be awarded. Tickets for the raffle can also be purchased by calling the President's Office at extension 1003 prior to the event. To purchase tickets for the Gala call the President's Office at extension 1008.

Opera at Massasoit
Opera Allegra, the community opera company in residence at MCC, so far has produced two children's operas - "Hansel and Gretel" and Massanet's "Cinderella." Both drew near-capacity audiences and enthusiastic responses. This year, the company chose to honor one of America's great composers, Aaron Copland, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, by staging a production of his folk opera, "The Tender Land."

"The Tender Land" is a full-length opera that is truly a naturalistic drama set to music. Writing the opera for television in 1952, Copland set out to stretch the boundaries of what people think of as opera. When Aaron Copland began experimenting with this medium, he wrote, "I deliberately tried to combine the use of traditional operatic set pieces - arias, duets, choruses, etc. - with a natural language that would not be too complex for young singers." What emerged was a new form, a "folk" opera, "The Tender Land." Set in the Midwest in the 1930's, it tells the story of a young girl's passage into adulthood.

With a cast and crew numbering nearly fifty people, the production is taking shape rapidly. Sets, costumes and lighting are being designed. The staging of the musical drama - scenes, choruses, dances and soliloquies - takes place nearly daily. Preliminary publicity has gone out and tickets are being sold. "The Tender Land" project is well under way.

Director Michael Pevzner has designated the March 23rd performance to be Alumni Night at the Buckley Performing Arts Center. For reservations call extension 1234 and be sure to ask for the special discount available for Alumni and their guest for that performance.

Featured Events:
"Swing Dance America" on February 23
"The Tender Land" on March 23-25
"Fires in the Mirror" Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities on April 19-21
"12th Annual Radio Classics Live" on May 4 & 5
"MCC Scholarship Golf Tournament" on May 15

Campus News International Women's Month
Schedule of Events
3/1, Breakfast - MCC Conference Center, 8 a.m.
3/2, An Evening With Dorothy Parker - Little Theater, 8 a.m.
3/5-6, Domestic Violence Awareness - Student Lounge
3/7, Film and Discussion, 3:30 a.m.
3/8, Fuller Art Museum Reception, 5-8 a.m.
3/21, Opera Performance Theater, 12 noon
3/27, Slide Presentation - Women Artists

For more information on Women's Month activities call ext. 1484

NISOD Awards
President Rose recently announced the winners of the 2001 NISOD Teaching Excellence Awards. Six outstanding faculty members were nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of their peers. "I certainly appreciated the difficulty this committee must have had when I looked at the list of nominees," stated President Rose. "Twenty-one nominations were received in total and the competition was certainly stiff." Congratulations to the following professors: Juanita Brunelle, Modern Languages; Julie Boch, Physical Therapy; Jackie Crossen-Sills, Physical Therapy; Mary Frohn, Dental Assisting; Peg Norris and Richard Pepp, Language Arts.

Faculty & Staff Clean House
Spring cleaning is coming early for faculty and staff. In an effort to raise money for student scholarships, faculty and staff are searching through closets, cabinets, cellars, garages and attics for usable household items that they no longer need. Linda Bean, Director of the MCC Conference Center, has volunteered to chair an Indoor Yard Sale at the Conference Center on March 30th and 31st. In describing this fundraiser at a recent meeting of the MCC Foundation, President Rose noted that this is also an opportunity for our students and Alumni to participate in a fundraising event.

MCC Library
Current hours, when classes are in session, are 8 a.m. - 10 PM on Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m. - 5:30 a.m. on Friday and 1 PM - 6 PM on Saturday and Sunday. All Alumni are welcome. If you drop by, be sure to check out our special collection on Alzheimer's disease that includes My Mother's Voice by Sally Callahan, Systems Designer in MCC's Information Services Department. Also during International Women's Month the library will have a special display entitled "Women of Courage and Vision."

Gourmet Buffet Bargain
The Culinary Arts Department has planned six gourmet buffets for the spring semester. For information on dates and menus, call Pat Egan at extension 1911. Pat will also make reservations for you. Feel free to bring a friend and/or relative and be sure to let Pat know that you are a graduate so that you can be assigned a table with other Alumni. All of the Culinary Arts lunches are served with elegance in the Louison Board Room. The cost is only $5.50 per person.

MCC Welcomes Bids from Alumni
MCC spends thousands of dollars each year for contracted services and equipment. If you are in business for yourself or work for a company that would be interested in bidding on state-funded contracts, call the Alumni Office at extension 1105 or 1960 for the latest postings. During the past two years, bid specifications for services and equipment have included alarm systems, fencing, classroom furniture and equipment, computers and other office equipment, trucks, landscaping equipment, renovation contracts, printing and travel services.

Architectural Students on Tour
by Prof. Arthur Rigor da Eva.
At 35,000 feet over the Atlantic, 12 architectural students, faculty and relatives entered the 21st century on their way to the Mediterranean. Their objectives? A 700 passenger ship, the R7, that took them from Athens to Rome, via Rhodes, Crete, the Peloponnesus, and Sicily. The Greek Acropolis, Medieval castles at Rhodes, prehistoric cities (Knossos and Phaestos), Byzantine sites at Gortis and Taoromina, tragic Pompeii, and stupendous St. Peter's Basilica astounded with their unique architecture. Cruising all night, the R7 docked all day for shore tours. Ranging in age from 18 to 82, these intrepid travelers, along with Professor Rigor da Eva and Professor Moe Foley, climbed between the two domes of St. Peter's and out on the balcony 365 feet above the entrance.

Graduate Reception
On May 29, 2001, the Alumni Association will host a reception for our 2001 graduates immediately following commencement rehearsal. All Alumni are welcome. If you are free that afternoon and would like to help with the preparations for this event please call the Alumni Office at extension 1105 or 1431. The Alumni Association meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7:15 p.m. in the Student Senate room.

PTK Roast Faculty
Alpha Kappa Upsilon Alumni Association of Phi Theta Kappa will roast Rolly Blanchette, Julie Mulvey and Jack Keating on March 9th at the MCC Conference Center. The theme for the evening will be 2001:The Spaced Oddities. Tickets are on sale at the Student Life Office. After last year's uproarious performance, this year's roast could be a sell out. Proceeds will be used for student scholarships.

A L U M N I - M I L E S T O N E S

After graduating from MCC's Nursing Program in 1995, Deborah (Guy) McDavitt continued her studies at UMass Boston where she graduated Magna Cum Laude from the School of Nursing. and Administration. Presently Deborah's son Matthew Costello is attending MCC in the Business Administration Program. "We have made MCC a family tradition. MCC is the BEST." Annette Giannini, class of '95, has earned her BA in Social Work from Regis College and is currently the Director of Residential Services at S-C Management in Cambridge. Deborah is currently a Nurse Manager for Maples Rehab & Nursing Center. Her daughter, Kelley Anne Costello, is a 1998 graduate from MCC in the Child Care Education

Scott St. John, class of '94, is currently living in Maryland and works as a Sales Manager for Unistrut, Inc. "A degree from Massasoit has enabled me to get my foot in the door and excel within my company!"

Jocelyn (Horton) Sanders, class of '94, is currently the Director at Kalia Care Day Care in Lakeville. "The Early Childhood program at Massasoit was truly a great program that helped me prepare for my career choices."

Marijo (Prall) Martin, class of '72, is an artist and homemaker. Marijo is married to William Martin, also a MCC '72 graduate. She earned her BS/BA at Suffolk University.

Kimberly D. Rapoza, class of '97, passed her CPA exam last May. Kimberly earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Eastern Nazarene College's LEAD Program. She is currently an auditor for the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General. "The Massasoit Community College Continuing Education program allowed me to attend classes at my own pace while working full-time during the day. I am very grateful for the professors who encouraged me to continue on to a bachelor's degree program. My new career is challenging, but I felt prepared to meet the challenge because of the confidence I gained at MCC."

After graduating from UMass Dartmouth, Lauren Salemme, class of '96, enrolled in a Master's program at Boston College's School of Social Work.

Carol (Aker) Amirault, a graduate from the 1992 Nursing Education program, is currently a Health Care Coordinator for Wise Elder Services.

After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Boston University, Lance Gangemi, class of '90, moved to New York where he is the Regional Director for Hygienetics Environmental Services.

Matthew McLaughlin, class of '89, is currently a Financial Advisor for Prudential Securities. Matthew earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at Emerson College.

Lanisha Melton, class of '97, is a Preschool Teacher for Headstart.

Joan (Shaw) Smith is married with two daughters -- Jaime (18) and Jillian (10). She loves working as a school nurse for the town of Abington at the Frolio Junior High School. Joan is a 1979 Alumna who returned 20 years later to enroll in the nursing program. She then continued her studies at UMass Boston where she earned her BSN with honors. She preceptors fourth-year UMB nursing students because of the love she has for nursing and wants to share this with others. Future plans include enrolling in a Master's Degree Program with an emphasis in health promotion. Joan is very active in her community as a volunteer. She works on various committees bringing health issues to the forefront. "I feel that the professors at MCC thoroughly prepared me to enter the medical field both as a laboratory technician as well as a registered nurse. They were encouraging, supportive, and caring. They brought out confidence and strengths I did not know I possessed and fostered this growth continually throughout the course of study. We were like one big family. They are the Best! I've built many lasting friendships with my fellow classmates and we continue to stay in touch over the years. I'm very proud to say I'm a graduate of MCC, and I highly recommend this school to everyone, of all ages."

Lorraine Simon, class of '74, recently retired from her position as Latch Counselor at Massasoit for over 18 years. Lorraine remains on the Alumni Board, and she hopes to see many alumni at the Board meetings. She also will be traveling more and spending time with her husband and extended family, including seven grandchildren.

Jason Makos, class of '98, is studying Philosophy and Theology at Boston College and St. John's Seminary. He will be receiving his BA in 2001. In August of 2001, he will be studying Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. "Massasoit Community College has given me the essential skills needed to acquire my goals. I stand in debt to them from their relentless efforts to train and instill qualities in every student who passes through their doors. Thank you."

Annette Giannini, class of '95, has earned her BA in Social Work from Regis College and is currently the Director of Residential Services at S-C Management in Cambridge.