National Workshop for Physics Teachers Hosted at STCC

A national workshop for two-year college and high school physics faculty was hosted at STCC in late October. Run by Tom O’Kuma from Lee College in Texas and Dwain Desbien from Estrella Mountain Community College in Arizona, the workshop was part of a National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education project for physics faculty. STCC physics professor Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh said the workshop drew 27 participants from all over the country, including a team from American Samoa.

Students Learn From Intern Experience at Intel Corporation

Electrical Engineering Technology students Jennifer Welsh and Frederick Kotowski were the only two community college students selected from the New England states this summer for an internship at the Hudson, Mass. plant of Intel Corporation, the world leader in silicon innovation.

Jennifer and Frederick worked in Intel’s 12-hour overnight shifts three days one week and four days the next. Their work time at Intel included classes at Intel College, for employees to learn about the technical and safety aspects of the industry.

Jennifer, who graduated from Chicopee Comprehensive High School, said, “Being at Intel was a very rewarding experience, because of the company’s great pay, memorable people, and priceless knowledge. My time there reminded me to do the best I can while at STCC, so I can end up working at Intel or some place just as astounding.”

Frederick graduated from Pathfinder Vocational Technical High School. He came to STCC “because it was the best school I’d heard about, ever.” He said, “At Intel I was given the chance to meet many new people and make good money. The best thing I took with me was the knowledge and the experience of working in a new environment. I am grateful I’ll have Intel to put on my resume for future jobs.”

The two-year Electrical Engineering Technology program prepares students to work in the development, installation, and maintenance of robotic and industrial automated systems, using hydraulics, electrical, pneumatic, and microcomputer elements. A separate one-year certificate of completion program is offered in Electrical/Robotics Technology.

STCC wrestler is focus of film to be premiered November 12

George Hargrove, wrestling standout at STCC, intends to better his score this year at the wrestling championships. Last year he came in second. In the nation.

The 20-year-old Springfield resident is the subject of a documentary titled George: Wrestling with Resistance which will have its FREE premiere screening at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

The documentary was filmed, edited, and produced by Tim O’Donnell, Hargrove’s wrestling coach at Springfield Central High School, who is also chair of the art department at Central. The film is also a positive look at the city of Springfield and its teachers, mentors, coaches, and students.

You can listen to a conversation with George and Tim on Tuesday, November 10 from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. on STCC’s radio station, WTCC, broadcasting at 90.7 FM. They’re on This Is STCC, the weekly radio show featuring our faculty, staff, students, alumni, special guests, and special events.

Faculty Reading Group to Perform on November 2

The Faculty Reading Group at STCC, directed by Professor Dennison Rice, will present its semi-annual performance of literary readings on the morning of Monday, November 2. Each semester, several members of the faculty and staff choose favorite passages from plays, poems, novels and other literary works, and perform dramatic readings for the benefit of college students and the general public, bringing these passages to life. The performances will be held at 9:05, 10:00, and again at 11:15 a.m. on November 2 in the Scibelli Hall Theater at STCC, and are offered free of charge.

Successful Grantwriting: STCC Author Offers Free “How to” Workshop on Wednesday, November 4th

A book by STCC’s Director of Grants, Deborah S. Koch, has just been published by Penguin. In conjunction with the release of the book, Deborah will hold a free workshop on the subject of successful grantwriting. With the increasingly vital need for grant funding, and accordingly an increased competition for available grants, grantwriters – experienced or not – are looking for anything that can give them an edge. The workshop will be held on Wednesday, November 4, at the Barnes & Noble on Route 9 in Hadley, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The focus is on How to Say It: Grantwriting; Write Proposals That Grantmakers WANT to Fund. Anyone interested in attending the free workshop is asked to RSVP by emailing crm2088@bn.com with Grantwriting in the subject line.

Event Traces History and Impact of John Brown

If any one man ignited the American Civil War, it was abolitionist John Brown, who lived in Springfield in from 1847 until 1851. STCC hosted a symposium on October 17, the 150th anniversary of the fateful raid on Harpers Ferry. The keynote speaker was David S. Reynolds, author of the best-selling biography John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights. Retired STCC professor and antiquarian John Gately introduced the audience to his collection of memorabilia on John Brown and his times. Richard Colton, historian for the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, described the destruction of Harpers Ferry and its effect on Springfield. Dinah Mayo-Bobee of UMass Amherst spoke on the Pottawatomie Massacre. The Freedom Choir contributed musical selections. The event concluded with a panel discussion moderated by The Honorable Hiller B. Zobel, Associate Justice of the Superior Court of Massachusetts. The symposium was presented by the STCC School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

Open House October 22 at Armory Square Child Care Center

The Armory Square Child Care Center at STCC will celebrate its 25th anniversary with an Open House from 10:00 to 12:00 noon on October 22. The center serves children of full-time staff and students at STCC, but also accepts children from the Greater Springfield area.
Run by a volunteer board of directors, the center was established in October 1984 by students and faculty of the Early Education and Care Studies program at the college, and is licensed to care for as many as 40 children ages 2.9 years to 6 years. The center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC.)