March Edition

M A R C H 8 , 2 0 1 2

Student VoiceThe Massasoit Community Coll e g e

“Greasy Rider”Author Greg Melville:A Down to Earth GuyHere at Massasoit, environmental

awareness and a green attitude are something we see every day. Just walk into our cafeteria and you will immediately see our “Green Monster” waste bin for decomposable waste only, and separate bins for trash and for collecting recyclable bottles. One of the most interesting things we do here on campus to support a health-ier environment started in 2009, when, as part of alumni Kyle Cork-ery’s Honors project, all the diesel cars on campus were converted into “fry cars” and run off of grease recy-cled from our own cafeteria. No one would understand better the ben-efits of using a fry car than Greg Mel-ville, author of the book Greasy Rider.

Greasy Rider chronicles Melville’s journey from coast to coast in his fry-oil-powered family car, with his college friend Iggy along for the ride. One Book, One College has in-vited Greg Melville here in March; he will be visiting the Canton Cam-pus on the 22nd, and the Brockton Campus on the 23rd for read-ins, discussions, and writing workshops.

When I was given the opportunity to interview Melville, I was pretty ner-vous. Greg Melville is an acclaimed author and journalist, whereas I am just a first year college student about to write my very first article. The night of our phone conversation, before I could even begin to ask my ques-tions, Melville was asking me ques-tions about my kids and me. He then explained that he was putting me at

ease, a common tactic he uses when being interviewed. This was the first of several interviewing tactics that he shared with me while we talked. I found Greg Melville to be very down to earth. He was doing chores while we talked! Finally, I started asking my questions.

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A new initiative on the Canton Cam-pus is giving students a strong voice and an opportunity to share their sto-ries of academic success with hun-dreds of other students. The new organization designed to highlight student achievement is called “The Honors Program Speakers Bureau”, and it has been formally launched during the current academic year on the Canton campus of Massasoit.

The Speakers Bureau is composed of a group of students who make speech-es about their experiences in Honors courses. Students share their personal stories about why they decided to take an Honors course and how the unique atmosphere in Honors classes has helped them to realize their full poten-tial. They also answer questions and do their best to encourage their classmates to reach for their academic dreams.

The Speakers Bureau is a new branch of Massasoit’s Honors Pro-gram, a program in both Brockton and in Canton which offers highly motivated students opportunities to take Honors courses in a variety of

Honors Program Speakers Bureau Launched on The Canton CampusBy: David LaFontaine

subjects. As the number of students with ambitions to transfer to four-year colleges expands, the need for Honors courses has also grown.

Getting the word out to students about why Honors cours-es are beneficial to them is the central purpose of “The Honors Pro-gram Speakers Bureau”. Students are proving to be the most elo-quent and persuasive voices when it comes to inspiring their classmates.

Liz Sekkes is one of the charter members of the Speakers Bureau.

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Supposedly, Ernest Hemingway was asked one time to write a story in six words. He is credited with the poignant memoir “For sale: baby shoes, never worn;” the truth is Hemingway never wrote it, but perhaps it befitted him because of his legendary terse prose. Nonetheless, it’s just that: legend only. But the idea of the challenge was so in-triguing to Larry Smith that he initiated,

in November, 2006, the six-word mem-oir project. He asked readers to submit their tiny stories to his online SMITH magazine. They answered in droves! After that success Smith published a book version of the memoirs called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Ob-scure. Since then there have been other books, partnerships with other media like Twitter, and a nod from Oprah with a spread in her O Magazine recently.

Since the book selection Greasy Rider is about a unique “ride” and a remark-able “journey of discovery,” the One Book One College committee would like to piggyback on Smith’s idea and extend the six-word memoir

challenge to the college community;

Spring is here. Transfer time is upon us. Where do you want to be in the fall? We can help you! Mass Transfer applica-tions for the UMass and state schools are due immediately. Visit us in the Advising & Counseling Center in the lower level of the Student Center for information and tips, Monday through Friday between 8 am – 5pm, and eve-nings Monday through Thursday un-til 7 pm. We can be reached by tele-phone at 508-588-9100, x1461 or on the web at: http://www.massasoit.mass.edu/stud_serv/counsel_ctr/index.cfm

Some upcoming semester highlights include the Transfer Workshops with

Let’s Talk TransferBy: Sarah Barry Shane

Bridgewater State University from 12-1 on Wednesday, March 21 in Brockton in the Louison Board Room and on Monday, March 26 in Canton in Room C124. Please come and learn valuable tips about the transfer pro-cess, including taking the best cours-es for your major before you even graduate from Massasoit CC. These workshops are open to all students, even those in their first semester here.

Come one; come all to the College Transfer Day in Canton on Wednes-day, March 28, from 10 am – 1 pm. It’s a great way to learn about differ-ent schools to see which might be the best fit for you.

Please check our website below to

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The Dean’s Corner

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The Student Voiceof Massasoit Communiy College strives to provide an independent, fair and accurate voice on issues of interest to its student, faculty, administrative, and communities.

Editor-in-chief: Kerri Guillette

Assistant Editor: Colleen Newell

Sports Editor: Zahra Alavi

Production Editor: Alex Graziano

With contributions from:

Shelby Garlick, Tatiana Jean Noel, Mary-ann Serrilla, Brandy Hosmer, Luke

McLaughlin, Tony Fagundes , Kyle DiGi-andomenico, Lourdes Laurent, Sarah

Barry Shane, Mary L. Nesson, David LaFontaine, Nick Palantzas, Jim Lynch, Bruce McCabe, Julie Mulvey, Eric Nor-

ment, Johanna Pittman, Kathleen Reid, Maureen Thayer.

Contact us:

[email protected]

Notice:

Massasoit Community College is an affir-mative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on basis of race, creed, religion, color, gender, sexual ori-entation, age, disability, genetic informa-tion, maternity leave, and national origin in its education programs or employment practices, pursuant to Massachusetts Gen-eral Laws, Chapter 151B and 151C; Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972; Section 504, Reha-bilitation Act of 1973; Americans with Dis-abilities Act; and regulations promulgated there under 34 C.F.R. Part 100 (Title VI), Part 106 (Title IX), and Part 104 (Section 504).

All inquiries concerning applications of the above should be directed to the College’s Af-firmative Action Office and/or the College’s Coordinator of title IX and Section 504.

Photo courtesy of Brandy Hosmer

Dean of Students

Maureen Thayer

Is Civility Alive and Well on Our Campuses?The other day I was walking into the Student Center when two students held the

doors open for me. I thanked them both for their kindness. I thought, “We have the nicest students.” I have seen hundreds of random acts of kindness on our campuses during my thirty-four years of working at Massasoit Community College.

Many of us have walked through the campus hearing words we consider “not fit for polite company.” The way we speak with our friends in private (I include myself ) may not be the same way we converse with our friends in public. I challenge our students to find more appropriate words to use.

It seems that people blur the lines between their private lives and their public lives. I cringe when I hear someone talking so loudly on a cell phone that everyone within fifty feet can hear. We really don’t want to know your business.

Recently, a few students displayed loud, disruptive behavior in the Brockton cafete-ria. I compare our cafeteria to a restaurant. Would those students have acted that way in a public restaurant? I doubt it. And if they did, I’m sure that they would have asked to leave the restaurant. This behavior is not acceptable in Massasoit Commu-nity College’s cafeteria either.

submit a six-word memoir around the theme of rides or journeys. Can you tell the story of your most memorable jour-ney or ride in six words? Of course, the connotation of “rides” or “journeys” can be wide and varied: a literal drive across the country in a vegetable oil-powered car, a trek across Europe after gradua-tion, or an extended period of time do-ing something like your stint as a race-car driver or football player in Europe.

So we are asking students, staff, teach-ers, and alumni to submit their own six-word memoirs about “rides and jour-neys” The ride would ideally be in/on an energy efficient, nature friendly, con-servation loving vehicle, or it could be a journey or discovery of ways to preserve the earth and protect the environment. Some examples from the SMITH site:

Feet: use them to commute more. Solar powered remote control lawn mower. Someday We’ll Skype off to

work.

Eventually, when we get hundreds of submissions (or maybe thousands),

we will publish our own version of the six-word memoir around our theme of conservation and sustainability. It would be a way to acknowledge the support of the community as well as provide a means of fund raising to purchase (for the students or the cam-pus in general) equipment or supplies that help sustain the environment.

So, submit your six word memoir by going to the Massasoit Library web-page and clicking on the comments section or go to the One Book Six-Word Memoir site http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords-treehugger and pub-lish your own “Green Life” short story.

With many thanks to the folks at SMITH.

“It’s both important and powerful to hear witness of the Honors Pro-gram from other students,” says Liz, “because we are just like they are. Hearing first-hand accounts from fel-low students that Honors is not out of their reach is more believable than hearing it only from professors.”

Liz looks forward to graduating in 2012 with a Liberal Arts Studies de-gree and continuing her educa-tion at Bridgewater State College, where she will major in Corporate

Communications. She recalls the sense of satisfaction and achievement that her success in Honors courses has given her.

“I was excited to encourage other stu-dents to take English Comp II Honors”, says Liz. “I had enjoyed it so much. I want-ed to assure them that they could do it.”

Simona Kalcheva, who will graduate in 2013 and plans to transfer to Bridge-water where she will pursue a degree in psychology, has joined Liz and other members of the Speakers Bureau in making presentations. In her speeches to her classmates, Simona talks about how Honors courses have devel-oped her creativity and writing ability.

“The Honors Program has made me set higher goals for myself and I have achieved them,” says Simona with her characteristic enthusiasm. “There was a great feeling of accomplishment! It will help me when I transfer to a four-year college. I feel proud of myself and feel that I have perfected my writing skills.”

In addition to spreading the word about English Comp II Honors, members of the Speakers Bureau also make presentations about in-dependent learning projects they have undertaken. These courses are-known as “Honors Project Courses”.

Honors Program Speakers Bureau Launched on The Canton CampusBy: David LaFontaine

Six Word Memoirs(continued)

“Greasy Rider”Author Greg Melville:A Down to Earth Guy (continued)

The Voice: “What do you want readers to take away from your story?”

Melville: “Many solutions are already at hand and accessible in everyday lives.”

He also hopes that readers will understand that sustainability and affordabil-ity often go hand in hand, and there is no need to wait for these technologies. They’re already here! And the process of using them often saves people money!

The Voice: “Your blog hasn’t been updated lately, so what have you been up to?”

Melville: “I’m still a freelance journalist, so I write quite a bit for a bunch of dif-ferent publications [Runner’s World, Men’s Health] and I write a weekly for Out-side Magazine’s website. It’s a question and answer column on adventure travel called ‘The Adventure Advisor.’”

The Voice: “What were your favorite/least favorite parts of your trip?”

Melville: “My favorite part was getting to California. Least favorite part was begging for oil. I never enjoyed it. Our success rate was not very high because a lot of places, either someone was already collecting their oil to make biodiesel fuel oil, or it was not very good oil, or they were just out of it. Their waste oil dumpster was empty.”

The Voice: “How did you ask for the oil?”

Melville: “Initially, we would just go to the restaurant and ask. Eventually, we would look in the oil dumpster first before we would ask, and if they had decent oil, then we would go in and ask. Generally, one out of every twenty would have decent oil.”

The Voice: “When you started out, did you actually think this was possible?”

Melville: “You always assumed that as long as the car held up, we would make it. It always seemed like a fun adventure and a unique challenge.”

The Voice: “What were some reactions from people when you stopped to get their fuel?”

Melville: “For the most part, either people hadn’t heard of it and were curious to find out more and thought it was a cool thing, or already knew a good bit about recycled fry grease as good fuel. Generally, the reactions were very posi-tive.”

The Voice: “There was a movie in 2006 called “Greasy Rider”… Had you heard of it when you decided to call your book that?”

Melville: “My original title was going to be ‘A Fuel’s Errand.’ The title change was the editor’s idea.”

He does want to see the movie though.

The Voice: “Are you doing anything now to promote a greener lifestyle?”

Melville: “I consider myself a journalist before anything else. I continue to try, and there are more things that I know now than I used to about sustainability, and what I can do to reduce my impact.”

Greg Melville and his family have moved to Ashville, Carolina, in the central part of the city so they don’t have to drive as much. They have remodeled their home with sustainable materials, insulated it to make it more energy efficient, and have done things to reduce their water consumption. They also continue to turn their home into a greener one. In general, they try to reduce their consumption of energy and electricity. Greg also gets produce from a farm share.

He adds, “Buy local, be energy efficient, reduce waste, and it helps our planet.”

The Voice: “Did Iggy ever make good on the $50 bet you mention in the book?”

Melville: “He still owes me the money.”

The Voice: “What kind of problems did you run into?”

Melville: “Iggy and me not killing each other. But I couldn’t have done the trip without him, and couldn’t have written the book without him. I owe him a lot more than he owes me.”

For a full schedule of events that are planned for Greg Melville’s visit to cam-pus, including his writing workshops, students can visit www.massasoit.mass.libguides.com, and select the One Book, One College lib guide. There is a March 19th sign up deadline (at the library front desk) for the Library Read-In with Greg Melville, which is March 23rd from 6pm to 9:30pm. There will be games, crafts, pizza, restorative yoga, and most importantly, a chance to meet the author!

More information on the Greasy Rider Writing Contest and the Cool Ride Con-test can be found in the library. There will also be a yard sale which One Book; One College is organizing on Wednesday, April 25th in the quad, as part of the Environmental Fair sponsored by the Sustainability Committee. All school clubs are invited to have a table selling anything sustainable.

Dr. P. M. Forni, professor at Johns Hopkins University, is the author of Choosing Civility: The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct and The Civility Solution. His definition of civility is clear, simple, and direct - “civility means the awareness of others.” It’s important for all of us to be aware of how our behavior affects others. At Orientations, I talk about Massasoit Community College’s Guidelines of Civility. Here they are again:

• Becourteousandrespectfultoeveryone

• Behonest

• Respectcampusproperty

• Activelyparticipateinyoureducation

- attend classes, be on time, and be prepared

• Listenwhiletheprofessorandfellowclassmatesarespeaking

• Turnoffallelectronicdevicesinclassrooms,labs,andlibrary

• Refrainfromusingprofanityanddegradinglanguage

• Refrainfromyellingincorridors,cafeteria,andstudentlounge

• AbidebytheCollege’sSmokingPolicy–smokeonlyindesignatedareas

• Beresponsibleforyourchoicesandactions

We are community who cares about one another and shows it by our being civil and respectful. This is who we are.

Is civility alive and well on our campuses? What do you think?

Responses may be sent to Dean Thayer at [email protected]

By virtue of being accepted to Massasoit Community College, students are agreeing to abide by the college’s Stu-dent Code of Conduct, rules, regulations, guidelines and policies found in the Student Handbook. (www.massasoit.mass.edu/ select Student Services, select Student Handbook). When students violate the Code of Conduct, the Code will be enforced.

Ed Dufresne, one of the charter mem-bers of the Speakers Bureau, will gradu-ate with a Liberal Arts Studies degree this coming June. Ed has spoken to students about his research on the poetry of William Wordsworth and the impact of the poet’s childhood and youth on many of his greatest poems.

The newest members of the Speakers Bureau include Andrew Smith and Erika Jepsen, both of whom plan to complete all the academic requirements of the Honors Program by the time they gradu-ate. Other students who have participat-ed include Nicole Neas and Jake Leppo.

Andrew Smith, who will gradu-ate with a business degree and then transfer to a four-year college, is ex-cited about sharing his own suc-cess story with other students

“The Honors Program has been es-sential for my growth and develop-ment as a student,” says Andrew. “I was challenged to live up to the expectations of the Honors cours-es and what my peers had to offer.”

In the spring, 2012 semester, members of the Speakers Bureau will be redou-bling their efforts to publicize the avail-ability of Honors courses and to urge students to challenge themselves in the pursuit of excellence at Massasoit.

“I want everyone to be aware of the rewards that the Honors Pro-gram brings,” says Andrew Smith.

To learn more about the Honors Pro-gram Speakers Bureau in Canton or to arrange for a student speaker to make a presentation, call 508-588-9100 x2838.

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Do you love animals? Are you sick of the stories of thoughtless and cruel owners? Are you interested in help-ing these poor suffering animals? Well, now is your chance! There is a new club at Massasoit for animal lovers. It’s the Animal Cruelty Prevention and Animal Assistance Technology Club, or ACPAAT. Their goals are to prevent the cruelty of these helpless creatures, help in de-veloping technology used to assist animals that have been abused, and educate others on the prevention of abuse. The ACPAAT club is dedicated to ending the inhumane suffering of our furry friends, including cats and dogs. Almost everyone is a cat person or a dog person; just imagine your be-loved pet in an abusive situation. How would you feel if it had to suffer for no reason at all? How angry would you be?

This is what they are trying to pre-vent. Animals can end up in two types of homes; the loving and caring homes or the cruel and abusive homes. Some people could care less about who they give a kitten or puppy to as long as they get rid of them. This is how animals get placed with uncaring owners. In some

cases, there are owners who aren’t cruel enough to abuse their pets; but in-stead wind up neglecting them, often not even realizing that they are in fact mistreating their animals. The ACPAAT club wants to prevent this from hap-pening. They want people to realize how to take care of a pet properly in order to prevent neglect or abuse. They want to help with tools and technol-ogy that will assist the neglected and abused animals. Yes, there is technol-ogy out there, such as wheelchairs for animals, but there needs to be more.

ACPAAT wants to get the word out about animal abuse, animal cruelty, and the technology to help give abused ani-mals a new lease on life. They also want to prevent animal cruelty through edu-cation and awareness. The Animal Cru-elty Prevention and Animal Assistance Technology Club’s two co-presidents, Kenneth Coer and Jessica Grafton, are looking for a secretary and a treasurer. We also need more members who care about our furry friends too! Meetings are every Monday in S535 from 12-1pm. If you are interested in seeing how you can help just stop by, or you can con-

tact Professor Marc Simmons who is the advisor. Whether you are an ani-mal lover or are just curious about the Animal Cruelty Prevention and Assis-tance Technology Club we encourage you to come and sit in on a meeting.

I’ve been doing a lot of hiding lately; hiding from my friends, my work, and most importantly: the world. I have been dealing with some personal issues for a few months; and I am sure you all have used hiding as a defense mecha-nism once or twice. So, there I was hiding behind episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, old soap operas, and Pop-Up Video that had been piling up on my DVR and eating junk food; when I heard a piece of news that shocked me into reality. It was one of those things that you hear and immediately ques-tion the validity of: Did that really happen? What century am I living in? What the….?? Those were the questions running through my mind when I heard a reporter from the student newspaper at Bridgewater State University, The Comment, had been punched for writing a pro-gay editorial. These are the things that make me continually question; Where is the love? I’m not talking about romantic, sappy Valentine’s Day love; I’m talking about the love that we should feel for each other as human beings. Yes, I am going there. I feel that we should all love and respect each other. No one is perfect. No two people are going to ever 100% agree on anything. Peo-ple are going to have heated, passionate arguments about their beliefs. But, at the end of the day, love and respect are what it all comes down to. They are what matter the most. I am stubborn; it is one of my best and worst qualities. If you and I are going to argue and disagree on a subject, I will yell. I will feel that my view is right and that you are wrong. But, will I punch you in the face? No. Will I physically attack you in any sort of way? No. The usual ending to an argument with me is a huffy “Whatever,” and then I’ll change the subject. I might be a little upset, hence the huffy tone I will use, but it passes and is soon forgotten. There are two things that scare me the most about the act of violence that occurred on the Bridgewater State campus. First, as a journalist I instantly felt some sort of connection to the writer of the editorial. Should journalists fear for their safety when writing about a controversial subject? It is our job to report the news, and at

times to give our opinions about the news. When you decide to become a journalist you know that there will be risks. A large percentage of your audience will not connect with you, and sometimes the comments they make on the articles you work so hard on writing will upset you. But nasty comments are one thing, physical violence is another. It crosses a line; a HUGE line. This leads me to the second thing that scares me about this incident at BSU, and this should scare all of you too. We are not evolving as a society; we are in fact moving backwards. Instead of agreeing to disagree, respecting other opinions and moving on; we are fighting with not just our words, but with our fists. Violence is senseless. It is stupid. Yet all through our history as a society violent acts have oc-curred. Groups of people, on opposite sides of controversial subjects, used violence to make their voices louder and to try and get their point across. One would think that our soci-ety would grow from past mistakes, that we would take past tragedies and use them to remind ourselves that it all comes down to one thing: Deep down we are all the same. We all have a heart and a brain; who we choose to love with that heart and what we choose to think with that brain is our de-cision, and not anyone’s business. I, Kerri Guillette, speaking for myself and NOT for any member of The Massasoit Student Voice, stand for marriage equality in all 50 states because to me marriage is a non-discriminating loving act. I know that there are some of you that agree with me, some of you that disagree with me, and I am hoping that there are none of you wishing physical harm against me. I am aware that the world we live in is not made up of rainbows, gummy bears, and happy faces. There is darkness, bitterness, and pain. But, somehow, in the midst of everything going on around us… can we find a way to stop the hate? Can we respect oppos-ing views? Most importantly, can we take a stand against vio-lence? I am scared of the road that we, as a society, are head-ed down. These days I am questioning…Where is the love?

Bullying affects everyone, whether you are in first grade or in college. Bul-lying has become a significant issue in modern day society. Dramatikos wants to tackle this issue at hand and make a positive change at Massasoit and in the community. Dramatikos is currently sponsoring “The Bully Show” which will be brought to local area elementary schools during spring break to get the word out about bullying. The Bully Show is a game show in which the ac-tors act out scenarios of bullying. The students in the audience must decide which sceneries are considered bully-ing and which are not. The play fea-tures audience involvement and gets kids thinking about the issue.

Brooke Medieros, who plays Jamie Jameson, the host of The Bully Show, commented on her involvement with the production, “I think it is a fun and a creative way for students to interact and learn about bullying. I can’t wait to go to the schools and perform! I really hope it will make a difference.” Sam Jacobs, who plays Carole says, “The Bully Show is great because I have grown up being bullied myself and have seen others being bullied. This

can really empower people to educate themselves in a fun way about bully-ing and put a stop to it.” Caleb Seltzer, who plays Johnny Jameson mentioned, “This is the first stage production I’ve done in over ten years. I’ve been asked many times growing up why I didn’t do more acting. I’ve always said that I’d only dedicate myself to projects that I felt a strong connection to. The Bully Show came to my attention the day before final auditions were held. I liked and related to the “Johnny” character, so I tried out. From working in the world of professional wrestling over the last six years, I’ve developed the skills necessary to master the art form of making an audience either love you or loathe you based upon your actions and reactions. “Johnny Jameson” is a swarmy, egomaniacal windbag; some-one that naturally attracts negative attention and is the epitome of what a real bully is. I’m looking forward to bringing this character and his per-sonality to life in an effort to deliver an important and positive message to kids. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

This year Dramatikos is planning “The Bully Project”, which will consist

of a show full of monologues that are based on real-life bully experiences. As a club we are looking to hear from students about bullying; whether as a personal experience, if you’ve ever wit-nessed someone being bullied, or even your feelings about it. If you would like to be apart of this and share your story on stage, we can make sure you remain anonymous. Remember, it gets better!

What is Dramatikos?

Dramatikos is a student run drama club that produces small theater productions every semester. Dra-matikos meets every Monday from 12-1pm in FA 330. Whether children’s theater, monologues, comedies or short straight plays; Dramatikos is a well rounded club to be involved in! Dramatikos main focus is to give back to the community by providing theatri-cal performances. Students become involved in all areas of theater produc-tion; including acting, singing, danc-ing, stage management, sets, lighting, sound, costuming, make-up, public relations, and advertising .If you have any questions or want to become involved with Dramatikos or The Bully Project; the Advisor is Professor Ellen

Kelly and can be reached at 508-588-9100 extension X1052. Brooke Medie-ros is the Club Representative and can be reached at [email protected].

Please join the “What’s Your Story-The Bully Project Group” on Facebook if you want to be involved in this incredible project! Also, please feel free to check out the Dramatikos page on Facebook to keep up with our other projects! We appreciate your support!

Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Massasoit-Dra-matikos/385314194816697

What’s Your Story- The Bully Project Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/309974129051067/

Sophomore Twenty-Two year old Stan-ley Jean Noel vice president of Student Senate vows day in day out to abide by the commands of the Senates purpose; “The purpose of the Student Senate As-sociation shall be to represent and fur-ther the interest of the student body to encourage self-governance; to promote responsibility and cooperation between students, faculty, and administration.”

“Why me, what’s so important about me, No I don’t want to be in it find some-one else, Can’t you just get anyone else”, question after question was posed as the SIMS game attracted his full attention.

“Massasoit was not my first choice, I wanted to kind of start over new, in a new state in a new environment away from everyone I knew prior, so I went to New York. Things didn’t seem to pan out like I hoped they would so I came back and my first and only choice was Massa-soit.” Stanley chuckled lightly realizing his comment; He is just like many of the students joining Massasoit as a fresh-man growing up in Brockton always hearing negative comments about Massasoit and why anyone shouldn’t

attend. But Student Senate Vice- Presi-dent Stanley shows us how coming to a Community College worked in his favor. “Instead of sulking around and not benefiting my time wisely for the next two years, I decided to join a club I was familiar with since my high school days back at Brockton High.” Joining the Schools Senate is possibly the easi-est club to join, some may ask how, well according to Mr. Jean Noel and the Massasoit Community College Stu-dent Association Constitution; “Mem-bership in the Student association is automatically granted to all student”.

The Student Senate is involved with many activities around the school due to all the voices and the personal opin-ions its members have on ways to im-prove not only Massasoit, but to help its students. For instance, although with limited information, currently in the caf-eteria there is a posted board put up by the Senate titled SNAP. SNAP is trying to implement a program, possibly within the semester or next semester, that will provide lunch cards or what is common-ly known in colleges as meal plans, for

students who are eligible and are satis-fied with the food types in the cafeteria.

When asked the question, “Do you feel that you’re leaving a legacy at MCC and leaving the students under you with a better understanding of what Student Senate is all about?”, Vice President Jean Noel replied; “I don’t really mind not having a legacy for myself. It’s all about leaving a legacy for the school and the student senate as a club it-self; it’s not about having a legacy for individual self. At the end of the day, it’s about putting our hands together as a group and trying to help out an-other group of people. As for my final words to my personal group of hard working senators, I would have noth-ing but nice remarks to say about the senate. My time was well spent with those I can now call my friends”

Many events occur the school year; in reality no one truly knows where these projects or ideas come from, or even who is responsible for putting them on. “In the past I must say school spirit was very minimal; but I am blessed to say once I took over as Vice President

things started to change. Our events that where once lacking what we need-ed most the STUDENTS, are now filled beyond belief with members of the stu-dent body. For instance, an event that once had 10-25 people transformed into a wowing number of 150 the fol-lowing semester.” I asked Stanley one last question before I let him return to his game, “ What events do you guys have planned coming up in the near future?” He proudly answered, “One event that always has a lot of people is the Open Mic Spoken Word so I hope to have that coming up. Also, the End of the Year Cookout in May which is al-ways a hit because it involves free food and there are no more classes to worry and panic about.” If being a part of the Student Senate interests you, stop by the Student Life office to see how you can be involved next semester.

to see the dates that UMass Bos-ton, UMass Dartmouth, and UMass Lowell will have information tables in Brockton and Canton. Representa-tives from each school visit from Feb-ruary through early May to provide information and answer questions. Don’t miss out on your favorite school!

If you are planning to transfer in Fall 2012 to a four year school, please con-sider attending one of the On-the-Spot Admissions days with an Admission Counselor from Bridgewater State, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth and UMass Lowell. Students need to have 42 credits completed in order to be eligible to meet with a transfer coun-selor. The dates run from February through early March and are filling up fast so please sign up at the Advising & Counseling Center as soon as possible.

http://www.massasoit.mass.edu/stud_serv/counsel_ctr/current_events.cfm

If you want to change your major, make sure to do so by March 15 to be effec-tive for this spring! If you have any ques-tions on which career might best suit you, we can help with that too. Come on down; we’d love to meet with you!

Let’s Talk Transfer(continued) Attention All Animal Lovers!

By: Brandy Hosmer

Kerri’s VoiceWhere is the Love?

By: Kerri Guillette

It Gets Better with Dramatikos!By: Maryann Serrilla

By: Tatiana Jean Noel

Bringing Life Into a Quiet World

CAREER PLACEMENT SERVICESAT

MASSASOIT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

INVITES YOU TO ATTEND OUR

JOB FAIRWEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

BROCKTON CAMPUS

STUDENT CENTER - UPPER LOUNGE

For more information, Call 508-588-9100x1406

BRING PLENTY OF RESUMESAND DRESS PROPERLY.

6 7

Find Out What’s Going on at Massasoit!

Find Us at facebook.com/massasoit

Last semester, I was astounded while touring the Sustainable Landscape Gar-dens at Massasoit Community College on the Brockton campus. The volunteer Science students, in order to beautify the campus and to provide other stu-dents the knowledge about indigenous plants, have realized the importance of this project. The plants and flow-ers used are typical to the region and can also survive by themselves. Next to the LA and the B buildings, who can miss that marvelous New England As-ter with its lavender flower petals and bright yellow center? Next to the New England Aster, a bush of groundcover ferns did not remain unnoticed. Oth-ers plants with a kaleidoscope of color were identified, especially in the flow-erbed where we found the Tulip tree.

A tall and majestic Tulip Tree in the outline of a triangle supported by a py-lon is impressive with its green foliage. Among the plants, there is a colony of heartleaf Foamflowers surrounding the Tulip tree. As its name indicates, the heart shaped Foamflower leaves gives the impression of pressing a foam mat-tress when pushing the tuft down. The Black Eyed Susan, despite some with-ered leaves and fallen rays, can still be

admired with its golden yellow pet-als and dark brown center. The Purple Coneflower, a lavender flower with a huge spiny center, grows adjacent to the Black Eyed Susan. At first glance, a wilted Purple Coneflower gives off the appearance of a burnt flower. Both the Black Eyed Susan and the Coneflower attract bees, butterflies and songbirds.

In the same flowerbed between the Coneflower and the Northern Sea Oat, the Wild Blue Phlox, a groundcover plant with a hairy and sticky stem caught my eye with its delicate blue-lavender flower petals. The Northern Sea Oat is a grass that covers a great majority of the flowerbed. It is a ground-cover plant with flat decorative seeds.

My observations of the Sustainable Landscape Gardens have inspired me to learn more about indigenous plants. Every day I am trying to en-rich my knowledge with different na-tive plants, their names, and their uses. Now when I pass next to the Quad outdoor area, I show more apprecia-tion to these plants and flowers. I sin-cerely thank the Science students for their outstanding work and research.

2012 has been a widely anticipated year for films. Boasting some of the biggest blockbusters of the decade, as well as some of the most eagerly awaited films by critics, 2012 certainly seems like quite the year for movies. One of the first highly awaited films was The Woman in Black. The film looked to be a promis-ing ghost story, and it would be Daniel Radcliffe’s lat-est performance following the end of the Harry Pot-ter films. As a fan of horror films I thought the trailer looked promising, and I did have a genuine interest in seeing it. The film did indeed surprise me as it re-turned to an older style of horror story telling and kept away from the gimmicky, typical styles you see in to-day’s horror films. The Woman in Black is a remake of a 1989 film of the same name, but that hardly impacts the 2012 version. The Woman in Black impressed me from the start and I was honestly surprised at how good of a horror film it actually turned out to be.

The film begins with a silent scene of three young girls playing with dolls in a wealthy 19th century home. The girls suddenly stop what they are doing and in an eerie sequence we see the girl’s faces go devoid of emotion, calmly walk to the windows, and fall to their deaths. After the opening scene and an eerie title sequence, we cut to a young solicitor, Ar-thur Kipps, as he prepares to depart from his home. He leaves behind his nanny and young son as travels from London to a remote village to settle the estate of the Eel Marsh house. Upon arriving in the village Arthur is met with curious stares and people shy away from him anywhere that he goes. Something does not seem right in the village and no one even dares to utter the name of the Eel Marsh House when he asks for directions to or transportation there. Arthur does befriend a friendly couple known as the Dailys, a rath-er affluent couple that lives in the village. Once Ar-thur does travel to the Eel Marsh House he begins to realize quickly that there is something in the mansion with him, and it is not a friendly specter. As the terrify-ing visions and incidents continue to happen, Arthur

slowly pieces together the dark history of the village and tries to stop it before anymore tragedies can occur.

The cast for The Woman in Black is solid, and the only real names it boasts are Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe and recently Academy Award nominated ac-tress Janet Mcteer. Daniel Radcliffe is a talented actor and despite his near decade tenure as Harry Potter, this role is a breath of fresh air for him and he does a decent job as the tortured, young lawyer. Radcliffe’s character is multi-faceted, ranging from caring fa-ther, to no-nonsense lawyer, to terrified young man. It’s a semi-complex role but he handles it quite well throughout the film. The rest of the performances are standard for a horror film; although Janet McT-eer is chilling at times as the disturbed Mrs. Daily and Ciaran Hands is quite enjoyable as the warm yet cynical Mr. Daily. The acting is decent, but it’s definitely above the usual weak performances you see in typical horror/slasher films that have been churned out by Hollywood in the last several years.

Ironically, the actual star of the film is not any of the actors/actresses; it is the Eel Marsh House itself. Di-rector James Watkins design for the haunted man-sion is truly macabre and is eerie just to look at, let alone see what horror lurk within. The film itself is a ghost story and the haunted house is very much the focal point of the story. All the events are tied back to the house and the dark history it contains. The sets are Edwardian period and lavish in style. Everything appears cryptic and decayed inside the house, and you truly get a sense of dread as soon as anyone steps inside the haunted estate. The ef-fects and visual presentation of the actual “woman in black” are quite impressive. Most of the effects and presentation are the sets, atmosphere, and light-ing but that gives the ghost a much more omnipo-tent feel to the character. It doesn’t seem that the woman in black is just a scary looking ghost; it feels as if she is present in all rooms in the Eel Marsh house.

Overall The Woman in Black is a chilling, cinematic ghost story that is intriguing and macabre to start off and by the last twenty minutes, it delivers one intense scare after another. For horror fans this will probably be one of the stronger entries in the hor-ror genre in 2012. As for regular fans this film is definitely worth the watch, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to spend their evening get-ting a decent scare. The Woman in Black is a well-written and well-shot horror film with several ad-equate scary scenes and moments. Overall, I’d give The Woman in Black three and a half stars out of five.

Terry Francona takes the long walk down the dug-out steps back into the clubhouse for the final time as Red Sox manager. Jonathan Papelbon steps off the mound for the final time as a member of the Red Sox, and the team enters an off-season of great uncertain-ty. After one of the worst collapses in the history of baseball, both players and fans were shocked. Many questions had to be answered. Would Terry Francona return? Would fan favorites like Papelbon and David Ortiz return? And what about the front office? General Manager Theo Epstein’s job was in serious jeopardy. After spending big bucks on free-agents over the past few years, the team still did not have much to show for it. Boston has finished third in the AL East the past two years and hadn’t won a playoff game since 2008.

As if the 2011 season wasn’t bad enough for Red Sox fans, troubling information and disturbing details be-gan to emerge about what was going on in the Red Sox clubhouse during that 7-20 September collapse. It was discovered that pitchers Josh Beckett, John Lackey, and Jon Lester would drink beer in the dugout on days they were not pitching. There was a sense of carelessness throughout the clubhouse. It was clear that the team had no sense of the strong leadership like they had in years past. Changes needed to be made not only on the field, but off the field as well.

Evan Longoria’s bullet over the left field fence not only sent the Tampa Bay Rays to the playoffs and eliminated the Red Sox; it also spelled the end of Terry Francona’s career as Red Sox manager. The team de-cided to decline the option to bring Francona back for 2012 and the search for a new manager began. Team owner and President John Henry believed that it was time for change and that a new voice was needed in the clubhouse. Many fans were skeptical of Francona’s departure as he is considered one of the best Red Sox managers of all time; ending an 86 year curse and win-ning 2 championships. Players were also stunned by the departure of Francona. He related to the players and they enjoyed playing for him. Terry Francona was respected by both fans and players, and had been

with the team since the magical season of 2004. No one could ever take his place, but someone had to fill his shoes. Finally, after countless interviews and a long and difficult process, a decision was made. On Novem-ber 29, Bobby Valentine was hired as the 44th man-ager in Red Sox history. Valentine last managed in the major leagues in 2002 with the New York Mets, and led them to the World Series in 2000. He also played in the major leagues for a number of years. He spent 2004-2009 in Japan managing the Chiba Lotte Marines. Valentine will bring a fresh perspective and some des-perately needed discipline to the Red Sox clubhouse.

Meanwhile, GM Theo Epstein took a higher office with the Chicago Cubs and became the President of Baseball Operations. The Red Sox GM position was only briefly vacant, as they turned to Assistant GM Ben Chering-ton. Cherington had been the Assistant GM since the 1999 season and was co- GM with Jed Hoyer during the 2005 season. Because of his longevity with the team, he was the perfect fit for General Manager’s position.

The Red Sox bullpen needed major improvement this off-season, and new manager Bobby Valentine and GM Ben Cherington were aware of it. The Red Sox had lost in the bidding to retain closer Jonathan Pa-pelbon as he decided to go to the National League, signing a four-year $50 million contract with the Phil-lies. This left a gaping hole in the Red Sox bullpen. The search began for somebody capable of becoming the new closer. On December 14, the Red Sox traded the injury prone Jed Lowrie and minor league pitcher Kyle Weiland to the Houston Astros in exchange for pitcher Mark Melancon. Not the big name Red Sox fans were hoping for, but nevertheless a solid move for the Sox. The Astros were a team that barely won 50 games; Melancon had 20 for 25 in save opportunities for Houston in 2011, and was 8-4 with a 2.78 ERA. The Red Sox seem confident in this talented righty; and Mark

Melancon will be an asset to the struggling bullpen.

The Red Sox have been relatively quiet this off-sea-son; but that changed on December 28th when the Sox acquired the closer of the future. Boston sent out-fielder Josh Reddick and a couple of minor leaguers to the Oakland A’s in exchange for all-star closer Andrew Bailey. Bailey is considered one of the premier clos-ers in the American League. He has saved at least 20 games in each of the past three years, and was 24 for 26 in save opportunities in 2011. His save totals would be higher if he hadn’t been pitching for the A’s, a team with little offense. The Red Sox believe his totals will significantly increase playing for such a good offense. Outfielder Ryan Sweeney was also included in this deal with Oakland. Sweeny is expected to compete for the start in right field after the retirement of JD Drew. The Red Sox only made two significant off- season moves, and both of them were affecting the closer po-sition. A number of smaller moves were made includ-ing the signing of outfielder Cody Ross who was the NLCS MVP with the Giants in 2010. Free agent pitchers Vicente Padilla and Aaron Cook also join the Red Sox, and are expected to compete for the number 5 spot in the starting rotation. Some are wondering what the Red Sox will do with pitcher Daniel Bard. The team is considering moving him into the starting rotation now that Tim Wakefield has announced his retirement. They also may decide to keep him in the bullpen as a pitcher who could come in and pitch the 6th and 7th innings. Bard and the newly acquired Melancon could split the time as the set-up man for Andrew Bailey.

After last season’s collapse, The Red Sox believe they have something to prove to not only the rest of the league, but to the fans. Carl Crawford hopes to bounce back after struggling in his first year in Bos-ton. All-Stars Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis are both returning, and are healthier than ever. Pitchers and catchers have already reported to camp. Before we know it opening day of the major league base-ball season will be upon us. This will be a memora-ble year for not just for The Boston Red Sox; but for Fenway as the park celebrates its 100th anniversary.

Twenty-year-old Jessica Murray is not your typi-cal student. Jessica has her own program, “Teach to Reach”,which focuses primarily on how men and women are portrayed in our popular media outlets. It all started when Jessica went through the “Men-tors in Violence Prevention” program for two years. In high school, as the only female in her vocational carpentry program, Jessica faced much adversity. As a female carpenter, she had individuals refuse to work with her solely on the basis of her gender. The men-tor program gave her a chance to learn strategies for dealing with the unfairness of the sexist treatment that continues even in today’s forward thinking soci-ety, and instilled in Jessica a determination to be an advocate for people like herself. She personally met the president of “Mentors in Violence Prevention”. In fact, Jessica’s performance while in the mentor pro-gram was so exemplary that she was invited to a na-tionally recognized awards ceremony at Northeastern

University, where she won the Fitz Giving Back Award.

Jessica started her “Teach to Reach” program in 2009, but due to her schedule as a full time student, it’s still getting up on its feet, so to speak. Last year, as part of her honors project in the Ethics Honors class, Jessica focused her whole project on violence against women, and put together in a brochure a list of resources which students can go to for help. Her materials include some very shocking statis-tics about the realities of violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and other serious issues facing our youths.

“Teach to Reach” has been welcomed into a num-ber of churches in the Weymouth area in conjunction with another non-profit group, “Home of the Phoe-nix”, as well as classrooms. Jessica finds classes to teach through guidance counselors, and during her sessions, she gives her presentation, and students are free to ask any questions they have, while the coun-

selor supervises from the back of the room. Jessica is a currently in the Liberal Arts Transfer program, but plans to become a secondary education teacher. She is currently applying for 401c3 not-for profit organiza-tion license, and is eagerly working on her studies so that she can gain the credentials needed to further her efforts. Jessica has also met with our own Dean Mau-reen Thayer, and is in the process of organizing a ses-sion here to reach out to her fellow peers at Massasoit.

The Sustainable Landscape GardensBy: Lourdes Laurent

Movie Review:The Woman in BlackBy: Shelby Garlick

Daniel Radcliffe in The Woman in Black

Red Sox Preview: A Fresh StartBy: Kyle DiGiandomenico

By: Colleen NewellA Cause Worth Fighting For

Abusive Relationships-

South Shore Women’s Center: (508)746-2664

Rape Crisis: (508)588-8255Suicide Help-

Samaritans: (617)247-0220

Samaritan Teen Hotline: (800)252-8336

Substance Abuse Help-Drug Abuse 24-Hour Help: (800)327-5050Smoker Quit Hotline: (800) try to stop

Pregnancy/Parenting-Planning Parenthood: (800)258-4448Blue Hills Health: (781)749-2882

With Jessica’s permission, I’ve copied her list of accredited resources here. Please feel free to use them if necessary.

Other-HIV/AIDS Youth Only: (800)235-2331National GLBT Youth: (800)246-7743Multi-Service Eating Disorder: (617)558-1881

Massasoit Students hard at work in the garden.

8

Massasoit Sports

Alison Hardiman reaches 1000 points with jumper.

Sydnee Jackson goes up for the layup

Ravon Dunbar goes up for the layup

Shane Sims jams it home

Despite coming up short,Lady Warriors should be ProudBy: Zahra Alavi

The most memorable and exciting mo-ment for the Lady Warriors 2011-2012 season was when sophomore Alison Hardiman reached the milestone of all time scoring record (for both men and women) with 1,084 points, surpassing Paul Deppisch who held the record in 1990 with 1,074 points. Alison came into the game with 1,054 points and scored 30 points to help the Lady War-riors ensure a victory against Lincoln College with a score of 94-21. Chipping in to help the Lady Warriors were Syd-nee Jackson 25 points, Nicole Federico 15, and Stephanie Rodrigues with 14.

Lady Warriors who have been strug-gling this year due to injuries, and limited players dropped three games in the first week of February losing to Quinsigamond CC, Manchester CC, and Dean. In their last home game for the season the Lady Warriors lost to Uconn at Avery Point with a score of 65-37. It was senior night as coach Brathwaite honored Alison Hardiman, and Nicole Federico. In the first half the Lady War-riors were having trouble finding of-fense with careless passes, and many turnovers. In the second half the Lady Warriors started taking the ball to the

hoop and driving more. Which shifted the momentum. They picked it up de-fensively and rebounded better. Yet it was not enough to hold off Uconn. Sydnee Jackson led with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal. Alison Hardiman had 10 points, 2 blocks, and 5 rebounds.

The Lady Warriors finished the sea-son with a record of 12-10. In the post season the Lady Warriors coming in as the #3 seed against #2 Quinsigamond lost in the Massachusetts Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC) with a score of 69-32. Fighting to con-tinue the post season the Lady War-riors won in the first round of the NC-JAA DIII Women’s Basketball Region 21 tournament against Bunker Hill with a score of 50-47. In the second round the Lady Warriors faced UCAP losing 55-36 which marked the end of the season.

Despite having a limited number of players and due to injuries this season the Lady Warriors played ev-ery game with pose, determination, heart and always put everything on the line. That is something that Coach Brathwaite can be proud of.

It was a triumphal season for the Mas-sasoit Men’s basketball Warriors as they racked up nineteen wins to finish the regu-lar season with an impressive19-4 record. Coach Jim Stapleton’s men also finished in the top spot in the MCCAC (Massachusetts Community College Athletic Conference) and ended the season ranked 18th in the country for Men’s Junior College Division II.

Such impressive statistics are a measure of the team’s positive morale and abil-ity to work together flawlessly through-out the duration of the season. MCC Athletic Director Julie Mulvey had noth-ing but kind words for the players.

“They are a great group of kids. They worked so well together and every night there would be a different person that would rise to the top and take the team to the next level.”

Seniors Archie Allen, Timmie Barrows, Lamar Brathwaite, Ravon Dunbar, Jim-my McGrath, Max Guillaume, and Anto-nio Jones supplied leadership through-out the team night in and night out.

Ravon Dunbar proved to be a dominant force on a very consistent basis as he lead the team in points, rebounds, and assists.

The team performed just as well off the court. Coach Stapleton and his staff were able to implement a high degree of academic success into the players, which produced a 100% retention re-cord through the first and second se-

mester, a very rare team achievement.

As the season came to a close, a very unfor-tunate situation came to light as the team accrued its 8th technical foul, the number at which a team in Region 21 of the NJCAA gets disqualified for postseason play. It is a very unfortunate circumstance due to the Warriors’ success throughout the entire reg-ular season. However, as the team was faced with this unusual, disheartening news, their mental toughness and class shined bright. They ended the season with a win on senior night and played with their hearts, even though they were aware that they would not be playing in the tournament.

Mulvey was keen to point out the team’s positive reaction to the bad news, “It was a tough way to end and none of the fouls were bad or aggressive, but it happened and you have to take responsibility…they thought they deserved a shot, but they handled it like men and at the last game they still went out and played to win.”

It is very clear that this Warriors team possessed a special, distinct knack for suc-cess, as was evident in their 19-4 record and the first national ranking in school history. Although the season ended on unusual terms, the team was able to rise above the disappointment, as they handled the situation nobly. The 2011/2012 sea-son is one that will not soon be forgotten.

A Season to RememberBy: Luke McLaughlin