It's Not Too Late for Summer Credit Courses 

The Fall Course Bulletin is Here
It's also time to register for Fall, 2012. The full course bulletin is online here.

"Back to School Night" for Noncredit Programs
MCCC's Center for Continuing Studies (CCS) is hosting a "Back to School Night for Adults" on Tuesday, August 28, at the college's Conference Center. It's a good way to learn about new opportunities and consider new directions for the fall. In the meantime, check out the CCS summer course bulletin, with many unique course offerings beginning in July and August for career development, culinary interests and recreation. The full summer bulletin is online here.

Announcing the Mercer Institute's New Focus
 MCCC's Mercer Institute of Management & Technology Training (formerly the Center for Training and Development), has a new focus on partnering and working more strategically with area corporations and businesses. The Institute guides companies toward meeting their goals through staff training and development.  See their new website here.
 
Speakers Wow Audience at Commencement
By all accounts, this year's MCCC Commencement speakers were truly outstanding. Keynote speaker, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, inspired the audience with stories from his own history.  He encouraged students to see challenges as opportunities. More here.

This year's Distinguished Teaching Award, presented during Commencement, went to Associate Professor of Communication Kathi Paluscio, who was praised by those who nominated her for her extraordinary ability to motivate students. Paluscio is well known for her "Oral Interpretation" class and the "Mud Pie Players" who performed recently for preschoolers. More here. Read here about the Mud Pie Players.

Videos of MCCC Commencement speeches are now online at Mercer's YouTube page here.

Honors Convocation Recognizes Academic Achievement
During Mercer's Honors Convocation that preceded commencement on May 24, the college recognized academic achievement with 120 awards and scholarships presented to top graduates. Among the honorees were 21 members of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, 15 NJ STARS graduates, and eight Honors Program graduates. Some of the college's highest achievers received multiple awards. More here.

Tickets on Sale; Donations Sought for Tribute to Former Coach Howie Landa
MCCC's legendary basketball coach, Howie Landa, will be honored during a tribute on September 15, when former players, alumni and friends will celebrate his golden era.  Ceremonies begin in the gym at 4 p.m., where Coach Landa's name will be unveiled on the basketball court. Donations are still being accepted for the tribute fund; proceeds will benefit student athletes.

Following the public ceremony, friends and supporters are invited to attend a Reception/Dinner at the MCCC Conference Center, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Details here, including information on purchasing tickets or making a donation.

Save the Date for Floyd Fete Oct. 21
MCCC's Foundation will again host "A Jazzy Event to Support the Jim and Fannie Floyd Scholarship Fund at MCCC." The special Sunday event takes place Oct. 21 at the Carl A. Fields Center, Princeton University, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The committee is now making sponsorship opportunities available. Individual tickets are $100. More here.

MCCC Pins Nursing Graduates
Thirty-eight MCCC Nursing graduates celebrated during a pinning ceremony in May. Valedictorian Jane Plunkett said she made a career change after years in the financial services industry. "This has been a challenging and exciting journey for all of us," said Plunkett. "We have supported each other through the demands of our studies and the demands of our lives, sharing in one another's joys and sorrows."  This year a total of 64 graduated from Mercer's Nursing program. More here.

Advertising Students Design for Trenton Animal Shelter
MCCC's advanced Advertising Design students put their skills to work for the county's four-legged friends in their final project of the semester. The students created full marketing campaigns for an event to be hosted by the Trenton Animal Shelter called Furry Feet Fete. Seven groups of students "pitched" their campaigns to professors and organization representatives. They were judged on branding, slogan, advertisements, newsletter and Facebook page design, and promotional items. More here.

Culinary Arts Inspire Teens From Princeton Child Development Institute
Teens from the Princeton Child Development Institute came to MCCC's Culinary Center this spring for a six-week program that enabled them to gain both cooking skills and social experience. A thank you letter from the institute's Executive Director, Gregory MacDuff, said, "Instructor/Chef Frank Benowitz not only provided an opportunity for these young men to acquire new kitchen and food preparation skills, but provided classroom experiences that allowed our learners to display acquired social skills with new persons in a new environment." More here with photo.

Photo Students Volunteer at HomeFront
On May 9 Mercer's Photography Club, called "Camera Lucida," visited HomeFront's Family Preservation Center, where students gave their time and talent to make family portraits for mothers with their children. The students had a lot of fun interacting with the children, and received a thank you note from the volunteer coordinator, who said some of the families had never had a professional photo taken before, so this was a real treat for them. Photo here. 

Anita Hill Talk Draws Accolades
In an engaging talk that included personal history, some keen observations about how our troubled economic times impact women, and a call for women to become more vigorously involved in issues of gender equality, Professor Anita Hill, Esq., spoke to a packed auditorium at MCCC's Conference Center on May 2. During her presentation, entitled "Reimagining Equality, An Evening with Anita Hill," Ms. Hill, the youngest of 13 children from a rural Oklahoma family, said she learned of the power of education from her mother, and developed a sense of self-worth from an early age that has guided her success. More here.

Athletic Highlights
This fiscal year MCCC's athletic accomplishments include finishing #2 in the nation in women's tennis.  For the second year, Allison Noll placed #1 in singles tennis, and men's tennis finished fourth in the nation. The baseball team played in the Region 19 tournament, taking second place to an undefeated Lackawanna squad. MCCC's Athletics Department honored student athletes at a breakfast event May 16. Click here for photos on Facebook. 

Alumni Success!

Rob Pivovarnick, 2002 Architecture
Mel Weldon, 1973 Liberal Arts
Fabio Iucolino, 1997 Humanities and Social Science
Toni Campbell, 2003 Radio
Deitra (Primas) Johnson, 1980, Telecommunications
Danielle Garruba, Tina Young, and Tatiana Dodge  

Coming to Kelsey Theatre

June 8-17: Maurer Productions Onstage will take its audience back to a time when beautiful music, colorful costumes and screwball comedy were the height of entertainment with the "The Drowsy Chaperone"

June 22-24: James Tolin is Remembered in a 10th Anniversary Production of Paul Rudnick's Obie Award winning "Jeffrey" 

June 29 - July 8: Shakespeare' 70 Present's Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"