Spring 2016

As demand for public safety officers grows,
Maine's community colleges respond

The simulation lab at CMCC where criminal justice students have access to sophisticated technologies.
Municipalities across Maine are confronted with a growing shortage of trained public safety officers. Maine's community colleges are responding with expanded and strengthened programs in criminal justice, fire science technology, and emergency medicine.

This year alone, over 750 students are enrolled in the colleges' public safety programs. And those students have access to increasingly sophisticated facilities and equipment thanks to investments made possible by a 2013 voter-approved bond and strong partnerships with local agencies.   
A classroom in EMCC's new Public Safety Training Center houses an ambulance box, the only facility north of Boston to have this important training tool.

In January, EMCC opened its new Public Safety Training Center to house its criminal justice, emergency medical services, and fire science programs. The Center's new facilities include a simulation lab, where criminal justice students can practice assessing and reacting to challenging situations. Another includes an ambulance box, donated by Sugarloaf Ambulance/Rescue, making it the only facility north of Boston to have this training tool. Local businesses and public safety departments are already using the center for training exercises.

WCCC and YCCC have also recently launched or expanded criminal justice programs. At WCCC, the college has expanded Howland Hall to make it possible for local fire and EMS departments to conduct advanced regional fire department training. These programs join others at CMCC, where criminal justice students can specialize in forensics investigation; at SMCC with its programs in criminal justice, fire science, and emergency medicine; and at NMCC where students can study paramedicine with a focus on community paramedicine.

KVCC at Alfond: a hub of sustainability and innovation

KVCC's culinary program, with it's farm-to-table focus, relies on the abundant produce and protein from the college's farm.
Located in the fertile Kennebec River Valley, once the bread basket of New England, KVCC's new Harold Alfond Campus is taking strategic advantage of the region's rich natural resources as it designs its academic programs and services.

As the state's dynamic farm-to-table movement has gained in economic and cultural importance, the college has launched programs in sustainable agriculture and culinary arts, both of which are deeply rooted in the campus' 120-acre farm.

The new timber framing lab at KVCC, big enough to build a two-story structure indoors during the winter months.
The college has also begun enrolling students in a new sustainable building and design program focusing on post-and-beam (timber frame) construction. The program is housed in a 6,000-square-foot former hockey rink that has been converted into the largest joinery and wood working lab in the northeast.

While taking full advantage of the rich natural resources of the area, each of these programs integrates new technologies. For instance, the design/build program includes courses in computer-aided drafting and renewable energy systems.

The students at KVCC's Alfond Campus are preparing to enter the state's workforce in traditional Maine industries as diverse as construction, hospitality, and agriculture. They are taking advantage of the region's rich natural resources and reimagining how those resources can be sustained and can continue to contribute to a vibrant Maine economy.

The growing season is about to begin at KVCC's Alfond Campus.
EMCC provides training to OnProcess Technology employees

OnProcess Technology opened its first Maine facility in Belfast less than a year ago with 50 employees. Now, a wave of new employees, up to 200 of them, will receive 450 hours of customized training from EMCC's Business and Industry Division through a $115,000 MCCS Maine Quality Centers grant.

"Many of the world's leading brands rely on OnProcess to drive greater efficiencies and profitability in their post-sale supply chain," notes Mike Wooden, the company's CEO. "Our agents need to have excellent customer service skills, as well as deep knowledge of logistics, field support, and asset recovery. Thanks to EMCC and the State of Maine, we'll be able to offer the quality training needed to educate and enhance the service and leadership of our new Maine employees."
 
The training, which EMCC will deliver on-site in Belfast, will focus on customer service, leadership, business writing, public speaking, and computer skills. Read more>> 
Spotlight on students' academic achievements
Student Scholars honored by MCCS trustees

Members of the MCCS All-Maine Academic Team were recently recognized for their academic and personal achievements by the MCCS Board of Trustees. Meet a few of them:

Savannah Porter, CMCC
Major: Nursing
Career goal: Neonatal intensive care unit nurse

I chose to attend a community college because it was the best choice for the first two years of my college experience. I needed online classes, a short drive, and affordable price. CMCC was a good fit.

Nicole Boucher, YCCC
Major: Criminal Justice
Career goal: Forensic mental health services provider

Becoming a behavioral health professional built upon my natural talents and inspired me to return to school after the better part of a decade and having three sons. I always tell people to start at YCCC because of the support, small class size and quality of the staff. Each instructor I have met is invested in student success.
Emily Cleary, SMCC, Maine's New Century Scholar
Major: Pre-engineering
Career goal: Aerospace engineer working in astronautical design

I came to my community college as an older, returning student without any idea of what I was doing. I simply had a strong desire to exercise my mind and learn again. However, I am leaving knowing exactly what I want. I am currently applying to transfer to a four-year program for astronautical engineering.

Recipe of the month: Award winning chocolate taco

We have Austin Perreault, pastry chef at CMCC, to thank for this month's recipe. His chocolate taco, made with chocolate cinnamon mousse and strawberry mango salsa on a chocolate waffle cone was a prize winner at The Green Ladle's Seventh Annual Chocolat! fundraiser. 
News Briefs

YCCC gets grant for new program
YCCC will receive $69,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities to start an American studies concentration within its liberal studies program. According to U.S. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, YCCC is one of two Maine organizations that will receive grants from the Endowment. "The new program at York County Community College will allow those students to dig into American culture, history, and politics in a way they may not have been able to otherwise," says Pingree. More>>

WCCC helps upgrade the skills of area teachers
Teachers at the Indian Township School (ITS) recently completed a hybrid technology course through a partnership with WCCC's community education program. Each of the seven students received three college credits toward degrees in education, all at no cost to them. Going forward, the students will have the opportunity to take more courses through the partnership. Angel Yates, an ed tech who completed the course, noted that the class gave her the confidence to continue her education through a University of Maine online program. More>>

National trade publication highlights YCCC's precision machining program

In an article in IndustryWeek, a national publication devoted to coverage of U.S. manufacturing news, officials at Pratt & Whitney pointed to YCCC's precision machining program as one of the best ways in which its North Berwick facility prepares its future workforce. 

SMCC students study eelgrass DNA
Twelve SMCC students spent a week at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) in January studying the loss of eelgrass along the Maine coast. During the weeklong course, students took DNA from samples of eelgrass from Frenchman and Casco Bays to see if the plants are undergoing environmental stress. The students will present their findings this month at the Thinking Matters Symposium at USM and at the Maine Biological and Biomedical Sciences Symposium at MDIBL. More>>

New mentor program helps YCCC students succeed
Students eligible for YCCC's TRIO Student Support Services program now have access to peer mentors. In partnership with a TRIO advisor, the mentors will play a key role in new students' success by being knowledgeable guides to key resources on campus, role models, and advocates. More>>

NMCC instructors present research at national conference
NMCC faculty Dr. Lynne Nelson Manion and Jennifer Graham recently presented their published paper on retention at the National Symposium on Student Retention. The annual event focuses on sharing current research and strategies on student success from enrollment through graduation. More>>
Maine Community College System
207-629-4000 | [email protected]www.mccs.me.edu
323 State Street     |     Augusta, ME 04330

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