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June 2016
Congratulations to the Class of 2016
SMCC President Ron Cantor shook the hands of hundreds of new graduates at the college's commencement ceremony in May. Over 3,000 students earned their degrees from one of Maine's seven community colleges this spring. Among them are the first graduates of KVCC's new culinary arts and welding programs and YCCC's new veterinary technology program. The future is bright for our graduates. In past years, 92% have entered the workforce or continued their education.
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Over $30 million raised for Maine's community colleges |
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Former Governor John McKernan, chair of The Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges, raises a toast to Lisa Gorman at the Foundation's May celebration. MCCS President Derek Langhauser is to the left.
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Business and philanthropic leaders from across Maine recently gathered to celebrate having raised over $30 million through The Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges since its inception in 2009. Lisa Gorman, the Foundation's vice-chair, added to the celebration by announcing her $1.6 million gift to expand the Leon A. Gorman Endowed Scholarship to all seven colleges, fund a department chair at SMCC in English for Speakers of Other Languages, and strengthen programs and services focused on helping more MCCS students stay in school and complete a college degree. Lisa and her late husband, Leon, the long-time president and chair of L.L.Bean, led the creation of The Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges. As Leon Gorman once said: "An investment in Maine's community colleges is the single most important investment we can make in the economic and social well-being of Maine citizens."
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It's good news for our colleges- Bill Green, the popular Maine reporter and storyteller, profiled three recent MCCS graduates in a story on the impact that Maine's community colleges are having on individual lives and the state's economy;
- EMCC's success at helping displaced paper makers prepare for new careers in boat building and woodworking was the subject of a recent news story that aired on WCSH and WLBZ; and
- MPBN's feature story on KVCC's sustainable agriculture program also aired on New Hampshire Public Radio and began: The growing popularity of the farm-to-table movement and a surge of interest in local food is fueling a renewed interest in agriculture. It's not just an old-fashioned occupation anymore - students at one Maine college are finding their own ways into the field through one of the state's only degree programs in farming. Listen to the whole story.
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YCCC's new veterinary program gets industry stamp of approval
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Lulu the dog is in good hands with YCCC veterinary students and program director Margaret Wheeler (R).
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YCCC's new veterinary technology program has been awarded full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
It is the college's first externally accredited program and, as of the fall of 2016, will be the only two-year accredited veterinary tech program in the state.
Margaret Wheeler, YCCC faculty and veterinary technology program director, attributed the successful accreditation process to strong support from the veterinary community, faculty, and students.
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Community colleges train workers for careers at Pratt & Whitney
New Pratt & Whitney employees recently participated in a new-hire training delivered by YCCC faculty at the college's Precision Machining Technology Center in Sanford. Company officials say that without their training partnerships with SMCC and YCCC, the company wouldn't have the workers it needs to continue its growth. Patrick Regan, director of operations at the North Berwick plant, said in a recent news article, "It is very hard to find those skills in the workforce today. It is an industry-wide challenge. You must build a pipeline of talent."
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Credit for prior learning helps EMCC grad kickstart his career
Jacob Beaulier started work on his college degree while he was still in high school at United Technologies Center (UTC) in Bangor.
Having completed his Comp-TIA A+ certification and a course in personal computing hardware and operating systems at UTC, Jacob earned three credits toward his degree in computer systems technology at EMCC. The credits for the knowledge he brought with him to EMCC saved him time and money and enabled him to devote more time to his current job as an information technology troubleshooter.
You will find more information about ways you can gain college credit for prior learning on the MCCS website.
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Students of the Year honored
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Meet the 2016 MCCS Students of the Year. Honored recently by the MCCS Board of Trustees for their academic strengths and civic involvement are (L-R) Coral Adelle Buck, CMCC; Kimberly Stuart, WCCC; Jessica Dorman, EMCC; Erik Squire, SMCC; Erin Falconer, KVCC; Crystal Ann Condo, NMCC; and Nicole Boucher, YCCC.
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Car tips from SMCC expertRuth Morrison, SMCC automotive department chair, is the author of a monthly column " On Maine Roads" that appears on the first Friday of each month in the Portland Press Herald. The column contains something for gearheads and non-gearheads alike, including these helpful tips: - It's spring. Now is the time to have your steering and suspension checked for problems caused by winter roads.
- Think your car is OK? Have someone else test-drive it. They might pick up something you never noticed.
- Beware of "high mileage" oil, which may invalidate the car's warranty. A better choice is oil that meets specifications of manufacturers, even though it will cost more than a standard oil change.
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News Briefs
Happy 70th birthday to SMCCSMCC celebrated its 70th birthday this year at a gala event on June 2. The celebration honored those who have played critical roles in the college's history and paid special recognition to the Grondin family for the enormous contributions the family has made to SMCC over the years. "Our 70th birthday is a time when we can look back on SMCC's many accomplishments in providing educational opportunities that meet the needs of students and Maine businesses," said SMCC President Ron Cantor at the event. "SMCC has improved the lives of tens of thousands of people, and that's a point worth celebrating." YCCC breaks ground for new buildingCeremonial shovels full of dirt were a welcome sight at YCCC on May 25 when the college held a ground-breaking ceremony for its new 18,000-square-foot academic building. The new building will enable the college to grow to meet the needs of its students, regional employers, and community. It will be the second building on the Wells campus and include classrooms, a developmental math and English laboratory, an auditorium-style lecture hall, a multi-purpose student commons, and offices. The building is scheduled to open in fall 2017. KVCC's Sounds of Success video showcases college's campuses and programsKVCC's new video depicts the sounds one might hear touring its campuses in Hinckley and Fairfield. Whether the sound is a sledge hammer, a drill, or a computer keyboard, the message is the same: KVCC offers top quality education to the people of mid-Maine through its 38 programs, high job placement, and clear transfer options. You are invited to visit the campus in person to learn more. For now, here is the video.
Colleges offering summer coursesLearning never stops at Maine's community colleges. See what our colleges are offering this summer by following the links to each college's summer course list. A few highlights: SMCC offers summer courses from art to anatomy at its Midcoast Campus; CMCC is holding a summer open house on June 13; YCCC is offering 5-week summer sessions; and WCCC has partnered with the Passamaquoddy Yacht Club to offer a series of youth sailing programs.
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