Articles - Page 2 of 34 - The Mount Observer

From Pain to Page

By editorialteam on April 26, 2024

Profile: Alessandro DiVito

By Kevin Hayes | Observer Contributor

Photo by Kevin Hayes

Alessandro DiVito, a 20-year-old student at MWCC majoring in English with a concentration in professional writing, shows promising talent as a writer. DiVito, who works as a youth mentor over the summer, is already well on his way, having three books currently in progress. Centered on sci-fi and time travel, their titles are: The Adventures of Jerry Rodger, Tyrone’s Multiversal Adventures and Mabel’s Uncharted Adventures.

But DiVito didn’t just wake up one day and say, ‘I think I’ll be a writer or mentor young people someday.’ His passion stemmed from his experiences with adversity. DiVito persevered through childhood bullying and a horrific stalking-like encounter with an older student when he was in the seventh grade, DiVito was in search of some way to deal with this trauma. Fortunately for DiVito, he has a close, supportive family. He also stumbled into a program called Thriveworks, which he found out about through the THRIVE Center at the Mount. read more

E-Waste Disposal Made Easy

By editorialteam on April 26, 2024

Properly Disposing of Electronics

By Kent Yang | Staff Writer

Since the early twentieth century, electronic waste has existed alongside technologies such as telephones and radios, which utilized vacuum tubes. However, at the time, there wasn’t much concern for the environment regarding electronic waste. It wasn’t until 1976, when the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) went into effect, that the disposal of e-waste into landfills became illegal. The purpose of the RCRA was to protect the environment and human health from the toxicity and hazards of waste disposal. read more

Faith, Compassion, and Determination

By editorialteam on March 22, 2024

The Values of MWCC Student Sabrina Alonso

By Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief

Photo courtesy of Sabrina Alonso

Sabrina Alonso, a 29-year-old student majoring in human services at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC), is driven by her passion for helping others. “Ever since I was younger, I always naturally had compassion for people,” said Alonso. “I love to make people’s lives easier as much as I can, even if it is something simple like listening to them.”

Originally from Uruguay, South America, Alonso moved to the United States at the age of 7, bringing with her a strong sense of determination and empathy instilled by her mother. “The most influential woman in my life is my mother because 22 years ago, she came to the U.S., leaving her birth land behind to give me a better future,” she shared. “She’s the most influential woman in my life and my best friend.” read more

Need Input!

By editorialteam on March 22, 2024

LaChance Library Prioritizes Student Experiences for Library Services

By Cody Mercarter | Observer Contributor

The LaChance Library is the go-to place for a quiet study spot, with chairs and tables scattered throughout and shelves towering over even the tallest people at MWCC. Students seem to have no say in what books come in or what they need the most. But that is soon changing.

According to Robert Koch, Assistant Dean of the Collaborative Learning Commons, “We’re going to come up with a user experience board at the entry to the library. When you come in, there will be survey questions and opportunities to tell us more about what you need, not just in terms of the books, but in terms of the space and the services.” Koch has only been with MWCC since November of 2021, but he has always tried to put the students first, and this experience board demonstrates that. read more

You’ve Heard of AI Photos; Get Ready for AI Movies with Sora

By editorialteam on March 22, 2024

By Kent Yang | Staff Writer

Imagine a technology so advanced that words can conjure breathtaking worlds, complete with sights and sounds mirroring reality. Well, now it’s possible, or at least it will be soon, with Sora by OpenAI.

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company that aims to ensure artificial intelligence will benefit all of humanity. Sora is an artificial intelligence model capable of translating text into videos up to 1 minute long, simulating the physics and dynamics of our reality. This AI model not only comprehends text but also grasps its nature and how it exists in the real world too. read more

Kourtney Tibbets

By editorialteam on March 22, 2024

Empowering Education Through IT and Grit

By Kent Yang | Staff Writer

Kourtney Tibbets, an extremely motivated Computer Information System student at Mount Wachusett Community College, is driven by her overwhelming passion for the IT industry and education sector. Tibbets is a dual enrollment student, also attending Southern New Hampshire University in addition to the Mount.

She hails from southern New Hampshire and has an incredibly diverse heritage stemming from Northern Europe and Nigeria. “I have been to the United Kingdom but looking forward to exploring both Europe and Nigeria,” she said. “I am excited to learn more of my heritage! I was proud to learn that [my great-great-great grandfather] also fought in the Civil War for the Union Army. It is amazing to be able to connect my heritage to a specific time in American history.” read more

Katy Houghton

By editorialteam on March 22, 2024

Maybe She’s Born with It, Maybe It’s Neighbelline

By Lindsay Mahoney | Observer Contributor

“I love getting lost in my little fantasy worlds, I just start writing, and I melt away. I just feel like this is my home,” said Katy Houghton, a first-year student in the Professional Writing track at the Mount. Like many students, Houghton juggles work, school, and her personal life. A typical week for her includes working a physically demanding overnight shift at an Amazon warehouse from 1:30 am to 9:00 am. Afterward, she attends school in the afternoon, completes her homework, and repeats the cycle for the entire week. read more

Martha Morris

By editorialteam on March 22, 2024

History Professor and World Traveler

By Amal Elkhoury | Observer Contributor

Martha Morris, an adjunct history professor at Mount Wachusett Community College and Berkshire Community College, is currently teaching three history courses across both institutions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Geography from the University of Washington and earned an MSc and an MPhil in Economic History from the London School of Economics (LSE). “LSE was my first choice for graduate school because I wanted to focus on the British industrial revolution and the earlier period of import substitution,” said Morris. read more

Woke

By editorialteam on February 23, 2024

By Desiree Leader | Observer Contributor

(This was from a writing prompt: knows which way the wind blows)

Tired of ‘splainin’

to old white people, like me

that nobody’s sayin’

our lives don’t matter…

nobody’s sayin’

only black lives, only black lives matter –

not white,

not blue,

but black lives matter,

too.

The value of our lives

has never been called into question –

but black lives,

black lives matter.

Black lives matter, too.

MWCC Menstrual Equity Concerns

By editorialteam on February 23, 2024

Pizza with the President Event Shines Light on Period Product Availability at the Mount

By Sam LeMay | Observer Contributor

The Pizza with the President event, held last November at the Mount, became a platform for a crucial discussion that had perhaps been overshadowed by the daily bustle of campus life: the accessibility of period products in the women’s bathrooms and the lack thereof in the gender-neutral bathrooms. Currently, most women’s restrooms on campus appear to require a 25-cent fee for machines that dispense period products.

The issue at hand is the spontaneity of menstrual cycles–a biological occurrence that often chooses its own timing, catching individuals off guard during a quick visit to the bathroom. “Usually, I bring stuff with me, but [sometimes] I forget,” said MWCC student Elise Stone when asked about her experience. Many people don’t habitually carry period products with them at all times, resulting in an issue when faced with the sudden onset of menstruation. read more