Posts tagged as “college life”

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

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

Supporting Every Student

By editorialteam on February 23, 2024

Senior Mental Health Counselor Leeanne Hadsel’s Commitment to Student Wellness

By Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief

Leeanne Hadsel stepped into the role of mental health counselor at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) in the fall semester of last year, following a vacancy left by the previous counselor’s departure in the spring semester. With over a decade of experience in behavioral health and a background in trauma-informed care, Hadsel brings not only a wealth of knowledge in her field but also a special connection to the Mount, considering it an integral part of her personal success. Having taken classes at MWCC in the past to complete her remaining credits after experiencing difficulty at a traditional 4-year school, Hadsel stated,“The Mount provided the very-needed second chance to believe in myself and my desire to be educated. It was such a privilege that opened up a lot of doors for me. So I’m excited to become a member of the community again and work with students that have faced adversity and are trying to educate themselves and better their lives.” read more

Let’s Go on a Trip

By editorialteam on February 23, 2024

MWCC Prepares for Upcoming School Trip to Iceland

By Katie Holgerson | Observer Contributor

Have you ever wondered what studying abroad opportunities MWCC has to offer for its students? Well, this year students at MWCC have begun to prepare for their upcoming trip to Iceland in May 2024. Students will leave on May 16th and stay in Iceland until the 23rd. This trip is organized by Professors Michelle Valois and Heather Conn, who have planned an exciting and fulfilling experience for the students.

This will be the second year that MWCC has offered the Iceland trip. Discussing the inspiration behind choosing Iceland as the destination, Valois explained, “I was with Professor Conn at the meeting, and she teaches geology, and I love mythology. And I don’t know who said it first. I think she said, ‘I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland,’ and I said, ‘Oh my God, I’d love to teach about Norse mythology.'” Students had the opportunity to enroll in a course taught by Valois and Conn, focusing on Iceland, its geological structures, its history, and its mythological views. This course serves as a foundation for students before going on the trip. read more

Thinking About Taking a Hiatus from Your Education?

By editorialteam on February 23, 2024

By Lexi Gallagher | Observer Contributor

Studies show that approximately 40% of college students do not complete college within six years. Many students take breaks, change paths, take a gap year, or otherwise decide to take time away from pursuing higher education.

Mount Wachusett Community College student Destiny Grimes, along with many other students across America, decided to put her education on pause for a handful of reasons. “I took a break after the winter semester when my grandmother passed away because it was really hard on my mom,” said Grimes. “I wanted to give my mom the time and space to grieve, so I started working full-time to help support and take care of our family.” read more