Student surveys taken in 2007 and 2012 revealed that the majority of students (54.7% in 2012) wanted library planners to make silent study areas a top priority. In fact, when presented with the statement “The library is a place where I can find quiet space” 138 of 166 respondents marked it as “very important.”
Balancing the needs of students who desire quiet places to study and those who want space to collaborate has long been a challenge at the West Campus Library. South Hall Lab 162 is already a designated silent area, serving the needs of computer users who prefer less background noise with their computer-aided activities. To provide a similar location for users who wish to use their own devices, or do not plan on using a computer, West Campus Library is introducing the Quiet Study room, a renovated workroom and storage area that can comfortably accommodate ten students.
Located in South Hall 164, just beyond the circulation desk, the silent study space has accessible outlets for laptops and other devices. Students can also take advantage of three-dimensional educational models, including those representing molecules and human bones.
With final exams approaching, the librarians are providing another bright, quiet place where students can focus their full attention on their projects.
Montgomery County Community College will be highlighting the talent of its West Campus art students at its Seventh Annual Art Students’ Exhibition and Competition, which opens Wednesday, April 4 and continues through Friday, April 27 at the West Campus Art Gallery, North Hall, 16 High St., Pottstown.
Approximately 50 students will be displaying their artwork in the show. An artists’ reception will be held Wednesday, April 11, from 5-7 p.m. with an awards ceremony at 6 p.m.
The exhibition and reception are free of charge and open to the public. The Fine Arts Gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The exhibition includes a full-range of media, including ceramics, sculptures, oil paintings, water colors, drawings, photography, digital arts and mixed media.
For more information about the exhibition, contact MCCC Gallery Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.
You can help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of The Galleries. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College Foundation at 215-641-6535.
Charcoal drawing, “Neighbors,” by Jennifer Martin, from last year’s Art Students’ Exhibition.
Montgomery County Community College is pleased to host the “Portraits, Landscapes and Still Life” exhibition of artist Wain H. Hunter at the West Campus Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown from Jan. 22 through March 8.
A “Meet the Artist” reception will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 6, from 5-7 p.m. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
This Lansdale artist has exhibited his oil paintings in local art shows in galleries in the North Penn area and in New Hope. He is a member of the North Penn Arts Alliance and studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
“I am pleased to exhibit my artwork at the College’s Fine Arts Gallery in Pottstown,” said Hunter, who describes his realistic paintings as “similar in style to the artwork of John Singer Sergeant.”
For more information about the exhibition, contact Montgomery County Community College Galleries Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.
Help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of The Galleries. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College Foundation at 215-641-6535.
Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed weekends.
Montgomery County Community College West End Student Theatre and Theatre Arts Program will present “Sylvia,” a comedy by A.R Gurney, on Nov. 29 and 30 and Dec.1 at 8 p.m. in the South Hall Community Room, 101 College Drive, Pottstown.
Enjoy a funny romantic tale of unconditional love between man, wife…and dog. When Greg brings home Sylvia, a stray mutt with a charm all her own, his wife Kate discovers she has competition from man’s best friend. This play contains adult themes and language.
“Sylvia” is a rousing comedy by A. R. Gurney, best known for the Broadway hit comedies “Love Letters,” “The Cocktail Hour,” and “The Dining Room.”
The performance is directed by Tim Gallagher and Assistant Director and Stage Manager Jess Tanksley. It is produced through special arrangement with Dramatist Play Service Inc. All elements of production were created and built by students of West End Student Theatre.
The cast includes Haley Johnston, Ryland X. Beck, Cordilia Arcay, Damon Fernandez, Alison Pikalyak, Leyna Gilleland. The production staff includes Jess Tanksley, Brittany Berry, Morgan Hawk, Sharii Nelson, Scott MacNeill, Michelle Fry, Ashley Martin, Sarah Katein, Christopher Lang, and Derek Bartlette. Tim Gallagher serves as the adviser of West End Student Theatre.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. For information and tickets, visit www.mc3.edu/livelyarts or call 215-641-6518. Parking is available at South Hall, 101 College Drive.
West Campus students rehearse “Sylvia.” Photo by Sandi Yanisko
Montgomery County Community College will be hosting Financial Aid Assistance Open Houses for new and current students on Tuesday, Nov. 13, and Monday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 4-7 p.m. in the South Hall Community Room, West Campus, 101 College Drive, Pottstown.
A financial aid advisor will be available during both sessions to provide answers to any and all financial aid-related questions, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Current students will be able to check the status of their financial aid for their spring and summer courses.
Computers will be available to enroll for the spring semester during the open houses, and peer mentors also will be available for assistance. Refreshments will be served.
On Aug. 30, Montgomery County Community College introduced the latest addition to its sustainable transportation efforts by launching a Public Safety Segway Patrol program at its West Campus in Pottstown.
The zero-emissions Segway allows officers to negotiate tight spaces associated with an urban campus and enables them to travel more quickly than on foot. It also significantly reduces reliance on the public safety vehicle, saving an estimated ton of CO2 per year from being released into the atmosphere while increasing visibility of officers on campus.
The Segway program is part of the College-wide Sustainability Initiative, which includes reducing emissions from commuter traffic and vehicle use on campus.
Enjoy an afternoon of art, food and music at Prayers & Poinsettias’ annual Food and Arts Festival at Montgomery County Community College on Sunday, Aug. 5, from noon to 4 p.m. at the College’s North Hall Fine Arts Gallery, West Campus, 16 W. High Street, Pottstown.
Several local businesses, including Java’s Brewin’, Positively Pasta, Ice House Steaks & Pizza, Bause Catered Events, Sweet Beginnings Restaurant & Catering, Milkman Lunch Co. & Cake Shoppe, Little Italy Pizzeria, Rita’s Water Ice, Moyer’s Homemade Goodies, Cutillo’s Restaurant and the Weak Knee Home Brewing Supplies Inc., will be serving samples of their specialties. The StoneHearth Bluegrass Band will be entertaining the crowd.
While guests enjoy the food and music, they are invited to participate in a silent auction. More than 30 pieces local artwork and several gift certificates from area businesses will be available as part of the auction. Univest Corporation is a presenting sponsor of the event.
Prayers and Poinsettias, a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization, was founded by Mary Beatty of Barto, an Montgomery County Community College alumna. Prayers and Poinsettias’ mission is to provide scholarship funds to children whose mothers suffer with breast cancer. Proceeds from the event will benefit students attending the College.
Tickets can be purchased for $10 in advance or $15 at the door. To purchase tickets, visit www.prayersandpoinsettias.org.
For more information, contact Mary Beatty at 610-754-1374 or email prayersandpoinsettias@gmail.com or visit “PrayersandPoinsettias” on Facebook.
Student leaders at the West Campus of Montgomery County Community College raised a total of $1,187 during their 11th annual Lasagna Dinner on Feb. 16.
All proceeds benefit the West Campus Scholarship Fund through the College’s Foundation. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to a West Campus student who is engaged in community service and is in good academic standing.
Since its introduction in 2002, the West Campus Lasagna Dinner has raised more than $12,000 for student scholarships and community organizations.
Student volunteers present gather for a photo with Vice President of Enrollment Management Dr. Kathrine Swanson and Director of Annual Giving Megan Sneeringer. Photo by Alana J. Mauger
Montgomery County Community College held a celebration on Feb. 2 to mark the completion of phase two in the transformation of the former brownfield site at 140 College Drive, Pottstown, into a thriving community resource.
Through a unique partnership between MCCC and the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area (SRHA) the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center will help to support local and regional revitalization plans by serving as a hub for education, culture, recreation and conservation.
“We’re proud of the College’s unique partnership with the Schuylkill River Heritage Area – a partnership that we believe to be the first of its kind in the nation,” said President Dr. Karen A. Stout. “We’re already exploring the joint programming possibilities between our two organizations – such as non-credit courses that run the gamut from historical perspectives of the region, to lessons in kayaking and bicycle maintenance.”
The expansion supports unprecedented enrollment growth at its West Campus, which has increased by more than 60 percent over the past five years. Recently, Community College Week ranked the West Campus as 15th among the fastest growing community college campuses of similar size in the country.
The Center also advances the College’s strategic commitment to sustainability, symbolized during the celebration by cutting a green ribbon.
“The ribbon is a symbol of the sustainable nature of this project—its construction, programming and ties to the river. Inside, students will learn in high-tech classrooms, while outside the river and its surroundings will serve as a natural tool to enhance teaching and learning,” said Dr. Stout.
When completed, the Center will house College’s growing Environmental Science degree program, which will utilize outdoor learning spaces in addition to the facility’s four SMART classrooms and state-of-the-art science laboratory. It will also support expanded courses in geology, geography and geographic information systems at a time when industry demand for these skills continues to grow.
The Center will also include an Interpretative Center, facilitated by the SRHA. Here, guests can learn about the history of the Schuylkill River – from its significance in Colonial times and during the Industrial Revelation, to the more recent development of its trail systems. Interpretative Center installation will begin in March, and has been funded, to date, by the National Park Service, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, The Martin Foundation, National Penn Bank, and members of the SRHA Board of Directors.
Completed in January, phase two of the project focused on renovations to the building’s deteriorating infrastructure. The building’s aged, leaking roof was replaced with an eco-friendly green roof; a new entrance and handicap-accessible ramp were constructed; and energy efficient windows were installed. Other Phase II work included updating water and sewer service and the cleaning and abatement of asbestos.
Phase one of the project was completed in March 2010 and included the decontamination and renovation of the Center’s 202-vehicle parking lot, which is currently used by the College’s students and by visitors to Riverfront Park. The lot features LED lighting and more than 130 trees, shrubs and bushes, making the area both aesthetically pleasing and sustainable.
Phases one and two were generously funded through a combination of public and private support, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Redevelopment Capital Program, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Community Block Development Grants, National Penn Bank, and private contributions made to the College’s Foundation.
The College is ready to begin work on the third and final phase of the project as soon as funding becomes available. These renovations will focus on the building’s interior, including the designing and furnishing the Interpretative Center, laboratory, classrooms, offices and student spaces.
A variety of sponsorship and funding opportunities are available to help bring the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center project to fruition. To learn more, visit www.mc3.edu/giving or call the College’s Foundation at 215-641-6535.
“By investing in the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center, you are investing in the economic prosperity of our community; in the education of future scientists, geologists historians, and geographers; and in the transformative impact that nature has on thousands of children and adults for generations to come,” Dr. Stout encouraged.
Cutting the ribbon on phase II of the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center are (from left) Foundation Board Member Jack Koury, Board of Trustees Chairman Michael D’Aniello, President Dr. Karen Stout, and Senator John Rafferty. Photo by Dawn Deppi
Student surveys taken in 2007 and 2012 revealed that the majority of students (54.7% in 2012) wanted library planners to make silent study areas a top priority. In fact, when presented with the statement “The library is a place where I can find quiet space” 138 of 166 respondents marked it as “very important.”
Located in South Hall 164, just beyond the circulation desk, the silent study space has accessible outlets for laptops and other devices. Students can also take advantage of three-dimensional educational models, including those representing molecules and human bones.
