 Weekly News for Faculty, Staff and Friends of the Worcester State College Community |
|
Human Rights Fund and Scholarship
Gov. Deval Patrick Attends "Got Food" Hunger Forum WSC Student Talks of His Refugee Experience Clara Rodriguez Discusses Latinos in Mainstream Media Central Links Presidents Honor Retiring Senators WSC Theatre UpClose Performs to Four Sell-Out Houses Alumni Assoc. Advisory Board Opportunity for Funding 2008-2009 Inclement Weather Policy WSC Chorale Release Christmas CD Pirates of Penzance Auditions - Open to Faculty, Staff & Students
Gov. Deval Patrick Attends WSC Got
Food Hunger Forum
Thank you all for bringing such a strong sense of service
to this community, said Governor Patrick to the more than 150 attendees.
I am confident that the spirit of service is what will lift us up. Commonwealth Corps
Board Co-Chair David Roach praised participants. Because of your creative
leadership here in Worcester, you are two to three years ahead of the rest of
the Commonwealth. What you are doing here now, we envisioned communities
developing three years in the future. Featured panelists
included Christa Drew, Director of the Hunger Free and Healthy The panel was
followed by an empty bowl event with soup donated by Chartwells and bread donated by Panera. Bowls of soup were sold ($5.00 for students, $10.00 for faculty and
staff) and a raffle featuring sports tickets, gift certificates to local
restaurants, and iPods and more was held. Over $950 was raised and will benefit
Worcester County Food Bank, Brigham Hill Community Farm, Worcester Food Policy
Council and the South Worcester Neighborhood Center.
WSC Student Talks of His Refugee Experience
WSC student Jenkins Macedo gave a talk, "From a Refugee Camp Experience to a New Life in the U.S.," on November 20, as part of the Diversity Lecture Series. On December 24, 1989, Macedo and his brothers and sisters were separated from their mother at the start of the Liberian Civil War. Jenkins and his siblings traveled together seeking refuge. They spent the next 14 years of their life as Liberian refugees in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. In 2006 he was finally able to reunite with his mother in the United States. Jenkins has always had a deep commitment to the West African youth. While he was at the refugee camp he took on many positions and projects in youth organizations. Before leaving Ghana, he served as program coordinator for RESPECT Ghana, an associate of RESPECT International, creating awareness and education of refugee issues amongst local and international non-refugee students. He used his experiences as a refugee to overcome the pains and sufferings that he and his siblings endured during the civil war which tore the West African nation of Liberia into civil unrest. Jenkins believes in creating social, economic and political change through passive non-violent approach to aggression, force and suppression. At 21, Jenkins holds an Associate Degree in Agriculture Education from the AHEAD/West Africa College for Sustainable Development in Accra, Ghana, and a Higher National Diploma in Biblical Studies from the International Bible Institute located in Cape Town, South Africa. He currently resides in Worcester and is pursuing a degree at Worcester State majoring in sociology and minor in international development studies. Looking to help? Jenkins has initiated a Book Drive for Africa (BDA), to send books to needy students in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ghana in West Africa. He has already collected more than 1,000 books on a range of topics and is looking to send many more to these regions. If you have new or slightly used books, there is a drop off point in the Student Center near the Information Desk. The Diversity Lecture Series is sponsored by the Student Center/Student Activities Office, Disability Services Office, Women's Studies, Counseling Office and the Student Events Committee.
Clara Rodriguez Discusses Latinos in Mainstream Media
Mainstream media and film do not accurately portray the
Latino community according to Dr. Clara E. Rodriguez, professor of Sociology at
Fordham University's College at Lincoln Center. She addressed a standing-room
only crowd of students, faculty and staff in the North-South Auditorium
Thursday, November 20. Research indicates that in 2005, of 67 primetime
television programs that were examined, only 3.5 percent of the characters were
Latino. This, despite the fact that Latinos made up 12.5 percent of the
population at the time. "This is what people see on TV and this is what people
come to expect," Rodriguez said. "Whether we like it or not, TV is
an educator." Rodriguez explained that Latinos are the largest minority
group in the U.S. with a total population of 44.3 million--or 15 percent of the
population. In Worcester County, Latinos make-up 18 percent of the
population. Projections show that Latinos will comprise 24 percent of the U.S.
population by 2050. Despite this significant growth, she says Latinos continue
to be under represented in the media, even in news coverage. The National
Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) tracked 16,000 news stories and found
that less than one percent were exclusively about Latinos and that in non-Latino
stories only about 1.7 percent quoted Latinos. She also said that television and film tends to portray
Latinos as, "lazy, verbally aggressive and less intelligent." She said
another common stereotype is that most Latino characters are portrayed as living
in poverty, while 22 percent of Latinos live in poverty. The talk was sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Third
World Alliance, Languages and Literature Department, History Department and the
Latino Education Institute. Rodriguez is the author of ten books including
Heroes, Lovers and Others; Changing Race: Latinos, The Census and the History of
Ethnicity in the United States; Hispanics in the Labor Force: Issues and
Policies; Puerto Ricans: Born in the USA, and Latin Looks: Images of
Latinas and Latinos in the U.S. Media. She has been a visiting professor at
Columbia University, MIT and Yale University. She has also been a consultant to
a number of television shows and documentaries, most recently, "Dora, the
Explorer" and "Sesame Street," and is a member of the National Council of La
Raza Board of Directors.
Central Links Presidents Honor Retiring Senators
Worcester State College President Janelle Ashley recently joined her fellow Central Links Presidents at a farewell reception honoring retiring Senators Robert Antonioni, Edward Augustus, Jr., and Pamela Resor for their years of dedicated support of public higher education. We are grateful that you have championed our cause, said Ashley of the senators, because investment in these colleges means investing in our future leaders. The Central Links Public Higher Education alliance is comprised of Fitchburg State College, Mount Wachusett Community College, Quinsigamond Community College and Worcester State College. Photo: (From l
to r): Mount Wachusett Community College President Daniel M. Asquino,
Quinsigamond Community College President Gail E. Carberry, Senator Pamela Resor,
Worcester State College President Janelle C. Ashley and Fitchburg State College
President Robert V. Antonucci.
WSC Theatre UpClose Performs to Four Sell-Out Houses
Lysistrata, the fall play produced by Worcester State Theatre UpClose, performed to enthusiastic, sell-out houses at all four performances between November 13-16. Our apologies to everyone who was not able to get in to see it; there just wasn't room for everyone. The cast received a very positive evaluation from Milton Schmidt, the respondent from the American College Theatre Festival. He congratulated the cast and the designers on presenting an entertaining production that still carries an important message. - Professor Adam Zahler
Top of Page
A decision to close the College or open later will
generally be made between 5:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. by the President or
the President's designee in consultation with other members of the
College staff.
If a decision is made to close for the day or to
open later, notice will be made to the following outlets:
College Homepage
-
http://www.worcester.edu
Email to all
Worcester State College addresses
Campus Phone -
508-929-8000 - To hear the inclement weather message, press 1 and then
press 2 (from a touch-tone telephone only).
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE COLLEGE POLICE TO FIND OUT
IF THE
Closing During Normal Office/Class Hours*
If, during normal office/class hours on a work/class
day, the President or her designee determines that the College
should be closed due to inclement weather or other circumstances, all
offices will be notified of the time and duration of cancellation of
normal activity. Normal routine will be expected to commence on the next
regular class/work day, unless notified otherwise.
* Normal hours are defined as Monday - Friday from 8
A.M. to 5 P.M.
WSC CHORALE RELEASES CHRISTMAS CD 1. Ding
Dong, Merrily on High 2. I Wonder
as I Wander 3. Riu, riu,
chiu 4. I Sing of
a Maiden 5. Good King
Kong (PDQ Bach) 6. What
Sweeter Music (John Rutter) 7. Pie Jesu
(Lloyd Webber) 8. Hallelujah Chorus 9. Pastorcito Santo (Rodrigo) 10. Out of the Orient Crystal Skies 11. The Infant King 12. I'll Be Home for Christmas 13. Sir Christmas
Please support WSC's excellent a cappella choir.
Checks can be payable to WSC Chorale. WSC
SPRING MUSICAL AUDITIONS, DECEMBER 4
WSC TOY DRIVE
If you would like to donate a gift - please drop it off to the Presidents Office - Room 111, Administration Village, prior to December 11. Please wrap all gifts and label girl or boy and age (infant to 18 years - teenagers love a gift card).
Donations will be distributed to the following agencies:
UMass Hospital Children's Unit Robert F. Kennedy Childrens Action Corps
Many thanks for your continued generosity!
A party to collect all donations will be held on Thursday, December 11 from 5:15 - 8:30 p.m., 440 Grove Street, Worcester, Mass.
|
Monday, November 24, 2008
THIS WEEK
Wed., Nov. 26 to
Thanksgiving Recess
Thurs., November 27
Thanksgiving Holiday
ON GOING
Faculty Art Exhibition
COMING UP
Multicultural Holiday Party
Women and Education:
Wed., Dec. 4
Auditions for Pirates
Sat. Dec. 6
Traditional Holiday Concert
Sun., Dec. 7
Mon., Dec. 8
Student Recital Workshop Wed., Dec. 10
All Classes End Thurs., Dec. 11 Reading Day
Dec. 12 - Dec. 18 Final Exams | ||||||||||||
|
WSC e-news is produced by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing on a
weekly basis SUBMISSIONS are due by 9 a.m. every Wednesday. Send submissions, suggestions, corrections and questions to Rebecca Senecal at rebecca.senecal@worcester.edu. The Office of Public Relations and Marketing reserves the right to edit submissions for length and APA/MLA style.
CORRECTIONS: Corrections will be noted
in the following e-news. If the correction is time-sensitive then the
ARCHIVES: Are you looking for a past article from the WSC
e-news? Find all the issues
here.
CALENDAR: If you'd like your event listed on the e-news
calendar and on the WSC website please fill out the calendar form at
www.worcester.edu/calendarform.
The WSC online calendar can be seen at
www.worcester.edu/calendar and
at DELIVERY TIP: To ensure the WSC e-news is delivered to your Inbox and not your Junk Mail folder, please add enews@listserv.worcester.edu to your address book or contacts.
UNSUBSCRIBE: If you do not wish to receive WSC e-news, please send an
e-mail to
enews@listserv.worcester.edu.
Check us out online:
|
|||||||||||||
Massachusetts
Governor Deval Patrick attended a Got Food? forum at Worcester State College
Tuesday, November 18. The event, hosted by 
Initiative in Worcester, Jean McMurray, Executive Director of the Worcester
County Food Bank, Katherine Shocas, Director of Special Projects at UMass
Memorial, and Ken Crater, Brigham Hill Community Farm.
