MWCC Celebrates its 43rd Commencement Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 6 p.m. in the Fitness & Wellness Center, located in the Vietnam Veterans Physical Education Complex at the Gardner Campus.
Answers to the 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions by MWCC Graduates:
- Arrive at 5:00 p.m.
- Pick up your name card on the second floor of the Fitness Center
- The ceremony will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m. – don't be late!
- Ron Claiborne is the commencement speaker
- Expect commencement to last at least two hours
- Pick up diplomas immediately after the ceremony (same place you picked up your name card)
- You may keep your cap and gown
- Commencement Reception immediately following the ceremony in the Commons area
- MWCC's school colors are blue and green
- Invitations are not required of guests to be allowed entry into the ceremony
Important Information
Important Massachusetts health insurance options for graduating students - More information
Good Morning America News Anchor Ron Claiborne to Deliver MWCC’s 2008 Commencement Address
Ron Claiborne, news anchor for ABC News’ weekend edition of Good Morning America, will deliver the 2008 commencement address at Mount Wachusett Community College. MWCC’s 43rd commencement ceremony will be held Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. at the college’s Fitness & Wellness Center.
“We are delighted to welcome Ron Claiborne to our campus this spring,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “His extensive experience covering national and world events for ABC News and his perspective on issues that affect us all complement the college’s goal of developing in our students a strong sense of global awareness and civic involvement.”
Claiborne joined ABC News in 1986 as a general assignment correspondent based in Boston, reporting for World News Tonight, Nightline and Good Morning America. He was part of the ABC News team that won a 2000 Emmy Award for coverage of the seizure of Elian Gonzalez in Miami. In 2003, Claiborne was embedded on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf during the Iraq War, and also covered the first Persian Gulf War in 1990-1991. He is currently assigned to covering the presidential campaign of Senator John McCain.
In addition, Claiborne has covered such stories as the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts, the Boston Catholic Church scandal in 2002, the presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and the Yugoslavia conflict in Belgrade in 1999. He previously worked in ABC’s New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami news bureaus, and has covered stories in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, China and Europe.
A native of San Francisco, Claiborne earned a master’s degree in journalism from the Columbia University School of Journalism and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale University. Earlier in his career, he worked as a reporter for the New York Daily News, and was a reporter and editor for United Press International in New York.
International Journalist Birgit Brauer Named MWCC 2008 Alumna of the Year
Birgit Brauer, who earned an associate’s degree in Broadcasting and Telecommunications from Mount Wachusett Community College in 1989 and went on to establish a career as an international journalist for top news organizations and magazines, will be honored as the 2008 Alumna of the Year at the college’s 43rd commencement on Thursday, May 15.
“We are proud to honor Birgit Brauer as our 2008 Alumna of the Year,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “She came to the Mount as an international student eager to learn about a career in the media and continued on to achieve tremendous success both academically and professionally. Her determination to reach her goals truly serves as an inspiration to our students.”
MWCC established the award in 1989 to showcase the accomplishments of its graduates.
After graduating from MWCC, Brauer graduated cum laude from Harvard University Extension School in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, and received a master’s degree in International Journalism from American University in Washington, D.C. in 1993. She currently is a Ph.D. candidate at the Center for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
Based in Kazakhstan, Brauer is a correspondent for The Economist, writing articles on the political, economic and social situation in Central Asia, including the 2005 presidential elections in Kazakhstan and the Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan and its consequences. Brauer also has worked as a correspondent for The New York Times, Bloomberg News, and The Associated Press, covering such topics as economic development, foreign investment, oil and gas projects, banking, telecommunications and human rights. She previously worked as editor and publisher of a monthly newsletter for the U.S.-Kyrgyz Business Council in Washington and in Bishkek. The not-for-profit organization headed by former California Senator Alan Cranston analyzed events affecting U.S.-Kyrgyz trade.
“For me, the Mount was a great place to start out, and I look back on my studies with great fondness,” said Brauer, who was originally from Germany and moved to Ft. Devens a few months prior to enrolling at MWCC. She credits her professors at the time, Vincent Ialenti, now assistant dean of distance learning and instructional technology, Tony Cerubini and John Koller, with providing a solid foundation in radio and television broadcasting. “The hands-on training I received would have been inconceivable in Germany at that time, and allowed me to find out, by trial and error, about my strengths and weaknesses and choose my career path accordingly.”
MWCC Announces 2008 Service Above Self Award Recipients
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Suzanne Farias |
GARDNER – Mount Wachusett Community College announces the outstanding community leaders who will receive the 2008 Service Above Self Awards at the college’s 43rd Commencement on Thursday, May 15. The individuals chosen for their commitment to serving others are Suzanne Farias, general manager of the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton Leominster; Ladd Lavallee, co-president of Laddawn, Inc.; and John Mulqueen, MD, and Paula Mulqueen, RN.
The Service Above Self Awards recognize those who have made significant contributions to the 29 cities and towns that make up MWCC’s service area. “These individuals selflessly dedicate their time and talents to make our communities – and the world – a better place. We are proud to honor them for their abiding commitment to serving others,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino.
Suzanne Farias believes that the visibility of her position as general manager of the Four Points has enabled her to live her paradigm: “If you are going to be here, be involved.” She lives this example each day through her dedication to numerous organizations in the region. Among her volunteer service, Farias is the current chair of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Supervisory Committee of the IC Federal Credit Union, a member of the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association, and a board member and past chair of the Central Massachusetts Convention and Visitors Bureau. In addition, she is a member of the Boys and Girls Club of North Central Massachusetts, the Advisory Board of MWCC’s School of Business and is a member of the HealthAlliance Golf Classic Committee and the HealthAlliance Hospital Guild.
Working within and through the hotel, she seeks every opportunity for civic engagement, whether it is co-sponsoring the regional competition of the National Spelling Bee to employee participation in the United Way’s Day of Caring, to sponsoring the Annual Holiday Concert, free to all attendees with a donation of toys, clothing or food for Ginny’s Helping Hand. She has incorporated teaching and mentoring into her work by offering internships to area high school students who pursue a hospitality career, volunteering as a trainer within the industry, and working with Leominster’s Center for Technical Education on its Community Business Partnership.
Although Farias has worked on and off in the hospitality industry since her waitressing days as a college student, she credits MWCC’s “Beyond 9 to 5” career re-entry program with helping her find her niche. A graduate of American International College in Springfield, Farias is the 2008 recipient of the Dr. Robert Goldman Award for Excellence, presented by the Multi-Service Center of Leominster. She and her husband, Tom, a former Boston Red Sox minor leaguer, traveled with the organization for seven years before making their home in Westminster, where they raised their three children.
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Ladd Lavallee |
For nearly 20 years, Ladd Lavallee has been an inspiration to young people and adults alike through his volunteer work with Easter Seals of Massachusetts and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Beginning as a college freshman in 1989, Lavallee became a devoted volunteer with Easter Seals, which helps children and adults with disabilities expand their independence. A member of its board of directors since 2002, he is now chairman-elect of the organization. Lavallee and his sister, Dawn Seiple, co-presidents of Laddawn, Inc., a national manufacturer of films for packaging based in Sterling, have fostered a close relationship between their employees and Easter Seals. The company’s employees regularly participate in a number of activities that benefit the organization. For his work with Easter Seals as a volunteer and fundraiser, Lavallee was presented with a philanthropy award from the Central Massachusetts chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2006.
Lavallee also serves as vice president of the North Central Massachusetts Boys and Girls Club, where he and his wife, Tammy, are regular volunteers. In 2004, Lavallee founded the Youth Wellness Project, a nonprofit organization aimed at developing young people’s health, character and knowledge. The Youth Wellness Project provides after-school and summer programs to area young people, and also sponsors the DinnerTime Program at the Boys and Girls Club in Leominster. As part of this program, twice each week, the Lavallees prepare and serve nutritious meals to 80 to 100 children.
Lavallee, a graduate of Boston College, lives in Lancaster with his wife and their two children.
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John and Paula Mulqueen |
Since 2001, John Mulqueen, a pediatrician, and Paula Mulqueen, a pediatric and private duty nurse, have made 23 trips to Les Cayes, Haiti to provide health services to children and adults in the poorest region of one of the world’s most impoverished countries. On these trips, they bring with them medicine, supplies, volunteers from the community – and hope. In 2006, the Mulqueens formally founded the nonprofit organization Forward in Health, and are now raising funds to build a permanent clinic on land purchased through a donation from a benefactor. When completed next year, the clinic will provide much-needed medical care six days a week and a well that residents can access for drinking water.
As part of Forward in Health’s mission to bring medical relief to people in Haiti, the Mulqueens work with Gardner High School students and other teenagers in the area to raise awareness about those living in extreme poverty, and the many ways in which to help.
John Mulqueen graduated from Boston College and from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and did his postgraduate training at Maine Medical Center in Portland. He opened his practice in 1989 in Gardner, where the couple live with their two children. Paula Mulqueen graduated from Mount Wachusett Community College’s Registered Nurse program in 1994. In recognition of their compassion and service, the couple was presented the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts Hero Award earlier this year, and the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award in 2004. In addition, Dr. Mulqueen was elected into the Gardner High School Hall of Fame as an outstanding alumnus in 2007, and was honored by the Diocese of Worcester and the St. Luke Society in 2006.
MWCC’s 43rd Commencement will take place on Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. Ron Claiborne, weekend news anchor for ABC News’ Good Morning America, will deliver the commencement address. Birgit Brauer, ’89, will be honored as the 2008 Alumna of the Year. Outside the fitness center, members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society will collect nonperishable food items and children’s book as part of the “Project Graduation: Feed a Body, Feed a Mind” initiative. All items will be donated to the Greater Gardner Community Health Center’s food pantry and “Reach Out and Read” program.
Commencement rehearsal
Will take place Wednesday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fitness and Wellness Center, located in the Vietnam Veterans Physical Education Complex on the Gardner Campus. Rehearsal will last approximately one hour. Students can pick up caps and gowns and other commencement regalia at that time.
Parking
Lot E, near the loading dock, and across from the Fitness and Wellness Center, will be closed the entire day of commencement until one hour before the ceremony. At that time, Lot E will be reserved for those with disabilities.
Special seating for guests with disabilities
Those needing special accommodations should:
- Call (978) 630-9136 or (978) 630-9536 by May 13 for reserved seating tickets.
- Arrive before 5:30 p.m. and be seated by 5:45 p.m. At 5:45 p.m., any remaining vacant seats will be opened to the general public.
- Be dropped off, with a friend or family member, at the stop sign at the corner between the Fitness and Wellness Center and the college.
Reserved seating is near the exit, for your convenience. An ambulance and Emergency Medical Technician will be on-site.
Commencement Reception
Immediately following the commencement ceremony, the college will host a reception for students, their family, friends, and college faculty and staff. The reception is located in the Commons area where refreshments will be served. There is no charge for the reception.