THIS WEEK@NCC - Norwalk Community College

THIS WEEK@NCC
September 6, 2016
Volume 34, Number 2
IN THIS ISSUE
Page 2
Welcome Week Events
Student Auditions for Performing
Arts Festival
Page 3
Coffee and Conversation
9/11 Remembrance Service at NCC
Commemoration the 15th
Anniversary of 9/11
NCC to Observe Constitution Day
Page 4
Source to Sound Clean-Up
Artist’s Talk: Mohamad Hafez
Panel Discussion on Jobs with
Joe Connolly
Page 5
Movie-of-the-Month: Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid
News and Announcements
Page 6
Faculty and Staff News
SUBMISSIONS
Use online PR form at: http://nccportal4/FormServerTemplates
Next issue published:
September 14, 2016
Deadline for submissions:
September 8, 2016
This Week @ NCC is published
by the Public Relations Office of
Norwalk Community College
Graphic Designer and Writer
Cindy Zaref
Copy Editor and Writer
Rick Leonard
Copy Editor and Writer
Madeline Barillo, Director
Study Ranks NCC Second in Nation
for Low Student Indebtedness and
Third for Career Preparedness
The “2016 Best & Worst
Community Colleges” study
released by WalletHub (8/22/16)
ranked Norwalk Community
College second nationwide in
Lowest Student Loan Default
Rate and third nationwide in
student Career Outcomes.
The report analyzed 821 U.S.
community colleges across 12
key metrics, ranging from tuition
costs to student-faculty ratio to return on educational investment. Data used to create
these rankings were collected from the National Center for Education Statistics, the
Council for Community and Economic Research, and College Measures.
“We are ecstatic that Norwalk Community College has been recognized as a Best
Community College in the country,” said NCC President David L. Levinson, Ph.D.
“It is validation of our mission to provide an outstanding and affordable education,
and to give students the best possible start in their careers.”
Dr. Levinson noted that “a key contributor” to the college’s Lowest Student Loan
Default ranking is the NCC Foundation, which provides more than $1 million in
private scholarships to 500 students a year, including LEAP Scholarships for transfer
to a four-year institution. These funds enable students to graduate virtually debt-free.
NCC’s exceptional Career Outcomes ranking is a result of cutting-edge career
preparedness initiatives including the Norwalk Early College Academy partnership
with IBM, a biotechnology careers partnership with Jackson Laboratories for Genomic
Medicine, and NCC’s role as leader of a seven-college consortium educating
Connecticut residents for careers in emerging health and life sciences occupations.
The study concluded that “across the board, community colleges are slowly
stacking up against their university counterparts by offering better schedule flexibility,
smaller class sizes and comparatively rigorous coursework, including bachelor’s
degrees in some states at a fraction of the university cost.”
“Affordability and academic excellence are the hallmarks of Norwalk Community
College,” President Levinson said. “It’s gratifying that NCC’s achievements have been
acknowledged on a national level.”
WalletHub is a Washington, D.C.-based social media company that allows people
to search for and compare financial products in order to make smarter financial
decisions. The company also prepares a variety of state and local rankings on financial
and educational topics, including the “best and worst” places to retire, buy a house,
have student debt or get an education.
Welcome Week Events
With the start of the new semester, on Monday, August 29,
students enjoyed a series of free Welcome Week events to
have fun and make new friends.
On the first day of class, Javon Noblin, Director of
Student Activities, led an outdoor “Tie-Dye” session in
front of the East Campus. Students were given complimentary NCC t-shirts to decorate by tie-dying.
On Tuesday, students played “Bingo for Books” in the
West Campus cafeteria. Winners received bookstore gift
cards and other prizes.
A “Make Your Own Emoji Pillow” session was held
in the Student Activities Lounge on Wednesday. The next
day, the lounge was the venue for an “Eat and Meet”
party featuring pizza and popcorn.
U P C O M I N G
Student Activities Director Javon Noblin (shown at left) showed
students how to twist and tie their NCC t-shirts with rubber bands in
preparation for dipping them in the dyes and water.
E V E N T S
Student Auditions for
Performing Arts Festival
Auditions: September 6, 7 and 8 (sign-up room E108)
Call backs: September 9, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
East Campus, PepsiCo Theater
NCC will present a Performing
Arts Festival on November 15.
To audition, please sign up for
time slots this week on the bulletin board outside room E108.
The festival will feature a
collage of songs and scenes celebrating music and theater
at NCC. It will include extracurricular projects, (songs
and scenes cast via auditions) and curricular projects (from
music and theater classes). Singing Projects
21 Guns: A song from the Broadway show American
Idiot, which won a Grammy Award for Best Musical.
Looking for male/female soloists and strong ensemble.
Hamilton: A performance of Alexander Hamilton, the
high-energy, hip-hop song from the award-winning
musical, Hamilton. Looking for a diverse ensemble who
can sing, plus seven actors/actresses who can hip-hop. Non-Singing Projects
Night Vision: An award-winning drama from Facing
Our Truth: Ten-Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race and
Privilege. Roles for one male/one female. (Male is
African-American; female can be any ethnicity)
Text Misdirected: A comedy about a woman who has
had more than enough of everyone’s attachments to
their devices and takes measures into her own hands. One female and one male are needed.
Little Table in the Corner: A very short, yet powerful
drama about an ex-husband who tries to win back his
wife, but she has a valid reason not to accept. One
female and one male are sought.
Last-Minute Adjustments: A farce about all the things
that happen right before birth—from the baby’s
perspective. Five actors/actresses are needed.
Students interested in a singing part should prepare
a song, or part of a song. If auditioning for Hamilton,
bring a hip-hop song as well. Come with a karaoke
accompaniment, if possible. Students interested in nonsinging roles will read from the scripts.
Scripts, rehearsal schedules and audition forms are all
located in E108. For more information, please contact
Professor Christine Mangone at [email protected].
T H I S W E E K @ N C C / V O L U M E 34, N U M B E R 2 / S E P T E M B E R 6, 2016 / P A G E 2
Coffee and Conversation
with President Levinson
Wednesday, September 7, 9 a.m.
East Campus, Room E212
NCC President David L. Levinson, Ph.D.
will host “Coffee and Conversation” sessions
weekly throughout the Fall 2016 semester for all faculty
and staff. There will be no set agenda, other than a desire
to converse.
The session locations will alternate between the East
and West campuses. Look for additional dates in upcoming
issues of This Week@NCC.
Speakers will include Senator Richard Blumenthal,
Senator Chris Murphy, Congressman Jim Himes, 9/11
survivor Brian Lavigne, as well as New Canaan resident
Bonnie McEaney, a 9/11 family member and author of
the 2010 book Messages: Signs, Visits, and Premonitions
from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11.
This event is free and open to the public. For more
information, please contact Lisa Lynne Kirkpatrick, Grace
Farms Community Initiative Director, at (203) 920-1724.
9/11 Remembrance
Service at NCC
Monday, September 12, 8:30 a.m.
East Campus Atrium
In observance of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist
attacks on The World Trade Center in 2001, NCC will
hold a service open to all faculty, staff, students and guests of
the college. A moment of silence will be held at 8:46 a.m.,
the time when the first tower was struck. Please note that the September 12 “Coffee and Conversation with President Levinson,” originally scheduled
for 8:30 a.m. will be held in conjunction with the
Remembrance event.
Commemorating
the 15th
Anniversary of 9/11
Monday, September 12,
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Grace Farms, New Canaan
NCC students, faculty and staff are invited to attend
a 9/11 memorial event, “Commemorating the 15th
Anniversary through Remembrance, Renewal and
Resilience: A Retrospective Look at the Long-Standing
Impact of 9/11 and Discussion of the Current Challenges
We Face.” This event is sponsored by Grace Farms and
Voices of September.
NCC to Observe Constitution
Day 2016
Tuesday, September 13, 8:30 to 9:50 a.m. and
Wednesday, September 14, 5:30 to 6:50 p.m.
West Campus, Room W201
On September 17, 1787, the Founding Fathers completed
and signed the United States Constitution, the most
influential document in American history. Since 2004, when Constitution Day become a federal
observance, American schools, colleges and federal agencies have held educational programs on the Constitution
on September 17.
NCC will observe Constitution Day 2016 a few days
early (and over two days) with discussions in Professor
Steve Berizzi’s sections of United States History I. Visitors
are welcome.
On those dates, the classes will discuss the constitutional convention of 1787, the most important provisions
in the seven articles of the Constitution of 1787, the
ratification debates of 1787-1788, Mercy Otis Warren’s
critique of the Constitution, and James Madison’s
Federalist No. 10, which was written during the ratification
T H I S W E E K @ N C C / V O L U M E 34, N U M B E R 2 / S E P T E M B E R 6, 2016 / P A G E 3
(cont’d. on next page)
debates and might be the most famous work of political
theory in United States history.
For more information on Constitution Day, visit
the National Constitution Center website at http://
constitutioncenter.org/constitution-day.
Prudential Visit to NCC
Thursday, September 15 (by appointment)
East Campus, Room E306
Prudential Retirement Counselor Davelva Perez will be
on campus to meet with NCC employees. To make an
appointment, please contact Ms. Perez at (860) 837-4214
or [email protected].
Source to Sound Clean-up
Saturday, September 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meet in the lobby of the Science, Health
and Wellness Building
Source to Sound, a partnership between
the Ocean Conservancy, Grace Farms, The
Maritime Aquarium, NCC’s Committee for
Active and Responsible Environmental Sustainability
(CARES) and the Norwalk Mayor’s Office, will be
holding a clean-up project of the Five Mile Watershed.
The event provides an opportunity to learn about the
importance of stewardship for local waterways while
making a positive impact in the community.
Among the day’s line-up of projects is cleaning up the
pond behind NCC’s West Campus building. Volunteers
are asked to wear long pants and comfortable, closed-toe
shoes. Refreshments and t-shirts will be provided.
Please contact Professor Robert Emigh at remigh@
norwalk.edu or Courtney Anstett at [email protected]
with any questions.
Artist’s Talk: Mohamad Hafez
Wednesday, September 21, 6 to 8 p.m.
East Campus Art Gallery
Syrian artist and architect Mohamad Hafez will discuss his
recent exhibit, Desperate Cargo, a multimedia installation
incorporating wall murals, sculpture depicting post-war
Mohamad Hafez, Desperate Cargo (lifeboat), 144 x 48 x 40 inches (on
display at a previous venue)
reality and photography focusing on the war and the
current refugee crisis. The focal point of the installation is
an actual lifeboat suspended from the ceiling.
Hafez describes the piece as “Floating in space…lost
in motion…suspended in time…just like many refugees
seeking a new future, a hope to exist.” The installation
“aims to shine light on the unseen side of immigrating and
to give glimpse of what Syrians are running from.”
The exhibit will be on view through October 23.
Jobs & Hiring Panel Discussion
with Joe Connolly of WCBS
NewsRadio 880
Thursday, September 22, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
East Campus, PepsiCo Theater
If you would like to obtain
a new or better job, or would
like to hire employees, come
to this free panel discussion
on “How to Transform Your
Life in One Year or Less,”
moderated by Joe Connolly,
CBS NewsRadio 880
Bloomberg Business Anchor.
Graduates who completed
an NCC program or certifiJoe Connolly, WCBS NewsRadio
cate in one year or less will
880 Bloomberg Business Anchor
share how they were hired.
And, they are bringing their new bosses with them to talk
about what employers look for in new hires.
The graduates have found jobs in healthcare, graphic
design, culinary arts, exercise science, real estate and
(cont’d. on next page)
T H I S W E E K @ N C C / V O L U M E 34, N U M B E R 2 / S E P T E M B E R 6, 2016 / P A G E 4
business. They will share their advice on fast ways to get
your life on a better track. This event will be of interest
to anyone who doesn’t have the time or money to start a
major career change on their own.
Joe Connolly’s daily CBS-Bloomberg Business
Reports are one of the most popular elements on WCBS
NewsRadio 880. His reports can be heard weekday
mornings on WCBS between 5 and 10 a.m.
To reserve a seat, or for more information, please
contact Madeline Barillo at [email protected].
Movie-of-the-Month:
Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid (1969)
Best Original Screenplay for the film) and features music
by composer Burt Bacharach.
Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and the Sundance Kid
(Robert Redford) are on the run from a crack U.S. posse
after a string of train robberies. They flee to Bolivia with
Sundance’s girlfriend (Katharine Ross) in search of a more
successful criminal career.
The screening
is free and open
to the public. For
more information,
please contact
Prof. Gary Carlson
at gcarlson@
norwalk.edu.
Thursday, September 22, 6:30 p.m.
East Campus, Gen Re Theater
Generally regarded as one of the great films of the 1960s,
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is also one of the
most popular westerns of all time.
The film was directed by George Roy Hill, written by
William Goldman (who won the Academy Award for
N E W S
A N D
A N N O U N C E M E N T S
Crisis Response Team Needs
Volunteers
NCC’s Crisis Response Team is actively seeking new
members to help respond, along with security, to reports
of a significant behavioral occurrence on campus. This
could include a situation where students, faculty, staff or
others on campus are reported to be either displaying
disruptive and/or threatening behaviors or making threats
that could endanger the safety of themselves and others.
After members are trained, they are asked to sign-up for
three-hour time blocks for “on call” services when they
can respond to such an event if called by security.
Volunteers are required to attend a mandatory
two-part training on Friday, September 23 and Friday,
September 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in E112.
Limited space is available in the training. Those who
volunteered to serve on the team during our outreach
last semester need not respond again.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact
one of the following CRT chairs: Cathy Miller at cmiller@
norwalk.edu, Kelly DelMazio at [email protected]
or Arlette Werner at [email protected].
CSHW Entrance Door Now
Closes After 4 p.m.
There has been some concern over closing the entrance to
the Center for Science, Health & Wellness after 4 p.m.
Because of budget reductions, NCC no longer has a
security guard in the evening at that location.
To prevent employees from having to walk around to
the front entrance, door #11 will be left open after 4 p.m.
This entrance is adjacent to the Center for Science, Health
& Wellness building and has a dedicated security camera.
T H I S W E E K @ N C C / V O L U M E 34, N U M B E R 2 / S E P T E M B E R 6, 2016 / P A G E 5
F A C U L T Y
A N D
S T A F F
N E W S
Professor Fitzsimmons Attends
Poland Photography Exhibition
Joan Fitzsimmons, Professor of Photography, is traveling
to Warsaw, Poland at the invitation of Zacheta Gallery,
where she will be attending the opening reception of
the solo exhibition by artist Jacek Malinowski. Joan has
performed in three of Malinowski’s videos which are
included in the show. While there, she will also take part
in a curatorial tour of the exhibit and will be giving an
Instagram workshop on “The Response to Place” with
young artists.
For more information, please contact Joan
Fitzsimmons at [email protected].
NCC Continuing Notice of Non-Discrimination
Norwalk Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, sex, national origin, marital status,
ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression or genetic information in its programs and activities. In addition, the College does not discriminate in employment on the
basis of veteran status or criminal record. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Chief Diversity Officer and Special Advisor, Cheryl DeVonish, Title IX Coordinator at (203) 857-7016 or cdevonish@
norwalk.edu; or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator Fran Apfel at (203) 857-7192 or [email protected].
T H I S W E E K @ N C C / V O L U M E 34, N U M B E R 2 / S E P T E M B E R 6, 2016 / P A G E 6