Untitled - Montgomery College

Celebrating Students and Alumni
Rene Pedraza, Renaissance Scholar, received the very prestigious US Department of State Critical
Language Scholarship Award. This summer, Pedraza will study Urdu in India for eight weeks. This is the
first year that this scholarship has been open to community college students, and Pedraza is one of the
few community college students accepted.
Teodora Lazarova, an interior design major, won second place in the High Point Design Center student
competition. Her award was presented in High Point, North Carolina, at the Design Center on March 18,
2015. Along with the award, she also received $500. Pamela Gragg, professor of interior design, was
Lazarova’s faculty mentor. This is the second year in a row that an MC interior design student has placed
in this competition. Invitees come mainly from four-year programs.
Macklin Business Institute/MC Enactus students participated in Raptors for Change. In this competition,
each team was given 18 handcrafted Ugandan necklaces and $18—resources they could use to raise as
much money as possible for a charity over five days. Using creative marketing concepts the students
raised over $9,000 for Operation Bling, the Ibanda Project, the One Hen Project, and the Rockville
Campus food pantry.
The Student Art League sponsored Rockville: Women of the World. The exhibition featured student
artists including Abie Ceesay, Fariba Niazimoghaddam, Katarina Oberg, Alexa Quito, and My-Linh Rouil. It
was on display at Temple Emanuel’s HaMakom Gallery in February and March.
Work by students in the photography program of the media arts and technologies department is on
display at the Rockville Media Arts Gallery through mid-April.
Members of Montgomery College’s Student Construction Association and the Student Architect Club
participated in the Hands On DC mural madness event the last Saturday in March. They painted murals
and helped with other projects aimed at brightening schools. Patti Secreto, instructional lab coordinator,
led the volunteer effort.
Marius Betfiang, a first-year student in the radiologic technology program, was one of only 90 students
nationwide selected to participate in the American Society of Radiologic Technologist (ASRT) Student
Leadership Development Program. He will attend meetings and symposiums in Albuquerque, New
Mexico, at the end of June.
Two students who are also Marine Corps veterans received internship offers with Discovery
Communications: Andrew Bird and Joe Breehl are working in the media operations and building
operations departments, respectively.
Nine students participated in a Model UN Security Council hosted by the Osgood Center for International
Studies. They were: Rebecca Black, Shannon Freed, Brandon Jasper, Lul Kidane, Luis Machuca, Kevin
Maldonado, Michael Pauls, Mamadou Simpara, and Christelle Vesali. Brandon Jasper and Lul Kidane,
representing Russia, won for best position paper. Michael Pauls, representing France with a partner from
Norwich University, won two awards: one for best position paper and one for distinguished delegation.
Rebecca Black and Kevin Maldonado, representing Jordan, won honorable mention for distinguished
delegation. Brandon Jasper has been invited by the Osgood Center to participate in a model UN trip to
China, and Lul Kidane is a summer internship candidate at the Osgood Center. The George Mason Model
UN Club invited the MC students to fill in space on the GMU team at a Model Arab League.
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The Montgomery College student chapter of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) was
selected as February’s NAHB Student Chapter of the Month.
Celebrating Faculty, Staff, and Administrators
Conference Presentations/Invitations and Special Speaking Assignments
Monique Alston-Davis and Mirna Ostchega, professors of nursing, were awarded nurse educator
doctoral grant funding through the Maryland Nurse Support Program II. They are going to receive
$30,000 each for their doctoral expenses. Professor Ostchega was honored in 2008 as an outstanding
MC alumna.
Jennifer Capparella, professor of biology, Dr. Timothy McWhirter, professor of philosophy, and Dr. Mary
Robinson, chair of the English and reading department gave a presentation about flipped classrooms at
the Association of Faculties for the Advancement of Community College Teaching Conference.
Dr. Miller Newman, professor of English, spoke on the life and work of her aunt, renowned playwright
and poet May Miller, at George Washington University in March. Her presentation was part of a program
documenting poets and poetry movements in Washington, DC, from 1900 to the present. Robert Giron,
professor of English and American English Language, Joanna Howard , professor of English, and Dr.
Marianne Szlyk, professor of English, all helped to organize the program.
Debra Poese, director of the School of Education and principal investigator for the Robert Noyce Teacher
Scholarship NSF Grant for TPOD STEM—“Teaching Pathways, Opening Doors to Stem”—gave a
presentation at the northeast regional Noyce conference in March. She spoke about STEM education at
community colleges with learning assistants. She was joined by Dr. Carolyn Schick, professor of
chemistry, and students Jasmine Aviles Vega and Andrew Potocko. Potocko and Vega, both math/science
secondary education majors, participated in the learning assistant program coordinated by Dr. Schick.
They shared their experiences and the grant’s impact on their decisions to become STEM educators.
The 2014 MC Smithsonian Faculty Fellows presented their projects at event on the Rockville Campus in
February. Presenters included Dr. Isaiah Ayafor, professor of English; Salvatore DiMaria, professor of
geography; Maggie Gourlay, professor of art; Kateema Lee, professor of English; Dr. Maria Elvira LunaEscudero-Alie, professor of world languages; Dr. Cyrus MacFoy, professor of biology; Beverly Ryan,
professor of art; Beverly Spencer, professor of communications; and Vitaly Shvetsov, professor of math.
Dr. Jeanann Boyce, professor of business and computer applications, was one of 150 women in the US
selected for the Women in Cybersecurity Conference and CREST (Computing Research Experiences for
STEM Teachers) teacher training program.
Tymofey Wowk, professor of English, gave a presentation about Latino English learners at the University
of Maryland Baltimore County’s Graduate Research Conference in March.
Dr. Claudia Rousseau, professor of art history, recently returned from a month-long research trip
working and studying at the Warburg Institute at the University of London and the Vatican Library. Back
home, Dr. Rousseau was the keynote speaker at the annual awards banquet of the Washington Society
of Landscape Painters.
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Dr. Laura Anna and Dr. Alycia Palmer, professors of chemistry, attended the conference of the American
Chemical Society in March. Dr. Palmer presented a talk titled, “Photoinduced Dual-binding by Dirhodium
(II, II) Complexes with DNA.” In the Inorganic Technical Division, Dr. Anna was a co-organizer and
moderator of two Division of Chemical Education symposia, “NMR Spectroscopy in the Undergraduate
Curriculum” and “Successful Strategies for Transitioning Students from the Two-Year College.”
Publications
An article by Dr. Amy Shell-Gellasch, professor of math, appears in the April issue of Math Horizons. The
article is titled, “The Spirograph and Mathematical Models from 19th Century Germany.”
Awards/Accolades
Jamin Bartolomeo, associate dean of student services, earned his doctorate of education from the
George Washington University. In February, Dr. Bartolomeo defended his dissertation titled, “The
Discourse among Community College Faculty Regarding the Integration of Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs).”
Sandra Filippi, campus planner, graduated from the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP),
Planning Institute.
The Global Humanities Institute received an honorable mention from the national Two-Year College
English Association (TYCA) in the category titled, “Reaching Across Borders.” The TYCA’s Diana Hacker
awards honor the achievements of those two-year college English teachers who, together with
administrators and community leaders, create exemplary programs and initiatives to enhance
language learning of students and enable students of diverse interests and backgrounds to achieve
their college, career, and personal goals.
MCTV has been honored with a Telly Award for a segment of Campus Conversations about Yannick
Diouff, a 2014 graduate and Dream Act beneficiary. Dan Rankin and Francine Wyron, MCTV producer
directors, shot, edited, and produced the piece.
Carol Burbage, manager of the Rockville Math/Science Learning Center, was named a Diversity
Champion in spring 2015 by the Office of Employee Relations, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Office of
Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management. Burbage developed a training event for staff about
working with students who are military veterans. The idea for the training came from a fall 2014
Athenaeum presentation titled, “What Happens When Women of War Come Home?”
Komelia Okim, professor emerita of art, has been selected for a Fulbright Award to research and
document metalworking techniques in South Korea. This is Professor Okim’s third Fulbright Award.
Dr. Barbara Nubile, director of nursing and associate dean, has been selected as the regional finalist
for2015 DC/MD/VA Nurse.com GEM Awards honoring excellence in nursing.
Nevart Tahmazian, professor of chemistry, received the 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award from the
Chemical Society of Washington. Professor Nevart participates in a variety of outreach events
including Rockville Science Day and Frontiers in Science and Medicine Day. She visits local K–12
classrooms to do hands-on activities with young students to promote chemistry. Last year, Professor
Nevart was a “chemistry ambassador” for St. Mary’s Catholic School in Rockville, developing lesson
plans and materials.
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Art Exhibitions/Performances
Karin Rodney-Haapala, professor of art, was selected as the featured artist for Women’s History Month
by the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago. Her works are also included in the museum’s
permanent collection. Professor Rodney-Haapala is a veteran of the US Air Force and served in Operation
Iraqi Freedom.
Maggie Gourlay, professor of art, exhibited her art work throughout March at the Gray Gallery in
Winchester, Virginia. The exhibit was titled Imaginative Architecture.
Robin Meyer and Molly Marie Nuzzo professors of art, curated “OUT/break: LGBTQA Artists” at the
Rockville Campus Sarah Silberman Gallery in March. The exhibition included a curator talk.
Special Assignments/Appointments
Dr. James Lee Annis, chair of the history and political science department, has been appointed by the
Montgomery County Council to a four-year term on the Public Election Fund Committee. The council
recently established a voluntary public campaign financing system for candidates.
Dr. Laura Anna, chair of the department of chemistry, has been invited to serve on the National Science
Foundation grant review panel for undergraduate programs.
Dr. Aubrey Smith, professor of biology, was a judge at the Emerging Researchers National Conference in
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in February. He also served as a judge at the Buck
Lodge Middle School Science Fair and at the Sigma Xi Student Research Showcase in March.
Interesting News to Note
Almost 500 people attended the 2015 Staff Enrichment Day conference. The events included workshops,
speakers, and a tour of the fab lab.
The Montgomery College Alumni Association raised $5,600 for student scholarships in partnership with
the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg. The restaurant generously donated 15 percent of its sales
for the day.
The Women’s and Gender Studies annual Scholarship Breakfast was held in the Rockville Theatre Arts
Arena in March. The Montgomery Women Student Leadership Award was presented to Amie Fye, an
education major, along with $1000. In all, 25 students received scholarships and awards. Gus Griffin,
professor of counseling and advising, and Rose Sachs, professor emerita of counseling and advising, were
also recognized.
The Marriott Hospitality Center hosted the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation to offer
the 2015 Diabetes University at Montgomery College in March.
The Paul Peck Humanities Institute hosted a workshop for faculty and staff from the College,
Montgomery County Public Schools, and local private schools titled Heart and Story. The use of personal
narratives and art was explored as a way to foster understanding for people who experience injustice.
Rockville Campus employees and students met with Dr. Judy Ackerman, vice president and provost of
the Rockville Campus and ABEESS (arts, business, education, English and social sciences) and the
Rockville Staff and Student Councils to discuss College governance at a campus open house.
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Dr. Leah Allen, professor of chemistry, and Jennifer Sengbusch, instructional lab coordinator, participated
in the K to College program at Beall Elementary School in March. Children were taught some DNA basics
with a strawberry DNA isolation. Similarly, Cathy Kwolek, recruitment and college access coordinator, and
Nevart Tahmazian, professor of chemistry, visited Daly Elementary School in March. Kwolek introduced
kindergarteners to the variety of educational programs available for students of all ages at Montgomery
College. Tahmazian conducted several experiments and led an interactive chromatography activity with
the kindergarteners.
Tori Schneider, professor of biology, volunteered at the Earle B. Wood Middle School STEM Expo in
February. Schneider brought along Ruby, the department’s corn snake. Schneider talked with students
about different types of science careers.
Academic News and Notes
There were three transfer days in February, one on each campus. Local and regional colleges and
universities all provided information about their campuses and scholarship opportunities.
Margaret Romer, deputy director, division of academic and technical education in the Office of Career,
Technical and Adult Education of the US Department of Education, visited the Rockville Campus in March
to learn more about career programs.
The Writing, Reading, and Language (WRL) Center Peer Tutor Program on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring
Campus has been certified by the College Reading and Learning Association. Two innovation grants gave
WRL Center staff the opportunity to investigate, refine, and certify the program.
The new Clinical Studies Workshop Club met for the first time in March. The club provides students in
anatomy and physiology courses the opportunity to sharpen their diagnostic skills.
MC in the News
Dr. Vincent Intondi, professor of history, was a guest on WUFO Radio with Jim Anderson discussing his
new book, African-Americans Against The Bomb. Dr. Intondi was also the featured writer on
bookscombined.com in February. In his blog post, “Books for Freedom Fighters,” he reflected on some
of the books that have shaped his perspective on history.
NBC affiliate, WSFA, featured the work of Montgomery College students participating in an alternative
spring break and helping out Tuscaloosa residents in need.
Dr. Sanjay Rai, senior vice president for academic affairs, was quoted in the Chronicle of Higher
Education in an article about adjunct faculty and unions.
Montgomery College was praised by a resident of Silver Spring in a letter to the editor in The Gazette.
Saheed Oyeshile, a student and track team member, was featured in an article in The Gazette.
The online Frederick News-Post reviewed Back Pain in March. The exhibit features works by artist Cindi
Hron and is the fourth of the series “Mark, Trace, Impact” in the Open Gallery at the Morris and
Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center. The exhibit was also reviewed in The Montgomery Sentinel.
Summer Dinner Theatre alumnus and O.A.R. singer Marc Roberge was the subject of a WTOP feature.
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Latest from Student Services
The annual Rockville Student Senate Talent Show was held in March. The first, second, and third place
winners received scholarships raised by the student senate. Mary Sierra, director of student life at the
Rockville Campus, estimated more than $13,000 was raised through fundraising efforts.
Disability Support Services (DSS) announced a memorandum of understanding with the Maryland
Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) to offer DORS Pathways, a program that allows eligible
students on the autism spectrum to receive additional educational support services.
DSS also hosted an information session for prospective students, parents, and educators. Over 100
attendees came to learn about the College, DSS accommodations and services, and tips on making a
smooth and successful transition.
Speakers and Events
The World Languages Film Festival on the Rockville Campus continued this spring. After each film,
members of the world languages faculty led a discussion. The films included the Brazilian Behind the Sun
facilitated by Dr. Narlan Teixeira; the Korean The Grand Chef facilitated by Jin Choi; and the French Les
Choristes, facilitated by Dr. Charlotte King and Valerie Tanner in March.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde was
shown on the Rockville Campus in March. The movie focuses on the life and work of the poet dedicated
to confronting issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Ritu Sharma, author of Teach a Woman to Fish: Overcoming Poverty Around the Globe and president of
Women Thrive Worldwide, gave a talk in March. The event was sponsored by the Peace and Justice
Studies Community and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.
Ann Stewart, professor of mathematics at Hood College, gave a lecture focused on the relationship
between math and music.
Dr. Kristen Barber, professor of sociology at Southern Illinois University, gave a presentation titled, “Men
at the March: Gender and Protest Participation in Anti-Sexual Assault Events.” Over 200 people
attended.
Trumpeter and Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famer Herb Alpert was joined by his wife, singer and Grammy
Award winner Lani Hall Alpert, for a sold out performance at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center
in March.
The Office of Student Life held a basketball tournament in collaboration with the athletics department.
Approximately 100 students attended and winners received tickets to see the Washington Wizards
during spring break.
The Office of Student Life also sponsored Sex Signals, an improvisational show to discuss sexual assault
awareness and substance abuse prevention. Seventy people attended the event.
Good Deeds Week was held at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus in March. The events included a
blood drive, a collection of items to donate to Shepard’s Table, and a letter writing station for composing
notes to soldiers.
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The Office of the Vice President and Provost, and the International Political Studies Association (a
student club), hosted a talk by Desmond Meade. Meade, who was formerly homeless and incarcerated,
is now a law school graduate. He is the state director for faith in Florida Lifelines to Healing Campaign
and of Lifelines to Healing.
Seventeen students and three advisers participated in an alternative spring break in Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, to build houses with Habitat for Humanity. Their work was to build and repair buildings
destroyed in a 2011 tornado. Students helped to replace a roof, tile a bathroom, landscape, paint, caulk,
and more.
In March, 300 middle and high school students, parents, volunteers, state and county officials, attended
the annual Choose Respect conference in the Bioscience Education Center at the Germantown Campus.
Montgomery College has hosted the program since its inception for the past six years.
Dr. Ken Baron, assistant vice provost for academic advising and student success at UMBC, visited
Montgomery College in February to share his personal journey and discuss the best ways to prepare for
a transfer.
The General Education Transform and Restructure Committee and Montgomery College Innovation
Works hosted a lecture by Dr. Paul Hanstedt, a nationally recognized author and leader in general
education reform. Dr. Hanstedt is a professor of English at Roanoke College and was recently named the
2014 Virginia Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
The Germantown Humanities Department hosted a discussion titled, “Philosophy and the Law.” Dr.
Michael Harding, professor of philosophy, and Dr. William R. Geisler, professor of politics at Collin
College, discussed the meaning of justice, how judges rule, and how modern natural law relates to the
Constitution and to jurisprudence.
The Athenaeum Symposia series hosted two lectures recently. Jennifer Clement discussed Prayers for the
Stolen, her novel about women in rural Mexico. Clement is the recipient of the National Endowment of
the Arts Fellowship and the Sara Curry Humanitarian Award. Jenny Nordberg is an award-winning
journalist and author of the Underground Girls of Kabul. Nordberg discussed her recent book and why
some girls are raised as boys in Afghanistan.
The Germantown Campus hosted a film screening and discussion of Hands Up, Don’t Shoot Our Youth.
The film and discussion focused on a needed black perspective in media, the uprising of black youth, and
the climate and conditions of Ferguson, Missouri. Filmmaker Ralph Crowder III led the discussion.
The Global Humanities Institute and E-learning, Innovation and Teaching Excellence (ELITE) cosponsored
a discussion of topics surrounding agricultural practices and the impact on local ecologies and human
health. Professor Eliza Reilly, of the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement, was the featured
speaker.
Dr. Jason Lee, professor of math, delivered a talk on mathematical proofs. While most proofs contain
written exposition, Dr. Lee showed proofs made exclusively with clever pictures.
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