Area students selected for Community Scholars Program
By Lindsay Sauvageau

Area students selected to be part of the Community Scholars program at MWCC will be receiving a free associate's degree, textbooks, two years of employment at a partnering non-profit organization, leadership training, and a $1,000 education award to any four-year college or university. MWCC President Dan Asquino and MWCC of civic engagement Fagan R. Forhan (right) stand with participating students. JOURNAL PHOTO/ LINDSAY SAUVAGEAU

The tuition is free and the experience is priceless for 12 incoming Mount Wachusett Community College students selected to be Mount Wachusett Community College's first class of Community Scholars.

The new MWCC Community Scholars program is the realization of President Daniel M. Asquino's vision for students to be able to use their personal skills and knowledge in real-world situations. The program offers students the chance to attend MWCC for free and earn a paycheck working for local nonprofit organizations. The program is part of the college's Center for Democracy and Humanity and is sponsored by Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc.

In this program, students will earn a free associate's degree and textbooks valued at $10,000, two years of employment at a partnering non-profit organization earning $10 per hour for up to 1,000 hours, leadership training, and a $1,000 education award to any four-year college or university.

Tuesday morning, these 2007 high school graduates from around the area gathered at a breakfast and networking event along with family members and a number of representatives from participating nonprofit organizations to introduce the program and the students involved.

"This program is another way our students blend their classroom learning with real-world experience and help out in our communities at the same time," said Asquino. "I'm proud our decade of civic engagement has led us to offer this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to young adults with creative energy, concern for others and initiative."

The students will start school on Sept. 6 and begin their work placements the same month. They will be fanning out throughout North Central Massachusetts to work with a variety of nonprofits. Participating agencies will be contributing 20-percent of the hourly salary earned by these students.

Several Leominster agencies are involved in the program including the Doyle Conservation Center/Trustees of Reservation, the Institute for Nonprofit Development and United Way of North Central Massachusetts.

Julie Edwards, one community scholar says she will be working with the Institute for Nonprofit Development located on the MWCC Leominster campus. Edwards, a business administration major, will be providing area nonprofit and communitybased organizations with event planning assistance.

"I'm a business major and some day I would like to open my own business doing weddings, birthdays and anniversaries (planning), things like that," she said.

As an area that local agencies have identified as a need, Edwards' involvement with the Nonprofit Institute will give her the opportunity to hone her business and event planning skills.

"I'd like to get to know a lot of people through the program," she said. "Plus, I get a free education from the college and I've worked hard to deserve this."

Jessica Soto

North Central Chamber of Commerce, Fitchburg. Jessica, a Business Major, will be working with the Chamber in sales and marketing to improve the outreach to nonprofits in the area. She will also be focusing on recruitment and retention efforts with potential and current Chamber members. Having already spent a year at MWCC via dual enrollment, Jessica will bring a great deal of determination, drive and creativity to the experience. Graduate of: Gardner High School Lives in: Westminster Biggest Achievement in HS: Class President for two years Extra Curricular Involvement: Student Council, Volleyball, Softball, Community Service Ambition/ Career Goals: Masters in Business Arts Is hoping to get from the Community

Scholars

Program: "Getting future contacts, having learning opportunities, and knowledge in

my major."

Kaitlyn Therrien

A graduate of Monty Tech's Dental Hygiene program, Kaitlyn will be working aid in the education and preventative care of area low-income or uninsured people and families in need of dental care. She will serve as a resource for not only participating families, but also for the cooperative program she is being placed in. Graduate of: Montachusett Regional Vocational

Technical High School Lives in: Westminster Biggest Achievement in HS: Being sixth in

a class of 271, Secretary of NHS

Extra Curricular Involvement: Softball,

Field Hockey, Basketball, National

Honor Society

Ambition/ Career Goals: Dental Hygienist

Is hoping to get from the Community

Scholars

Program: "To meet lots of new people and

help those who really need it!"