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Featured
The Mount Observer
Featured
Creative Writing at MWCC
By Daniel Dow | Editor in Chief
Greetings MWCC students,
Moving forward, the Mount Observer will feature a creating writing section spotlighting students’ poetry and short stories. In an effort to drive creativity and to interact with our community the paper will also post a writing prompt each month that is selected at random by rolling writing dice. Dice will be rolled to create a prompt for each of the five w’s (who, what, when, where, and why); the author will then need to use each of the rolled themes in their creative piece, which should be around 1000 words. When completed, your pieces can be submitted to mountobserver@mwcc.mass.edu and the journalism team will choose the most relevant, creative, and polished pieces to publish. All members of the college are encouraged to participate in this activity!
Student Gives Insight Into the Support That Helped Her Succeed
By Jayden Hooper | Observer Contributor
Photo by Betsy Torres
Rebecca Schlier, 22, from Westminster, is a Graphic and Interactive Design (GID) major and is completing her last semester here at MWCC. She spoke about the struggles of being a student while also coping with mental illnesses, and how she has received support here at the Mount.
Schlier explained the difficulty of juggling homework, daily tasks, and mental illnesses. On bad days, finding the motivation to attend school seems impossible. She feels as though her anxiety and depression hinder the work she does for her graphic arts class.
Ryan Belliveau
By Dylan Quigley | Observer Contributor
Ryan Belliveau, a paralegal and Business graduate who is taking classes at MWCC for extra credit, has strong feelings about the new hands-free driving law.
Belliveau admitted that people on their phones while driving is a problem that needs to be dealt with, but he questions if this law is the right choice.
Belliveau pointed out that the law allows for more money to go to insurance companies and towards the state because more people will be getting tickets. Furthermore, it may be used as an excuse by police for search and seizure and/or racial profiling.
A Student’s Opinion on Bloomberg’s Campaign Ethics
By Nicholas Papini | Assistant Editor
The newly instated democratic presidential debate format instituted by the Democratic National Convention (DNC) is highly flawed and blatantly favors wealthier candidates.
The DNC relaxed its previously stringent participation requirements for former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg, due to funding the entirety of his campaign with his rather exorbitant wealth, would not meet the requirement of a minimum amount of grassroots donations from a certain number of districts. It is my belief that the DNC very specifically withheld that requirement so that Bloomberg could qualify for these debates.
Retiring Professor Gives Insight into Her Long Career at the Mount
By Kristopher Madden | Observer Contributor
From tutoring, advising, and teaching, recently retired Professor Susan Blain is a familiar face to many students.
“I’m headed to San Diego, where I have a family of five, including three of my grandkids,” said Blain. “I’ll be starting part time in K-12 in a private school… As well as volunteering with human rights organizations, of course.”
Blain’s time at the Mount began as a student in 1983, attending classes as a Business Technology major. She continued to Worcester State College where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics.
Health Services Staff Member Supports Physical and Mental Wellness
By Maya Douglas | Observer Contributor
Photo by Thomas Hill Jr.
Nancy Regan, health assistant in the MWCC Nurse’s office, enjoys interactions with students and focusing on mental health. She said for her, health is beyond a passion. She emphasized that health is not only concerning the physical body; mental health and nutrition affect people just as much as illness or injury.
Starting last fall, every Wednesday students meet at the roundabout outside the cafe to go on a half hour walk for “Walking Wednesdays.” Both faculty and students are welcome. Regan said the meeting time is at 12:30 p.m. so that students may take a break from studying to get some fresh air.
Veterinary Technology Program Advances Careers in Animal Care
By Nicholas Papini | Assistant Editor
Photo courtesy of Jessica Pelland
The new Veterinary Technology program at MWCC may be highly competitive, but it is constantly developing and significantly better than other local competitors.
Jessica Pelland, a student in her first year of the program, said that at the age of 40 she felt that there was something missing in her life. She said that she asked herself what she might want to do and decided to pursue a career that would allow her to work with animals. The timing of this revelation happened to coincide with the new MWCC program, and she felt that the decision to apply was a no-brainer.
Review of YouTube Duo’s First YA Novel
By Nicholas Papini | Observer Contributor
Image from Amazon
While the characters and overarching plot of The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek are solid, where the novel truly shines is in its minor characters and moments of world building.
Youtubers Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal of the channel Good Mythical Morning’s first foray into fiction novels follows the story of two teens in the fictional South Carolina town of Bleak Creek. The small town has a rather famous local business which claims to reform troubled children and has an impressive resume with very few failures. However, as teens Rex McClendon and Leif Nelson learn, not all is as it seems with the Whitewood School.
Student’s Tips for Seasonal Fun on a Budget
By Marissa Shea | Observer Contributor
Photo by Ian Stauffer from Unsplash
With the Holiday season approaching quickly, it can be difficult for some of us to justify spending boatloads of money on a night out with our significant other. There are holiday dinners to attend, gifts to give, and expenses to be paid. If you are looking to take your significant other on a romantic night out without breaking the bank, this is the article for you. It will discuss three date ideas, at three different price points, at varying travel times.
Dobby Sock Drive Collects Donations for Local Women’s Shelter
By Maya Douglas | Observer Contributor
The Dobby Sock Drive will be held December 9th and 10th in the Student Center for anyone who wishes to give back as the holiday season approaches. According to Vanessa Roberto, president of the Parent Support Group, who is organizing the event, the socks will be donated to a local women’s shelter. Anyone who donates is eligible to win Harry Potter-themed prizes.
All proceeds will be donated to a local women’s shelter located in Leominster. The program provides housing for recovering addicts and young single mothers. According to Roberto, when she met with some of the women at this shelter, they told her one thing they truly needed was socks. The shelter is very similar to a group home, so items, particularly clothing, frequently go missing or get stolen.
Early Childhood Education Major Discusses the Impact of Children’s Films
By Hannah Bennett | Observer Contributor
Allyssa Johnson, first year Early Childhood Education major, has yet to interact with many of the children who go to the Garrison Center for daycare, but she is learning about fostering healthy childhood learning and development. At the Garrison Center, she learns what factors have the greatest impact on early childhood development.
Currently, Johnson is learning about the importance of parental involvement in the early stages of childhood development. This fosters “family engagement”, which is crucial to the healthy development of children. One assignment on this subject was a half hour movie that parents watched with their children. Then they created a project based on how the movie made them feel.