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The Mount Observer

(Archive April 2017) Tower Hill Botanical Garden Photos

By Jennifer Ballou | Observer Contributor

Tower Hill Botanic Garden is a hidden gem just a short distance from the Gardner campus, with a little something for everyone.

Whether you like hiking, appreciating art, or learning something new, Tower Hill boasts many different activities and self-guided tours. Open year round, the gardens offer a variety of flora to see and learn about. The 132 acres brings trails, wildlife, and scenery. Flower and plant shows and artists displays are always happening, creating something unique and beautiful to see. read more

(Archive March 2017) Meet the New President of MWCC

By Courtney Wentz | Co-Managing Editor

Dr. James Vander Hooven, the incoming President of Mount Wachusett Community College. 
Photo courtesy of Courtney Wentz 

Dr. James Vander Hooven, MWCC’s incoming President is officially taking over on March 18th.

Vander Hooven previously worked at Landmark College, a four year school in Vermont, but he has worked at two community colleges in the past. He was President for four years at Tohono O’odham Community College in Arizona and Lakes Region Community College in New Hampshire as Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. He said, “Community colleges is where my passion is.” read more

(Archive March 2017) Biggest Questions Going Into the Regular Season for the Red Sox

By Nick Cherico | Observer Contributor

Pitchers and catchers reported for their first workouts on February 14th, marking the official beginning of a new baseball season. After their early exit in the 2016 playoffs and David Ortiz going into retirement, this Red Sox team faces plenty of questions heading into the new league year.

Who is going to start at third base?

Last year for the Red Sox third base was a revolving door. They never had a true every day starter. This is mainly due to the injury of Pablo Sandoval early in the year. After the Red Sox traded who many people thought would be their future third baseman in Yoan Moncada and one of their more versatile infielders in Travis Shaw, this spot is going continue to be a question mark for Boston. read more

(Archive March 2017) NCAA March Madness 2017: Who to Watch For.

By Nick Cherico | Observer Contributor

After a crazy tournament in 2016, we head into this year’s March Madness tournament expecting the same level of excitement. There is always that one Cinderella team in the first round or two that completely busts everyone’s bracket and make things crazy. Expect to see the same thing this year along with plenty more upsets, buzzer beaters, blowouts, and early exits for top seeds.

Last year we saw the Villanova Wildcats silence all of their doubters and win the National Title for the first time since 1985. It was truly something special considering they play in one of the weakest conferences in Division I basketball and nobody thought they could do it. The one team that resembles them the most this year would be Gonzaga. read more

(Archive February 2017) College: The Next Step

By Nicholas Cherico | Observer Contributor

Julie Henderson

After students graduate from high school, they are never sure what to expect going into their first semester of college. “Am I going to make friends?” or “How hard are the classes going to be?”. These questions, along with many more, are what went through the head of Julie Henderson of Shirley as she started her college career.

Henderson started taking college courses early, as she participated in the dual enrollment program during high school. She did this for two years at Mount Wachusett Community College, then transferred to Fitchburg State University. After just one year at Fitchburg, she decided to come back to the Mount and is currently in the Dental Assisting program. She is hoping to be in the Dental Hygiene program next fall. read more

(Archive February 2017) Women’s March on Washington

By Courtney Wentz | News Editor

Women's March Photo
Protestors gather outside the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. at the January 21st Women’s March

Former student and current computer lab assistant at MWCC, Susan Shute attended the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday, January 21st.

Originally, Shute had not planned on going to the march because of potential violence and the cost of the trip, but due to a ticket becoming available, she was able to go with a friend and a bus full of people. Shute said, “I was so excited I couldn’t stand it.”

The buses left Keene, New Hampshire at 11:30PM and arrived in Washington, D.C. at 8AM the next morning. Shute described it taking an hour to get to the starting point of the march to listen to the speakers, and then began the march at around 3PM in the afternoon. read more

(Archive November 2016) Living for Learning: Total Immersion Education

By Joshua Needham | Observer Contributor
Another Anime Convention
For three days during October, something strange happens at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH. People from all over the country gather to share their love of anime, video games, and pop culture. Colorful costumes and home-made props fill the halls and courtyard for nearly a full 72 hours and it is clear, Another Anime Convention (AAC) is back in town.

When people outside of that culture think of such events, they likely think of the socially inept gathering to discuss Star Trek, individuals dressed as their favorite characters and roleplaying their favorite scenes with one another. What they may not think about is the professionals that make the journey to attend the gatherings.

Many major conventions are centered around media, such as AAC and Anime Boston, can be split into two main attractions: entertainment and education. A ticket to attend grants access to many spaces for entertainment, such as the Dealer’s Room, a space where industry dealers can sell their merchandise directly to the fans; Artist’s Alley, where independent artists are able to sell their art work and share their creative visions; and convention panels, where a lot of the main focus lies.

Panels at conventions serve as small classrooms where guests can learn skills and traits of the professionals in the media industry. From game developers to music composers, filmmakers to animators and professional prop designers, the people making a living in the media industry are there to guide those that want to break the mold of the mundane.

Learning isn’t just something that we do to attain a degree and, in turn, a job that pays well enough to be worth the student loans. Education is on-going and events such as these can really help to make the learning process both more entertaining, and easier to understand. Reading something from a text book may help understand how something is done, but there’s nothing like being able to learn from and ask questions directly with someone that’s been in the line of work you aspire to be in.

Anime conventions such as these can be a great resource for students in the media arts fields, but they’re far from the only conventions around. With a little bit of searching, all types of conventions can be found for nearly every career desire. Not only does attending conventions offer new opportunities for learning, it can also be a great chance to network with others in your industry, and it’s a great way to immerse yourself in your subject matter.

(Archive November 2016) A November to Remember for Metal Fans: November Music Preview

By Jason D. Greenough | Web/Social Media Editor

The temperatures may (finally…possibly) hit freezing, but the metal is burning hot! November 2016 is sure to bring any metal fan a few moments of bliss.

Want to get away from the awkward family get-together? Need something to keep you awake before you go shopping on black Friday? With retrospective releases galore, ranging from Queen’s …On Air: The Complete BBC Sessions, and Pink Floyd’s The Early Years: 1965-1972, to REM’s Out of Time  celebrating it’s 25th anniversary with a re-issue, and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger, you’re pretty much all set. But, I have a few other suggestions as well…

For all the hair metal misfits, Bon Jovi is back with their second album in just over a year, This House Is Not For Sale, due out November 4th, and I can honestly say that, to me, it is a sign that Bon Jovi is back. With as much as grit and riff rock as Slippery When Wet, but as much personal discovery and uplifting as Have a Nice Day, Jon Bon Jovi further cements his rightful place among the best songwriters and musicians in all of rock history. While Richie Sambora is AWOL from this studio effort, the New Jersey quintet didn’t skip a beat in creating one of their best records since the turn of the century, and I know I won’t be disappointed, and I have a feeling that, if JBJ is your jam, you won’t be either!

While Bon Jovi & Co. tucks you into bed, Metallica is under your bed, waiting for you to fall asleep. With Hardwired…To Self-Destruct on the horizon, the Bay Area Thrash vanguards have blown me away with their first two singles featured on the album (“Hardwired” & “Moth To Flame”), and it just makes me wonder how much more they have in store when the album hits shelves on November 18th. It was no secret that many metal fans, and even those who eat, sleep, and breath Metallica were not too enthused by 2008’s Death Magnetic, so you could probably assume that the Rock n’ Roll Hall-of-Famers knew they had to redeem themselves with their first full-length EP in 8 years. And you know what? So far, it has blown my mind as much as it has the speakers in my headphones.

Nikki Sixx, legendary bassist for Motley Crüe, and founding member of Sixx:A.M., is going to have a busy month in November!

Although Crue’s 35-year career came to a close at the end of last year, the full-length feature DVD documenting their final concert, Motley Crüe: The End Live in Los Angeles, is set to make its way to the masses on November 4th as well, and a limited edition version seeing daylight on November 25th. Also on Sixx’s plate is the release of Sixx:A.M.’s Prayers For The Blessed: Vol. 2, dropping on November 18th, a follow up to their smash hit Prayers For The Damned. A tour to support the new release will also bring them to Worcester’s DCU Center on November 25th, in case you really dig it and want to see it played live!

November is sure to be a great month for music, and if you wind up picking any of these up, be sure to let the Observer know what you think!