By Santiago Ferreira Vila | Observer Contributor
Construction. The one nightmare that affects almost every commuter, whether it is just a simple (or not so simple) one-lane closing, or an entire street wiped out. Mount Wachusett Community College has a student body of about 10,000, according to its website, and every one of those students are commuters. Construction, unfortunately, makes the effort of driving to the school difficult. Whether it be the Gardner, Leominster, or Devens campus.
By Santiago Ferreira Vila | Observer Contributor
Wake up. Go to class. Come home. Go to work. Do homework. Repeat. That is the life of many students at Mount Wachusett Community College. Financial aid may help students who are having trouble being able to pay off classes, but there is still the matter of personal purchases and bills students need to pay off as well. Many jobs can either be flexible with the students schedule while others may snarl at the fact that the job itself isn’t the student’s number one priority.
By Tyler Morgan | Observer Contributor
If your child was recruited to play a Division sport, didn’t have to pay for school, food, or clothing, would you still want them to be paid? For many reasons, I believe college athletes shouldn’t be paid.
There are many benefits that College athletes receive for playing sports at school. I asked friends of mine who were Division 1 as well as Division 2 athletes about benefits they or other athletes they know receive. They mentioned how these benefits that the athletes receive include first class travel, free food at some of the best schools across the country, private tutoring, as well as free clothes.
By Jamie Parker | Opinion Editor
After the Women’s Marches that took place on Saturday, January 21st, the day after the Inauguration of Donald Trump, people all over the country took to the internet to tell the people who were participating in the marches how they felt about it.
Many of those people were supportive of the marches that were happening nationwide. Yet there were some, as there always are, who were not as supportive. These people condemned the marchers as, “not real” women because they’re only marching for themselves, or how these marchers were being “irrational,” because the current administration hasn’t even done anything yet, or even how there is no need for this because women “already have equal rights.” So this is my response to those people. This is why I march.
By Jamie Parker | News Editor
Food stamps, “free” healthcare, subsidized housing, and other government funded programs that all count as welfare programs. According to the Census Bureau, at the end 2012, about 34% of US citizens rely on one welfare program or another. That’s about 109,631,000 people. That’s a lot of people, and a lot of tax dollars.
Now one argument you have probably heard is that we should drug test all welfare recipients, to ensure that our hard-earned tax dollars are going to people who are “doing the right thing.” But in states like Florida, and Tennessee, these tests have been proven to cost more than they save. On top of that, these proposed laws are being challenged on whether they are even constitutional.
By Kelly Cacciolfi | Observer Contributor
“Just go and go with someone” is what Heather Conn, current Assistant Professor of Biology and Department Chair, Natural Sciences, gives for advice about travel. Conn shared what she has learned through her journeys from a young age.
It all started with a trip with her family to Disney in Williamsburg where Conn said, “that’s when I became obsessed with maps and I am very good at reading them.” When Conn was in 5th or 6th grade, her father (Steve) won a trip to Mexico through his work. He then decided to rent a car for their excursions.
By Kelly Cacciolfi | Observer Contributor
United we stand, divided we fall. This is how I feel about what has transpired since this historical election. It’s my opinion that we need to raise our voices, let them be heard, and march in solidarity… peacefully.
Our young children are watching every move, protest, and bad word said. This is not what I choose for my children. I believe we should rise together and make this a cry to our young adults and children to be the change.
I took part in the Post Election Dialog two days after the election in the North Café on the Gardner campus, where what was shared in the circle stayed in the circle. Thoughts that were expressed were ones of fear, anger, helplessness, and happiness. This is a wonderful safe place where on campus, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to come together and share their thoughts, feelings, and how they will pull through a tough time.
By Scott Mellecker | Observer Contributor
It was undoubtedly a heated election. Some people were surprised, and even more people were shocked. It didn’t matter who a person voted for, all were stunned to find out who the winner was.
The recent days following the election have been hectic. Some people are scared, others are protesting, and students are being handed teddy-bears to cuddle. There has never been so much up-heave over an election.
The halls of Mount Wachusett Community College seemed grim. It didn’t seem as if your favorite candidate lost the election, but instead seemed like there was a massive terrorist attack that took out half the country. A look of sadness covered the faces of students at the school.
By Rebekah Chiasson | Assistant Editor
Being a communication major and taking multiple journalism classes throughout the 2016 presidential election has been invigorating as well as infuriating. Watching the mainstream media I once aspired to be part of fail to expertly, fairly, and justly report the news on this election was heartbreaking. While learning how to avoid media bias in journalism class, myself and the nation watched national news leaders sway opinions and skew facts.
It culminated to news anchors from channels including CNN, MSNBC, and Fox being forced to admit, “We were wrong.” The day after the election, these networks asked, “Who is the ‘silent voter?’” Where did these Trump supporters come from because mainstream media was oblivious to their existence? The answer – Mainstream media created the silent voter.
By Jason D. Greenough | Web/Social Media Editor
For some, it has been a tough week following the Presidential election. The atmosphere surrounding the results that brought Donald Trump into the position of commander in chief has been filled with varying amounts of fear, anger, sadness, and uncertainty, throughout different demographics of the American populace.
Here at MWCC, Students and faculty alike are trying to sort through their own feelings on the events that transpired on November 8th, with some feeling what they can only equate to grieving, others feeling frustrated and perplexed at how their country has come to this, and others who are cautious, yet hopeful, that the 45th President of these United States will change his ways from the behavior we have witnessed throughout the last 18 months. Candace Shivers, Associate Professor of Human Services and Sociology here at the Mount, has something to say about the effect that a Trump presidency might have on college students, such as commuting costs.