Eastern Maine Community College Receives New England Board of Higher Education's, Maine State Excellence Award.

BANGOR, Maine -  Eastern Maine Community College Receives New England Board of Higher Education Prestigious, Maine State Excellence Award.

EMCC was nominated for and ultimately selected for this prestigious award. The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) promotes greater educational opportunities and services for the residents of New England. In pursuit of this mission, NEBHE supports and provides several annual awards.

The State Merit Awards are presented to individuals, programs, organizations, institutions or businesses that exemplify NEBHE's mission and specifically "exhibits excellence in promoting college readiness and success for the students of their state.

“As Chair of the Maine delegation for the New England Board of Higher Education, I would like to thank you for including the Maine Excellence Award as part of the All-Maine Academic Team Recognition ceremony last Wednesday at the Senator Inn in Augusta. The academic achievement, leadership, and perseverance demonstrated by the students honored is truly commendable.  I found this event to be quite inspiring and uplifting!  The New England Board of Higher Education was pleased to be a part of this memorable luncheon, and to have the opportunity to publicly recognize the exemplary work of Eastern Maine Community College in promoting student access and success through their Summer Success Program, Student Success Center, and Veterans of America.

I appreciate all of your efforts in coordinating and organizing this recognition ceremony.  Thank you again for the opportunity to participate in this event.
Warm regards”, Karen Pardue

Karen T. Pardue, Ph.D, RN, CNE, ANEF


"As a long-time supporter of vocational/technical education, I was extremely pleased to nominate Eastern Maine Community College to receive the prestigious NEBHE Maine State Merit Award for the wonderful programs they have that promote success for all their students. And I was honored to be to be part of the ceremony when NEBHE President Michael Thomas presented the award to
EMCC! Congratulations . . . well deserved!!”, Wanda Lincoln, NEGHE Board Member.  Below is Wanda’s nomination on behalf of EMCC.

I am pleased to nominate Eastern Maine Community College, Bangor, Maine, for the New England Board of Higher Education 2017 Excellence, State Merit Award.

I am impressed with the variety of programming available to all learners . . . non-traditional as well as those right out of high school.

Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) has always been a leader in the Maine Community College System and the entire Maine higher education community. Through its policies that put student success first, expansion of academic programs, and specialized training programs to aid in workforce development and assistance for dislocated workers, the college has significantly exhibited NEBHE’s mission of promoting greater educational opportunities and services for the residents of New England (in this case, Maine).

Since 2010, EMCC has been a member of the national Achieving the Dream Network, an initiative conceived in 2004 by Lumina Foundation and seven founding partner organizations, which is dedicated to helping more community college students succeed. It was through this network that EMCC received support and guidance in instituting their student success agenda, which makes student achievements the number one priority throughout campus. This resulted in a bolstering of student support services such as tutoring, advising, and extra attention in remedial coursework. Here are two examples of these new support services:

·         Student Success Center:  a brand new space, which serves as a hub for student support services, and

·         Summer Success Academies: a program where incoming students can gain college readiness skills and complete remedial coursework over the summer to get into their core classes more rapidly.
In 2014, EMCC was recognized nationally as a Leader College by Achieving the Dream, one of only 16 community colleges that year. In particular, the college was lauded for nearly doubling the success rate for students referred to developmental mathematics.

In addition, EMCC administration was instrumental in establishing a Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapter on campus. This organization is led by veteran students to act as an informational resource and voice for fellow veterans that are entering or enrolled into Eastern Maine Community College. SVA members help build strong relationships between our veterans at EMCC, act as a peer counseling group for veterans and the families of veterans, and assist veterans to make the transition to college life. SVA members can participate in these activities in the new Student Veterans Lounge, – a very nice, quiet space for them to use for meetings, studying, etc. SVA also participate in fund raising for veteran groups within the community.

Eastern Maine Community College has added several new high-quality academic programs and expanded existing ones to aid in students getting jobs in good career fields. These include Hospitality and Tourism Management, Criminal Justice, and Fine Woodworking among others.

EMCC also expanded its Medical Assistant degree program to rural Hancock County and Piscataquis county (in Ellsworth and Dover-Foxcroft, respectively), and its Early Childhood Education program to Hancock County. These rural areas of Maine were in dire need of good training for good jobs, and EMCC offered them a pathway to just that.

In addition, EMCC is a leader in workforce development and training that leads to optimal educational opportunities and services for residents of Maine. It has partnered with many regional businesses such as the Jackson Laboratory, RH Foster, Emera Maine, MDI Hospital, and Hollywood Casino to provide continuing education and training to their employees. This education and training has bolstered skills of these employees, making them more competitive in the workforce and more valuable to their employers.

EMCC played a significant role in re-training efforts following paper mill closures in East Millinocket, Lincoln and Bucksport.  EMCC developed two customized re-training programs in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), and Fine Woodworking and Cabinet Making. The dislocated workers who have gone through these programs gained a variety of industry-recognized skills and certifications to make them employable. Ten out of the twelve in the Fine Woodworking cohort secured employment shortly after the program ended in July.

Finally, EMCC’s Building Construction Technologies Department has begun a partnership with Habitat for Humanity and they will be completing their first build along with the homeowners in 2017.


Eastern Maine Community College is a two-year college that provides the highest quality post-secondary technical, career and transfer education and serves as a dynamic community and economic development resource. In addition to its Bangor campus, the college has three off-campus higher education centers in Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, and East Millinocket.

Eastern Maine Community College prepares students for careers in IT.

Bangor, Maine - Communications between computers is a critical part of our everyday life and in today’s world, if the computers go down, the workplace can grind to a halt. Information Technology is a growing industry with a continuous need for skilled workers. To help meet the demand, EMCC is offering Computer Systems Technology, a two-year Associate in Applied Science Degree program designed to train students in personal computer hardware and software; data communications; and computer network hardware, software, and management.

Students enrolled in the Computer Systems Technology program will receive a solid foundation in systems hardware and software, network design and management, customer service, and information security. Laboratory work with peer-to-peer and client/server networks, local- and wide-area networks (LANs and WANs), and midrange/mainframe multi-user systems allows the student to apply knowledge gained in the classroom.

"The CST program at EMCC has been a blast so far. The program is ever changing and uses hands on

Eastern Maine Community College offers Digital Graphic Design program

Bangor, Maine - A picture’s worth 1,000 words. Eastern Maine Community College appreciates the fact that we are living in a world of imagery so it has developed a program to train students to tell stories through graphic design. Everything from signage to clothing to newspaper ads has graphics and the trend is growing. For example, today, we often see infographics instead of written documents to provide information. As the industry expands, more trained designers will be required to meet the demand and EMCC is ready to turn out these artists with its Digital Graphic Design program.

EMCC’s associate in applied science degree in Digital Graphic Design is a comprehensive program that will prepare students for careers as graphic artists, photographers, print media designers, illustrators, and web designers. Graduates may also transfer to four-year colleges and universities to continue their education.

Students enrolled in the Digital Graphic Design program will gain an understanding of theoretical foundations, design principles, page layout, photography, image manipulation and editing, digital illustration, web design and printing/publishing and will be well-prepared for the workforce.

"The job market is tough for everyone—even for individuals with a degree,” said Amy Wilkins, student in the Digital Graphic Design program. “Creative fields like animation, film, and graphic design are even tougher because companies and studios are looking for talented individuals with multiple skills, and not just in one field of interest. This program gives us that training.”

Heather Magee, chair of the Digital Graphic Design Department, agrees. “Colleges across America are onboard, and now offer rigorous programs of study to meet the demands of the industry,” she said. “Today’s graphic design programs prepare students to work in multiple fields from advertising and publishing to printing and computer systems design. While California and New York are chock full of design colleges, other smaller states have their fair share of fine graphic design schools. Maine is one of these states."

There has never been a better time to enroll in Eastern Maine Community College. Students who apply and are accepted to Eastern Maine Community College for the first time in January 2017 will receive a tuition and fee waiver for 50 percent of their spring semester credits purchased. EMCC is waiving all applications fees for Spring Semester. Once accepted, students will pay for a credit hour and those funds will be matched by scholarship provided by the Gaming funds equaling the amount purchased.

Eastern Maine Community College is a two-year college that provides the highest quality post-secondary technical, career and transfer education and serves as a dynamic community and economic development resource. In addition to its Bangor campus, the college has three off-campus higher education centers in Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, and East Millinocket.

Eastern Maine Community College & Eastern Maine Development Corporation Train Former Verso Workers to Prepare for New Jobs in Fine Woodworking and Cabinetmaking.

Bangor, Maine - Twelve dislocated workers, including ten people laid off from the Verso Mill in Bucksport, are being retrained in a customized fine woodworking and cabinetmaking program at Eastern Maine Community College.


The program is the result of a collaborative effort between EMCC, Eastern Maine Development Corporation, and Maine Quality Centers to train dislocated workers for fine woodworking careers, primarily in the boatbuilding industry.

Upon completion of the program in July, participants will have earned 14 college credits and a variety of industry-recognized skills certifications. Courses include beginner, intermediate, and advanced fine woodworking as well as computer aided drafting and design.


“We have seen an increasing workforce need in Eastern Maine’s boatbuilding companies, as well as fine furniture and cabinetmaking businesses,” said Matt McLaughlin, Director of Business & Industry for EMCC. “This training program will help former Verso workers get the education and skills needed to break into this strong labor market.”


Local boatbuilding companies, such as Hinckley Yacht, were consulted in the development of the training program and have made commitments to interview and potentially hire trainees.


“Our goal is to connect business and workforce development to ensure that businesses have available to them a workforce that fits their needs. We are happy to be part of the fine woodworking training program as it does just that,” said Hook Wheeler, Deputy Director, Business and Workforce Development for Eastern Maine Development Corporation.


Members of the media are invited to come learn more about this customized training project on Friday, April 10th at 10am, at EMCC’s Building Construction Lab in Maine Hall. Program participants will be on hand to talk about their progress, where they are hoping to become employed, how the training has benefited them, and to showcase their woodworking projects. EMCC faculty and EMDC staff will also be available for interviews.


Eastern Maine Community College is a two-year college that provides the highest quality post-secondary technical, career and transfer education and serves as a dynamic community and economic development resource. In addition to its Bangor campus, the college has three off-campus higher education centers in Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, and East Millinocket.


Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC) is private nonprofit organization providing business, community and workforce development programs throughout the state of Maine. Last fiscal year, EMDC provided $2.74m in capital to businesses to start or expand their business, provided 374 individuals with workforce training and career assistance, and provided 19 communities with planning and development assistance.

Maine Trivia Tournament Returns to Eastern Maine Community College

Bangor, Maine - For the second year in a row, Eastern Maine Community College will hold its Maine Trivia Tournament, a community event and fundraiser for the college’s foundation. It will take place on Friday, March 13th, from 5-9pm in the college’s Johnston Gymnasium.

The tournament will include twelve rounds of increasingly difficult trivia questions covering sports, entertainment, politics, science, and the state of Maine. The winning team will walk away with $500 cash.

Registration for one team of 3-5 players is $150. Teams can sign up online via www.emcc.edu/trivia .

The event is also open for public attendance, by donation only, for those interested in watching the

Eastern Maine Community College Ranked 7th Fastest Growing Community College in the Nation

Bangor, Maine - In its annual publication of fastest growing community colleges, Community College Week ranked Eastern Maine Community College the seventh fastest growing college in the nation, as well as the fastest in the northeast.

The ranking was among community colleges with enrollments between 2,500 and 4,999 from the Fall of 2012 to the Fall of 2013.

Eastern Maine Community College saw a 17% increase, growing from 2,187 students to 2,558 students.

In contrast, higher education enrollment nationally has decreased by 1.3% and enrollment amongst community colleges nationally has decreased by 3.1% during this same period of time.

To buck the downward trend, Eastern Maine Community College has added several new academic

Eastern Maine Community College Students to Partner with Orono Police Department to Stage Traffic Stops

BANGOR, Maine – Students in Eastern Maine Community College’s new criminal justice program will be participating in mock traffic stops with the Orono Police Department.

These exercises will take place on Wednesday, October 1st from 1:00-1:50pm and Thursday, October 2nd from 9:30-10:45am in the parking lot located on the east side of Penobscot Hall on the EMCC campus in Bangor.

Students will role-play as police officers and react to a mock-scenario that warrants pulling over a vehicle. These scenarios can range from a basic stop sign violation, to travelling at excessive speed, to swerving over the center line. According to Cornel Plebani, instructor for the criminal justice program, this will enable students to take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it to changeable factors and scenarios.

“These experiential exercises will test students’ ability to navigate a stop scenario,” says Plebani.

Hinckley Yachts Looks to Eastern Maine Community College’s Fine Woodworking and Cabinet Making Graduates to Fill Expanding Workforce

Bangor, Maine - Graduates from Eastern Maine Community College’s 2014 class of Fine Woodworking and Cabinet Making will likely have full-time employment following their graduation in May.

Hinckley Yachts has invited students from the program to apply for positions at its Trenton facility. The luxury jetboat and sailboat manufacturer has added over 100 positions to its workforce over the last year, are working to fill another 20-30 positions immediately.

Successful applicants will gain full-time positions at competitive wage levels which include comprehensive benefits, 401k, and paid time off. Out of the 14 students in the class, 9 have already applied. According to Andy Fitzpatrick, Hinckley’s General Manager of Maine Operations, he expected a high percentage of the students to be offered fulltime positions within the organization.

“I have a high confidence that the majority of applications from EMCC students will lead to full-time employment,” Fitzpatrick says. “Any organization that is looking for skilled woodworking and craftsmanship

EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEDICATES NEW STUDENT VETERAN LOUNGE

Bangor, Maine - Eastern Maine Community College will celebrate the life of former student and first EMCC Student Veterans Association (SVA) President Robert E. Gilbert this Friday by inviting friends, family, and community members to take part in a ribbon cutting of the newly dedicated Robert E. Gilbert Memorial Student Veterans Lounge. Gilbert was a strong proponent of starting the SVA during his time at EMCC and could often be found on campus recruiting fellow veteran students to join the association.

The lounge will be open to veteran students as a place for studying, support, and solitude to help student veterans face the challenges as a civilian at EMCC. The Husson University SVA as well as the University of Maine SVA will be on hand to help us kick off the beginning of a great resource for our veterans at EMCC. Light refreshments will be served.

Speakers:

President Lawrence Barrett, Ed.D EMCC President

Scott Mitchell - SVA Commanding Officer

Ben Sprague - Mayor City of Bangor

Tyler Walker - SVA Executive Officer

When:  Friday December 13, 2013 5-7PM

Where: EMCC Main Campus, Maine Hall

For more information about the Robert E. Gilbert Memorial Student Veterans Lounge or EMCC Student Veterans Association, contact Katrina Mumford at 207-735-8249 or email kmumford@emcc.edu

EMCC coaches Jamie Leavitt and Eric MacDonald recognized as Coaches of the Year in Yankee Small College Conference.

Bangor, Maine - Golf Coach Jamie Leavitt and Men’s Soccer coach Eric MacDonald have built
competitive teams over this past season and saw success both on and off the field with their student athletes. Sportsmanship was key to each coach’s strategy.


Coach MacDonald stated “I always tell my guys I want to win, but I want to do it the right way. Let’s go out and give it your all without losing respect for the game and the other players on the field.”


Coach Leavitt has not only taken home the Coach of the Year honor but his 10-person team was awarded the Golf Sportsmanship award for the second year in a row.  Leavitt agreed with his fellow Coach of the Year “I stress to my players to do the best that they can do individually, respect others, and enjoy the moment.” YSCC peers selected EMCC for demonstrating a positive attitude on the course.


EMCC Athletics will celebrate the closing of the Fall Golden Eagles season at a banquet on November 7th on campus.

EMCC FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES MAINE CHEF CHALLENGE 2013 COMPETITORS

Bangor, Maine - CarolAnne Dube, Executive Director of the Eastern Maine Community College Foundation is pleased to announce the Maine Chef Challenge 2013 competitors.

Zachary Maccarone is the chef de cuisine at Cleonice Mediterranean Bistro in Ellsworth. He is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute and has a passion for highlighting farm fresh local ingredients in his dishes.  Jennifer Holt and Eric Osier join Chef Maccarone on Team White.

Brandon Haney is the executive chef at Husson University in Bangor. He is a 2006 graduate of the Eastern Maine Community College Culinary Arts program. His interest and talents lie in his ability to fuse Pan Asian cuisine with New England ingredients. Evan Beaudry and Kenny Grover join Chef Haney on Team Red.

Todd Chasteen is the executive chef for Flik Independent School Dining in Bangor. He is a 2006 graduate of the Eastern Maine Community College Culinary Arts program. Todd has traveled the world and honed a culinary expertise in providing fresh menu items for the campus population by way of catered events and in the EMCC dining hall. Russ Flewelling and Christopher Rose join Chef Chasteen on Team Black.

“In speaking with each of this year’s chefs there is no doubt in my mind that Zachary, Brandon, and Todd are taking this competition quite seriously,” Dube said “Coming off of last year’s success, we are thrilled to offer Maine Chef Challenge to our community to raise needed funds for EMCC students”

Tickets and sponsor opportunities for Maine Chef Challenge 2013 can be found at: www.mainechefchallenge.kintera.org. Event proceeds will benefit the Culinary Arts program at Eastern Maine Community College.

EMCC Grant Award Announcement

Aerial Shot of Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, Maine.

Bangor, Maine - Lawrence Barrett, President of Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) has announced that Eastern Maine Community College, through The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges, is the recipient of a $280,000 grant from the John T. Gorman Foundation.

“During the last two years, EMCC has been focused on improving student retention and graduation rates through participation in the national Achieve the Dream (AtD) initiative,” Barrett commented. “After 12-months of data gathering and analysis, we now have a comprehensive understanding of those areas where we can strengthen our student academic support services. Since September, staff and faculty have begun implementing many of these initiatives including the development of a Student Success Center to address such student challenges as preparedness for college level math.”

He continued stating, “An  opportunity to address our need for the addition of a full-time developmental math specialist was identified  and today I am pleased to announce  that the John T. Gorman Foundation will support us in this effort as well provide support  for an additional advising specialist,”
EMCC is one of 130 community colleges nation-wide and the only one in Maine to have been selected to participate in the Achieving the Dream (AtD) program funded by The Kresge Foundation.  For more information about EMCC go to: www.emcc.edu

Founded in 1995, the mission of the John T. Gorman Foundation is to advance ideas and opportunities that can improve the lives of disadvantaged people in Maine.  The aspiration of the Foundation is to honor Mr. Gorman’s unfailing desire to improve results and provide those less fortunate with opportunities to succeed.  For more information go to: www.jtgfoundation.org

The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges is dedicated to ensuring that the state’s seven community colleges have the resources they need to provide a high quality, affordable and accessible college education for Maine people.  For more information go to: www.maineccfoundation.org.

EMCC STUDENT RECIPIENT OF BRIAN C. THAYER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Bangor, Maine - Eastern Maine Community College President Lawrence Barrett, Ed.D. is proud to announce that the Brian C. Thayer Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to Randy Eastman of Greenbush, ME. The scholarship honors the life of the late Brian C. Thayer of of Lavalley Lumber and is made possible through the generosity of the Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine.

Eastman, an EMCC student , will receive a $1,000 scholarship to help meet the costs of his education.

“Carpentry has always been a passion of mine and upon completing this course I hope to secure a job in the field. I was just hired as a work study [at EMCC] and…I do odd jobs and handy work in my town to help pay my way. This scholarship will assist greatly in completing my goals,” commented Eastman.

President Barrett noted that,  “Randy exemplifies the quality of EMCC students at EMCC who are determined to advance their education in spite of  financial challenges. He is most deserving of this award.”

For more information on the Brian C. Thayer Memorial Scholarship , contact Terri Adam at (207) 974-4691 or email tadam@emcc.edu .

EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOODWORKING PROGRAM TO HOST STILES MACHINERY COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE

WHAT:	EMCC Woodworking Program hosting Stiles Machinery Inc. Open House
WHY:	Stiles Machinery, a longtime partner of the EMCC Woodworking program will bring by new equipment and host a question and answer session with company representatives
WHO:	This is a free Open House for the public with dinner provided for those who pre-register.
WHERE:	EMCC Maine Hall 354 Hogan RD Bangor, ME
WHEN:	Wednesday October 24, 2012  4 pm-7:30 pm

If you would like more information about the Stiles Machinery Open House, Call Katrina A. Mumford at (207) 974-4617 or e-mail Katrina kmumford@emcc.edu

EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOLF TEAM RECEIVES SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

Bangor, Maine - The Eastern Maine Community College golf team has been awarded the 2012 Yankee Small College Conference YSCC Sportsmanship Award! Players are peer-nominated for this award which ties directly to the EMCC Golden Eagle philosophy of recognizing that there is more to the game than winning – both on the field and in the classroom.

Focus on Student Success = Substantial Enrollment/Growth at EMCC‏

Bangor, Maine - A snapshot of students enrolled for the fall semester at Eastern Maine Community College indicates enrollment of 2,488 first-time and returning students. This represents a 7% increase compared to last fall, when 2,327 students were attending classes in Bangor, Ellsworth, Dover Foxcroft and East Millinocket. Additionally, EMCC received 3,353 applications for the fall 2012 semester, an increase of 40% compared to the same time last year.

“We attribute this increase to a deliberate shifting of our resources to improve student success which has been underway here at the College since 2010,” notes EMCC President Lawrence Barrett. “Chief among these efforts is our Achieving the Dream initiative, as well as the addition of four new degree programs, improvements in access to technology, efficiencies in communications with financial aid and student services and our continued focus on partnering with business and industry and other educational institutions.”
Achieving the Dream (ATD) - funded by a multi-year grant from The Kresge Foundation - is designed to help students by removing barriers to success. This happens through a streamlined application process, providing assistance to students in need of academic support and the provision of individualized guidance throughout each student’s career while at the College. “We are definitely gaining ground on this front,” notes Dan Crocker, Dean of Enrollment and Management. “With the implementation of our ATD initiatives, we are advancing in the area of student retention – keeping more students engaged and focused on their career paths.”

During the summer recess, EMCC converted unoccupied storage space to state-of-the-art classrooms. Since the beginning of the fall semester, each of these classrooms has been continuously in use throughout the day and evening. With enrollment in EMCC’s newest programs: Hospitality & Tourism Management, Fine Woodworking & Cabinetry, Medical Office Technology, and Fire Science, at or near capacity, the addition of classroom space has accommodated the increased demand.

To enhance the student experience, other improvements include expanded wireless coverage, the addition of classroom technology including SmartBoards and instructor stations, and the implementation of a “green” printing initiative.

“Through our partnerships with business, industry and other educational associates we are providing an affordable and quality educational experience for our students. Upon graduation from EMCC, our alumni are finding good paying jobs in their technology fields in Maine or transferring to four-year colleges,” notes President Barrett.

For more information on Enrollment Growth , contact Katrina Mumford at (207) 735-8249 or email kmumford@emcc.edu.

EASTERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOING GREEN WITH NEW THINK BEFORE YOU PRINT SERVICE

Bangor, Maine - Eastern Maine Community College is making an effort to reduce paper waste this Fall 2012 semester on campus. The college has signed on with a new program, PaperCut, which gives EMCC Students 350 prints per semester.

Utilizing his or her student computer log-on information students will be able to see the remaining prints available on their EMCC account. After a student runs out of the 350 prints included with their tuition, they will be able to buy a Printer Access Card at the EMCC Business Office for $5.00. Each Printer Access Card will buy them 100 more prints for use on campus. In addition to this green initiative by the EMCC IT Department, All students will now have the ability to print wirelessly in most campus buildings by uploading a document to their PaperCut account.

If you would like more information about this topic, call Katrina A. Mumford at (207) 974-4617 or  e-mail kmumford@emcc.edu

EMCC STUDENTS IN KANSAS CITY FOR NATIONAL SkillsUSA COMPETITION

Bangor, Maine - Seven Eastern Maine Community College students and an advisor are in Kansas City, MO this week for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held annually in the city. The SkillsUSA Championships is the national-level competition for the college/postsecondary technical students enrolled in career and technical education programs. All students who are attending the competition this year have won at the State level earlier in the year. EMCC wishes students the best of luck in their competitions as they compete against other Skills USA Gold Medal winners from around the country. The lists of students competing this year for EMCC are as follows:

Matthew Durant                              Architectural Drafting
Michael Francis                               Automotive
Ashleigh Holman-Dupuis                 Commercial Baking
Bruce Randall                                 Cabinetmaking
Johnathan Smith                              Carpentry
Tyler Nadeau                                  First Aid/CPR/AED
Jaimie Deschaine                             Pin Design


For more information on the Skills USA National Leadership and Skills Conference log on to http://www.skillsusa.org/events/nlsc.shtml

EMCC RECEIVES INNOVATIVE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GRANT TO START FINE WOODWORKING AND CABINET PROGRAM

Bangor, Maine - Pamela Proulx-Curry, Academic Dean of Eastern Maine Community College, is pleased to announce the new Department of Labor (DOL) funded Fine Woodworking and Cabinet making program at EMCC. Proulx-Curry added, “EMCC is very excited about this new partnership. The DOL grant gives us the ability to expand the current Building Construction program to include a concentration in Fine Woodworking which will be a big asset to students looking for work after graduation. ” This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The program also forms a partnership with The Hinckley Company and is set to begin this fall with 18 seats available for returning and new students.

The DOL grant will help to fund a full-time faculty position for the program and will provide students with the skills necessary to plan and complete cabinetry, furniture and millwork projects. Students will learn to work with prints, specifications and shop drawings, with emphasis placed on selecting proper materials, determining the best procedures, manufacturing parts to specification, assembling, and finishing individual projects.

The Hinckley Company is in a period of growth and is expected to hire an additional 50 employees this year, making them them an excellent partner for the new hands-on program at the College. Andy Fitzpatrick, Plant Manager at the Trenton location noted, “With continued program development incorporating marine carpentry skills like veneering, CNC routing, and varnishing/finishing, we anticipate this program has the capacity to be a strong feeder/training school for all of Maine’s boat builders. This is an age-old industry very special to Maine. To have a technical college[like EMCC] that can keep up with carpentry/boat building advancements, and continually supply marine and other specialty construction tradespeople is  exciting!” The Trenton facility is already home to a dozen EMCC alumni from the school’s early days when it was known as Eastern Maine Vocation Technical School over twenty years ago.

The Fall 2012 semester will kick off the College’s inaugural Fine Woodworking and Cabinet Making classes. EMCC is currently accepting applications to the program. For more information or to apply, log on to www.emcc.edu/academics/programs-of-study/woodworking or contact Liz Russell, director of admissions, at (207) 974-4684 or email lrussell@emcc.edu.

EMCC Graduate Named Mitchell Peace Scholar

EMCC Graduate Named Mitchell Peace Scholar


Bangor, Maine - Lawrence Barrett, Ed.D, president of Eastern Maine Community College, is pleased to announce that the Selection Committee of the Maine Community College System has awarded the George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship to Cody Hand, a New Limerick native and 2012 graduate of the EMCC Medical Radiography program. The Peace scholarship was founded to create opportunities for the exchange of college students between Ireland and the state of Maine.

“Cody is an individual who is intelligent, creative and diplomatic,” notes Barrett. “In addition to being an excellent role-model with a great sense of humor, he is forever smiling and represents the best EMCC has to offer. He is the 4th consecutive EMCC student and 8th recipient from Eastern Maine Community College to be honored with the George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship since 2000.”

While at EMCC, Hand dedicated himself to academic success by working hard to earn a GPA of 3.6. He immersed himself in the college experience by becoming a member of Phi Theta Kappa, serving as a member of the Student Senate, a Medical Radiography lab proctor and tutor, a Student Ambassador, a campus tour guide, and a member of the Student Leadership Circle. He also has the distinction of recently being named one of ten students nominated for “Student of the Year” by the staff and faculty at EMCC.
Recipients of this competitive scholarship are selected based on strong academic ability, commitment to community service and exceptional leadership skills. Hand will attend the Cork Institute of Technology in Ireland in the 2013 fall semester.  During the semester, all academic fees will be waived and he will receive free tuition, room and board, as well as a $1,000 travel stipend.

Upon returning from his semester of study in Ireland, Hand will attend the Nuclear Medicine Technology School at Central Maine Medical Center with a goal to earn a Bachelor’s degree and manage a medical imagining department.
             
The George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship was created in 1998 in tribute to Senator Mitchell’s lifelong devotion and commitment to public service and his help in facilitating a peace accord between the governments and people of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System each award one full-year scholarship or two single-semester scholarships per year. The first peace scholarship exchanges took place during the 1999-2000 academic year.

For more information on the George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship,  Contact CarolAnne Dube, at (207) 974-4817 or email cadube@emcc.edu