PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A month-long series of special events is getting under way at Northern Maine Community College as the campus prepares to celebrate National Community College Month in April. The commemoration takes on special significance this year as 2011 marks the 50th anniversary since legislation was passed and signed creating then Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute.
“April is always a very busy month at NMCC. It is a time when we celebrate community by hosting a number of events that are open to the public and provide an opportunity for area residents to visit the campus and interact with our student body,” said Karen Gonya, NMCC associate director of development and college relations. “This year, National Community College Month will be especially meaningful as we celebrate five decades of service to The County.”
The celebration kicks off with honoring local heroes that make The County a wonderful place to live as NMCC proudly hosts the American Red Cross’ 13th annual Real Heroes Breakfast. The event will take place Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 a.m. in the Edmunds Conference Center. Several honorees, which have performed acts of heroism in the region, will be honored at the touching event. The breakfast is coordinated by the Aroostook County Branch of the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross, WAGM-TV and NMCC. It is designed to celebrate the spirit of humanitarianism of The County and to honor those individuals who have shown courage, kindness, and unselfish character by their act of heroism.
An event Monday, April 11 will provide the community an opportunity to learn more about how NMCC came to be and how the campus has evolved over 50 years. “The Rich Heritage of NMCC” will feature a presentation by Kimberly Smith of the Presque Isle Historical Society who will give a talk on the history of the Presque Isle Air Force Base that the college is currently located on and the campus. The event, which will include a social hour and dinner, will be held in the Edmunds Conference Center beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased through the NMCC Foundation Office by calling (207) 760-1188.
On Tuesday, April 12, NMCC will continue the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the college by recognizing the decade of the 1970s. The day will feature a ‘70s theme on campus with retro artifacts and ‘70s attire. As a throwback to the decade that locally saw the popularity of the Keystone Kops at its height, student organizations on campus will organize a campus-wide Keystone Kops effort, complete with Kangaroo Court. Proceeds from the “arrest warrants” and “bail money” will benefit campus student organizations. The 1970s tribute follows the 50th anniversary kick-off event in January which paid tribute to the 1960s.
Medical assisting students at NMCC will hold a Tax Day Talent Show Friday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Edmunds Conference Center. Performances include singers, dancers and others. Proceeds from the event will benefit the start of a medical assisting scholarship through the NMCC Foundation. For more information, contact medical assisting president Richard Michaud at rmich20@nmcc.edu.
The craftsmanship of senior students enrolled in the residential construction program at the college will also be on display during Community College Month. From April 19-21, a silent auction featuring more than a dozen items crafted by the students will take place in the main lobby of the Christie building. The quality handcrafted wood products that range from birdhouses and outdoor furniture to decorative shelving units and coffee tables are made by the students.
Other student work will be shared with the public in April during a celebration of literature that will take place in honor of both National Community College Month and National Poetry Month. The reading series will feature both guest writers, as well as students from the college. It will take place April 13, 20, and 27 at noon in the Edmunds Conference Center. In addition to her attendance as a guest writer Wednesday, April 13, Shonna Humphrey will be offering a book signing and reading in the Edmunds Library at 7 p.m. Community members who enjoy literature are invited to come to the college and hear original work by both experienced, published writers and talented beginners.
On Saturday, April 16, the NMCC Student Senate will host its annual “Support Maine Veterans” volleyball tournament. Proceeds from the event, which will be held in the college gymnasium beginning at 9 a.m., will be donated to the activity fund at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Caribou. For more information or to register for the tournament, contact Dennis Albert at 768-2757.
On Thursday, April 21, NMCC invites the community to join in the official opening and dedication ceremony for the Northern Maine Center for Excellence in Alternative Energy Training and Education. The facility, located nearby the campus at 920 Skyway St. on the Skyway Industrial Park, was established through a $1.2 million gift from a private contribution to the NMCC Foundation. The grand opening and dedication ceremony will be held at 2 p.m.
The final week of April will feature a community celebration and barbecue co-hosted by NMCC and the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club. The event will celebrate the near completion of the 34th home constructed by NMCC trade and technical occupation students and faculty through the Sinawik project. Since its inception in 1976, NMCC has constructed 33 homes, which are now located in various Aroostook County communities. The barbecue, which is free and open to the public, will be held Tuesday, April 26 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the residential construction lab of the Mailman Building.
The annual Totally Trades conference will be hosted on campus through a collaborative effort between NMCC, Women, Work and Community, and a number of community sponsors on Wednesday, April 27. The daylong event is designed to encourage girls to pursue careers in the trade and technology areas. Included in the activities are several hands-on workshops ranging from carpentry and bridge building to heavy equipment operation and green energy.
On Friday, April 29, Kimberly Smith of the Presque Isle Historical Society will give a presentation entitled, “The Life and Times of Vera Estey.” A long-time resident of Presque Isle, Estey lived from 1894-1992. Her house is now owned and operated by the Historical Society as a museum. The presentation will be given at noon in the Edmunds Conference Center on the NMCC campus and is free and open to the public. For more details, contact Gail Roy in the NMCC Library at 768-2734.
Many other campus activities are scheduled to coincide with Community College Month, including several recognition events to honor individual students and numerous student groups. For more information on April events at NMCC, contact the Development and College Relations Office at 768-2809.
