Middlesex Community College Celebrates Inauguration and Earth Week

Anna M. Wasescha, Ph.D., will be inaugurated as the sixth president of Middlesex Community College on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 10 a.m. in Chapman Hall on the Middletown campus.  The theme of the inaugural celebration is “Going Green,” with a focus on achieving climate neutrality.  During Earth Week, which leads up to the inauguration, MxCC will host lectures, workshops and discussions that model ways to eliminate global warming emissions, and provide knowledge and education to students and the greater community. All events will explore the connections between the cause and effect of global warming and the leadership role higher education plays in making a commitment to achieving climate neutrality.

To set the tone of her inaugural week, Dr. Wasescha will sign the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment on Monday, April 16 at 12:30 in MxCC’s Chapman Hall, Room 808 C&D.  According to the Presidents’ Climate Commitment (www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org), the commitment is a “high-visibility effort to make campuses more sustainable and address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to reduce and ultimately neutralize greenhouse gas emissions on campus.” The effort is modeled after the US Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement in an effort to reverse global warming. Dr. Wasescha will be the twelfth college president in Connecticut to sign the commitment.

Immediately before the climate commitment signing, MxCC will host a free screening of the 2007 film, “A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash," at 11 a.m. in Chapman Hall 808 C&D.  A Peak Oil panel discussion will follow.

Additional events throughout the week include:

• Book discussion on “Farewell My Subaru,” sponsored by the Jean Burr Smith Library book club, held in the Periodicals Room, Middletown campus  (April 17, 12:30 – 1:20 p.m.)

• Free Carbon Footprint Workshop - Library Computer Classroom, Jean Burr Smith Library, Middletown campus (April 17, 3-4 p.m.)
• “Baked Better” Bake Sale & Sustainability Table - Student Lounge, Founders Hall, Middletown campus (April 18, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
• President's Tree Planting (the first in the new Presidential Permaculture Orchard) in the lower parking lot adjacent to Chapman Hall; followed by President’s Brown Bag Lunch on Sustainable Living inside in the Student Lounge, Founders Hall, Middletown campus (April 18, 12:30 – 1:20 p.m.)

• Free Film, “Gasland,” on Natural Gas Fracking and panel discussion – Chapman Hall room 605 (April 18, 3-4:30 p.m.; 4:30-5 p.m. panel discussion)
• The MxCC Computer Club’s Third Annual Free E-Waste Recycling of anything with a cord or battery (except televisions) such as computers, monitors, laptops, modems, toners, printers, fax machines, telephones, cables, server racks, batteries, Walkmen, and iPods.  Open to the public.  Held in the lower parking lot on the Middletown campus (April 19, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.)

·         Carbon Footprint Workshop - Library Computer Classroom, Jean Burr Smith Library, Middletown campus (April 20, 12 – 1 p.m.)

Throughout the week, MxCC students and faculty will collect books to be donated to Better World Books, which raises funds for the literacy program Room to Read.  Additionally, the newly renovated Pegasus Gallery in the Jean Burr Smith Library will be exhibiting “Woodland Series" by Forest Bailey (through May 4th 2012).

MxCC also will host a free piano recital by renowned performer and composer, Sylvia Goldstein in the Student Lounge in Founders Hall, Middletown campus on April 17 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Dr. Wasescha received her Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration, her master’s degree in higher education, and her baccalaureate degree in English literature from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.  Prior to joining MxCC, Dr. Wasescha served as provost and then as special assistant to the president at Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls.  Before that, she was an associate dean of doctoral programs at Walden University in Minneapolis.  She also served as an adjunct professor at Concordia University in Saint Paul, as research assistant at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and as associate dean of student affairs at Hamline University, Saint Paul.

Founded in 1966, Middlesex Community College (mxcc.edu) is part of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents for Higher Education. The school offers more than 50 degree or certificate programs at its three locations:  the main, 38-acre campus in Middletown, the downtown Meriden Center, and the shoreline in Old Saybrook.  The college promotes understanding, learning, ethics, and self-discipline by encouraging critical thinking.  Current enrollment exceeds 2,875 full and part-time students, and 1,600 continuing education students.