- Montgomery College’s old e-mail addresses will be discontinued May 31
- "Portraits of Life," photo exhibition of Holocaust survivors, runs through June 20 at Rockville
- Visual Arts Department presents a Student Art Show, now through mid-September at Takoma Park
- Jefferson Cafes schedule for June
- Beacon Conference for Student Scholars, June 3 at Rockville
- Alumni Association’s free seminar, Archaeology in Montgomery County, June 4
- Recent Art by County High School Students, June 6-30 at Rockville
- Retirement reception for Coach/AD Tom Bichy, June 10 at Rockville
- Student Development presents “How to Succeed” for graduating high school seniors, starting June 20
- Registration open for WDCE summer youth programs
- Summer Dinner Theatre’s “Annie Get Your Gun” opens June 17 at Rockville
- Athletics events scheduled in June
- Previews of special events in July
- Responses sought to Washington Post column on community college experience
- Seats are still available for Alumni Association's November New York Theatre Weekend
- Alumni Association and Elk Run offer MC Alumni Association Wines
- Mentoring opportunities available through International Buddy Program and Lifelong Learning
- MC alumni are number 1! Giving opportunities include Annual Fund and Auto Donation Program
- Resources for alumni and friends include positions available in an Excellent Workplace

Click on any of the links below for additional information.

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Check your e-ddress book! As of May 31, Montgomery College’s old e-mail addresses (the ones ending in mc.cc.md.us) will be retired and no longer supported. We want you to stay in touch -- so be sure that all of your contact lists use the new MC e-mail addresses: firstname.lastname@montgomerycollege.edu.

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Paul Peck Humanities Institute and the Communication Arts Technologies Department present "Portraits of Life," a photography exhibit of Holocaust survivors who live in Montgomery County, now through June 20 in the CAT Gallery, Technical Center. The exhibit portrays the survivors' spirit and sensitivity through a series of 33 portraits accompanied by narratives.  For more information, contact Jean Freedman, (240) 567-7417, e-mail jean.freedman@montgomerycollege.edu, or read a news summary at www.montgomerycollege.edu/news/News_Archives/news05060501.html.

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Takoma Park Visual Arts Department presents a Student Art Show, now through mid-September in the Gallery of the Pavilion of Fine Arts. Gallery is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact the department office, (240) 567-1368, or visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/artstp/events/gallery.htm.

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Paul Peck Institute for American Culture and Civic Engagement presents Jefferson Cafes(TM) in June.

- Wednesday, June 1, 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. at the Provost Conference Room in The Commons, Takoma Park Campus.  Topic:  American Foreign Policy.  Reading  from "The Empire Has No Clothes: U.S. Foreign Policy Exposed," by Ivan Eland. To register, contact Dr. Francine Jamin, (240) 567-1385, or e-mail francine.jamin@montgomerycollege.edu.

- Tuesday, June 7, 11 a.m. to 12 noon at the Long Branch Community Center, 8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring. Topic: Building Trust: Establishing Relationships in Uncertain Times. To register, contact Lola Skolnik or Levora President, (301) 431-5703, or e-mail lola.skolnik@montgomerycountymd.gov.

- Wednesday, June 13, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. at Oasis (at Lord & Taylor), Gaithersburg. Topic: The American Dream.  Reading: Introduction, "The American Dream," by Jim Cullen. To register, contact Marcy Drozdowicz, (301) 869-1508, or e-mail marcy.oasis@verizon.net

Other Cafes may be added.  Please sign up early because the Cafes fill quickly. Jefferson Cafes feature coffee, dessert, and engaging conversation based on a brief reading, done in advance, on a topic in American life and culture. Attendance limited, pre-registration required.  For more information about the Jefferson Cafes, contact Francine Jamin, (240) 567-1385, e-mail francine.jamin@montgomerycollege.edu, or visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/americanculture.

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Montgomery College hosts the 2005 Beacon Conference for Student Scholars, 8 a.m. Friday, June 3, at the Rockville Campus. This annual gathering, held at a different community college each year, showcases the scholarly work of today’s most outstanding community college students from upstate New York to Virginia. This year, 36 MC students submitted their work, and 12 were selected to present at the conference. For more information about the conference, call 240-567-7417 or visit http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/advantage/honors/beacon.html.

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Join colleagues and classmates for a Spring Dig! The Alumni Association and MC’s Workforce Development and Continuing Education Division present Archaeology in Montgomery County, 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4 in Rock Creek Regional Park.  Limited availability. Meeting location and rain plan will be provided upon registration. This is the Alumni Association’s 2005 free continuing education course offered to association members. For more information, call Bernice Grossman at (240) 567-5378, or e-mail alumni@montgomerycollege.edu.

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Rockville Art Department presents Recent Art from Montgomery County High Schools, Monday, June 6, through Thursday, June 30, in the Gallery of the Paul Peck Art Building, Rockville Campus. The gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday evenings 6-8 p.m., and Saturdays 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, contact the Art Department, (240) 567-5115, or visit http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/artrockville.

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Health Enhancement, Exercise Science, and Physical Education Department and the Office of Athletics host a reception in honor of retiring Coach and Athletic Director Tom Bichy, 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 10, in Rockville. Cost to attend $25 (includes gift) payable to Yanira Ruiz, MT 604, Rockville Campus. Former players (and fans) invited. For information, contact Karen Thomas, (301) 251-7576, or e-mail karen.thomas@montgomerycollege.edu.

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Collegewide Student Development presents “How to Succeed in College: The Ultimate New Student Pre-College Experience.” Graduating high school seniors planning to attend MC in the fall are invited to join us this summer to prepare for success (and earn one college credit). Two-week orientation programs are available with six starting dates, beginning June 20. For information, contact D.J. McCullogh, (240) 567-8019, or visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studevrv/htsic.html.  

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Workforce Development and Continuing Education presents summer youth programs at all campuses.  Creative fun for students in grades K-12 are offered June through August. Programs fill quickly; early registration is recommended. Download a printable schedule and registration form at www.montgomerycollege.edu/wdce/SummerYouth-2005.pdf. For information, contact Sandi Harris, (240) 567-7939, or e-mail sandi.harris@montgomerycollege.edu.

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Summer Dinner Theatre presents "Annie Get Your Gun," June 17-July 2 at the Theatre Arts Arena, Rockville Campus. Friday and Saturday evenings: buffet 6:30 p.m., show 8:15 p.m.; Sunday matinees: buffet 12:30 p.m., show 2:15 p.m. Tickets now on sale! Adults $33.95, children age 12 and under $24.50; savings when you buy both of the summer’s shows. For information and group rates, call (240) 567-7676, or visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/departments/auxiliaryservices/summerdinnertheatre/. Opening night is Alumni Night -- 10 percent off with your Alumni Association membership card!

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Athletic Events in June:

Men's Baseball:
May 28-June 4: NJCAA Div. III World Series.

Men's Tennis:
May 15-June 4: National Championships.

Golf:
June 6: NJCAA Div. III Golf National Championship.

For more information, contact the Athletics Department at each campus, or visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/athletics.

***** And Mark Your Calendar for These Upcoming Events in July *****

Germantown Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education Department presents Chautauqua 2005, Tuesday, July 5, through Friday, July 8, at the Germantown Campus. The Chautauqua will host speakers portraying Abraham Lincoln, Margaret Bourke-White, Benjamin O. Davis, and George Orwell, who will address the 2005 Chautauqua theme: “Behind the Lines: The Intersection of War and Democracy.” The Chautauqua is free, open to the public, and cosponsored by the Maryland Humanities Council and Montgomery College. For more information, contact Cindy Ray, (240) 567-7746, or e-mail cynthia.ray@montgomerycollege.edu.

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Summer Dinner Theatre presents "The Music Man," July 15-31 at the Theatre Arts Arena, Rockville Campus. Friday and Saturday evenings: buffet 6:30 p.m., show 8:15 p.m.; Sunday matinees: buffet 12:30 p.m., show 2:15 p.m. Tickets now on sale! Adults $33.95, children age 12 and under $24.50; savings when you buy both of the summer’s shows. For information and group rates, call (240) 567-7676, or visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/departments/auxiliaryservices/summerdinnertheatre/. Opening night is Alumni Night -- 10 percent off with your Alumni Association membership card!

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Rain happens! Always call ahead to confirm events.

To request accommodations for a disability, please contact the sponsoring office or contact person at least 2 weeks before the event.

ALUMNI NOTICES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Earlier this week, Washington Post education writer Jay Mathews wrote an intriguing column on why community colleges are often ignored in the media.  He notes that Montgomery College attracts 1 in 4 Montgomery County high school graduates.  In the column, he invites current and former students to write him directly and tell their stories about why they chose community colleges.  To read the article, visit: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/23/AR2005052301533.html. Please consider sharing your own story with Jay Mathews. Cc’s to Elizabeth Homan (elizabeth.homan@montgomerycollege.edu) and/or the Alumni Office (alumni@montgomerycollege.edu) would be greatly appreciated, as well.

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Can’t get tickets to see the Tony Award nominees?  Several spaces are still available for the Alumni Association's eighth annual New York Theatre Weekend, November 12-14, 2005. Round trip motor coach from the Rockville Campus, two nights at the Novotel Hotel, and two Broadway shows are included in the basic cost of $585 per person (double occupancy). This year's shows are "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" with John Lithgow, and the Monty Python musical "Spamalot" with Tim Curry and David Hyde Pierce. Seats are limited, so reserve quickly! For more information, or to make a reservation by phone with your credit card, call the Alumni Office, (240) 567-5378.

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Now you can show your support for Montgomery College's future growth by ordering from a special selection of custom-labeled, specially named Montgomery College Alumni Association Wines from Elk Run Vineyards. Currently, you may purchase these brands at the vineyards in Mt. Airy, Md., or order by phone at (800) 414‑2513. Elk Run donates a portion of the proceeds from each sale of Alumni Association Wines to the Association's programs and scholarships. Our featured varieties include Knight's Cheer Merlot, Shepherd's Blush, Germantown Riesling, Sonny Clogg Chardonnay, Sweet Charlene red dessert wine, and Sarilla white vin de glace.  A wine tasting event at Elk Run Vineyards will be announced during the summer. For information, check the Alumni Association's website, www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni.

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Montgomery College has provided education to half a million students. Those who make a noteworthy contribution to their community and/or profession or provide significant support to Montgomery College are recognized with honors such as the Milton F. (Sonny) Clogg Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award and, for athletes, induction into the Montgomery College Athletic Hall of Fame.  If you know a classmate who has achieved success in their career, please consider nominating them for next year’s awards. Nomination forms and criteria are available at www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni/achievementform.html (for Sonny Clogg Award nominations) and www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni/hof/athletichalloffame.doc (for Athletic Hall of Fame nominations).

ALUMNI VOLUNTEER AND GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

Montgomery College alumni donate the most dollars among community colleges nationwide that submit Voluntary Support of Education reports through the Council for Aid to Education. We have been steadily been moving up the ranks since 1999 (moving up from number 12 in 1999, number 10 in 2000, and number 4 in 2001), and our alumni have held the number-one position for the past three years. Way to go alumni!

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Are you considering your options for estate planning? The Montgomery College Foundation's Planned Gifts Committee offers choices for alumni and friends considering ways to include Montgomery College in estate planning. For more information, see the Committee's letter at www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/instadrv/foundation/pgcspring2005.doc, or call the Development office at (240) 567-4009.

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There are several opportunities for you to help students who depend on scholarship support to pursue their education. Your gift can make an extraordinary difference in the lives of Montgomery College students. Here are a few of the ways you can help the College in its mission of changing lives:

- The College relies on alumni and friends to show their support by donating to the Annual Fund. The Annual Fund is designed to raise critically needed funding which can be put to immediate use.  We're counting on you: Only with the help of our alumni will we be able to raise the funding needed for scholarships, programs, new technology and equipment for our classrooms. Visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/giving to find out more, then make your tax-deductible donation to the Annual Fund today at https://mconline.mc.cc.md.us/pls/eagle/hzskpldg.p_vt_giving. 

- Getting tired of your old car?  Please remember the Montgomery College Foundation's Automobile Donation Program. The Montgomery College Foundation will accept 1993 vehicles or newer, and only if there is no damage to the body of the car. All donated cars will be sold at automobile auctions by a licensed wholesaler, and the proceeds will support Montgomery College students and programs through the annual fund effort, which supports scholarships, academic initiatives, and specific college initiatives. For more information, contact Carrie Hurd, (301) 610-4028, or e-mail carrie.hurd@montgomerycollege.edu.

- Create a lasting impact at Montgomery College's Takoma Park Campus with the purchase of a permanent engraved commemorative brick. These pavers are engraved with up to three lines of text to recognize a graduate or a favorite faculty or staff member, to commemorate a loved one, or to show support for the Takoma Park Campus. The cost of an engraved brick is only $125, and you can also purchase a duplicate "mini" brick for $15. Contributions are tax deductible, and proceeds support the Takoma Park Capital Campaign. For more information or to have an order form sent or faxed to you, please e-mail marcia.sirulnik@montgomerycollege.edu.

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Mentoring Opportunities: Do you want to make a difference in the lives and future of young people? Do you want to help students tackle the challenges and reap the rewards of achieving success in college? Do you want to promote the benefits of learning? If your answer to the above questions is an enthusiastic "yes," then you could be a Montgomery College student mentor. You can have a significant effect on a student's academic and personal development. You can help improve their grades, be a role model, and help set goals and targets. You can help students explore their interests and make informed educational and career decisions. Being a mentor is a way to contribute to the education and training of the next generation. It's a wonderful opportunity to engage directly with current students, become more involved with Montgomery College, and improve your own mentoring skills in the process. To learn more or to volunteer, please call the Lifelong Learning Institute at (240) 567-7879. 

Takoma Park Student Development seeks international alumni to participate as mentors in the International Buddy Program. The program provides a working relationship between current international students and past international students who have either graduated or transferred from Montgomery College. Adjustment to a new community may be difficult, especially if there is a difference in language and culture. The International Buddy Program can help ease the transitional phase and help students adjust to the social, academic and cultural environment at Montgomery College. The primary mode of communication will be e-mail. For more information or to volunteer, contact Dr. Harold Barber or Stephanie Waller at (240) 567-1480 or e-mail harold.barber@montgomerycollege.edu or stephanie.waller@montgomerycollege.edu.

If you have a country or major of study mentor/mentee preference, please indicate that in your e‑mail.

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Takoma Park Campus has a few remaining “Swim 4 Scholarships” souvenir T-shirts from the spring fund-raiser. Add your 2005 T-shirt to your collection while they last! Sizes remaining: XL, L, M, and a very few S. Minimum donation $15, larger donations gratefully accepted. For information, contact Kraig Kinsey, (301) 650-1567, or e-mail kraig.kinsey@montgomerycollege.edu. 

RESOURCES 

We'd like your feedback about our electronic newsletter! E-mail alumni@montgomerycollege.edu

For more information on Montgomery College, check out the College's website, http://www.montgomerycollege.edu

For facts about Montgomery College, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/legislative/facts.html 

For more information about the Montgomery College Alumni Association, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni

For a listing of Alumni Office staff, go to: www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni/alumnistaff.html

To view past issues of Happenings at Montgomery College, visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni/newsletter/index.html

To view past issues of the award-winning Insights magazine, go to www.montgomerycollege.edu/alumni/insights

Montgomery College has earned the 2004-05 Maryland "Workplace Excellence" Seal of Approval from the Maryland Work-Life Alliance, a public, private, non-profit coalition founded by Montgomery County and Discovery Communications, Inc. The "Excellent Place to Work" designation is a seal of quality that recognizes employers that demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to their workforce by supporting employees' integration of professional, personal, and community roles. And guess what . . . Montgomery College is looking for a few good faculty members! Positions are available in many areas with assignments beginning in August 2005. Complete information and descriptions are posted at https://jobs.montgomerycollege.edu.

MC's television and radio production classes offer a live weekly news wrap, MC in Focus, Fridays at noon on the College's cable channel. If you're outside Montgomery County, you can catch the audio portion of the program live on eRadio WMCR.

The Montgomery College Alumni Association
900 Hungerford Drive, Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20850

Please forward this info to anyone who you think may be interested in supporting Montgomery College.

 Thanks for your help!