THIS WEEK@NCC - Norwalk Community College

THIS WEEK@NCC
March 1, 2016
Volume 32, Number 7
IN THIS ISSUE
Page 2
Workshop Held on Reducing
Sedentary Behavior
Exercise Science & Fitness Employer
Event Held
Movie-of-the-Month
Page 3
Stand More, Sit Less Series Part II:
What Happens When We Lift More?
Fairfield County Giving Day
Poetry Reading and Reception
Page 4
Biosciences Career Forum
Lumina String Quartet
“Where Do You Stand?” Information
Forum for Male Community Leaders
Pages 5 & 6
News and Announcements
SUBMISSIONS
Use online PR form at: http://nccportal4/FormServerTemplates
Next issue published:
March 8, 2016
Deadline for submissions:
March 2, 2016
This Week @ NCC is published
by the Public Relations Office of
Norwalk Community College
Graphic Designer and Writer
Cindy Zaref
Copy Editor and Writer
Rick Leonard
Copy Editor and Writer
Madeline Barillo
Competing bakers on the Rachel Ray show included (shown from left to right) Anne Heap of the Pink Cake Box in
New Jersey, Ashley Holt of Sugar Monster Sweets in Brooklyn and winners Lisa and Steve Maronian of Sweet
Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes in Greenwich.
NCC Culinary Instructors Win Rachel Ray’s
Wedding Cake Showdown
NCC baking and catering instructors Lisa and Steve Maronian appeared on
national television on February 18 when they won a Wedding Week competition
on the Rachael Ray show on ABC New York Channel 7.
The Maronians, who are married and own Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes in
Greenwich, were chosen by the Rachael Ray Show to compete with two other
New York area bakeries for the honor of baking a wedding cake for Hunter Tribe
and Brittney Reed, a couple who were to marry on the show the very next day.
After the couple sampled a pink champagne cake from the Pink Cake Box in
New Jersey, and a seven-tired donut cake from Sugar Monster Sweets of Brooklyn,
they chose the Maronians’ five-tiered cake which host Rachel Ray described as
“whimsical, and at the same time traditional.” The winning creation featured
a sugar sculpture of the bride and groom, heart-shaped kettle bells to represent
the couple’s Crossfit passion, and a Fleur de Lys motif to commemorate their
first date in New Orleans.
The Maronians were invited to appear on the Rachael Ray show after Brittney
Reed wrote in to ask Ray to help her visually impaired boyfriend, Hunter, get a
pair of eSight glasses, a special electronic device that would allow him to see her.
When the couple appeared on the show, Hunter was given the life-changing
eSight headset and saw his girlfriend for the first time. He also proposed to her
on the spot. The show’s producers arranged for the couple to be married on Ray’s
show, and arranged for the three bakeries to prepare a choice of wedding cakes.
R E C E N T
E V E N T S
Workshop Held on Reducing
Sedentary Behavior
Exercise Science & Fitness
Employer Event Held
On February 23, Exercise Science Professor Nicole Hafner
gave a tutorial titled “Stand More, Sit Less: Reducing
Sedentary Behaviors” in the Center for Science, Health
and Wellness. Her presentation stressed how prolonged
sitting can be detrimental to our health, causing metabolic
disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular disease and making
our muscles, joints and connective tissues tighten.
“People with more sedentary time are more than twice
as likely to have cardiovascular disease than those with the
least,” she said. “There is a greater risk of colon, breast and
endometrial cancer with sitting [too much].” She provided
ideas for minimizing physical inactivity and enhancing
the body’s metabolism and circulation.
This program was the first of four events in the college’s
Spring Wellness Series on wellness at work. The series is
sponsored by NCC Wellness Committee and the Exercise
Science Student Club.
Students interested in careers in Exercise Science and
Fitness had the opportunity to meet with hiring managers
from Sarner Health and Fitness at Stamford Hospital,
Wilton YMCA, Moore Rehabilitation, Intensity Club and
New Canaan YMCA. The event was held on February 26.
NCC Exercise Science Professor Nicole Hafner
moderated a panel discussion to elicit helpful information
about entering the field, including tips for resumes and
interviews, how to network effectively, and more. A networking session and refreshments followed the discussion.
The Connecticut Health and Life Science Career
Initiative at NCC and the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF) co-sponsored the event.
Exercise Science
Professor Nicole
Hafner led a
workshop on the
hazards of being
a “seat potato.”
Shown from left: Nicole Hafner, NCC Exercise Science Professor; Kristi
Simms, CT Health & Life Sciences Career Initiative Curriculum Innovation Coordinator at NCC; Mark Spellman, Director of Healthy Living
at New Canaan YMCA; Mary Ann Genuario, H&F Director at Riverbrook
YMCA; Paul Landi, Fitness Manager at Moore Rehabilitation; and
Julienne Camhi, Group Fitness Director at Sarner HFI.
U P C O M I N G
E V E N T S
Movie-of-the-Month:
The Black Stallion (1979)
Thursday, March 3, 6:30 p.m.
East Campus, Gen Re Forum
NCC’s English Department and the Baker Library present
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Black Stallion, in the college’s
free Movie-of-the-Month film series.
The Black Stallion, released in 1979, is Director Carroll
Ballard’s exquisitely filmed adaptation of the classic
children’s novel by Walter Farley. It is a beautiful tale of
a young boy’s adventures with a magnificent black
stallion—from a dramatic
shipwreck to a racing
championship.
The screening is being
hosted by Dr. Anne C.
Hermans, Coordinator of
NCC’s Vet Tech Program.
For more information,
please contact Professor
Gary Carlson at gcarlson@
norwalk.edu.
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“Stand More, Sit Less” Series
Part II: What Happens When
We Lift More?
Tuesday, March 8, 1 to 2 p.m.
West Campus, Room H004
NCC’s Director of Exercise
Science and Wellness Dr. Paul
Gallo presents an interactive
lecture on “Resistance Training
for Health” as part of the “Stand More, Sit Less” wellness
series. He will discuss age-related decline in muscle and
explain the clinical health implications on physical activity,
function, and quality of life in adults.
Evidence-based research findings will be shared to
demonstrate the importance of resistance training as a
method to combat physical inactivity and muscle decline.
Attendees will be provided with general recommendations
for resistance training and demonstration of easy-to-do
exercises that can be performed at their desk when taking
a break from sitting.
Dr. Gallo received his doctorate in Applied Physiology
from Teachers College Columbia University. He is active in
research focusing on movement economy in persons with
Parkinson’s disease and older adults as well as the effects
of aging on muscle.
Fairfield County Giving Day
Thursday, March 10, 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Online and on the NCC Campus
At midnight on March 10, the NCC Foundation (NCCF)
will kick off Fairfield County Giving Day, a 24-hour
county-wide activity whose aim is to “give where you live.”
NCCF encourages staff, faculty and students as well
as families and friends to contribute. All monies collected
will go to the Student Emergency Fund.
While contributions will be accepted digitally anytime
during the 24-hour period, volunteers will be on both East
and West Campuses during the busiest activity periods
(likely from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) to accept in-person
donations from staff, faculty and students.
Please help spread the word to generate support for our
Student Emergency Fund. For more information, please
contact Valerie Muller at vmuller@norwalk.edu.
Poetry Reading and Reception
Thursday, March 10, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
East Campus, NCC Baker Library
Poet and author Suzanne Parker will visit NCC and read
from her book Viral. A book signing and reception will
follow the reading.
Viral was published in 2013
by Alice James Books. A sequence
of poems from the book were
published in the Hunger Mountain journal and were nominated
for a Pushcart Prize.
Viral explores the suicide
of Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers
University student whose roommate filmed him being intimate with another man, and
who ultimately jumped from the
George Washington Bridge.
The book was a finalist for the
Lambda Literary Award in
Poetry and also was included on
the 2013 American Library
Association’s Rainbow List of
recommended books.
Parker is managing editor
Suzanne Parker
at MEAD: a Magazine of
Literature and Libations. Her creative non-fiction is
published in the travel anthology Something to Declare:
Good Lesbian Travel Writing, published by the University
of Wisconsin Press.
The reading is free and open to the public. Classes
are encouraged to attend. For more information, please
contact Professor Laurel Peterson at (203) 857-7294
or lpetersen@norwalk.edu.
Prudential Visit to NCC
Friday, March 11 (by appointment)
East Campus, Room E212
Prudential Retirement Counselor Davelva Perez will be
on campus to meet with NCC employees. To make an
appointment, please contact Ms. Perez at (860) 837-4214
or davelva.perez@prudential.com.
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Biosciences Career Forum
Friday, March 11, 1 to 4 p.m. (RSVP by March 4)
Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine,
Farmington, CT
The NCC community is invited to a Biosciences Career
Forum II: Women in the Biosciences. Jackson Lab is
hosting this event in conjunction with NCC’s engagement
in the Connecticut Health and Life Sciences Career
Initiative and Genomics Consortium.
The guest speakers are Dr. Albert Cheng, Assistant
Professor, JAX-GM, who will discuss “CRISPR –Cas9
Genome Editing Technologies,” and Ellen Matloff,
President and CEO, My Gene Counsel, whose topic is
“Women in the Biosciences.”
The forum will cover recruiting and retaining women
in the biosciences, interviewing for a job in bioscience, skills
needed in today’s bioscience sector, resumes and how to
network to further your professional career. It will also
include a panel discussion with women in the biosciences
as well as several networking opportunities.
Sign up at www.jax.org/futurejobs by March 4. For
more information, contact Lesley Mara, Executive Director
of NCC’s Health and Life Sciences Career Initiative and
Genomics Workforce Consortium at lmara@commnet.edu;
or Nakia Washington at nakia.washington@jax.org.
Lumina String Quartet
Saturday, March 12, 2 to 4 p.m.
East Campus, PepsiCo Theater
The Lumina String Quartet will present “In True
Quartet Concertant Tradition: Showing the Virtuosity
of the Players,” featuring the music of Ludwig Van
2016 Lumina String Quartet
Beethoven, Dmitri Shostakovich and Duke Ellington.
The quartet provides a meaningful contribution to
Connecticut’s musical life and is committed to bringing
the best of string quartet music to local audiences.
A limited number of complimentary tickets are available. To obtain tickets, please contact Barbara Cartsounis
at (203) 857-7302 or bcartsounis@norwalk.edu.
“Where Do You Stand?”
Information Forum for Male
Community Leaders
Tuesday, March 29, 1 p.m.
West Campus, Room W105
Have you ever witnessed abuse and wondered how you
should intervene? If you should intervene? Have you
overheard disrespectful jokes and wondered what you
should say? If you should say something at all? Does it
really matter? Can you even make a difference?
Find the answers to these questions by attending
the “Where Do You Stand?” information forum. The
campaign positively portrays young men as vital allies
and invites all men to consider their own stance on men
preventing sexism and sexual assault.
This statewide initiative has been launched in Lower
Fairfield County by The Center for Sexual Assault Crisis
Counseling and Education. It focuses on engaging
Connecticut men in being active in preventing sexual
violence in their communities. Its Men of Strength
Training Program is designed to equip men with the
tools necessary to take a stand against all forms of sexual
violence. Men of Strength empowers men to use their
voice, influence, and actions to become a part of the
solution, rather than being part of the problem.
For more information, please contact Cheryl DeVonish,
Chief Diversity Officer and Special Advisor, at cdevonish@
norwalk.edu.
photo: Bernie.Weiss.Photos@gmail.com
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N E W S
A N D
A N N O U N C E M E N T S
NCC Alumnus Attends a
White House Celebration
Norwalk Community College
alumnus Guy A. Fortt (Class of
1995) went to Washington, DC
on February 29 to attend the
second anniversary celebration of
President Obama’s My Brother’s
Keeper (MBK) initiative.
A Stamford native, Fortt was
invited as the official Community
Leader from Stamford. Attendees Guy Fortt, NCC Alumnus
also included White House senior
administration officials, representatives from the private
sector, community leaders and nationally recognized
stakeholders in the MBK program.
Fortt is a performer, retired firefighter and an active
community volunteer who works to improve the lives of
Stamford children through his ForttSports programs.
He has mentored countless young men and women with
his NY vs. NE 7 on 7 Football Challenge, the Khairi
Fortt Foundation and Mill River Productions. He says the
goal of each of his community initiatives is “saving lives,
changing lives for all youth.”
“I was honored to be invited to the White House
as a Connecticut Ambassador for the President’s My
Brother’s Keeper Initiative,” said Fortt. “President Obama
and I share the same values regarding the importance of
mentoring and helping to elevate today’s youth.”
Fortt received his Associate Degree in General Studies
from NCC in 1995. In 2008, he was honored at the college’s
Commencement as the Distinguished Alumnus Award
winner for his community service and success as performer
and recording artist. He has appeared on Broadway in
The Color Purple and in movies including The Devil Wears
Prada and Men in Black. He also has appeared on television in The Sopranos and Law and Order SVU.
Fortt has been actively involved in the MBK initiative.
In September 2014, President Obama issued a challenge
to cities, towns, counties and tribal nations across the
country to become “MBK Communities.” This challenge
represents a call to action for mayors and community
members to enact sustainable change to better the lives of
youth through policy, programs, and partnerships.
Are You Registered to Vote?
You must be registered before casting a ballot in the
upcoming Presidential election in November, or in
the party primaries in April. The NCC homepage now
provides a link to State of Connecticut’s online voter
registration system.
Voter registration is fast and easy. Just click on the red
VOTE icon on the NCC homepage, or click on https://
voterregistration.ct.gov/OLVR/welcome.do. Easy-to-follow
instructions are provided in English and Spanish. You can
use the online system to: (1) register to vote in Connecticut,
(2) change your name and/or address on your current
registration record, or (3) enroll in a political party or
change party enrollment (changing parties may result in
losing rights in all parties for three months).
To use the online voter registration system, you must
have a current and valid driver’s license, learner’s permit
or non-driver photo identification card issued by the
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and
a signature on file with the DMV.
PTK Café Now Open
Members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society will
be selling coffee, bagels and baked goods every Tuesday
through the end of the semester in the D-Wing Lobby of
the West Campus building. The café will be open from
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each week.
Funds raised will help members attend local and
national Phi Theta Kappa conventions and events. Founded in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa is the world’s
oldest and most prestigious academic honor society for
students enrolled at two-year colleges. NCC’s chapter of
the organization is the Alpha Iota Nu Chapter.
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Left to right at the
PTK Café: Honor
Society members
Mariem Tolba,
Isabel Cardona,
Ziggy Sakalauskas
and Jacob Hilton.
HOW Bus Now Provides Info
on SNAP Nutrition Assistance
Free Tax Preparation
Services at NCC
The Health on Wheels (HOW) bus parks outside the East
Campus building each Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon to
provide free medical, dental and mental health services to
students and their children.
The bus is sponsored by the Norwalk Community
Health Center. It now has outreach specialists onboard
to help students determine their eligibility for the federal
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP offers nutrition assistance to millions of
eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides
economic benefits to communities. SNAP is the largest
program in the domestic hunger safety net.
Please let students know that this service is available to
help them make informed decisions about applying for the
program and accessing food benefits.
Under the direction of Accounting Professor Tony Scott,
NCC volunteers will provide free tax preparation and
filing services through April 14, to taxpayers who make
$54,000 or less. They will also advise taxpayers about their
eligibility for tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax
Credit, a refundable federal and state income tax credit;
and credits for the elderly and disabled.
Volunteers include students, alumni and members
of the community who receive extensive training and must
pass an Internal Revenue Service certifying exam.
The Pantry Offers Fresh Food
Tuesdays and Thursdays, January 26 through April 14
7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
East Campus, UBS Student Success Center
Through a partnership with Costco in Norwalk, The
Pantry at NCC is now able to offer its members a variety
of fresh food. And, with a generous donation of a freezer,
The Pantry is able to accept and keep vegetables, fruits
and dairy products.
The Pantry is open to all currently registered students
in need of food assistance while working on their degrees.
Located on the West Campus in room W101A, The
Pantry is open Monday through Friday with hours to
fit nearly every schedule. Hours can be viewed at http://
norwalk.edu/fesp/food%20pantry.asp and are posted
outside The Pantry door.
For more information, please contact The Pantry at
ThePantry@Norwalk.edu or (203) 857-7260.
VITA 2016 Schedule at NCC
Saturdays, January 30 through April 16
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
West Campus, Rooms W138 and W140
(Except March 26 when the college is closed)
Wellness Center Hours
The Wellness Center is open during the following hours:
Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
(closed Thursdays 3:50 to 5:30 p.m.)
Friday: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
You must present your NCC photo ID (obtainable at
the Security desk in the East Campus Atrium).
NCC Continuing Notice of Non-Discrimination
Norwalk Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, sex, national origin, marital status,
ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression or genetic information in its programs and activities. In addition, the College does not discriminate in employment on the
basis of veteran status or criminal record. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Chief Diversity Officer and Special Advisor, Cheryl DeVonish, Title IX Coordinator at (203) 857-7016 or cdevonish@
norwalk.edu; or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator Fran Apfel at (203) 857-7192 or fapfel@norwalk.edu.
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