Fall/Winter 2009 - Kennebec Valley Community College

Ke n n e b e c Va l l ey C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
Fall/Winter 2009
A Newsletter Published Annually for the Friends of KVCC
KVCC plans 40th birthday
celebration on campus Oct. 3
KennebecValleyCommunityCollegewillcelebrateits40thanniversaryinacampus-wide
eventtobeheldSaturday,Oct.3,rainorshine.
Thepubliciscordiallyinvitedtoattendadayofcelebrationincludinglivemusicacts,
children’sactivities,analumnireception,campustours,acraftfair,abooksale,program
demonstrations,hayrides,exhibits,andrefreshments.
Eventswillrunfrom10a.m.-4p.m.atthecampusat92WesternAve.,justoffInterstate95
inFairfield.
TheCollegewasfoundedin1969asKennebecValleyVocationalTechnicalInstituteand
firstestablishedinawingofWatervilleSeniorHighSchool.Ithadonlyahandfulofstaffand
programswhenclassesbeganwith35full-timeand131part-timestudentsinthefallof1970.
Today,KVCC
enrollsnearly
2,200studentsand
hadapproximately
500graduates
from26progams
atitsmostrecent
commencement
inMayof2009.
Itemploysmore
than200full-time
andpart-time
staff,anditsfour
buildingsare
The newly renovated Bernard A.
King Hall is at the center of camsitedon64acres
pus-wide improvements that will be
inFairfield.Its
showcased during KVCC’s upcoming
thousandsof
40th birthday celebration Oct. 3.
graduatesare
employedthroughoutNewEnglandandbeyond,andtheCollegeisrecognizedasoneofthe
fastest-growingandmostsuccessfulinstitutionsofitskindintheregion.
Thelistofeventsontapforthe40thcelebrationincludesanappearancebyBeatlestribute
band“AllTogetherNow”from2-4p.m.Thebandhasdelightedaudiencessince1994andis
renownedforlivelyperformancesthatinvolvethecrowdintheshow.
Children’sentertainer,“Mr.Harley”willperformthreeshows,at11a.m.,1p.m.,and3p.m.
combiningamusicalmixofeducationalandentertainingsongswithhumor,fun,andplentyof
audienceparticipation.
Mix107.9willbroadcastlivefromtheKVCCcampusfrom10a.m.-noon.
TheCollegeiseagertore-connectwithitsmanyalumni,andishostingaspecialAlumni
ReceptioninthenewlyrenovatedKingHallfrom1-2p.m.withrefreshments.
Craftandfoodvendorswillbeonhand,andfreegiveawaysandraffleswillbeheld
throughouttheday.
Continued on page 2
From small
beginnings to
Community
College, KVCC
has remained
focused on
students
FAIRFIELD–Fortyyearsisalong
time,andforKennebecValleyCommunity
Collegethedecadeshavetakentheschool
fromveryhumblebeginningstoapoint
wherefuturepossibilitiesseemunlimited.
Milesfromitsoriginalhomeat
WatervilleSeniorHighSchoolandwitha
sprawlingmoderncampusthatnoneofthe
handfuloforiginalstudentsandstaffcould
haveimagined,theCollegehaseducated
thousands,playsakeyroleintheregional
economy,andisoneofthefastestgrowing
institutionsofitskindinMaine.
AsKVCCcelebratesits40thanniversary
Oct.3withcampus-wideevents,manywho
havewatcheditchangeovertheyearsare
recallingthoseearlydayswithnostalgia,
andreflectingthatalthoughmuchhas
changed,theschool’sfocusonstudents
neverhas.
Continued on page 2
Inside this issue
KVCC plans 40th birthday
celebration on campus Oct. 3 ............Cover
KVCC adds GIS and CADD options to
Computer Science program for fall ......... 3
The Earl Smith Books and
Supplies Fund ..................................... 4
Green Energy ...................................... 4
Annual Donor Report ........................... 5
New Venue is a Big Hit for
14th Annual Golf Tournament ..................7
Branden Densmore .............................. 8
Mid-State Machine Products
donates valuable machining
equipment to KVCC .............................10
Woodlee Scholarship..............................11
Important Dates .............................Back
Ke n n e b e c Va l l ey C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
Fall/Winter 2009
From small beginnings to Community College, KVCC has remained
focused on students, from page 1
Pam Seeley remembers the early days well.
She began her long career with the College when
she answered an ad in the local newspaper for
a job at the new “Kennebec Valley Vocational
Technical Institute” and found herself a member
of the original staff teaching secretarial science
and business classes.
“I’ve seen many changes, some good, some
not so good,” Seeley recalled recently. “For a
couple of years we were very, very tiny. It was an
experiment – they were going to try it and see
how it worked out.”
KVVTI was organized in 1969 by the 104th
Maine Legislature and opened to students in the
fall of 1970 under Director Fred Whitney. It was
billed in Waterville’s 1969 Annual Report as, “an
experimental post secondary vocational school to
determine the feasibility of having post secondary
courses offered in a comprehensive high school.”
What that translated to for teachers and
students was a few classes offered in high school
vocational space and a lot of misunderstandings
about what exactly KVVTI was and who its staff
worked for, Seeley recalls.
The hours were long, with days often spent
recruiting students and nights filled with classes
KVCC plans 40th birthday celebration on campus Oct. 3, form page 1
Other scheduled events include:
• The KVCC Faculty Jazz Band performing in the
King Hall Campus Center from noon - 2:00 pm.
• Children’s activities including a scavenger hunt,
face painting, nature walk, hay rides, story telling,
activity tables, and a chance to explore a fire truck
and fire rescue.
• Campus tours.
• Exhibits for each of KVCC’s programs in the
Carter Hall Multi-Purpose Room.
• Historical exhibits on the history of the College.
• Presentations:
10:30 a.m. - Global Positioning System (GPS)
Hide and Seek
11:00 a.m. - Residential Electrical Energy
Alternatives
Noon - Living Life to its Fullest
1:00 p.m. - Physics for Parents / Social
Networking and Blogging for Your Business
2:00 p.m. Evaluating Your Home Computer
Needs: Q&A
3:00 p.m. Converting to Digital Television
Events are free and open to students, alumni,
and the general public.
running to 10 p.m or later, as evening classes were
the only ones offered at first, Seeley said.
“We had to do everything, back then we did
a lot of things that some of the teachers wouldn’t
do now,” Seeley said. “We had to, if we wanted
to keep our jobs and wanted to keep the place
open.”
By 1972, Nelson Megna, then the
Superintendent of Waterville Schools, would
write that the Institute had been evaluated and
a recommendation of continued support and
expansion of KVVTI submitted to the State Board
of Education. The move placed the Institute on
firmer ground and it began to grow.
Assistant Director Bernard A. King replaced
Whitney as Director in 1973 and within a year
had begun exploring the idea of merging the
Maine School of Practical Nursing with KVVTI – a
move that would not be completed until 1980
but which other veteran employees including
President Barbara Woodlee and Assistant Dean
of Continuing Education Bruce Davis consider a
pivotal event for the school.
By 1978 KVVTI was leasing space in the vacant
Waterville Junior High School to accommodate
rapid growth, and transferred many programs
there once the space had been renovated.
Woodlee and Davis recall the 1970s and early
1980s as a hectic period for KVVTI with a small
staff trying to do a big job with few funds or
resources. Instructors traveled all over the state
to offer classes wherever needed. Early goals
for KVVTI included becoming a state facility and
offering day classes in addition to night classes.
“It was very challenging,” Woodlee said. “We
were out there physically doing many things
beyond what would ordinarily be expected of
instructors today.”
The late 1970s and early 1980s set the stage
for the KVCC that exists today. Probably the single
most important event in that period happened in
1979 when the school came under state control,
giving it more latitude to develop and grow
independently.
“That was really the pivotal moment, because
once we became a state agency, it allowed us to
have a more certain future,” Woodlee said.
KVVTI also received accreditation from the
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
in 1979. A year later the 60-acre “Sheridan
Property” at the present site of the College was
acquired, with trade programs and administrative
offices transferred there in 1982-83.
In 1984 Woodlee became Director of KVVTI
and construction of King Hall began a year later as
programs continued to be added and enrollment
continued to rise.
The experimental institute that later evolved into Kennebec
Valley Community College was first housed in this wing of
Waterville Senior High School, seen here in Waterville’s 1970
annual report.
In 1986 with the completion of King Hall,
remaining programs at the Gilman Street location
were moved to Fairfield, completing the merging
of all staff and programs at one site.
By 1989 the Maine Vocational Institutes had
become Maine Technical Colleges and KVVTI
officially became Kennebec Valley Technical
College.
The 1990s saw the growth at the College
continue, accomodated by the addition of Donald
V. Carter Hall in 1993 and many technological
upgrades as well as expansion into many programs
and roles that define the College today such as
credit transfer and liberal arts studies.
During the past decade the evolution into a
community college was completed in 2003 and the
years since have been marked by unprecedented
growth in enrollment and programs and increasing
numbers of young students on campus.
For those who have seen the changes over the
years it is sometimes hard to believe how far the
school has come, yet the same strong relationships
with area employers that marked the early years
still exist, the same challenges are still present, and
the same dedication.
“For us it has always been a question of not
enough space and not enough money,” Woodlee
said. “We’ve always done a lot with what we have
for resources, and our people have always gone
the extra mile.”
“There was always so much to do with so few
people, and it’s the same today,” Davis agreed.
“This school wouldn’t be here I’m sure if not for a
dedicated core group of people all these years.”
Forty years later, Seeley remains among that
core group, still teaching accounting part-time at
KVCC after retiring from the full-time staff in 2001.
She agreed that although much has changed,
many things that made the College strong have
endured.
“It’s a good place to work, and a good place
to go to school,” Seeley said. “We’ve got some
good teachers here, people who care about the
students, and we’re still small enough that if you
need help, we’ll find somebody to help you. I
think you’ll find students who have gone here and
then gone on to larger schools will tell you they
miss that.”
KVCC adds GIS and CADD options to
Computer Science program for fall
Kennebec Valley Community College
has added two new options to its twoyear Computer Science degree program
that are designed to meet the increasing
technological needs of area employers.
The options in Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) and Computer Aided Drafting
and Design (CADD) have been added to the
Associate in Science Degree for Computer
Science for the fall of 2009.
Each option is designed to provide
graduates with the skills and knowledge to
pursue a four-year degree or seek immediate
entry-level employment in each field.
The new GIS option was created in
response to strong growth in the geospatial
industry, which includes GIS, remote
sensing technologies, and applications using
the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Specialists with expertise in these areas
are needed in increasing numbers by both
the private and government sectors. Jobs
in the field range from Homeland Security
posts to employment in infrastructure and
facility management, urban and regional
planning, environmental conservation,
market research, site selection, real estate,
civil engineering, and resource exploration,
to name only a few.
Instructor Scott Hood said Maine lags
behind many areas of the country when it
comes to the availability of workers with
solid GIS skills.
“Many local organizations that use GIS
have employees with some skills but they
Instructor Ralph Boynton teaches Computer Aided Drafting
and Design techniques. The program prepares graduates to
apply skills and advanced computer software and hardware
to create graphic representations and simulations.
Instructors Ralph Boynton (left) and Scott Hood test handheld GPS units over the summer that are being used
this fall in the new GIS option added to the Computer Science degree program. A Computer Aided Drafting
and Design (CADD) option was also added.
have a lot of missing knowledge that could
help strengthen their abilities and make
their GIS work more efficient,” Hood said.
The new option focuses on providing
students with a thorough grounding in
the theories, concepts, and skills needed
to apply GIS effectively and give them
proficiency in industry-standard GIS
software.
The program has been
developed with the aid of two
grants from the National Science
Foundation.
The new CADD option was
adapted from a certificate program
offered by KVCC that has now been
expanded and upgraded to meet
the needs of employers and give
students real-world skills.
“The CADD program is now a
two-year option under Computer
Science with new courses that
previously did not exist,” Hood
said. “These courses along with an
internship and a ‘Capstone Project’ will train
the students more deeply and give them the
ability to do some real work for employers
from the moment they graduate.”
The mission of the CADD program is
to prepare individuals to apply technical
skills and advanced computer software
and hardware to the creation of graphic
representations and simulations in support
of engineering projects. Instruction in
engineering graphics, two-dimensional
and three-dimensional engineering design,
solids modeling, engineering animation,
computer-aided drafting (CAD), computeraided drafting and design (CADD), and
auto-CAD techniques is included.
Graduates of this option will be qualified
for a variety of positions including design
drafter, tool design drafter, technical
assistant, architectural drafter, designer
project manager, computer-aided design
technician, and other related positions in
the construction industry.
For more information on either option
or enrollment requirements visit kvcc.
me.edu or call KVCC Admissions at (207)
453-5035.
Ke n n e b e c Va l l ey C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
Fall/Winter 2009
The Earl Smith
Books and
Supplies Fund
Inearly2008,ColbyCollege
faculty,SandyMaiselandPatrice
Franko,wereamongthoseattending
theKennebecValleyCommunity
CollegeFoundation’sannual
JazzGalawhentheyheardthree
studentspeakersdescribehow
vitalscholarshipshadbeentotheir
successatKVCC.
Thehusbandandwifewere
particularlystruckbytheconsistent
messagefromeachstudentthatthe
costofbooksandsupplieswasjustas
dauntingastuitionwhenitcameto
affordingcollege.
Theirfriendandcolleague,Earl
Smith,alsospokethatnightabout
thefinancialchallengeandthefact
thatasmanyas75studentswhowere
otherwisepreparedtopaytuition
hadwithdrawnfromtheCollege
thepreviousSeptemberwhenthey
discoveredthattheycouldnotafford
topaythecostofbooks.
ItwasSmithwhosuggestedthe
ideaofstartingafundtoaddressthe
need,andtheideacaughton.
“SandyandPatricewereso
inspiredbythestudentspeakersthat
nightthattheygeneratedanideato
raise$100,000tohelpstudentsdefray
thecostofbooksandsupplies,”
DanaDoran,DirectorofResource
DevelopmentforKVCC,said.“They
knewhowimportantstudent
scholarshipswere,buttheywantedto
dosomethingmoretohelpstudents
withtheastronomicalcostofbooks.”
MeetingwithDoranandSmith,
thecoupleplannedacampaignand
identifiedananonymousdonor
willingtomatcheverydollarraised
witha$2contribution.ItwasMaisel
andFrankowhochosethename
“TheEarlSmithBooksandSupplies
Fund”fortheefforttohonorSmith,
whosededicationtosupporting
KVCCstudentshasbeenunwavering
formanyyears.
Continued on page 11
4
GREEN ENERGY
FAIRFIELD–Backin1995oilwassellingforless
than$20abarrel,cardealerlotswerecrowdedwith
enormousnewsportutilityvehicles,andalternative
energydevelopmentwasonthebackshelfof
Americanpolitics.
Atthetime,GregFletcherwastherelatively
newdepartmentheadoftheTradesandTechnology
DepartmentatwhatwasthenKennebecValley
TechnicalCollege,anddespitetheatmosphere,he
hadafeelingthingswereabouttochange.
“Wewerelookingtoexpandourofferingsin
theelectricalprogramandgivestudentsmore
chancesforjobs,andIknewalotofcontractorswere
thinkingofexpandingtheirbusinessesandgetting
intoalternativeenergyatthattime,”Fletchersaid
recently.“Wedevelopedanewcoursecalledenergy
conservationandmanagementanditwasinthat
coursethatIwasabletostartteachingphotovoltaics.”
Itwasthebeginningofalongandsuccessfultrend
attheCollegeofleadingthewayonalternativeenergy
educationatthetradesandtechnologylevelinMaine.
Sincethattime,alternativeenergydevelopment
hasbecomeahotissuethankstoashiftin
governmentandpublicconsciousnessdrivenby
unprecedentedspikesinenergypricesandgrowing
concernsaboutclimatechange.
Grantsareabundantinthefieldtoday,butin
1995itwasadifferentstoryandsoitwassomething
ofatriumphwhenagrantfromTheDepartment
ofEnergy’sExperimentalProgramtoStimulate
CompetitiveResearch(DOEEPSCoR),afederal-state
partnershipprograminthiscasepairedwiththe
MaineScienceandTechnologyFoundation,opened
thedoorfortheCollegeinphotovoltaics.
Thegrantprovidedfundsforinstructor
trainingandtheequipmentnecessarytolaunch
thepioneeringphotovoltaiccourse,andlaidthe
groundworktoexpandbeyondit.
Today,KVCC’sElectricalTechnologyprogram
offerstraininginsystemdesignandinstallation
forbothphotovoltaicandsmalltomid-sizewind
turbinepowersystemsaspartofitsregular
curriculum.
TheCollegealsooffersnoncredittrainingcourses
thatqualifyinstallerstotaketheNorthAmerican
BoardofCertifiedEnergyPractitioners(NABCEP)
entrylevelinstallercertificationexamsinbothsolar
electricalandsolarthermalsysteminstallation.
PhotovoltaicsystemsmustbeinstalledbyNABCEP
certifiedinstallersinordertobeeligibleforcertain
staterebates.
“Therearealotofinstallersouttherelooking
forthistrainingsotheycanbecomecertified,”
Fletchersaid.“Wearetheonlycommunitycollege
inMainethatdoesthistypeoftrainingandwehave
beensince1995.”
KVCChasaddedcoursesinweatherizationandin
energyauditingtoitstrainingoptionsrecentlyandis
continuingtopursueotheradditionsorexpansions
ofitsalternativeenergytechnologyprograms.The
school’sfocushasbeentoprovidegreentechnology
trainingforemploymentopportunitiesalreadyexisting
hereinMainethataregrowing.
“Ourstudentswanttoliveandworkherein
theCentralMainearea.Photovoltaic,smallwind
turbine,andsolarthermalsystemscanbeinstalledin
everybody’shomeorbusinessandthat’swhereIthink
manyofourgraduatesaregoingtoendupfinding
workinthefuture.”Fletchersaid.
Withthesuddenavailabilityofgrants–muchinthe
formoffederalstimulusmoney-KVCCislookingat
optionsforexpandingitsroleinthealternativeenergy
arenaandapplyingforfundingtodoso.
Meanwhile,thisfalltheCollegeplanstoinstalla
smallsolarelectricsystemfedbysolarpanelsonthe
roofoftheFryeBuilding.Thesystemwillprovidea
workingmodelforstudentsandeaseenergycostsin
thebuildingslightly,likelybypoweringlightsinthe
electricallabarea,Fletchersaid.
WindpowercouldalsobeaddedtotheCollege
gridsoon.Astudyofwindpatternsofferedatnocharge
toKVCCbyaregionalsustainabilitycoalitionisplanned
thisfall,andifthedatasupportstheideaaturbine
couldeventuallybeerectedoncampus,Fletchersaid.
Withthecurrentexcitementovergreenenergyand
manycollegesjumpingtocashinontheopportunities
itoffers,itiseasytoforgetthatoneofthefirstschools
toembracethosepossibilitieswasKVCC.
“Ithoughtatthattimewewereaheadofthecurve,
andwewere.However,Ididn’tthinkitwasgoingto
take14or15yearsbeforeitstartedtoreallytakeoff
likeithas-Ithoughtbytheyear2000we’dhavethe
samebuzzwehavenowaboutgreentechnologies,”
Fletchersaid.“We’vestuckwithitovertheyearsand
donewell,butwhenitbeganitwasjustasimple
concepttoexpandtheemploymentopportunitiesfor
ourgraduates.”
Power from the sun; Electrical Technology instructor Greg Fletcher added photovoltaic education to
KVCC in 1995, beginning the College’s expansion
into alternative energy courses. The solar panel
pictured here is destined for an array that will be
constructed on the campus this fall.
ANNUAL DONOR REPORT
2008-2009
simply that they value education in Central Maine and want to support
programs that keep people here and improve their lives.
Additionally, KVCC endeavored to raise $100,000 for a new
endowed scholarship fund to help students defray the cost of books
and supplies. The “Earl Smith Books and Supplies Fund” campaign,
named in honor of Earl Smith, KVCC Foundation President and
long time supporter of the college, succeeded beyond anyone’s
expectations, raising more than $225,000 from August 2008-June 2009. Of that amount, $125,000 will go directly to the Book Fund and the
other $100,000 will be put toward the Lunder Scholarship in honor of
Smith.
In what has proven to be the most challenging economy since
the Great Depression of the 1930’s, the value of KVCC has clearly
resonated with the local community more than ever. This year,
our partners, staff, alumni, and friends contributed over $743,000
(excluding federal funds) to KVCC and the KVCC Foundation in
cash and equipment donations. This charitable giving provided
scholarships for needy students and much
GIFTS TO THE EARL SMITH BOOKS AND SUPPLIES FUND
needed equipment and resources to
The individuals below made generous donations to create a new endowed fund that will
strengthen our academic programs.
provide much needed aid for students to purchase required books and supplies for their
KVCC and the KVCC Foundation truly
courses of study. These gifts will help students afford what has become a very burdensome cost
appreciate the generosity of our many
that most are not prepared for.
donors, listed below, for the opportunities
Mr. Sari Abul-Jubein
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Frame
Ms. Mary Michaela Murphy
they create for KVCC students.
The 2008-2009 fiscal year presented many challenges for KVCC, as
it did for the rest of the State of Maine, the United States, and beyond. However, with every new challenge, there is opportunity. In late 2008, Trustees of the KVCC Foundation learned that the
organization’s endowment, which funds scholarships to students of
the College as well as other activities, had lost more than 19 percent
of its value from July 2008 – December 2008 due to instability in
the stock market, mirroring a nationwide trend among college and
university endowments. As a result of the decline in the endowment,
the Foundation was forced to cut scholarships to $38,000, a reduction
of more than 68 percent from the previous year.
News of this reduction spread quickly and in early 2009, an
anonymous donor made a $50,000 gift to the Foundation in hopes it
would inspire other friends of the College to lend additional support
to preserve educational opportunities for KVCC students during
tough economic times. In making the $50,000 gift, the donor said
Mr. William Adams
Mr. Justin Alfond
Mr. and Mrs. William Alfond
Mr. Byrd Allen
Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Allison
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. William Arnold
Mr. Jeffrey Baron
Ms. Carol Anne Beach
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Beckerman
Mr. and Mrs. John Benziger
Mr. and Mrs. Parker Beverage
Mr. Peter Blumenthal
Ms. Anne Bondy
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Borman
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Boulos
Mr. Arthur Brennan
Ms. Judith Brody
Mr. and Mrs. David Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Bullock
Mr. Douglas Carnrick
Mr. John Carvellas
Ms. Susan Comeau
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Corbett
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Corey
Ms. Sharon Corwin
Ms. Libby Corydon-Apicella
Mr. and Mrs. William Cotter
Mr. Christian Davenport
Diamond Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Doran
Mr. and Mrs. Karl Dornish
Ms. Priscilla Dube
Ms. Bea Dubord
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Eustis
Mr. and Mrs. Sid Farr
Mr. David Findlay
Ms. Deborah Finn
Mr. Larry Fleischman
Mr. Stephen Ford
Mr. Anestes Fotiades
Ms. Patrice Franko and Mr. Sandy Maisel
Mr. and Mrs. Miles Frye
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gelbard
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gemery
Mr. William Goldfarb
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Goulette
Ms. Karen Greenleaf
Mr. Peter Hart
Ms. Margaret Hemphill
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Herling
Mr. Dan Hoefle
Mr. Gerry Holtz
Mr. Robert Hughes
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Jabar, Sr.
Mr. Lester Jolovitz
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Kassman
Mr. Robert Koons
Mr. John Koons
Mr. Lewis Krinsky
Mr. Seth Lawry
Mr. and Mrs. William Lawry
Mr. Richard Lemieux
Mr. and Mrs. George Lemoine
Mr. and Mrs. John Lemoine
Mr. Stephen Loynd
Mr. Richard Loynd
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lunder
Mr. Cal Mackenzie
Mr. and Mrs. John Macklin
Mr. Robert A. Marden
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Marden
Mr. and Mrs. David Marr
Mr. and Mrs. David Marson
Mr. and Mrs. Stan Mathieu
Mayberry Builders
Mr. Robert McArthur
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Meehan
Mr. Nicholas Mencher
Ms. Kathleen Moore
Mr. John Morgan
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Morrione
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Nale
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Nelson
Mr. and Mrs. Stan Nicholson
Ms. Anne Palmer
Mr. Richard Pious
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Pugh
Ms. Susan Pullen
Mr. James Putnam
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Reisert
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Roberts
Mr. Lawrence Rocca
Mr. Michael Roy
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sage
Mr. Tom Saliba
Ms. Joan Sanzenbacher
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Schmaltz
Ms. Tobi Schneider
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Serdjenian
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Shapiro
Mr. Jeffrey Silverstein
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Smith
Mr. Ronald Smith
Mr. and Mrs. William Smullen
Ms. Lauren Sterling
Mr. Robert E.L. Strider
Mr. and Mrs. John T. Sutton
Mr. Peter Swartz
Mr. and Mrs. John Sweney
Ms. Sara Sylvester
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Szostak
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Tipper
UNUM
Waterville High School Class of 1957
Mr. Owen Wells
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Whitmore
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Woodlee
Mr. Willard Wyman
Mr. Matthew Zweig
GIFTS IN MEMORY OF INDIVIDUALS
The individuals below made thoughtful
contributions in memory of an alumnus/a,
relative, colleague, or friend. These gifts
either created or enhanced endowed
and unendowed student scholarships
for tuitions and/or books, supplies, or
equipment.
Harold “Mickey” Marden
Mr. Paul LePage
Mr. David Marden
Mr. Harold Marden
Mr. John Marden
United Way of Eastern Maine
Alyssa Erin Bickford
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gorman, Sr.
Dr. Frank Myska
KVCC Students, Staff, and Faculty
Kevin Kluzak
Ms. Margaret Bauer
Ke n n e b e c Va l l ey C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
Fall/Winter 2009
GIFTS FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT
The organizations and individuals below made generous
contributions toward ensuring access to higher education in the
Central Maine area. These gifts either created or enhanced existing
endowed student scholarship funds.
GIFTS TO THE ANNUAL FUND
The Annual Appeal raised funds for a variety of critical needs at
the College, including student scholarships, the Earl Smith Books and
Supplies Fund, academic programs and related training equipment,
and student support services including the Mickey Marden Center for
Student Success. Cornerstone Society
($10,000 or more)
Benefactor
($500 - $999)
Mr. Justin Alfond
William and Joan Alfond Foundation
Diamond Family Foundation
Marden’s, Inc.
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. Parker Beverage
Ms. Anne Lawrence Bondy
Ms. Nona Boyink
Cianbro Corporation
Mr. and Mrs. John Dalton
Mr. Peter Ford
Huhtamaki
Kennebec Savings Bank
Kennebec Technologies
Mr. Leland Kittle and Ms. Sara
Sylvester
Mr. and Mrs. Seth Lawry
Mr. Richard Lemieux
Mr. and Mrs. John G. Lemoine
Madison Paper Industries
Maine Oxy
Mr. Tom Martin
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Mathieu
Ms. Mary Michaela Murphy and Mr.
Henry Beck
Ms. Martha Naber
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Reisert
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen G. Robinson
Ms. Tobi L. Schneider
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Smith
Spring Brook Ice and Fuel
Mr. Peter Swartz
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Szostak
Ms. Suzanne Uhl-Melanson and Mr.
Jeff Melanson
Waterville High School Class of 1957
Waterville Housing Authority
Marguerite B. Willihan
Wiswell Electric, Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. Matthew Zweig
Heritage Club
($5,000 - $9,999)
Central Maine Power Company
Mr. John Fallona
Inland Hospital
Sukeforth Charitable Foundation
President’s Club
($1,000 - $4,999)
Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Allison
Anonymous
Bangor Savings Bank
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Bickford
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Borman
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Boulos
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas A. Carnrick
Colby College
Ms. Susan Comeau
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery R. Corey
Dr. and Mrs. Peter Doran
Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems
Mr. Anestes G. Fotiades
Franklin-Somerset Federal Credit Union
Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Gelbard
Mr. William H. Goldfarb
Goold Health Systems, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Jolovitz
Kennebec Technologies
Dr. and Mrs. John E. Macklin
Maine Eye Care Associates
MaineGeneral Health
Dr. Lewis S. Maisel and Dr. Patrice
Franko
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Marden
Mr. and Mrs. David Mayberry
Northeast Laboratory Services
Mr. Larry R. Pugh
Redington-Fairview Hospital
Sebasticook Valley Hospital
The Sheridan Corporation
Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Smith
Mr. Jeff Smith and Ms. Susan O’Brien
Mr. Robert E. L. Strider
Mr. and Mrs. John T. Sutton
TD Banknorth
Waterville Savings Bank of Maine
Mr. Robert Wellock
Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Whitmore, Jr.
Mr. Jimmie J. and Dr. Barbara Woodlee
Trustees’ Club
($250 - $499)
Dr. William D. Adams
Mr. Jeffrey S. Baron
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Brennan
Mr. and Mrs. Scott B. Bullock
D. L. Electric, Inc.
David Mathieu Company, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Dana Doran
Mr. John Fallona
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Farr
Ms. Deborah Wathen Finn
Mr. Lawrence Fleischman
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Fox
G & E Roofing, Inc.
GHM Insurance Agency, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. John Hamelin
Mr. Peter D. Hart
Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Hays, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas A. Herling
Mr. Daniel C. Hoefle
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hughes
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Kassman
Dr. Robert L. Kenney
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Krinsky
Mr. Paul LePage
Lions Club District 41
Mr. Stephen Loynd
Mr. and Mrs. David M. Marson
Merrill Bank
Mr. Pat Michaud
Mid-Maine Marine & RV, Inc.
Oakgrove Living & Rehabilitation
Center
Ms. Susan Pullen
Mr. Lawrence Rocca
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sage
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Saliba
Ms. Joan Sanzenbacher
Mr. Douglas Snow
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Stram
Waterville Stamp Club
Waterville Women’s Club
Dr. Jay R. Wietecha
Century Club
($100 - $249)
All Seasons Driving School
Anonymous
Ms. Carol Anne Beach and Ms. Tara
Bradley
C.O. Beck and Sons
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Benziger
Mr. Paul Berkner
Mr. Leroy Blood
Mr. Peter Blumenthal
Mr. Mark Bradstreet
Ms. Judith Brody
Mr. and Mrs. David Brown
Mr. Jibryne Carter
Dr. John Carvellas
Mr. and Mrs. George L. Coleman, III
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Coombs
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Corbett
Ms. Libby Corydon-Apicella
Mr. and Mrs. William R. Cotter
Mr. J. Chris Davenport
Mr. John Davenport
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Davis
Mr. and Mrs. John Delile
Mr. and Mrs. Karl Dornish
DP Industries Inc.
Ms. Priscilla B. Dube
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dubord
Ms. Lorraine Dufour
FairPoint Communications
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Farrin
Dr. and Mrs. David W. Findlay
Ms. Lila Finlay
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Fletcher
Central Maine Power Company
Scholarship Endowment
Central Maine Power Company
KVCC Foundation Scholarship
Endowment
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Coombs
Dr. and Mrs. Peter Doran
Mr. Todd A. Ellis
Ms. Lila Finlay
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Fox
Mr. and Mrs. David Holden
Fortin’s Home Furnishings
Mr. and Mrs. Walter B. Frame, Jr.
Ms. Muriel P. Frye
Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Gemery
Ms. Susan Giguere
Mr. Bruce Godin
Mr. Keith Gunning
Mr. Gregory Heikkinen
Mr. Ted Helberg and Ms. Kimberly
Lindlof
Ms. Margaret M. Hemphill
Mr. and Mrs. David Holden
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald J. Holtz
Ms. Erica Humphrey
Jacobs Glass, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. James Janelle
John’s Market, Inc.
Mr. Sari Abul Jubien
Karen Heck & Associates
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Karter
Mr. Martin Kelly and Ms. Sharon Corwin
Dr. John D. Koons
Mr. Robert W. Koons
KSW Federal Credit Union
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Larsen
Ms. Barbara Larsson and Mr. Ronald
Slater
Mr. and Mrs. George Lemoine
Maine Drilling and Blasting, Inc.
Mr. Robert A. Marden
Mr. and Mrs. David Marr
Mr. Robert L. McArthur
McCormack Building Supply, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. McGraw
Dr. and Mrs. James Meehan, Jr.
The Honorable Peter and Nancy Mills
Mr. James and Mrs. Elizabeth Mitchell
Ms. Kathy Moore
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Morrione
Ms. Alice Mullen
Dr. Frank Myska
Mr. Robert Nardi
Mr. Zlatko Necevski and Dr. Helen
Bell-Necevski
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Nelson
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Nicholson
Mr. Bruce Olson
Mr. George Orestis
Ms. Anne R. Palmer
Ms. Susan T. Palumbo
Dr. and Mrs. Michael L. Parker
Mr. Charles Perkins
Ms. Hope Potts
Dr. and Mrs. James Putman
Mr. and Mrs. David L. Roberts
Dr. and Mrs. Edward Salmon
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Saulter
Mr. Richard R. Schmaltz
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Serdjenian
Mr. and Mrs. David Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Smith
Maine Oxy
Mr. Joseph Marcus
Mr. and Mrs. David Mayberry
Ms. Martha Naber
Ms. Susan T. Palumbo
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Saulter
Ms. Teresa Smith
Ms. Cathleen J. Staehli
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Stram
Mr. and Mrs. John T. Sutton
Ms. Anne Thompson
Waterville Stamp Club
Mr. Robert Wellock
Ms. Lisa York-Lemelin
Mr. Gary E. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Smith
Ms. Teresa Smith
Colonel and Mrs. Frederick W. Smullen, III
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Steinhacker
Mr. and Mrs. John Sweeney
Mr. Douglas Tatham
Ms. Gloria Taylor
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Terp
Ms. Anne Thompson
Mr. Ave Vinick
Mr. Michael Watson
Mr. Owen W. Wells
Ms. Dianne L. Whitney
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wyman
Mr. Jeremy York
Ms. Lisa York-Lemelin
Supporter
($10-$99)
Mr. Byrd Allen, III
Anonymous
Mr. Willard B. Arnold, III
Mr. and Mrs. Francis T. Baker
Ms. Margaret Bauer
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Beckerman
Mr. Stephen B. Collins & Ms. Candace
R. Hill
Mr. and Mrs. John Dyer
Mr. Todd A. Ellis
Mr. and Mrs. Jon B. Eustis
Mr. and Mrs. David Glenn-Lewin
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gorman, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Goulette
The Honorable and Mrs. Joseph
Jabar, Sr.
Mr. Silas Lawry
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Lewia
Mr. and Mrs. Richard N. Loynd
Mr. G. Calvin Mackenzie
Maine Scholastic Products, LLC
Mr. Joseph Marcus
Mr. Daniel Marden
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas T. Mencher
Mr. John A. Morgan
Mr. and Mrs. Carol Paradis
Mr. Mark Piesik
Mr. Richard M. Pious
Ms. Tammy Piper
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Roy
Ms. Elizabeth Schiller
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Shapiro
Mr. Jeffrey N. Silverstein
Ms. Cathleen J. Staehli
Ms. Lauren Sterling
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald C. Tipper
Mr. Willard G. Wyman
GIFTS TO THE LIBRARY
We are grateful to the individuals and organizations that generously supported
the Lunder Library. Their donations provided valuable resources that aid all KVCC
students in their academic pursuits.
American Automobile Association
Ms. Ann Ardito
Mr. Seth Baker
Ms. Barbara Bartley
Ms. Paula Beach
Center for Workforce Research and
Information
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention
CFO Publishing Corporation
Ms. Nancy Chandler
Mr. Jim Chapman
CMP Media, LLC
Ms. Barbara Conner
Ms. Ann Davis
Efficiency Maine
Ms. Jody Elias
Embassy of India
Ms. Kathy Englehart
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Ms. Lila Finlay
Ms. Michelle Gayne
Ms. Claire Guy
Ms. Linda Hepfner
Ms. Ann Hickman
Ms. Evie Hirschfelt
Mr. George Hofgren
Ms. Julie Hood
Mr. Scott Hood
Illinois Institute for Addiction and
Recovery
Indian Ministry of External Affairs
Mr. Mark Kavanaugh
KVCC Student Senate
L.A. Theatre Works Library Access
Lance Armstrong Foundation
Mr. Stephen LaRochelle
Ms. Barbara Larsson
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
Mr. Eric Lovejoy
Ms. Michelle Luciano
Maine Center for Disease Control and
Prevention
Maine Coalition to End Domestic
Violence
Maine Community College System
Maine Department of Labor
Maine Society of Anesthesia Nurses
Margaret Chase Smith Center for
Public Policy
Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Maine InfoNet
Ms. Melodie McCutcheon
Ms. Autumn Meadows
Mid-Maine AMI
Miller Library, Colby College
Ms. Kathy Moore
Ms. Martha Naber
National Library of Medicine
National Mental Health Information Center
OCLC Online Computer Library Center
Oprah’s Book Club
Ms. Marcia Parker
Mr. Marshall Perfetto
Mr. Grant Perkins
Ms. Vikki Perry
Pittsfield Public Library
Plum Creek Timber Company
Population Connection
Mr. Rochelle Roelofs
Rotary International
Ms. Diane Sauter-Davis
Sierra Club
Mr. Robert Simpson
Mr. David O. Smith
Ms. Teresa Smith
Society of Nuclear Medicine
Southern Maine Down Syndrome
Network
Southern Poverty Law Center
Ms. Janusz Subczynski
Ms. Annie Thompson
Ms. Verla Ubert
Ms. Barbara Woodlee
GIFTS OF EQUIPMENT, SERVICES & SOFTWARE
The KVCC community gratefully acknowledges the
following individuals and organizations for their
donations of equipment, contract services, and/or
software. Their generosity helped the College to improve
and support academic programs.
Estate of Albert Vigue
IDEAL Industries, Inc.
Ms. Katharine Koziell
KVCC Nursing Students
MaineGeneral Medical Center
United Parcel Service
PROGRAMMATIC GRANTS
The generosity of the following organizations is greatly
appreciated. Their support assisted the College in
offering innovative programs that help area high school
students and adults prepare for and enroll in college,
as well as in enhancing academic programs and student
support services.
Betterment Fund Bingham Program
Davis Family Foundation
NACS Foundation
National Science Foundation
US Department of Education
US Department of Labor
Western Mountains Foundation
PROGRAMMATIC SPONSORSHIPS
We gratefully acknowledge our seven hospital partners
for their continued financial and clinical support needed
to support the Radiologic Technology and Diagnostic
Medical Sonography Programs.
Eastern Maine Medical Center
MaineGeneral Health
Penobscot Bay Medical Center
Sebasticook Valley Hospital
New Venue is a Big Hit for 14th Annual Golf Tournament
The KVCC Foundation Board of Trustees offer their deepest appreciation to the many volunteers who assisted with the event, to the teams
and individual players, and to our many sponsors and contributors whose generosity made the 14th Annual KVCC Foundation Golf Tournament
our most successful event to date. The event raised over $21,000 for endowed student scholarship funds, an increase of 16% over 2008.
The 15th Annual Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, June 28, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. at the Waterville Country Club.
Presenting Sponsor
On Target Utility Services
Tournament Sponsors
Northeast Laboratory Services
Sheridan Corporation
Post-Tournament
Reception Sponsor
Dr. John and Kay Macklin
Platinum Sponsors
Colby College
MaineGeneral Health
Sukeforth Charitable Foundation
Cart Sponsors
Heart First at Inland Hospital
Gold Sponsor
Central Maine Power Company
Franklin-Somerset Federal Credit
Union
Kennebec Savings Bank
Mid-State Machine
Springbrook Ice and Fuel Company
Waterville Housing Authority
Women’s Long Drive
Sponsor
Women’s Closest to the
Pin Sponsor
Mathieu’s Auto Body Shop
Hole Sponsor
Kennebec Federal Savings Bank
C.O. Beck and Sons
Lorraine D. Dufour
Goold Health Systems, Inc.
Huhtamaki
Tobi L. Schneider, Attorney at Law
Douglas Tatham, CPA
Hole in One Sponsors
Green Sponsor
Waterville Savings Bank of Maine
Putting Contest Sponsor
Joseph’s Clothing and Sporting
Goods
Thompson Volkswagen, Inc.
Men’s Closest to the Pin
Sponsor
Dr. Robert L. Kenney, D.O.
All Seasons Driving School
Bangor Savings Bank
Cianbro Corporation
Fortin’s Home Furnishings
John’s Market
KSW Federal Credit Union
Maine Drilling and Blasting
McCormack Building Supply
Uhl-Melanson Investor Services
Windows Plus
Contributors
American Lung Association of Maine
Augusta Country Club
Bangor Municipal Golf Course
Bangor Savings Bank
Belgrade Lakes Golf Club
William Branch
Butcher’s Choice
Central Maine Textbooks
China Dine-ah Restaurant
Clinton Golf Course
Country View Golf Club
Dead River Company
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Downeast Energy
Early Bird Restaurant
Gene’s Market
Bruce Godin
Grondin’s Certified Cleaners
Hillman’s Bakery
Jorgensen’s Cafe
J.W. Parks Golf Club
Lakeview Golf Club
Lakewood Golf Course
Leroy Blood
Maine Scholastic Products
Marden’s Stores
Mei Dream Restaurant
Monitor of Maine
Pepsi Bottling Group Priorities Hair
Salon
Sidney and Sheila Farr
Rockland Golf Club
Harry J. Smith Company
Sonny’s Pizza
Springbrook Golf Club
Spring Meadows Golf Club
Teague Distributors, Inc.
Villager Family Restaurant
Waterville Country Club
Waterville 8 Flagship Cinemas
Ke n n e b e c Va l l ey C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
Fall/Winter 2009
Branden Densmore
Branden Densmore was so badly
injured in a fight when he was 19 years
old that doctors told him he could have
died.
In many ways, it was the best thing
that ever happened to him, he now says.
“My life was just headed in the wrong
direction, I realized I needed to make
some changes,” Densmore said recently.
“It shifted my consciousness, I guess. I
started reading books and realized that I
loved it, just learning things and concepts
that interest me.”
Densmore never did well in school.
Growing up in Winthrop, he struggled
with health issues including Rheumatoid
Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, and Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
He couldn’t play sports. He didn’t get
along with teachers or other students.
People told him he was stupid when
it came to subjects like science and
mathematics. He began to believe them.
In 9th Grade, he dropped out of high
school.
The fight and the period of recovery
from his injuries forced Densmore to take
a hard look at his life. He began listening
to books on tape and discovered he loved
learning. He was driven to learn more,
and eventually this newfound passion for
knowledge convinced him to enroll in
adult education courses in Winthrop to
earn his high school equivalency diploma.
With the encouragement of staff in
the program - in particular instructor
Christine McEwan - Densmore gained
confidence and solid learning skills. He
persevered, and earned his GED. He had
already decided he would continue his
education, and in 2004 he enrolled as a
student in the Liberal Arts program at
Kennebec Valley Community College.
“I took a lot of science and math
classes, chemistry, physics, pre-calculus.”
Densmore said. “I did really well and I
realized I wasn’t stupid, and that if I set
my mind to doing something and worked
hard, I could do it.”
Densmmore’s involvement with the
College and in the community grew over
time. He worked with the Student Senate,
with student publications, and volunteered
his time in other ways. His story has always
been one other students could relate to,
and in time the former high school dropout
who had benefited from the encouragement
of others became the one giving
encouragement to struggling students.
Many of the staff and faculty at KVCC
came to know Densmore well, and to admire
his determination.
Science Instructor Earl Coombs said
Densmore’s desire to learn went far beyond
the required material in courses. At one
point, Densmore was listening to a book
on tape about Albert Einstein’s Theory of
Relativity and was constantly asking him
questions about the theory, Coombs said.
“He had a very strong interest in
science and a deep curiosity about the
natural world,” Coombs said. “He would ask
questions about physics and chemistry, not
just so that he would be prepared for the
next quiz or exam, but because he genuinely
wanted to understand the material.”
Linda Clutterbuck, who runs the Mickey
Marden Center for Student Success on
campus, recalled Densmore’s drive and
helpfulness and praised his continued
connection with KVCC, where he still
volunteers his time in the Center as a tutor.
“It always seemed to me that he was
looking for ways to improve himself at the
same time as helping others,” Clutterbuck
said. “As a tutor, he is very conscientious and
reliable, and always willing to go the extra
mile to help a fellow student.”
It was Clutterbuck who encouraged
Densmore to apply to the Exploring Transfer
(ET) program of Vassar College, which KVCC
had begun participating in a few years earlier.
The program introduces community college
students to the possibilities of transfer
to a wide range of four-year colleges and
universities. ET students are drawn from
populations underrepresented in higher
education and are always first-generation
college students.
Competition for the ET slots is stiff, but
KVCC has a strong track record when it
comes to turning out successful applicants
for the program. Densmore was accepted,
with all expenses for the 6 college credits,
room and board, and travel paid for.
“It was a six-week summer intensive
session where you take two full Vassar
classes; I ended up getting A’s in both
classes,” Densmore said. “It was just
sheer determination, a lot of work, and
I also developed relationships with the
professors.”
He was so encouraged by the experience
that upon completion of his two-year degree
at KVCC, Densmore applied to and was
accepted as a full-time student at Vassar,
majoring in philosophy and minoring in
chemistry.
The financial challenge would have
seemed a big one - Densmore had little
money and his family could not afford the
expense of college – but Densmore got word
he was being awarded a full Ford Foundation
scholarship to Vassar, worth well over
$150,000 for the three years it will cover his
tuition and other expenses.
Now 27, Densmore says he has been
very fortunate in his life to have encountered
people who helped him find his way to a
brighter future, and many of those people
were at KVCC.
“The whole administration was a big help
to me - I got to know everybody,” Densmore
said.
He believes it is important to share his
story in the hopes of inspiring others, and
speaks at every opportunity, including return
trips to Winthrop’s Adult Education program
and adult education administrative events.
“I tell them about my story and the
hardships I’ve been through and that if
they’re willing to work for them, they can do
things that they probably didn’t think that
they could,” Densmore said.
His story is not unique, Densmore said,
pointing to others including one of his
mentors, Joseph Atkins, Assistant Dean &
Visiting Professor of Psychology at Colby
College.
Atkins was laid off from IBM in the early
1990s more than 20 years after graduating
from high school and some years after
abandoning an earlier quest for a college
education. He began attending a community
college, finished an associate’s degree and
entered the ET program at Vassar himself,
where he was invited to enroll full-time,
doube-majoring in computer science and
cognitive science. From there, internships
with NASA, Los Alamos National Laboratory,
and others led him to scholarships and a
doctorate in Brain and Cognitive Sciences
from the University of Rochester in 2003, and
eventually to Colby College. It was Atkins
who facilitated the connection between
Vassar’s ET program and Maine’s Community
College System.
“That just goes to show what community
college students are capable of,” Densmore,
who someday hopes to create links between
every Ivy League college in the nation and
the community college system, said.
His own plans for the future are still
coming into focus, but Densmore said
he in interested in teaching and may do
research in the private sector, perhaps in
pharmacology.
He has some interest in politics, having
worked in Democratic Maine Congressman
Michael Michaud’s constituent office doing
constituent services, and would be a strong
advocate for Maine community colleges,
adult education programs and education
in general if he does pursue that course,
Densmore said.
Meanwhile, he has another two years
to go at Vassar and plans to attend graduate
school after that. Not satisfied with his
already busy schedule, Densmore is also
pulling the lessons he has learned together
in a handbook to help others navigate the
complexities and opportunities of American
education, government, and business.
“I’m writing a book, a handbook for
the United States citizen and it’s basically
just about everything that I’ve learned on
education and government, so that someone
knows the ropes beforehand instead of
having to learn it all through trial and error
as I did,” Densmore said.
It is another way to encourage others
and show them that with hard work and
perseverance they too can find success,
Densmore said.
“I think that any student can do what
I did, and that’s really important to me
that I get that message across,” Densmore
said. “I’m special but so is everyone else,
the difference with me is that I am realizing
the potential that is in every student - every
student can do what I have done!”
Ke n n e b e c Va l l ey C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
Fall/Winter 2009
Mid-State Machine Products donates valuable
machining equipment to KVCC
Richard Weymouth, a student in Kennebec Valley
Community College’s Quality Centers project with
Mid-State Machine Products of Winslow, works with
a digital height gauge in the Precision Machining
lab at the College. The gauge was one of four
donated by Mid-State to KVCC over the summer.
Mid-State Machine Products of Winslow
has donated approximately $12,000 in
machining equipment to Kennebec Valley
Community College through the state’s
Maine Quality Centers program.
The equipment, including four digital
height gauges valued at some $2,000
apiece, is being used by students in the
College’s Precision Machining Technology
(PMT) program this fall.
Steven Davis, PMT instructor for the
College, said the gift will help the program
maintain its technical edge because the
equipment is widely used in the industry
and of very high quality.
10
Mid-State and KVCC have had a strong
working relationship since partnering in
2006 to create a Maine Quality Center to
provide education needed in the highly
competitive precision machining industry,
and KVCC President Barbara Woodlee
expressed her gratitude at the generosity
of the company.
“We are delighted and honored to be
in the partnership with Mid-State Machine
Products,” Woodlee said. “It has proven to
be very successful and mutually beneficial.”
Pete McAllister, Human Resource
Manager for Mid-State, agreed and said
Company President Alan Dorval is a strong
supporter of KVCC’s PMT program.
“He was the one who said that whatever
we can reasonably do to support this
program, we need to do that,” McAllister
said. “We’re very excited about this and it’s
been such a wonderful partnership through
the Quality Center work.”
Created by the Maine Legislature in
1994, The Maine Quality Centers program
works to encourage businesses to locate or
expand operations in Maine by providing
customized workforce training and
education at no cost to the business or
to trainees. Its programs are coordinated
and delivered through Maine’s seven
community colleges and have helped
more than 200 business expand or locate
operations in Maine, creating more than
11,000 full-time jobs and nearly $2 billion in
related private investment in Maine.
Mid-State and KVCC partnered to
create Mid-State’s first Quality Center
project in 2006. The original program was
so successful that in July 2008 Mid-State
applied for and was granted a second
project. This current round of training is
an intense 625 hour project designed
to give students the skills necessary to
be competitive in the machining field.
Training is conducted 3 evenings per
week and began in July of 2008. It will be
completed in January of 2010.
Like much high-end American
manufacturing, the precision machining
industry is healthy and profitable, but
the average person is not aware of the
opportunities and the high salaries the
field offers.
The PMT program at KVCC is a twoyear, technically intensive program that
gives a graduate an associate degree and
the entry level skills to begin a career as a
machinist. It is a highly-regarded program
taught by experienced professionals that
has produced many successful graduates.
McAllister and Mid-State’s Manager of
Manufacturing, Jeffrey A. Farley, said their
company has recognized that to remain
competitive and grow it needs a healthy
pool of well-trained machinists.
“To sustain growth and market
competitiveness we need the skill to do it,”
Farley said. “It’s not the building and it’s
not the machines that make things happen,
it’s the people that are in there.”
This realization led to the partnership
with the Maine Quality Centers program
and KVCC, and the recognition that the
relationship must be long-term and strong
to yield results, those involved said.
James McGowan, Director of the
Maine Quality Centers program, said MidState’s decision to support the education
of current and future workers is a smart
one.
“What they are doing is really
something that a lot of other companies
ought to be looking at,” McGowan said.
Mid-State Machine Products has
extensive experience in machining across
a variety of metal alloys. The company is a
leading supplier of value-added precision
machining services, specializing in
components with complex and demanding
engineering and/or quality requirements.
Founded in 1968, Mid-State has undergone
several major expansions as it has evolved
to today’s high precision CNC machining
facility.
Through the years Mid-State has served
some of the nation’s largest industrial
segments, including power generation,
gas & oil exploration, and a wide range
of programs for the aerospace and U.S.
military, to name a few. The company
continues to grow and expand.
Woodlee
Scholarship
The Kennebec Valley
Community College Foundation
has announced its Annual Appeal
for 2009-2010 will be focused on
creating an endowed scholarship
to honor College President
Barbara Woodlee for her many
years of public service.
Woodlee, who began her
career with the College in 1976
in administration at what was
then Kennebec Valley Vocational
Technical Institute, has been a
tireless advocate for students and
education in her three decades
with KVCC.
The scholarship being
created in her name will help
President Barbara Woodlee
students access the many
educational opportunities at the College.
State Senator Justin L. Alfond, a member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees,
will chair the Campaign Committee.
Scholarships make a significant difference in the ability of students to
successfully complete their programs, and the Foundation Trustees and staff at
KVCC work hard to raise funds from donors who recognize the importance of
KVCC graduates to the community.
Donors interested in aiding these efforts are encouraged to contact Dana
Doran, Director of Resource Development at KVCC, at ddoran@kvcc.me.edu.
Dwight A. Littlefield, Training Manager for Cianbro
Corporation in Pittsfield, was unanimously voted in as a Trustee
of the Kennebec Valley Community College Foundation at the
Sept. 3 meeting of the group.
Littlefield spent many years working in education including
a decade with the Jobs for Maine Graduates program in which
he rose to the post of Director of Operations. He was a job specialist at Nokomis
Regional High School in Newport from 1997-1999 and an educational technician at
Lawrence Junior High School in Fairfield before that.
Littlefield holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Education from the
University of Maine at Presque Isle, where he graduated in 1994.
KVCC is eager to reconnect with its many alumni and is asking
those who attended the College to take the time to log in to our
web site at kvcc.me.edu and update their contact information
and e-mail addresses in the Student Access System. This is a
quick and easy process will enable us to send campus publications such as TOPICS to you electronically, reducing our use of
paper on campus. We thank you for your assistance.
The Earl Smith Books and
Supplies Fund from page 4
“KVCC is such an important part of this
community, and its graduates play such an
important role in so many Central Maine
enterprises that we felt we should not lose the
potential of any students because they could
not afford books and supplies,” Maisel said
recently. “We cannot think of a better way to
serve this community than to help in this way
- and we cannot think of a more deserving
honoree than our friend Earl Smith.”
The campaign succeeded beyond anyone’s
expectations, raising more than $225,000
from August 2008-June 2009. Of that amount,
$125,000 will go directly to the Book Fund and
the other $100,000 will be put toward the Lunder
Scholarship in honor of Earl Smith, Doran said.
“Not only was the campaign a success to
raise the original goal, but it was more than
doubled in less than a year’s time in the worst
economy since the Great Depression,” Doran
said.
Smith, who is Chairman of the KVCC
Foundation, said many believed the original goal
of $100,000 set at the suggestion of Maisel was
unattainable, and he is pleased that it was not
only met, but exceeded.
“I am honored to have the fund established
in my name and I am most grateful to Sandy
and Patrice, as well as all who contributed in
order that fewer future KVCC students will have
to leave school for the lack of money to buy
books,” Smith said.
Maisel and Franko were honored at the 2009
Jazz Gala with a plaque recognizing their efforts
on behalf of the students of KVCC and their
generosity of time and resources to make this
goal a reality.
“I can not adequately express our gratitude
for the work Patrice and Sandy did in raising
funds to assist students in attending KVCC,”
President Barbara Woodlee said. “It has been
such an important initiative that will greatly assist
many students now and in the future, and it is
most fitting that the fund honors Earl Smith, a
great supporter of students at KVCC for many
years.”
Maisel is Director of the Goldfarb Center
for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at Colby
College and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor
of Government. Franko is Grossman Professor
of Economics and Director of the Oak Human
Rights Institute at Colby. Smith is retired Dean of
Colby College and the College historian.
11
Kennebec Valley
Community College
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit No. 20
Fairfield, ME 04937
92 Western Avenue
www.kvcc.me.edu
Fairfield, Maine 04937-1367
(207) 453-5000 or (800) 528-5882
Ke n n e b e c Va l l ey C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e
Fall/Winter 2009
Important Dates
October 3, 2009 – 40th Birthday Celebration for KVCC
December 12, 2009 – Fall Term Ends
January 11, 2010 – Spring Term Begins
January 30, 2010 - 4th Annual Evening of Jazz Gala
May 5, 2010 – Spring Term Ends
May 15, 2010 – Commencement
May 17, 2010 – Summer Classes Begin
June 28, 2010 – 15th Annual KVCC Scholarship Golf Tournament
Kennebec Valley Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
institution and employer. For more information, please call John Delile at 207-453-5123.