Montgomery County Community College’s Foundation received a $10,000 grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^®, to continue helping disadvantaged Pottstown middle school youth get involved in science through participating in the College’s Green STEM summer program.

The College launched this Green STEM program, “How Scientists View the Environment,” in 2011 as the result of a $10,000 grant received from the TD Charitable Foundation. The free program encourages youth to learn about science and explore careers in this high-demand field.

During the week-long program, 20 Pottstown area students will be introduced to the basic concepts of scientific methodology and data analysis through hands-on activities and experiments. The students will work with faculty from a variety of STEM fields, including biology, chemistry, geology and mathematics. Each activity will focus on an environmental issue relevant to the local community, and the students will present their findings and recommendations at the conclusion of the program.

“It is important to get students involved in programs like this because once they experience success, they want to continue,” said Green STEM Summer Program Director David Gonzales, who is excited that the TD Charitable Foundation is continuing its support for the program.

The participants will benefit from the faculty expertise and facilities that are a unique part of the College’s Environmental Science degree program. Introduced in 2008, the Associate in Science program prepares students for transfer to a four-year college or university in preparation for careers in such areas as ecology, hydrology, air and water quality compliance, regional planning and interpretive education in the private, governmental and non-profit sectors.

“At TD Bank, we are committed to supporting our customers, employees, the communities we serve, and the environment,” said Geoffrey Brandon, Regional Vice President for TD Bank. “We are proud to be a part of this opportunity for kids to learn about the environment while introducing them to potential careers in science.”

According to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, students in the United States are shying away from careers in science and technology in part because of inadequate high school science preparation. The gap becomes greater for students who live in lower socio-economic areas. In the Borough of Pottstown, approximately 16 percent of residents and 13 percent of families live below the federal poverty level, and the per capita income is just over half that of the county.

Pictured at the check presentation in the front row, from left, are: TD Bank Vice President/Blue Bell Store Manager Patrick J. Owens III, College President Dr. Karen A. Stout, Biology Associate Professor and Green STEM Summer Program Director David Gonzales and TD Bank Regional Vice President Geoffrey Brandon. In the back row, from left, are: Microbiology Instructor James Bretz, College STEM Student Timothy Solomon, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Steady Moono, Director of Dual Enrollment Initiatives Cheryl Taylor-Mearhoff, and Assistant Dean of Math, Science and Advanced Technology Andrew Ippolito. Photo by Diane VanDyke

About the Montgomery County Community College Foundation

The Montgomery County Community College Foundation is the designated tax-exempt, charitable arm of the College. The Foundation’s purpose is to raise funds to assist the College in developing programs, facilities, and services to enhance and enrich student life and to maintain a tradition of educational excellence.

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which operates as TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^®, and is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation’s mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made $83.7 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The Foundation’s areas of focus are affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^®

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 7.8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,280 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized wealth management services through TD Wealth, and insurance products and services through TD Insurance, Inc. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. To learn more, find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US, or visit www.tdbank.com.

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated AAA by Moody’s. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD.” To learn more, visit www.td.com.

Aly is a Dual Enrollment and Honors Program student, as well as an AmeriCorps Scholar in Service. She serves as the President of ACE (community service club) and as Secretary of the Central Campus Student Government Association.

The Campus Shuttle program was launched in fall 2010 to support the College’s Student Success and Sustainability initiatives. Free of charge to students, faculty and staff, the Shuttle makes 10 trips daily, Monday through Friday, starting and ending at the West Campus in Pottstown. To meet increasing student demand, the College recently expanded to a 20 passenger vehicle, equipped with Wi-Fi.

The Shuttle program is managed by the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF) in coordination with TransNet Suburban Transit Network, Inc.

Students are strongly encouraged to reserve a seat at least one day in advance of using the service by visiting www.mc3.edu/campuslife/shuttle.

Alysa Murray (center) is greeted by (from left) Director of College Services George Shal, Vice President of Information Technology and College Services Dr. Celeste Schwartz, Vice President of Enrollment Management Dr. Katherine Swanson, and Executive Assistant to the President Joshua Schwartz. Photo by Alana J. Mauger

Aly Murray (far right) shares her tray of bagels and danishes with her fellow shuttle riders. Photo by Alana J. Mauger

Thanks to a tip from Geology Professor Rob Kuhlman, Archives & Special Collections Librarian Lawrence Greene was able to obtain the records from the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, an environmental advocacy organization that had inherited them from the DEP.

The new collection will complement the College’s Schuylkill Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center, which, when completed, will serve as a tourist and visitor center for the Pottstown region.

Montgomery County Community College held a celebration on Feb. 2 to mark the completion of phase two in the transformation of the former brownfield site at 140 College Drive, Pottstown, into a thriving community resource.

Through a unique partnership between MCCC and the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area (SRHA) the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center will help to support local and regional revitalization plans by serving as a hub for education, culture, recreation and conservation.

“We’re proud of the College’s unique partnership with the Schuylkill River Heritage Area – a partnership that we believe to be the first of its kind in the nation,” said President Dr. Karen A. Stout.  “We’re already exploring the joint programming possibilities between our two organizations – such as non-credit courses that run the gamut from historical perspectives of the region, to lessons in kayaking and bicycle maintenance.”

The expansion supports unprecedented enrollment growth at its West Campus, which has increased by more than 60 percent over the past five years. Recently, Community College Week ranked the West Campus as 15th among the fastest growing community college campuses of similar size in the country.

The Center also advances the College’s strategic commitment to sustainability, symbolized during the celebration by cutting a green ribbon.

“The ribbon is a symbol of the sustainable nature of this project—its construction, programming and ties to the river. Inside, students will learn in high-tech classrooms, while outside the river and its surroundings will serve as a natural tool to enhance teaching and learning,” said Dr. Stout.

When completed, the Center will house College’s growing Environmental Science degree program, which will utilize outdoor learning spaces in addition to the facility’s four SMART classrooms and state-of-the-art science laboratory. It will also support expanded courses in geology, geography and geographic information systems at a time when industry demand for these skills continues to grow.

The Center will also include an Interpretative Center, facilitated by the SRHA. Here, guests can learn about the history of the Schuylkill River – from its significance in Colonial times and during the Industrial Revelation, to the more recent development of its trail systems. Interpretative Center installation will begin in March, and has been funded, to date, by the National Park Service, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, The Martin Foundation, National Penn Bank, and members of the SRHA Board of Directors.

Completed in January, phase two of the project focused on renovations to the building’s deteriorating infrastructure. The building’s aged, leaking roof was replaced with an eco-friendly green roof; a new entrance and handicap-accessible ramp were constructed; and energy efficient windows were installed. Other Phase II work included updating water and sewer service and the cleaning and abatement of asbestos.

Phase one of the project was completed in March 2010 and included the decontamination and renovation of the Center’s 202-vehicle parking lot, which is currently used by the College’s students and by visitors to Riverfront Park. The lot features LED lighting and more than 130 trees, shrubs and bushes, making the area both aesthetically pleasing and sustainable.

Phases one and two were generously funded through a combination of public and private support, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Redevelopment Capital Program, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Community Block Development Grants, National Penn Bank, and private contributions made to the College’s Foundation.

The College is ready to begin work on the third and final phase of the project as soon as funding becomes available. These renovations will focus on the building’s interior, including the designing and furnishing the Interpretative Center, laboratory, classrooms, offices and student spaces.

A variety of sponsorship and funding opportunities are available to help bring the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center project to fruition. To learn more, visit www.mc3.edu/giving or call the College’s Foundation at 215-641-6535.

“By investing in the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center, you are investing in the economic prosperity of our community; in the education of future scientists, geologists historians, and geographers; and in the transformative impact that nature has on thousands of children and adults for generations to come,” Dr. Stout encouraged.

Cutting the ribbon on phase II of the Riverfront Academic and Heritage Center are (from left) Foundation Board Member Jack Koury, Board of Trustees Chairman Michael D’Aniello, President Dr. Karen Stout, and Senator John Rafferty. Photo by Dawn Deppi

by Alana J. Mauger

For the fifth consecutive year, Montgomery County Community College will participate in RecycleMania, an eight-week nationwide contest during which colleges and universities compete to see who can reduce, reuse and recycle the most campus waste. The 2012 RecycleMania tournament runs from Feb. 5 through April 6.

This year, for the first time, the College qualifies to compete in RecycleMania’s Competition Division based on the way its waste materials are collected and measured. Previously, the College participated in the contest’s Benchmark Division.

Each week the College’s facilities team will collect and weighs recyclable materials – including paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum and plastics #1-7 – and will enter the totals into RecycleMania’s database.

In 2011, the College’s West and Central campuses ranked second and third in Pennsylvania for their cumulative recycling rates of 38.64 percent and 34.68 percent, respectively. When compared to Benchmark Division institutions nationally, the West Campus ranked 27th in the country and the Central Campus ranked 33rd.

Nationally, 630 colleges and universities from across the county recovered 91 million pounds of recyclable material in 2011. This prevented the release of more than 127,553 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E) into the atmosphere.

Montgomery County Community College was among the first institutions to sign American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2007. The College’s sustainability efforts are led by a team of faculty, students, administrators, support staff, alumni and community members that comprise the President’s Climate Commitment Advisory Council.

In recognition of its deep commitment to sustainability, MCCC was one of only five institutions in the country to earn a 2011 Award for Institutional Excellence in Climate Leadership from Second Nature.

RecycleMania, Inc. is governed by a steering committee made up of collegiate recycling managers from participating institutions. The competition is managed by Keep America Beautiful, with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise program and the College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC). Sponsors include The Coca-Cola Company, Waste Management, SCA Tissue, Alcoa, America Forest & Paper Association and HP.

For information on the national effort, visit www.recyclemaniacs.org.

Dave will join Paul Bulau from University of Pennsylvania and Tom Rizzo from Saint Joseph’s University in a conversation about how to make campus kitchens more sustainable and socially responsible without breaking the budget. Deborah Bentzel, Farm to Institution manager of Fair Food, and Amanda Wagner with “Get Fit Philly” will also offer suggestions.

The theme for PHENND’s 2012 conference is “Food Justice.” The conference will be held on Friday, Feb. 24 at Saint Joseph’s University. For more information, visit www.phennd.org.

During the fall semester, Montgomery County Community College Nuclear Engineering Technology (NET) students Jennifer Allsop and Andrew Fluck took on the challenge of designing and constructing a simulated nuclear reactor cooling system as they studied thermodynamics.

“This NET course relies heavily on Design of Experiment (DOE). Each student is required to design an experiment that demonstrates previously studied theories and concepts,” said NET adjunct lecturer Saundra Weikel. “Since there are many different approaches to the solution of these problems, students are encouraged to find different paths.”

Allsop and Fluck started their project with sketches on paper, which were transferred into Solid Works – a CAD-like software program that students learn to use earlier in the NET curriculum.

“Our simulated reactor is a modern design like the ones being built now, after lessons learned from Japan,” said Fluck, who will graduate in May. “The design uses natural cooling, gravity, evaporation and natural draft, none of which require power.”

The designs were then constructed in a three-dimensional printer. Each of the five cooling towers took approximately 36 hours to print.

Design and development took approximately eight weeks, followed by full-scale testing and troubleshooting for the remainder of the semester.

“We need to understand how the system works from the ground up,” explained Allsop, who graduated in December. “In the field, if something goes wrong, we need to pinpoint what’s happening and address the problem.”

The simulated reactor will be used in future NET lab experiments and exercises, accompanied by a “how to” manual written by Allsop and Fluck.

“As part of the DOE process, students must write a detailed paper describing their design and construction of the system, and they must collect data using the system, ensuring that any data collected supports the theories studied,” said Weikel, who spent much of her career working as a nuclear engineer at the Limerick Generating Station.

The College’s NET program follows the Nuclear Energy Institute’s uniform curriculum to ensure that students meet core competencies and are prepared to work in the nuclear industry after they graduate.

Montgomery County Community College introduced its NET program in 2009 in response to an anticipated shortage of nuclear technicians in the region over the next decade. That shortage, coupled with the U.S. Department of Energy’s estimate of a 20 percent increase in the use of electricity by 2030, makes the Nuclear Engineering industry an attractive option for today’s students.

“Nuclear engineering is something I was always interested in, but I didn’t know how to get there,” explained Fluck, who was enrolled as a part-time Engineering student at the time the College introduced the NET program.

Allsop was laid off from her job, which prompted her to return to school and enroll in the NET program.

“It sounds like a challenging position to have and something that I think I will really enjoy,” she said about her future work in the nuclear industry.

Jennifer Allsop and Andrew Fluck run tests on their simulated nuclear reactor cooling system during the fall semester. Photo by Matt Carlin