THE
I S S U E DAT E 12•12•17
BEACON SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 14 NO. 7
BY THE STUDENTS, FOR THE STUDENTS
Who Are We at SMCC By Troy Hudson At a small community college like SMCC where only about 6,000 students attend class, it might seem like we see the same faces every day, and we probably do. Walking to class, standing in line at the Seawolves Café, or even relaxing on Willard Beach in summer, we’re all likely to cross paths sooner or later. But despite all this proximity, how well do we really know our fellow students? Unlike the more homogenous populations at an Ivy League school or a dedicated art or technical school, there’s not much we can take for granted about our fellow students, because the reasons for attending a community college are so diverse. You could be sitting next to a first-generation American here on scholarship to acquire a nursing degree, or that same person might just be locking in some cheap general-education credits before heading off to finish her education at Yale. She might be a single mother who’s been working toward a degree for years, or she might be new to college and debt-averse, just dipping a toe in the academic waters. In its 71-year history, SMCC has always provided a practical approach to education, initially offering vocational training before expanding its scope to include an Associate in Applied Science in the 1960s, and finally an Associate in Arts degree by 1998. While Liberal Studies now account for the majority of majors at SMCC, the trades are still going strong, with the share of students majoring in a trade rising from 35 to 38 percent between 2009 and 2013. Low tuition and an emphasis on the trades have always been hallmarks of the College, attracting students from many backgrounds seeking an inexpensive way to begin (or finish) an education.
Unsurprisingly, SMCC students are overwhelmingly from Maine: Only 6 percent come from other states or foreign countries. The sheer accessibility and attainability of SMCC have attracted a large number of part-time commuters, who currently represent 58 percent of the student body. Most of
In 2014, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that, for the first time, the total percentage of minority students was larger than the percentage of whites in public gradeschool classrooms. The shift is already underway, and our student body is living
We all bring something different to our time at SMCC, and our school is stronger for that spectrum of experience. these students live in Cumberland County, although the College does serve students from every county in Maine. But just because most of us call Maine home doesn’t mean we’re typical of the state. SMCC, like the greater Portland area, is quite a bit more diverse than the rest of the region. Minority students currently make up about 17 percent of the student body, whereas Maine as a whole is 95 percent white. And the minority population at SMCC is growing rapidly. The number has already grown by more than half since 2011, and national trends suggest that will continue to be the case well into the future.
proof of that. Although Maine is behind the curve in terms of ethnic diversity, SMCC is about the most diverse place in the state. It is usually easy to see ethnic diversity when it is present, but one thing that can’t be appreciated at a glance is family background. SMCC students are largely first-generation students (61 percent), meaning that their parents do not have a college degree and that they may be the first members of their family to attend college. This number is much higher than the national average of 30 percent.
While attending college, especially as a freshman, is a challenging time for all students, being a first-generation degree-seeker carries with it a unique set of difficulties. When a first-generation student feels overwhelmed or has concerns about a professor or class, they typically can’t draw on the experience of parents or other family members. These students may also face an unhealthy amount of pressure to succeed, which can actually be detrimental to academic success. It can be scary and stressful to be the first of your family to embark on such a huge journey, but it is also an admirable and courageous decision. Knowing that over half of the students around us are in that position should inspire appreciation for the remarkable courage of our student body. And the student population is indeed achieving remarkable success. Between 2009 and 2013, transfer-out rates for first-time, full-time students increased from 17 to 21 percent. And in a very heartening statistic, more than 94 percent of SMCC students enter the workforce or transfer to another school within nine months of graduation. College represents many things to each of us. It can be a place to build friendships, discover hidden talents and interests, or even shine a little light on the mysteries of the universe. Ultimately, it’s about preparing ourselves for what comes next. We all bring something different to our time at SMCC, and our school is stronger for that spectrum of experience. As different as our backgrounds and goals might be, we have at least this in common: We believe the future can be better than today, so we work toward making that vision a reality. Each of us can take pride in being a member of such a vibrant community.
Campus News
Campus News
Motivational Interviewing By Cheryl Perry
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
A group of SMCC nursing students from all four semesters of the program hosted Stephen Andrew from the Health Education & Training Institute of Portland, Maine. Stephen is world-recognized for his exceptional teaching of Motivational Interviewing, a counseling technique. The definition Stephen provided to us is as follows: “Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented style of commu-
Painting of Edward Preble done prior to 1807.
News From Student Senate
nication with particular attention to the language of change. It is designed to strengthen personal motivation for and commitment to a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person’s own reason for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion.” In healthcare today, 60 to 80 percent of all healthcare needs are lifestyle-related, so being able to communicate effectively without judgment is a required but overlooked skill. During this session, Stephen provided information about various forms of communi-
cation skills. Then we tried them out; every 10 minutes or so he had an exercise where we would practice skills like fully listening, being present, and not asking questions. The basic method he wanted us to practice is OARS, which stands for Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summary. He asked us to keep a sheet of paper to jot down our big takeaways from the four-hour workshop. These were a few of mine: “being kind is not enough”; The “No. 1 de-motivator is unsolicited advice”; “judgment is a form of
violence”; “people aren’t broken — they suffer, but they’re not broken”; “the receiver is always correct”; “compassion with direction”; “ask permission or offer advice & and wait for the answer, then ask what they think of it”; and “definition of compassion: ability to sit with suffering.” It was a great session and the SMCC Nursing Club hopes to be able to continue to have Stephen come to work with nursing students each semester.
By Cassie Marceau and Ben Riggleman
to serve his country at sea, and he joined the crew of a privateer vessel at age 16. In 1779, two years later, he joined the Massachusetts State Navy. He became a prisoner of the British in 1781 when his ship, the Protector, was captured. After his release, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. Serving on the cruiser Winthrop, he led a daring mission to capture a British ship anchored off Castine, Maine, and braved heavy fire from shore as he led it out to sea. He quickly gained “a reputation for undaunted courage and presence of mind,” according to his biography on a U.S. Navy website. He also became feared by subordinates for his harsh discipline and what we would now call anger-management problems. He is most famous for his conduct during the Barbary War. He acted as both military commander and diplomat, but did not excel
in the latter capacity; his Encyclopedia Britannica entry notes that he was “insensitive to Islamic culture.” He did, however, sign a peace treaty with the Sultan of Morocco in 1803. His lack of diplomatic progress with the Tripolitanians on behalf of captured American sailors led him to attack Tripoli full-on in 1804. It was defended by 25,000 soldiers, and he had only a small seabound force under his command. Although Preble was not personally able to win a decisive victory, his bravery brought him national renown, and many junior officers who served under him became famous in their own right in the War of 1812. Preble became President Thomas Jefferson’s senior naval advisor in the last years of his life. He died at the age of 46 from a painful gastrointestinal illness. Six U.S. Navy ships are named after him; the latest was commissioned in 2002.
Preble Hall’s Namesake You look at all the buildings here at SMCC, and you can tell that they are old. So then you know they have some history to them. For example, Preble Hall was built in 1905. It was built to be an artillery barracks, and was designed to hold 109 men. The building is named after Edward Preble, a United States naval commander who was born Aug. 15, 1761, and died Aug. 25, 1807. He served in the First Barbary War (18011805), during which he led American attacks on the Arab city-state of Tripoli, which was a base for pirates at the time (and is now the capital of Libya). He helped shape the early U.S. Navy and its officer corps. Preble was the son of a military officer, merchant and political leader, Jedidiah Preble. As a boy, his home was destroyed when the city of Falmouth (present-day Portland) was burned by the British navy on the orders of Captain Henry Mowat during the Revolutionary War. This impelled the young Preble
By Kate Bennett Student Senate met for their weekly meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 29. A mental-health workshop is being put together with a tentative date of Feb. 13, 2018. Club representatives were reminded that clubs need to get their club rosters together for the spring semester. Club rosters need to have the names and ID numbers of students who are involved in the club. The Multicultural International Student Club was instated. The purpose of the Multicultural International Student Club is to create a space for students from different backgrounds to meet. Their funding request for $200 was approved by the Student Senate. The $200 will pay the speaking fee for a talk given by a previous SMCC student who was covered by BBC and whose story was also featured on “This American Life.” The speaker currently lives in Portland, Maine, and has signed a book deal which will be launched on June 20, 2018, in New York City. The talk took place on Monday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. at SMCC. The Business Club’s funding request for $5,700 to go towards their NYC trip this coming April to visit Wall Street was approved. The Veterans Club had a bake sale next to the Ask Desk in the Campus Center on Monday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There was a College Council Open Forum meeting on Nov. 30. The Southern Poverty Law Center Club held an open table on Nov. 29 and 30. This was where people went and filled out cards and got to see what their community cares about. The SPLC explained that there was
lots of interest in their group and the activity during the tabling. The Student Activities Committee has put on many activities recently. On Friday, Dec. 1, they held a Winter Craft Night at 6 p.m. in the Student Center. They put on a Stress Reliever Craft Night on Monday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. in the Student Center. On Dec. 6, they had a movie night in Jewett Auditorium, showing “Frozen.”
their dorm rooms over winter break only if they are going to be in that same room next semester. On Wednesday, December 6th, the Student Senate met and announced that on Wednesday, December 13th, an election will be held for the Student Senate’s Director of Records. Club representatives were reminded that itemized lists are needed when clubs submit funding requests. The Astronomy club made a funding request for $290 for a star party and the request was approved. The funds are too pay for pizza, drinks, paper, plates, utensils, wood, and lighter fluid. A new telescope was recently donated to the club and will be used at the party to look at the stars. There will be a campfire with marshmallows and a meteor shower is expected on the day of the star party. Rainbow League for Social Justice requested $200 for a semester ice cream social. Everyone is invited to attend the ice cream social. The funds will be used for ice cream, toppings, silverware, and drinks. Their funding request was approved by the Student Senate. The Business Club’s funding request for $340 was approved. These funds will be used for an semester end ice skating event for international students with the business club. There will be a potluck and ice skating at Thompson’s Point. This event is open to all students and will be taking place on Sunday, December 17th. The Student Senate meeting ended after deciding on a new meeting time for the spring semester. Starting January 23rd, the Student Senate will be meeting on Tuesdays at 5:00pm.
A reminder that all residential students have to fill out an intent-to-return form if staying on campus in the spring. The next Student Welfare Committee meeting will be on Dec. 15. Ethan Wells is offering the position of Seawolves mascot as work-study. Talk to him for more information. A reminder that all residential students have to fill out an intent-to-return form if staying on campus in the spring. A different form will be sent out regarding winter break. Residents can leave their things in
‘Star Wars’ in the Dining Hall By Cassie Marceau Walking into Oceanview Dining Hall on Nov. 30 was definitely something out of this world — because it was Star Wars Night! There were decorations around the dining hall that were all “Star Wars.” There was a big R2D2, Darth Vader balloons, and even food that resembled “Star Wars,” like little Yoda cookies. After you grabbed your food, you could sit with your friends and watch “Spaceballs.” Some people who showed up to the dinner also dressed up as characters, and brought lightsabers with them.
Photo by Cassie-Briana Marceau Yoda cookies given out at the ‘Star Wars’ night.
Cookie Decorating Provides Holiday Stress Relief By Troy Hudson Students who enjoyed lunch at Oceanview Dining Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 5 were treated to a seasonal tradition many might not have expected to find at SMCC: decorating holiday cookies. Students and faculty were invited to add colorful frosting, candy, sprinkles and more to a variety of handmade cookies baked here on campus. The free activity was provided to inspire good cheer during a stressful finals-filled week, and was one of several holiday events hosted by Dining Services at the end of the semester, along with a hot-cocoa bar and a holiday meal.
Photo by The Beacon Staff Members of the Business Club present a $750 dollar check, funds for which were raised by the O.R.E.O. Fun Run. The funds raised will be donated to Hurricane Maria Children’s Relief Fund of Puerto Rico, Kingwood Branch Library, Children’s Division of Houston, Texas, and Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida. From left to right: Haleigh Barrett, Celetta Richard, Gianna Dudley, Nathalie Mitchell, Thomas Dolloff, Matthew Brown, Steven Ntibandetse, Kristy Howarth and club advisor Steve Strand. (Business Club participants not pictured: Joey Mullins, Raffaella Morabito, Taylor Markee, Kayla Tinsman, Yu Shi.)
2 The Beacon • December 12, 2017
Photo by Troy Hudson Riley Cassidy, a New Media major, holds a decorated cookie at lunch.
December 12, 2017 • The Beacon 3
Other World BUSINESS CLUB Interested in business news or majoring in the Business program at SMCC?
Join us on
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Bus Club Lounge 1st floor Hague Sopo campus
Other World What’s Up with America’s Wild Horses?
How to Fix a Slow PC, in 7 Steps x
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Your computer is low on space.
Do you want to purchase a new computer?
By Joel Kabambi Many of us think that when a computer starts performing slowly, it’s time to buy a new computer. Does your desktop or laptop often hang on the hourglass for several minutes at a time? Is it slow to load files or applications, and does it take a long time to boot? Even if you’re extremely careful about how you use your computer and never download questionable material, over time it is inevitable that your system will accumulate unwanted registry entries, errors, clutter and debris. It’s important to clean your computer up and get it running faster again. Below are steps that can help speed up a Windows OS computer or determine why it is running slowly. Reboot If your computer has not been rebooted for a long time, make sure to restart it before following any of the steps below. This is the first step of all troubleshooting.
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Disable background programs Background-running programs can also be the cause of a slow-working computer. Remove or disable any program that automatically starts each time the computer boots — programs that are not needed. How to do it? The followed link provides details: https://tinyurl.com/y9lsjrhe. Delete temp files As a computer runs programs, temporary files are stored on the hard drive. Deleting these temp files can help improve computer performance. Programs like Disk Cleanup can be used to delete temp file, but there is also a way to do it manually. The following link provides details on how to do it manually https://tinyurl.com/ycd4e38h. Free hard-drive space Verify that there is a lot of space in your driver hard disk, at least 200 to 500MB of free hard-drive space. This available space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size, as well as room for temporary files.
Remove viruses If a computer is infected, this can cause your computer to run slowly. Make sure you have antivirus software, and ensure that it’s up to date. Scan for viruses to remove. If you don’t have an antivirus program installed, you can run the free Microsoft antivirus Microsoft Security Essentials to scan for viruses on your computer and remove them. Microsoft Security Essentials can be downloaded from this Microsoft page: https://tinyurl. com/juupxbx. Update Windows Make sure you have all the latest Windows updates installed on the computer. If you are on the internet when your computer is slow, make sure all browser plugins are up to date. You can also try disabling browser plugins to see if one of them is causing the slowness. Check for hardware issues Finally, if your computer is still slow after trying all of the above recommendations, there may have a more serious hardware-related issue, such as a failing component in the computer. Examples of failing hardware could include a failing or bad hard drive, CPU, RAM or another component. This may require you to replace hardware that is causing slowness. If replacing hardware will cost too much, then it’s time to make the big decision of buying a new computer.
I Am Sick of Hearing About Cybersecurity, Too Because it’s not what you know that matters. It’s who you know!
For more info, check out the club page
@smccbusinessclub
By Alexander Kennedy, SMCC Cyber Security graduate As the year comes to a close, it’s a time for many to look back and reminisce about good times gone by. Some people may consider large news headlines of 2017 — we have a new president, hurricane season was worse than usual, and the United Kingdom started its transition out of the EU, to name a few. But for the first year in a long time, it’s safe to say many people probably recall one or two headlines relating to security breaches across the world. So far, 2017 has seen at least one major security headline per month. In January, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that the U.S. electrical grid was in “imminent danger” of a cyberattack similar to ones seen in Ukraine a month prior. February saw the breach of the internet company Cloudflare. The bug, known as CloudBleed, revealed sensitive information of users from companies such as OKCupid, Uber, and Fitbit. In March, WikiLeaks unveiled Vault 7, a major compilation of data revealing CIA hacking tools that gave the agency the ability to listen to us via our smart TVs, as well as many other methods of turning our own computers against us. Cybersecurity made it to the world stage in April when a phishing email scam was
4 The Beacon • December 12, 2017
found to have successfully hacked the cape the news of cybersecurity. And most campaign of French presidential hopeful people couldn’t care less. It’s all too easy Emmanuel Macron. to become disillusioned with cybersecurity, May and June were dominated by ran- with the sheer amount of articles saturatsomware attacks like WannaCry and Not- ing your news feed. But it is vital for us to Petya, which cost the global economy an care if we wish to keep building upon the estimated 4.2 billion dollars was well as connected world we live in. compromising nearly half a million comFor years, professionals in the cybersecuputers. rity industry have been trying to get peoIn July, security researchers proved vot- ple to understand the importance of secuing machines were easily hackable. HBO rity. The major cyber-events of 2017 have was hacked in August, certainly kick-started leading to the leak of the conversation on Equifax reported that the best practices for cy“Game of Thrones” Social Security numbers, bersafety and what and “Silicon Valley” episodes. names, addresses and other you can do, as a conSeptember had the sumer, to protect yourpersonal information of self from big-company most notable hack of the year. Equifax redata breaches. Hopeported that the Sofully, this trend will cial Security numbers, continue. names, addresses and compromised by hackers. Hopefully, this year’s other personal informajor security events mation of 145.5 mildo not scare us away lion Americans had been compromised by from the awesome power and potential hackers. For those who are counting, that of the internet, but rather propel us into a is half of the U.S. population. new age of security-conscious communiThe past few months have seen breach- cation and help us to discover what we can es in Yahoo and Uber. Uber took it a step do, as consumers, to protect ourselves from further and actually paid the attackers big data breaches. Securing the internet is $100,000 in hush money. critical in keeping us safe as we interact toWhether you’re in the technology field gether and grow our society in cyberspace. or not, 2017 has made it impossible to es-
145.5 million
Americans had been
Photos by Kate Bennett Moxie, a 5-year-old mustang mare who has been out of the wild for about one and a half years. By Kate Bennett Here in New England, many people hardly think about the wild horses and burros in the United States. Many horses and burros still run free in many of the western states, but there have been many different claims about how long this can continue. Some organizations claim that the wild horses are overpopulating and taking away resources from other animals. Some other organizations say that there are larger numbers of cattle on the ranges than horses and burros, and that the number of cattle needs to be lowered in order for all of the animals to have enough resources. I interviewed Mary Koncel at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), who explained that there are currently many misconceptions about the state of the wild horses. One myth being spread about the wild horses is that they are starving. Mary Koncel explained that this is a myth, because of the numbers of livestock competing with wild horses and burros, and that that is disproportionate. The federal government is charging money for private ranchers to graze on public land. In 2017, the grazing fee for 1 AUM (Animal Unit Monthly — each cow and calf take one AUM a month to be supported, so yearly 12 AUM) is $1.87 on private land, and ranges from $15 to $20 a month on public land. Many ranchers are corporate ranchers. Taxpayers are getting the bill for this subsidize ranging. The issue of wild horses starving and not having enough access to water has been
promoted successfully. Despite the fact that there are far more livestock than wild horses and burros living in the same areas, the wild horses and burros are being blamed for the lack of resources and losing their water supply. But in actuality, as explained by the American Wild Horse Campaign, the burros have been digging and creating their own water sources and then leaving them for other animals to use. These animals are actually adapting to the changes in their surroundings. Reports gathered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) bust the myth that wild horses and burros are starving because they scale the horses’ conditions on a body scale. All of the horses came in between 3 and 5 on the scale, which means they have good body conditions, especially for wild horses. If they had been starving, their scores would have been lower. An environmental impact statement generated by the BLM stated that all of the wild horses are in good condition. One of the biggest issues right now, according to Ms. Koncel, is the competition between the wild horses and burros, livestock, and extractive industries (mining, gold mines, oil). Mining groups are opposed to having wild horses and burros on the land even though the land is designated for these animals. Mary Koncel explained that the AWHC understands that the wild horses and burros need to be managed in a way that is humane and cost-effective to taxpayers. Currently, the BLM is rounding up mustangs and putting them in holding pens where
they are crammed among other horses and left to sit until someone comes along to adopt them. In 2013, the National Academy of Science generated a report that stated that the rounding up of wild horses is a failed practice, and that the BLM is actually facilitating a higher birth rate, which contributes to the issue of overpopulation. The report also explained that there is no science behind the BLM’s appropriate management levels, and that they are currently being questioned. The National Academy of Science is now recommending managing horses on the range using the organic contraceptive porcine zona pellucida (PZP), and to reduce livestock grazing instead of wild horses. This method of birth control works for one year on the mare (female horse), and after about three years it can make the mare unable to reproduce for life. PZP is administered to these horses by shooting it at them from a distance and injecting them with it. In 2016, the BLM used birth control on 460 mares. Mary Koncel explained to me that the AWHC likes to base their positions off data and science. The AWHC explains that there is enough land to manage these horses, but the government and involved organizations need to start looking at all aspects of the issues on the land, not just the wild horses. The livestock industry on those lands needs to be reassessed and other means of management need to be explored. Currently there are off-range pastures where the BLM pays people to provide pasture for groups of horses. The BLM spends money on that while putting less than 1 percent of its budget on PZP fertility control, even though the National Academy of Science has highly recommended it. The money being spent to take care of these horses is so high because the number of horses being adopted is not keeping up with the number being rounded up, so the BLM has to pay to take care of these horses. Recently, the United States Senate was faced with a “spending bill that would allow for the killing or sale for slaughter of healthy wild horses and burros.” On Nov. 20, 2017, the AWHC learned that after months of campaigning against this, the Senate decided to maintain protections for wild horses and burros in the Interior and Environment appropriations bill for the 2018 fiscal year. The Senate even “directed
the BLM to come up with ‘humane and politically viable’ solutions to wild horse management,” according to the AWHC. The Senate now has to negotiate with the House in a conference about the future of the wild horses and burros. The AWHC is working to find out the details about this conference. They explain that “if protections are removed and slaughter or ‘euthanizing’ begin, tens of thousands of wild horses will die. It would be an unprecedented mass slaughter. It would be tragic and defy the recommendations of scientists.” If you are interested in getting involved with or learning more about this situation with the wild horses and burros, I suggest exploring the AWHC website, https:// americanwildhorsecampaign.org/, and signing up for their email updates. You can also reach out to them with any questions you may have about their campaign and the wild-horse issue. You can also check out the BLM’s wild-horse and burro website at https://edit.blm.gov/programs/wild-horseand-burro. In Biddeford, Maine, there is a mustang rescue organization, Ever After Mustang Rescue. You can get involved and volunteer there, participate in their educational programs, visit and tour the facility, donate, and more. Find out more about this rescue at, http://www.mustangrescue. org/events.html. Finally, here is the link to the National Academy of Science’s report about the wild horses and burros: https:// www.nap.edu/resource/13511/wild-horsesreport-brief-final.pdf.
The Veterans Club
Providing support to veterans and families regarding veteran issues on campus. This is done through activities that promote community service and education on veteran related topics. Membership is free and is open to any student, staff, faculty and family member of Southern Maine Community College. For more information, contact us at: smccmevetclub@gmail.com
Resources for Veterans at SMCC: https://www.smccme.edu/admissions-aid/veterans/
December 12, 2017 • The Beacon 5
Opinion By Johnny Morton
6 The Beacon • December 12, 2017
SMCC students take classes part-time. Because the House bill would scrap the Lifetime Learning Credit program, many parttime students would lose eligibility for a tax credit of up to $2,000. Finally, if you’re in the minority of SMCC students who plan on getting a graduate degree, you might want to think again. Most graduate students depend on stipends and tuition waivers they receive for teaching or doing research. The stipends are currently considered taxable income, but under the House plan, the reduced tuition would be, too. One graduate student wrote in the New York Times that this change “would make meeting living expenses nearly impossible, barring all but the wealthiest students from pursuing a Ph.D.” Republicans in the Senate seem to resent college students somewhat less than do their House colleagues. However, the final bill will be a compromise between the House and Senate versions; all the nasty stuff in the House bill still stands a good chance of making it into law.
About the only good news is that Maine’s senior senator, Susan Collins, has not promised her vote to the Republicans’ final product. (She did vote for the Senate tax bill, after receiving assurances that it would be changed.) Last week, she told a CNN affiliate, “I’m going to look at what comes out of the conference committee meeting to reconcile the differences between the Senate and House bill. So, I won’t make a final decision until I see what that package is.” It is not too late to call Senator Collins, who has voted her conscience over her party before, and tell her how we feel about this incredibly bad deal. You can call her Portland office Monday through Friday at 207-780-3575. In other news, this is the last column I’ll write as managing editor of The Beacon. I am stepping down after this semester to focus on my classes. It has been an honor to participate in keeping an SMCC tradition strong and helping student writers find their voice.
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By Lloyd Metcalf Divide and conquer is more than a military strategy, it’s a political strategy, a business strategy, and one to which the American people have fallen victim. What if the people embraced unity? It used to be that people could have different religious and political affiliations and still be identified as American, or at least human. Now, if someone is not aligned to a political party as it relates to a point of view, they are immediately labeled un-American or inhuman. Atheists are accused of destroying the “American way of life” every year around the holidays, and it continues with other groups and affiliations daily in our media and discussions. It may be time for a revolution, but not the revolution we envisioned in past decades. The greatest fear of our domineering government and giant corporations is unity among the people. If we set aside our political, religious and racial labels, we may begin to clearly see where we are being conquered… and it likely isn’t from our neighbors, friends, and family members with opposing views. We might decide that our enemies aren’t single parents who need some help or people with different political approaches, or people who want to come to our country from abroad. We might see that our lives and concerns are similar and that the gargantuan engines that we have allowed to take over our lives are only using our divided squabbling as fuel and to keep us from unifying. AIG’s net worth is over $50 billion, the Catholic Church’s net worth (U.S. only) is $810 billion, Walmart’s is $180 billion, and our
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You’ve probably heard something about a tax bill in recent weeks. Congressional Republicans narrowly succeeded in passing different versions of a wide-ranging tax-reform bill in the House of Representatives and the Senate this past month, and are now meeting in a conference committee to put together a unified bill. The two houses of Congress are expected to vote on the final version of the bill before Dec. 22, and if they approve it, the President’s signature is assured. Sound boring? It shouldn’t, because this will affect all of us. If you have any exposure to the liberal media, you’ve heard that this tax-reform scheme is pretty awful. Economists have almost universally come out against it — it stands to increase the federal debt by up to $1.5 trillion — and the New York Times’ editorial board called it “terrible.” You may have heard that the bill would offer huge breaks to the very wealthiest Americans while hurting the middle class in the long
run, and that it could undermine the Affordable Care Act, causing up to 13 million people to lose health insurance. But maybe all this doesn’t mean that much to you; you’re skeptical of the media establishment and academic talking heads. But please consider what college students like us stand to lose here. The House bill is downright hostile to students. Most of us have taken out student loans. You may have been able to write off payments on student-loan interest when filing your taxes, if you earn under a certain level. But this deduction would be eliminated under the House’s version of the bill, according to USA Today. The bill would also take away a tax incentive that encourages employers to fund their workers’ continuing education. Employers will still be able to pay up to $5,250 per year of employees’ school expenses, but this money will now be taxed. So if your employer is now funding your studies at SMCC, that might not last. As Troy Hudson reports on the front page of this issue, about 58 percent of
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I believe the warmth and joy of the greeting is what comes through, not the particular words used to express it.
From the Desk of the Managing Editor By Ben Riggleman
At the age of 10, I remember being forced in my Sunday’s best clothes (which were too stiff and uncomfortable) and sitting with my grandmother in St. Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church. I would daydream, and couldn’t wait to get out of there. I was bored, fidgeting, and couldn’t stand the barely lit room, the odd half-spoken/halfsung passages and the eerie, earthy incense smell. I had to be quiet and pretend to pray. A year later, I wasn’t forced to go anymore. In years to come, I remember some friends of mine couldn’t always play or hang out on the weekends because they were going with their church group on a grand camping trip or to Funtown. Sometimes my friends would be talking about a huge picnic fun day at their church or a potluck with all this great food! Wait… what? Where is this great place and how do I get in?? I never did end up getting in, though I spent a few jealous weekends wishing I had. I wanted to be part of something big, part of a group of people who did fun things. Their church seemed nothing like my nana’s stiff, dark, smelly church. Years later, come to find out, one of the church leaders, one of the fun, field-trip-organizing, pot-lucksupper-planning church leaders, was called out and accused of molesting some of those boys… a few of whom were my buddies.
This is how religion went for me my entire life, and it still does today at age 40. There are many practicing religions in America today. I don’t know the ins and outs of every denomination. In fact, I never truly belonged to a single one; however, I have witnessed and somewhat partaken in some religious endeavors trying to find myself through finding God or a higher power. Religion is like a swinging door in America: It opens up and exposes you to many great things, but it also can swing back hard, knocking you down. Religion has had (and still does have) many positive influences on American society. Religion gives one hope. Religion gives one faith. When all seems lost in the world and one feels utterly alone, most religions will welcome one with open arms and give one a feeling of love, belonging, support and community. There are so many great religious groups and churches that bring communities together and help victims of all sorts through difficult times. Whether a family whose home has been blown away in a tornado, or a single mom who can’t afford Christmas gifts for her children, or orphaned children whose parents died in a plane crash, so on and so on, many religious factors have come to the aid of many Americans, and have worked “miracles.” Churches have gone above and beyond being ethical and have had so many wonder-
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The holidays are about nothing if not tradition. The anticipation that builds as the season draws near is a direct function of the cyclical nature of our shared cultural experience. Every year, we look forward (whether with joy or dread) to the return of the red and green, the gingerbread houses, the twinkling lights and wreaths adorning nearly every home and storefront. If you’re like most Americans, you probably rewatch the same holiday movies you did when you were little, and possibly the same ones your parents watched when they were little. December is the only time of year you’re as likely to hear a 75-year-old Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole recording on the radio as any Top 40 hit. It’s probably safe to say there’s no more universal tradition in Western culture than celebrating Christmas. In 1914, it even inspired a temporary ceasefire between German and British soldiers on the Western Front in the First World War. In America today, however, uttering the word “Christmas” has come to be viewed as a microaggression and is avoided at all costs by most major businesses and people wary of causing offense. In theory, I can support this polite consideration of other cultures and not assuming one’s own traditions are shared by others. I myself am not religious, so many Christmas traditions, like singing carols that celebrate “Christ the newborn king,” do feel inappropriate to me and I typically do not participate in them. But Christmas, as we all know, is much more than a religious holiday. For better or worse, it has become a staple of American secular culture that is now as much about spending time with family and sharing our bounty with others as it is about the celebration of the Christian deity. It’s also, of course, the apex of consumer capitalism. It is
a tradition that I grew up with, and it helps stoke my sense of community and family. I want to share this feeling with others, especially those who may not have experienced it in the past. I think this is natural, and I expect and hope to see members of other cultures openly celebrating their own traditions as well. This is why I object to the widespread cultural rejection of Christmas tropes during the holiday season. In particular, the greeting “Merry Christmas” has become a cultural hot potato. Many people now believe the phrase is offensive and stick to “Happy Holidays.” Never mind the fact that for people who don’t celebrate anything during this season, even “Happy Holidays” is a misstep. The arguments for this are that not everyone celebrates Christmas, or that the holidays are a sad time for many people. These are both very true, and if you know for a fact that either applies to the person you’re talking to, then by all means offer something more appropriate. But if you want to wish a friend or stranger a Merry Christmas, you should go ahead without fear of causing offense. Despite not being a Christian, if someone wishes me a “Merry Christmas,” (or a “Happy Hanukkah,” or anything else) with good will and a smile, I say “Thanks, you too.” I find this honest response very easy to muster and I have never had heartburn from the exchange. I believe the warmth and joy of the greeting is what comes through, not the particular words used to express it. If “Happy Holidays” is your thing, then go for it. It’s a fine greeting. But if “Merry Christmas” happens to roll off the tongue a little easier for you, don’t worry that you may have committed a microaggression. Have a little trust in the understanding and graciousness of other people and enjoy the holiday season in whatever way seems right to you.
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My journey at SMCC has been marvelous! I have learned many things and certainly have enjoyed the stunning scenery that surrounds the campus. Because I’m a Liberal Studies major, I’m lucky enough to explore the many courses this school has to offer. Among the classes I have taken, there was one in particular that was life-changing; it was Metal Arts I. This class has many features that make it worth the effort. In this class, the first thing you will learn is courage and attaining an adventurous spirit. Working with large and heavy equipment was new and scary for me. However, with practice, cutting, sanding, bending, melting, and welding metal in an artistic fashion was a thrill! I have also found that because the course requires intense concentration
By Troy Hudson
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By Noor Ibrahim
Religion: The Good and the Bad
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Photo by Noor Ibrahim A metal sculpture created by the author
(the machines are not toys and can be very dangerous), there is a therapeutic feel to it. It also helps with relieving stress, and is a good escape from other academic courses. The artistic part of this course can be quite challenging. You will be required to make three different projects for the final: cold form, hot form, and mixed media. The most exciting project is the hot form. The reason is, it’s easier to melt than to bend. For me, I have crafted many form models for my final product. Many of them failed. I began to scrutinize the core issue and used my problem-solving skills to learn from my mistakes. It is crucial to plan ahead and trust your skills and vision, and to learn from failed works. This process is excellent for strengthening patience and confidence. There is also the beauty of satisfaction in refining an (almost) raw material. The sanding belt will be your best friend if you like to make things shiny and smooth. There will be many opportunities to learn ahead in this course to produce a well-crafted sculpture. This skill will become an automatic system little by little; however, it takes a good amount of passion and care to reach such a level of diligence. To conclude, sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone will have many surprises to offer! I have learned many skills in this class, and most importantly, I feel more in control. Perspective is also important. If you are more of a technical person, you might construct functional objects instead of pure randomness put together and titled with the word “art.”
Happy Holidays, or Whatever
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The Beauty of Trying Something New
Opinion
representatives are tossing around trillions with all these giants in the arena pushing and pulling them for things that favor their bottom lines. We shrug as if we can’t do anything about it. We go about our lives, get to our jobs within the conglomerate to try to survive and replicate some ideal of contentment or happiness. We are taxed, billed, worked, and used as fuel like microorganisms serving an entity. We are constantly fed by the titans of our country with things to keep us on track, showing up for that job, quiet, and paying out en masse every day. While we concern ourselves with who was holding a door on “Game of Thrones,” or what a president tweeted, or if a single parent on food stamps purchased provolone or cheese-food-product, we are being ground into dust to serve the aggregate titan that is not concerned with any of the average individuals. In fact, they are likely in such a seat that we may no longer be visible to them at all. By way of example, do you know the names: • Peter Griffin • Colin Kaepernick • Tyrion Lannister • Bruno Mars And do you know the names: • Cargill • Sinopec • Reyes • State Grid The first list contains things you look at to keep you from thinking too much about life, some maybe to keep you tweeting and Facebooking. The second list controls real aspects of our daily lives, and we don’t know who or what they are. (I admit, I had to google most of them myself ).
ful and numerous positive influences on so many in this great nation — and still do, on a day-to-day basis! Here is where the “religious door” swings full force and slams you from behind: Many religious factors leave no room for diversity. Certain religious groups have publicly called out, shamed and protested against anyone who does not follow that religion perfectly, or may be a little different, or have somewhat different views or ideas than said religion. There is no “wiggle room” in one’s moral beliefs if those beliefs waver even just a bit. Certain religious groups have even turned to violent protests or violent acts against those who do not conform or fit with that religion’s agenda. Not only do they shun outsiders and turn to violence, certain religious groups, particularly the Roman Catholic faction, have been known for sexual abuse against young ones for
years. These acts are unethical and definitely have negative impacts in America. I can personally say I have experienced both the positive and the negative when it comes to religion. I was welcomed with open arms when I was at a very low point in my life. I met a bunch of great people who helped me out immensely, and I felt part of something special. Another time, I was told I was going straight to Hell because of my sexuality and unless I changed who I was and asked God for forgiveness, there was no hope for me. When it comes to religion, I live my life singing REM’s song “Losing my Religion.” I don’t know if I will ever find the right fit for me when it comes to joining any religious denomination, but for now, I pray and talk to God on my own terms, and take and make positive influences and changes. That is my religion.
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Illustration by Joanne Smith Cargill is the largest privately held corporation in the country, and it has significant power when it comes to influencing politics and policy to aid its bottom line. Private corporations play by different rules than publicly traded ones. One single family of 6-8 people own 90% of Cargill. Reyes Holdings likely controls a large part what food you see and get at your local grocery store. They also have an interest in legislation that regulates their activity in trading, profit and deals. If we are more concerned with what fart joke Peter Griffin told, or whether or not a sports player took a knee this week than what tax legislation Cargill helped push through, it’s time for a revolution of unity. No one notices a wasp making its way across the lawn, but if 323.95 million of them (the number of people in America) gather up and at least agree, “We are wasps and we have a problem.” They get some immediate attention. The dollar only has a value because we agree on what the piece of paper is worth. If, as a united people, we decided a clover plucked from the ground could be traded for goods at the same rate, the dollar would be useless. If people embraced unity among themselves and embraced one another as humans,
brothers, sisters and others, the titans would no longer remain in power. At least, like us running from 323 million wasps, they would have a new respect for what our issues are. A united people don’t need to agree on everything, they need to only agree on one thing. That one thing can be as simple as, “We should decide our own fate, not these machines that escaped our control.” So, Democrat, Republican, Muslim, Christian, atheist, Jewish, socialist, Gen X, millennials, white, black, people who like ketchup on eggs, sports teams, and any other thing that we are told should divide us in some way; I invite you to ask What if? What if this one dividing factor is only a simple line here and doesn’t divide us as human beings? Our differences were once thought to be our strengths as a nation, not our weaknesses. It can be difficult with issues that are important to us to look beyond this one line. This unity is what terrifies the machine that grinds us into powder. We need to be in control of our country, not victims of it. What if the people embraced the idea of unity?
If people embraced
UNIT Y among themselves... the TITANS would no
longer remain in power.
December 12, 2017 • The Beacon 7
Arts & Features
Arts & Features
The Maine A new Skateboard Experience Mayhem Connection: Ness Hutchins By Daniele Amandolini
By Ryan Marshall The purpose of these interviews is to celebrate the efforts and ambitions of those who are about to embark on the grueling yet wholly rewarding cinematic journey that is SMCC’s annual Maine Mayhem Film Festival, and to shed some much-needed light on the school’s budding community of visual artists. For this issue, I spoke with Ness Hutchins, a close friend and creative colleague, to discuss her experience with the Maine Mayhem process this past spring: Ryan Marshall: Who are you and what do you do in the local film industry (or what do you aspire to do)? Ness Hutchins: I’m Ness Hutchins and I’ve worked as a PA, art department, and an assistant director in the local film industry. I aspire to direct films of my own in the (near) future. RM: Have you been involved with Maine Mayhem in the past? If so, tell me about your experiences. NH: I directed my own psychedelic horror short for the 2017 Maine Mayhem cycle, and I’ll be assistant directing Breanna Penney’s “42 Atwood Lane” in the 2018 Maine Mayhem cycle. From my experience I’d say Maine “Mayhem” isn’t a misnomer. It’s a very rigorous two-semester-long project. If someone is serious about working in the industry after their SMCC education, I’d highly recommend directing your own short film. Mayhem taught me so much more than just what you can learn in a classroom alone. RM: What are some of your most significant influences, cinematic and otherwise? NH: I love anything surreal. French New Wave is a favorite genre of mine because of the play with editing structure. I highly recommend “Hiroshima Mon Amour,” directed by Alain Resnais. Ingmar Bergman is also a big inspiration for me. He really knows how to play with contrast and subvert expectations. I love the short films of Maya Deren and Stan Brakhage as well. Both challenge film’s visual conventions in a way I find very exciting. I’m more interested in compelling visuals and characters than plot. RM: After having gone through the Mayhem process, what are your plans for the future? NH: Post-Mayhem 2017, I assistant directed Mackenzie Bartlett’s Damnationland film “BAPTISM.” I have some other things up my sleeve in the coming months as well.
to the crisp late-fall air, I couldn’t see myself skating any time soon. But while summer seems so far away, it’s easy to imagine Vincent’s project coming to life. The level of detail is impressive, and the passion necessary to undertake such a massive project makes me think that SONOPARK™ will sooner or later become a reality.
Vincent Amoroso stands next to the 3D model of SONOPARK™ On a cold Sunday night, just a few days before the winter break, Vincent Amoroso presented his art project for Charles Ott’s ARTS 290 Independent Studies class. While the snow-covered campus suggested snowboarding as the activity of choice, Vincent made us dream of summer with his ambitious and impressive skate-park project. Stepping into the art lab, the first thing you’d notice was the carbon-drawn renditions of skaters flying through the dunes and ramps that Vincent envisioned. There was more, though, and once you moved on to the detailed overhead maps and the 3-D model, you knew that that this was more than a sketched idea. Over the 15 weeks that the project has been developed, the park’s name has evolved from SOUNDPARK to SONOPARK™. As the name suggests, this is not a simple skate park: Music is an integral part of it, and it feeds the creative community that this project is intended for. The fully working and powered model perfectly illustrates the vision of the designer, as you can push a small scaled skateboard over the ramps and a hear sound cue play out as the wheels press on certain spots. This park lets skaters go beyond zipping through ramps and jumping over obstacles; it lets them “create, record and edit their own music,” as Vincent explained. Inspired by Russian Constructivist paintings of the early 1900s, the park’s slopes and curves have roots that show the depth behind street design and skate culture. For an art project, this would be enough to grant a perfect grade, but SONOPARK™ is perfectly outlined in all of its features. The digitally illustrated logo perfectly encapsulates the urban and creative nature of this product. Developed with the help of SMCC’s architecture department, the floor plans outline the size of the park and help one picture it in its full scale. Leaving the lab and exposing my face
8 The Beacon • December 12, 2017
Photos by Daniele Amandolini A particular of the powered 3D model of SONOPARK™
Study at Other Colleges Without Transferring
GPACU, the Greater Portland Alliance of Colleges and Universities, lets you take courses at the following schools while you stay enrolled at SMCC and pay SMCC tuition: Kaplan University Maine College of Art St. Joseph’s College University of New England University of Southern Maine
New Students’ Artist Collective Launches Website By Max Lorber Beacon207.com is a new creative collective that began at Southern Maine Community College. Max Lorber, a former art director for The Beacon and current Communications and New Media Major, began meeting artists on campus at the beginning of the semester, viewing their work and discussing their future plans. Olivia Orr, another Communications and New Media major at SMCC, came on board with the project as a web developer. They envisioned the website having an original aesthetic; neither Max or Olivia wanted to just use another generic template. But they had never designed or created a website before, so they put their heads down and plowed through all of the technical difficulties of pulling off such a feat. Max worked as a designer and producer, drawing sketch after sketch of each page and gathering/creating content. Olivia, with a background in coding, was tutored by Rob Korobkin, a professional web developer in Portland, Maine. Of her experience, Olivia said, “I’m glad I was able to work closely with Max throughout this whole process; it’s wild to think about how his initial idea blos-
somed into something tangible and captivating. I had an amazing time learning how to use WordPress and expanding my coding skills while working on something so meaningful. I’m also impressed with the talent Max was able to put together for this showcase. I always knew Maine was full of skilled artists, but it was cool to be able to put faces and biographies to the names associated with the projects. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Beacon207.” Beacon207 serves as an artistic platform for college students and recent alumni, an online gallery of sorts curated by Max Lorber. On the website you will find blurbs on each artist featured, as well as interviews and original Beacon 207 productions. Beacon207 is hoping to create a bridge between the media-studies programs of Southern Maine Community College, the Maine College of Art and the University of Southern Maine. Featuring and giving exposure to artists from all three of these schools is the goal, as well as encouraging collaboration between creative individuals.
AL L AR E WE LC OM E!
Come join us on Thursdays at 12:00 PM in the HUB Classroom
After dealing with death My life was a mess I couldn’t cry anymore or yell But no one around me could tell After he died I felt lost Cold and empty, my heart filled with frost Could this be a lesson, I thought in my head? Or is this a nightmare I’ll eventually shred Live for the moment, I immediately thought Life is something that cannot be bought Live for tomorrow, but don’t forget about yesterday Rest In Peace Uncle, I’ll see you again someday
Cooking tender, Hearts, surrounded Walls, Halls leading Slender into no-knowing. Underestimate the Crowing birds in headspace, Tick-tack, Pick at worrisome blades in Crispy meadow showing. Can’t wait till soft snowing, Cold, and bluing frozen. Hot to trot then Somber drifts come blowing.
@RainbowLeagueSMCC
Courses taken through GPACU cannot be offered at SMCC, and must fulfill a requirement of your present major. Applicants must be in at least their second semester and in good academic standing at SMCC. There are several other restrictions. Visit the Advising Office or contact madvising@smccme.edu to get a copy of the GPACU application form.
“I wrote this while dealing with the death of a family member, so I hope you all enjoy it.” — Ryan Mullet
Heavy heart and only Lonely Laying down like mowed grass, Heaps in oven sun.
For more information check out our Facebook page
If you need a course that’s not offered at SMCC, GPACU could be the answer!
For our last issue of the fall season, I have two poems to share. One is an untitled piece written by Ryan Mullet, and the other by yours truly. It has been very fulfilling to write for The Beacon this fall, and it is my hope that those wishing to become more involved in SMCC clubs will consider The Beacon as an option. Please, have a wonderful holiday season, and enjoy!
The Meadow’s Cycle By Rebecca Dow
Rainbow League
for Social Justice at SMCC
Poetic License
Come to our Ice Cream Social @ 6:30 on Wednesday, Dec 13th in the Campus Center!
Rattled that! Scattered that! Walls made up and cyclic Melt away showing Green-green Sudden shoots, Then, even more mowing. One and eighteen Piles: Days in frays of vegetation Keeping time, But still decaying. Fodder for another day.
December 12, 2017 • The Beacon 9
Midcoast
We can’t keep p u s i h t much r e g n o l
A Sneak Peek at the New Spring Schedule By Dan Elliott
to break through the preconceived notions they might have about Maine, such as symbols like lighthouses and lobsters. With the end of the fall semester (and Instead, the course will focus on the vast subsequently the year itself ) on fast aphistory of Maine, as well as contempoproach, the collective of students and rary artists that rival their urban counterfaculty are brimming with anticipation parts. Branca emphasizes that the course for the chance to enjoy some downtime, is much more than an art history course, cherish the holiday season with friends and that the majority of assignments and family, and perhaps most importantwill be creative art projects that reflect ly, the chance to breathe a sigh of relief each students after months own personof hard work. al relationship Yet while we N E W C O U R S E S AT M I D C O A S T with Maine. bid farewell to Like Boundy’s 2017, we have French course, the Spring seThe Art of mester in sight Maine is open on the horizon, to students of and with it is all artistic levcoming a slew els and backof new expegrounds, as riences, some students will coming in the be focusing on form of new their own percourses coming a solid foundation for those looking to sonal journey into how they perceive the to us here at the Midcoast Campus. One of the new classes being offered learn a secondary language, or for those state they live in through their own exto Brunswick students is Beginning who are looking to fulfill their humanities pression of art. These are not the only new courses French I (FREN 101 BK), being taught elective requirement. Foreign language isn’t the only subject being made available in 2018; students by newcoming instructor Demba Boundy. Boundy, who originates from Mali, Af- getting a boost in course diversification should spend some time perusing their rica, has had a lengthy history of the this spring. A new fine art course is ar- new options under the ‘my courses’ option French dialect-thirty years of it. Now, riving as well, in the form of The Art of in My Maine Guide. With the Midcoast with his experiences from growing up in Maine (ARTH 110 BK). Taught by long- Campus constantly expanding it’s course Franco-African communities, he is eager time adjunct art instructor Mike Branca, selection, it is constantly growing out to motivate and impart his knowledge to the course provides a unique perspective from a mere satellite campus to becomstudents here in Maine, who holds the into the world of fine art through the lens ing a bastion of knowledge serving the highest percentage of French-Americans of our own local community. As a painter, needs of the local residents. Whatever in the country. The course itself is open Branca derives a great deal of inspiration you choose to embark on for the upcomto all skill-levels, and will focus on basic from the state and the beautiful vistas ing spring, remember to give yourself a oral and written skills for the language, contained within its borders. Through his pat on the back for making it through this and will incorporate such resources as love of fine art he has discovered an un- semester and get plenty of rest and relaxguest speakers and a complimentary lab tapped wealth of history of the fine arts in ation before the New Year get rung in. component as well. When asked if he had Maine. The course will challenge students
The Beacon staff is looking for new writers for the Midcoast and SoPo Campuses. Start preparing for your next job right now by building a portfolio and getting hands on experience. Contact mbeacon@ smccme.edu 10 The Beacon • December 12, 2017
SMCC Sports
anything he’d like to say to those looking to learn the language he responded, saying “J’aime le francais. J’espere que vous aimez le francais aussi. Venez apprendre le francais avec moi.” (I love French. I hope you do, too. Come learn French with me!) With the addition of Demba Boundy’s Beginning French course and Cristina Moreno’s Beginning Spanish Class, The Midcoast Campus is building
The Art of Maine is open to students of all artistic levels and backgrounds.
On the Home Court (continued from page 12)
inspired the ‘Wolves as they cut further into the Lynx lead; they trailed at half by 3 (33-30). During the second half, the story of the game took a turn. NHTI looked very tough, scoring points in the paint, which both teams were struggling to do in the first half. SMCC started making some mental errors, which led to turnovers and easy points for the Lynx. It wasn’t the prettiest second half for the SeaWolves, but don’t let the score line deceive you. This was a close game, and if a few plays had gone SMCC’s way, we would have been looking at a different final score. After 40 minutes of play, the men Lynx walked off of the floor in the Hutchinson Gym with an 18-point win (80-62). The second game of the night was one of the most entertaining games of the year for the SMCC women’s team. NHTI came out incredibly physical, trying to out-muscle SMCC, but that didn’t intimidate them at all. The women played incredibly well, getting contributions from everyone on the team. It was a very back-and-forth game in the first half, with SMCC connecting on more of their shots. SMCC was much more creative in executing their opportunities, as it seems they have adopted Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach Bret Brown’s mantra that “passing is king” — or “queen,” in the lady SeaWolves’ case. The Lady SeaWolves held a 7-point halftime lead (22-15) and looked confident going into the locker room at half. The opening minutes of the second half saw NHTI mount a comeback, scoring the 4 consecutive points and cutting the SeaWolf
lead to 5 (24-19). The lead changed multiple times in the third quarter, setting up a heart-pounding finale. Late in the second half the Lynx tied the game on a layup by Lynx Riselly Deoleo. Each team was hitting clutch threes; however, mental errors by the SeaWolves opened the door for the Lynx to insure a thriller of an ending. With only 27 seconds left in the game and the Lynx up by one point (69-68) and thinking they had the game in the bag, SMCC had something else in mind. With 16 seconds left on the clock, Jordan Farquharson rebounded a missed shot by Emily Keene, which was off of an inbound pass and hit for the go-ahead basket. The Lynx would get another rush at the basket, throwing up a handful of shots that never fell, the last of which the SeaWolves rebounded. The Lynx would resort to fouling immediately after the inbound pass, eventually putting Emily Hogan on the line. Hogan would drain both free throws, insuring a 3-point win for the ‘Wolves (72-69). It was a very intense basketball game; the SeaWolves played hard and stood their ground. Hopefully the SMCC basketball fans will be able to catch more matchups like this during the winter/spring season and be on the upside of winning.
Mustangs Ride into Town (continued from page 12)
the court, the Mustangs enter Wednesday’s showdown riding a four-game winning streak. The last SeaWolves win came on Feb. 10, 2016, when the ‘Wolves won on the Mustangs’ court 58-53. Last season the ‘Wolves would find themselves leading CMCC after three quarters in the semifinal game of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) in Pennsylvania. The Mustangs would explode for 23 points in the final quarter, eliminating the SeaWolves and moving on to win the USCAA National Championship. In the 2014-2015 season the lady SeaWolves split the season series (losing at C.M. 66-62 and winning in South Portland 81-67). The ‘Wolves would win the three-game series, walking off the court victorious in a YSCC Elite Eight semifinal thriller 62-58. The Beacon reached out to Women’s Assistant Coach Patrick Haviland for some thoughts concerning Wednesday’s game. “Defense will win this game. Period,” were Coach Haviland’s thoughts. The Beacon wishes both teams great success Wednesday evening and hopes to see a large part of the SMCC student community in the HUB gym supporting their SeaWolves classmates and enjoying what some have called “the best small-college basketball rivalry in Maine.”
December 12, 2017 • The Beacon 11
Tyler Mickle (#20) shoots the ball as NHTI tries to stop him.
And the Winner Is… Cole Parker, pictured above, poses with his favorite SeaWolf, Seth Provencher, in between the men’s and women’s NHTI games last week. Cole was the evening’s lucky winner, as he held the winning raffle ticket, which provided his moment at half court with Seth. The “My Favorite SeaWolf ” moment was created by Ethan Wells and The Beacon as a promotional device, in order to create an exciting moment between games and to generate higher student attendance.
Look for announcements regarding the next “My Favorite SeaWolf” raffle on the SeaWolves Facebook page and in your student email from The Beacon.
SMCC Sports On the Home Court
SeaWolves Get Split Results While Gearing Up for Central Maine By Eric Yemma Since the last Beacon, the SeaWolves basketball teams have taken to the court six times, combining for a four and two record. The Lady ‘Wolves started the home series winning a hard fought contest against the New Hampshire Technical Institute Lynx (72-69), taking the next two against Hampshire College and Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (86-24 and 82-48 respectively). The men ‘Wolves have had mixed results dropping a highly anticipated loss to the NHTI lynx (80-62), winning easily against an outmanned Hampshire College (116-38) and suffering a beatdown (69-43) by the Panthers from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS). Last weekend saw the Black Sheep of Hampshire College and the Panthers from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) take to the Hutchinson Gym floor for Friday-evening and Saturday-afternoon games. The weekend games started off wonderfully for both SeaWolves squads as they jumped out to early leads against the Hampshire College squads, cruising to lopsided victories. In a gesture of sportsmanship, SMCC Head Women’s Basketball Coach Katherine Bergeron decided to sit her starters for game. The move afforded her starters an extra day of rest while providing playing time for the second and third squads.
First-year SeaWolf Julianna Lafrenaye connected for a career-high 25 points on 58 percent shooting; fellow first-year players Morgan Rice and Lauryn Fagan combined for 31 points. Also making her presence felt on the court was junior guard Amanda
PHOTOS BY CASSIE-BRIANNA MARCEAU
Above, Abigail Ramirez (#3) dives to get the ball in the hoop. Left, Willie Brown (#12) and J’Quay Thurmond (#24) battle for the ball. Matos, who collected her first SMCC double-double: 11 points and 12 boards. Priscila Berdeja, also a first-year SeaWolf, picked the Black Sheep’s pockets for 10 steals and seven boards. In the men’s game against Hampshire College, all of the SeaWolves hit the scorer’s book, helping to post a season-high score of 116. First-year forward Oumar Keita would drain the nets for 23. Keita would go 4-5 from 3-point territory and grab seven rebounds, making this his most productive game as a first-year SeaWolf. Other SeaWolves who contributed significantly included junior forward Ryan Cloutier, who shot 6-9 from the field, hitting for 13 points. First-year forhand corner, winning major games for the ward Sean Bowering connected on two University of Indiana and the University of three-pointers, while fellow first-year forNorth Carolina respectively. A year after ward Marcus Bailey tallied a season-high DeRosby’s jumper, the SeaWolves would 11 points and seven rebounds. lose on a buzzer-beater by Mustang Kaleb The SeaWolves would shoot the basBenjamin. ketball the best they have all season, hitThe men SeaWolves are riding a threeting for 58.3 percent from the floor. In game winning streak against the Mustheir losses to NHTI and ACPHS, the tangs. Last year the ‘Wolves opened the ‘Wolves would struggle shooting from series, winning in Authe field, as they would hit for 29.9 perburn 72-57, winning at cent and 27.3 percent respectively. home 76-67 and ending As a basketball fan, the NHTI men’s the Mustangs’ postseason game was well worth the price of addreams in the semifinal mission, as it pitted the best team in the of the YSCC Elite-Eight YSCC, NHTI, against a young SeaTournament (84-74). Wolves team. Both games were quite exTwo years ago it was citing because of the level of competition. Central Maine that had Both NHTI squads like to push the ball the ‘Wolves’ number, up court in their offense sets; the men’s winning both regular team averages 96 points per game. The season games and endwomen, while not averaging as much ing the ‘Wolves postseaas the men, still looked to beat the Season dreams in the YSCC Wolves’ defense down court. Elite Eight. The series The scheduling for the evening’s games that year was extremewould be flipped, as the first game pitted ly competitive, as the the men Lynx and SeaWolves against ‘Wolves fell short by 9, 2 each other. The SeaWolves came out very and 3 points. hot, playing tight and tough defense. Overall the men SeaBoth teams fired up their fair share of Wolves hold an 11-game shots from the perimeter, trying to build win margin over the a lead on the back of 3-point shots. Mustangs with a 62-51 The first half was a back-and-forth record. The lady ‘Wolves game, as the SeaWolves had to fight for find themselves seven every point — the highlight of which was games behind C.M. in when SeaWolves forward Ryan Cloutier the win column with an had a huge one-handed slam dunk, cut18-25 overall record. ting NHTI’s lead to four, 28-24. The slam On the ladies’ side of brought the entire crowd to their feet and
Mustangs Ride Into Town Rivalry Redefines Itself With New Faces By The Beacon Sports Staff One of the hottest rivalries in the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) takes center stage tomorrow evening when the Mustangs of Central Maine Commu-
Above, Dylan Silvestri and Ryan Cloutier battle for a rebound against CMCC in last year’s YSCC semi-final game. The SeaWolvs look to extend their winning streak against the Mustangs. Right, Jordan Fahrquharso and Emily Keene look to help he Lady Seawolves get back in the winning column against the Mustangs Wednesday evening.
nity College visit the Hutchinson Union Building gym. Over the past six years the rivalry has seen overtime thrillers and buzzer-beaters with Jordan DeRosby draining a corner jump shot à la Keith Smart and Michael Jordan. Both Smart and Jordan drained buzzer-beating jump shots from the left-
BEACON STAFF PHOTOS
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