Community invited to
NMCC open house Friday
PRESQUE ISLE – Northern Maine Community College is inviting the public to visit the campus Friday for an Open House to kick off a weekend in the Star City that will feature both the Maine State Firefighters Convention and NMCC’s first Homecoming celebration in two decades.
The public is invited to stop by the Presque Isle campus anytime between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 10 for guided tours and a series of special activities throughout the day. The event is planned to welcome friends and community members, as well as alumni who may not have been on campus for a number of years to visit the institution and see the many changes at “The County’s College.” It is also designed for prospective future students of all ages interested in seeing and experiencing NMCC as a new academic year gets under way.
“This is a perfect opportunity for the public to drop in and see firsthand what life and learning are like today on our campus, as well as join in on some fun, enriching and educational activities we have planned,” said Karen Gonya, associate director of college relations and one of the organizers of the Open House. “We have school groups from the local area and from outside of Aroostook County who will be coming to campus that day to tour and take part in some of the events, but we certainly want to encourage community members to visit, as well.”
College students, many from the business technology department enrolled in a marketing class taught by instructor Pam Crawford, will provide guided tours of the campus, including visits to classrooms and labs throughout the day. Tours will depart from the Christie lobby at the top of each hour or as needed or scheduled by larger groups.
A table will also be set up in the Christie lobby for Open House attendees to sign up for free door prize giveaways that will include two three-credit course tuition waiver certificates and a number of items from the college bookstore. All Open House attendees will also receive a free welcome gift, some items of which will feature NMCC’s brand new slogan “Your Opportunity.”
From 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., students in NMCC’s medical assisting program will conduct free blood pressure screenings, and that same service will be offered again between 2:30-4 p.m. by nursing students. A free mini-workshop on digital photography will be offered by the college’s continuing education division from 11:30 a.m.-noon. In addition, the day will feature first-year students in several of the trade and technology labs performing hands-on work on early semester projects.
Festivities will kick into high gear from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. with a barbecue and pep rally in front of Andrews Hall in the center of campus on the lawn area overlooking Edgemont Drive. The event will feature the sounds of the Presque Isle Middle School Jazz Band and a tasty barbecue lunch prepared by NMCC’s foodservice provider, Aramark Dining Services. The cost of the lunch will be $5 per person. The event will be moved to the Reed Dining Commons in the event of inclement weather.
Also part of the lunchtime event will be a pep rally featuring the NMCC Falcons soccer team and newly appointed coach Bill Casavant, who will introduce his players to the community for the first time. The team will host two games over the Homecoming weekend – the first against a team comprised of more than two dozen NMCC alumni on the college field Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by their official Yankee College Conference opener against Eastern Maine Community College Sunday at 1 p.m. on the field at the Johnson Athletic Complex adjacent to the Presque Isle Middle School.
Open House activities continue in the afternoon with demonstrations in the NMCC Academic Success Center of some of the tutoring practices and technology being utilized to assist students and encourage them along their academic journey. “A Guide to Academic Success” will highlight characteristics of a successful student and will include handouts on tips regarding text anxiety, student skills, and other topics impacting student success. Student tutors will also be on hand to speak with visitors, who are invited to stop by anytime between 1-3 p.m.
At 2 p.m., NMCC’s Edmunds Library will host an official opening and reception for “Through the Lens of a Farmer,” a photography exhibit by Presque Isle native Laurence Park, which features more than three dozen photos of the greater Presque Isle area, some dating back as far as the late 1800s. Refreshments will be served at the opening, which continues through 4 p.m. In addition, the library will have displays throughout the day featuring college memorabilia from throughout the years, as well as a historical display with items featuring the Presque Isle Fire Department.
The Open House concludes just prior to the NMCC Alumni and Friends banquet, which will be held in the Edmunds conference center, beginning with a social at 5 p.m. Four outstanding alumni will be honored during the evening.
For more information on the Open House or to book a group tour of the campus during the day, contact Gonya at 768-2809.
