Student Spotlight Archive

	Year 2009-2010 Month November 2011 June 2011 April 2011 February 2011 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 Student Culinary Calculation Cluster Umaru Barrie Patrice Barrett Winnie Chan Lisette Crime Matthew Heron Michele Karas Yassine Khitass Veronika Kivenson Luke Smith Uyen Synder Arkie Tadesse Jose Velney Patty Whalen Sponsor Burtons Grill With Love, Michele Charles River Conservancy Harvard University-REU MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering Greater Boston Food Bank Centro Latino de Chelsea Books of Hope Zoo New England Lynn Probation Department Boston Rescue Mission Cramer Productions UMass Boston Community Servings Program Action Research Project Behavioral Sciences Biology Criminal Justice Culinary Arts Culinary Arts - Baking Engineering English as Second Language Media Communications Neurobiology Serve Boston Service Learning Visual and Media Arts Web Development
November 2011 Jose Velney Service Learning, Learning Community Cluster Community Servings "Anyone can donate money, but actually coming and being a part of something really counts." For Josue Velney, a Fire Science major, being a part of the community is a natural instinct, one that he has dedicated his life to. From serving in the Marine Corp, to being a Somerville Fire Fighter; Josue manages to stay in touch with his community through every aspect of his life. It's just natural! So it was pretty natural that Josue signed up for a Learning Community Cluster called It all Adds Up this past summer that combined the course content with community service. Integrating Math 094 and a Learning Community Seminar, Professors Khaled Abukhidejeh and Larissa Schyrokj themed the class around ideas of hunger and poverty; allowing students to also to see the effects of poverty through volunteering at two community based organizations, the Boston Rescue Mission and Community Servings. "We were a part of the community when we volunteered" says Josue. "You can't really fully understand the complexities of the problem until you see it first-hand." At the Boston Rescue Mission the class helped in serving three different meals the Mission provides to the community. The first meal is open to anyone in the Boston community, the second for residents of the shelter and third for the staff and employees. "Meeting and talking with the people, I really got to see them and their lives" Josue says. "Anyone can donate money, but actually coming and being a part of something really counts." At Community Servings, the course's math application came to life. In class, Professor Abukhidejeh provided the class with different scenarios based around cooking recipes. "He would give us a problem where we had one recipe that served 4 people and then he would ask us to expand the recipe to serve 20, 50, 100 people" Josue comments. At Community Servings, the class saw these applications within their volunteering; working with the chefs in taking single serving recipes and converting the amounts to fit larger serving sizes. "I thought it was great that my classes this summer allowed me to volunteer" Josue says. "Professor Schyrokj let us as a class decide on the things we wanted learned together, and the whole class wanted to volunteer, wanted to do something to make difference. At BHCC, Josue has been encouraged by the welcoming atmosphere for the Veteran community. He mentions in all his classes, there have been at least one or two other veterans. "Having other veterans in the class allows me to reconnect and remember the importance of service" Josue says. For Josue, the act of service and participating in one's community was ingrained in him at an early age. Growing up in Somerville, Josue traces his early entrance into the community through participating in the different activities at the YMCA. It was at the YMCA, Josue meet a Somerville Policeman who became a close mentor to Josue. "He was instrumental in helping me decide what I wanted to do in my life" Josue says. Josue now see himself as a mentor when he interacts with Somerville Youth as a firefighter. Return to Top	November 2011 Umaru Barrie Neurobiology Intern, UMass Boston "It's the best way I could have spent my summer! I feel so lucky to have been in a lab where I was able to learn and help in almost every part of the process! Umaru Barrie was one of eight BHCC students awarded a paid, full-time summer research internship through the NIH-sponsored "Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program" at UMass Boston in the Department of Biology. He interned with Principal Investigator and Associate Professor Alexia Pollack, studying the neurochemical and molecular biology structures of the brain as related to motor control functioning and disease. When Umaru walked into BHCC two years ago, surrounded by diversity and the buzz of learning, he knew he was in the right place! He had left Sierra Leone, including his parents and three brothers, to take advantage of the chance to pursue a better education in the U.S. He can now see just how his foundation has paid off and is grateful to his BHCC professors for their encouragement and support. From community college to brain surgery, if only on rats, is not a simple learning curve! Umaru credits his PI for her mentorship and support in allowing him to have a fabulous learning experience. Alexia spent long hours bringing him up to speed on neural anatomy, and Umaru reflects "It made me feel so good. If she could devote the time and sacrifice all those hours from her lab, I was motivated to put in my time and learn." He can now explain almost every detail and significance of the eight-step, five week experimental process. His lab uses rats to better understand the functioning of dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia neural structures of the brain. Dopamine depletion is widely connected to the loss of physical functioning in patients with diseases such as Parkinson's. Minor surgery was performed to inject a neurotoxin in the brain, followed by an observation period. Umaru learned how to measure physical differences in the rats' behavior using a calibrated rotometer. Later he also learned the perfusion process and used a microtome to prepare multiple cross-sections of the brains, stained and mounted on slides. This slide library would last twenty years towards further research. "It's hard, but this is how science is." Alexia warned us the experiments were graphic and it was our choice to participate in every part. "I was conflicted-- is this humane?" He found courage in the order of care given to their lab rats, probably far above that of the meat that gets onto his plate. More importantly, 'the work that goes on in this lab might one day help solve Parkinson's. I can help be part of that movement!" "I had to be really particular about being organized, and so many aspects of lab safety. It made me realize the risks and consequences of not being diligent." A mis-step could set them back over a month, or even worse prepare unreliable data. "You're busy, but you don't even realize how fast the time goes by," Umaru remarks, noting experiments can often extend beyond the 9-5. Umaru managed his lab responsibilities while also pulling A's in two upper-level physics and math on evenings and weekends. He now views his coursework in a whole new light. "In the real world, what you really need is critical thinking," he asserts, having once questioned why school was so focused on complex concepts. "In the school they give you tests," Umaru explains. "But scientists are working on problems that are not even in the books! If someone can solve puzzles, they'll be a good scientist." Umaru continues interning part-time this fall. With this experience under his belt, he's even more convinced of his dream to go to medical school. "The part I was never sure about was, could I face surgery?" Acknowledging animals are not the same, he's still had an important realization. "It's not about how you feel, it's knowing how the surgery will help." Umaru is looking beyond Boston now, hoping to transfer to Amherst College or UMass Amherst to continue on his pursuits of a career in medicine. Return to Top
June 2011 Luke Smith Service Learning, Behavioral Sciences Boston Rescue Mission "Through volunteering, I saw the classroom discussions in a new light and was able to connect new things together." Being a new full-time student at BHCC, Luke Smith challenged himself to try new things within his studies. When presented with the chance of doing a Service Learning project over an ethnic graphic study in his Cultural Anthropology course, Luke grabbed at the chance for Service Learning option. Choosing to spend his time at the Boston Rescue Mission for his Service Learning Luke immersed himself within a culture of homelessness as well as the culture of volunteerism. Providing multiple support services to homeless people in the greater Boston area, Boston Rescue Mission provides health, counseling, spiritual and food services. Positioned in downtown Boston, the Mission attracts college students as volunteers. "My goal was to observe the mental characteristics of the members of the Mission. It seems that people with mental disabilities also suffer from other disparities in life. I wanted to learn why?" Luke said when discussing why he chose to volunteer at Boston Rescue Mission. As a volunteer at the Boston Rescue Mission, Luke quickly submerged himself within the daily operations of the Mission. From serving meals to administrative tasks, Luke discovered the ins and outs of the community based organization. "I have volunteered at a few different places before, but this was the first time at such a large community organization, focused on many different things" Luke says. "I learned a lot of things, new technical skills, but more importantly I now understand the importance of building relationships" Luke says. As a regular committed volunteer at the Mission, it took time for Luke to develop relationships with its members. "People don't tell you their darkest secrets the first-time you meet them" explains Luke, "I had to work hard to gain people's trust and respect. They are used to volunteers coming and going." As a social anthropologist in training, Luke tried spending most of his time at Boston Rescue Mission observing and talking with people. "One of my goals in volunteering at a homeless shelter was that I wanted to debunk many of the myths that I had of homeless people. Everything I thought I knew about why people are homeless was turned upside down within my first few visits as a volunteer." Luke goes on to explain that volunteering with Boston Rescue Mission has helped refined his career goals. "I now know that I want my career to be in the mental health field. I want to alleviate the stereotypes that are commonly connected between mental health and homelessness." "One thing I didn't expect to think about was the attitudes and behaviors of volunteers at the Mission" Luke comments. The Boston Rescue Mission website states that since April 2008 the Mission has seen over 4,500 volunteers. "There were tons of college students volunteering at the Mission, myself included, but it appeared that most volunteers were hesitant to interact with the Mission members. Being a volunteer is all about taking risks, if you don't then what's the point to volunteering in the first place?" Return to Top	June 2011 Arkie Tadesse Media Communications Intern, Cramer Productions "It made me more confident - I can do this! This my passion!" Arkie Tadesse is one step closer to his dream of creating meaningful film documentaries after his spring internship with Cramer Productions, one of the largest digital marketing, TV commercial and web development firms in greater Boston. "Eye-opening" is how Arkie describes the opportunity to work in Cramer's two production studios as well as shooting on location. "I was exposed to so much equipment, so many types of tapes, lights, decks, cameras, and tripods…and a lot of it was expensive." Some days he'd even be sent with the van to load up additional equipment from a warehouse. One of his favorite's pieces of equipment was the J.L. Fisher, a versatile hydraulic lift dolly commonly used in Hollywood which Arkie learned some tips on how to maneuver. On a typical day Arkie might do anything from transcribing videos for the editors to assisting the stage manager and lighting effects. "It looks easy, but it's really, really complicated" he explains, referring to understanding how light bounces and refracts, and learning when to apply different gels or filters. One Saturday he recalls working a 13-hour shoot for a major ad campaign "It was very hard and a long day." It was also his most interesting project, to have the client and sales rep present alongside the actors, make-up artists, and entire production crew as they shot three different scenarios, to be edited down to three final five-minute video clips. Initiative is a requirement for this type of work. Arkie asserts "they liked me because I asked a lot of questions." He credits an enthusiastic host of co-workers for helping him to learn so much, "the best part is, they never got tired of me asking questions." It was this same initiative that helped Arkie to land his internship, by following up on a lead, dating back two years in his employment as a concierge. Arkie is thrilled to now have a host of new networking connections across the audio team, animators, stage manager, director, and producer. His advice to other interns is, "If you think you know a lot, you don't know a lot. Don't limit yourself, just go in there and do everything!" Raised in Ethiopia until he was 16, Arkie was heavily influenced by his mother's passion for the arts and grew up watching films almost every night. He knew he always wanted to do art, but Bunker Hill "helped me realize how to actually view media," recalling his professor explaining some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into "why we tell news or how advertising works." His course projects also gave him the technical foundations needed to be successful. But the biggest challenge of his internship? "Language. Everything was in the book, but in class you read it and close it. At the site, you talk it." Arkie's success has led to continued contract work with Cramer over the summer. A graduate of the class of 2011 with his A.S. in Media Communications, Arkie will transfer to Emerson this fall to pursue his Bachelors in Film Studies. He's already planning to apply for their international film internship in Prague. He thinks back to his hometown in Ethiopia, "I want to tell stories that haven't been told. I want to give people a voice—to those who don't have a voice all around the world." Return to Top
April 2011 Winnie Chan Service Learning, Visual & Media Arts Books of Hope "A website can help an organization grow and advance, the layout design is most important" Most people probably do not associate service learning projects to encompass layout designs for web pages, but Professor Yong Chen has found a way to provide his students with real life opportunities in designing web pages for local non profits. Winnie Chan, a student of Chen's in the course Graphic Design for the World Wide Web, flourished in this highly creative service learning experience. For Winnie, learning how to be professional in working with a client was an added bonus. Starting at the beginning of the semester, Chen introduced the service learning project to his students. "I want to give them a real life experience" Chen says. Partnering with Soul Brown of Book of Hope, a Somerville based, youth literacy empowerment program that seeks to develop the next generation of young authors, Soul was enthusiastic for the opportunity to help develop the organization's website. Books of Hope works with Somerville youth in the Mystic Learning Center, youth in the program use their creative writing to publish annual journals and go on speaking tours during the summer. "Soul came to the class and we talked through her short-term, long-term goals for the website. We wanted to make sure the website helped Soul grow the group" Winnie says. Understanding the organizational needs and aspirations was important in designing the layout of the webpage. As a class, Winnie explains how they wanted to make sure the organization was properly represented through the layout. Winnie says, "Even though I never met anyone at Books of Hope, Soul made me feel like I was there, a part of the program." Using Photoshop to design the layout, each student piloted a new webpage. Professor Chen then took the best two and the class worked together to further develop the pages. The class was very professional in working with Books of Hope. "I really learned what it's like in handing customers" Winnie says. The class stuck to the timeline that was agreed upon with Soul and Soul routinely visited the class to check in and answer questions. For Winnie the time spent working as group with her classmates was most valuable. Winnie says, "I learned by looking at the work of my fellow classmates. I'm limited with my own ideas for a design, but in looking at other designs, I get new ideas." Collaboration and teamwork are needed skills within all career fields and through Service Learning, Winnie and her classmates gained new insights and skills in how to better work within a team setting. Coming to the class, Winnie explains how she was set in graphic design work for print medium. "I wanted to make posters and ads for magazines and businesses" she says. Through the course, she now recognizes how graphic design can be transferred to an online setting. Winnie says, "I'm now more interested in web development and designing websites." Return to Top	April 2011 Lisette Crime Criminal Justice Intern Lynn Probation Department "The intake process of interacting with criminals was a challenge at times. But I enjoyed feeling part of the team. I would love to do it again!" Lisette Crime's career goals seem to befit her surname. On pace to earn her Associates Degree in Criminal Justice this May, she hopes to eventually work as a detective, and interned last semester the Lynn District Court Probation Department. A testimony of motivation and determination, Lisette balanced her full-time student schedule with being the mother of a four-year old son and also working at the Lynn Community Health Center as a medical assistant. Lisette's introduction to working in the justice system was a bit less sensational than the network dramas she enjoys watching. "Before I started I was nervous because this was my first experience ever in the criminal justice field," Lisette says. She was usually at the courthouse ten hours a week, handling criminal records and probation files to ensure that necessary documentation was available during legal proceedings. She also conducted intake interviews of people who had been recently placed on probation. Lisette, a Lynn native, occasionally saw people she knew from her hometown at the courthouse but never let those awkward encounters affect her internship. Her work experience as a medical assistant reinforced the principle of privacy that is also very important within the legal system. The staff of the probation department made sure Lisette was exposed to a wide range of cases and procedural tasks. Lynn Assistant Chief Probation Officer Brian Orlandella, who supervised Lisette during her internship, took classes at BHCC during the early 1990's and fondly remembers the instructor they have in common, crediting Professor James Dilday for piquing his interest in the U.S. Constitution and the law. Orlandella says that Lisette "completed our internship with professionalism and diligence" and he sees a lot of potential in Lisette. "Her willingness to listen and ask appropriate questions expedited her knowledge of how the court and probation systems work." Lisette also welcomed the opportunity to attend high-stakes courtroom sessions. "There was a murder case, actually, that I sat in on, and keeping all emotions aside was a big challenge," she said. Lisette's experience opened her eyes to the possibility of a career as a probation officer but her long-term goal is still to become a detective. During her internship she was able to speak to some detectives who gave her an idea of the path she'd need to follow, which begins with taking the Massachusetts Civil Service Exam. She was encouraged to hear that many police departments are looking to hire more women and minorities as detectives. Lisette realizes that she'll have to spend a few years as a uniformed officer to achieve her goal and says, "whatever it takes to get where I want to go, I'll give it a try." Lisette appreciated the chance to gain experience related to her coursework while learning about careers in criminal justice. Her advice to students considering an internship is simple. "Grab onto the learning experience. Take what you learn and bring it to your career." Perhaps in a few years, Lisette will have earned the distinctive title, Detective Crime. Return to Top
February 2011 Uyen Synder Service Learning, Engiish as Second Language Centro Latino de Chelsea "I didn’t look at it like teacher-student, I looked at it like friend to friend." Even though it’s Uyen Snyder’s career goal to become an accountant, during the fall 2010 semester she volunteered her time as an English teacher. A native of Vietnam, Uyen takes English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at BHCC. ESL courses at BHCC are designed to improve a person’s language skills before enrolling in degree or certificate programs. This past fall, Uyen’s Academic Reading and Writing class included a service learning project with community based organization Centro Latino. Centro Latino, located in Chelsea, is a community center that provides a wide range of services to Latinos and new immigrants in Eastern Massachusetts. The organization assists with job skills development, promotion of HIV/AIDS awareness, assistance with immigration issues, and free computer and ESL classes. During the three different visits to Centro Latino, Uyen was paired with a young woman hoping to learn English after coming to the U.S. from El Salvador. "I thought it would be difficult,” Uyen says. “I was nervous because I had never been a teacher." Before the first tutoring session, the two classes causally talked and spent time getting to know each other, which proved to be helpful to calming fears of having to teach. Uyen says, “She talked about where she came from and I introduced where I came from. I felt more comfortable with her after getting to know her a little." After exchanging some background information, Uyen and her partner read the assigned reading together and discussed the central topics of the readings. Talking through the main points of the reading, Uyen was able to help develop her partner’s comprehension and vocabulary. “I didn’t look at it like teacher-student," she says, “I looked at it like friend to friend." This approach undoubtedly benefited Uyen as much as it did her partner. "I liked it. I learned and practiced what I learned right away" Uyen says. Professor Lindsay Naggie offers support to her students during the tutoring sessions. Naggie comments on Uyen in saying "Uyen saw in her partner things that she used to do that’s she trying to leave behind and change in order to better speak and understand English." Instead of focusing on individual words, for example, Uyen learned to look at an entire sentence in order to make sense of the individual words. She encouraged her partner to try the same technique. As an adjunct ESL professor at BHCC, Naggie taught classes at Centro Latino. After becoming a full-time BHCC faculty member in January 2010, she recognized a unique opportunity for a service-learning partnership between the school and the community organization. She soon began taking her students to Centro Latino for their tutoring sessions. “I know what it’s like to have a group of volunteers in the classroom," she says, "and what a difference it makes in the lives of those students who don’t have those resources like the language lab." Return to Top	February 2011 Patrice Barrett Event Planning Intern Zoo New England “When I would work the final event and see the families have a great time - I always made sure they got what they wanted and I knew they enjoyed all of my help.” Party planning isn’t at the top of the list of things one might associate with an internship at the zoo; however, as BHCC Hospitality student Patrice Barrett learned, the many birthday bashes and community events that take place at the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo require plenty of preparation. Patrice spent the summer of 2010 creating promotional flyers, processing invoices, answering phone calls and emails, and performing other clerical duties as part of Zoo New England’s internship program. The Zoo New England Development and Marketing Internship offers valuable experience to students who are interested in marketing, communications, event planning, public relations and nonprofit organizations. The workplace environment gives students an idea of the organizational and interpersonal skills necessary for successful event planning. Through her internship, Patrice also gained confidence in the knowledge she’d acquired at BHCC. She adapted quickly to her work environment, recalling things she’d learned in class and applying them to her work at the Zoo. "Right before I did my internship I did event planning [at BHCC] and we did a lot of events for the school,” she says, "I'd seen invoices here at Bunker Hill, and I had an idea of it but I didn't actually create my own." She was able to combine her classroom knowledge with the electronic invoice system used at the zoo without missing a beat. Patrice worked mostly on children’s birthday parties. She handled the booking of several parties, corresponding with different departments at the zoo to make sure everything that parents asked for was provided for them. One of the major projects that Patrice contributed to was National Night Out, a celebration for community-based organizations that took place last August at the Franklin Park Zoo. The event, which recognized youth, police, and neighborhood watch groups, included free admission to the Zoo, food, and entertainment from local musicians. Patrice's hard work on National Night Out and other events drew praise from Heidi Hakes, who coordinates the internship program. "Patrice was a great worker during her time here," says Hakes, "she was ready to learn and was able to work quickly and handle different tasks simultaneously." Patrice hopes to begin a career in event planning after earning her bachelor's degree and her internship experience served to reinforce her ambitions. "I want to do be a banquet director at a hotel," she says, "Because it’s not only one event. It could be a meeting, a wedding reception, a party. It’s always something new." Her outstanding work at the zoo shows that she’ll have no problem adapting to a busy work environment. Return to Top
November 2010 Culinary Calculation Cluster Service Learning, Culinary Arts The Greater Boston Food Bank “Hunger is one of our biggest problems” During the week before Thanksgiving, aromas of apple, cinnamon, banana, cranberry, orange, and pumpkin fill the air as students in BHCC's Introduction to Culinary Arts learning community cluster fulfill orders for loaves of gourmet bread. The wonderful smells result from the effort of students participating in the Project Bread program, which donates all proceeds to The Greater Boston Food Bank. With 275 loaves ordered at $5 each and more expected to be sold in the Culinary Arts dining room, this year’s fundraising event has already generated a significant amount of money to be donated. Culinary Professors, Chefs Marybeth Barton and George Kelley implemented Project Bread, a service learning project in the fall of 2005. Each fall the cluster chooses a community organization whose mission is to combat hunger in society. Project Bread has been able to provide funds to the Pine Street Inn, Rosie's Place, the Villa Victoria, and this year the Greater Boston Food Bank. A goal of the Culinary Arts program is for students to see the positive impact their profession can have on society. "Hunger is one of our biggest problems,” says culinary student Bernard Rogers, "it feels good to know that I’m making a difference." Students in the cluster course, which consists of three courses; Introduction to Culinary Arts, Principles of Baking and Topics in Career Math are responsible for spreading the word around campus, preparing and baking the bread, and most importantly generating sales. Marybeth Barton, chair of the Hospitality Department, has supervised Project Bread since it began at BHCC five years ago. While many students may ultimately find employment at one of Boston’s countless posh eateries it’s important, Chef Barton says, that they remember that “not just the wealthy need to eat.” She notes that an emphasis on service learning ensures that student know that the money they raise is headed towards a worthy cause. Student Maria Taylor echoes her instructor’s sentiment, "it makes me feel like I’m helping out because there are a lot of people in need.” Sherlan John is equally proud to be involved in the project. "I think it’s nice that we take the time to donate to people that need help," she says, "I hope we keep it up," If the success of this year’s program is any indication, Project Bread will continue to generate funds—and fragrances—in the future. Bunker Hill Community College is no stranger to working with the Greater Boston Food Bank. This past October, the college partnered with GBFB in hosting the annual Canstruction competition. Twelve local architecture design firms volunteered their time and money to design structures made of canned foods. BHCC student volunteers assisted in the building of the structures and held a canned food drive on campus during the exhibition. This year Canstruction brought in 29,694 pounds of food, equivalent to 22,842 meals. Return to Top	November 2010 Yassine Khitass Engineering Intern MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering, Summer REU "I love challenges. I was scheduled to be in the lab from nine until five, but sometimes I stayed until eight at night, or later. It's amazing to be surrounded by so many people working towards scientific discoveries, and the opportunities to see results." While many college students used the summer months to travel or relax, Yassine Khitass spent his time immersed in physics and chemical engineering concepts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Yassine was one of two BHCC students accepted into the competitive summer REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) Community College program at MIT’s Center for Material Sciences and Engineering in Cambridge. Students are chosen on the basis of their academic standing, faculty recommendations, and research interests. The nine-week program began with a three-day symposium featuring faculty research presentations and tours of related laboratories. And at the end of the first week? A test! Students must prove their mettle by passing a two-hour test, demonstrating they possess the academic foundations and chemical hygiene and safety standards necessary to be matched to a specialized research project for the remainder of the summer. "They want you to learn," Yassine explains, though he admits it was a proud relief to finally be placed in the joint research lab of Principal Investigators Dr. Michael Rubner, CMSE Director and Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering, and Dr. Robert Cohen, Professor of Chemical Engineering. Yassine supported research aimed at improving the anti-reflective properties of Poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/Silica Nanoparticle 50 nm, a polymer with practical uses that include providing protection against broadband ultraviolet light on eyeglass lenses and serving as a coating for solar panels used to generate "green" energy. Under the direction of graduate student Wui Siew Tan, Yassine learned to use specialized instruments that aided his experimentation with advanced concepts like spectroscopic ellipsometry, surface profilometry, reflectance and transmittance, and atomic force microscopy. Participating in regular meetings of his research group, Yassine gratefully describes his supervisor and all of the laboratory staff as "very friendly and approachable, and helped me to learn a lot." At the end of the program, he also presented his research in a poster session attended by the MIT community. Yassine's summer internship has helped to redefine his future plans, "working with graduate students inspired me to go further than a Master's and to pursue my PhD." He discovered he really thrived in this intense research environment, often visiting other research groups just to explore their results and brainstorm scientific ideas. Now this highly-motivated BHCC student appears well on his way to achieving his career goal of becoming a Prinicipal Investigator at a major university one day, perhaps even back at MIT. Return to Top
October 2010 Matthew Heron Serve Internship, Serve Boston Charles River Conservancy "I'm not the only one trying to make a difference." Matthew Heron realized the importance and impact of community involvement, as a participant in the Offices of Community Engagement and Internship Programs' Serve Boston program. Matt says, "Now when I walk around the Charles River in Cambridge I think, I've cleaned that area before. I am more connected to where I live because of volunteering at the Charles River Conservancy." Through the Serve Boston program, Matt completed over 200 hours of volunteer service at local non-profit in Cambridge called the Charles River Conservancy. The Charles River Conservancy focus is on preserving the Charles River Parklands from the Museum of Science to the Watertown Bridge; through beautification projects and educational awareness activities. At CRC, Matt worked to organize volunteer events for college students, corporations, and families. "I wanted to push myself. I’d never volunteered before Serve Boston" Matt says. By helping to lead and assist CRC's volunteer opportunities, doors were opened for Matt to meet many other college students across Boston. This was unexpected benefit of his service, to share time with various peers and student leaders of private and public universities in Boston, and give him new insights on schools he might even hope to transfer to. Before volunteering with CRC, Matt only thought of the Charles River as dirty and gross. In his volunteer work, Matt learned the rich history of the Charles River, as well as the current environmental threats. Additionally, as his first foray in an office setting, he expected the office environment to be structured and serious, but Matt was elegantly surprised. Rather, he discovered the office setting at CRC to be causal and relaxed. "We would get coffee together before work" he explains to discuss projects, goals and progress on his assignments. In his role of assisting the volunteer coordinator, Matt realized how much he can accomplish. He says, "Everyone at CRC had the same goal, and we were all empowered to work towards those goals independently." Having the supportive environment to complete project on his own at CRC, Matt now understands the significance of being proactive in life and how much he can accomplish independently. Matt’s goals are to eventually start his own car mechanic business. "Volunteering made realize I can do things on my own. I can carry out tasks and find the appropriate resources if I need." Return to Top	October 2010 Veronika Kivenson Biology Intern Harvard University, School of Materials Science and Engineering Summer REU "I've learned so much! I know I still want to do science. I also discovered that a research lab is not like the classroom. It can be long hours and experiments don't always work. That eleventh week when it finally worked - that was a glorious day!" REU - A research experience for undergraduates. Every summer, prominent institutions of higher education open their doors to provide rich learning opportunities for students across the sciences. Veronika Kivenson, was one of three BHCC students (and the only Community College students among 60 nationwide) selected for a competitive summer internship at Harvard University in Materials Science Veronika interned in one of the renowned labs of George Whitesides amongst 13 other research fellows and graduate students. Her project? Using C.Elegans in Microfluidics. Under the mentorship of Postdoctoral Fellow Anna Laromaine, Veronika learned how to prepare and assemble a layered polymer device the size of a small cracker that, in essence, created a giant swimming pool for the tiny C.Elegans worms to maneuver through various channels. With the help of a statistics program, the lab compared the swimming frequency of a control group against an exposure group, measuring the toxic effects of various substances on the worms. Veronika explained “C.Elegans bear a 60-80% homology to humans. It's shocking, but true. "The ability to use microfluidics makes the applications of drug toxicity studies much more economic and efficient. Her lab developed this device and is now trying to optimize it to eventually be able to use for commercial pharmaceutical testing. Veronika also chose to live in one of the Harvard dorms for the summer. "It was really cool. I didn't expect to get along so well with the other students I met from MIT and Princeton, California and South Carolina. I miss having that common space to hang out." Coming home from long hours in the lab sometimes, it was very rewarding to experience this side of college community and residential life, able to wind down and connect with others similarly just making it home from their labs. The extra hours were not required by her internship program, but Veronika was deeply motivated to achieve results. At ten weeks, two-thirds of her classmates were at the same point—just beginning to see results. "My mentor was great and really patient. She put in a lot of time to help me figure out what to do and how to fix problems. Now I really understand what a day is like in the life of scientist. It takes an adjustment to watch your experiment 12-15 hours per day." Veronika is extremely grateful to BHCC faculty and staff who helped her to get this opportunity and overcome the lengthy application process, particularly Biotechnology Professor Belinda Kadambi. She is continuing to work in the lab this semester on a paid, part-time basis. "Now my boss thinks it's hilarious. I'm making lists of work for her to do, reminders of what still needs to be taken care of." It is a lot of hard work, but hopefully before her mentor leaves in March, Veronika will be co-author on a paper to be published … just one more accomplishment to add to her resume. Return to Top
September 2010 Michele Karas Action Research, Learning Community Seminar With Love, Michele "I think there's good in all the world and that people are looking for a connection. When I am an old lady I want to know that I can say… wow, I really did have a lot of friends, and I've made a difference." Years ago driving in her Corvette in search of a nearby beach, Michele Karas discovered the town of Winthrop. "Winthrop is what has made me strong; the neighbors welcomed me, took me in and have made me feel a part of the community, and for them, I am thankful," says Michele as she recounts her early interactions with Winthrop locals. Since Michele's landing at Winthrop, she has become more than just a community member. Currently, Michele works as the town's Director of Information Systems and is involved in several community groups in Winthrop. Like Winthrop, here at BHCC Michele is known by many. From professors, to students, even to campus security, her name is familiar due to Michele’s non-profit project called With Love, Michele. As a student in Monica Poole’s Learning Community Seminar, This Land is Your Land; Michele was given an action research assignment, where she must identify a social issue facing Massachusetts. Once Michele identified the social issue of domestic violence, she was given the charge of proposing ways to solve domestic violence. She interviewed community members, researched the various national support groups for domestic violence victims, and decided that an online blog was a way to help support domestic violence victims in Winthrop. The With Love, Michele blog and soon to be non-profit, is Michele’s attempt to support victims of domestic violence, as well as train Winthrop police officers in dealing with domestic violence cases. The With Love, Michele project raises awareness and financial support towards the prevention of domestic violence. "One of the many things I plan to do to raise money for With Love, Michele is to sky dive. I want people to be excited; I want them to want to jump in and save lives and fight domestic violence, and to understand that it’s real" says Michele. In addition to working with the Winthrop Police Department to enter data and paper records of domestic violence occurrences, Michele also succeeded in persuading the Winthrop town council to further recognize the issue of Domestic Violence by adopting October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is a national effort to end domestic violence. Return to Top	September 2010 Patty Whalen Culinary Arts Intern Burtons Grill "Since it was an internship, I was expecting to be thrown in and given simple work that no one wanted to do. But instead, Burtons Grill provided me with a wide range of training, and even provided me with executive chef preparation training." For Patty Whalen, a Culinary Arts internship has placed her ahead of the game by providing her an opportunity to cultivate key skills that she'll need to enter the workforce and to someday, open up her own restaurant. Patty interned this summer with Burtons Grill, a fine dining restaurant located in the heart of the Fenway that offers contemporary American cuisine and ambience. Excited about the opportunity and unsure of what to expect, Patty was taken aback by the well-organized and planned out training that awaited her arrival. Most entry-level culinary positions focus on one station of the food production experience, but in this rotational internship, Patty was able to step in and practice food preparation, line cooking, sauté, grill and salad stations, and also learn inventory and order management. Her BHCC coursework and training under Chefs Kelley and Barton prepared her well- "The highlight of my internship was being able to make my way around the line with no problem!" Her portfolio now includes items such as Scallops (native, fresh diver scallops grilled with lemon-thyme butter or bronzed with a moderate blend of cajun seasonings) and Pan-Seared Chicken & Wild Mushroom Ravioli (medallions of chicken pan seared with asparagus & crimini mushrooms in a sherry cream sauce) and her personal favorite -- fresh Creamed Corn with applewood smoked bacon, red peppers and a touch of jalapeno. Learning to master Burtons' rich menu choices wasn't Patty's only challenge. "At first, when I arrived, it was tough. A lot of people spoke Spanish and the language barrier was a bit of an issue. But after about three days, so that I could understand, everyone was speaking English, being friendly and talking to me." Patty now considers herself very fortunate to receive training from many colleagues on the job. "The chefs, managers, and workers at Burtons Grill were really excited that they had someone to teach and were all willing to share their knowledge, she says." Her intern supervisor, Burtons Executive Chef Tricia Personius, also commends Patty for asking questions, her willingness to help others, and her good attitude. Talking highly about her internship and BHCC's Culinary Arts program, Patty has high aspirations once her degree is completed. "After working and growing my experience, I hope to open up my own fine dining restaurant." She is well on her way. Return to Top

Year
- 2009-2010
Month
Student
Sponsor
Program

November 2011

Jose Velney
Service Learning,
Learning Community Cluster
Community Servings
"Anyone can donate money, but actually coming and being a part of something really counts."
For Josue Velney, a Fire Science major, being a part of the community is a natural instinct, one that he has dedicated his life to. From serving in the Marine Corp, to being a Somerville Fire Fighter; Josue manages to stay in touch with his community through every aspect of his life. It's just natural!

So it was pretty natural that Josue signed up for a Learning Community Cluster called It all Adds Up this past summer that combined the course content with community service. Integrating Math 094 and a Learning Community Seminar, Professors Khaled Abukhidejeh and Larissa Schyrokj themed the class around ideas of hunger and poverty; allowing students to also to see the effects of poverty through volunteering at two community based organizations, the Boston Rescue Mission and Community Servings.

"We were a part of the community when we volunteered" says Josue. "You can't really fully understand the complexities of the problem until you see it first-hand."

At the Boston Rescue Mission the class helped in serving three different meals the Mission provides to the community. The first meal is open to anyone in the Boston community, the second for residents of the shelter and third for the staff and employees. "Meeting and talking with the people, I really got to see them and their lives" Josue says. "Anyone can donate money, but actually coming and being a part of something really counts."

At Community Servings, the course's math application came to life. In class, Professor Abukhidejeh provided the class with different scenarios based around cooking recipes. "He would give us a problem where we had one recipe that served 4 people and then he would ask us to expand the recipe to serve 20, 50, 100 people" Josue comments. At Community Servings, the class saw these applications within their volunteering; working with the chefs in taking single serving recipes and converting the amounts to fit larger serving sizes.

"I thought it was great that my classes this summer allowed me to volunteer" Josue says. "Professor Schyrokj let us as a class decide on the things we wanted learned together, and the whole class wanted to volunteer, wanted to do something to make difference.

At BHCC, Josue has been encouraged by the welcoming atmosphere for the Veteran community. He mentions in all his classes, there have been at least one or two other veterans. "Having other veterans in the class allows me to reconnect and remember the importance of service" Josue says.

For Josue, the act of service and participating in one's community was ingrained in him at an early age. Growing up in Somerville, Josue traces his early entrance into the community through participating in the different activities at the YMCA. It was at the YMCA, Josue meet a Somerville Policeman who became a close mentor to Josue. "He was instrumental in helping me decide what I wanted to do in my life" Josue says. Josue now see himself as a mentor when he interacts with Somerville Youth as a firefighter.

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November 2011

Umaru Barrie
Neurobiology Intern,
UMass Boston
"It's the best way I could have spent my summer! I feel so lucky to have been in a lab where I was able to learn and help in almost every part of the process!
Umaru Barrie was one of eight BHCC students awarded a paid, full-time summer research internship through the NIH-sponsored "Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program" at UMass Boston in the Department of Biology. He interned with Principal Investigator and Associate Professor Alexia Pollack, studying the neurochemical and molecular biology structures of the brain as related to motor control functioning and disease.

When Umaru walked into BHCC two years ago, surrounded by diversity and the buzz of learning, he knew he was in the right place! He had left Sierra Leone, including his parents and three brothers, to take advantage of the chance to pursue a better education in the U.S. He can now see just how his foundation has paid off and is grateful to his BHCC professors for their encouragement and support.

From community college to brain surgery, if only on rats, is not a simple learning curve! Umaru credits his PI for her mentorship and support in allowing him to have a fabulous learning experience. Alexia spent long hours bringing him up to speed on neural anatomy, and Umaru reflects "It made me feel so good. If she could devote the time and sacrifice all those hours from her lab, I was motivated to put in my time and learn." He can now explain almost every detail and significance of the eight-step, five week experimental process.

His lab uses rats to better understand the functioning of dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia neural structures of the brain. Dopamine depletion is widely connected to the loss of physical functioning in patients with diseases such as Parkinson's.

Minor surgery was performed to inject a neurotoxin in the brain, followed by an observation period. Umaru learned how to measure physical differences in the rats' behavior using a calibrated rotometer. Later he also learned the perfusion process and used a microtome to prepare multiple cross-sections of the brains, stained and mounted on slides. This slide library would last twenty years towards further research.

"It's hard, but this is how science is." Alexia warned us the experiments were graphic and it was our choice to participate in every part. "I was conflicted-- is this humane?" He found courage in the order of care given to their lab rats, probably far above that of the meat that gets onto his plate. More importantly, 'the work that goes on in this lab might one day help solve Parkinson's. I can help be part of that movement!"

"I had to be really particular about being organized, and so many aspects of lab safety. It made me realize the risks and consequences of not being diligent." A mis-step could set them back over a month, or even worse prepare unreliable data. "You're busy, but you don't even realize how fast the time goes by," Umaru remarks, noting experiments can often extend beyond the 9-5.

Umaru managed his lab responsibilities while also pulling A's in two upper-level physics and math on evenings and weekends. He now views his coursework in a whole new light. "In the real world, what you really need is critical thinking," he asserts, having once questioned why school was so focused on complex concepts. "In the school they give you tests," Umaru explains. "But scientists are working on problems that are not even in the books! If someone can solve puzzles, they'll be a good scientist."

Umaru continues interning part-time this fall. With this experience under his belt, he's even more convinced of his dream to go to medical school. "The part I was never sure about was, could I face surgery?" Acknowledging animals are not the same, he's still had an important realization. "It's not about how you feel, it's knowing how the surgery will help." Umaru is looking beyond Boston now, hoping to transfer to Amherst College or UMass Amherst to continue on his pursuits of a career in medicine.

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June 2011

Luke Smith
Service Learning, Behavioral Sciences
Boston Rescue Mission
"Through volunteering, I saw the classroom discussions in a new light and was able to connect new things together."
Being a new full-time student at BHCC, Luke Smith challenged himself to try new things within his studies. When presented with the chance of doing a Service Learning project over an ethnic graphic study in his Cultural Anthropology course, Luke grabbed at the chance for Service Learning option. Choosing to spend his time at the Boston Rescue Mission for his Service Learning Luke immersed himself within a culture of homelessness as well as the culture of volunteerism.

Providing multiple support services to homeless people in the greater Boston area, Boston Rescue Mission provides health, counseling, spiritual and food services. Positioned in downtown Boston, the Mission attracts college students as volunteers. "My goal was to observe the mental characteristics of the members of the Mission. It seems that people with mental disabilities also suffer from other disparities in life. I wanted to learn why?" Luke said when discussing why he chose to volunteer at Boston Rescue Mission.

As a volunteer at the Boston Rescue Mission, Luke quickly submerged himself within the daily operations of the Mission. From serving meals to administrative tasks, Luke discovered the ins and outs of the community based organization. "I have volunteered at a few different places before, but this was the first time at such a large community organization, focused on many different things" Luke says.

"I learned a lot of things, new technical skills, but more importantly I now understand the importance of building relationships" Luke says. As a regular committed volunteer at the Mission, it took time for Luke to develop relationships with its members. "People don't tell you their darkest secrets the first-time you meet them" explains Luke, "I had to work hard to gain people's trust and respect. They are used to volunteers coming and going."

As a social anthropologist in training, Luke tried spending most of his time at Boston Rescue Mission observing and talking with people. "One of my goals in volunteering at a homeless shelter was that I wanted to debunk many of the myths that I had of homeless people. Everything I thought I knew about why people are homeless was turned upside down within my first few visits as a volunteer." Luke goes on to explain that volunteering with Boston Rescue Mission has helped refined his career goals. "I now know that I want my career to be in the mental health field. I want to alleviate the stereotypes that are commonly connected between mental health and homelessness."

"One thing I didn't expect to think about was the attitudes and behaviors of volunteers at the Mission" Luke comments. The Boston Rescue Mission website states that since April 2008 the Mission has seen over 4,500 volunteers. "There were tons of college students volunteering at the Mission, myself included, but it appeared that most volunteers were hesitant to interact with the Mission members. Being a volunteer is all about taking risks, if you don't then what's the point to volunteering in the first place?"

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June 2011

Arkie Tadesse
Media Communications Intern,
Cramer Productions
"It made me more confident -
I can do this! This my passion!"
Arkie Tadesse is one step closer to his dream of creating meaningful film documentaries after his spring internship with Cramer Productions, one of the largest digital marketing, TV commercial and web development firms in greater Boston.

"Eye-opening" is how Arkie describes the opportunity to work in Cramer's two production studios as well as shooting on location. "I was exposed to so much equipment, so many types of tapes, lights, decks, cameras, and tripods…and a lot of it was expensive." Some days he'd even be sent with the van to load up additional equipment from a warehouse. One of his favorite's pieces of equipment was the J.L. Fisher, a versatile hydraulic lift dolly commonly used in Hollywood which Arkie learned some tips on how to maneuver.

On a typical day Arkie might do anything from transcribing videos for the editors to assisting the stage manager and lighting effects. "It looks easy, but it's really, really complicated" he explains, referring to understanding how light bounces and refracts, and learning when to apply different gels or filters. One Saturday he recalls working a 13-hour shoot for a major ad campaign "It was very hard and a long day." It was also his most interesting project, to have the client and sales rep present alongside the actors, make-up artists, and entire production crew as they shot three different scenarios, to be edited down to three final five-minute video clips.

Initiative is a requirement for this type of work. Arkie asserts "they liked me because I asked a lot of questions." He credits an enthusiastic host of co-workers for helping him to learn so much, "the best part is, they never got tired of me asking questions." It was this same initiative that helped Arkie to land his internship, by following up on a lead, dating back two years in his employment as a concierge. Arkie is thrilled to now have a host of new networking connections across the audio team, animators, stage manager, director, and producer. His advice to other interns is, "If you think you know a lot, you don't know a lot. Don't limit yourself, just go in there and do everything!"

Raised in Ethiopia until he was 16, Arkie was heavily influenced by his mother's passion for the arts and grew up watching films almost every night. He knew he always wanted to do art, but Bunker Hill "helped me realize how to actually view media," recalling his professor explaining some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into "why we tell news or how advertising works." His course projects also gave him the technical foundations needed to be successful. But the biggest challenge of his internship? "Language. Everything was in the book, but in class you read it and close it. At the site, you talk it."

Arkie's success has led to continued contract work with Cramer over the summer. A graduate of the class of 2011 with his A.S. in Media Communications, Arkie will transfer to Emerson this fall to pursue his Bachelors in Film Studies. He's already planning to apply for their international film internship in Prague. He thinks back to his hometown in Ethiopia, "I want to tell stories that haven't been told. I want to give people a voice—to those who don't have a voice all around the world."

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April 2011

Winnie Chan
Service Learning, Visual & Media Arts
Books of Hope
"A website can help an organization grow and advance, the layout design is most important"
Most people probably do not associate service learning projects to encompass layout designs for web pages, but Professor Yong Chen has found a way to provide his students with real life opportunities in designing web pages for local non profits. Winnie Chan, a student of Chen's in the course Graphic Design for the World Wide Web, flourished in this highly creative service learning experience. For Winnie, learning how to be professional in working with a client was an added bonus.

Starting at the beginning of the semester, Chen introduced the service learning project to his students. "I want to give them a real life experience" Chen says. Partnering with Soul Brown of Book of Hope, a Somerville based, youth literacy empowerment program that seeks to develop the next generation of young authors, Soul was enthusiastic for the opportunity to help develop the organization's website. Books of Hope works with Somerville youth in the Mystic Learning Center, youth in the program use their creative writing to publish annual journals and go on speaking tours during the summer.

"Soul came to the class and we talked through her short-term, long-term goals for the website. We wanted to make sure the website helped Soul grow the group" Winnie says. Understanding the organizational needs and aspirations was important in designing the layout of the webpage. As a class, Winnie explains how they wanted to make sure the organization was properly represented through the layout. Winnie says, "Even though I never met anyone at Books of Hope, Soul made me feel like I was there, a part of the program."

Using Photoshop to design the layout, each student piloted a new webpage. Professor Chen then took the best two and the class worked together to further develop the pages. The class was very professional in working with Books of Hope. "I really learned what it's like in handing customers" Winnie says. The class stuck to the timeline that was agreed upon with Soul and Soul routinely visited the class to check in and answer questions.

For Winnie the time spent working as group with her classmates was most valuable. Winnie says, "I learned by looking at the work of my fellow classmates. I'm limited with my own ideas for a design, but in looking at other designs, I get new ideas." Collaboration and teamwork are needed skills within all career fields and through Service Learning, Winnie and her classmates gained new insights and skills in how to better work within a team setting.

Coming to the class, Winnie explains how she was set in graphic design work for print medium. "I wanted to make posters and ads for magazines and businesses" she says. Through the course, she now recognizes how graphic design can be transferred to an online setting. Winnie says, "I'm now more interested in web development and designing websites."

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April 2011

Lisette Crime
Criminal Justice Intern
Lynn Probation Department
"The intake process of interacting with criminals was a challenge at times. But I enjoyed feeling part of the team. I would love to do it again!"
Lisette Crime's career goals seem to befit her surname. On pace to earn her Associates Degree in Criminal Justice this May, she hopes to eventually work as a detective, and interned last semester the Lynn District Court Probation Department. A testimony of motivation and determination, Lisette balanced her full-time student schedule with being the mother of a four-year old son and also working at the Lynn Community Health Center as a medical assistant.

Lisette's introduction to working in the justice system was a bit less sensational than the network dramas she enjoys watching. "Before I started I was nervous because this was my first experience ever in the criminal justice field," Lisette says. She was usually at the courthouse ten hours a week, handling criminal records and probation files to ensure that necessary documentation was available during legal proceedings. She also conducted intake interviews of people who had been recently placed on probation. Lisette, a Lynn native, occasionally saw people she knew from her hometown at the courthouse but never let those awkward encounters affect her internship. Her work experience as a medical assistant reinforced the principle of privacy that is also very important within the legal system.

The staff of the probation department made sure Lisette was exposed to a wide range of cases and procedural tasks. Lynn Assistant Chief Probation Officer Brian Orlandella, who supervised Lisette during her internship, took classes at BHCC during the early 1990's and fondly remembers the instructor they have in common, crediting Professor James Dilday for piquing his interest in the U.S. Constitution and the law. Orlandella says that Lisette "completed our internship with professionalism and diligence" and he sees a lot of potential in Lisette. "Her willingness to listen and ask appropriate questions expedited her knowledge of how the court and probation systems work." Lisette also welcomed the opportunity to attend high-stakes courtroom sessions. "There was a murder case, actually, that I sat in on, and keeping all emotions aside was a big challenge," she said.

Lisette's experience opened her eyes to the possibility of a career as a probation officer but her long-term goal is still to become a detective. During her internship she was able to speak to some detectives who gave her an idea of the path she'd need to follow, which begins with taking the Massachusetts Civil Service Exam. She was encouraged to hear that many police departments are looking to hire more women and minorities as detectives. Lisette realizes that she'll have to spend a few years as a uniformed officer to achieve her goal and says, "whatever it takes to get where I want to go, I'll give it a try."

Lisette appreciated the chance to gain experience related to her coursework while learning about careers in criminal justice. Her advice to students considering an internship is simple. "Grab onto the learning experience. Take what you learn and bring it to your career." Perhaps in a few years, Lisette will have earned the distinctive title, Detective Crime.

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February 2011

Uyen Synder
Service Learning,
Engiish as Second Language
Centro Latino de Chelsea

"I didn’t look at it like teacher-student, I looked at it like friend to friend."
Even though it’s Uyen Snyder’s career goal to become an accountant, during the fall 2010 semester she volunteered her time as an English teacher. A native of Vietnam, Uyen takes English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at BHCC. ESL courses at BHCC are designed to improve a person’s language skills before enrolling in degree or certificate programs. This past fall, Uyen’s Academic Reading and Writing class included a service learning project with community based organization Centro Latino.

Centro Latino, located in Chelsea, is a community center that provides a wide range of services to Latinos and new immigrants in Eastern Massachusetts. The organization assists with job skills development, promotion of HIV/AIDS awareness, assistance with immigration issues, and free computer and ESL classes.

During the three different visits to Centro Latino, Uyen was paired with a young woman hoping to learn English after coming to the U.S. from El Salvador. "I thought it would be difficult,” Uyen says. “I was nervous because I had never been a teacher." Before the first tutoring session, the two classes causally talked and spent time getting to know each other, which proved to be helpful to calming fears of having to teach. Uyen says, “She talked about where she came from and I introduced where I came from. I felt more comfortable with her after getting to know her a little."

After exchanging some background information, Uyen and her partner read the assigned reading together and discussed the central topics of the readings. Talking through the main points of the reading, Uyen was able to help develop her partner’s comprehension and vocabulary.

“I didn’t look at it like teacher-student," she says, “I looked at it like friend to friend." This approach undoubtedly benefited Uyen as much as it did her partner. "I liked it. I learned and practiced what I learned right away" Uyen says.

Professor Lindsay Naggie offers support to her students during the tutoring sessions. Naggie comments on Uyen in saying "Uyen saw in her partner things that she used to do that’s she trying to leave behind and change in order to better speak and understand English." Instead of focusing on individual words, for example, Uyen learned to look at an entire sentence in order to make sense of the individual words. She encouraged her partner to try the same technique.

As an adjunct ESL professor at BHCC, Naggie taught classes at Centro Latino. After becoming a full-time BHCC faculty member in January 2010, she recognized a unique opportunity for a service-learning partnership between the school and the community organization. She soon began taking her students to Centro Latino for their tutoring sessions. “I know what it’s like to have a group of volunteers in the classroom," she says, "and what a difference it makes in the lives of those students who don’t have those resources like the language lab."

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February 2011

Patrice Barrett
Event Planning Intern
Zoo New England
“When I would work the final event and see the families have a great time - I always made sure they got what they wanted and I knew they enjoyed all of my help.”
Party planning isn’t at the top of the list of things one might associate with an internship at the zoo; however, as BHCC Hospitality student Patrice Barrett learned, the many birthday bashes and community events that take place at the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo require plenty of preparation. Patrice spent the summer of 2010 creating promotional flyers, processing invoices, answering phone calls and emails, and performing other clerical duties as part of Zoo New England’s internship program.

The Zoo New England Development and Marketing Internship offers valuable experience to students who are interested in marketing, communications, event planning, public relations and nonprofit organizations. The workplace environment gives students an idea of the organizational and interpersonal skills necessary for successful event planning. Through her internship, Patrice also gained confidence in the knowledge she’d acquired at BHCC.

She adapted quickly to her work environment, recalling things she’d learned in class and applying them to her work at the Zoo. "Right before I did my internship I did event planning [at BHCC] and we did a lot of events for the school,” she says, "I'd seen invoices here at Bunker Hill, and I had an idea of it but I didn't actually create my own." She was able to combine her classroom knowledge with the electronic invoice system used at the zoo without missing a beat.

Patrice worked mostly on children’s birthday parties. She handled the booking of several parties, corresponding with different departments at the zoo to make sure everything that parents asked for was provided for them.

One of the major projects that Patrice contributed to was National Night Out, a celebration for community-based organizations that took place last August at the Franklin Park Zoo. The event, which recognized youth, police, and neighborhood watch groups, included free admission to the Zoo, food, and entertainment from local musicians.

Patrice's hard work on National Night Out and other events drew praise from Heidi Hakes, who coordinates the internship program. "Patrice was a great worker during her time here," says Hakes, "she was ready to learn and was able to work quickly and handle different tasks simultaneously."

Patrice hopes to begin a career in event planning after earning her bachelor's degree and her internship experience served to reinforce her ambitions. "I want to do be a banquet director at a hotel," she says, "Because it’s not only one event. It could be a meeting, a wedding reception, a party. It’s always something new." Her outstanding work at the zoo shows that she’ll have no problem adapting to a busy work environment.

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November 2010

Culinary Calculation Cluster
Service Learning, Culinary Arts
The Greater Boston Food Bank
“Hunger is one of our biggest problems”
During the week before Thanksgiving, aromas of apple, cinnamon, banana, cranberry, orange, and pumpkin fill the air as students in BHCC's Introduction to Culinary Arts learning community cluster fulfill orders for loaves of gourmet bread. The wonderful smells result from the effort of students participating in the Project Bread program, which donates all proceeds to The Greater Boston Food Bank. With 275 loaves ordered at $5 each and more expected to be sold in the Culinary Arts dining room, this year’s fundraising event has already generated a significant amount of money to be donated.

Culinary Professors, Chefs Marybeth Barton and George Kelley implemented Project Bread, a service learning project in the fall of 2005. Each fall the cluster chooses a community organization whose mission is to combat hunger in society. Project Bread has been able to provide funds to the Pine Street Inn, Rosie's Place, the Villa Victoria, and this year the Greater Boston Food Bank. A goal of the Culinary Arts program is for students to see the positive impact their profession can have on society. "Hunger is one of our biggest problems,” says culinary student Bernard Rogers, "it feels good to know that I’m making a difference."

Students in the cluster course, which consists of three courses; Introduction to Culinary Arts, Principles of Baking and Topics in Career Math are responsible for spreading the word around campus, preparing and baking the bread, and most importantly generating sales. Marybeth Barton, chair of the Hospitality Department, has supervised Project Bread since it began at BHCC five years ago. While many students may ultimately find employment at one of Boston’s countless posh eateries it’s important, Chef Barton says, that they remember that “not just the wealthy need to eat.” She notes that an emphasis on service learning ensures that student know that the money they raise is headed towards a worthy cause.

Student Maria Taylor echoes her instructor’s sentiment, "it makes me feel like I’m helping out because there are a lot of people in need.” Sherlan John is equally proud to be involved in the project. "I think it’s nice that we take the time to donate to people that need help," she says, "I hope we keep it up," If the success of this year’s program is any indication, Project Bread will continue to generate funds—and fragrances—in the future.

Bunker Hill Community College is no stranger to working with the Greater Boston Food Bank. This past October, the college partnered with GBFB in hosting the annual Canstruction competition. Twelve local architecture design firms volunteered their time and money to design structures made of canned foods. BHCC student volunteers assisted in the building of the structures and held a canned food drive on campus during the exhibition. This year Canstruction brought in 29,694 pounds of food, equivalent to 22,842 meals.

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November 2010

Yassine Khitass
Engineering Intern
MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering, Summer REU
"I love challenges. I was scheduled to be in the lab from nine until five, but sometimes I stayed until eight at night, or later. It's amazing to be surrounded by so many people working towards scientific discoveries, and the opportunities to see results."
While many college students used the summer months to travel or relax, Yassine Khitass spent his time immersed in physics and chemical engineering concepts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Yassine was one of two BHCC students accepted into the competitive summer REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) Community College program at MIT’s Center for Material Sciences and Engineering in Cambridge. Students are chosen on the basis of their academic standing, faculty recommendations, and research interests.

The nine-week program began with a three-day symposium featuring faculty research presentations and tours of related laboratories. And at the end of the first week? A test! Students must prove their mettle by passing a two-hour test, demonstrating they possess the academic foundations and chemical hygiene and safety standards necessary to be matched to a specialized research project for the remainder of the summer.

"They want you to learn," Yassine explains, though he admits it was a proud relief to finally be placed in the joint research lab of Principal Investigators Dr. Michael Rubner, CMSE Director and Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering, and Dr. Robert Cohen, Professor of Chemical Engineering. Yassine supported research aimed at improving the anti-reflective properties of Poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/Silica Nanoparticle 50 nm, a polymer with practical uses that include providing protection against broadband ultraviolet light on eyeglass lenses and serving as a coating for solar panels used to generate "green" energy.

Under the direction of graduate student Wui Siew Tan, Yassine learned to use specialized instruments that aided his experimentation with advanced concepts like spectroscopic ellipsometry, surface profilometry, reflectance and transmittance, and atomic force microscopy. Participating in regular meetings of his research group, Yassine gratefully describes his supervisor and all of the laboratory staff as "very friendly and approachable, and helped me to learn a lot." At the end of the program, he also presented his research in a poster session attended by the MIT community.
Yassine's summer internship has helped to redefine his future plans, "working with graduate students inspired me to go further than a Master's and to pursue my PhD." He discovered he really thrived in this intense research environment, often visiting other research groups just to explore their results and brainstorm scientific ideas. Now this highly-motivated BHCC student appears well on his way to achieving his career goal of becoming a Prinicipal Investigator at a major university one day, perhaps even back at MIT.

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October 2010

Matthew Heron
Serve Internship, Serve Boston
Charles River Conservancy
"I'm not the only one trying to make a difference."
Matthew Heron realized the importance and impact of community involvement, as a participant in the Offices of Community Engagement and Internship Programs' Serve Boston program. Matt says, "Now when I walk around the Charles River in Cambridge I think, I've cleaned that area before. I am more connected to where I live because of volunteering at the Charles River Conservancy."

Through the Serve Boston program, Matt completed over 200 hours of volunteer service at local non-profit in Cambridge called the Charles River Conservancy. The Charles River Conservancy focus is on preserving the Charles River Parklands from the Museum of Science to the Watertown Bridge; through beautification projects and educational awareness activities. At CRC, Matt worked to organize volunteer events for college students, corporations, and families. "I wanted to push myself. I’d never volunteered before Serve Boston" Matt says.

By helping to lead and assist CRC's volunteer opportunities, doors were opened for Matt to meet many other college students across Boston. This was unexpected benefit of his service, to share time with various peers and student leaders of private and public universities in Boston, and give him new insights on schools he might even hope to transfer to.

Before volunteering with CRC, Matt only thought of the Charles River as dirty and gross. In his volunteer work, Matt learned the rich history of the Charles River, as well as the current environmental threats. Additionally, as his first foray in an office setting, he expected the office environment to be structured and serious, but Matt was elegantly surprised. Rather, he discovered the office setting at CRC to be causal and relaxed. "We would get coffee together before work" he explains to discuss projects, goals and progress on his assignments.

In his role of assisting the volunteer coordinator, Matt realized how much he can accomplish. He says, "Everyone at CRC had the same goal, and we were all empowered to work towards those goals independently." Having the supportive environment to complete project on his own at CRC, Matt now understands the significance of being proactive in life and how much he can accomplish independently. Matt’s goals are to eventually start his own car mechanic business. "Volunteering made realize I can do things on my own. I can carry out tasks and find the appropriate resources if I need."

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October 2010

Veronika Kivenson
Biology Intern
Harvard University, School of Materials Science and Engineering
Summer REU
"I've learned so much! I know I still want to do science. I also discovered that a research lab is not like the classroom. It can be long hours and experiments don't always work. That eleventh week when it finally worked - that was a glorious day!"
REU - A research experience for undergraduates. Every summer, prominent institutions of higher education open their doors to provide rich learning opportunities for students across the sciences. Veronika Kivenson, was one of three BHCC students (and the only Community College students among 60 nationwide) selected for a competitive summer internship at Harvard University in Materials Science

Veronika interned in one of the renowned labs of George Whitesides amongst 13 other research fellows and graduate students. Her project? Using C.Elegans in Microfluidics. Under the mentorship of Postdoctoral Fellow Anna Laromaine, Veronika learned how to prepare and assemble a layered polymer device the size of a small cracker that, in essence, created a giant swimming pool for the tiny C.Elegans worms to maneuver through various channels. With the help of a statistics program, the lab compared the swimming frequency of a control group against an exposure group, measuring the toxic effects of various substances on the worms.

Veronika explained “C.Elegans bear a 60-80% homology to humans. It's shocking, but true. "The ability to use microfluidics makes the applications of drug toxicity studies much more economic and efficient. Her lab developed this device and is now trying to optimize it to eventually be able to use for commercial pharmaceutical testing.

Veronika also chose to live in one of the Harvard dorms for the summer. "It was really cool. I didn't expect to get along so well with the other students I met from MIT and Princeton, California and South Carolina. I miss having that common space to hang out." Coming home from long hours in the lab sometimes, it was very rewarding to experience this side of college community and residential life, able to wind down and connect with others similarly just making it home from their labs.

The extra hours were not required by her internship program, but Veronika was deeply motivated to achieve results. At ten weeks, two-thirds of her classmates were at the same point—just beginning to see results. "My mentor was great and really patient. She put in a lot of time to help me figure out what to do and how to fix problems. Now I really understand what a day is like in the life of scientist. It takes an adjustment to watch your experiment 12-15 hours per day."

Veronika is extremely grateful to BHCC faculty and staff who helped her to get this opportunity and overcome the lengthy application process, particularly Biotechnology Professor Belinda Kadambi. She is continuing to work in the lab this semester on a paid, part-time basis. "Now my boss thinks it's hilarious. I'm making lists of work for her to do, reminders of what still needs to be taken care of." It is a lot of hard work, but hopefully before her mentor leaves in March, Veronika will be co-author on a paper to be published … just one more accomplishment to add to her resume.

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September 2010

Michele Karas
Action Research,
Learning Community Seminar
With Love, Michele
"I think there's good in all the world and that people are looking for a connection. When I am an old lady I want to know that I can say… wow, I really did have a lot of friends, and I've made a difference."
Years ago driving in her Corvette in search of a nearby beach, Michele Karas discovered the town of Winthrop. "Winthrop is what has made me strong; the neighbors welcomed me, took me in and have made me feel a part of the community, and for them, I am thankful," says Michele as she recounts her early interactions with Winthrop locals. Since Michele's landing at Winthrop, she has become more than just a community member. Currently, Michele works as the town's Director of Information Systems and is involved in several community groups in Winthrop.

Like Winthrop, here at BHCC Michele is known by many. From professors, to students, even to campus security, her name is familiar due to Michele’s non-profit project called With Love, Michele. As a student in Monica Poole’s Learning Community Seminar, This Land is Your Land; Michele was given an action research assignment, where she must identify a social issue facing Massachusetts. Once Michele identified the social issue of domestic violence, she was given the charge of proposing ways to solve domestic violence. She interviewed community members, researched the various national support groups for domestic violence victims, and decided that an online blog was a way to help support domestic violence victims in Winthrop. The With Love, Michele blog and soon to be non-profit, is Michele’s attempt to support victims of domestic violence, as well as train Winthrop police officers in dealing with domestic violence cases.

The With Love, Michele project raises awareness and financial support towards the prevention of domestic violence. "One of the many things I plan to do to raise money for With Love, Michele is to sky dive. I want people to be excited; I want them to want to jump in and save lives and fight domestic violence, and to understand that it’s real" says Michele. In addition to working with the Winthrop Police Department to enter data and paper records of domestic violence occurrences, Michele also succeeded in persuading the Winthrop town council to further recognize the issue of Domestic Violence by adopting October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is a national effort to end domestic violence.

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September 2010

Patty Whalen
Culinary Arts Intern
Burtons Grill

"Since it was an internship, I was expecting to be thrown in and given simple work that no one wanted to do. But instead, Burtons Grill provided me with a wide range of training, and even provided me with executive chef preparation training."

For Patty Whalen, a Culinary Arts internship has placed her ahead of the game by providing her an opportunity to cultivate key skills that she'll need to enter the workforce and to someday, open up her own restaurant.

Patty interned this summer with Burtons Grill, a fine dining restaurant located in the heart of the Fenway that offers contemporary American cuisine and ambience. Excited about the opportunity and unsure of what to expect, Patty was taken aback by the well-organized and planned out training that awaited her arrival.

Most entry-level culinary positions focus on one station of the food production experience, but in this rotational internship, Patty was able to step in and practice food preparation, line cooking, sauté, grill and salad stations, and also learn inventory and order management. Her BHCC coursework and training under Chefs Kelley and Barton prepared her well- "The highlight of my internship was being able to make my way around the line with no problem!" Her portfolio now includes items such as Scallops (native, fresh diver scallops grilled with lemon-thyme butter or bronzed with a moderate blend of cajun seasonings) and Pan-Seared Chicken & Wild Mushroom Ravioli (medallions of chicken pan seared with asparagus & crimini mushrooms in a sherry cream sauce) and her personal favorite -- fresh Creamed Corn with applewood smoked bacon, red peppers and a touch of jalapeno.

Learning to master Burtons' rich menu choices wasn't Patty's only challenge. "At first, when I arrived, it was tough. A lot of people spoke Spanish and the language barrier was a bit of an issue. But after about three days, so that I could understand, everyone was speaking English, being friendly and talking to me."

Patty now considers herself very fortunate to receive training from many colleagues on the job. "The chefs, managers, and workers at Burtons Grill were really excited that they had someone to teach and were all willing to share their knowledge, she says." Her intern supervisor, Burtons Executive Chef Tricia Personius, also commends Patty for asking questions, her willingness to help others, and her good attitude.

Talking highly about her internship and BHCC's Culinary Arts program, Patty has high aspirations once her degree is completed. "After working and growing my experience, I hope to open up my own fine dining restaurant." She is well on her way.

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