BCC students get restless and look for answers

November 8, 2009

On November 4, 2009, a strike was coordinated by Tyrone Heppard and me on the Broome Community College campus against the Board of Trustees in hopes that something would soon change for the sake of the students, faculty and the future of the college itself.

The strike took place in the Student Center’s cafeteria at 11 am until 2:30 pm. There was entertainment including: bongo playing by Rashid, two bands: The Ryan & Arthur Band and No Way José, break dancing by Laine, Omari and others, and rapping by Tyrone. However, everyone was more concentrated on the petition that was being passed around.

Tyrone and I had our hands full though with something else, the media.

On Friday, October 30, 2009, Doug Schneider from the Press and Sun Bulletin contacted me about the press release I sent him just a few hours early that stated:

“On Wednesday November 4, 2009, there will be a Student Strike held in the Student Center Quad at Broome Community College at 11 AM. The reasoning behind the strike is to inform the BCC Board of Trustees that the students are standing with the Faculty and the Broome County Legislature: we do not approve of the BOT’s performance. Students are concerned about the effect of their faculty working without a contract. We are also concerned that the campus is without a permanent president. Both of these situations have been going on for nearly two years: for some of us, that’s our whole education here. This strike was organized by BCC students for BCC students. We are often accused of not being as engaged in our campus as other students. This is our chance to get involved and express our concerns to the Board of Trustees and the public. We are exercising our First Amendment rights to make it clear that we are aware of the issues facing our college and understand how they affect us. We are hoping for a sizable turnout for this event, and hope you will find it worth covering.”

Before Mr. Schneider called me, he called Tyrone. In my head I was preparing what I would say to the reporters if contacted, and hoped I had something good to say. When my phone rang and he said, “Hello Ashley? This is Doug Schneider from The Press and Sun Bulletin.” I became scared. My hands went clammy, and my temperature rose to something that felt like 200°. I remember some of the questions he asked. Things like: who, what, when, where and why? How big of a turn out do you expect? What is the next step after the strike? What made you come up with the idea to do this? How does this issue of no permanent president and no faculty contracts affect the students?

Although he asked me some really great questions, and I gather from his response of, “Wow, that is a really great point” (that he must have said about 50 times in a 17 minute period) that I must have said some really good comments and answers, although until I read some of my quotes in the paper on October 31 and November 2, I couldn’t remember one thing I said. I honestly do not know why I was so scared and nervous, but that 17 minute phone conversation seemed like an hour, and all I have to say is, thank God it was on the phone and not in person because I think it would have been a whole lot worse. However if I had to analyze why I was scared, I think that I would have to say it was because I knew he knew that I was one of the protest organizers and I felt like I had to be professional and articulate.

The press release was sent to four media outlets in the Binghamton area along with The Press and Sun Bulletin, they include: News Channel 34, WBNG TV Channel 12, Fox 40 and News 10 Now, in hopes that at least one would show up. On November 4, when 10:55 am rolled around and Tyrone and I were getting ready to make an announcement to begin the strike, 2 of the four channels showed up and by 11:10, the other two were there and the interviews were done.

I am not sure why, but I was more scared to talk to Mr. Schneider on the phone rather than talking to the news crew on camera in person. I was still very nervous and kind of unsure what to say, even though I had been through it many times in my head, recited it to many people who asked what was going on and why, and I even had to tell a reporter once already.

Just about the same questions were asked by the video media that were asked by the print media, except in a shorter amount of time and not as many. In the back of my mind, I kept reminding myself to not say something stupid that they may use in the broadcast. Yet, I said this, “We don’t really have too much of a say, and this is us saying that we do have something’s to say. We aren’t really mad, like get your pitchforks kind of thing. We just want to calmly tell you that we aren’t happy.” And with my luck, channel 12 thought that was a great comment to use on the 6:00 pm news. On top of all that, I have a habit of talking with my hands- not wanting to do so on camera, I resorted to facial expressions and head movements.

Overall, the strike was successful. After the strike ended, Tyrone and I, along with the help of a mutual friend, headed to Front Street where we held our signs that said things like “The Students and Faculty Stand Together” while passing motorists honked their horns and gave us thumbs up.

On Friday November 6, 2009, Tyrone and I handed a cover letter and a petition with 179 signatures to the secretary of the Board of Trustees. We will see what happens, if nothing, we will work on a second plan.

LETTER TO THE BOT

Dear Broome Community College Board of Trustees, November 6, 2009

Lately, you have been the front and center of many news stories. Some of which I am unsure you even know about.

Hi, my name is Ashley Vincent. You may not have heard, but with the help of my friend Tyrone Heppard, we organized a strike against you. He, I and many of the students are frustrated with your lack of motivation in your duties. We have taken notice in many of the issues here on campus and the large problems here are all tied back to you.

Our strike took place on November 4, 2009 in the Student Center cafeteria at 11am, and then moved it to Front Street at 3pm with picket signs. I don’t know if you heard the constant honking of horns there in the Wales building, but there were many, motorists who honked, waved and gave us thumbs up.

Honestly, we have no confidence in you. You have had many chances to show that you are worthy of our respect and have not done anything to gain it. Frankly, we are sick of it. We here all have voice; this is your job to make this college all that it can be. Right now, you are just throwing BCC away. We just want you to know that, we cannot just stand by and watch you not do anything to make BCC better.

Sincerely,

Ashley B. Vincent

Tyrone L. Heppard

And the BCC Students

Press Release- BCC STUDENT STRIKE

October 30, 2009

On Wednesday November 4, 2009, there will be a Student Strike held in the Student Center Quad at Broome Community College at 11 AM.

The reasoning behind the strike is to inform the BCC Board of Trustees that the students are standing with the Faculty and the Broome County Legislature: we do not approve of the BOT’s performance.

Students are concerned about the effect of their faculty working without a contract. We are also concerned that the campus is without a permanent president. Both of these situations have been going on for nearly two years: for some of us, that’s our whole education here.

This strike was organized by BCC students for BCC students. We are often accused of not being as engaged in our campus as other students. This is our chance to get involved and express our concerns to the Board of Trustees and the public. We are exercising our First Amendment rights to make it clear that we are aware of the issues facing our college and understand how they affect us.

We are hoping for a sizable turnout for this event, and hope you will find it worth covering.

Thank You,

Ashley B. Vincent

BCC Student

Tyrone L. Heppard

BCC Student

The Kids Are Out, Before Halloween is Even Here

October 30, 2009

They littered the sidewalks today. Little people- the ones not enough for first grade, and yet they were here on BCC campus. They weren’t here just for the heck of it- they were looking for something. CANDY! They had their pumpkin buckets and their costumes of fairies, insects and other things. I must admit, they were cuter than anything I have seen on this campus before.

They were practicing for tomorrow. Ahhh yes, tomorrow. October 31, 2009: the day of all Hallows Eve. The night that many suggest was created by the candy companies. The night of witches and ghosts, candy collecting and spooky doorsteps, scare you out-of-you-seat movies and bubbly pots and creaky doors music.

On one hand, it is the night that parents with young ones have to spend an hour dressing up their kids and painting their faces. Arranging a time to take them here, there and everywhere to show off their costumes and then up and down the streets of the local neighborhood… early so that when you get home when them, it is still light enough outside so that they can rummage through their new treasure before bed time.

One the other hand, it is a night where teens go on the attack because they are too old to trick-or-treat and too young for the cool Halloween parties. So they buy things like eggs, toilet paper and whip cream to decorate places that could land them with a ticket or with new bracelets and a vacation in jail.

Then there are those parties I mentioned. The parties where all the “older kids” dress up and dance to music all night long, then fall asleep because they just can handle being up that late, or because all the alcohol they consumed is suddenly taking them to a comatose state.

Anyway you shake it; Halloween can be a fun time- whether or not it is just a candy company conspiracy date.

Creatures and Costumes of All Kinds Take over BCC

October 29, 2009

Any other day, having the Broome Community College cafeteria packed just means that there are lots of hungry kids on campus. However, this is a different story.

I walked into the cafeteria- a place a rarely have time to visit and never really need to anyway. But I was on a mission this day. October 29, 2009. I have spent most of October planning my 3-year-old daughters Halloween costume, I never got to plan one for me. That’s okay though, I did however buy a very nice and festive Halloween shirt just a couple weeks ago.

Since I have been going to BCC for awhile, I know that when October rolls in, the plans are being finalized for the BCC Halloween Costume Contest held in the cafeteria, and this is exactly what drew me in today. Nothing was ordinary about the cafeteria today. There were spider webs hanging around, people with lots of makeup and dressed in things I am sure are not their everyday attire.

Through the bubbling pots and howling music, I could hear people whispering. “Did you see the Joker?” “Who is going to win?” The contest hadn’t begun yet and I too was already anxious to see what was in store. I had a laundry list of ideas that I thought would be present in costume form. Things like witches, goblins and ghosts with perhaps the occasional Freddie Kruger thrown in to the mix.

It was announced that there were eleven participants and that they would be judged by six people from the Student Assembly. As each contestant was called, the costume kept getting more and more interesting. To my surprise, there were no witches, no goblins and no Freddie Kruger. There was however, 1) The Joker- John 2) Gaara Naruto- Sam 3) Logan Wolverine- Jordan 4) Union Soldier and Southern Belle- Carter and Andrea 5) River Otter- Michael 6) Wolf- Katelin 7) Ghost- Daniel 8) Cat- Ryan 9) Scarecrow- Amy 10) Designated Drinker- Patricia 11) Dark Wizard- Patrick.

Some of the costumes were downright hilarious; some scared the bejesus out of me, and some were really well thought out. In the end though, there would only be one grand prize winner, a second and a third runner up, with cash prizes ranging from $50-$100. One by one, the winners were called. In third place: #4, in second place: #5 and the $100 grand prize went to #6: Katelin Wilson the Wolf.

“I heard she made the whole outfit herself. That is pretty impressive. I could have told you she would win,” said a BCC student who didn’t want to be identified.

Game 2 and it is Tied

October 29, 2009

In the back of my mind I am yelling, “Let’s go Red Sox!” only because anyone that is playing the Yankees and can essentially beat them, is a plus for Boston. So there I was, wearing my Boston hat, watching the 2009 World Series: Game 2, and with an awful turn of events, the Yankees end up winning 3-1 over the Phillies. Lesson learned: Don’t watch the game and perhaps the Yanks will lose.

There it was. The end of the 7th and the Yanks had two men on and one out. I thought for sure the Phillies were giving up and letting the Yankees take it. But when ex-Red Sox player Johnny Damon lined into a double play, Posada was not a happy camper on second.

Poor, poor Posada— thinking he was safe there on base, and he wasn’t. Man oh man did he throw a fit. Maybe this is where the line, “Why don’t you hike up your big girl panties…” comes into play.

Imagine me though- I was in all my glory when they thought that they had it clinched in that inning, so much so, that the Yankees manager, Joe Girardi stormed the field ready for a fight with the ref.

Then came the top of the eighth inning where Chase Utley grounded into double play and Shane Victorino out at second… the exact same play that just happened with Yanks in the inning before. How disappointing!

I kept yelling at the TV, “COME ON PHILLIES TAKE THEM OUT!” But they never did. The Yanks won. And now they are tied one game to one. The question still hangs in limbo: who will take it all? Ask me, and I will always say the Phillies- and not because I am their biggest fan- only because I don’t want the Yanks to win anything at all. Go Red Sox!

Butt In or Butt Out: Looking for a Solution

October 27, 2009

Citations: this seemed to be the main focus of the Butt In or Butt Out discussion held on October 27, 2009 at 11-1 pm in the Decker 201 lecture hall. (If you missed this lecture, there is another one being held 3:00 – 5:00 pm on the same date.) The discussion centered around the problem of smoking on campus. 11 people gathered to shed some of their ideas and opinions in the matter, including two Health Department Officials, Director of Campus Safety, Joseph O’Connor, and a mother of a Broome Community College student.

Four different “potential” recommendations were printed out and discussed about the smoking policy on BCC campus.

1) Change nothing about the current smoking policy- the current smoking policy entails that there are signs on every building saying that the smokers are prohibited within 25 feet of the building entrance while smoking. There is no indication of where this 25 feet mark is and no enforcement of the rule itself. Between the opinions of those in attendance to the lecture, the majority said that this option was irrelevant to the smokers because no one obeys the signs with no enforcement.

2) Demarcate and enforce the 25-foot no-smoking zones- this proposes that lines be painted on the sidewalks to indicated the 25-foot whereabouts and that when not standing behind those lines, citations can be given out by Campus Security. The majority thought this may help for a short while, but there are those who do not want to obey such rules. “The average students here at BCC are 17-20 years old. They are in the prime years to be rebels and probably will eventually not pay any attention to simple line just drawn on the sidewalk,” Said one BCC student and smoker.

3) Limit smoking to designated areas- This idea suggests that there be marked areas around campus that are just for smokers. While the handout suggested the parking lot as one place, people also named places like the gazebo, the back entrance of Titchener, the big grassy area in front of the Student Center and the area between the Business and Mechanical Buildings. “This is not going to stop people from smoking where they want to,” Said the mother of a BCC student whose daughter has a lung problem where only 40% of her lungs are workable. “No matter where these designated areas are located, there are cannot filter away the smoke. People still have to walk by the smokers and inhale. Options 1, 2, and 3 are not acceptable!”

4) Create a smoke-free (or tobacco-free) campus- This option suggests that the campus not allow any smoking on BCC property at all. “This would mean that, me as a smoker and all the other smokers who are on campus for long periods of time would have to walk to Starbucks, Regal Parking lot or Valero to have a cigarette,” said Tyrone Heppard, a BCC student and smoker. “That is just a little ridiculous I think.” However, the other place allowed would be the sidewalk right on front street which is considered public property. “That is still too far from any buildings that I have class in. That would only be accessible and reasonable for people taking classes in the Front Street building,” Heppard added.

The only options that offer citation usage are numbers 2 and 3, however most of the people present at the discussion seemed to think that citations would a good way to keep the boundaries set and enforced.

When Beliefs are Thrown Out the Window: And I End Up With a New Life to Deal With

October 16, 2009

For as long as I can remember, Christianity has been pounded in my head (although not in a bad way), just in a “we love you and this is our faith, this is how we will raise you” kind of way, and up until I became a teenager, that was fine. Then those years hit where I rebelled against someone offering me a hug. Rebel I did, and when I was 18 years old, that rebellion took on a new meaning. My grandmother, whom my mom and I were living with to take care of, died tragically while I was in my junior year in high school. Over the past couple years of living with her, we grew closer and closer than we already were.

I was in a new relationship with a boy my mom was not particularly fond of and I rebelled to the fullest by playing songs like “She’s In Love with the Boy” by Trisha Yearwood. I decided that I knew what I was going to with my life and that was- run it my way. And “run it” I did… pretty much into the ground. I stopped going to church, moved in with him, made things look worse with my mom than they really were, and barely made it through the tail end of my junior year. And within a six month period after disowning my religion for a rebellious life, I was beaten by my boyfriend, and almost committed suicide, all because I thought I was right. What I didn’t know was that my relationship with Jesus Christ is one thing I do value most.

When I was 19 years old, I found out I was three months pregnant with my first child. I was still in high school and just recently moved back in with my mom. I had been living with my boyfriend and his parents for almost six months when I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. It was an abusive relationship that I think I would have died in if I didn’t get out. When I got back home to my mom, it was Thanksgiving. When I found out in early December of 2003 that I was pregnant, I immediately called my ex-boyfriend and told him. His exact words were, “Good thing you still don’t live here with me, because I would have thrown you down the stairs to make sure you didn’t have that baby.” He continually asked me to have an abortion, but I never wanted that. I didn’t believe in it and definitely didn’t think it was right for me. I was scared like anyone else who is young and unwed and now unexpectedly pregnant. I had really only one choice to make, and whatever that decision would be- it would impact the life my unborn child forever.

By the time I showed up at the Life Choices Center, I had already decided on adoption and found a couple ready and eager to become the adoptive parents of my child. A lot of things were testing me when I was pregnant. I had Satan telling me to have an abortion and God telling me that giving this child life was the best gift I could give him or her. I had classes every week with Della. At the time, the Life Choices Center wasn’t too familiar with dealing with a young woman that was giving her child up for adoption. There were no classes for it, no videos to watch, nothing that would really help me after the fact of the adoption. But Della really filled in the blanks. She made me comfortable with the fact that I was making the right choice and that this may not be an easy road, but it was a better alternative than abortion. For the first time, I was able to know what was happening inside of me. I was able to know that she was there when I needed to talk and she understood without being judgmental.

I was an emotional mess. I was scared to go to school with a growing belly, knowing that I would be graduating with the concern that I could go into labor that same day. It was hard walking the halls of my school that senior year, my belly surpassing my feet, and me being the only one with a backpack with wheels, because I couldn’t lift too much. But somehow- the same school that I feared being rejected and I had been before I was pregnant now accepted me with open arms. I don’t think it is because they thought it was cool for me to be pregnant, but they knew my situation, knew I was scared and that I must be on the brink of going crazy with all the decision I had to make, and they were sincere in helping me. I had friends and they wanted to know all about the pregnancy. They helped me with my books and walked me to my car, and I felt accepted more than I felt like I was an outsider. They didn’t make me feel like I did something wrong and that would haunt me for the rest of my life. But I think that the reason I felt that was because it started at the Life Choices Center. Before I was accepted elsewhere, I was accepted there by Della and all her coworkers.

I was getting points for doing different things that I already did in my everyday life, like” Get good grades, go to work, go to church… etc. I was able to use those points to get things I needed for me and the baby. It was great to be able to check in with her and let her know the details of how the adoption was going and deciding things for when the day came. Della really helped me know that my walk with the Lord would help me the most. And to this day she is right.

The Life Choices Center changed the way I felt about this pregnancy. In the beginning I just wanted it to be over. I wanted the nine months to go so fast that I couldn’t remember it. But with help from Della, I was able to cherish the fact that I did something great by not only giving my biological son Ethan life, but I gave a couple something they tried so long to have. And thanks to the center, I can now explain in a good way, why I did what I did when Ethan’s questions arise.

God helped me through this hard task and just this year I was faced with another. My mom always tells me to pray for everything, and Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Of course, I always feel like something’s are too small to bring to him. My mom on the other hand finds nothing too small of a deal to take to God. Every time I tell her that I have lost something, whether it is a pen, the remote…ANYTHING… she tells me automatically to pray for it. One time, I forgot where I hid my daughter’s bag of crayons in the house after I took them from her for a punishment. With my mom on the phone, she tried to help me think of all the places they could be. In a short silence I heard her whisper and mumble something, when suddenly I found them in the one place I never thought I even put them… her closet. When I told my mom I found them she said, I just prayed God would show you where they were!

In April of 2008, I was diagnosed with the human papillomavirus, widely known by its initials, HPV. I am sure we have all heard the well-known commercial for GARDASIL. “GARDASIL is the only cervical cancer vaccine that helps protect against 4 types of human papillomavirus (HPV): 2 types that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases, and 2 more types that cause 90% of genital warts cases. GARDASIL is for girls and young women ages 9 to 26.” A Pap test is used to detect abnormal cells which may develop into cancer.

I was not happy. I was scared that mine would turn into cancer. I always have the worst of luck. My doctor told me that he would do another pap in three months to see if they were still there. In August of 2008, I had my repeat pap and the cells were still abnormal. So he said we would wait one more time until February and then if they were still there, we would do something about it.

I was confused as to why we were doing all the waiting, but after awhile it slipped my mind that I even had it. I was feeling fine and going about my normal routine every day. For weeks on end I was having someone at my church pray for me for a something else I had going on in my life at the time, and I was so caught up in praying for that, that in almost a year, I never once thought of having them pray for my HPV to go away.

The week I had my pap I remembered I sat in the waiting room thinking I didn’t really want to know the results when they would come in. However, I knew that I would have to find them out. Soon I heard, “Ashley?” I knew it was time to get this over with. I was told I would have the results that next Tuesday so as I was getting ready to find out the results, I went up that Sunday and had my HPV prayed for. I prayed that it was gone and if it weren’t that it wasn’t turning into cancer.

Finally, Tuesday came. I was getting more scared now with what my outcome would be. That fateful call came on time, and the words were so unbelievable, “Ashley, you are fine. You’re abnormal cells are gone.” I wanted to call everyone and tell them the good news. I was relieved.

Although, it wasn’t until the following Sunday when I realized what had happened. I went almost a year without bring this HPV problem to God. I brought all my other troubles and burdens to Him, except this. But the week I brought it to Him, I was freed of those cells. This was the biggest miracle that I had experienced and realized right away that the prayer had worked.

Pastor Brandon Samuel once said, “People tend to think that God is no longer in the miracle business, like He made the world and then went on vacation. He hasn’t. There is no vacation or sleep for God. He is still doing miracles every day.”

Well, if I hadn’t experienced a miracle and realized it, I don’t think I would have believed it. He IS still in the miracle business.

At this point, I am not sure where I would be without Him. In 2003, I would have been dead. Luckily I am not. I think He is the greatest value in my life and then everything I believe and value next falls in line after him.

***I took a quiz on Facebook and it told me that this was the Bible verse that describes my life: I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”***

Crosswalks Are Your Friend- Maybe…

October 15, 2009

Are you parking across from BCC in the Regal Cinema’s lot? Are you using the crosswalks to cross the street? The answers are perhaps and probably not. Most of the students who park over there decide to jaywalk across Front Street. However, I suppose it would be more classified as playing a game of chicken with the cars. With Front Street being as busy as it is, there is no logical thinking to running across the four lanes.

“They want to get killed. The students literally want to die before they graduate. If they didn’t want to die, they wouldn’t do such a thing,” says frequent Front Street driver, Louis Goldman. “I drive through here every morning, and I could have killed half the campus with my car by now. Luckily, I am a cautious driver. I once saw one of the kids drop their books in the street running across. They stopped to pick them up with no regard that the traffic could potentially end their life.”

“It’s just so much easier to find a space over at Regal or Starbuck’s. I hate looking for a space on campus,” says a Broome Community College student who always parks at Regal. “As for running across the road, I guess there really isn’t a reason for it. Maybe it’s just the adrenaline rush.”

The main question here is why would the students find the better option to dart across the street in front of the paths of cars when there are crosswalks at both sides of the campus- only a few feet from where they are doing this? Maybe it is because of the fact that they hate waiting on the crosswalk signal to light up and that the people driving are practically running pedestrians over in the crosswalk anyway, so they see no point in crossing in the designated areas.

In Boston, Massachusetts all traffic signals turn red when the crosswalk signal is lit. We may not be a big enough or busy enough city to do such a thing, but in high-traffic areas and especially in front of a busy commuting college, that should be law. Even when the sign does say that you are allowed to cross the street, the cars that are also allowed to go at the same time get very annoyed if you are doing anything less than running.

Joke Writer and BCC Alumni Gives Presentation to BCC Students

October 1, 2009

Two time graduate of Broome Community College and currently a free lance writer, Bill Lake gave a presentation for BCC’s common hour on October 1, 2009 titled “Behind the Punch lines” giving attending students an insight on the process of creating a joke that would be nationally recognized and remembered.

Lake, who is in his fifth year writing jokes for the David Letterman Show and second season writing for Saturday Night Live, began his career 10 years ago writing radio sketches. He spent two years writing jokes for radio shows in Africa and the UK, along with a customer being from Turkey. Lake says, “I would listen to the show and since my jokes were being translated, I would hear ‘blah blah blah Madonna’ and know that was my joke.”

One joke he wrote and showed was played recently on David Letterman when President Barak Obama was the guest. The joke said, “Security here is tighter than Joan Rivers face.” Which got an uproar of laughter from the Letterman audience as well as the common hour audience.

Lake also showed how to create that perfect funny joke, stating there are two main points. 1. Joke Profile- find a subject matter in the news that is a common take that everyone can relate to or has heard about. 2. Manipulation of Information- turning a tragic story or boring story into something funny by finding key words to use.

The main point stressed by Lake was the fact that free lance writing jokes was not a full time job that he could have. Being paid on $75-$100 per joke used on TV, he said that this was not a job for money; it is a job for recognition since 99% of the jokes written will never see the light of day.

BCC Student Honored

September 28, 2009

On September 28, 2009, Broome Community College was awarded with a plaque and a trophy by the Binghamton chapter of the American Red Cross to recognize an outstanding increase in blood donations on campus in the past year. In 2008-09, the BCC community donated 182 pints of blood, a 152% improvement over the previous year. Presenting the awards were District Director Brandon Gordon and Account Manager Theresa Blank to Interim President Dr. John Deans.

Also in attendance to the award presentation were the medical assisting students of BCC, Public Affairs Officer Rich David, and local media. However, Senior Medical Assisting student Sabrina Wilson stole the limelight when she was award a $1,000.00 scholarship by the Red Cross for her participation and active recruitment in blood donations. An overwhelmed and grateful Sabrina said she was “surprised” by hearing she was receiving such an award. When asked “What do you believe the importance is of blood donation?” Sabrina replied, “I know people who give blood a lot and I know a lot of people in need of blood and transfusions.”

This week, BCC held another blood drive in the Baldwin gymnasium. Those who could not make it but want to make a blood donation can call 1-800-GIVELIFE or log onto USAREDCROSS.ORG to schedule an appointment.

The Buzz Promo Video

The Buzz Promo Video

_________________ Have you heard?

_________________ Have you heard?

_________________ Have you heard about The Buzz?

_________________ Uhhh… No.

_________________ WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

_________________ The new BCC newspaper is up and running. This isn’t just any paper. This is for the students—

_________________ By the students.

_________________ Want to know about

_________________ The presidential search?

_________________ The smoking situation?

_________________ The parking situation?

_________________ Or even who the coolest band is on campus?

_________________ We are professional enough to find out about the BCC Debit Card

_________________ But not too professional to talk about the goose poop.

_________________ Getting you the information about BCC is important and now it is accessible.

_________________ Want in on this? Join us for a meeting on Thursdays at 11 am in Titchner 107.

_________________ This is “Where it all begins.”

Pick-Me-Up

September 23, 2009

This being the last semester before I graduate in December from Broome Community College with a degree in Communications, I have always considered myself a stereotypical college student. With my thought of a college student being broke, being tired, being overloaded with homework and eating the only things they can afford on their budget: Ramen Noodles.

This morning however, I felt even more like a college student. I rolled out of bed and raced around getting things together realizing that I was more tired than usual. This trait, I generally hear in other conversations as I pass by at BCC. The two stories I hear are that students are tired because of the late night studying or the late night-early morning partying. Of course, I did spend my night studying but I contributed my sleepiness to my three-year-old daughter whom is a firecracker. She is a ball of energy and generally never stops.

So my night, last night consisted of a game of tag where we run in a circle around an object (generally her rocking chair), fighting her to eat her dinner rather than a cookie, playing hide and go seek until we were blue in the face, and then fighting her to go to bed. Ahhh, the joys having to put a child to bed who consistently says she is not tired. I hate when 9 p.m. rolls in. I know that I will have to get her to the bathroom and wrestle her to use the potty and brush her teeth, tackle her to get her day-clothes off and her pajamas on, and then try to make her stay still while I tuck her in- hoping for the life of me that the games play just an hour before hand made her tired enough to fall right asleep, but knowing they probably didn’t because I categorize her as a night owl. Therefore I know that for next half-hour after getting her to bed, I will be called into her room to give her kiss, after kiss, after kiss, after kiss, for a sip of water, then she has to use the potty (again and again and again), then she wants to clean her room then, she can’t find her favorite sleeping toy, then… then… then… it feels like it never ends.

Thus, this morning I was just about as tired as a dead man. So I ruffled through my purse and book bag trying to accumulate enough change for a nice hot chocolate from McDonald’s hoping that by the time my first class ended and my creamy, delicious, caffeine-filled drink was completely consumed, that I would be nice and awake for the following classes.

Furthermore, as I exited my vehicle and head towards the building of my Communicating about Ideas class, I realized I was not the only one with a drink in tow. Everyone had something; an iced coffee or cappuccino from the Starbuck’s across the street, an unidentified mug filled with who-knows-what or a Dunkin Donuts Styrofoam cup with their “pick-me-up” drinks inside.

Thus, there I was… becoming a stereotypical college student again; this time, just with a drink.

Goodbye Guiding Light

September 18, 2009

For the most part, everyone’s life could be turned into a soap opera. There are always those instances where it seems like our lives are turning into daytime dramas. SO the question is, with our lives practically writing themselves for a 5 star rated show, how come we are so drawn to shows like Young and the Restless, One Life to Live, The Bold and the Beautiful and Guiding Light? Do we not have enough going on with ourselves that we have to be entranced by something else such as more drama?

However, this week we lost the longest running soap opera in history. Guiding Light said goodbye and farewell with its last episode airing on September 18, 2009 on CBS. Beginning on January 25, 1937, Guiding Light hit the radio airwaves, than transitioned to television June 30, 1952. Guiding Light has seen many great times and even had some well-known actors pass through, with names like Kevin Bacon, Hayden Panettiere, John Wesley Shipp and Calista Flockhart.

1983 brought some of the longest running actor/actresses to Guiding Light that made it all the way from 26 years ago until the last and final episode. Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne), Michael O’Leary (Rick Bauer), Jordan Clarke (Billy Lewis), Grant Aleksander (Phillip Granville Spaulding), and Tina Sloan (Lillian Raines) all have been crucial in the making of this drama.

We have seen it all here on our precious GL, weddings, affairs, funerals, back stabbings, kid’s births, kid’s growing up (unusually sprouting from 8 years old one week to being a high school student the next), and kid’s deaths. We have laughed, we have cried, we have felt it all with this show.

No matter how much we do or do not watch the shows and no matter how much we admit we watch them, we can usually always find a character to relate with; whether it was the pregnant Daisy who decided to have an abortion, the rich and selfish ruler Alan Spaulding, Cassie who lost her only daughter to a murder, the star crossed lovers Reva and Josh or one of the Lewis’s or Bauer’s.

Not one has become more apart of television life than Guiding Light. That is probably why it seems so hard to say our adieus.

Nevertheless, we bid Guiding Light a farewell. In hopes that this one-hour a day program changed the lives of the cast, and that in finding new jobs the Light of the show always stays with them. I know it will stay with me, no matter how crazy it sounds. “The End.”

Edwin Black Speaks to BCC Students

September 15, 2009

The buzz on campus the week September 14, 2009 was all about an upcoming speaker. The communication students of BCC had their professors telling them that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. Edwin Black, an investigative journalist, was going to talk to all the students and faculty that wanted to hear him at 11 am in Applied Technology 200. He was willing to have a question and answer part and then was prepared to meet with those who wanted to have lunch with him in the cafeteria for a more intimate discussion.

Black, who is intriguing and dynamic, talked about the holocaust and how IBM of New York was involved with the Nazi’s. Three ear-catching topics came about: The Rockefeller Foundation and its role in eugenics: “The Rockefeller Foundation financed the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute and the work of its central racial scientists. Once WWII began, Nazi eugenics turned from mass sterilization and euthanasia to genocidal murder. One of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute doctors in the program financed by the Rockefeller Foundation was Josef Mengele who continued his research in Auschwitz, making daily eugenic reports on twins. After the world recoiled from Nazi atrocities, the American eugenics movement — its institutions and leading scientists — renamed and regrouped under the banner of an enlightened science called human genetics.”

His words, which are also available in printed books, rang true. However, truth is all we would expect from this man. Esquire Magazine says, “Edwin Black is a dangerous man. He tells us things we don’t want to hear.”

Other said about Black, “[He] seeks the truth no matter if it embarrasses the people or the institution.”

When asked, how come the book was published in 2001 the school still bares Watson Research name? Black answered, “How many organizations bare the name Rockefeller? It is money. It is namesake, based upon international binary with the Nazis. Nazi Germany saved IBM.”

If you missed him at Broome Community College, he also was speaking at Binghamton University and Endicott Interconnect on September 15, 2009. He will however have 6-7 events from Binghamton to Elmira. For a copy of one of his eight books, you can head to Barnes and Nobel in Vestal, where you can find such titles as IBM and the Holocaust, The Transfer Agreement, War Against the Weak, Banking on Baghdad, Internal Combustion, The Plan, and Nazi Nexus.

“Please Don’t Wake Me…”

It hadn’t been 2 hours yet, but she missed him already with a passion that made her want to throw up. Then again, she couldn’t really remember if seeing him that night was real or just a dream. She thought for sure it had to be real; her breath still smelled of the salty fries and tasted like the spicy chicken. And them more she liked her lips, the more she tasted the Diet Coke that lingered there. She hated diet sodas ever since her father wrote that article on aspartame. However, she didn’t have Diet Coke anyway, he did. She had her Pibb xtra even though she was trying to cut soda out of her diet all together. She knew that taste on her lips must have been from his kiss. She loved that last kiss, the taste of the coke and the coldness that danced on her bottom lip from his recent sip.

She missed him. The night was perfect. Technically it didn’t go slow, the first time they looked at the time they expected not too long before she turned back into a pumpkin. Yet, it was barely 9:30. Hardly an hour passed since they first laid down under the stars on that old blanket.

They hadn’t seen each other in, honestly… years. Probably almost five. So for them to be there together, didn’t seem possible. Nevertheless, she ran through the details of the night just to make sure she knew that this would stay real to her. She didn’t want it to slip into her mind’s filing cabinet and unknowingly become something she would remember as a dream.

There they laid. His hands wrapped around her as the autumn made its way into town with the cooling of the nights. Her jacket wasn’t much and wasn’t doing its job keeping her warm. Then again, she only had a tank top on underneath and she was wearing her faithful flip flops, that by the end of the night were filled with grass clippings since no one racked them out of the park and the dew had begun to set on to the grass and made things wet and sticky. But at that moment in time, she didn’t care if she caught pneumonia from the cold she was feeling. She was just happy to be in his arms and looking in his eyes.

She hadn’t felt this way for a very long time and she was so glad she was able to be feeling it was with him. She missed him like crazy over those years and thought she would be nuts to say it aloud- especially if he didn’t feel the same way.

There they laid, his arm around her and the stars dancing in their eyes. Her nervousness hadn’t worn off and continued throughout the night. She loved him and there was no doubt about it.

Things were complicated in her life and there just seemed to be too many road blocks holding them apart, accept that night. On that night, they were able to let loose, be in each other’s company and arms and tell each other how they felt. With the stars hanging delicately over head, that is exactly what they did. They told each other what they have wanted to say for awhile.

I love you.

Lying by him and being in his presence with his arms tightly wrapped around her and their bodies warming each other’s up, she knew this one of those moments with him. He had written a song for her many years before and this moment fit the description well. This was considered one her “Please Don’t Wake Me…” moments. This one of those times with him where she just wanted time to stay still and she would be able to be there with him forever- however, there never is suck luck. (No matter how many wishes she made on the first star of the night or the time when the clock was all one number.)

Maybe they only had a few minutes left before the night ended and they weren’t sure when they would see each other again, but in those moments a kiss was able to say they would see each other again sometime.

Fortunately, they had the moments of the night and the picture of themselves to hold them over until the next “Please Don’t Wake Me” moment that would happen to them.

So for now, just please don’t wake me, because I would love to replay that night in my head, until I can be with him again.

Meet the Man Who Runs the Editorial Page for the Buzz

August 28, 2009

“Effing adorable,” that is how he describes himself, and to say the least, he is just that. Tyrone L. Heppard is a 24 year old young African-American man born and raised in Johnson City, New York since May of 1985. He attended and graduated from Johnson City High School where he claims he became a “dedicated Wildcat. Rarrr!”

At Broome Community College, he strives to become a journalist. A passion he says he has because, “I feel that not only people have the obligation to know what’s going on around them, but they also have the responsibility to report the important things to each other with honor and integrity; I want to be a part of that. I want to report the truth.”

When he is not studying things like reporting, image theory or media and society, he is found listening to some of his favorite music performed by bands and artists like Warren Zevon, Pantera, Queen, T.I., My Chemical Romance or Motley Crue on his Mp3 player. He also enjoys the movies Clerks and Mallrats as well as the book American Psycho.

However, do not ask him if he has a Facebook account. He gets very defensive in saying, “I despise MySpace and Facebook.” If you want to contact him, you better ask for his cell number, he does have one of those. Spiders and conservatives are also on the list of dislikes. But as for the “likes” column, he says that music, games and beer are more like “loves.”

He recalls one of his worst experiences being when he got hit by a van on the way to work (GameStop in the mall of course, because Tyrone loves his gaming) while riding his bike. He wasn’t injured but he remembers it well. I think we would all remember getting hit by a van pretty well, no matter the circumstance.

Tyrone, the one who wants to make the world laugh, and accomplishes that really well when he opens his mouth. Honestly, you never know what will come out if it. Therefore, I leave you with this last quote from him, “Ashley, since we have two classes together, why don’t you buy the book for this class and I will buy the book for the other class, and we can just share. We will save money. We’re in a recession you know?”