MCC Launches Book on Community College Experiences

Contributors to
Entering the Community: Essays and Experiences

Manchester, Conn., – (June 17, 2008)… Manchester Community College recently released, Entering the Community: Essays and Experiences, a collection of writings by MCC faculty, and staff. The 118-page book provides a firsthand perspective into the experiences of teaching and working in a community college environment.

“There is a need for a book like this because of a perceived gap in the canon of writings about the community college experience,” stated Jonathan M. Daube, president of Manchester Community College. “Statistics-laden studies exist, as does some scholarly writing, but there is little narrative about what one should expect when working in a community college environment.”

Through essays and recollections, Entering the Community: Essays and Experiences explores multiple ways community college administrators, faculty, staff, and students interact with one another and with the larger community. Using community as the theme, the editors of the book Dr. James Gentile, co-chair of the English department and professor of English, and Patrick Sullivan, professor of English were tasked with linking the essays from various members of the campus community and developing a conceptual frame for the collection.

The editors of the book,
Dr. James Gentile,
co-chair of the English department
and professor of English,
and Patrick Sullivan,
professor of English.

“The book embodies the spirit of Manchester Community College – our mission, our commitment to students, our bond with one another,” stated Dr. Gentile. “It was clear that two threads were present throughout the collection – the strong sense of commitment to our mission and the bond of community which informed that commitment. I learned a lot about my colleagues and their remarkable and varied contributions to student learning and to the college itself.”

Students of any age who possess the desire to pursue higher education are welcome at Manchester Community College. MCC is proud of its academic excellence, new facilities, flexible schedules, small classes, low tuition and faculty with both academic and “real world” credentials. The College offers over 60 programs, transfer options, financial aid and scholarships, as well as access to baccalaureate degrees through guaranteed admissions programs with several universities. MCC is situated on a park-like campus and is easily accessible from I-84.