Campus News In Brief

Click on any of the links below to read the article

"I Just Don't Test Well":  Overcoming Math Anxiety

New Exhibit Opens in Burt Chernow Gallery

Busy Students Need Representation, But Lack of Interest Persists

Learn Who's Got Nice Moves on Campus, and How You Can Learn Some Too. 

Nice Moves

By Latisa Pacheco

Editor

When the music started, they all knew what to expect. Men stopped to peek through the glass opening of the double doors to catch a glimpse of her. They would watch all five feet of her

slender body, and their eyes would move in the direction of her swayed hips.

She played salsa, pop, and hip hop on the radio as she danced in front of the mirror. Her attitude displayed confidence and her smile filled the room. She brought everyone alive, making them feel comfortable when she showed them her ‘“twerk, dip, and drop-it-low” moves.

Yes, Shamika Paul was an energetic Zumba instructor, according to her students.

The room was normally off limits, but not when she was there. People would line up at the front desk to sign up for one of her sessions in hopes of trying something new.

“Zumba isn’t a 1-2-3 workout routine,” said Marlene Kinchen, Theater major at Housatonic Community College. “It’s a chance to breathe and be free to have fun without restraints.”

She also remembers the sparkling belly-dancing-skirts that glowed in the dark, the bracelets, that made sure each night was different and filled with excitement.

"I enjoyed the class a lot," said James Willis, a graduate of HCC. He elaborated on how Shamika helped him learn some new dance moves.

"She was very helpful correcting me if she saw me doing something in a way that could lead to an injury."

Kelly Hope, Director of Student Activities, rehired Shamika for the fall semester because of her creativity, remembering the joy attending her classes brought her.

“She was great!,” Hope, who noted that she is also used to being the life of the party, said.

With the motto “ditch the workout, join the party,” it’s no surprise this calorie-burning-technique became a big hit. It’s estimated 15 million people around the world currently take  Zumba classes.

“I was able to lose over 47 pounds,” Paul said.

She said that she decided to teach Zumba classes due to her passion for dancing.

Zumba was created by a Colombian born Aerobics instructor named Alberto “Beto” Perez. It is for everyone, and for people of all body types. Using a salsa and merengue CD, he developed this cardiovascular workout.

Currently, classes are free to all HCC students. If you aren’t shy about shaking what God gave you then these classes are for you. They will be held every Wednesday at 5pm inside the Wellness Center located in Beacon Hall. Students do need to obtain an HCC ID and will be required to watch a one-time safety DVD in order to participate.

“I Just Don’t Test Well”

By Natalie Thomas

Staff Writer

Do you get uneasy during math tests? Sometimes so uneasy that your performance and tests grades suffer? What you are experiencing may be math anxiety, a feeling of intense frustration or helplessness about your ability to do math. Math anxiety can be a disabling condition, causing embarrassment, resentment, and even panic during tests. Luckily for Housatonic students staff members have recognized the problem and have started reaching out to help.

On September 18, Professor Eddie Rose of the Math Department facilitated a “Math Anxiety Workshop.” Rose used the workshop to help students learn the step-by-step process needed in order to be able to solve math problems.

Rose wants to change student’s perceptions of math, hoping it will help build their confidence.

He explains, “We’ll  do this class four times, the first three are focused on the step by step process needed to solve math problems properly. The fourth class will be offering tips on how to study properly and review for finals.”

This will be the second semester that Rose is going the extra mile to help his students with this Math Anxiety Workshop., The idea came to him during the spring semester of 2014.

“Students started approaching me asking me for help, then last spring around the time of finals Debbie [Kuchmas, who coordinates programs for General Studies students] came to me with the idea and I told her I would definitely do it.”

Rose feels the workshop has proven to be a success and students that have attended have responded well.

“I have a feeling that a lot of students that attended last year will be back again this time,” he said, with a noticeable satisfaction in his voice.

If you are a student suffering with these symptoms remember that Math Anxiety is not a reflection of your true ability in math. There are a number of strategies you can use to overcome the anxiety response. Hopefully struggling students at HCC will take advantage of any of  Rose’s four workshops. His hope is that you will start to notice a positive change in your attitude towards math, and see a positive change in your grades.

New Exhibit Opens In Chernow Museum

By Shannon Mitchell

Staff Writer

The HCC community, along with the public, are invited to view painter Mia Brownell’s Delightful, Delicious, Disgusting collection in the Burt Chernow Gallery located in the main lobby of Lafayette Hall.

The exhibit will be on display until Monday November 17.

Brownell’s twenty-eight paintings will be exhibited. The Chicago native’s works are food-based, frequently hinting at human sexuality, notably female sexuality. The images also resemble molecular structure with interpretations of various fruits such as apples and grapes.

In addition to being a nationally and internationally recognized artist, Brownell is also an Art instructor at another Connecticut college close to home, Southern Connecticut State University. “A critic of the food industrial complex,” Brownell strives to create parallels between the natural and artificial. Her art serves as commentary about present-day issues concerning food.

Brownell’s previous exhibitions were displayed in major cities like Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. They are also in private and public collections including the National Academy of Sciences. Media outlets such as The Boston Globe, The Village Voice, and The New York Times have reviewed and published her work as well. Currently, the J. Cacciola Gallery shows her images in New York City.

Busy Students Need More Representation, but a Lack of Interest Persists

By Jena Fracassini

Staff Writer

In a community of nearly 5,300 people, there are many voices to be represented at Housatonic. This semester, there are 5 Student Senators. That’s one senator per almost 1,000 students

Kelly Hope, Director of Student Life, here at Housatonic said, “If you think HCC is ‘whack’ or has nothing going on, it’s because you guys don’t want to plan anything, and maybe you are ‘whack’.” She’s frustrated because despite the desperate attempts by the Senate to recruit new members, there’s been little interest from the student body to participate.

Each student attending Housatonic pays an activity fee: $10 for full-time students and $5 for part-time students. This fee is used by the Student Senate for planning and conducting activities that the student body can enjoy. The Senate also approves new clubs, regulates and disperses funds to these clubs. The senators also promote things such as diversity, education, culture, and try to improve the college experience for everyone on campus.

Ideally, the Senate should have at least 1% of the student population, which would be around 50 senators. Hope recalls last fall, when the Senate had 15 members, as a greatly productive session. Members have since graduated, taken employment, or no longer have the availability to participate.

Thomas Figueiredo, a student at Housatonic, thinks, “lacking Student Senate members undoubtedly stunts community growth,”but said he doesn’t join due to not having enough time to commit.

“Our campus community needs a variety of leaders to represent our diverse needs,” said Chealsey Lancia, a Criminal Justice major here at Housatonic. “We’ll always be busy, that doesn’t change, but joining the Senate would make a real difference.” She’s currently trying to see if she can find room in her tight schedule to join.

Those interested in joining should stop by the Student Life Office located in Beacon Hall, room 317, and pick up an application. The applicant should be willing to commit around 5 hours per week, have a minimum 2.5 G.P.A, and have enough gumption to ask 50 peers to sign the application.