More Than Just Advice

A Snapshot Profile

By Victoria Tomis 

Staff Writer

Photo by Victoria Tomis

For HCC counselor Linda Wolfson, counseling is not about giving advice.

“It’s about supporting people as they work out their own issues with the support of a non-judgemental, caring person,” says Wolfson, who has been a counselor at Housatonic for a remarkable twenty-two years. “I have learned so much from the many students that I have worked with and I believe it’s a privilege that they share their issues and thoughts with me.”

She spends part of her days counseling students in her office in Lafayette Hall A108g, but Wolfson’s role doesn’t end in her office. She is also very active in the goings on at HCC. This can be attributed to her fascination with the study of psychology as well as being a self-professed devotee of public education.

For example, Wolfson is coordinator of the Women’s Center. As such she is involved in weekly meetings, communicating between the diverse members on the board, and ensuring that the center is run smoothly on a daily basis. Along with being a safe space for students and filled with resources on women’s issues, there is a  support group. SOFA, an acronym for “Speak Our Feelings Aloud,” which addresses topics relevant to members and the college population at large.

Fourteen years ago Wolfson was approached by a student looking to set up a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) club on campus. Wolfson has been an advisor since the UNITY club’s inception.

“The students are very committed. [They] work had to make everyone feel a part of the club.” Wolfson says. “I am very proud of UNITY.”

She adds that she gets a lot out of supporting students who meet with her.

“It is a very rewarding job.” Wolfson says, smiling.

Yet Wolfson believes her work is different from being a good friend or a supportive family member. The art of counseling is very different.

“It is a skill one has to nurture with understanding that it is about the client,” she says.

A Librarian for the Students

A Staff Profile

By Jena Fracassini


Staff Writer

Photo by Jena Fracassini

Mark Gore is a book lover, like most librarians, but his favorite part of working in Housatonic’s library is definitely helping the students.

At first glance he’s tall, with slightly dark and slick hair, glasses, and an English accent. He’s probably one of the first people you see when you walk into the library, sitting at the front desk either working on his computer or helping a student.

As a seasoned employee of 25 years, he’s seen the library expand, and loves the atmosphere it has created. While his main job is Circulation, what really drives him to work every morning are things like supervising his student workers, and helping students in their academic endeavors.

Gore stumbled upon a library career when he first took a job as a student worker, while he was attending City College of San Francisco. He describes working in a library while in school as “advantageous”, because he’d have access to research materials and time to study for classes.

Gore remembers a time before computers transformed the library experience. “It was a whole different world back then,” he recalls. One enormous change was from card catalogs to online public access catalogs.

If you wanted a book, Gore says, you’d have to look through huge drawers filled with thousands of cards, then take out the card for the book you wanted and copy down the information. Replacing the cards, however, was a much more arduous task, because misplaced cards could lead to chaos in the drawers, hindering everyone else from finding their own books.

Gore also remembers typing up  overdue notices on a typewriter. “Life was more complicated back then,” he says.

Housatonic’s current library, by comparison, is a place filled with vast amounts of resources that quickly and efficiently help students. Gore is happy to take anyone on a quick tour of the library, pointing out the textbooks available for students without books, the lab materials for those studying sciences, current newspapers and magazines, group study rooms with interactive keyboards, and a whole section devoted to financial literacy.

The most rewarding times for Gore are when students come back to thank him for his help, maybe bringing a card with them or just so pleased to have done well on their exams and term papers.

He says he truly enjoys working with the students at Housatonic, and is pleased each time a student uses the library resources to help them achieve their best.  

Underage Brewing

A Snapshot Student Profile

By Jack McCandless
Staff Writer

Andrew Johnson is a difficult person to miss here at Housatonic. The attention-grabbing masses of thick brown hair about his mouth and chin is enough to make women swoon, and men bristle with jealousy.  His appearance makes it seem as though he had been plucked out of some medieval fantasy story, and dropped, right here on campus.  If he had been tugged out of the pages of a book, beard-first, then that world would soon grow thirsty, because Andrew Johnson is a home-brewer extraordinaire.  

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Johnson

At the age of 17, while watching a Swedish metal band’s music video, he and his elder brother were shown the simplicity of making homemade mead, and felt inspired to try it themselves.  After a failed attempt, some thorough internet research, several guidebooks, and a couple more attempts, Andrew came to find that he had developed a real knack for the art.  

Since his first batch, Andrew has successfully brewed a rum-soaked raisin braggart, blackberry mead, oatmeal stout, ginger saison, brown ale, amber ale, red ale, and several more besides.

Now, at the age of 20, he is working on perfecting a coffee-infused porter (a brew of his own design.)  While too young to purchase alcohol, he is legally permitted to purchase all the necessary tools and ingredients for creating his own.  While age has not diminished his creativity, he has expressed frustration about not being able to take the next step towards brewing professionally.  

“On my twenty-first birthday, every brewery in New England is going to get an application from me,” he says, eagerness and excitement plain as day on his face.  This is the expression he gets when he talks about the many brewing projects he has undertaken.  His experience with the art is substantial, and his skill as a brewer has matured with time, as surely as his beer has.  

The study of brewing has lead him to take interest in microbiology, a science that is similar to understanding the chemical process of brewing.  Currently, Andrew is a full-time student at Housatonic in his second semester, and working part-time at a Starbucks close to his home in Newtown.  

He hopes to continue his pursuit of a brewing career, by attending a specialized school in Chicago, but is willing to be content with brewing purely as a hobby, if need be.  However, as a young man with passion, drive, and such an imaginative, self-taught brewing style, it is hard to imagine any professional brewer would turn this talent away.  

Chavis Accepts Challenge of Advising

By Shannon Mitchell

Staff Writer

Look no further for help navigating through the maze affectionately known as college courses. Tracey Chavis rises to the challenge of advising the Housatonic student population.

Chavis, currently an Academic Advisor in HCC’s Academic Advising Center, is no stranger to academia. This UCONN alumnus spent decades working in various departments in higher education. His past high ranking positions include serving as a dean at St. Vincent’s College of Nursing and a Director of Financial Aid. However, these did not provide him with the student interaction he prefers.

When asked about the types of awards he’s earned over the years Chavis jokes he “can’t remember them all.” Most are merit and performance based, reflecting his continuing capability to go above and beyond. Despite this, gaining said accolades proved to be a trying task.

As one of the two academic advisors, he works with new and continuing students towards building schedules and interpreting the curriculum specific to their goals. He handles all transcript credit evaluation as well. Chavis admits that this job requires him to be a “jack of all trades.” While professors are the experts in their respective fields, in order to better serve students, he needs to have general knowledge of all academic departments. 

After working at Housatonic for 9 years, one would wonder what keeps him coming back. “It’s you young people,” Chavis remarks fondly. He says the students are his main source of motivation and encourage him to help us progress in our college years.

The self-described music fanatic “would love to see Housatonic broaden its communications department.” He wishes to supervise a radio station built for the HCC community fit with its own advertising sector for clubs and events. Chavis states that this would give anyone interested in this field hands on experience, not only with technique, but with professionalism as well.

Don’t be afraid to stop in the Academic Advising Center located in Lafayette Hall Room A111. Tracey Chavis’ calm, friendly demeanor will assist you whether it’s answering a few questions or figuring out next semester’s class. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are preferred. Just be prepared to enjoy smooth jazz playing in the background of your session.