New Coordinator of Service Programs and Vista Join MCLA

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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has welcomed two new colleagues who will work to coordinate the collaboration of community service programs with students, faculty and staff. Spencer Moser began on August 1 as the Coordinator of Service Programs and Activities. He replaces Anne Geiger who left to pursue a teaching career. In addition to Moser, Massachusetts Campus Compact VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America), Katherine MacLean will join MCLA for one year working with the College and the North Adams Public Schools and city of North Adams on community collaboration initiatives. Moser comes from City Year Philadelphia, a national service organization where he supervised a team of college students and other youths who provided service and civic project work in inner city Philadelphia. Earlier in his career, he worked as the Outreach Manager and Group Leader Supervisor for the Experiment in International Living High School Summer Abroad Program. This involved coordinating both for profit and non-profit agency organizations to provide for student service and cultural exchange programs. He also participated in the U.S. Peace Corps Training at St. Helena Island and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa. At MCLA, Moser will coordinate all community service and service learning programs. Moser holds a master's degree in intercultural and international management and a B.A. in anthropology from St. Mary's College of Maryland. He is pleased to be moving back to the area saying, "I am looking forward to learning and working with the students, collaborating with faculty, and partnering with the community. My wife and I have been eager to return to New England where we lived for many years and have family. We love the outdoors, hiking and the change of seasons." Moser and his wife, Valerie, reside in Windsor. Originally from Southern Maine, MacLean has spent the last four years in Rhode Island studying at Providence College. She graduated in May with a degree in public and community service studies. In her year as a VISTA, MacLean plans to help strengthen MCLA's role in the North Adams community by increasing student learning and leadership development through both community service and service-learning. MacLean's work will advance the partnerships MCLA has already established with many community agencies and area schools, and lay the groundwork to cultivate new partnership ventures. Moser and MacLean will work in the MCLA Center for Service and Citizenship and can be reached at 413-662-5251. The MACC Americorps VISTA program assists colleges in their efforts to build mutually beneficial relationships with community-based organizations that will result in long-term partnerships and provide that foundation for successful high quality service and service-learning opportunities.
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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