Four MCLA professor's Awarded Tenure

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Ann Billetz
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President Mary K. Grant, Vice President for Academic Affairs Steven Green and the Board of Trustees recently announced that four faculty members have been granted tenure. They include: Ann Billetz, of the Department of Biology; Michael Birch, of the Department of English/Communications; Graziana Ramsden, of the Department of Modern Languages; and Ann Scott, of the Department of Education. An assistant professor at MCLA since 2002, Billetz holds a Ph.D. in regulatory biology and a M.A. in biology from Cleveland State University in Ohio, and a B.S. in biology from Walsh College in Michigan. She was a research fellow at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s departments of Cancer Biology and Biomedical Engineering. A member of the American Society for Microbiology, the Society of Protozoologists, and the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, Billetz’s publications include articles in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research and in Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology. She teaches courses in biology, cell biology, biochemistry, human anatomy, microbiology, parasitology and human biology at MCLA. Also at MCLA since 2002, Birch, teaches courses in the areas of semiology of sound and image, theory of genre and audience reception. Other courses include those in the history of broadcasting, sport and popular music, video/audio production and history of documentary. His numerous publications include “Narratives of Madness in Media,” “Representations of Schizophrenia in Television News,” and “Creating Accepting Communities: Report of the Mind Inquiry into Social Exclusion and Mental Health Problems,” about the representation of mental health in the media. An assistant professor, Birch holds a Ph.D. in politics and communications from the University of Liverpool in England, an M.A. in cultural studies from Lancaster University in Bailrigg, Lancaster, England, and a B.A. in drama, focusing on theatre and television, from King Alfred’s College in Winchester, England. Ramsden, an assistant professor at MCLA since 2002, received her Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from the University of California at Santa Barbara,and a Laurea in Lingue e Letterature Straniere (equivalent to a Master’s degree) in Peninsular Spanish Literature from the University of Venice in Italy. She teaches courses in Spanish and Italian, literature, and film and civilization. Ramsden serves on numerous committees at MCLA, and her publications include “Manuel Puig, Pedro Almodovar and the Politics of Camp” in The Mind’s Eye, and “Cinema as the Site of Identity and Desire: El beso de la mujer anana by Manuel Puig,” in the Utah Foreign Language Review. Forthcoming papers include “Anarchy and Incest in ‘The Carnivorous Lamb’” for MCLA, and “Amores Perros and New Punk Cinema,” for West Virginia University’s Colloquium on Stage and Screen Today. Scott, who has been at MCLA since 2002, earned her Ed.D. in the Language, Literacy and Culture Program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, her M.Ed. in multicultural education at UMass-Amherst, and her B.A. in comparative literature from Smith College. Scott, an assistant professor, is the recipient of many academic honors, awards, and grants. Her published articles include “Latino Mental Health” in the Human Resource Association Conference Report, “Family Centered Services for Youth: Keeping Families Together” in Resources, “Minnie Mouse Meets Paulo Freire: Media Literacy, Praxis and Multicultural Education” in National Association for Multicultural Education. Her video productions include “Success Stories: The Mentor Program at Holyoke Community College and The Care Center.” For more information, go to www.mcla.edu .
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North Adams School Committee Applauds Award Winner, Hears Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Superintendent Timothy Callahan presents his first Superintendent's Award to Brayden Canales. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Tuesday voted to send a recommending fiscal 2027 budget to a public hearing and congratulated the newest recipient of the Superintendent's Award. 
 
Drury High School senior Brayden Canales is graduating at the top of his class with 33 college credits and a grade-point average of 4.3.
 
"In addition to his impressive list of college courses, he has rounded out his transcript with several Advanced Placement and project based learning courses," said Superintendent Timothy Callahan, adding, "I had the honor to be Brayden's principal when he began a Drury."
 
Canales is a member of both the Nu Sigma and Pro Merito honor societies and received the Principal's Award for having the top five average in his class all four years and the Rensselaer (N.Y.) Institute of Technology award for science and math as a junior outside of the classroom.
 
He's also been a member of the soccer, hockey and baseball teams and this year was presented the Berkshire County Ice Hockey Officials Association's Sportsmanship Award for his leadership. Canales has also been a peer mediator, student ambassador, among other activities.  
 
He plans to pursue a major in architecture but has not yet selected a college. 
 
The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Certificate of Academic Excellence is awarded to students who have achieved not only academically but in leadership and community service. 
 
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