By Erik Squire

Hello again SMCC, I hope you’ve settled nicely into your classes. No doubt by now you’ve exceeded your use of “I’m new, so I didn’t know” excuses for not doing your assignments correctly. Now it’s time to hunker down and let the serous studying begin. Hey, it’s not all bad; at least you have the student paper to look forward to! I mean right fellas?

I will use this edition of Campus Exposed to share about an event held on campus for a worthy cause. I will also discuss about a trip abroad, open to all students, that sounds quite incredible. And so, with no further ado:

A couple of weeks ago, if you read your student E-mail, you may have seen a public notice sent out on behalf of Adjunct English Professor, Paul Trahan. This announcement was of Trahan challenging ALL of SMCC’s students, faculty, staff, and administrators to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Maybe you’ve herd of this challenge (I ask facetiously), after all, it seems to have taken the FB nation by whirlwind.

In his E-mail announcement, Trahan shared a bit of why the issue of ALS hits close to home for him. He said that his mother-in-law, Lucia Moreno, who was (like the rest of us) a Community College attendee, and what sounds like, a fantastic public health and school nurse, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

In his own words: Lucia was diagnosed with ALS almost two years ago and, as many of you know, the disease has no defined cause and no known cure. It is a disease that is both physically and emotionally debilitating and always terminal.  

The event was held Thurs Sept 11^th in the late afternoon, at the HUB gym. About 25 people showed up and 4 students as well as 4 faculty members got dowsed with icy water. You can catch the video of these wet participants on the Southern Maine Community College Facebook page.

The other thing that students should know about, as previously mentioned in this article, is an academic trip to the ever beautiful Ireland. Or as SMCC’s adage puts it: Come enjoy a foreign cultural experience and earn credit at the same time during Spring Break with a trip to Ireland. You’ll stay in Killarney in County Kerry. There, you’ll meet the Irish people, immerse yourself in Irish culture and enjoy excursions to places such as Ross Castle, Dingle Peninsula and Blarney Castle, home of the famed Blarney Stone.

Given what an amazing opportunity this sounded like, I decided to ask the organizer of the trip, SMCC’s Professor McClaran, to tell us a little about what to expect of the trip and about his previous experiences taking students. He stated that this will be his 22^nd trip to Ireland with SMCC students. For many, he said, this will be their first time visiting a different country, and for others still, the first time being outside of Maine.

Professor McClaran said that students will get to see a new culture, where the use of cell phones is much less, people talk to one another, and the music is different yet incredible. He also mentioned what a beautiful country it is and that the town where they’ll be staying is on the ocean. He talked about how the students will embark on trips such as taking a glass covered boat over the Lake of Calorny and go back in time to a different ere whilst visiting historic beehive huts. He spoke of how students who had gone in previous years meet people from all over the world. Bill states, “The students usually felt that it was one of the most outstanding things they have done in their life; a truly eye opening experience.”

Professor McClaran also explained that students attend the trip for credit; they can either go for Sociology, or Criminal Justice credit. Criminal Justice students take pre-trip classes at SMCC, as well as a few held in Ireland. They will also visit a local international police station The Garda. For the Sociology course, a research paper about the trip is required.

The trip should cost roughly $1,780 – $1,899, and this includes everything (yes even airfare). Just bring extra money for spending and to cover your own lunches (okay, so almost everything). Mail Communications gives extra info below:

The trip is open to students, faculty and staff. Participants leave Friday, March 6, 2015, and return on Sunday, March 15. Space is limited.

To sign up, contact Bill McClaran at wmcclaran@smccME.edu or 741-5552.

Also look for Prof McClaran’s book in the campus bookstore: Sonny Days.