December 2010:May Issue.QXD
12/15/10
9:19 AM
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DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010-2011
THE PENNON IS ONLINE AT:
NO R T HS H O RE . ED U / PE N NO N
Miraculous Moments
• A Monthly Publication For The Students of North Shore Community College, Danvers, Lynn & Beverly, Massachusetts •
New Health Professions Building Will Serve You Better
BY TATIANA BURGOS-ESPINAL, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Those of us who work and attend classes on the Danvers campus every day have witnessed the steady transformation of the new Health Professions & Student Services building that is under construction. What started as a parkingswallowing crater is now a
clearly defined building showing early signs of greatness. That is because it was designed, and is being built, using systems and technologies aimed at improving performance across all metrics that matter to environmentally friendly consumers: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources. In fact, the building will be the first Zero Net public building ever built in Massachusetts, which means
INSIDE:
that every year it will produce as much or more energy than it consumes. Some of the features that will be immediately evident when the building is finished are the massive solar panels on the highest section of the roof and the “green roof” on the lowest section. The vegetation that will cover the roof garden will help keep the building cool during
the building, each one on its own floor. Both functions will be easily accessible from the first and second floor lobbies and an interior staircase will allow you to move easily between services. The floor plan on each level was laid out to insure easy and efficient access to counselors and advisors who will be able to meet with you in private office areas and confer-
the hotter months and warm in colder weather, absorb CO2, produce oxygen and filter acid rain. The roof system will also collect rain water for exterior irrigation and flushing in restrooms. If hearing about the building’s features leaves you uninspired, perhaps you would be interested in how the building will improve services to you. The Student Enrollment and Student Support Services departments will be housed in the lower two-story portion of
ence rooms outfitted with current technologies. Also, you will be able to register online and do research in a designated computer area. Students will also enjoy a lecture hall, a brand new Disability Services lab, new Veteran Services offices and a comfortable Student Lounge overlooking the green roof. Wireless computer access points will be integrated throughout the building for enhanced use of your personal
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A Letter From the Editor Page 10
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BY CHRIS RICCI Is there life after death? This is a common question we ask ourselves every so often. Some people are adamant in believing that death is permanent, and there isn’t some sort of afterlife. Others, however, don’t only believe that there is life after death but also have proof. One such person is Elissa Al-Chokhachy, and her critically acclaimed book Miraculous Moments: True Stories Affirming That Life Goes On has compiled various true-life experiences of people encountering their loved ones after they have passed on. Elissa Al-Chokhachy, MA, RN, HPCN, FT, is a nurse for Health Services here at North Shore, and a good portion of the stories compiled in her book are accounts from North Shore staff members and Alumni. “The stories kind of happened,” Elissa starts. “I might have been talking to them and it came up in conversation, or I may have just asked, ‘have you heard from a loved-one who has passed on?’ Then I would offer them an opportunity, if they would like to share, to tell me their story for this book about life after death and I would invite them. Those who are featured in the book are the ones that decided to take me up on the invitation.” Her interest in the subject of a possible afterlife started shortly after a family tragedy occurred. Two weeks after the sudden and tragic death of her 29 year-old cousin, Elissa was visited by him. “It was so vivid, I remember it like it was yesterday,” says Elissa. “It was undeniably real, I will never forget
What is the “QSA?” Page 6
it.” Years after this event, Elissa began to work in hospice (a job she continues to this day) where she faced death on an almost daily basis. She also encountered mourning families who
Elissa’s Book
were having trouble coping with the death of their loved ones. “They would say ‘if I only knew my loved one would be alright’ and I would be able to say that they would be fine, and I could say it not because I learned it, but because I experienced it.” After helping families cope, she began to think about a sort-of universal resource that could serve as reassurance for grieving families. “I thought ‘Wouldn’t it be great if others could know about these experiences?’” said Elissa, “what if there was a resource full of experiences that could safely say that yes, life does continue after death. but back in the early 90’s that didn’t exist.” In 1998, Elissa decided to begin Miraculous Moments and finished it over ten years later. “The original copy of the book was three times the length that it is now!” she laughed. “The pubCONTINUED ON PAGE 3
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