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Contact: Liz Carroll
Phone: 413/775-1420
E-mail: carroll@gcc.mass.edu

Media contact: Liz Carroll
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413/775-1420 | carroll@gcc.mass.edu

Release date: October 25, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GCC "People on the Move"

Angel Russek has been appointed Assistant Professor in Human Ecology. In addition to serving as an adjunct instructor at GCC since 2000, Russek worked with the Audubon Expedition Institute, a field-based experiential learning program that immerses students in the study of a particular region, with an environmental focus. Russek looks forward to integrating the human ecology program into other disciplines within the college. "I'm excited about the model of learning communities here at GCC,” she says, "where two faculty members collaborate on a course that brings their two disciplines together. By nature, human ecology is a really interdisciplinary course of study. It's looking at how our human world interfaces with the nonhuman world. We've created an illusory separation, but there really is no separation. We need to make choices that are more sustainable for life.” Russek has a B.S. from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Penn., and a master's degree in environmental education (M.S.) from Leslie University in Cambridge, Mass. She is a board member of the Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts, and serves on the board of overseers of the Audubon Expedition Institute at Lesley University.

Matthew Shippee has been appointed permanent, full-time Professor of Music at Greenfield Community College. A singer, songwriter, performer and teacher, Shippee earned his master's degree in ethnomusicology at the University of Michigan. He taught at Jackson Community College in Michigan and at the University of Southern Maine before coming to GCC in 2001. "This is an exciting time for the College because the music department is growing so fast,” says Shippee. "We're growing a really exciting environment of faculty and students here. We're developing strengths in music areas that community college students are interested in: jazz, popular music, and world music as well as classical music.” Shippee recently performed at the Valley Advocate's annual Grand Band Slam in Springfield with his gypsy jazz group. Upcoming appearances include Bishop's Lounge in Northampton and First Night Northampton.