A letter from Whitman Center Lifelong Learning student Katie Macaro was read to the MCCC Board of Trustees by student Alice Dewey. Here is the text of the letter.
For us in Lifelong Learning, the Whitman Center is a big part of our life. Its location and size are perfect for the older students. The building itself and the parking lot are easy to navigate. The center provides mental growth, stimulates creativity, and is a great place to prove to ourselves we can still be productive human beings. Over the years, the progress of the people in our class never ceases to amaze even us. Times were best when we were on “Senior Scholarships,” but even as paying attendees, the classes provide the worthwhile environment we need to create.
Should the Whitman Center close, what happens to those who have come to depend on the facility? Our tax dollars have been supporting the growth of MCCC for YEARS! You are what you have become because we have provided the financial wherewithal and community support.
The Whitman family was most generous regarding their donation. The location, the flexible space, and established presence in the community has made the college facility an important and integral part of our lives. Statistics show Bedford Township has more people than Monroe. Putting a satellite campus here was a smart move.
Would we go to Monroe for Lifelong Learning classes? Some may; probably more would not. Bear in mind this answer also applies to the question “Would Bedford Township’s residents vote for another MCC millage request?
What you are about to decide regarding the Whitman Center has serious long-range consequences. Please, please think before you act. There is a creative win/win solution to this problem. You just haven’t found it yet.
