Improv At Bucks

Bucks students will be putting on an improv show in the Gateway Auditorium Dec 4 and 5 at 7 p.m.

A cast of 28 eager performers will multiply the laughs in “Exponential Journey: An Evening of Comedy Improv, That Will Take You Here to There and Back Again.”

Students who take improve one and two classes will participate.

Some might have hear of improv from the show “Whose Line Is It Anyway” where actors are put on the spot and are given a situation and act it out.

Most would describe improv as “playing for adults.” It is about letting go and taking risks.

In the improv one class students learn all the different game there are to play. This is called “short form” improv, and the skits take anywhere between two to 10 minutes.

In improve two they take those games and learn to develop them farther. They call this “long form” improv. In long form improv performers try to build a story out of their skits. Skits in long-term improv can take anywhere between 10 to an hour long.

Vincent Concordia, 24, an education major from Chalfont has been doing improv for over three and a half years.

“I just can not imagine my life with improv. It has helped me through rough times and I love making people laugh.”

James McKenna, 22, a liberal arts major from Langhorn said, “Improv is absoulte freedom of creation that allows you to free yourself from the stress of everday life.”

The biannual comedy showcase is directed by Bill McLaughlin, himself a comedy veteran, who has taught improvisational performance at his alma mater for more than four years.

McLaughlin teaches all improv shows at bucks.

McLaughlin honed his comedy craft in Chicago under the tutelage of the famous Del Close, and then spent the next 25 years performing improv in New York City.

Concordia said, “McLaughlin is one of the most respectable teachers here at bucks. Everything he does is always so funny, and he always pushes us to do our best.”
Come out and support fellow students in this show.

For more information, call the Department of the Arts at 215-968-8425.

What If We're Not Alone?

“The Fourth Kind” offers the audience with an interesting storyline about alien abduction that is backed with actually visual and audio evidence.

In the movie we are introduced to Dr Abigail Tyler, a psychologist that worked in Nome, Alaska.

In one of her studies several people in Nome were experiencing traumatizing events in the middle of the night. She decided to record and videotape them to gain a light on to what was happening to this town.

“The Fourth Kind” uses this evidence to back up the events that took place in Nome. They went to an extreme extent to make sure the audience knew that every bit of evidence in this movie was real.

It stars Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil) as Dr. Abigail Tyler, Will Patton (The Punisher) who plays the town’s sheriff and Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Pirates Of The Caribbean) as a scholar and student of ancient languages.

Throughout the movie, Director Olatunde Osunsanmi interviews Tyler and talks to her about her experiences.

Since the 1960s there have been more suicides and disappearances then any other town in Alaska. The FBI has visited it over 2,000 times to look into these.

This film starts off a little slow, but after the first 20 minutes it starts to pick up the pace.

Several people in Nome claimed to have seen a white owl sitting outside their windows. The patients are hypnotized and, in many cases, hysterically recount the events that took place at night.

Actually video and sound clips reveal with shapes in the sky and disturbing images of the patient’s hypnosis.

The actors did not dramatize this film in anyway. They played actually video along with the actors to back up the evidence.

Osunsanmi made sure that the evidence did all the speaking for itself.

“The Fourth Kind” did have some disturbing parts to it, so if you are easily scared or sickened, this is not the movie for you.

Christopher Speichert, 21, networking technologies major from Bristol said, “I was in such shock that I do not even remember blinking.”

After seeing this movie it is hard not to believe that there must be life out there somewhere. Seeing how Tyler was very emotional also makes it hard not to believe it is not real.

Speichert said, “That movie really made me think twice about abductions and whether if they are real or not.”

At the end of the movie Jovovich and Osunsanmi leaves us with “we should develop our own conclusions about this.” Can there be such a thing as life in outer space?

Think about it. If we are one galaxy with one sun, and nine planets and there are trillions of galaxies…what are the chances that there is something out there?

“The Fourth Kind” is a must see, whether you are a believer or not.

The next time you look up at the stars, just remember, there could be someone looking back at you.

I give this movie an 8.5 out of 10.

Academic Team is Looking For Students Who Want To Compete

Bucks is looking for the new USA community college academic team for 2009. This special team is all thanks to USA Today, the Coca-Cola Scholarships Foundation, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.

They are seeking to honor community, junior and technical college students.

The students who are chosen will be representatives of all outstanding students at the nation’s two-year colleges.

There will be six nominees, two from each campus: Newtown, Lower Bucks and Upper Bucks.

If chosen the team members will be eligible to compete for cash awards and be recognized regionally and nationally.

They will be qualified to receive a scholarship if chosen as the top two finalists from Bucks, they will be one of the 14 part universities in the Pennsylvania State System as a part of All-State Academic Team.

Also students will be invited to attend and be recognized at the Commission for Community Colleges spring banquet in Harrisburg and they will be invited to tour the State capitol.

Liz French, 23, a nursing major from Warminster said, “That sounds pretty interesting and cool. I think everyone should have the opportunity to see their state capital.”

The criteria for students interested is they must have excel academically, must have an intellectual rigor in course study, demonstrate leadership and civic growth.

They must also use education to better themselves, their schools and the community around them.

To be eligible students must be enrolled at a community college through Dec. 2009. They must have a minimum of 36 credits completed by Dec. 31, 2009 with the intent of having 48 credits by Aug 31, 2009.

Part-time and full-time students may apply.

Also a minimum cumulative grade-point average of a 3.50 in all college credit coursework completed in the last five years.

French said, “It's always nice to have the chance to get more financial help for school especially with the economy these days.”

Students who are interested must complete an application; submit a written essay and a bulleted list of community activities and leadership positions they have had.

The essay should describe students must significant endeavor since attending community college in which they applied academic or intellectual skills from their education to benefit their school, community or society.

The endeavor may be in community/service learning, in research, in the arts, or in advocacy/public affairs.

The judges will be looking for creativity, innovation, original and lasting achievements.

If students are selected they must complete other written works as well.

Students must include name, student number, and address and phone number on their essays.

Interested students must contact Dean Karen Dawkins ASAP to declare their interest. The essay must be submitted to her by Nov. 9, 2009.

Further information is available from Dawkins (215) 968-8105 or Maureen Seibert (215) 968-8045.

New Scholarship Will Be Available

Thanks to business owners Leo and Maria Craig, there will be a new scholarship this spring that bucks students can apply for.

Leo and Maria own a local business, Express Employment Professionals, where they help companies hire qualified people for positions they are looking for.

Express Employment Professionals franchise began operation in 1993. They provide expertise in executive recruiting, human resources, and evaluation and direct hire of temporary and full-time employees.

Some of the fields include office support, accounting, IT, HR, management, warehouse and production labor.

Craig said, “This scholarship is just one more way we can equip individuals in Bucks County to build a thriving and rewarding career.”

After realizing the importance of an education they decided to put together a scholarship 13 years ago, and recently presented an $8,500 endowment to College President Dr. James J. Linksz.

“We are so thrilled that this endowed scholarship will allow us to offer an annual scholarship to students pursuing degrees at our local community college,” said Craig, “At Express, our mission is to help people succeed.”

After seeking other qualified colleges such as Temple, Holy Family University and Drexel University, they realized this endowment would help the community college more.

Tobi Bruhn, Executive Director of Foundations, said, “This could not come at a better time then now, with everything that is going on with the recession and economy, this will really help students succeed.”

Bruhn also went on to say that the applications for the community college tripled from last year, so it is good to have as much help with financial aid for students as possible.

Last year alone Bucks awarded over $170 thousand in scholarships.

The nice thing about this new scholarship is that anyone is open to it.

Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5, which are enrolled in at least 6 credits, and are applying to come back to bucks next year are allowed to apply for it.

Applicants must be Bucks County residents and submit one letter of recommendation. They must also provide documentation of recent community service activities.

This will be giving to students who demonstrate finacail need as determined by the College’s Financail Aid office.

Students applying must be in good academic and financial standing, and in conformance with the College’s Code of Conduct; all will be verified by the Foundation office.

The scholarship minimum is $500, so every little bit counts!

Starting Feb. 1 through April 1 students will be able to start applying for this scholarship, and come spring will be awarded the first time ever Express Employment Professional Scholarship.

Express Employment Professionals is located at Trevose Corporate Center, 4614 Street Road. If you are interested in looking for work, you may call (215) 322-8700 or visit the Express website at http://trevosepa.expresspros.com/.

For more information about Bucks scholarships, contact the BCCC Foundation at (215) 968-8224, scholarships@bucks.edu, or visit www.bucks.edu/scholarships.

Celtic music family band to play at Gateway Auditorium

The Martin Family Band will join us at Bucks for an evening of Celtic music, song and dance that will take place Saturday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Gateway Auditorium on the Newtown campus.

Tickets for this event are $15 each regular admission for adults, seniors, faculty and staff. Thanks to a special arrangement with CCC Celt you need to explain what this is the first time you refer to it in the story, otherwise people will be confused. , children, 12 and under will be admitted at no charge.

A limited number of free tickets are available at the Student Life Information Center for Bucks students. These free tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

This event is a co-production from The Office of Cultural and Community Programming and a local organization called CCC Celt.

The CCC Celt’s primary mission is the “care and feeding” of the Celtic Library, which was started in 1990, and is more like a collection than a library. It consists of books, CDs, DVDs, video and audio books, house primarily in the Bucks library.

All the proceeds from this event will go directly to benefit Bucks library and the students.

Jonathan Lee, the director of the Cultural and Community Programs at Bucks, is working on this unique event.

Lee said, “Tom Slattery, the director of CCC Celt, has been my partner in crime for almost 15 years now as we bring this wonderful show to the Gateway stage.”

The CCC Celt supports all aspects of the Celtic culture and has donated several trophies to Irish Feis and Scottish dance champions.

They also helped the BCCC student which bucks student? attend an international writing class in Galway, and in May 2009, awarded their sixth scholarship to the college.

The audience will be invited back after the show to meet the performers and have complementary spread of Celtic food and beverages.

Some students said they hadn’t heard about the event.


Anthony Spina, 21, a general liberal arts student from Levittown said, “To be honest, that does not really sound like my thing, but i bet some people would be really into stuff like that!”

Spina added, “I feel like it was not advertised enough, I did not even hear about it until you said something to me.”

Teshaun Glenn, 19, a computer science major from Yardley said, “It sounds very interesting. I have always found dancing fun, it would be something I would consider going to with some friends.”

Lee is looking for volunteers to work the event, including ushers, box office personnel, backstage catering assistance and more.

Volunteers are invited to attend the performance after show duties are done and will receive an additional free ticket for a friend.

If you are interested go to http://www.bucks.edu/cultural/auditorium/featureshow2.php and click on volunteers.

To purchase tickets visit any campus bookstore, Newtown Book and Record Exchange or go online to www.bucks.edu/tickets.
For general information contact leej@bucks.edu or call (215) 968-8087.

Top Ten Bars in Bucks County

Ever wonder what are the best bars in the area? After interview several students at BCCC I have compiled a list of the top ten bars in the area.

1.) Miller’s Ale House2250 East Lincoln HighwayLanghorne, PA 19047(267) 572-0750
http://www.millersalehouse.com/

“The Ale House has always been one of my favorite bars, I always run into many people I went to high school with. It has a fun and inviting atmosphere,” Bucks student Nate Moore, 30, education major from Flemington, N.J. says. “If you go there expect to see someone you know.”

The Ale House has been know for its atmosphere, if you are looking for familiar faces this is the bar for you.

2.) Langhorne Hotel
100 E Maple Ave Langhorne, PA 19047(215) 757-9295

Bucks student Jay Adonis, 24, a pre-med major from Yardley says, “They have the best wings around!” Every Wednesday night wings are 10 cents.

They also have 50 cent taco Tuesdays and 25 cent muscle Thursdays.

3.) Isaac Newton’s Bar & Grill
18 South State Street
Newtown, PA 18940
(215) 860-5100
http://www.isaacnewtons.com/main.html

Bucks student AJ Velichko, 22, a communications major from Levittown, expresses his passion for this par. “Newton’s has a chill atmosphere compared to most bars. I go there every week.”

4.) Bailey’s Bar & Grill
6922 Bristol Emilie Rd Levittown, PA 19057
(215) 946-7992

Bailey’s is another place to go if you like to run into people you know. They have a lot of good beer on tap and the food there is good.
5.) Havana Restaurant & Bar
105 S. Main Street
New Hope, PA 18938
(215) 862-9897
http://www.havananewhope.com/

Havana has a variety of local and national performers come and play there. If you enjoy a jazzy atmosphere this is the place for you. Every Wednesday from six to nine o’clock they have local jazz ensembles.

6.) Just Sports Bar & Grill
600 New Rodgers RdBristol, PA 19007
(215) 781-9556

This bar is for the sports enthusiast. They have several sports memorabilia and televisions throughout the place. Anytime you walk in you can catch the latest game that is on.

7.) Green Parrot Irish Pub & Patio
240 N Sycamore St
Newtown, PA 18940
Get Directions
(215) 504-7277
http://www.greenparrotirishpub.com/

Although the Green Parrot might be on the more expensive side of the bars, it has an unforgettable selection imported, domestic and micro-brew beers. Also if you do not like to be copped up inside, you can enjoy their beautiful patio.

8.) The Saloon
203 N Sycamore Street
Newtown, PA 18940
(215) 579-8310
http://www.thesaloon.us/

If you like to be entertained this is the bar for you. The Saloon offers several different nights that consists of music and stand up comedy. The Saloon had fine cuisine that specializes in Italian and seafood.

9.) Sandy’s Beef & Ale
2028 E Lincoln Hwy
Langhorne, PA 19047
(215) 757-9250

They are known for their famous roast beef and roast pork sandwiches. The service is fast and friendly.
10.) Lion’s Heart Pub
1118 General Washington Memorial BlvdWashington Crossing, PA 18977
(215) 493-0904

Has a nice historical atmosphere with tall ceilings and old wood. The food can be a little pricey, but the beers are reasonable prices.