VH1 Radio Host to Welcome MCLA Class of 2012

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Maria Chambers
NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will welcome back alum and MTV Networks radio director Maria Chambers as this year's convocation keynote speaker.

She will speak to the class of 2012 at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the Church Street Center. The event is open to the public.

Chambers, who graduated from what was then known as North Adams State College in 1991, began as an afternoon disc jockey before becoming one of the first women to host a morning radio show. She's hosted morning shows on WEQX in Albany, N.Y., and later for WLIR on Long Island, N.Y., broadcasting to New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut.

She'd planned to return home to the Boston area but in 1999 was offered the premiere hosting spot of VH1@Work, VH1's online radio station. Since then, she's risen through the ranks of MTV Networks, taking on the role of program director to launch VH1's Satellite Radio station, which was carried on XM radio for four years.

Chambers was the on-air host for VH1 and Westwood One's live broadcast of "The Concert for New York City," carried in every major market nationwide, in more than 13 countries, online and on Armed Forces Radio. She is in
charge of developing radio programming for several MTVN brands, and hosts VH1’s nationally syndicated "Best Week Ever" radio program.

On television, she narrated VH1's "Don't Quote Me" for two full seasons, and made appearances on several VH1 shows, including "100 Awesomely Bad Diirty Songs," "VH1's Top 20 Countdown" and its top 40 year-end
countdown shows.

Chambers has ventured outside radio with a recurring role as a reporter on the ABC soap opera "All My Children" and is the character voice of DJ Toni for the "Grand Theft Auto" video game series, including the latest "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories."


Chambers is the first in a series of speakers scheduled at the college this year. She will be followed as part of "First Days" events by writer and musician James McBride on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Church Street Center. McBride, writer-in-residence at New York University, will discuss his memoir, "The Color of Water." The saxophonist and composer also will perform with this band.

The Vadnais Lecture on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. in Murdock Hall Conference Room 218 will be given by Scott Weidensaul, author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including Pulitzer Prize finalist "Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds."

The Hardman Lecture Series, held in the Church Street Center, includes columnist and commentator David Brooks on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. and former vice presidential and presidential candidate John Edwards on Thursday, Nov. 22, also at 7.

The academic convocation on Sept. 2 is open to the public. First-year students, staff, faculty and administrators will take part in a convocation processional and recessional through the campus' symbolic gates on Church Street. MCLA's gates only are opened twice each year — to welcome new students during convocation and at commencement as graduates conclude their academic careers.

For more information, contact the office of academic affairs, 413-662-5242.


 
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Companion Corner Grey Boy at No Paws Left Behind

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a cat No Paws Left Behind still waiting for his forever home.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home. He was previously highlighted but he now has new information.

Grey Boy is 10 years old and is a gray and white domestic shorthair and was previously highlighted on Companion Corner.

The shelter's Executive Director Noelle Howland introduced us to him and his long journey to be ready for adoption.

"He's been here a couple months. He was a transfer from a rescue in Bennington. They were out of space, so we had taken him in with a few other cats. So he's been here a couple months. He came in with what we believed was a respiratory infection," she said. "So it took us a little bit to get him ready, and then he also needed a dental. So he has nice, clean teeth. He had some teeth removed, and then he has to go back in and have one more dental. So he'll be all ready to go."

It was previously thought that he has feline herpes but he was recently diagnosed with a palette fracture because of how bad his dental disease was, which is what is causing his sneezing. He can now go home with cats, a cat-savvy dog and children.

"He has had two dentals since being with us. Due to the palate fracture he will be sneezy for the rest of his life, not contagious sneezing, but that doesn’t stop him from living a perfectly happy life. He should be on wet food with chunks due to this and since he has had many teeth removed," Howland said.

Grey Boy loves to play with toys and enjoy treats. He would also love to have a window to lounge or bird-watch in.

"He is not afraid of anything. He's very curious, so I'm sure he'd love if you have windows for him to look out of. He still plays, even though he's 10 it does not stop him. So any home would be a good fit for him."

Now that he is ready to be adopted, he is excited. When you walk into the room with him he will rub up against your leg introducing himself and asking to be pet.

"Usually, I would say, when you're walking, he'll bonk into you so he might catch you off guard a little bit. He constantly is rubbing against you," Howland said. "He really, I would say he's lazy when you want him to be, and he's active when you want him to be. He'll play with toys. He's usually lounging away. And then when he comes out he'll play. He loves it. So, very friendly, easy going cat."

He is now perfectly healthy with his dentals all done and veterinary care up to date and is ready to find his forever family.

"I would say the friendliest, easiest cat you could have. He's just, he's just gonna be a little sneezy sometimes, but that doesn't stop him from doing anything," she said.

Grey Boy's adoption fee is sponsored by Rooted in Balance Counseling LLC.

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