Page 19 - ThePhoenix1995-96

f---~------ ~-------- ------------------- ~- ------- --------------- On the Hill The Phoenix Thursday, September 28, 1995, Page 7 John Quin new to BY NICKI KASSOLIS relates that the job was National College StqffWriter "very interesting," For as long as he can remember, while being "very Poetry Contrast John Quinn, campus safety officer, has stressful." always had an interest in the Jaw. That Retirement from interest lead this Baltimore native to a the secret service A college poetry contest will promising career in the United States brought Quinn to the Secret Service. WMCcampus. Helives be open to all college & uni- That interest also lead Quinn to his in Finksburg and wanted current position as a member of the to work closer to home; versity students desiring to Western Maryland College campus making WMC an ideal safety division. So these days instead local. Quinn began his have their poetry antholo- of guarding the president, Quinn is at- work here as a campus gized. Cash prizes will be tempting to make the WMe campus a safety officer and as the safe place for everyone. chief investigator on awarded tht top five poems. Upon graduation from Dunbar April I, 1995. Even High School. Quinn knew that his fu- though he has not been a ture was in the secret service. He en- member of the division for very long, campus. To attempt to combat this rolled in an extensive sixteen week he sees campus safety as having an im- problem, Quinn along with the other Deadline: October 31 training course, which Quinn describes portant role in the WMC community. campus safety employees, has been as ''highly competitive." Followingthe .He believes that the goal of campus certified by the city of Westminster in basic training, the government ran a safety is ''to keep the students and staff ''knowing what the presence of a con- thirteen month background check on safe whileoncampus here, [and to] give trolled substance is." Quinn also be- him before giving him aposition in the them a better awareness that there is lieves that the solution to the problem For Contest Rules send stamped secret service. help when they need it." may be the necessity of campus safety For twenty-seven years, Quinn Partofthe increasedawareness of 10, ''build up a repore with people envelope to: held that position. He performed vari- safety includes various programs spon- which will possibly lead to respect." International Publications ous jobs during that time including sored by the department One such pr0- Quinn spent twenty-seven years working as a firearms instructor, a gram is the escort safety system, in ofhislifeprotectingfivedifferentpresi- P.O. Box 44044-L rappel master, a liaison to the courts, which students volunteer to walkother dents of the United States. He now and a peer counselor for younger offic- students across campus. Quinn feels spends his days patrolling the WMC Los Angeles, CA 90044 ers, Quinn's career in the secret ser- that the benefits of this program come campos to prorect the students and staff, vice spanned five presidencies, includ- from the fact that it helps ''free up cam- making everyone feel just a little bit ing thoseof'Nixon.Ford.Carter.Regan, pus safety officers to do other things." safer. and Bush. Quinn's close contact with safety day, during which outside orga- Young prof joins ranks ofEnglish Dept Campus safety also sponsors an annual these five men gave him an opportu- nity to become acquainted with them. nizations come to the school to show Quinn describes all of the former presi- students what types of help is available av BECKY COCKERILl. rr-------;==-,;;;===;;;;;;iil dentsasdiff'erentfrom theothers, mak- if they ever need it. SlajjWTiler ~=t::~~~a~~~~~~,rs~~~; ing it impossible for him 10 have a fa- As far as crimes go, Quinn envi- Early in the morning, most Chopin, Flannery vorite among them. Looking backon sions the abuse of drugs and alcohol as of WMC is asleep, but one of O'Connor, Alice Walker his years as a secret service man, John the most harmful to the security of the its faculty members is usually and William Faulkner awake, taking a swim in the gave identity to their fe- campus pool. male characters in Volunteers needed Simso, For the motivation Bendel- Southern Literature. inter- Dr. Mary to get up teaching Other at seven in the morning comes ests include American to help prepare not only exercise, the desire from a Literature by women, Lit- to get from African-American some but also growing. love English professor erature and and 20th Colonial for her new job Century as associate 19th income tax returns Student volunters are ..... .. atWMC. a naturally friendly American semester, some are taking ~~~~;;;';;_IJll Literature. With This attitude, Bendel-Simso Dr. students is "ex- Bendel-Simso's smiled and ceptionally as she said she working duction to Reading Intro- Dr. happy" 4th annual VITA program at with the faculty and students who she has begun to know at ;~~p~:it~~~ cf~~;:~;~:~ ~'exceptionally hap~y" wtth her new VITA (Volunteer Income Tax ft">l""l1~·