ENTHUSIASM SPEAKS VOLUMES

New Director Of LCCC's Institute Plans Seminars, Other Programs

NANTICOKE - Although she's young, don't underestimate Michelle McCabe
Piazza's desire to lead the Substance Abuse Education and Training
Institute at Luzerne County Community College.

On the job less than six weeks as the institute's first director,
Piazza has already scheduled 10 seminars to be held at the college
this year.

If Piazza has her way, the institute will eventually reach beyond the
Nanticoke campus by holding seminars at LCCC's other satellite
campuses, community centers, creating a Students Against Drunk
Driving campus organization, organizing a month-long Substance Abuse
Awareness Month and developing a curriculum to offer an associate's
degree in drug counseling.

The newly married 26-year-old Berwick native is not satisfied to
focus just on educating the public regarding illegal drug and alcohol
addictions. She envisions the institute will also bring awareness to
other addictions including: gambling, over-the-counter medications,
prescription and synthetic or club drugs.

"That's our goal -- to provide information to the community and
professionals at large that it doesn't have to be illegal to be
harmful. We don't just stop at illegal drugs. Street drugs, over the
counter and prescription drugs, they're an issue too," said Piazza,
who is also a member of the Berwick Area School District Drug Task
Force.

She said it's important not to just serve as a regional training
center for drug counselors, but also reach out to the community
– to parents, school teachers and recovering addicts.

"I not only want to bring people in from the outside to help with our
professionals, but also to have our professionals help with the
community," Piazza said.

Through her efforts, the institute is partnering with the Michael
Cleary Foundation to bring attention to soldiers suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder and how it relates to addictions. She
hopes seminars co-sponsored by the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and
the institute will help people suffering from gambling addictions,
as well as educate counselors.

The institute is also forming a bond with the state's Department of
Health's Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Program to provide mini-regional
training workshops throughout the year. Registrations for the state
seminars are free and open to the general public, Piazza said.

Talks are under way to bring in a pharmacist to present workshops to
educate police officers on how to identify new street drugs, she said.

In addition to setting up new partnerships, Piazza is also busy
planning the institute's second annual Alcohol and Other Drug Studies
conference, to be held in July.

Last year, when she served as assistant to Joe Grilli, the college's
vice president, Training Institutes External Affairs and Planning,
she was responsible for organizing the institute's first four-day
educational conference targeting professionals working in the drug
and alcohol treatment field. Grilli oversees the institute.

She coordinated all the training seminars, speakers' schedules and
travel arrangements and ensured professionals attending the workshops
received their proper certificates and continuing education credits.

After working with the program as Grilli's assistant, she knew this
was a career she could pour her passion into using her business
administration background.

So, the daughter-in-law of LCCC Board Trustee August Piazza submitted
her resume and underwent the same employment review process as 19
other applicants.

After several months, the hiring committee decided she would be the
best director based on her business administration background and
expertise at coordinating last year's conference.

The institute works closely with the county's Luzerne and Wyoming
Counties Drug and Alcohol Program led by Mike Donahue.

He was not involved in the college's hiring process, but said he felt
the committee made the right choice.

"I think Michelle Piazza will do an excellent job in making the drug
and alcohol institute a success that will help this area for many,
many years to come," Donahue said, adding she was instrumental in
coordinating last year's conference.

Profile

Who: Michelle McCabe Piazza

Title: Director, Substance Abuse Education and Training Institute

Age: 26

Bachelor's Degree: College Misericordia, Business Administration, May 2007