By Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
A published collection of poetry and short stories on some of nature’s “tiny monsters,” penned by a lifelong Hillsborough resident, could bring big help to underprivileged college students in Middlesex County.
Mathew Spano, an English Composition and Mythology in Literature professor at Middlesex County College, said his plan to donate all proceeds from the sale of his book titled “Hellgrammite” to a pair of scholarships stemmed from more than 20 years in the classroom.
“These students are struggling and I see them in my classroom all the time – they’re working two or three jobs, they’re doing their best to carve out time to study and they’re trying their best to advance their lives and careers,” he said. “They need all the help the can get.”
According to a recent study conducted by Middlesex County College, approximately 46 percent of its full-time students report that they come from households with an annual income of less than $30,000.
Though educators at the college have tried to drive down costs for their students as a result of that study, Mr. Spano said he also contributes regularly to two scholarships in the names of his late father Frank Spano and his late mentor Robert Urbanski.
“They were both dedicated to student success and the book wouldn’t be possible without them,” Mr. Spano said. “In a way, this is a way for me to continue to work with them.”
Through each scholarship, any recipients get approximately $500 to $1,000 in tuition credit per semester, rather than cash. Mr. Spano said that set up allows for greater achievement for those students.
“This is a retention strategy that recognizes the student’s achievement. The scholarships are need based but also academic based,” “It’s a way to recognize achievement and retain them so that they finish their degree and go on.”
Published by BLAST Press and released back in July, “Hellgrammite” is a collection of nature poems, ink drawings and short stories created by Mr. Spano that he says showcase the tenacity of some of the world’s smallest creatures.
Though he spends his days teaching English courses, Mr. Spano said his first academic love was science. It was through his studies in that field that he learned of the resilience of nature.
“The overall point here is that I find hope in these creatures because they are survivors,” he said. “Part of what I’m trying to show in the book is that there are some incredible creatures right under our feet that people can sort of take for granted.”
The creature that the book gets its title from, the hellgrammite, is a larval bug that is commonly used as bait for freshwater fishing. Though the bug is considered prey, Mr. Spano said it’s their toughness that makes them so noteworthy.
“They only come out from under their rocks during thunderstorms to undergo metamorphosis. When they’re done, they turn into these flies with large mandibles,” he said.
Mr. Spano said that story “really deals with confronting the demons and angels of the unconscious, as told through the metaphor of fishing.”
In another example, Mr. Spano highlighted the tardigrade, which is a microorganism that can “survive in boiling temperatures, temperatures as low as absolute zero and it can go years without food or water.”
While the professor stressed that the book is a collection of creative writing, Mr. Spano admits readers may learn a thing or two from his writings.
“As literature is always educational, I’m hoping that people get intrigued by these creatures and want to learn more,” he said. “Also, I hope my readers get a greater appreciation of the environment and maybe conservation.”
Mr. Spano will be holding a reading and book signing at the Middlesex County College Library in Edison on Monday, Oct. 18, at 10 a.m. Copies of the book will be available for sale, with all proceeds going to student scholarships. The event is free and open to the public.
Regardless of what his readers end up taking from the book, Mr. Spano said he hopes it sells well enough to make an impact for the six students who will receive assistance through the scholarships.
“The book proceeds going to these scholarships is just another step in trying to help these students,” Mr. Spano said. “I was a Middlesex student at one point, so I know what it’s like from that perspective.”
