Author: Mark Rummel

SC4 honors more than 150 students at annual Student Recognition Ceremony

St. Clair County Community College recently honored more than 150 students for their outstanding accomplishments in and out of the classroom during the 2018-19 academic year.

Student Recognition Ceremony36“Our students, who come from cities across our region and beyond, are committed to their education and work hard throughout the year to achieve their goals,” said Vice President of Student Services Pete Lacey. “The students honored at this ceremony are wonderful examples of what can be achieved in the classroom and out in our community.”

2018-19 Student honorees:

All SC4 Academic Team, All Michigan Academic Team and All-USA Academic Team nominee

  • Kristyn Franzel, North Street

Achievement awards in academics, leadership, service and personal accomplishments

  • Chantal Abdou, Port Huron
  • Lori Aftab, Kimball Township
  • Morgan Alexis, Port Huron
  • Ashley Andrus, Capac
  • Jeffrey Bacon, St. Clair
  • Gage Badgerow, Port Huron
  • Samantha Bailey, Marysville
  • Sarah Beebe, Fort Gratiot
  • Robert Bennatts, Fort Gratiot
  • Scott Bennett, Port Huron
  • Brooke Biga, Port Huron
  • Alison Billeaudeau, China Township
  • Amanda Biskner, Clyde Township
  • Lindsey Blackmer, Deckerville
  • Rodney Breslin, Ira Township
  • Tara Brown, Smiths Creek
  • Tiffany Brown, Port Huron
  • Britney Bryer, Algonac
  • Ashley Callewaert, Memphis
  • Colette Carlsen, St. Clair
  • Maria Cejmer, Fair Haven
  • Anastasia Cornell, Port Huron
  • Brenda Cracknell, Burtchville Township
  • Anna Dalessandro, Capac
  • Max Dawe, East China Township
  • Sara Day, Port Huron
  • Ashly Defendorf, Lapeer
  • David DeFrain, Port Huron
  • Crystal Devlaminck, East China Township
  • Michael Dittman, Casco Township
  • Sabrina Dunlop, Fort Gratiot
  • Samantha Dupuie, Marysville
  • Dofonso Fernando, Fort Gratiot
  • Alysia Ferrier, Marysville
  • Emily Fleischmann, Munger
  • Allison Fleming, Emmett
  • Katie Flenna, Algonac
  • Sean Forbes, Port Huron
  • Nicholas Forsberg, Lakeport
  • Kristyn Franzel, North Street
  • Alesia Frazier, Clyde Township
  • Samuel Fretenborough, Jeddo
  • Chasity Fudella, Marysville
  • Tressa Garcia, Capac
  • Elizabeth Green, Port Huron
  • Sydney Grygorcewicz, Port Huron
  • Christina Hazzard, Yale
  • Catherine Helzer, Capac
  • Joseph Hermann, Brown City
  • Mackenzie Hiller, Avoca
  • Kendall Hogan, Lexington
  • Taylor Hornbacher, Marysville
  • Nathan Jakubiak, Kimball Township
  • Jeremiah Johnson, Port Huron
  • Luke Jolly, Marysville
  • Rebekah Kehoe, St. Clair
  • Amanda Kibbe, Marysville
  • Paige Kinnee, Port Huron
  • Matthew Kobberstad, Burtchville Township
  • Desi Kuntz, St. Clair
  • Kendall Leverenz, Kimball Township
  • Mikaela Leverenz, Kimball Township
  • Rebecca Linder, Port Huron Township
  • Jade Maluchnik, Yale
  • Joseph Marcero, North Street
  • Elsa McClure, East China Township
  • Matthew McCoy, Lenox
  • Lindsey McLeod, Avoca
  • Kiera McNeill, Fort Gratiot
  • Sarah Meyers, Fort Gratiot
  • Tricia Middleton, Port Huron
  • Alyssa Miller, Emmett
  • Brooke Miller, Emmett
  • Kaycee Miller, Emmett
  • David Moldenhauer, Marysville
  • Jezzalyn Molesworth, Port Huron
  • Justine Morden, Port Huron
  • Amanda Muxlow, Imlay City
  • Lillian Nelson, Kimball Township
  • Richard Newman, Mussey Township
  • Anna Nichols, Marysville
  • Matthew Noble, Deckerville
  • Nathaniel Okkonen, Fort Gratiot
  • Riley Orlick, Kimball Township
  • Jordan Palmer, Brown City
  • Michael Patyi, St. Clair
  • Crystal Peck, Yale
  • Beatrice Pietramali, Fort Gratiot
  • McKensey Pizzo, St. Clair
  • Clare Polczynski, China Township
  • Caitlin Putze, Yale
  • Tierra Raglyn, Port Huron
  • Jillian Reed, Port Huron
  • Nicholas Reese, Peck
  • Jessica Rhein, St. Clair
  • Morgan Richardson, Marysville
  • Bradshaw Roberts, St. Clair
  • Shawn Sessa, Kimball Township
  • Stephanie Shirey, Casco Township
  • Kristi Simmons, Marysville
  • Robert Simone St. Clair
  • Chris Smith, Croswell
  • Kayla Smith, Gagetown
  • Alicia Spencer, Port Huron
  • Ashleigh Sprowl, Marysville
  • Kody Steemburg, Kimball Township
  • Frank Stover, Marysville
  • Mia Sutherland, Port Huron
  • Michelle Swoish, Wales Township
  • Elizabeth Szczepanski, Smiths Creek
  • Tonya Taormino, Port Huron
  • Anthony Taylor, Memphis
  • Abigail Thomas, East China Township
  • Christina Thomas, Columbus Township
  • Amber Torrez, Croswell
  • Christopher Totten, Fort Gratiot
  • Gregory Towne, East China Township
  • Ashlee Trenz, St. Clair
  • Karin Vassilev, Shelby Township
  • Jennifer Verdonik, Lexington
  • Dane Vo,s Port Huron
  • Tessa Wallace, Sandusky
  • Emily Walsh Port Huron
  • Michelle Ward, Port Huron
  • Meghan Watson, Port Huron
  • Ashlyn Weiss, St. Clair
  • Jessica Wiegand, Port Huron
  • Jennifer Winkler, Smiths Creek
  • Madison Woodall, Fort Gratiot
  • Levi Woycehoski, Lexington
  • Austin Wyllie, St. Clair
  • Paj Yang, Kimball Township
  • Tyler Zobl, Port Huron

Del James Blessinger Outstanding Student Award

  • Colette Carlsen, St. Clair
  • Maria Cejmer, Fair Haven
  • Brenda Cracknell, Burtchville Township
  • Tina Laparl, Algonac
  • Kathryn Oliver, Capac
  • Vicki Rose, Fort Gratiot
  • Tait Sapienza, Marine City
  • Victor Stols, Grant Township
  • Rebecca Thomas, Yale

Faculty Memorial Award (continuing and graduating students)

  • Scott Bennett, Port Huron
  • David DeFrain, Port Huron
  • Amy Golm, Algonac
  • Sydney Grygorcewicz, Port Huron
  • Matthew Kobberstad, Burtchville Township
  • Charity Marinelli, Algonac
  • Mario Mejia, Clair
  • Frank Stove,r Marysville
  • Jessica Wiegand, Port Huron
  • Tyler Zobl, Port Huron

SC4 to host Sturgeon Celebration April 30

What:
St. Clair County Community College will host an informational event in partnership with state and local environmental organizations to celebrate all things sturgeon, including the upcoming release of the college’s own sturgeon, which has been growing bigger since first arriving on campus in November. Representatives will be on hand to answer questions and discuss one of the largest and healthiest populations of lake sturgeon in the entire Great Lakes ecosystem, located just a few blocks away from the college’s campus. Attendees can also enter to win special contests, with prizes from SC4, Friends of the St. Clair River, Exquisite Corpse Coffee House and Jimmy John’s.

When:
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 30

Where:
St. Clair County Community College Experience Center
Clara E. Mackenzie Building

Who:
•    St. Clair County Community College faculty and staff members
•    Michigan Department of Natural Resources
•    Sturgeon for Tomorrow
•    Friends of the St. Clair River

SC4 inducts 35 students into its chapter of Phi Theta Kappa international honor society

St. Clair County Community College inducted 35 students from communities across the region into its Lambda Mu chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society during a special ceremony on Friday, April 12, in the SC4 College Center.

Phi Theta Kappa is a premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of community college students to grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 countries.

SC4’s Lambda Mu chapter of Phi Theta Kappa was chartered in April 1961. Since its beginning, the chapter has received numerous honors, including recognition as the top U.S. chapter at Phi Theta Kappa’s International Convention in 2000.

“When you join Phi Theta Kappa, you join the largest honor society in the world,” said Angela Heiden, Lambda Mu chapter advisor. “Phi Theta Kappa is so much more than just an honor society. It is a chance for students to gain leadership skills, earn scholarships and give back to their community.”

The winter 2019 inductees to the Lambda Mu chapter of Phi Theta Kappa are:

•  Kimberly Adolph — Columbus
•  Kateland Baker — Croswell
•  Megan Baltierra — Richmond
•  Abigail Bringard — Lakeport
•  Lisa Campbell — Port Huron
•  Colette Carlsen — St. Clair
•  Alyson Chisholm — Melvin
•  Amanda Connelly — Chesterfield
•  Elijah Coulter — Port Huron
•  Jack Demara — Almont
•  Jaden Dunn — Fort Gratiot
•  Jennifer Dupuis —Lapeer
•  Max Erikson — Port Huron
•  Patricia Forrester — Kimball
•  Chelsea Frost — Cottrellville
•  Phillip Hill — Port Huron
•  Destinee Jaekel — Fort Gratiot
•  Abigail Kaufman — Brown City
•  Janie Lacroix —Marine City
•  Shane Lentz — Carsonville
•  Brett Leuffgen — Clay
•  Kelly Long — Marysville
•  Kaylee McKillop — Marysville
•  Kacey Nowaczyk — Bruce Twp.
•  Neve Owens — Melvin
•  Jesse Prevost — Port Huron
•  Katelyn Robbins — Fort Gratiot
•  Caio Rodrigues — Port Huron
•  Tait Sapienza — Marine City
•  Rachel Schmaltz — Marysville
•  Heather Swearingen — Marine City
•  Mercedes Thomas — Marysville
•  Charles Ward — Marine City
•  Levi Woycehoski — Grant Twp.
•  Nole Woycehoski — Grant Twp.

Alumni Spotlight: George Armitage

George Armitage was like many high school graduates when he left Port Huron High School in 2008. He knew he wanted to go to college, but he was undecided as to what career path to pursue.

Today, the 29-year-old Grand Rapids resident and licensed professional counselor at Grand Valley State University’s Counseling Center credits St. Clair County Community College for giving him the opportunity to discover his passion.

“I chose SC4 at the time because I was uncertain about what I wanted to do career-wise after graduation,” Armitage said. “Initially, I was pre-medicine, but soon found little interest in many of the science subjects. SC4 was a good place for me to begin my educational journey and explore my general education courses.

“SC4 is also where I was first introduced to psychology,” he continued. “It was later during my tenure at SC4 that I became more and more intrigued by the subject and decided to pursue an education within psychology.”

Armitage went on earn his bachelor’s in psychology and master’s in counseling from Central Michigan University. He then received his Ph.D. in counselor education from the University of Toledo.

Most importantly, he said, SC4 allowed him to fulfill the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) Transfer Agreement and graduate with his associate degree in a short period of time.

The agreement gives students the ability to transfer up to 30 semester credits to meet many or all of the general education requirements at participating Michigan four-year colleges and universities.

“Attending SC4 for me was immensely beneficial, because it allowed me to explore my educational and career options,” Armitage said. “Beginning my educational journey at SC4 was also an appropriate financial decision for me, since I really had no idea what I wanted to do when I ‘grew up.’ SC4 allowed me the time and exploration with many different courses to figure out two things: how to become a college student, and how to find an appropriate career path.”

Armitage added he made the right choice when it came to attending his hometown community college.

“SC4 is where I was first intrigued by psychology,” he said. “Without my experiences there, I probably wouldn’t have pursued an education in psychology. Then I ultimately wouldn’t have completed my graduate education in professional counseling and became a counselor or counselor educator.”