Author: Mark Rummel

SC4 announces Skippers pitching clinic with MLB pitcher Paul Fry Jan. 21

St. Clair County Community College will host a Skippers pitching clinic with special guest Major League Baseball pitcher Paul Fry on Saturday, Jan. 21, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the SC4 Fieldhouse.

The camp is open to the first 50 registrants ages 8-18. The cost is $20 with proceeds benefiting Skippers Athletics. Registration is available online at stclair.nbsstore.net/specialty-baseball-pitching-clinic. Questions can be directed to SC4 Athletics at athletics@sc4.edu or (810) 989-5670.

Fry was a dominant left-hander for the Skippers in the 2011 and 2013 seasons. Following the 2013 season, he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 17th round of the MLB Amateur Draft and was named the Seattle Mariners minor league “Relief Pitcher of The Year” in 2015.

Fry was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 2017 and made his MLB debut against the Los Angeles Angels on June 28, 2018, throwing 1 and 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out three-time MVP and likely future MLB Hall of Fame hitter Mike Trout.

Fry remained with the Orioles for five seasons from 2018-2022 before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the summer of 2022.

His big-league career is still being written as he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for the 2023 season.

Scholarships available for SC4 students

St. Clair County Community College is accepting scholarship applications from students who plan to attend SC4 for the 2023-24 academic year.

SC4 has many scholarship opportunities available. Some are geared toward students who plan to study a specific subject, while others are intended for students from a particular town or high school. There are also a number of awards open to students based on academic performance and extracurricular activities.

“Whatever your background, there’s likely a scholarship that you are qualified to apply for,” said Executive Director of Financial Assistance and Veteran Services Josephine Cassar.

Visit sc4.edu/money to apply for available scholarships (after applying to SC4), including SC4 scholarships and scholarships through external sources. Apply for multiple scholarships by filling out just one online application. Many scholarships require a completed FAFSA, which can be submitted at fafsa.gov.

SC4, the SC4 Foundation, community groups and private donors offer numerous scholarships to fit nearly all student academic records, backgrounds and financial situations.

The priority deadline to apply for scholarships is Sunday, March 12.

For details, call the Financial Aid Office at (810) 989-5530 or email financialaid@sc4.edu.

Nationally ranked teams, Zeke the Wonderdog featured at Jan. 25 MCCAA Hunger Games matchup at SC4

St. Clair County Community College welcomes back Zeke the Wonderdog—a famous, frisbee-catching fixture of Michigan State University football and basketball games—as halftime entertainment during the Skippers women’s and men’s basketball games Wednesday, Jan. 25, against rival Macomb Community College at the SC4 Fieldhouse. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 7:30 p.m.

The Jan. 25 games also are part of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s (MCCAA) annual Hunger Games and will help support basic needs through donations to Skip’s Corner Pantry at SC4. All fans will receive free admission to the games with the donation of a canned or non-perishable food item.

“This will be a battle between two of the best men’s teams in the nation as both SC4 and Macomb are currently ranked,” said SC4 Director of Athletics Dale Vos. “On top of that, Zeke will be back on campus thanks to SC4 Student Government, and we’ll be helping current and future students through collections for our basic needs pantry. We look forward to filling the Fieldhouse Jan. 25!”

For more information on Skippers basketball, including rosters, schedules, tickets and more, visit sc4skippers.com.

Can’t make it to the game but still want to support Skip’s Corner Pantry? Visit sc4.edu/give or send an email to pantry@sc4.edu. 

March 11 SC4 STEM Fest to feature 100+ hands-on experiences

>>> Register here

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) is pleased to announce its SC4 STEM Fest on Saturday, March 11, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on its Port Huron campus. The event—which is free and open to the public thanks to generous donations and grants—aims to spark a sense of wonder and features more than 100 hands-on, interactive science, technology, engineering and mathematics exhibits by SC4, Michigan Technological University’s Mind Trekkers, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and the Leslie Science & Nature Center.

“We want to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators in STEM so that they can help solve challenges and have greater career opportunities,” said Dr. Deborah A. Snyder, president of SC4. “We’re proud to collaborate with Michigan Tech’s Mind Trekkers, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and the Leslie Science & Nature Center to bring this incredible event to Southeast Michigan. It will have a positive impact on our region, now and in the future.”

Experiences and activities will take place throughout SC4’s Fieldhouse and Clara E. Mackenzie Building / Experience Center, which includes the Challenger Learning Center at SC4, the Dr. Bassam H. Nasr Natural Science Museum, a live sturgeon exhibit, virtual reality experience, health activities, exploration stations, and bird and mineral galleries.

The event’s more than 100 activities and exhibits will have learners exploring a wide array of STEM topics. Some hands-on highlights for the event include a Challenger Mini-Mission: An Interactive Challenger Learning Center Tour, virtual reality simulations, virtual anatomy dissection, rocket launches, robotics technology, live animal exhibits and wildlife presentations, awe-inspiring experiments using liquid nitrogen—and many more!

Mind Trekkers is a flagship program of Michigan Technological University’s Center for Educational Outreach. Powered by undergraduate and graduate student guides, Mind Trekkers travels across the country to deliver high-energy, hands-on, STEM demonstrations to learners of all ages, inspiring them to pursue post-secondary education.

“Mind Trekkers convenes communities in a shared mission to spark curiosity,” said Cassy Tefft de Muñoz, executive director of enrollment initiatives at Michigan Technological University. “We are thrilled to partner with SC4 to bring the program to Port Huron and amplify the strong STEM ecosystem already present in the region. The SC4 STEM Fest is just one way that SC4 and Michigan Tech are working together to create educational opportunities for youth to access future college and career pathways.”

Added Susan Westhoff, chief operating officer for the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Leslie Science & Nature Center, “We know the power of hands-on learning to inspire and open the door of possibility for everyone, young and old alike. Every one of us is a scientist, because we all hold the power of curiosity, of wanting to understand ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Come out to this fantastic day of exploration, where you are encouraged to ask, to discover, and to have fun!”

Register for the SC4 STEM Fest at sc4.edu/stem-fest/stem-fest-registration/. Please direct questions to SC4 at (810) 989-5789 or experiencecenter@sc4.edu.

SC4 STEM Fest