Author: Mark Rummel

SC4 honors students for academic achievements

St. Clair County Community College is proud to honor more than 150 students for their outstanding accomplishments in and out of the classroom during the 2020-21 academic year.

“It’s truly impressive to see the number of students being recognized by SC4 faculty and staff for their accomplishments this year, especially considering the disruption the world-wide pandemic has caused,” said Vice President of Student Services Pete Lacey. “Their success demonstrates an outstanding level of personal commitment and hard work, as well as a reflection of the support provided by the entire SC4 team to assist them along the way. We are honored to recognize the achievements of our students.”

Achievement awards in academics, leadership, service and personal accomplishments

Savannah Adkins, Seth Aguinaga, Courtney Angebrandt, Kyla Archer, Shawn Baker, Megan Baltierra, Caroline Banka, Adam Baszewski, Jacob Beem, Onika Bishop, Amanda Bolotta, Keegan Bonesteel, Katherine Bosma, Natalie Brown, Megan Burns, Melanie Carlson, Alexander Carpenter, Alexzandra Carr, Austin Chase, Mandy Chrzanowski, Hailey Clink, Lily Connelly, Whitney Cook, Sara Day, Maranda Decker, Cristina De Gregory, Tangela Demetroff, Caitlyn Diss, Cameron Doenges, Maegan Donajkowski, Muranda Dore, Tanya Earl, Shelby Eveland, Daniel Ferrone, Amber Fields, John Fields, Madison Fleming, Lucy Forlastro, Janice Fritz, Marie Frohriep, Amy Golm, Nickalos Gonzales, Jennifer Goulette, Analisa Harrington, Calsi Henry, Jennifer Heuer, Alyssa Hoist, Jacob Horvath, David Hovis, Carnell Hughes, Shane Hunt, Eden Jenkins, Marc Jones, Emily Jurkiewicz, Leah Kain, Jordan Kelly, Kari Kelly, Maxwell Kenny, Zachary Kerhoulas, Holly Kidd, Dakota Killingbeck, Maggie Kimmerly, Danielle Kinsman, Ashley Klemkow, Stephanie Kluger, Leigh Knox, Paul Kraemer, Daryll Krueger, Aniela Kujda-Roche, Janie Lacroix, Samantha Lada, Jacob Lamb, Eric Lardie, John Legaspi, Lucas Logsdon, Jacqueline Ludwig, Brendan Lyons, Kristin Malcolm, Grace McCarthy, Maryann McLeod, Mikala McMullen, Laura McNeill, Kaitlyn Meldrum, Taisha Mentzer, Ann Mole, Ekam Motwani, Amanda Muxlow, Lillian Nelson, Gabrielle Nicholas, Scott Obarzanek, Christopher Photiades, Devin Porrett, Kayla Putman, Cynthia Reager, Leah Rospierski, Carrie Rush, Amanda Salisbury, Violet Sanchez, Jennifer Sater, Gail Sayers, Brooke Scheffler, Rachel Schmaltz, Brandi Schmitz, Doug Schoenberg, Reese Schomer, Samantha Schovan, Raymond Selman, Trent Sheldon, Thomas Short, Denise Sly, Alyssa Soave, Jordan Sommers, Paige Stone, Jacob Stoner, April Storey, Thomas Strunk, Brianna Swantek, Diane Sylvia, Lindsey Tabor, Nelson Thorn, April Tracy, Jordan Vanallen, Jessica Vollstaedt, Anna Wahls, Troy Walcott, Brittany Watts, Gailvonia Weaver, Ryan Weglarz, Cori Weidman, Elizabeth Wells, Avery Westbrook, Zachary Wieland, Kyle Williams, Ginger Wise, Bryan Worden, Lauren Woznak, Renee Young, Julia Zuniga and Julija Zuravskaja.

All Michigan Academic Team winners

Hailey DeMerritt and Elisabeth Westrick.

Faculty Memorial Awards

Michaelia Day is the award winner of the Faculty Memorial Award for a continuing student. Other nominees included Trevor Arcieri, Mark Donnellon, Samuel Gordon, Daniel Rich, Brandi Schmitz and Doug Schoenberg.

Katherine Bosma is the award winner the Faculty Memorial Award for a graduating student. Other nominees included Jeffry Beem, Samuel Gordon, John Legaspi, Shane Markel, Kathryn Oliver, Thomas Short and Matthew Wetter.

Saving money

Saving money is like building a muscle. I know you are thinking, where is this going? Any trainer can tell you that building muscle does not happen overnight; making anything is not instantaneous. It takes research, planning, proper form, and diligence.

It is the same way with building a savings account. What is your plan? Have you begun budgeting? Are you patient with yourself? Creating a savings account is not an easy task at first. We all know that it’s essential to save money, but it can be hard to spend less than you earn without specific goals to work toward. Your situation should warrant you to set some goals. In my research, there were common reasons to save that were apparent, saving for an emergency fund, retirement, a big purchase, and paying off personal debts.

Setting aside money for an emergency gives you peace of mind and helps to prevent financial setbacks. Experts encourage having three months of basic living expenses in an emergency fund, but remember, every situation is different. You must be willing to save according to what seems to stretch you beyond your limits. Saving can at times feel like a sacrifice because it is. Living in a society that thrives on instant gratification can rob you of the joy that comes after persevering. That leads to the next phase of saving.

Daryl Singleton
Daryl Singleton

Additionally, we should aspire to save for retirement. In my studies, most financial experts suggest saving minimally 10% of your take-home pay monthly in a 401(k) or/both an IRA. In a world where one might be living paycheck to paycheck, saving for retirement can be the farthest from your thoughts. However, it is essential to shift our thoughts from only seeing trees to viewing the forest; life is a journey. What will tomorrow look like, and what are you doing today to prepare for longevity?

In conjunction, there is another form of saving where you may be saving for a more significant purchase such as a house, car, or starting a business. Saving is indeed a build-up, and the sooner you begin to put money aside for the purchase, the less you have to contribute all at once.

All in all, saving must become a natural occurrence in your life. As it builds, you begin to enjoy watching it grow. You respect yourself more. You don’t mind the sacrifice because it reassures you of peace of mind. So, I will ask you again, what is the plan? How are you building that saving muscle?  I will leave you with these reminders as the winter semester closes and you go for summer break; first, calculate your total income, then, set a plan for your money to grow by budgeting, and finally, SAVE SAVE SAVE!

Please have a great summer; we will be back in the fall, and as always, let’s Build!

TRIO Student of the Month — Rachel Fredendall

Living with mental health issues can often keep people from choosing to continue their education beyond high school. Without additional support and understanding, the typical challenges of college become even more overwhelming.

Rachel Fredendall knows this all too well. She has an array of mental health barriers, plus a learning disability. But Anne McPherson, SC4’s Coordinator of Academic Success and Disability Services, recommended the college’s TRIO Student Support Services program, and it’s been a great help to Fredendall.

“It’s really hard for me to get motivated because of my depression and OCD issues,” Fredendall explained. “After I have a depressive episode, I go into a 24-hour manic episode of hyper-motivation, where I really take advantage of time. It really came down to the two annoying (just kidding!) people that pestered me to keep on track. I couldn’t have gotten this far without my fiancé and my best friend.”

Thanks to TRIO and several great SC4 professors, Fredendall is on track to graduate in May. She regularly spent time between classes in the TRIO space on campus, where TRIO Director Shawne Jowett helped her develop an effective study plan. She also singled out Criminal Justice professor Jim Jones, Earth Science professor Bob Hunckler, and retired English professor Cliff Johnson for being understanding and accommodating when it came to her physical and mental health disruptions.

“There are no words that can describe how thankful I am for them,” Fredendall said.

Fredendall is transferring to Saginaw Valley State University to work on her bachelor’s degree in secondary education, focusing on English and general social studies. Her ultimate goal is to become a teacher at her former high school.

“I’d like to be on a first-name basis with my old teachers,” she laughed. “After that, we’ll see!”

For her success in the classroom and beyond, Rachel Fredendall is the May TRIO Student of the Month. Congratulations, Rachel!

Spending part 3: Budget example using the 50-30-20 rule

Marta’s Budget Plan

Marta is a 40-year old woman who works two jobs, one at a grocery store and another as a hostess at a restaurant. She is a single parent.

Marta’s Monthly Income $2,000

NeedsMonthly expenses
Rent$600
Groceries$200
Utilities$100
Car Expenses$200
Car insurance$120
Total$1,220

Disposable Income = Income – Needs: __________________________

WantsMonthly expenses
Coffee$20
Restaurants$50
Entertainment$40
Clothing$100
Total$210

Marta’s Monthly Savings Contribution $100

DebtsMonthly payment
Credit cards$200
Student loans$100
Total$300

Copyright 2018 EVERFI, Inc.