Author: Mark Rummel

SC4 to host Futures for Frontliners Admissions Advising Day

St. Clair County Community College invites front line workers who have been approved for the State of Michigan Future for Frontliners Program but have not registered for classes yet to get assistance from the SC4 admissions team.

Students ready to take classes, but have not registered, or those who have questions about the application, acceptance and registration process at SC4 can get help during the Futures for Frontliners Admissions Advising Day.

Interested students can schedule a time to talk to an admissions advisor from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. Appointments will be over the phone with an opportunity for a virtual visit if preferred.

Schedule an appointment by emailing recruitment@sc4.edu.

Welcome to the SC4 TRIO Financial Literacy blog!

The purpose of the blog is to provide you with the necessary skills for a sense of financial awareness.

We are living in a time where information is freely accessible via the world wide web. However, it can be challenging to research, then apply what you’ve gathered. What if the information is not reputable, or what if it just merely does not work for you? Navigating finances can be scary if financial literacy has not been the culture in a person’s life.

Daryl Singleton
Daryl Singleton

What is financial literacy? Financial literacy is “the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of financial wellbeing” (The President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, 2008). A lack of financial literacy can make it hard to navigate proper decision making related to finances, such as choosing a bank account, school loans, credit cards, insurances, or just creating and following a day-to-day budget.

Is it possible to have healthy finances? Yes.

While researching financial literacy five key components consistently appear. The five components are earn, spend, save and invest, borrow, and protect.

During the continuation of this blog, we will investigate to better understand each of these components of financial literacy. I want to caution you that as we explore, together, that you take what is necessary for your financial health. In other words, this is not a one-model-fits-all blog. This is a person-centered-approach blog where you collect information that is beneficial for your financial wellbeing. Let’s build!

Reference:
President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. (2008, January 22). Retrieved February 04, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20100602010158/http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/domestic-finance/financial-institution/fin-education/docs/PACFL_ANNUAL_REPORT_1-16-09.pdf

TRIO Student of the Month — Marshal DiGiovanni

“Not everyone comes from a situation where going to college is a family tradition.”

Marshal DiGiovanni is one of those students, and for him, SC4’s TRIO Student Support Services program has been the perfect compliment to his college experience.

“It’s the welcoming support system where everyone genuinely wants you to achieve your goals,” he said. “As a first-generation college student, this support helped me. If I ever had questions about financial aid, scheduling, or transferring, the TRIO staff have always been there. If they couldn’t answer it, they pointed me in the right direction.”

DiGiovanni chose SC4 because of the affordability of community college tuition, but it was more than just price that attracted him.

“I knew that community college classes transfer well, so I figured it was a great place to get started,” he explained. “And I’d heard about the TRIO program, which offers priority scheduling and quality tutors. It helped me achieve my goals by being my support system. There’s no reason to make college harder on yourself, and the TRIO program has plenty of resources to help you now and to prepare you for the future.”

The challenges of the past year with the COVID-19 pandemic moving many classes online or to a remote learning format posed additional challenges for many students, DiGiovanni included.

“I think I can speak for most students when I say online classes aren’t exactly my preferred method of learning,” he said. “Having to juggle tons of dates, a calendar, and a whiteboard changed my life. Face-to-face learning will always be ideal for me, but it is the current situation we live in and we must adapt.”

“I’m forever grateful to my family and my friends for always being there and supporting me,” DiGiovanni continued. “I also want to thank the professors at SC4 for their hard work during this pandemic. It’s not only the students who have been impacted; this has been a challenge for everyone.”

DiGiovanni is planning to transfer to Western Michigan University in the fall to complete his Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. He’s not sure where he’d like to work after that, but he has a “huge interest” in software development and machine learning.

“Until then, I’ll keep putting my best foot forward in the classroom and enjoying each day with those around me,” he said.

For his positive attitude and success in the classroom, Marshal DiGiovanni is the February TRIO Student of the Month. Congratulations, Marshal!

Challenger Learning Center to open on SC4 campus

Challenger Center, a nonprofit science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education organization and St. Clair County Community College (SC4) are teaming up to open a Challenger Learning Center on the College’s campus. Challenger Learning Center at St. Clair County Community College will serve Michigan and Ontario students using programs that introduce STEM subjects and careers and inspire students to pursue these essential fields. The Center is scheduled to open in early 2022.

“SC4 is an ideal location for a Challenger Learning Center,” said Dr. Deborah Snyder, president of St. Clair County Community College. “We are committed to expanding student interest in STEM and encouraging STEM higher education opportunities on our campus. The addition of a Challenger Learning Center supports the college and our community by fostering a robust culture of STEM, strengthening STEM education opportunities, integrating business, industry and educational entities, and creating high-quality educational experiences for learners of all ages.”

The new Challenger Learning Center will be part of the Challenger Learning Center network that has reached more than 5.5 million students worldwide. Challenger Learning Centers offer a variety of hands-on STEM programs, with the core being its simulated space-themed missions that take place in a fully immersive Spacecraft and Mission Control and Briefing and Transport rooms. Aligned with national education standards and informed by real science data, these Missions excite students about STEM, introduce students to careers in various STEM fields, and help students build critical 21st century skills.

“We are excited to welcome St. Clair County Community College to the Challenger Center organization and look forward to seeing the students of Michigan and Ontario experience our unique STEM programs,” said Lance Bush, president and CEO, Challenger Center. “This year marks Challenger Center’s 35th Anniversary. For us, there’s no better way to recognize such an important milestone than to reach more students, and this new Center at St. Clair County Community College will do just that.”