Author: Mark Rummel

SC4 strengthens commitment to equality and leadership in sports, joins WeCOACH and forms new group devoted to equality in sports

St. Clair County Community College is strengthening its commitment to equality and leadership in sports through a newly launched SC4 Michigan Promoters of Women’s Equal Rights in Sports (SC4 MPOWERS) group and membership with WeCOACH, a national organization dedicated to the recruitment, advancement and retention of women coaches of all sports and levels.

“We know sports provide camaraderie and support, build resilience, develop leadership skills, and empower those involved in countless ways,” said SC4 President Dr. Deborah A. Snyder. “As a higher education institution highly involved in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) collegiate sports, SC4 has an obligation to do its part in providing women athletes and coaches more athletic and leadership opportunities. SC4 MPOWERS and WeCOACH membership are just two of the many ways we look forward to bringing about change, regionally and nationally.”

WeCoach_logo_stacked_gradient.pngSC4 is the first community college in the nation to join the WeCOACH team, which rebranded from the Alliance of Women Coaches to WeCOACH in August 2018, as an institutional group member. WeCOACH provides members with education and career development, a community of like-minded professionals, and an advocate and respected voice. There are currently 85 member institutions from coast to coast including colleges such as Florida State University, Stanford and Notre Dame.

SC4 MPOWERS will be co-led by Nancy Winzer, former SC4 softball player and current City of Port Huron recreation director, and Celina Grondin, SC4’s new women’s golf coach, director of institutional research and former Lake Superior State University tennis and track athlete. It was designed by the college to support and advocate for women coaches and athletes. While in its early stages, the group will officially be formed this fall.

SC4 currently offers collegiate sports opportunities to women in cross country, basketball, bowling, softball and volleyball. In addition, the college recently added golf to provide more women the chance to continue playing at the collegiate level. The college is continuously looking at ways to provide additional opportunities for aspiring female athletes and coaches.

“It’s important that young girls and women see more examples of females leading in sports and in their careers,” Dr. Snyder said. “We’re beginning to see more coverage of women’s sports, like the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup, but we need to do much more. Colleges and universities, working closely with their respective urban and rural communities, can take a lead role and do more to illustrate what’s possible for young women.”

Those interested in learning more about SC4 MPOWERS can contact Grondin at cgrondin@sc4.edu.

SC4’s newly launched respiratory therapy program earns Provisional Accreditation

St. Clair County Community College is pleased to announce it has received official notice of Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) for its newly launched respiratory therapy program.

The 24-month Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences degree program will admit its first cohort of students this fall semester. Graduates who meet all requirements will be recognized by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) as being eligible to sit for appropriate credentialing examinations.

“We’re thrilled to receive Provisional Accreditation for this important and in-demand degree program,” said Christine Robinson, director of respiratory therapy at SC4. “There’s been a great deal of interest. I’m confident that students in this program will be ready in the workplace thanks to our hands-on curriculum and personalized learning environment in our beautifully renovated, state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in respiratory therapy are projected to grow 23 percent through 2026, much faster than the average for other occupations.

SC4’s program combines classroom and practicum experiences in hospitals, outpatient testing facilities and physician offices to give graduates the knowledge and skills they need to enter the field as licensed respiratory therapists.

Those interested in studying respiratory therapy at SC4 can find out more online or attend one of the below upcoming information sessions on SC4’s campus.

  • Monday, Sept. 9, 2019 – 6 to 7 p.m., Health Sciences Building, Room 109
  • Monday, Oct. 14, 2019 – 6 to 7 p.m., Health Sciences Building, Room 109
  • Monday, Nov. 18, 2019 – 6 to 7 p.m., Health Sciences Building, Room 109

The St. Clair County Community College respiratory therapy program, CoARC Program Number 200635, Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences degree program, located on SC4’s campus in Port Huron, Mich., holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (coarc.com).

SC4 adds women’s golf to its athletic offerings

St. Clair County Community College is pleased to announce the addition of women’s golf to its athletic offerings. In doing so, it becomes one of just a handful of colleges in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association with a women’s golf team.

Women’s golf brings collegiate sports teams at SC4 to 12, joining teams in cross country, basketball, bowling, baseball, softball, volleyball, golf and wrestling. The team will begin its play in 2020-21 and will be recruiting players over the coming year.

“A women’s golf team will contribute greatly to the college’s growing reputation as a leader in community college athletics,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “Golf is an ever-growing sport in our region and across the nation. We’re thrilled to provide the opportunity for outstanding women to succeed and lead in this sport.”

The women’s golf team will be coached by Celina Grondin, a former multi-sport collegiate athlete who serves as director of institutional research at the college.

“I’m thrilled to play a role in launching a women’s golf program in our region,” said Grondin. “I look forward to working with athletes to enhance their skills and confidence both on and off the course.”

Brenna Johnson, a St. Clair High School graduate who played on the men’s SC4 golf team last year and now plays on the Saginaw Valley State University women’s golf team, is pleased to hear about the team as well.

“Being able to play golf on the SC4 men’s team was such an amazing opportunity,” Johnson said. “It was a very fun season with all of my teammates and competitors. It is wonderful to hear that the Skippers will soon have a women’s golf program, though, to provide even greater opportunities to women in the sport.”

Those interested in joining the women’s golf team for 2020-21 should visit sc4.edu/athletics or contact the Athletic Department at 810-989-5670 with questions.

Hard work pays off for career-changing SC4 alumna Annette Caulfield

St. Clair County Community College alumna Annette Caulfield says SC4 taught her that anything is possible if you work hard enough.

After earning her associate degree, the 1982 Anchor Bay High School graduate moved up the corporate ladder quickly and today serves as the executive assistant to the president and chief executive officer of Ilitch Holdings Inc. in Detroit.

Caulfield, 54, who lives in Taylor, said she decided to go back to school at SC4 based on a friend’s suggestion and graduated with honors in 1998.

“I was in retail management for many years, and when my last store closed, I knew I needed to do something different,” Caulfield said. “I was a single mom at the time and did not have many options. A very good friend suggested I look at taking some classes at SC4, as the college had very good options for single parents and a supportive culture.”

Caulfield said she completed an internship for her degree at SC4, where she also went on to become both a full-time clerk and a department operations manager.

After five years, she took a position as the executive assistant to the chief financial officer with AAA in Dearborn, Mich. In 2015, Caulfield worked at GTB Agency in Detroit as the executive assistant to the global chief talent officer before beginning at Ilitch Holdings in 2017.

Ilitch Holdings Inc. was founded in 1999 to provide professional services to certain businesses that were founded or purchased by Detroit entrepreneurs Mike and/or Marian Ilitch, including food, sports, and entertainment venues and teams such as the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Little Caesars and MotorCity Casino Hotel. Ilitch Holdings’ companies collectively employ more than 24,000 full- and part-time employees worldwide and have more than 350 million customer interactions annually.

Caulfield said SC4 provided an ideal atmosphere for her to head back to the books at that time in her life.

“SC4 had the best environment for a single parent to succeed, from class times and sizes to instructors who cared and understood that life can and will get in the way,” she said. “I could not have succeeded without the support of family, friends and my SC4 family.”

She and her husband Tom have three children, Bailey, Brooklyn and Tommy; and six grandchildren, Zoe, Ava, Violet, Colton, Bryson and Harper.

Caulfield said her local community college also gave her the encouragement to pursue her goals.

“SC4 helped me gain the confidence to make a career change and taught me that anything is possible if you work hard and never give up,” she added.