Category: Alumni

SC4 education a tradition for the Seppo family

There was no question where Brenda Seppo was going to college after graduating from Port Huron Northern in 1976.

Her parents, W. Helen and the late Harley Smith, both taught classes at St. Clair County Community College.

“Both of my parents taught there, so we had little choice as to where we were going,” said Seppo, 60, of Lakeport. “It was a good choice anyway — a good place to get an education.”

Today, Seppo — who founded the church outreach organization Operation Transformation with her husband, the Rev. Dr. Thomas Seppo — is one of three generations of women in her family to earn an SC4 degree.

Her mother graduated with an associate degree in nursing in the early 1960s and earned her bachelor’s from Michigan State University. She returned to SC4 and taught in the college’s nursing program for 25 years, retiring in 1991.

Seppo received an associate of arts degree in 1977, and her daughter, Rebecca Achatz of Casco, graduated from the nursing program in 2003.

“SC4 gave me a very good liberal arts background that I have used in many instances in my life,” Seppo said.

Her father taught political science and history at the college for more than 30 years, retiring in 2003, and would often drive to satellite campuses in the thumb to teach night classes.

Seppo said SC4 gave her an excellent start.

“I was a cheerleader for SC4 with the basketball team,” she said. “I was working part time and took classes year-round. I was able to graduate in December and saved myself a semester.”

Seppo then attended Eastern Michigan University, graduating with a bachelor’s in education and social science. After returning to Port Huron, she was a stay-at-home mom, caring for Achatz and the couple’s other two children, Andrea Schultz of St. Clair and Dr. Andrew Seppo of Holland.

“When I had Rebecca, Mom was already up at the hospital with her students when she was born,” Seppo laughed. “Rebecca was actually the demonstration model.”
Seppo wasn’t surprised her daughter followed her grandmother’s footsteps into nursing, which she notes as “one of the things SC4 is most famous for.” Achatz made it through the program in two years, becoming a registered nurse at age 20 and now working for Beacon Health Care.

“Rebecca always wanted to be a nurse probably from junior high on,” she said. “There was really no other way to look at it, because the education there with the nursing program was excellent for the value.”

She added SC4 gives students an opportunity to learn how to tackle college classes while still living close to home.

“They were challenging,” Seppo said. “You have to take basic classes anyway, so why pay two or three times the amount? That’s why we had all three of our kids take some classes here. It’s a good transition, too. You have to learn time management and the class sizes are smaller. Again, it made for really easy transition for all of us.”

Mission Accomplished: Marine City woman completes nursing degree with boost from scholarship

Dec. 13 marked a major achievement for Nikki Leonard, 24, of Marine City. She graduated from the Licensed Practical Nurse program at St. Clair County Community College.

From her earliest years, Nikki says she knew someday she would be a nurse. So, she started taking pre-requisite courses for nursing and then decided to take a break from school before entering the program at SC4. During her break, she decided to test the waters of the medical field and become a certified nurse aide. Following the month-long class, she got a job as a CNA at Medilodge of St. Clair. It was then that life threw her a curveball. Her mother got very sick.

Read more of Nikki’s story from The Keel.

Alumni spotlight: Callie Oppertshauser

Callie Oppertshauser credits much of her success to the time she spent at St. Clair County Community College.

A Port Huron High School graduate, Oppertshauser, 29, participated in dual enrollment through the Blue Water Middle College Academy for an intermediate algebra class her senior year and graduated in 2008 with a 3.2 grade point average.

“It wasn’t good enough to get into any of the colleges I applied for,” she said. “I didn’t think I was ready to go away. I needed that transition period to learn how to study.”

She attended SC4 for just over two years, including summers, before deciding to transfer her 84 credits to Michigan State University to pursue elementary education.

“SC4 really helped me grow,” Oppertshauser said. “The professors were very supportive and cared. That’s why I didn’t transfer sooner, because I was comfortable and was doing well.

“I really learned how to be a student at SC4,” she continued. “If I would have gone away after the first year, I would have come back home. I learned how to manage my time and get all my work done.”

Oppertshauser graduated from MSU in 2014 with a bachelor’s in dietetics but ultimately accepted a full-time marketing position she had applied for a month earlier with Gannett at Port Huron’s Times Herald newspaper.

In January of this year, she accepted a position at the Port Huron Housing Commission as the administrative assistant to Executive Director Jim Dewey.

“I love the people I work with,” she said. “A lot of them have worked there over 10 years. It’s a great culture, and everyone is committed to serving people who need a helping hand. I’m happy to say that we’re able provide those in need with clean and safe housing.”

Outside of her work for the housing commission, Oppertshauser volunteers as a lunch buddy at Port Huron Schools’ Literacy Academy at Cleveland. The program — which is searching for more volunteers to pair with a long waiting list of students — focuses on mentoring children in grades K-5, helping them form a positive attitude toward school.

“I have been a lunch buddy since the beginning of this school year, and I look forward to it every week,” she says. “Being a mentor for a young student is one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. Not only am I making a difference in a child’s life, but my lunch buddy is making a difference in mine as well.”

Oppertshauser explained she wanted to return to Port Huron after school to be close to loved ones. “I love Port Huron,” she said. “I love the water, and I really missed that when I was gone in the middle of the state. I have a very supportive family, and I didn’t want to get too far away.”

Oppertshauser isn’t the first in her family to attend SC4. Her mother, Lura, graduated from Port Huron Northern, while her father, Eric, attended Port Huron High School and earned his associate degree at SC4 on his way to becoming a police officer in Kansas City, Missouri. Her sister, Hillary, a 2010 PHHS graduate, went to SC4 before transferring to Macomb Community College for its early childhood daycare program.

“I’m really proud to have attended SC4,” she added. “It’s helped my whole future, leading me to success at Michigan State and ultimately in my career.”

SC4 names Randy Fernandez 2018 Alumnus of the Year

Marysville City Manager Randy Fernandez has been named the 2018 St. Clair County Community College Alumnus of the Year.

“SC4 played a big part in my life and helped prepare me for my career serving this community,” Fernandez said. “I’m very humbled and honored to receive this special recognition.”

Not only did he attend the college but so did his five siblings, two sons and even four nephews. The oldest of six, Fernandez, 62, shares his alumni status with his three brothers, Marty, Jeff and Ralph, Jr.; two sisters, Paula McVety and Laura Ann Nesbitt, a middle school counselor in Fort Gratiot; two sons, Mitchell and Matthew, and their mother, Shelly; and nephews, Garrett, Grant, Nelson and Bailey.

The State of Michigan’s first Hispanic city manager, Fernandez has spent the last seven years with the City of Marysville — nearly five as city manager — and was previously employed for more than 28 years with the City of Port Huron. While in Port Huron he served as the city treasurer, water supervisor and city assessor. For a time, he was also director of Port Huron’s Downtown Development Authority and general manager of McMorran Auditorium.

The Port Huron native graduated from Port Huron Central as class vice president in 1974 before attending SC4 on a partial tennis scholarship and earning his associate degree. He then went on to earn his bachelor’s from the University of Michigan and master’s from Central Michigan University.

“I truly enjoyed my experience at SC4,” he said. “I recommend it to every student or parent who asks. I think it’s the way to go.”

Fernandez said he formed good study habits and life skills at the college that have stayed with him long beyond his years there.

“St. Clair County Community College helped me develop my time management skills better,” he said. “I’m very proud to have Michigan and Central Michigan degrees, but I’m equally proud to tell people I have a degree from St. Clair County Community College.”

Fernandez said he reinforced the importance of a getting a good educational start at the local community college with his sons Mitchell and Matthew throughout their childhood.

“SC4 plays a critically important role in our community; it’s helped me, my family and countless others reach their goals,” Fernandez said. “I’m proud to support the college as it builds toward an even brighter future.”