St. Clair County Community College’s (SC4) Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion announces “Subtle Acts of Exclusion,” by Dr. Tiffany Jana and Michael Baran, as its fall 2023 book recommendation.
Students, faculty and staff members, alumni, community members and friends are encouraged to read the book—available for free in the SC4 DEI Office, Welcome Center, Suite 250, or by request at dei@sc4.edu—and attend a guided book discussion on Friday, Nov. 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in SC4’s Fine Arts Theatre.
Dr. Leah Howell, director of Learning Design at Everspring, Inc., and Dr. Portia Watkins, Michigan State University director of Transitions and Transfer Student Success and a trainer of the Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation program, will serve as facilitators for the Nov. 17 event. (Full bios available here.)
“We look forward to welcoming back Dr. Howell and Dr. Watkins to campus as we come together to cultivate a shared experience and participate in group dialogues to enrich our personal reflections,” Brown said. “‘Subtle Acts of Exclusion’ will help us explore our assumptions and understanding of each other. While some may initially dismiss the topic as political correctness or oversensitivity, the text encourages us to consider the lived experiences of others, consider the feelings and reactions to words and phrases, and expand our own ability for understanding, recognizing that viewing the world solely through our own lens denies the humanity of others.”
To register for this free event, visit sc4.edu/office-of-diversity-equity-inclusion/news-and-events/event-registration/ or send an email to dei@sc4.edu with questions.
Category: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
SC4 signs on to The Detroit Promise Program, providing free college to Detroit high school students
St. Clair County Community College (SC4) has partnered with The Detroit Promise, a program that provides a tuition-free path to trade, two-year or four-year credentials for Detroit-based students. This expands options for students who live in and attend high school in Detroit to pursue postsecondary education at no cost.
“We are excited to partner with The Detroit Promise,” said SC4 Chief DEI Officer Jessica Brown. “While many of our students are St. Clair County residents, many more come to our college and community from other areas to enroll in classes. Last year, for instance, we welcomed students from more than 200 zip codes. This partnership with The Detroit Promise—enhanced by our College Housing options for SC4 students—will allow us to welcome and support more Detroit-area students seeking higher education.”
“I am thrilled to be expanding our partnerships and to welcome SC4 to The Detroit Promise,” said Detroit Promise Senior Director of College Success and Partnerships Wytrice Harris. “More higher education partners mean more options for students to pursue a degree or credential that will shape their futures. This growing support speaks to the value of this program for the students and educational institutions involved, as well as for the future of the state’s workforce and economy.”
The Detroit Promise works with its higher education partners to ensure improved access to and success through postsecondary education for Detroit students, and the program is celebrating 10 years in 2023 and more than 5,000 students supported from over 50 Detroit high schools. The Promise covers the total cost of tuition and other expenses after any Pell or TIP funding is applied to a student’s bill. The noncompetitive award is available to any student that meets basic requirements and applies for the Detroit Promise.
SC4 is one of just eight community colleges across Michigan that offers College Housing—and the only one in Southeast Michigan.
Additionally, SC4 offers many other free and reduced tuition programs and options to help students across Michigan and beyond earn college credits, including scholarships, dual enrollment, middle colleges, the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, Michigan Reconnect Scholarship, Tuition Incentive Program, Federal Pell and other grants, and much more.
For more information on The Detroit Promise and to apply, visit https://detroitpromise.com/. To apply to SC4, visit https://sc4.edu/. To learn more and apply for SC4 College Housing, visit sc4.edu/housing/.
SC4 to host wheelchair basketball demonstration days
St. Clair County Community College (SC4) and its Athletics Department will host demonstration days for students and community members with disabilities or those who are able-bodied interested in learning more about wheelchair basketball and joining its recently announced team.
The College will host demonstration days at the SC4 Fieldhouse:
- Friday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m.
- Thursday, Aug. 10 at 3 p.m.
- Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 5 p.m.
- Thursday, Aug. 17 at 9 a.m.
- Monday, Aug. 21 at 9 a.m.
- Friday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m.
“We welcome everyone to come to demo days with us and check out this exciting new offering at SC4,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “It’s an exciting co-ed sport for athletes and fans alike.”
This year, SC4’s Wheelchair Basketball Team plans to schedule exhibition contests and games as part of the inaugural season. The team is also working to participate as part of the Wolverine Invitational, which is scheduled to return to the SC4 Fieldhouse this fall, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
When SC4 alumnus Mike Millsap heard about the College’s recently announced wheelchair basketball team, he was excited to get involved.
“As a kid, I enjoyed watching my uncle, who also has a spinal cord injury, compete in the local wheelchair basketball team that existed at the time,” said Millsap, who became a C-5/C-6 quadriplegic after a diving accident in 2008 and went on to earn an associate degree in business from SC4. “I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to be involved with the new wheelchair basketball team SC4 is launching this fall.”
Similarly, St. Clair, Mich., native Eric Wrocklage is excited about the new team and ready to get back into a sport he loved as a kid. Wrocklage has Spina Bifida, which complicates walking, and uses a wheelchair to get around.
“Basketball was my passion as a kid and I always wanted to play,” he said. “I was introduced to wheelchair basketball in the early 90s and played on a junior team in Sterling Heights until the age of 18. Then I played on an adult team in Port Huron for a couple of seasons. It will be exciting to get back to that with this new team that is forming at SC4. I look forward to what the future holds.”
Those interested in joining the wheelchair basketball team for 2023-24 should visit sc4.edu/athletics, send an email to mjwhittredge@sc4.edu or contact the Athletics Department at 810-989-5670 with questions.
Juneteenth Celebration planned for June 19
St. Clair County Community College’s (SC4) Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion invites the community to attend “Freedom Day 2023: A Juneteenth Celebration” from noon to 6 p.m. Monday, June 19, on SC4’s campus.
Juneteenth (short for June 19) is an annual holiday that commemorates the day when the last slaves in Galveston, Texas, were told of their freedom on June 19, 1965—two and a half years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in January of 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln.
The event at SC4 will feature games and activities, food, live music performances and entertainment, black-owned business vendors, giveaways, educational and community resources, and a Kid’s Zone that includes free crafts, games, a cake walk, activities and bounce houses.
It is co-hosted by SC4, the City of Port Huron, the NAACP Port Huron Branch, Port Huron Museums, St. Clair County Organizing for Regional Equity (SCCORE), Black Lives Matter Port Huron, the International Council of Community Churches, the Community Foundation of St. Clair County and the Diversity Initiative of St. Clair County.
“Last year, we welcomed more than 500 community members to campus for this event, and we anticipate greater participation this year,” said SC4 Vice President of DEI and Admissions Jessica Brown. “Individuals can bring their blankets and chairs to lounge on the lawn and enjoy all the day offers!”
For directions to campus and information about parking, visit sc4.edu/about/maps-and-directions/. For questions related to SC4’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, email dei@sc4.edu.
SC4 adds adaptive sports, wheelchair basketball team to its athletic offerings
St. Clair County Community College (SC4) is pleased to announce the launch of a wheelchair basketball team beginning in the fall 2023 semester.
The SC4 wheelchair basketball team is open to SC4 students and community members with disabilities or those who are able-bodied and passionate about wheelchair basketball, with priority given to students enrolled at SC4. Those interested in joining the wheelchair basketball team for 2023-24 should visit sc4.edu/athletics, send an email to mjwhittredge@sc4.edu or contact the Athletics Department at 810-989-5670 with questions.
This co-ed team brings collegiate athletic offerings at SC4 to 16 teams, joining opportunities in baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, dance, Esports, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling. Its addition makes SC4 a leader in adaptive sports offerings among colleges and universities in Michigan.
“Our Skippers Athletics program continues to grow and flourish, and the addition of adaptive sports at SC4 is a significant step forward in creating a more inclusive and diverse campus community,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “We’re thrilled to offer this new opportunity for both athletes and fans.”
Last fall, talented wheelchair basketball teams from around the Midwest and Canada converged at SC4 for an action-packed weekend of wheelchair basketball. Hosted by the University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness department in conjunction with SC4, the Wolverine Invitational marked the second edition of the event and kicked off the second competitive season of wheelchair basketball for the University of Michigan.
This year, SC4’s wheelchair basketball team plans to schedule exhibition contests and games as part of the inaugural season. The team is also working to participate as part of the Wolverine Invitational, which is scheduled to return to the SC4 Fieldhouse this fall, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
“The opportunity to host the Wolverine Invitational right here on our own campus with high-caliber collegiate athletes from institutions such as the University of Michigan is extremely exciting,” Vos said. “We’ll provide more information on game schedules and more as soon as details are finalized.”
SC4 announces April 18 Career/Job Fair
The 2023 St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Career/Job Fair will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 18. The event will bring hundreds of students, alumni and community members to the SC4 Fieldhouse.
The Career Fair portion of the event allows participants to learn about opportunities to start their career path at SC4 and talk with professionals in various career fields about key skills needed to succeed. Event participants can meet with an SC4 recruiter to walk through the steps to an enriching career, discuss career paths with health career educators, and explore apprenticeship options with the SC4 apprenticeship coordinator.
The Job Fair portion of the event provides attendees with opportunities to find employment in a wide variety of industries across the region.
Job Fair tables are expected to fill to capacity. Interested employers in search of qualified candidates are encouraged to register as early as possible at sc4.edu/careerfair.
SC4 is collaborating with the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County, Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works!, the City of Port Huron/McMorran Place and SC4’s Support Services, including the TRIO Program, for this year’s event.
SC4 event to explore Toni Morrison’s short story ‘Recitatif’
St. Clair County Community College’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will host a guided book discussion highlighting “Recitatif,” a New York Times best-seller by Toni Morrison, on Friday, March 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in SC4’s Fine Arts Theatre.
“Recitatif” is the powerful story of two young girls, Twyla and Roberta, who are roommates at St. Bonny’s Orphanage. Morrison keeps Twyla’s and Roberta’s races ambiguous throughout the story and weaves themes of friendship, race, childhood, memory and trauma throughout the story.
Dr. Leah Howell, director of Learning Design at Everspring, Inc., and Dr. Portia Watkins, Michigan State University director of Transitions and Transfer Student Success and a trainer of the Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation program, will serve as facilitators for the event.
The event will explore the key themes and symbols found throughout “Recitatif” within the context of the American education and foster care systems, examine the impact of the narrative decisions made by Morrison on the reader’s experience of the story, and reflect on the power of friendship. Attendees will be invited to reflect on their own assumptions and personal experience of relationships over time, the impact of our environment on how we learn to navigate relationships, and the role of human connection and belonging in our lives.
Book are available by contacting SC4’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at (810) 989-5564 or visiting the DEI office during normal business hours in SC4’s Welcome Center.
To register for this free event, visit sc4.edu/event/book-discussion-recitatif-by-toni-morrison/ or send an email to dei@sc4.edu.
Black History Month Read-in event planned Feb. 4
The SC4 Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will host a Read-in event featuring Detroit-raised artist and guest author Solomon Johnson to honor Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 10:30 a.m. to noon in the SC4 Fine Arts Theatre. This event is open to the public and K-12 students, SC4 students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are invited to attend.
The National African American Read-in was created in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by bringing together community members to listen to the reading of poems, stories and book excerpts by Black authors.
“Black History Month is a celebration of achievements and contributions to human development. And the fact that Black history is part of American history is essential for all Americans to know, learn about and understand,” said Jessica Brown, Vice President of SC4’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Student Recruitment, Advising & Admissions. “The Read-in event reflects groundbreaking efforts to encourage communities to read together, centering on African American books and authors and celebrating the beautiful legacy together.”
The mission of SC4’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is to advance the college’s efforts in providing educational access and support for all. The office hosts national speakers, podcasts, guided book discussions, events and programs to make SC4’s campus an inclusive environment for students, faculty, staff and the community.
Attendees are asked to register in advance for the free Read-in event by filling out the event registration form or by sending an email to dei@sc4.edu. To read more about SC4’s DEI Office, visit sc4.edu/dei.
SC4 to host Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Jan. 16
The St. Clair County Community College Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the SC4 Global Diversity Advisory Council will present the 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, in the SC4’s Fine Arts Theatre.
The theme of this year’s event is “Daring to Dream: The Radical Imagination of a New Generation.”
The event, which also will be live-streamed at sc4.edu/dei-live, will feature a celebration of Dr. King’s legacy with a diverse variety of speakers, musicians and other performances.
Register for the event online or send an email for more information to dei@sc4.edu.
Challenger Learning Center at SC4 announces Dec. 10 public mission date
>>> Register here
Challenger Learning Center at St. Clair County Community College (SC4) will launch visitors to the moon with Mission: Lunar Quest at 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. The mission date is open to the public and limited to the first 34 registrants. Seats on the mission are $25 per person and those ages 10-99+ are welcome!
Challenger Learning Center at SC4 is the only Center of its kind in Michigan and one of 40 Challenger Learning Centers nationwide and around the world. It is a fully immersive, space-themed experience aimed at deepening understanding and appreciation of STEM careers and topics and building critical 21st-century skills. It offers unique learning and team-building opportunities for students, educators, corporations and community residents.
“We’re so pleased to announce this open mission date,” said Kristin Copenhaver, vice president of communication and special projects. “If you haven’t yet checked out the Challenger Learning Center, this is an incredible opportunity to do so. Come and join the crew for this mission as individuals or with your families, friends or teammates. See what the excitement is all about!”
Mission participants will launch to the moon in search of a long-term human habitat, command and assist in Mission Control, or board the Spacecraft as an astronaut, serving on teams like biology, geology, weather, robotics, life support and more. They will help deploy a Lunar Exploration Rover to investigate areas of the lunar surface and make critical decisions to turn a potential catastrophe into NASA’s finest hour.
Challenger Center was founded in 1986 in the aftermath of the Challenger shuttle tragedy. The families of the crew came together and created Challenger Center to carry on the spirit of their loved ones and continue the Challenger crew’s educational mission. Challenger Center, with its network of Challenger Learning Centers and digital programs, has reached more than 5.5 million students and learners worldwide.
Register for the Dec. 10 mission at stclair.nbsstore.net/open-lunar-quest-mission-december-10. Mission: Lunar Quest is open to learners in 5th grade and beyond. Support may be available. Contact us with inquiries and questions at experiencecenter@sc4.edu or (810) 989-5789.
To schedule a full group mission at another time, visit challenger.sc4.edu/schedule-a-visit/.
