SC4 Symphonic Band to play three waterfront concerts this summer

The St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Symphonic Band will perform three free twilight concerts this summer in the Riverside Pavilion, adjacent to the College’s campus along the Black River in Port Huron.

Twilight concert dates include:

Saturday, June 17, 2023
6 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 8, 2023
6 to 8 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023
6 to 8 p.m.

Led by Erick Senkmajer, the bands will play classic and contemporary songs for the June 17 and Aug. 6 concerts. The July 8 concert will highlight sounds and styles from the 1920s to celebrate the College’s 100th anniversary year.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and neighbors of all ages are invited to attend.

SC4 to host annual Golf Classic June 23 benefiting student athletes

The St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Athletics Department will host its annual SC4 Golf Classic on Friday, June 23, at Marysville Golf Course. Participants will enjoy 18 holes of golf with friends to support SC4 Athletics.

This year’s event sponsor is SC4 alumnus and Skippers Hall of Fame member Joe Mericka. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available.

“We are grateful for the ongoing community support of Skippers Athletics and our students,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “This event is a great opportunity for us to come together, have some fun and help our hard-working student athletes pursue a college degree.”

The four-person scramble is limited to the first 28 teams to register. The cost is $125 per golfer or $500 per team. Golfers can register for the event online at sc4.edu/thepier/golf.

Check in begins at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Dinner, awards and prizes will begin at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Dale Vos at (810) 989-5671 or email dvos@sc4.edu.

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.

Alumni Spotlight: Karen Deschaine

Current or most recent title and employer?
Director of Communications, Woman’s Life Insurance Society

How did SC4 help prepare you?
I was working full-time when I first enrolled at SC4, and initially only planned to take a few classes to improve my graphic design skills. An SC4 advisor helped me create a path to complete my associate degree in business by combining the required/core classes with electives that helped me build the design skills I needed for the job I had then. It was a lot of hard work, taking classes in person and online while working full-time, but it was definitely worth it in the end. The classes I took at SC4 prepared me well for the next level of classes when I transferred to Walsh College. Even today, the combination of my degree(s) and those creative skills helps set me apart from others and has enabled me to continue to grow in my career.

What do you like most about what you do professionally?
I’m fortunate to work for an organization that has a mission I care about deeply. In my role, I get to work on a wide variety of communications and marketing-related projects and campaigns from developing corporate messaging and ad campaigns to graphic design, video production to social media and website content. I love that I get to apply the skills I gained at SC4 and continue to learn new things every day while helping my organization and the people we serve as we pursue our mission.

Did you transfer on and earn other degrees? If so, what degrees and from where?
After graduating from SC4, I transferred to Walsh College where I earned my bachelor’s degree in business and marketing.