Category: General

A Continuing Series of Small Indignities discussion — February 25

In Recognition of Black History Month, SC4’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is offering the following event for students, faculty, staff and community.

SC4’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion along with the SC4 Civic Democratic Learning Committee are sponsoring a special event to discuss A Continuing Series of Small Indignities, a film by Michael Pfaendtner. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, via Zoom.

Rodney Harris retired after nearly four decades in retail management. An African American growing up in mostly white Macomb County in the 1960s, he tells all to former classmate and filmmaker Michael Pfaendtner in a short documentary film about one man’s challenges because of his race over the past half century in Southeastern Michigan. Harris often hears, “Things are a lot better now, don’t you think?” While he’s found success professionally and his children are doing well, it’s his answer that many want to hear.

Harris will be participating in a chat discussion for student, staff and community moderated by SC4 professor of criminal justice Jim Jones that shares Rodney’s personal story dealing with a history of racism.

The film will be shown during the event, but you may watch it prior to the event on Vimeo.

Rodney and Michael discuss how the film came about in this clip from Detroit Public Television.

Dofonso Fernando, military veteran, SC4 Alumnus, and current Ferris State University student will also discuss his experiences and moving into the future. Fernando was born in Namibia and he moved to America with his family when he was just an infant. Raised in the southern part of Nevada, he called Las Vegas home and spent majority of his life there. He attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas, but after two years of being a student, he decided that a college education was not for him and went into the work force.

He worked in various casinos and the real estate industry. Once the 2008 recession happened, he knew that real estate and the nightlife industry were not suitable career paths for him. In 2010, he decided to join the United States Air Force as an Aerospace Medical Technician and purse a military career. His military career ended after various military assignments and almost seven years of honorable service.

After serving in the military, Dofonso and his wife Katherine decided to move their family back to Katherine’s hometown in the St. Clair County area. With Dofonso’s VA scholarship, he decided to take another try at a college education and started at SC4. He knew that the only way he could obtain a successful career was through pursuing his educational goals.

He graduated in 2019 with an Associate in General Education with Cum Laude honors. He immediately transferred to the Ferris State University Criminal Justice program that is located at SC4 and is finishing his final semester. He will be graduating this summer from Ferris State University and pursuing a career in corrections or continuing his educational goals.

To reserve your spot and receive login information, email dei@sc4.edu.

Rodney Harris, Dofonso Fernando and Michael Pfaendtner

SC4 checked all the boxes for alumnus Don Caluya’s mission

Don Caluya has already come a long way. But he’s just getting started.

While many people dream of traveling, Caluya’s target destination is in the night sky, about 239,000 miles away. He wants to be one of the next people to fly to the Moon, and one of his earliest steps toward that goal was on the campus of St. Clair County Community College.

“As an immigrant from the Philippines, I didn’t believe I had any chance of attending college,” Caluya explained. “SC4 allowed me to break generational barriers which gave me the confidence to follow my educational and career aspirations. Once I became engulfed in college classes at SC4, I knew that I could do more with my life.”

Caluya graduated from Port Huron Northern High School in 2008, and initially wanted to be an architect.

“When choosing a college, I looked for an option that was cost-effective, but which also had a great history and reputation,” Caluya said. “SC4 checked all the boxes and I was able to accomplish my education goals.”

SC4 offered Caluya the opportunity to get started and prepare for the bigger things he had planned.

“I got the best education at a fraction of the cost,” he said. “SC4 has top-notch educators who love their jobs and are willing to go above and beyond to help their students. The staff made helping people their top priority. They assisted me with all of the steps, including admissions, financial aid, and registration.”

Caluya is also excited about the Challenger Learning Center at St. Clair County Community College that will open on SC4’s campus in early 2022.

“The Challenger project within SC4’s walls will be the pride of the community,” he said. “It’s the first of its kind in Port Huron and the only one in Michigan. SC4 students and the community will have the resources and tools to be prodigious!”

After SC4, Caluya joined the U.S. Air Force, where he had the chance to travel all over the world. He became the proud father of “the most beautiful little girl in the world.” After the Air Force, he attended The Ohio State University, graduating in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in aviation and air transportation. He’s currently pursuing his master’s in business administration at Lindenwood University while working for The Boeing Company and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

“Long term, I’d like to be a test pilot for NASA, SpaceX, or Boeing,” Caluya said. “But my ultimate goal is to become an astronaut.”

Caluya has fond memories of his time at SC4 and believes that community college is a great place to start for students regardless of their long-term plans.

“Community colleges like SC4 provide not just an excellent academic infrastructure, but they also provide students hope, encouragement, support, and pride,” he explained. “SC4 gave me, someone from a small town in the Philippines, a sense of confidence and self-worth. I’m thankful to those who helped me along the way… my dearest and sincerest thanks.”

“Everything worth having has a stable foundation that it’s built on,” Caluya continued. “For me, this foundation came from Port Huron and SC4. Even though my bachelor’s diploma says, ‘The Ohio State University,’ it should also say ‘St. Clair County Community College,’ because a quarter of my credits came from there.”

Caluya also noted that NASA and large aerospace companies have programs that target community college students. The NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) program offers support to students looking to enter the field. “NASA never overlooks top talent,” he said, “and they know the worth of these local institutions.”

Whether your dreams are in the stars or a bit closer to home, SC4 can help you get there. Just ask Don Caluya, who’s already come a long way but is still looking up.

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.

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!