Category: General

Back and bigger than ever: 3rd Wolverine Invitational set for Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at SC4

Excitement is building for the highly anticipated 3rd annual Wolverine Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, hosted by University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness in partnership with St. Clair County Community College (SC4) and supported by the Guardian Life Insurance Company.

Scheduled from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, the event promises to be a thrilling showcase of athleticism and aims to be a beacon for social change. Committed teams include the University of Michigan (NWBA Adult D2), LWSRA Hawks (NAWBL) – Chicago, Kitchener Spinners (CWBL D1) – Ontario, London Forest City Flyers (CWBL D2 / NWBA Adult D3) – Ontario, Brampton Rockets (CWBL D2) – Ontario, University of Arizona (NWBA Intercollegiate Women), Southwest Minnesota State University (NWBA Intercollegiate Men), and the University of Wisconsin Whitewater (NWBA Intercollegiate Men).

The invitational serves as a season opener for all in attendance, and fans should expect teams to come out of the gates ready for high-speed action and strategy. With a full tournament schedule forthcoming, the University of Michigan tips off against the University of Arizona at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29, and the championship game is set for Sunday, Oct. 1 at noon. Additionally, SC4’s new wheelchair basketball team will take on Michigan State University on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 12:30 p.m. in the Wolverine Invitational’s Emerging Teams bracket.

“The rapid growth of our team has been a delight to watch,” said Dr. Feranmi Okanlami, Director of U-M Adaptive Sports & Fitness. “This team has put in countless hours to ensure that this event is one to never forget. I want to personally thank all the teams, volunteers, referees, and sponsors who chose to support this event. Together we will continue to do great things to support the growth of para sport. Go Blue!”

Added U-M Wheelchair Basketball Head Coach Jessica Wynne, “This tournament is an instant classic. Our players love the camaraderie and competition. We are grateful for our partnership with SC4 and thrilled to see them taking to the courts as a team. Our team has grown immensely and we are poised to contend with every team. We are exciting to watch, steeped with talent, and aim to be the hardest-working team out there. I think everyone in attendance can look forward to seeing some high-level wheelchair basketball throughout the weekend and the season to come.”

People from the community also will have the opportunity to try adaptive sports during an Adaptive Sports Clinic between 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, in the SC4 Fieldhouse.

“SC4 is honored to once again partner with the University of Michigan to host the Wolverine Invitational at the SC4 Fieldhouse,” said SC4 Senior Vice President Dr. Pete Lacey. “The U-M Adaptive Sports & Fitness staff has been instrumental in building awareness and opportunities for our campus and community. We look forward to welcoming so many incredible teams this year and we’re excited to have our own Skippers wheelchair basketball team as part of the event. I encourage all sports fans and community members to come to support this great event. Get ready to watch some of the best athletes in America compete for the Wolverine Invitational title.”

The tournament will follow a round-robin pool play, leading into the quarter-finals and semi-finals on Saturday evening. For more information about the event, including schedules, streaming, ticketing details and updates, visit UM Adaptive Sports & Fitness, follow @umichadaptivesports on Instagram or visit sc4.edu/wolverine.

The co-ed 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. For more information about joining the wheelchair basketball team at SC4, visit sc4.edu/campus-life/athletics/athlete-interest-form/.

SC4 welcomes eight new full-time faculty members 

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) is pleased to welcome eight full-time faculty members.   

  • Andrew Beaudin, MAcc, Accounting 
  • Ryan Johnson, M.A., History 
  • Cadey Korson, Ph.D., Geography 
  • Jacqueline Mahannah, MFA, Art/Graphic Design 
  • Jacob Vinson, MFA, Art 
  • Kevin Watkins, RN, BSN, Nursing 
  • Christine Yntema, RT(R)(CT), B.S., Radiologic Technology 
  • Linda Ziolkowski, RT(R), BAS, Radiologic Technology 

“These talented professionals and scholars bring theoretical, practical, clinical and creative expertise, certifications and experience to the online and in-person classrooms,” said SC4 Chief Academic Officer Ethan Flick. “They represent excellence across business and information technology, the humanities and fine arts, health care, sciences and social sciences, and general education. We’re thrilled to welcome them to our SC4 team and look forward to the positive impact they’ll have on student success at SC4.”   

SC4 provides access to life-changing higher education. Its alumni are successful health care leaders, engineers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, welders, scientists, public safety officers, designers, managers, entrepreneurs, artists and more.  

Pictured from left to right: Ryan Johnson, Jacob Vinson, Linda Ziolkowski, Christine Yntema, Jacqueline Mahannah, Kevin Watkins, Andrew Beaudin, Cadey Korson

SC4 kicks off fall arts season with Lexington Bach String Quartet, Sept. 14

The Lexington Bach String Quartet returns to campus to kick off the fall 2023 arts season at St. Clair County Community College (SC4) with performances at noon and 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, in SC4’s Fine Arts Theatre.

The Lexington Bach String Quartet features the following musicians:

  • Melody L. Wootton, first violin, is an active performer in the Detroit metropolitan area, playing with Detroit Opera, Broadway shows that appear in Detroit, and as a substitute violinist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. She is a member of the Baldwin Ensemble, the Fishwick-Levine-Wootton Piano Trio, and performs as a soloist for Detroit area churches.
  • Denice Anderson Turck, second violin, and Lexington Bach Festival administrator, is a freelance violinist and music educator. She is concertmaster emeritus of the Adrian Symphony Orchestra, leader of Regency Strings and performs regularly with regional orchestras. Before moving to Michigan, Anderson Turck developed a highly regarded junior high school and elementary string music program for the Oconomowoc, Wisc., Public Schools. She also served as string coordinator of Project Create, a Suzuki Institute at Carroll University, Wisc., and was a member of the Madison Symphony, Waukesha Symphony and Milwaukee Ballet orchestras.
  • Janine Bradbury, viola, is from Commerce, Mich. She is principal viola with the Flint and Saginaw Bay Symphony orchestras, a member of the Ann Arbor Symphony and is an active freelancer. Bradbury is a former member of the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra, the Boulder, Colo., Philharmonic, and has subbed with Windsor, Toledo and Detroit symphonies. Bradbury played Broadway shows in Detroit for 15 years and toured with the Phantom of the Opera. As a freelancer, she has played for Aretha Franklin, Plant and Page, Mannheim Steamroller, The Three Tenors, The Who, and Earth, Wind and Fire. She enjoys teaching violin and viola and frequently adjudicates student performances for the Flint Institute of Music.
  • Irina Tikhonova, cello, began playing the cello at the age of six. Her mother, Lydia, loved to sing and selected cello for Tikhonova because its range is close to that of the singing voice. Before coming to this country, she performed with the Harmony Philharmonic Ensemble of Soloists in Kiev, the Renaissance Chamber Orchestra, and was the assistant principal cellist in the State Symphony Orchestra. Since immigrating to the United States from the Ukraine in 1991, Tikhonova has been principal cellist of the Saginaw Bay Symphony, the Bijou Music Ensemble, the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, and is a member of the Flint Symphony Orchestra. She has more than 15 years of cello and chamber music teaching and coaching experience. Since 2008, Tikhonova has been on the faculty of Cellospeak in Pennsylvania.

Slated performance pieces include numbers by Johann Sebastian Bach, William Grant Still and Ludwig van Beethoven.

The Lexington Bach String Quartet concerts are free and open to the public—as are all upcoming arts events at SC4—and no tickets are needed. For the most current list of upcoming events at SC4, visit sc4.edu/events/.

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/.