Category: Learning

SC4 to offer health care information sessions

St. Clair County Community College (SC4)—a long-time leader in health care education—is pleased to offer upcoming information sessions for its health care programs.

Program information sessions are free and the first step for anyone interested in earning a health care degree from SC4. For those interested in nursing or radiologic technology programs, attending a session is mandatory.

Radiologic Technology

Associate Degree Nursing

Practical Nursing

Transition Programs (LPN to ADN, Health Care Professional to ADN)

At the heart of SC4’s transformative health sciences education lies its newly renovated Health Sciences Building (HSB). This cutting-edge facility serves as a hub for immersive learning experiences, providing students with a hospital simulation wing that replicates real-world medical settings and helps develop critical knowledge and skills.

SC4 also offers degree programs in allied health, respiratory therapy and therapeutic massage, which is a cooperative effort with the Lakewood School of Therapeutic Massage, as well as transfer pathways to other health care careers.

To view program information and deadlines for all SC4 health care programs, visit sc4.edu/programs/health-human-services/. To view transfer pathways for additional programs and degrees, visit sc4.edu/admissions/transfer/. Contact SC4 at (810) 989-5520 or starthere@sc4.edu with questions.

SC4, Lake Huron Medical Center to host health careers open house

Are you looking to take the next step forward in your health care career? Look no further! St. Clair County Community College (SC4) and Lake Huron Medical Center invite all aspiring health care professionals to an exclusive event on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 2 p.m. in the Lake Huron Medical Center Cafeteria.

During this event, you will have the opportunity to learn about the tuition reimbursement opportunities available at Lake Huron Medical Center, designed to assist you as you pursue various health care programs offered by SC4. As a long-standing leader in health sciences education, SC4 offers a comprehensive range of in-demand courses, programs, certificates, and transfer pathways.

Whether you are interested in nursing, medical assisting, radiologic technology, respiratory therapy or any other health care field, SC4 has the resources and expertise to help you achieve your goals. This event will provide you with a chance to explore the multitude of options available and gain valuable insights into the exciting world of health care.

“The partnership between Lake Huron Medical Center and St. Clair County Community College has been instrumental in shaping the future of health care professionals in our community,” said Jose Kottoor, CEO of Lake Huron Medical Center. “We are committed to supporting individuals who are passionate about pursuing a career in the healthcare industry and are thrilled to offer tuition reimbursement opportunities to aid them in their educational journey.”

“We’re pleased to host this health careers event with Lake Huron Medical Center,” said Dean of Health Sciences and Director of Nursing Tracy Dunsmore. “SC4 alumni are positively impacting the health and well-being of their communities as nurses, radiologic technologists, respiratory therapists, massage therapists, doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists and much more. We look forward to welcoming anyone interested in joining our remarkable health care community to the event to discuss potential health career options.” 

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn more about the tuition reimbursement program through Lake Huron Medical Center and the exceptional health care programs offered by SC4. Registration is required for this event. Please register at sc4.edu/lhmc.

Skippers athletes break longtime academic excellence record, garner team honors 

A record number of St. Clair County Community College (SC4) athletes have been named recipients of National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) academic awards.

Twenty-seven Skippers athletes—the most for the Skippers in any single year since the early 2000s—received academic honors for the 2022-23 year by completing a minimum of 24 credits with at least a 3.60 GPA.

Additionally, eight Skippers teams achieved NJCAA Academic Team status for the 2022-23 year by having a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

SC4 student-athletes honored

NJCAA All-Academic First Team (4.0 GPA)
Olivia Crawford – Cross Country
Colleen Kubisiak – Soccer
Brandon Zielke – Cross Country

NJCAA All-Academic Second Team (3.80-3.99 GPA)
Elizabeth Baldwin – Cross Country
Brandi Bassett – Softball
Zach Dingwell – Baseball
Miyana Dishroon – Volleyball
Nicholas Knust – Cross Country
Ethan McCombs – Cross Country
Kaylie Rickert – Softball
Cameron Schomburg – Men’s Bowling
Tyler Simpson – Golf
Jesse Uzansky – Baseball

NJCAA All-Academic Third Team (3.60 – 3.79 GPA)
Ashley Bales – Bowling
Jacob Barrett – Basketball
Heather Broski – Volleyball
Lukas Danko Cross Country
Sarah Fantin – Softball
Andrew Howison – Wrestling
Elizabeth Hubbard – Bowling
Ben Moore – Baseball
Kayla Rosen – Women’s Basketball
Madelyn Smith – Women’s Basketball
Olivia Storm – Soccer
Ethan Strong – Baseball
Allison Tomczak – Cross Country
Joslyn Williams – Soccer

SC4 teams honored

Women’s Bowling (3.48 GPA)
Men’s Cross Country (3.36 GPA)
Men’s Bowling (3.29 GPA)
Soccer (3.12 GPA)
Softball (3.11 GPA)
Men’s Golf (3.07 GPA)
Volleyball (3.02 GPA)
Women’s Basketball (3.01 GPA)

“We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes and what they accomplish, both academically and athletically,” said SC4 Athletic Director Dale Vos. “Their commitment to their teams and future career paths is inspiring, and we’re grateful to see their hard work recognized by the NJCAA.”

To view the full list of individual award recipients visit NJCAA All-Academic Awards. To view team rankings, visit NJCAA Academic Teams of the Year.

Women’s Bowling team pictured above.

SC4 student perseveres, gains confidence on path to nursing career

“This isn’t working for me. I want more. I want to go back to school.”

Amber Fields—a single, working mom and caretaker without a high school diploma—remembers the day in 2018 she officially set her sights on becoming a nurse.  

“I was working dead-end jobs and was tired and burned out,” Fields said. “I’ve always wanted to help people and needed a change. I started searching paths, first to earn a GED. I came across 2GEN Learning Center and was met with immediate encouragement, love, and the support I didn’t even know I needed. It was my first step in becoming a nurse and I didn’t have to take it alone.”

2GEN, which “moves families toward economic security by improving educational attainment and addressing the non-academic barriers hindering success,” helped Fields get started.

“My son attended with me, attending developmental child care,” the mom of three said. “It took me about five to six months to pass, but I got my GED in February 2019.”

From there, Fields turned her focus to enrolling at St. Clair County Community College (SC4) and applying to its Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program.

“I filled out a lot of scholarship applications thanks to the help and support of my 2GEN family and the Community Foundation,” she said. “I was surprised to learn that I ended up getting every scholarship I filled out!”

Fields enrolled at SC4 beginning in fall 2019, taking prerequisite courses needed for the nursing program. She applied and was accepted into the nursing program in 2021, but had some difficulty in one class in particular.

“Unfortunately, I ended up failing the class,” said Fields, who had also started work as a full-time nurse aide at McLaren Port Huron. “That meant I had to wait until the next year to reapply to the program. So that’s what I did.”

She persevered and restarted her journey last fall. Since then, she’s continued on her path and even has been recognized for her efforts in the program. In April 2023, she was selected as the winner of the Faculty Memorial Award continuing student, an honor chosen by the SC4 faculty and presented at the Student Recognition Ceremony.

“I’ve gotten so much confidence going back to school and going to SC4,” she said. “The classes are small and you get really close with the professors. They know you and are very willing to help you through issues and with problems.”

Fields expects to graduate from SC4 with her ADN in 2024—and already is looking into where to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

“Nothing worthwhile is easy, you just have to keep moving,” Fields said. “My dreams are coming true. I’m looking forward to heading into a rewarding career as an RN.”

For more information about applying to SC4 and registering for courses, contact the SC4 Admissions team at (810) 989-5571 or starthere@sc4.edu. For more information about financial aid and scholarships—including Michigan Reconnect, a last-dollar scholarship program that pays for adult learners 25 and older to attend SC4 for free or at a reduced cost—contact SC4 Financial Aid at  financialaid@sc4.edu or call (810) 989-5530.

Photo credit: 2GEN Learning Center