Category: Student success

SC4 celebrates 65th edition of Michigan’s longest-running, student-led literary and arts magazine

St. Clair County Community College (SC4) students have received recognition for their work in the 65th edition of Patterns, Michigan’s oldest literary and arts publication aimed at showcasing student writing talent and works of art.

Patterns is designed by an SC4 student. Zoe Palmateer was the graphic designer for this edition, while faculty members Sarah Flatter, Jim Frank and Gary Schmitz provided direction and support to students.

“Patterns is an opportunity to celebrate being creative and to recognize the unique talents of our next generation of artists,” said Flatter, SC4 professor of fine arts and graphic design. “We congratulate all of those who contributed to the 65th edition of Patterns and honor their success.”

Awards were given to students during a Patterns Award Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, April 27, on the College’s Port Huron campus.

The following students received awards:

Literature

  • Eleanor Mathews Award, writing — Payton Wiley of St. Clair
  • Blanche Redman Award, poetry — Karen Crorey of Marine City for Depression Exits
  • Second-place poem — Daisi Dixon of Emmett for Home
  • Third-place poem — Maggie Whitehouse of Yale for Car-Ride to Church
  • Kathleen Nickerson Award, essay — Tony Cole of Kimball Township for Rise of the New Woman: An Analysis of Historical Context n “The Yellow Wallpaper”
  • Second-place essay — Kathryn Manhart of Jeddo for My Friends Are My Power: Kingdom Hearts and the Importance of Connection
  • Richard Colwell Award, short story — Olivia Brody of East China Township for Guidance
  • Second-place short story — Krysta Saunders of Kimball Township for Wine is Thicker Than Blood
  • Third-place short story — Payton Wiley of St. Clair for To Bigfork

Art

  • Patrick Bourke Award, art — Ashley Cleland of Port Huron
  • First-place visual art — Cass Gordon of Snover for Scrap Bucker Sculpture
  • Second-place visual art — Zoe Palmateer of Fort Gratiot for Sailors’ Demise
  • Third-place visual art — Henry Charron of St. Clair for Leaf at Table Edge

Merit awards also were provided to students for having their work chosen for inclusion in Patterns:

Literary Selection of Merit

  • Sarah Coulter of Port Huron
  • Amanda Hurst of Marine City
  • Nicole Marabate of Capac
  • Katrina Mausolf of Minden City
  • Morgan McConnell of Casco Township
  • Riley Petit of Clay Township
  • Lilly Rodriguez of Emmett
  • Payton Wiley of St. Clair

Arts Selection of Merit

  • Paige Burgos of Port Huron
  • Henry Charron of St. Clair
  • Ryan Churchill of Port Huron
  • Ashley Cleland of Port Huron
  • Cass Gordon of Snover
  • Marcus Helton of Port Huron
  • Bryce Hurd of Fort Gratiot
  • Katerina Lindsay of Riley Township
  • Brooke McIntyre of Melvin
  • Zoe Palmateer of Fort Gratiot
  • Isabella Perry of Capac
  • Rylee Pihaylic of Port Huron
  • Alina Poplawski of Marysville
  • Anna Rieck of Clay Township
  • Jacqueline Rodriguez of Capac
  • Evelyn Scarbrough Riley Township
  • Katsiaryna Trapashka of Port Huron

Production of Patterns is made possible by the financial support from SC4 and SC4 Friends of the Arts. Copies of Patterns are available in Room 10, SC4 Fine Arts Building, or the SC4 Library, in College Center, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday or by calling (810) 989-5709.

SC4 honors students for academic achievements

St. Clair County Community College is proud to honor 180 students for their outstanding accomplishments in and out of the classroom during the 2022-23 academic year.

“Our students, who come from cities across our region and beyond, are committed to their education and work hard throughout the year to achieve their goals,” said Senior Vice President Dr. Pete Lacey. “The students honored at this ceremony are wonderful examples of what can be achieved in the classroom and out in our community.”

Achievement awards in academics, leadership, service and personal accomplishments

Applegate — Kevin Jensen
Avoca — Ezra Bartee and Maggie Whitehouse
Bad Axe — Nicole London
Berkley — Shelby Roy
Brown City — Jason Fields
Capac — Michael Bower, Clarissa Gottschalk, Kirsten Herndon and Gabrielle Lulis
Carsonville — Ellenor Scarbrough
Chesterfield — Leah Rospierski
Clay Township — Matthew Briskey
Clyde Township — Rebekah Delmedico, Lacey LaForest, Chase Miller, Tracy Morawski, Eliana Morgan and
Italo Rodrigues
Columbus Township — Jordan Carreira and Brenda McLeod
Croswell — Jillian Koehler-Smith, Teddy Maury and Toryn Sontag
Deckerville — Riva Phillips
Dryden — David Goodloe,
East China Township — Allen Brioc, Katherine Brozik, Paige Hart, Jenna Lesch, Julia Rausch and Madison
Rzeppa
Emmett — Michael Donnellon, Paul Donnellon, Marie Frohriep, Chris Heiden and Benjamin Rodriguez
Fort Gratiot — Sheima Ali, Donald Bragg, Holly Conely, Elle Fisher, Reese Georgia, Annette Heilman,
Brandon Leal, Jenna McKeever, Emily Munsie, Zoe Palmateer, Sarah Rhude, Colton Sciotti, David
Singleton, Gabriel Stephens, Logan Tuttle, Benjamin Wentzel and Brandon Zielke
Goodells — Lauren Behrendt, Alexander Bowerson, Hannah Gentner, Tessa Peters, Gabrielle Precour and
Darlene Zdral
Harrison Township — Kaitlan MilantoniIra Township — Marley Hubbard and Larissa Malone
Jeddo — Larissa Bailey, Olivia Crawford, Barbara Paldanius and Lowry Paldanius
Kimball Township — Kaitlyn Ambrous, Brandi Bassett, Tony Cole, Joseph Dickenson, Michele Erdman,
Francesca Frey, Alaina Jolly, Kari Jo Kelly, Siera Lacey, Christianna Melton, Amber Paul, Haley Roff, Lainey
Spadafore, Blake Stevens, Ronald Sullivan, Lindsay Thoms and Heather Welsh
Lapeer — Kelly DeBlock and Mariah Diller
Lexington — Justin Galbraith, Caitlin Gooding and Benjamin Kelley
Marine City — Hanna Lowes, Chase McKenzie, Peyton Ramsey and Kaylie Rickert
Marlette — Breanna Lefler and Shelby Swift
Marysville — Ashley Bales, Amber Fields, Connor Fitzgerald, Rachel Froehlich, Gwyneth Glombowski,
Kerrigan Guertin, Hala Kassab, Alexandra Nuculovic, Jadzia Onorati-Phillips, Reese Schomer, Wyatt
Stimac and Zachary Wieland
Melvin — Ann Demaray, Alissa Middleton and Angelina Schaufele
Memphis — Courtney Carlson
Peck — Jorden Lodge
Port Huron — Gloria Bean, Atlas Biberston, Ashley Cleland, Hailey Clink, Jamaal Collier, Jessica Compton,
Taylor Cook, Evan Crawford, Hailey Dawson, Matthew Diller, Christopher Doan, Timothy Fisher, Morgan
Fulgenti, Nicole Griffor, Clarence Hall, Timothy Hock, Gabi Hudson, Laura Jimenez, Brandy Johnston,
Madison Jozefiak, Leah Kain, Mary Kaminski, Colleen Kubisiak, Nicole Leininger, Danielle Malburg, Tresa
Miller, Erica Milot, Morgan Moeller, Ben Moore, Avery Morehead, Denver Morehead, Stephen Moss,
Amanda Osgood, Paul Prey, Niurka Rodriguez, Rachel Rugg, Tara Sasu, Brenda Saura, Ryan Scott,
Elizabeth Sliman, Emily Tribula, Arlonna Twitty, Peter VanOast, Josie Walker and Michelle Wright
Port Sanilac — Liliana Grigg
Riley — Amanda Overly
Sandusky — Nicolas Reaume
Smiths Creek — Austin Armstead
St. Clair — Jenna Cloutier, Joseph Dobat, Aurora DuVall, Jacob Eagan, Alex Hall, Sarah Kehoe, Rylee
Melczarczyk, Pette Moore, Brandi Schmitz, Edward Skelly, Bryson Stotler and Avery Turner
Utica — Erin Delevan,
Warren — Jennifer Chilcutt,
Yale — Hannah Gray, Megan Langdon, Mackenzie Witt and Dylan Wood

All SC4 Academic Team, All Michigan Academic Team winners

Joseph Dobat of St. Clair and Chris Heiden of Emmett

Faculty Memorial Awards

Amber Fields of Brown City is the award winner of the Faculty Memorial Award for a continuing student. Other nominees included Tony Cole of Kimball Township, Holly Conely of Fort Gratiot, Hala Kassab of Marysville, Tracy Morawski of Clyde Township, Emily Munsie of Fort Gratiot, and Zoe Palmateer of Fort Gratiot.

Joseph Dobat of St. Clair is the award winner of the Faculty Memorial Award for a graduating student. Other nominees included Chris Heiden of Emmett, Leah Kain of Port Huron, Brandi Schmitz of St. Clair, and Colton Sciotti of Fort Gratiot.

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.

Alumni Spotlight: Derrick Wise

Current or most recent title and employer?
ICU RN, Ascension Warren Campus

How did SC4 help prepare you?
The nursing degree prepared me to deliver holistic care, providing the best possible outcomes for my patients. Also, earning my associate degree from SC4 prepared me to go on for my BSN.

What do you like most about what you do professionally?
I enjoy bedside nursing. The challenges I experience every day I go to work and the teamwork my unit has.

Did you transfer on and earn other degrees? If so, what degrees and from where?
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), graduating Suma Cum Laude from Arizona State University.

Alumni Spotlight: Avery Hoffman

Current or most recent title and employer?
Merchandise Coordinator at Neiman Marcus Group

How did SC4 help prepare you?
I was in Middle College while I was also still in high school. I also stayed home a year to attend SC4 and graduate from the Middle College program, earning two associate degrees. I then transferred to the University of Alabama. I had already completed all of my prerequisites, so I was able to jump right into my core curriculum for my major.

What do you like most about what you do professionally?
I am able to travel while I work from home.

Did you transfer on and earn other degrees? If so, what degrees and from where?
A bachelor’s degree in human environmental sciences at the University of Alabama.

Alumni Spotlight: Shawnna Apley

Current or most recent title and employer?
Front Desk Agent at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, MI

How did SC4 help prepare you?
I was able to complete my degree in liberal arts at SC4 through the Blue Water Middle College Program. Since then, I have accelerated greatly in my undergraduate courses. I will be getting my bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Grand Valley State University in August of 2023 and have plans to attend graduate school thereafter. SC4 and BWMC helped me to grow my professional endeavors by always encouraging me to think big. I am thankful for the position this College has put me in every day.

What do you like most about what you do professionally?
In my professional work, I am able to talk with guests every day, meet new people and expand my knowledge of the hospitality industry. Because of SC4 and BWMC, I am able to not only work in my field while in my degree but study a subject that I am extremely passionate about. Both of these programs truly accelerated my higher education journey. If I didn’t take classes at SC4 I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Did you transfer on and earn other degrees? If so, what degrees and from where?
I am currently a senior at Grand Valley State University and will receive my bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management with an emphasis in lodging and tourism management in August of 2023! SC4 allowed me to be able to go into my bachelor’s degree program knowing exactly what I wanted and saved me huge amounts of money along the way.

Winter 2023 fast-path courses help students and residents earn credits faster, explore passions at SC4

Registration is open for fast-path winter semester classes at St. Clair County Community College. Seats are available in 12-week classes starting the week of Feb. 6 and eight-week classes starting the week of March 13.

Fast-path classes allow students to earn credits that count toward general education or degree requirements at a quicker pace. Sections are available for classes in topics that include art, business, management, marketing, cybersecurity, English, French, history, mathematics, psychology, political science, speech and more.

Offerings this winter help students and community members expand their knowledge base and uncover passions.

Examples of some specific courses offered this winter include:

  • ART 120-67—Art Appreciation
  • BUS 150-66—Principles of Business
  • BUS 155-66—Principles of Management
  • BUS 186-65—Internet Marketing
  • BUS 252-65—Consumer Behavior
  • CIS 105-65—Cybersecurity Essentials
  • ENG 101-63—English Composition I
  • FR 101-2—Introductory French 1
  • GEO 105-63—Introduction to Meteorology
  • HIS 101-64—History Western Civ to 1715
  • HIS 150-61—History of U.S. 1877 to Present
  • MTH 110-62—Intermediate Algebra
  • MTH 120-65—Introduction to Statistics
  • PS 101-69—Intro to Political Science
  • PSY 180-63—Introduction to Psychology
  • SOC 101-65—Principles of Sociology
  • SPC 101-63—Speech Communication
  • THA 105-61—Oral Interpretation

“Whether you’re a student interested in earning credits toward your degree or transfer pathway faster, or you’re a community member interested in taking a course of interest to learn and grow, our fast-path courses are a fantastic option,” said Jessica Brown, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Student Recruitment, Advising and Admissions.

A full list of courses and sections is available at sc4.edu/schedule, and new students can learn how to apply and register at sc4.edu/admissions/. Current students can register via the SC4 Portal at portal.sc4.edu.

For more information, contact the SC4 Admissions team at (810) 989-5571 or starthere@sc4.edu.

Joe Gibbons receives SC4 Distinguished Faculty Award

Joe Gibbons has been selected as the recipient of the St. Clair County Community College (SC4) Distinguished Faculty Award for 2022. Gibbons has been a professor of chemistry at SC4 for 31 years.

For Gibbons, staying focused on his students and their needs is essential. He is proud of their accomplishments and stays in contact with numerous former students, now calling many of them friends. “It has been a privilege to accompany them on their journeys,” Gibbons says.

In addition to a full-time teaching schedule, Gibbons has served the College in a variety of other ways.

He has taken a leadership role as a department chair several times, currently serving as department chair of SC4’s Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Division (STEM). In this position, he brings a thoughtful, historical and forward-thinking perspective to STEM departments and disciplines.

Gibbons also has been at the forefront of assessment at SC4 throughout his 31 years of service, leading committees and taking on significant projects to ensure that the information extracted from assessment data is meaningful and leads to improvements for SC4 students.

Also nominated this year for the SC4 Distinguished Faculty Award were Sandra Geliske in radiologic technology, Brandis Hubbard in biology, and Katy McCullough in nursing.

The Professional Development Committee annually coordinates nominations of faculty by their faculty peers for the Distinguished Faculty Award (DFA). As a member of NISOD, SC4 award nominees and winner also are submitted for the NISOD Excellence Award.

​​​​​​​The winner is awarded a Golden Apple and also receives a $1,000 stipend to use toward professional development. NISOD provides medals to all of the nominees and a plaque for the winner.

Scholarships available for SC4 students

St. Clair County Community College is accepting scholarship applications from students who plan to attend SC4 for the 2023-24 academic year.

SC4 has many scholarship opportunities available. Some are geared toward students who plan to study a specific subject, while others are intended for students from a particular town or high school. There are also a number of awards open to students based on academic performance and extracurricular activities.

“Whatever your background, there’s likely a scholarship that you are qualified to apply for,” said Executive Director of Financial Assistance and Veteran Services Josephine Cassar.

Visit sc4.edu/money to apply for available scholarships (after applying to SC4), including SC4 scholarships and scholarships through external sources. Apply for multiple scholarships by filling out just one online application. Many scholarships require a completed FAFSA, which can be submitted at fafsa.gov.

SC4, the SC4 Foundation, community groups and private donors offer numerous scholarships to fit nearly all student academic records, backgrounds and financial situations.

The priority deadline to apply for scholarships is Sunday, March 12.

For details, call the Financial Aid Office at (810) 989-5530 or email financialaid@sc4.edu.