Category: Student success

Non-traditional student finds additional support with TRIO program

As a non-traditional student, Michelle Ward wanted additional support when she enrolled in St. Clair County Community College’s Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program. She found it in SC4’s TRIO program.

“I heard SC4 had a great nursing program, but enrolling in college at my age combined with years of feeling inadequate only increased my lack of confidence,” Ward said. “I applied to the TRIO program for the additional support.”

Thanks to TRIO resources such as tutoring and printing, combined with TRIO’s helpful staff, Ward found the support she was looking for – and then some.

“Little did I realize how valuable this program would be to me,” Ward said. “The TRIO staff has been encouraging and supportive beyond my expectations. They have helped me overcome obstacles in a variety of ways. Every test I have taken and passed, assures me that I can do this and keeps driving me to face the next challenge. The support I have received is immeasurable.

“Specifically, I would thank Shawne Jowett for her commitment to her students, great listening skills and helpfulness. Jessica Brown’s professionalism, willingness to help and positive energy make a huge difference. Without Amy Hengehold’s help, I would have been lost. Kristy Jevens is a breath of fresh air. Always positive, encouraging and helpful.”

With the positive support and sense of belonging Ward received from TRIO and SC4, she remains focused on accomplishing her goal of graduating from the LPN program in December. She also looks forward to working in hospice home care and serving future patients with the utmost care and respect.

Skippers men’s golf team celebrates recent wins, all-conference accomplishments

The St. Clair County Community College Skippers men’s golf team recently won the Thomas Howard, Jr. Memorial Tournament and placed fourth in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Eastern Conference Championship.

Additionally, team members Jack DeMara and Evan DeBruyne were named to the MCCAA all-conference team, with DeBryune also being designated Freshman of the Year.

For more on these recent accomplishments, please read this Times Herald article.

Photo credit: April DeBruyne

Alumnus thriving as cybersecurity expert and Arizona State University adjunct professor

St. Clair County Community College alumnus Alexander Neff credits his alma mater for helping him keep pace while pursuing his career along today’s information superhighway.

Neff, 33, of Mesa, Ariz., is employed as a cybersecurity and compliance manager for VisualVault and recently became an adjunct professor at Arizona State University.

“Everything I learned prepared me to jump into my career full steam and allowed me to catch up to speed quickly on technologies I hadn’t learned yet,” he said. “Without SC4, I would have never achieved the level of success I have today.”

The Algonac High School graduate earned his Associate of Science degree in computer information systems (networking) from SC4 in 2006. He then went on to attend Northern Arizona University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in information technology management in 2012 and later his Master of Science degree in management of information systems from the University of Arizona in 2017.

Neff began working as a systems analyst for Magellan21 in Glendale, Ariz., in 2010 and later became an information security architect for the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System in Phoenix in 2011 before accepting his current position this year with VisualVault. He is also a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).

“In my first few positions after graduation, I supported small business networks,” Neff said. “My degree from SC4 aligned well with those positions. In order to move forward with my career, I transitioned to cybersecurity and was able to leverage all of my experience up to that point. In my current position, I’m in charge of cybersecurity and compliance for a company that provides software as a service.”

He also will soon teach college classes similar to the ones he took at SC4.

“I actually just accepted the position at ASU to teach night classes,” he said. “I will be teaching a couple of 100 and 200 level information technology and cybersecurity classes a semester, exactly the kind of classes I took at SC4. I feel it’s a way to strengthen my own knowledge while training the next wave of cybersecurity engineers as they are sorely needed in the industry. In the next few years, there’s expected to be a shortage of millions of cybersecurity workers.”

Neff added SC4 was a stepping-stone to higher education.

“The education I received at SC4 gave me a solid foundation of how technology works and allowed me to get my feet wet in my career,” he said.

SC4 radiologic technology students win top honors at statewide competition

St. Clair County Community College Class of 2020 radiologic technology students recently competed in the Michigan Society of Radiologic Technologists Annual Student Academic Competition in Bay City, Mich. SC4 student Taylor Kreger (shown above holding the trophy) earned first place, while SC4 students Danielle Sawyer (above right) and Katelyn Vespie (above left) won third and fourth place, respectively.

IMG_1123 (1).PNGSC4 students competed against students from a number of radiologic technology programs across Michigan. Students were tasked with special preparation sessions and assignments to be ready for the event.

“This competition comes at a good time in the program,” said SC4 Program Director Monica Rowling. “It helps prepare students early for their national certifying exam. Taylor, Danielle and Katelyn represented SC4 well and should be very proud of their accomplishments!”

As this year’s winner, Kreger won $250, a plaque, medallion and the right to display the competition trophy until next year’s competition. Sawyer won $75, a plaque and medallion, and Vespie was awarded a medallion.

SC4’s radiologic technology program is increasingly known for the high-quality education it provides to its students. SC4 radiologic technology students recently helped continue for a sixth year the program’s impressive 100 percent passing rate on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) exam by taking and passing the exam on their first try.

SC4 Dean of Health Sciences Jenny Giles-Voss commented on the program’s perfect record on the national registry exam in a past SC4 news release.

“A perfect record like this is incredibly rare,” Giles-Voss said. “It illustrates the high level of commitment we have to our students in ensuring they are ready to thrive in this career path upon graduation.

“Specifically, Monica has had a remarkable record of preparing skilled radiographers in our region. We are fortunate to have her and our amazing team of faculty experts teaching future generations of health care professionals.”