Category: Student success

SC4 begins Campus Patrol Cadet Program to provide practical experience to criminal justice students

St. Clair County Community College is pleased to announce its Campus Patrol Cadet Program, which was created to provide practical, hands-on experience to students pursuing a SC4 degree in criminal justice.

“This program will provide its participants with a fully immersive, professional experience right here on our campus,” said SC4 Professor of Criminal Justice James Jones. “The more experiences and scenarios we are able to offer to our students, the better prepared they will be to succeed upon earning their degree.”

The Campus Patrol Cadet Program will offer part-time employment as a campus patrol cadet. Job responsibilities include performing tasks to assist permanent campus patrol staff, patrolling campus, and assisting students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus. Variable shifts and hours, including nights and weekends, are required.

While preference will be given to criminal justice students, the program is open to active students across campus and program areas with a minimum GPA of 2.0.

SC4’s associate degree in criminal justice prepares students to enter police or corrections academies, as well as serve as court advocates, private security workers and more. SC4 students practice crime scene investigation (CSI) techniques such as fingerprint and evidence collections; attend trials and other court proceedings; participate in field trips to the local jail and state prisons; and gain exposure to the field through presentations by active police officers and other criminal justice professionals.

Those interested in applying to the Campus Patrol Cadet Program may do so online. Those interested in pursuing an associate degree in criminal justice can learn more at sc4.edu/starthere.

SC4 strengthens commitment to equality and leadership in sports, joins WeCOACH and forms new group devoted to equality in sports

St. Clair County Community College is strengthening its commitment to equality and leadership in sports through a newly launched SC4 Michigan Promoters of Women’s Equal Rights in Sports (SC4 MPOWERS) group and membership with WeCOACH, a national organization dedicated to the recruitment, advancement and retention of women coaches of all sports and levels.

“We know sports provide camaraderie and support, build resilience, develop leadership skills, and empower those involved in countless ways,” said SC4 President Dr. Deborah A. Snyder. “As a higher education institution highly involved in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) collegiate sports, SC4 has an obligation to do its part in providing women athletes and coaches more athletic and leadership opportunities. SC4 MPOWERS and WeCOACH membership are just two of the many ways we look forward to bringing about change, regionally and nationally.”

WeCoach_logo_stacked_gradient.pngSC4 is the first community college in the nation to join the WeCOACH team, which rebranded from the Alliance of Women Coaches to WeCOACH in August 2018, as an institutional group member. WeCOACH provides members with education and career development, a community of like-minded professionals, and an advocate and respected voice. There are currently 85 member institutions from coast to coast including colleges such as Florida State University, Stanford and Notre Dame.

SC4 MPOWERS will be co-led by Nancy Winzer, former SC4 softball player and current City of Port Huron recreation director, and Celina Grondin, SC4’s new women’s golf coach, director of institutional research and former Lake Superior State University tennis and track athlete. It was designed by the college to support and advocate for women coaches and athletes. While in its early stages, the group will officially be formed this fall.

SC4 currently offers collegiate sports opportunities to women in cross country, basketball, bowling, softball and volleyball. In addition, the college recently added golf to provide more women the chance to continue playing at the collegiate level. The college is continuously looking at ways to provide additional opportunities for aspiring female athletes and coaches.

“It’s important that young girls and women see more examples of females leading in sports and in their careers,” Dr. Snyder said. “We’re beginning to see more coverage of women’s sports, like the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup, but we need to do much more. Colleges and universities, working closely with their respective urban and rural communities, can take a lead role and do more to illustrate what’s possible for young women.”

Those interested in learning more about SC4 MPOWERS can contact Grondin at cgrondin@sc4.edu.

SC4’s newly launched respiratory therapy program earns Provisional Accreditation

St. Clair County Community College is pleased to announce it has received official notice of Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) for its newly launched respiratory therapy program.

The 24-month Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences degree program will admit its first cohort of students this fall semester. Graduates who meet all requirements will be recognized by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) as being eligible to sit for appropriate credentialing examinations.

“We’re thrilled to receive Provisional Accreditation for this important and in-demand degree program,” said Christine Robinson, director of respiratory therapy at SC4. “There’s been a great deal of interest. I’m confident that students in this program will be ready in the workplace thanks to our hands-on curriculum and personalized learning environment in our beautifully renovated, state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in respiratory therapy are projected to grow 23 percent through 2026, much faster than the average for other occupations.

SC4’s program combines classroom and practicum experiences in hospitals, outpatient testing facilities and physician offices to give graduates the knowledge and skills they need to enter the field as licensed respiratory therapists.

Those interested in studying respiratory therapy at SC4 can find out more online or attend one of the below upcoming information sessions on SC4’s campus.

  • Monday, Sept. 9, 2019 – 6 to 7 p.m., Health Sciences Building, Room 109
  • Monday, Oct. 14, 2019 – 6 to 7 p.m., Health Sciences Building, Room 109
  • Monday, Nov. 18, 2019 – 6 to 7 p.m., Health Sciences Building, Room 109

The St. Clair County Community College respiratory therapy program, CoARC Program Number 200635, Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences degree program, located on SC4’s campus in Port Huron, Mich., holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (coarc.com).

First-generation college student and SC4 alumnus pursuing passion with Detroit Lions

Pursuing a college education — one that didn’t break the bank — was a must for first-generation college student Brendan Buffa when he graduated from St. Clair High School in 2012.

“I knew deep down I wanted to continue my education after high school, but the fear of taking on a massive amount of debt was very real to me,” Buffa said. “I was incredibly grateful to my parents, who said that if I did in fact decide to go to college, they’d help pay for my first year at St. Clair County Community College.”

According to Buffa, he found much more than an affordable education at SC4, including faculty members, clubs and experiences that helped him explore options and grow prior to committing to a four-year university. He also discovered a passion that has driven him ever since.

Buffa was approached by SC4 faculty members Gary Schmitz and John Lusk in his first semester to consider writing for the Erie Square Gazette, SC4’s student newspaper. He then spent the next three semesters at SC4 writing, editing and covering Skippers Athletics. The experience helped introduce him to athletes, connect him to campus and the community, and learn about people in a whole new way.

“SC4 taught me individualism,” Buffa said. “The idea that everybody is a person and has a story to tell. That was what made SC4 so unique and memorable. Everybody on campus — whether they were young students, middle-aged students, athletes, faculty, staff —everybody had a story to tell that was so fully unique.”

His campus involvement also made him aware of new career possibilities that could seamlessly merge his passions for writing and sports.

“I didn’t really know there were alternative career paths in athletics,” Buffa said. “My SC4 professors saw hope and drive in me. They challenged and molded me. Thanks to them, I became aware of a new career path and have since been in a full sprint to achieve my goals.”

Buffa transferred to Western Michigan University in fall 2014. With collegiate writing experience already under his belt, he started as a staff writer at the 100-year-old Western Herald before being promoted to assistant sports editor and then editor-in-chief in 2016. He also served as a member of the Student Media Group Board, which was the decision-making entity of the university’s media outlets, where he advocated to give his 60-member writing team experiences they wouldn’t have elsewhere.

“That time in my life was difficult, but it resulted in great success,” Buffa said. “Leading a paper, taking full-time classes and working another part-time job in the midst of it all was really hard to juggle. But SC4’s ability to mold my creativity, leadership and independence was a direct contribution to the success I found and helped others find as well.”

Buffa graduated from WMU in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and sports marketing. Upon graduation, he served as a promotions coordinator at 97.1 The Ticket in Southfield, Michigan, and as a digital content producer and assignment desk editor at WWMT Newschannel 3 in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Grateful for all his past experiences — which also include a freelance gig for the Dallas Cowboys and covering the WMU Broncos’ undefeated season and Cotton Bowl game — Buffa remains laser-focused and is thrilled to be starting in a new role with the Detroit Lions as a new media web intern. There, he supports the new media team through backend website assistance, site photo and gallery production, media interview post-copy, article and video creation, and more.

“Working with the Detroit Lions has been the ultimate goal since 2013,” Buffa said. “It’s an opportunity I’ve only dreamed of.”

Ultimately, Buffa looks forward to expanding his roles and expertise in professional sports in the coming years and is more than ready to put in the hard work. An avid community college advocate, he’ll tell anyone who listens that his time at SC4 helped him get his start.

“SC4 is where it all started,” Buffa says. “It was the first time I was able to dip my feet into the water and experience things. It taught me so much about independence and autonomy, and about friendships and support. I found a community at SC4. I’m grateful to my professors to this day.”

He added, “If people want to further their education with college, community college should always and forever be the first consideration. It is wholly accessible to people from all walks of life. If you want to further yourself and are hindered by other commitments or still not sure where you want to direct your path in life, community college will give you the tools and experiences to do so.”