Category: Student success

Residential living enhances college experience at SC4

Emily Fleischmann likes to hang out with friends in her dorm’s spacious common area, where they cook dinner, watch movies or play games. It’s typical college stuff, but these students attend community college, which typically lacks the convenience and bonding experiences that come with student housing.

Last fall, St. Clair County Community College (SC4) became the first community college in Southeast Michigan, and one of only a few throughout the state, to offer student housing. Known as the Dock, the facility is right in the heart of vibrant downtown Port Huron, just a short walk to the college campus.

Read more about how new student housing is changing the community college experience at SC4 from The Keel. 

SC4 to honor hundreds of graduates at 95th annual Commencement Ceremony 

PORT HURON – St. Clair County Community College’s 95th annual Commencement Ceremony takes place this evening at 6 p.m. in the McMorran Place Arena. This year, 628 graduates have successfully completed degree and certificate programs in various fields of study.

Students from across Michigan, Canada and as far as New Jersey and Arizona have earned associate degrees and certificates in arts, business, general education, applied arts and science, and more. Graduates of the college’s Associate Degree Nursing program will be recognized during a special candlelight pinning ceremony at 2:30 p.m. in the McMorran Place Arena.

The 6 p.m. ceremony will be streamed live at sc4.edu/commencement and also will air on Comcast Cable Channel 12 at the following dates and times:

  • 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11
  • 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 12
  • 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, May 18
  • 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19

St. Clair County Community College graduating class of 2019, listed by hometown:

ALGONAC — Brianna Allor, Thaddeus Beadle, Erica Boughner, Carly Brandt, Stefany Conrad, Lindsay Dunn, Katie Flenna, Jaimie Gibbons, Stephen Gottler, Caterina Gryspeerd, Jake Healy, Cara John, Elizabeth June, Amber Kurrle, Ciara Lane, Tina LaParl, Samantha Lookliss, Charity Marinelli, Monica Martin, Matthew Meldrum, Nicole Minhinnick, Daniel Perez, Brendan Pittiglio, Jonathan Saums, Corey Strickland, Jada Strickland, Kyle White, Amanda Whitenack, Ashley Wojciechowski and Karl Wolf.

ALLENTON — Joseph Simpson and Megan Woods.

ALMONT — Jazmyne Armstrong.

APPLEGATE — Daniel Bartee.

ARMADA — Britney Bryer, Ben Pauli and Kristen Vanderhagen.

ATTICA — Drita Nuculovic.

AVOCA — Nicholas Bilinski, Kristen Bosman, Abigail Brown, Cheyenne Cani, Autumn Eisen, Brooke Jonseck, Stacey Kallenbach, Alyssa Leone, Lindsey McLeod, Amanda Mielke, Taylor Munro, Melanie Opper, Danielle Ripenbark, Megan Ripenbark, Tyler Ritchie and Hunter Way.

BAD AXE — Sarah Hill.

BRANCHVILLE, NJ — Preston Rushmore.

BROCKWAY TOWNSHIP — Roberta Messner.

BROWN CITY — Ashley Alexander, Nicole Jones, Abigail Kaufman, Christopher Kobylas and Madison Woodall.

BURTCHVILLE TOWNSHIP — Brenda Cracknell, Samantha Dennison, Paige Evans, Clay Granke, Matthew Kobberstad, Eric Laming, Kayla Langolf, David Miller, Richard Neumeyer and Travis Sweet.

CAPAC — Shelby Akers, Ashley Andrus, Anna Dalessandro, Michael Dean, Kimberly DeSmit, Tressa Garcia, Catherine Helzer, Hannah Hopkins, Jeffrey McConnell, Ava McCracken, Alexandra Roehrer and Maria Walkowski.

CARSONVILLE — Emily Cross.

CASCO TOWNSHIP — Jaylyn Abrams, Michael Dittman, Nathan Esders, Robert Henschel and Courtney Worden.

CHESTERFEILD TOWNSHIP — Carlos Carmona, Morgan Chaudry, Alison Filozof, Brett Hagle, Nadia Lewis and Milena Radjewski.

CHINA TOWNSHIP — Alison Billeaudeau, Rachel Paciorek and Clare Polczynski.

CLARKSTON — Ian Grant and Kandice Williams.

CLAY TOWNSHIP — Leigha Claerhout, Katie Gabriel, Michael Hinkley, Kylie Shimmell and Cody White.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Felipe Zarate.

CLYDE TOWNSHIP — Taylor Ainsworth, Ethan Albany, Nathan Allen, Amanda Biskner, Alesia Frazier, Jeremy Glover, Andrew Jobbitt, Noah Muxlow, Skye Owen, Cecelia Shuler, Micah Sinda, Marcus Thomas and Alexandria Wheelihan.

COLUMBUS TOWNSHIP — Kaylee Bogen, Kaitlyn Griffith, Emma Kettel, Isaac McCue, Rose Pankiewicz, Austin Roland, Dana Schornak, Jacob Thomas and Caitlin Walz.

CROSWELL — Amanda Aldridge, Stacie Bales, Alexandra Coady, Kenneth Gross, Brian Jolley, Annelise Jorde, Sarah Kautz, Jalen McGhee, Dakoda Miller, Shoshanna Reimel, Samantha Ringwelski, Amber Torrez, Danielle Vermeersch and Jessica-Ann Woodard.

DAVISON — Amy Erickson.

DETROIT — Tania Lazarean.

DRYDEN — Brittany Whaley.

EAST CHINA TOWNSHIP — Mervat Attala, Brenda Folkerts, Haleigh Gill, Dalton Lamee, Mallory Lynch, Taylor Markel and Lindsey McDonald.

EAST LANSING — Intesar Hameed.

EMMETT — Ryan Coltson, Allison Cowhy, Sierra Cox, Allison Fleming, Albert Geoit, Miranda Greenia, Bridget Johnson, Alyssa Miller, Kaycee Miller, Matthew Pohlman, Peyton Raymo, Robert Renner, Ashley Siwak, Caitlyn Soucek and Anthony Wright.

FAIR HAVEN — Maria Cejmer, ShaeLynne Durkee and Madison Magness.

FLINT — Andrew Keller.

FORESTVILLE — Hannah Clink.

FORT GRATIOT — Justin Baker, Caden Barrett, Sarah Beebe, Joshua Black, Ian Blashill, Allison Booth, Alexandria Carson, Tiffany Dado, Jack Dobel, Hope Doerzbacher, Lindsay Dubay, Ashley Fletcher, Melissa Francis, Christina Gander, Mariah Gross, Christine Gwisdala, Emily Hannan, Brandon Harrington, Austin Howard, Destinee Jaekel, Benjamin Jennings, Gregory Johnson, Jennifer Keeton, Jordyn Knowlton, Cassidy Koschnitzke, Elizabeth Lueth, Alyssa Matthews, Tanner McTaggart, Christina Mills, George Naguib, Evelyn O’Donnell, Nathaniel Okkonen, Niko Pirouz, Hunter Raymo, Austin Richardson, Kimberly Richardson, Katelyn Robbins, Mark Robbins, Elizabeth Robinson, Alexis Rodriguez, Jesse Roggenbuck, Garrett Rossow, Craig Schlinkert, Tyler Schroll, Jared Steinhauer, Jeremy Taylor, Christopher Totten, Alexis Williams and Amber Wilmoth.

GAGETOWN — Kayla Smith.

GOODELLS – Kristen Goulding, Amber Hines, Devin Hopkins, Nicolette Lessard, Rilee Meyers, Jonathan Peters, Angelina Pink, Gabrielle Precour, Natalie Rose, Leah Scott and Calley Swoffer.

GRAND BLANC — Paul Ross.

GRANT TOWNSHIP — Lori Aftab, Stacey Bell, Carl Rich and Nicholas St. James.

GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP — Cathy Beals.

GROSSE POINTE PARK — Paula Grech.

HARBOR BEACH — Stacy Hiller.

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Mackenzie Bryant and Christopher O’Dell-Kuhr.

HOWELL — Louis Carney.

IMLAY CITY — Alicia Slack and Joseph Weber.

IRA TOWNSHIP — Katherine Janusch.

JEDDO — Nikole Douglass, Jeralin Hamann, Noah Palmateer, Marissa Uribe, Shelby Vandewarker and Corey Wilczynski.

KIMBALL TOWNSHIP — Gregory Baranowski, Heather Brassfield, Marissa Dull, Jessica Green, Michelle Hearn, Tessa Jenkins, Maggie Kimmerly, Jonathan Klimovich, Hannah Landschoot, Calvin Lowe, Carly Messina, Ryan Mikolowski, Riley Orlick, Kristen Osko, Taylor Patterson, Karryn Rinehart, Isaiah Rousey, Edna Selimovic, Kody Steemburg, Erin Sullivan, Audrey Sylvia and Alyssa Wehner.

LAKEPORT — Abigail Bringard, Jennifer Knoth, Daniel Rich and Orion Zeller.

LANSING — Brendan Moore.

LAPEER — Reilly Rosseau and Conner Withey.

LENOX TOWNSHIP — Rosalia Heppler-Austin, Karolina Jones, Matthew McCoy, Katreece Rucha, Amy Sikorski and Aimee Tokarski.

LEXINGTON — Austin Fink, Edward Lawson, Melissa Massman, Isabelle Schwartz, Autumn Smereka, Carson Sutton, Jennifer Verdonik and Nole Woycehoski.

LONDON, ONTARIO — Lawson Burnett.

LYNN TOWNSHIP — Collin Kozar.

MACOMB — Karina Driver.

MADISON HEIGHTS — Kathy Burket.

MARINE CITY — Charles Anderson, Hunter Carmos, Dylan Fennell, Gavin Frank, Kevin Gettel, Devon Laporte, Nikki Leonard, Brianna LoGrasso, Frances LoGrasso, Abigail Osterbeck, Tait Sapienza, Brittany Simpson, Abby Terhune, Deven Thomas, Charles Ward and Michale Westrick.

MARYSVILLE — Brook Atkinson, Jennifer Biga, Tyler Blankenship, Kyle Dailer, Nicholas DiGiovanni, Torina Fite, Janice Fritz, Chasity Fudella, Jonathan George, Taylor Hornbacher, Brendan Horner, Nikol Jelinek, Shelby Kavanaugh, Amanda Kibbe, McKenzie Miller, Morris Morley, Anna Nichols, Cheyenne Northup, Ashley Porter, Taylor Randall, Morgan Richardson, Heather Robb, Jacob Rubio, Kristi Simmons, Ashleigh Sprowl, Benjamin Ward, Ethan Ward and Katlyn Whitesell.

MELVIN — Kerry Lofton, Gerald Pathic, Megan Pathic and Sarah Shell.

MEMPHIS — Danielle Brogan, Ashley Callewaert, Hannah Fisher, Joseph Green, Eliza Kincaid, Lauren Leggett, Connie Long, Kaleigh Pare’, Quinn Pare’, Jared Roosen, Kaitlyn Smalley, Emily Swantek, Madyson VanBuren, Rebecca White, Andrew Wiggle and Kaitlyn Ziehm.

MINDEN CITY — Erika Mason.

MOUNT CLEMENS — Joseph Nebel.

MUNGER — Emily Fleischmann.

MUSSEY TOWNSHIP — Falecia Trendy.

NEW BALTIMORE — Joli Christian-Bates and Faith Orlando.

NEW HAVEN —Riane Griffin and Lacresha Holland.

NORTH STREET — Tyler Atkinson, Rosmery Frady, Kristyn Franzel and Madison Plaut.

PALMS — Kristin Barham, Amber Brace and Katelyn Schweitzer.

PECK — Johnathan Bular, Emily Clayton, Stephanie Pedrotti, Nicholas Reese and Tara VanConant.

PORT HURON — Lakin Adkins, Ashley Alva, Jerson Arauz, Austin Armstrong, Gage Badgerow, Robert Bales, Aubrey Balinski, Lisa Brehler, Kiana Brown, Marlie Buckley, Robin Burcicki, Deonna Camastra, Kaleigh Camm, Lisa Campbell, Remberto Campos, Katie Carroll, Clay Carter, Darza Carter, Tori Christianson, Nichole Congdon, Shania Cooke, Maleigha Coronado, Michelle Cowan, Morgan Crigger, Nickolas Dalton, Sara Day, Emily Dazer, David DeFrain, Cora Dewan-Smith, Sierra Dobson, Eric Dombrowski, Rose Dore, Falon Dupree, Daniel Dusterhoft, Whitney Ehrlich, Heather Fagan, Shiree Fetterly, Michael Fields, Julia Foltz, Matthew Foltz, Jake Fontenot, Peyton Frazer, Margaret Fry, Jared Fuller, Brian Fye, Tyree Gibbs, Andre’nay Gill, Kassie Gottschalk, Elizabeth Green, Lank Green, Sydney Grygorcewicz, Amber Hall, Alisa Hanschu, Latonya Harmon, Amber Harrington, Amy Harrison, Evan Hayes, Amanda Heath, Jeffrey Hedberg, Noelle Hedberg, Madison Heft, Maribeth Hensel, Phillip Hill, Billie Hillier, Michael Horsey, Brian Hulsey, Alyssa Husek, Shawna Jakush, Mackenzie Jansen, Paige Kinnee, Candice Kokochak, Natasha Krivak, Emma Landschoot, BreeAnna LaVere, Kay Leclaire, Sondra Lee, McKenzie Lindsay, Joseph Linert, Sarah MacFarland, Charles Mackey, Robert Madley, Elizabeth Mahlstedt, Stephannie Marquette, Chandler Martin, Cory Martin, Elizabeth Martin, Katlyn Mathers, Marisa McAllister, Thomas McAuley, Makayla McIntyre, Sarah Mensinger, Lauren Mertz, Dallas Mitchell, Jezzalyn Molesworth, Emilee Moran, Candace Mousseau, Hayley Myron, Madelyn O’Farrell, Madison Osmialowski, Olga Ottobre, Chelsey Palmateer, Joseph Payne, Kaelin Phillips, Sierra Portis, Amy Prieskorn, Ashlee Provost, Tierra Raglyn, Devonte Riase, Riley Richards, Johnathon Ridley, Michelle Ringer, Alina Roberts, Marissa Robinet, Amanda Roskey, Deborah Salton, Brittany Sanders, Devin Scheff, Payton Schwartz, April Seavolt, Laura Sexton, Adrienne Slossar, Brooke Snyder, Olivia Stein, Clea Stevens, Nicole Stockwell, Megan Strachan, Emmalee Symington, Tonya Taormino, Matthew Tesnovich, Jessica Thompson, Connor Tinsley, Jaime Tuffin, Grace Turpin, Emily Vigliotti, Kyla Visga, Brooklyn Wagner, Hannah Wallace, Emily Walsh, Michelle Ward, Hannah Wiegand, Jessica Wiegand, Keymariah Williams, Devin Willing, Ashley Withun, Garrett Yarger and Jordan Zak.

PORT SANILAC — Christina LaRue and Jackelyn Persig.

RICHMOND — Tristan Grose, Sara Nofs, Alyssa Schneider and Sarah Sneden.

RILEY TOWNSHIP — Samantha Danczuk and Tyler Mirling.

RIVERVIEW — Ashley Bohr.

ROMEO — Ryan Rodzos, Desaray Scheinost and Courtney White.

RUBY — Hannah Ainsworth and David Gardner.

RUTH — Catharine Loss.

SAN TAN VALLEY, AZ — Rebecca Smith.

SANDUSKY — Kendra Berden-Simpson and Tessa Wallace.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — Danielle Dobiesz, Megan Haase and Karin Vassilev.

SMITHS CREEK — Austin Armstead, Alyssa Clarke, Ross Hinkley, Cheyenne Kloka, Dean Peacock, Kaylyn Stephens, Christina Stoutenburg-Sanchez and Elizabeth Szczepanski.

ST. CLAIR — Joshua Bach, Jeffrey Bacon, Alaina Baunoch, Myles Boyd, Colette Carlsen, Emily Coleman, John Davis, Bryan DiNardo, Danielle Galant, Alexia Gordon, Holly Greig, Emilee Hall, Allison Hein, Daniel Hendershot, Andrea Holka, Kristin Kolakovich, Ashley Kue, Desi Kuntz, Katelyn Liebetreu, Corinne Madden, Kristin Malcolm, Sumner Malcolm, Elizabeth Manoyian, Kaitlyn McLeod, Morgan Mead, Jenna Meyers, Karli Minor, Kirstin Noyes, Brooke Pauly, McKensey Pizzo, Emily Rosenbrock, Karina Saiyad, Stacy Steeg, Michelle Tomalo, Ashlee Trenz, Taylor Warren, Eybe Westrick, Cali White and Austin Wyllie.

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Kimberly Decrescenzio and April Harms.

STERLING HEIGHTS — Jordan Loding.

UBLY — Annastesia Klawon.

WALES TOWNSHIP — Jasmine Treat.

WARREN — Branden Abbo and Barry Marshall.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP — Amber Clark.

YALE — Caleb Bollaert, Alyssa Conlee, Kyle Danielkiewicz, Patrick Fox, Alyssa Gerrick, Christina Hazzard, Karrie Keller, Jade Maluchnik, Breanna Mason, Ashley Michilli, Brandon Mullen, Crystal Peck, Kayley Pemberton, Tanner Strunk, Autumn Vore, Amy Waldhart-Sheldon, Franki Whittaker, Emilee Wilson, Shelby Wilson and Jeffrey Zawada.

TRIO Student of the Month: Lori Aftab

I chose to attend SC4 because I had wanted to go back to school for years but was afraid I couldn’t do it. I began looking into it after I got a divorce. I lived nearby so SC4 was the first college I looked into. I was accepted into the Health Information Technology program and it was a perfect fit.

I am a single mom, and I decided to go back to school as my oldest son was beginning college. Despite the challenges I faced, once I made the decision to go back to college, I quit letting problems become road blocks and treated them like speed bumps. We will always have challenges, but it is up to us how we react to them.

My first semester at SC4 I met someone who was part of the TRIO program, and she encouraged me to check it out. TRIO has been a great tool for me. I tend to do my homework in the Achievement Center, so TRIO is very convenient. Shawne Jowett has been a tremendous help with counseling on classes, financial aid and more. Amy Hengehold is always there to talk and help out in any way possible. I really appreciate the one-on-one counseling. It is priceless in this environment to have counselors who know you and understand your situation. I would definitely recommend the program to students. In fact, I already have, and many are now members.

There are so many people I am grateful for at SC4. When I’m here, I really feel like I am at home. My program director Karen Wilson and instructor Michelle Kelch deserve so much recognition. They made the program a pleasant experience and created a friendly, supportive environment.

After graduation, I will be working on my RHIT certification. Once I accomplish that, I am going to work on getting a job in the medical coding field. I will be moving more toward Detroit, where there are more coding jobs available. Once I am settled in, I plan to continue my education at Ferris State University, where I will pursue my bachelor’s in health information management.

SC4 celebrates 61st edition of Michigan’s longest-running, student-led literary arts magazine

Students in St. Clair County Community College’s arts programs recently were recognized for their role in publishing the 61st edition of “Patterns” magazine, Michigan’s oldest literary and arts publication aimed at showcasing student talent and works of art.

Patterns-61“Patterns” is completely designed, proofed and published by SC4 students. Deonna Camastra, Noah Muxlow and Hannah Wallace led the publication’s design team, 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, professor of fine arts at the college. “We congratulate all of those who contributed to the 61st edition of Patterns and honor their success while at SC4.”

Several students from across the region received awards and recognition during a special ceremony and reception on April 25 in the college’s Fine Arts Theatre.

2019 “Patterns” award winners:

Special honors

Patrick Bourke Award

  • Noah Muxlow, Port Huron

Eleanor Mathews Award

  • Mackenzie Hiller, Avoca
  • Karla Warshefski, Lakeport

Essays

  • First place (Kathy Nickerson Award) — Mackenzie Hiller of Avoca for “The Daughter of Mediocrity”
  • Second place — Devin Bergman of Kimball for “That Didn’t Take Long”
  • Third place — Mackenzie Hiller of Avoca for “The 30-Year Cycle”

Short stories

  • First place (Richard Colwell Award) — Lauren VanEenoo of Croswell for “A Calm Winter’s Day”
  • Second Place — Mackenzie Hiller of Avoca for “To be Normal”
  • Third Place — Karla Warshefski of Lakeport for “Rise and Fall”

Visual arts

  • First place — Brian Wells of Port Huron for “This is Sparta!”
  • Second place — Sabrina Mason of Clyde for “Mind Over Matter”
  • Third place — Everett Klimovich of Smiths Creek for “It’s Only a Game”

Poetry

  • First place (Blanche Redman Award) — Clea Stevens of Port Huron for “December Morning”
  • Second place — Karla Warshefski of Lakeport for “Saying Goodbye to Mary Jane”
  • Third place — Rilee Meyers of Goodells for “Otherworldly”

Literary selections of merit

  • Breanna Sylvia of Port Huron for “Four Years” and “Familiarity”
  • Rilee Meyers of Goodells for “The Monster in my Bed”
  • Kayla Plenda of Yale for “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Shoe”
  • Sydney Griffor of St. Clair for “The One”

Visual arts selections of merit

  • Sabrina Mason of Clyde for “Remington,” “Mark” and “Tripp”
  • Elijah Ceplecha of Harbor Beach for “Inner Fire” and “Dream Realm”
  • Joella Killion of Clyde for “1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA”
  • Amethyst Stevens of Fort Gratiot for “Glitched Reality”
  • Jordan Martin-Nichols of Fort Gratiot for “Speak of the Devil”
  • Barbara Rickerman of St. Clair Township for “Pieces”
  • Courtney Angebrandt of Peck for “Stardust Petals” and “Various With White”
  • Emma Thurman of Kimball for “A Gift for my Love” and “Boredom”
  • Ryan Mikolowski of Kimball for “Fun Glasses”
  • Hannah Wallace of Port Huron for “Perspective”
  • Elise Edie of Port Huron for “Spiraling”
  • Spencer Malburg of Capac for “Reverie”