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Your credits from a four-year school could be applied toward an associate degree.

Learning, of course, is the goal of any college experience. Part of that education means familiarizing yourself with some unfamiliar terms. Today, we take a look at what a reverse transfer is.

Reverse transfer: From there to here

One of the main reasons students attend Schoolcraft College is to complete their general education requirements and earn other credits to then transfer to a four-year school to complete a bachelor’s degree.

A reverse transfer works the same way – only in, well, reverse. In other words, if you’ve earned credits at a four-year college or university, you can, in many instances, transfer those credits back to Schoolcraft College and use them toward an associate degree, for example.

The process starts with the four-year school. As an example, the University of Michigan-Dearborn has a Reverse Transfer Agreement with Schoolcraft College with the following requirements:

Four people working together at a table
With a reverse transfer, you might be able to obtain an associate degree while you pursue a bachelor’s degree.
  • 40+ credit hours earned at Schoolcraft College
  • 20+ credits earned at UM-Dearborn
  • Minimum GPA of 2.0 at UM-Dearborn

If students want to pursue obtaining an associate degree, they need to inquire with their four-year institution about the reverse transfer process. Please note there is a form that needs to be completed with the four-year school that must be sent with the transcript. This is how the Records Office of Schoolcraft College knows that the transcript received is for reverse transfer.

So if you’re a student pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a four-year school, see if a reverse transfer works for you. It never hurts to have additional credentials on your resume. 

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Consider attending an event in your area

To help celebrate, recognize and understand more about Juneteenth, TaQuilla Kusero, Director of Equity and Engagement, thoughtfully provided the following essay:

Juneteenth, or June 19th, has become one of the most celebrated holidays that marked the end of slavery in the United States. Though the Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863, most confederate states, and slaveholding border states, continued to enslave Black Americans until Union troops arrived to confront the resistance and enforce the laws over the next few years. In fact, owners of enslaved Black Americans would flee the fighting in the East and move to neighboring states like Texas to escape the Union Army’s grasp, bringing along enslaved people with them. 

TaQuilla Kusero headshot
TaQuilla Kusero, Director of Equity and Engagement

It was not until two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, June 19, 1865, that Union troops reached the long holdout city, Galveston, Texas. This incident marked the day the Union took control of the area and announced to the enslaved people still held there that they were now free from the horrors of slavery. 

The original announcement stated:

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

This day marked the beginning of what would become a second independence day in the United States and commonly referred to as Juneteenth. Celebrations began the very next year and typically included, music, food and religious gatherings. This period also brought about what is known as the Reconstruction era. Between 1865 and 1877 the nation attempted to bring southern states back into the political process and create a new relationship with newly freed Black Americans, but this period was short-lived, as a new wave of segregationist laws and restrictions effectively made black Americans second-class citizens for another 90 years until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. 

During this time Juneteenth celebrations diminished, then experienced a resurgence in the 1970s-1990s. The recognition of Juneteenth has grown by leaps and bounds over the past two decades as awareness of it has spread through the media, popular TV shows and statewide celebrations. Over 40 states now recognize Juneteenth as a holiday, with a handful of those states working to establish it as an official paid federal holiday.  

How Juneteenth is celebrated is a very individual practice, just like most other holidays. Some celebrate with grand outdoor events, including food, rodeos, live performances, historical reenactments and fireworks. Some use it as a time to reconnect with nature by going hiking, camping or to the beach. Others use it as a time to continue the fight for equitable rights in the U.S. The true embodiment of this holiday is that you are free to celebrate it the way you see fit.  

If you are unfamiliar with the holiday and would like to take part in its traditions, please find an event near you. It is one thing to learn about the history in a book or article, and another to participate in the festival of freedom to which this holiday represents. 

The Detroit Free Press has a list of Juneteenth events.

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Ocelots earn national and conference recognition

Schoolcraft College’s student-athletes proved their academic excellence over the past year with recognition by both the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA). 

Student athlete Justina
Women’s basketball player Justina Szalkowski has earned a 4.0 GPA for two consecutive academic years.

A total of 16 student-athletes achieved a 4.0 GPA in either the Fall 2021 or Winter 2022 semester. In addition, six student-athletes earned a 4.0 GPA for the entire 2021-22 academic year:

  • Gavin Brose, men’s soccer
  • Hannah Folz, volleyball
  • Allison Little, women’s bowling
  • Kiersten Metz, softball
  • Justina Szalkowski, women’s basketball (second year in a row)
  • Jayden Thurmand, women’s soccer

“I want to congratulate our student-athletes on their outstanding work in the classroom over the past academic year,” said Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics. “Our student-athletes are true multi-taskers with many responsibilities, but they make sure the ‘student’ part of ‘student-athlete’ always comes first.”

Student-athletes who earned a 4.0 in 2021-22

NameSportSemester Earned 4.0Awards
Gavin BroseMen’s soccerBothNJCAA 1st, All MCCAA & All Conference
Hannah FolzVolleyballBothNJCAA 1st , All MCCAA & All Conference
Allison LittleWomen’s bowlingBothNJCAA 1st, All MCCAA & All Conference
Kiersten MetzSoftballBothNJCAA 1st, All MCCAA & All Conference
Justina SzalkowskiWomen’s basketballBothNJCAA 1st, All MCCAA & All Conference
Jayden ThurmandWomen’s soccerBothN/A
Shalah ArderWomen’s basketballWinterNJCAA 2nd,  All MCCAA & All Conference
Sophie BaterSoftballWinterNJCAA 3rd,  All MCCAA & All Conference
Tyler BrownMen’s bowlingFallN/A
Jordan CampbellWomen’s soccerFallNJCAA 3rd, All MCCAA & All Conference
Sedona CoonVolleyballFallNJCAA 2nd, All MCCAA & All Conference
FaithAnn DennisWomen’s soccerFallN/A
Joseph ElwellBaseballWinterNJCAA 2nd, All MCCAA & All Conference
Riley GrahamWomen’s soccerFallNJCAA 2nd, All MCCAA & All Conference
Emma HughesWomen’s soccerWinterNJCAA 2nd, All MCCAA & All Conference
Kathryn KoszykowskiSoftballFallNJCAA 2nd, All MCCAA & All Conference
Madelyn LathamSoftballFallNJCAA 2nd, All MCCAA & All Conference
Miranda McIntoshWomen’s soccerWinterN/A
Ceceilya MernattiWomen’s soccerFallNJCAA 3rd, All MCCAA & All Conference
Carmen RaadWomen’s soccerWinterN/A
Drew TappenMen’s soccerFallNJCAA 2nd,  All MCCAA & All Conference
Makaiya ThomasWomen’s basketballFallNJCAA 2nd,  All MCCAA & All Conference
Student-athletes must earn at least 24 credits in the year to be considered.

Requirements:

  • NJCAA Academic 1st Team 4.0 GPA
  • NJCAA Academic 2nd Team 3.80-3.99 GPA
  • NJCAA Academic 3rd Team 3.60-3.79 GPA
  • All MCCAA & All Conference 3.20 or above GPA
  • All Conference 3.00-3.19 GPA

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Brynne Barnes started the work in 2015

English Professor Brynne Barnes is a prolific author of children’s books, with a focus on celebrating living in a diverse world. Her latest work is Black Girl Rising, which is to be released on Tuesday, June 28, everywhere books are sold. Professor Barnes graciously answered the following questions to provide insight into her books, her creative process and what’s next.

Q: Please tell us a little about your latest work, Black Girl Rising. What’s it about, what inspired you to write it, when did you start and when did you finish?

Professor Barnes: This is a love letter to Black girls, to Black girlhood, to women everywhere. It’s the book I needed, wanted to read as a girl. This is a tribute to our younger selves and our present selves. Children’s literature has a way of reminding us of all the most important things – to listen to ourselves, our inner voices about what we can do, who we are, and who we can be. It’s not up to the world to tell us who we are; it’s our job to tell the world. I first started this book in 2015 (if you can believe it) and completed it by 2016. It sold in 2017.

Q: Can you give us some insight into your creative process? How do you connect with your “muse”?

A copy of "Black Girl Rising"
Black Girl Rising will be released June 28.

Professor Barnes: For me, it all starts with a verse and a voice. When I hear something that catches my ear, I write it down; it keeps playing in my mind over and over again like a record spinning round and round. Then, I hear something else — another verse, and so on and so forth. The more I write, the more I hear. This voice actually took me by surprise, and it intrigued me because it sounds like someone doubting herself, playing back the voices that tell her she can’t, she shouldn’t, she won’t, she’s not enough, or she’s too much. 

These are all things that we’ve heard before in some way, shape, or form. When we internalize doubt like that – what others tell us – we cannot hear the truth about how magically wonderful we truly are. That’s the thing – the light is always there. We just have to let it shine and get to know ourselves for who we truly are.

Q: What sort of relationship do you have with the illustrators of your books? Do you communicate or how does that work?

Professor Barnes: Great question! In most cases, we do not communicate until after the book is done. However, with my last two titles — Books Do Not Have Wings and now, Black Girl Rising — I was very involved. My editor, the art director, the illustrator, and I discussed our concepts for the illustrations and how they might come to life on the page along with the words. I actually ended up making a mock-up of the book with the words on the page and photographs that depicted certain ideas I had about conceptualizing the visual story.

Q: When we last chatted last year, you had a couple of other books in the pipeline. Can you give us any update on those?

Portrait photo of Brynne Barnes
Brynne Barnes is the author of Black Girl Rising.

Professor Barnes: Yes, I’m happy to say that Chronicle will be releasing the sequel to Black Girl Rising entitled Black Boy Rising in 2025. The book that Simon & Schuster picked up, When I See You, will be releasing in September of 2023.

Q: You’ve been an English Professor at Schoolcraft College since 2014. As it appears we’ve finally emerged from the pandemic, what are some of the lessons you’ll take away as a teacher moving forward?

Professor Barnes: I’ve learned that nothing compares to the human connection; this is the cornerstone of everything that we do as professors. The more invested you are in reaching your students, the more you’ll find yourself inspired.

Q: Thank you, Professor Barnes. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Professor Barnes: Writing and teaching are great acts of love, and it is my greatest joy to share my greatest loves with the Schoolcraft family and children around the world.

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Omicron Iota Chapter consistently meets high standards with projects

Schoolcraft College’s highly decorated Omicron Iota Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa again has achieved 5 Star Chapter Status and is The Most Distinguished Chapter in Michigan after this spring’s regional and international conventions.

Phi Theta Kappa’s mission is two-fold: Recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and; provide opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service and fellowship programming.

The PTK officer team consists of:

  • Abigail Walters, Chapter President 
  • Meeta Singh, Vice President of Service
  • Erin Bressler, Vice President of Leadership
  • Madison Ling, Vice President of Communications
  • Catreese Qualls, Office Liaison to Student Activities Office, Mentor/International Vice President Division 3 to PTK

The Michigan Region, which includes 31 chapters, recognizes individual and chapter hallmark award recipients as well as the top four most distinguished chapters in the Michigan Region. The Omicron Iota Chapter at Schoolcraft were recognized as the Most Distinguished Chapter in Michigan.

Schoolcraft College’s PTK chapter also took home some additional hardware at the PTK Catalyst Convention and was recognized as top 50 out of nearly 1,300 chapters globally for its College and Honors in Action Project service and community projects and write ups. The purpose of the College Project is to establish a supportive relationship between the chapter and the college administration. This year’s project was a study of our students’ understanding of scholarships that are available and sought to provide information to the campus community by partnering with the President’s office, Financial Aid, Learning Support Services, the Schoolcraft Connection and the Schoolcraft College Foundation.

Catreese and PTK associates in a selfie style photo
Catreese Qualls (right), Office Liaison to Student Activities Office, Coca-Cola Scholar, Mentor/International Vice President Division 3 to Phi Theta Kappa, is shown with other Phi Theta Kappa members.

You can view the video here. 

Phi Theta Kappa also has a research program called Honors in Action, designed to engage students in informed action that fosters student success and helps fulfill our mission to provide college students opportunities to grow as scholars and leaders. Schoolcraft College’s chapter chose the theme “The Heirs of Our Ways,” and this project won first place in Theme 1 and first-runner-up overall in the Michigan Region.

You can read about the Honors in Action study guide in PDF format.

Through the research, the team directed their effort toward foster care youth once they have aged out of the system. In doing this, they hoped to provide the resources and soft skills needed to succeed independently as a member of the society. Thus, Project HOPE was born. It is the hope of the Omicron Iota Chapter to create a brighter future and a partnership between Community Colleges and foster care organizations. The team sought to accomplish this through workshops geared towards providing a seamless transition from foster care into independence.

Three students were named an All Michigan Academic Scholar: 

  • Ben Bolstrom, Editor in Chief, the Schoolcraft Connection 
  • Christopher Rose, All Michigan Academic Team Workforce 
  • Abigail Walters, PTK, Omicron Iota Chapter President

Walters also was named a 2022 New Century Workforce Scholar and will receive a $1,250 scholarship. This scholarship is the first of its kind to support students at associate degree-granting institutions on a national scale as they plan to enter the workforce upon the completion of a degree or certificate. The program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

PTK officers group photo
Omicron Iota Chapter officers (left to right) Madison Ling, Vice President of Communications; Todd Stowell, Advisor; Abby Walters, President (Coca-Cola Scholar, Transfer Scholar); and Shaida Azzam, Chairperson of the College Project (Most Distinguished Member).

New Century Workforce Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities, and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. Over 2,200 students were nominated from more than 1,200 college campuses across the country. 

Only one New Century Workforce Scholar was selected from each state.

“We congratulate Abigail Walters for receiving this prestigious scholarship, and we are honored to partner with The Coca-Cola Foundation to recognize her outstanding achievements,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “Scholarship programs like this are integral for creating opportunities for students to succeed as they prepare to enter the workforce and for putting college completion within reach.”

Shaida Azzam, Schoolcraft College’s PTK chapter’s membership chairperson for the College Project and President of the Amnesty International Club on campus, was named one of the Most Distinguished Members in the Michigan Region and recognized as a top 50 member from PTK International.

This year’s officer team and key contributors include: 

  • Abigail Walters, Chapter President
  • Madison Ling, Vice President of Communications 
  • Erin Bressler, Vice President of Leadership 
  • Meeta Singh, Vice President of Service 
  • Shaida Azzam, Membership Chairperson of the College Project
  • Catreese Qualls, Office Liaison to Student Activities Office, Mentor/International Vice President Division 3 to PTK
  • Rena Laverty, Student Activities Office Technician 
  • Elizabeth Machniak, Student Activities Office administrative support 

Todd A. Stowell, Director, Student Activities Office; and Larry Choraszewski, Professor of Mathematics, serve as Advisors for PTK. 

Learn more about Schoolcraft College’s Omicron Iota Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

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Clarenceville Middle School students learned about a variety of programs

In an effort to begin exposing potential students to the many programs and potential career paths Schoolcraft College has to offer, the College piloted a career exploration program with Clarenceville Middle School this past year.

Called the Middle School Career Awareness Program (M-CAP), this dynamic, hands-on initiative allowed eighth-graders to explore:

  • Public Safety
  • Manufacturing and Engineering
  • Business and Technology
  • Culinary Arts
  • Health Care
Community leaders at a banquet table
Attending the Middle School Career Awareness Program celebration banquet were (left to right): Joan A. Gebhardt, Chair of the Board of Trustees; David Lawrence, Executive Vice President and CAO, AlphaUSA; Dillon E. Breen, Trustee; Carol M. Strom, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees; Dr. Glenn Cerny, Schoolcraft College President; and Stacy Whiddon, Chief Academic Officer.

The students arrived from Clarenceville in the morning and saw concepts and ideas come to life by Schoolcraft College faculty. This included learning how put out a fire, using a CNC* laser to engrave a name plate, tracking a smartphone through the supply chain process, exploring how chemistry is a key ingredient in the culinary arts, and learning how to care for a patient. (All activities were safely and directly supervised by Schoolcraft College faculty and staff.)

Students then enjoyed lunch at Schoolcraft College before returning to Clarenceville Middle School. 

Participating Clarenceville Middle School eighth-graders, parents, guardians, friends and administration were invited to a celebration banquet on Tuesday, April 26, in the DiPonio Room in the VisTaTech Center on the main campus.

“The M-CAP program was a great collaboration between Schoolcraft College and Foundation, Clarenceville School District, and industry partner AlphaUSA,” said Stacy Whiddon, Chief Academic Officer for Schoolcraft College.

“I want to personally thank the Schoolcraft College faculty and staff for making the M-CAP program a success. So many people contributed to the design and execution of the hands-on learning experiences to make this a memorable and valuable program. We can’t wait to welcome back these future Ocelots to campus in the very near future!”

Three attendees smiling around a banquet table
Four attendees smiling for a photo
Clarenceville Middle School students and their families enjoyed the Middle School Career Awareness Program celebration banquet held Tuesday, April 26, in the DiPonio Room in the VisTaTech Center on the main campus of Schoolcraft College.

Guests included:

  • Joan A. Gebhardt, Chair of the Board of Trustees
  • Carol M. Strom, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
  • Dillon E. Breen, Trustee
  • Dr. Glenn Cerny, Schoolcraft College President
  • David Lawrence, Executive Vice President and CAO, AlphaUSA 
  • Paul Shepich, Superintendent, Clarenceville School District
  • Melissa Carruth, Asst. Superintendent of Learning Services, Clarenceville Schools
  • Alan Kantor, Principal, Clarenceville Middle School

Over dessert and coffee, Melissa Schultz, Chief Student Enrollment Officer, highlighted several programs available to help students continue their journey with Schoolcraft College, including:

  • Kids on Campus:This popular summer program provides children through high school a fun, educational and safe experience at Schoolcraft College.
  • Dual Enrollment: Allows high school students to earn college credits while still in high school, often at little or no cost.
  • Michigan Reconnect: This last-dollar scholarship program pays for Michigan residents to attend their in-district community college tuition-free. The scholarship can be used to complete an associate degree or a Pell-eligible skill certificate program. To be eligible, you must:
    • Be at least 25 years old when you apply
    • Have lived in Michigan for a year or more
    • Have a high school diploma or equivalent
    • Have not yet completed a college degree (associate or bachelor’s)

At the end of the program, Schoolcraft College gifts and prizes were awarded to the students who were present. 

The Schoolcraft College Foundation concluded by awarding one student a $400 KOC scholarship and announcing that it will award 10 more scholarships of $250 each to the participating M-CAP Clarenceville eighth-graders for the popular KOC summer enrichment program. Registration is now open for Kids on Campus, which begins Monday, June 27.

M-CAP was made possible due to the generous support of AlphaUSA and the Schoolcraft College Foundation.

*CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control.