Schoolcraft College

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Ocelots ready to make their mark in the world

Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College, presents a diploma to a happy Schoolcraft College graduate. Also pictured is Stacy Whiddon, Chief Academic Officer.

A beautiful day, a packed house of guests and nearly 300 graduates eager to make their mark in the world marked Schoolcraft College’s 57th annual Commencement on Saturday, May 7, in the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center (ESC) on the main campus.

Saturday’s ceremony was the second at ESC, but the first with guests. Last year’s graduation ceremony was open to students only due to health-related precautions.

This year’s keynote speaker was Marina Shoemaker, the Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion Strategies DEI External Partnerships for General Motors.

The Student Reflection was delivered by Catreese Qualls, whose many accomplishments include 2021/2022 Division III International Vice President, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Dr. Cerny bestowed Honorary Degrees upon Marina Shoemaker, Michigan Senator Dayna Polehanki, and Chuck Dardas, President and CEO of AlphaUSA.

Joan A. Gebhardt, Chair of the Board of Trustees, bestowed Distinguished Alumni Recognition upon Michael Siegrist, Clerk for Canton Township.

Stacy Whiddon, Chief Academic Officer, presented the Class of 2022. Skills Certificates, Certificates, Associate degrees, and Bachelor of Science degrees all were awarded.

Assisting Dr. Cerny in conferring degrees and certificates were: Dr. Laurie Kattuah-Snyder, Chief Student Services Officer; Dr. Marty Heator, Dean of Students; Dr. Jerome Lavis, Faculty Forum President; and the Schoolcraft College Board of Trustees: Joan A. Gebhardt, Chair; Brian D. Broderick, Secretary; Terry Gilligan, Treasurer; William P. Erwin Jr., Trustee; and Brett M. Gierak, Trustee. Carol M. Strom, Vice Chair, and Dillon E. Breen, Trustee, were unable to attend due to commencement ceremonies of family members.

The Star-Spangled Banner was sung by student Jared Glasel, a member of the graduating class.

Academic Marshals were: David S. Kelser, D.C., Associate Dean of Health Professions; Dr. Michele Kelly, Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Dr. Robert Leadley, Dean of Occupational Programs and Economic Development; and Lori Timmis, Dean of Distance Learning.

Student Marshals were: Erin Bressler, Vice President of Leadership, Phi Theta Kappa; and Temitope Odunleye, international student.

The Processional, Recessional and other selections were performed by the Schoolcraft College Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Paul Michalsen.

Schoolcraft College Facilities, Media, Campus Police, Student Records, Food Operations, President’s Office, Bookstore, Student Ambassadors, Student Activities Office, and Marketing and Communications also contributed to the success of Schoolcraft College’s 57th Commencement, which can be viewed online.

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SC was a finalist for Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership at the American Association of Community Colleges Awards of Excellence program

two people holding an award
Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College, and Dr. Laurie Kattuah-Snyder, Chief Student Services Officer, hold the finalist award for Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership from the American Association of Community Colleges Awards of Excellence program.

Schoolcraft College’s ongoing partnerships and dialogue with area businesses, which help to expand program offerings, inform important curriculum updates and better prepare students to enter the workforce, was recently recognized nationally at the American Association of Community Colleges Awards of Excellence program.

Schoolcraft College was a finalist in Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership and was the only Michigan community college named a finalist in this category.

“By forging strong corporate partnerships on our campus, Schoolcraft College has been able to create more opportunities for our students,” said Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College. “These opportunities include internships, apprenticeships and jobs while in school as well as attractive career choices for our students when they graduate.

“Area business and industry have benefited as well as they’ve improved their job pipeline with graduates who are tailor-made for them. It’s a win for our students, a win for our corporate partners, and a win for our community.”

One example of a strong college/corporate partnership is Schoolcraft College’s relationship with Trinity Health Michigan. The College welcomed the Livonia Medical Center to campus in the spring of 2021. This facility provides a wide range of options to the community, including primary and specialty care physician services, urgent care, surgery center, clinical lab, radiology and physical rehabilitation services.

It’s also literally within walking distance of the new Health Sciences Center (HSC), a 110,800-square-foot facility that’s home to eight disciplines:

  • Emergency Medical Technology
  • Health Information Technology
  • Medical Assisting
  • Medical Imaging
  • Nursing
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Pharmacy Technology
  • Surgical Services

The HSC was “officially” opened at a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, April 27.

“We look forward to building on our success in the coming years and continuing to serve our students, businesses partners and our community at the highest level,” Dr. Cerny said.

Learn more information about the American Association of Community Colleges Awards of Excellence program.

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He played at Mott CC and Detroit Mercy, coached at Wayne State

EJ Haralson Jr.
EJ Haralson Jr. is the new men’s basketball coach at Schoolcraft College.

Schoolcraft College has hired EJ Haralson Jr., a veteran former assistant head coach and interim head coach at Wayne State University, as its new men’s basketball coach. His start date is effective July 1, 2022.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome EJ Haralson Jr. to our staff,” said Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics. “He brings a wealth of experience and deep-rooted connections in the Metro area, and checks off every single box that we were looking for to lead our men’s basketball program.”

Haralson Jr. had served at Wayne State since 2003. In addition to his coaching and recruiting duties, Haralson Jr.’s responsibilities also included serving as the team’s academic coach. His success in that role included increasing the overall team GPA by 0.64 over the past four years and maintaining a team GPA over 3.0 each semester for the past three years.

He played two seasons at Mott Community College (1994-96) before transferring to the University of Detroit Mercy (1996-98).

“I’m so excited to get the opportunity to meet young men with a passion for basketball, and it’s my job to get them to understand the other things that come with that,” Haralson Jr. said. “The Michigan Community College Athletic Association is a competitive league; I played in this league and I’ve recruited players out of this league. I know Schoolcraft has had success in the past, so it’s exciting.”

He’s looking forward to meeting with the returning players.

“Whenever there’s a transition of coaches, there needs to be a time and space for the players to understand who I am and for me to understand what they’re going through and create a situation that’s comfortable for everyone, but competitive at the same time,” Haralson Jr. said. “So that’s the first thing – getting to know the returning players.”

EJ Haralson Jr. holding a basketball
EJ Haralson Jr. previously served as a coach at Wayne State University.

Haralson Jr. earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from the University of Detroit Mercy and a Master of Arts in Education from Wayne State. He’s working on his Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Wayne State.

“Coach Haralson will bring integrity, enthusiasm and work ethic necessary to build and sustain a successful program both on and off the court,” Crawford said. “The future is extremely bright for men’s basketball and I look forward to working with him.”

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Schoolcraft College’s 57th annual Commencement, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, in the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center (ESC) on the main campus, will be open to a new era.

That’s because this will be the first Commencement at ESC that will welcome guests. Last year’s graduation ceremony was open to students only due to health-related precautions.

“We’re pleased to welcome guests to this year’s Commencement,” said Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College. “Graduates share with us how important the support from family members and friends has been during their journey, so it’s our privilege to once again have their guests here in person to share in their great day.”

This year’s keynote speaker is Marina Shoemaker, the Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion Strategies DEI External Partnerships for General Motors.

“It’s our honor to have such a distinguished speaker,” Dr. Cerny said. “Marina has been a great friend to Schoolcraft College over the years, willingly lending her expertise to important initiatives, including helping incorporate a DEI component into our STARS DEI leadership program and serving as a co-chair of our Foundation’s Vision 2025 campaign.”

More than 900 applications for graduation were received by Student Records, with nearly 400 students signed up to participate in Commencement.

Skills Certificates, Certificates, Associate degrees, Bachelor of Science degrees and Post-Associate degrees will be awarded. In addition, the College will confer Honorary Degrees and recognize a Distinguished Alumni during Commencement.

The Student Reflection will be delivered by Catreese Qualls, whose many accomplishments and contributions to Schoolcraft College include:

  • 2021/2022 Division III International Vice President, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society 
  • Michigan All-Academic Team Silver Scholar 
  • Coca-Cola Scholar 
  • STARS DEI mentor
  • Oberndorf Scholar
  • Kehrl Communications Arts Scholar
Ozzy the ocelot mascot
You can meet Ozzy, the new Schoolcraft College mascot, at Commencement.

Ozzy, the new Schoolcraft College mascot, will make its official debut and will be available for photos, including in a new 360-degree photo booth where users can instantly share their photos. (Maximum of four people in the photo booth.)

Traditional photo booths also will be available. Students can upload their photos on their social channels and use the hashtags #OcelotPride and #OcelotGrad.

Doors open at 12 p.m. Students are asked to arrive by 1 p.m.

A livestream will be available.

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Short-handed staff produces excellent work

The Schoolcraft Connection student newspaper continues to add to its well-deserved reputation for excellence following outstanding performances in two key contests.

First, the Schoolcraft Connection won seven awards from the 2021 College Better Newspaper contest presented by the Michigan Press Association (MPA). The Connection competed in Division III: Two-year college publications or newspapers publishing less than weekly. 

Members of the Arkansas Press Association reviewed 568 entries submitted by 16 Michigan college newspapers. Over the past nine years, the Schoolcraft Connection has won 95 awards total in this contest.

“It is more important than ever to recognize and encourage good, impactful journalism,” said Joanne Williams, associate professor of journalism and mass communication at Olivet College and Michigan College Press Association president. “That is what our college newspapers are doing, and with support and recognition from contests and professionals in the field, that will continue. Our experienced faculty and advisors will see to it as well,” 

The following students received awards for their work in 2021:

SC Connection Staff
Front row, left to right: Armando Saucedo (Multimedia Editor), Sasha Spearman (Design Intern), Vae O’Neil (Arts and Entertainment Editor), Jordan Weston (Staff Writer).
Back row, left to right: Alexander Hawthorne (Staff Writer), Ben Bolstrum (Editor-in-Chief), Matthew Kern (Managing Editor), Matt Karbownik (Layout and Design Editor).

Awards from the MCCPA

The staff followed that outstanding performance with an additional 14 awards from the Michigan Community College Press Association (MCCPA), making it a total of 21 awards for the 2021-22 academic year.

Here is a look at the Connection’s totals for the last 10 years in both yearly competitions:

  • MCCPA 10-year total (2012-2022): 147
  • MPA 9-year total (2012-2021): 95
  • MCCPA and MPBA combined total (2012-2022): 242

Students who received awards in the MCCPA contest:

  • 1st place for Sports Feature Story: Ben Bolstrom
  • 1st place for News Photo: Armando Saucedo
  • 1st place for Feature Photo: Claire Smith
  • 1st place for Inside Page Design: Matt Karbownik
  • 2nd place for Front Page Design: Matt Karbownik
  • 3rd place for Feature Story: Matthew Fular
  • 3rd place for Personality Profile: Vae O’Neil
  • 3rd place for Inside Page Design: Matt Karbownik
  • 3rd place for Video Production: Armando Saucedo
  • 3rd Place General Excellence: SC Connection Staff
  • Honorable Mention for Column Serious: Matthew Kern
  • Honorable Mention for Critical Review: Vae O’Neil
  • Honorable Mention for Sports News Photo: Claire Smith
  • Honorable Mention for Video Production: Jordan Weston

“This is a remarkable achievement for these students as they did this with only five senior editors out of the possible 10 positions on staff,” said Rena Laverty, Student Activities Technician, College Photographer and Connection Adviser. “We’re now looking for new editors to join us for the 2022-23 year. Any students interested in writing, photography, videography or design can contact us.

“All majors are welcome and encouraged. Editors are compensated up to $1,100 per semester for Fall and Winter.”

For more information, call 734-462-4422 or email [email protected].

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Part of program will discuss small-modular reactors

Jesse Deer
Jesse Deer In Water

Jesse Deer In Water, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and a leader in CRAFT: Citizen Resistance at Fermi Two, will be the guest speaker as the Schoolcraft College International Institute’s Focus Series presents “Dangers of FERMI: The Day We Almost Lost Detroit” on Thursday, April 21.

CRAFT is a grassroots, Indigenous-led environmental activism group focused on protecting the Great Lakes. The Fermi 2 Power Plant, on the shore of Lake Erie in Newport, Michigan, supplies 20 percent of the power generated by DTE Energy.

A key focus of Jesse Deer In Water’s presentation will be the dangers of small-modular reactors, sometimes called “breeder” reactors because they produce more fuel than they consume. This is the same type of reactor that was used in Fermi 1, which suffered a partial meltdown in October of 1966 that prompted more scrutiny of the safety of nuclear power plants. Fermi 1 was permanently shut down in 1972.

“Fermi 1 had a small-modular reactor, which is the same technology that’s being pushed as new and a safe technology,” Jesse Deer In Water said. “That’s a total misconception. I’ll explain how small-modular reactors are potentially more dangerous because the fuel is enriched to a higher level, which means more heat and more waste. Plus, these plants themselves are smaller and less stable, which can lead to more problems if there’s a meltdown.”

Fermi 1 plant
The Fermi 1 plant had a partial meltdown in 1966.

“We’ll also talk about the solutions and what it’s going to take to replace facilities like Fermi 2 and to prevent small-module reactors from coming to our cities.”

Jesse Deer In Water, who lives in Redford, works both from the bottom up and the top down to build coalitions and understanding across the area, state and country.

“The burden of proof is on us as citizens, even though we have much less resources compared with energy companies and commissions,” he said. “We have to take things into our own hands because there’s no accountability.”

Watch a video interview with Jesse Deer In Water.

The presentation will be held from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 21. You can join the Zoom meeting here. The Meeting ID is 870 6670 0492.

The event is sponsored by the Department of Sociology, the Native American Student Organization, and the Student Activities Office.

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Free weights, weight machines, cardio machines and more are available

Like many of the members who work out there, the Schoolcraft College Fitness Center has grown stronger over the years. This year, the facility is celebrating 10 years of use and service to Schoolcraft College students, faculty and staff, as well as community members. From humble beginnings, it’s become a key gathering place and unifying location for the entire Schoolcraft College community.

Patty Donohue-Ebach, Director, Recreation Services, has been with the Fitness Center, which opened on January 31, 2012, basically since Day 1. Before her current role, Donohue-Ebach was an adjunct instructor at the College in the Physical Education Department (now Movement Science).

“The Fitness Center is a great place to work out and a great place to be,” she said. “We have a culture here that is welcoming to all.  We pride ourselves on being a place that is safe, fun and supportive for all of our members and guests.”

fitness center staff
Full-time staff of the Fitness Center are (left to right): Walt Stecko, Business Office Manager; Patty Donohue-Ebach, Director, Recreation Services; and Matt Cooper, Recreation Facilities Manager.

The Fitness Center is in the Physical Education building on campus and was built within a completely redesigned and updated former Auxiliary Gym, which was underutilized. The main workout floor is nearly 11,000 square feet and has over 110 pieces of cardio and weight equipment, providing an array of options.

“I give a lot of credit to Dr. Glenn Cerny, the College’s President, with having the vision that this space could serve a higher purpose for the campus community and beyond,” Donohue-Ebach said. “Fitness and recreation centers have existed on college campuses for a long time, but in the last 20 years or so they have really become a selling point for prospective students and a ‘must have’ amenity.”

How to join

The Schoolcraft Fitness Center is open to all credit students, faculty/staff, alumni and the community as well as a variety of other college partners and their employees.

Credit students, faculty and staff are free; other memberships range from $15/month to $25/month.

To join, come to the Fitness Center to fill out their membership enrollment form to start the process. For more information, call 734-462-4348 or email [email protected].

Fitness Center hours are:

  • Monday – Thursday: 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
  • Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
person doing leg presses
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people running on treadmills
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Photo 1: Weight machines and free weights are available in the Fitness Center.
Photo 2: Treadmills and cardio machines are available in the Fitness Center.

Recreation opportunities

In addition to the workout facilities, a number of drop-in recreation programs are available through the Fitness Center along with access to the 1/7-mile track in the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center. All Fitness Center members, Schoolcraft employees and members of the community may participate in any of these programs. 

Most are free for members of the Fitness Center or if you are a student or faculty/staff at the College. Otherwise, a small drop in fee is charged. The recreation programs include drop-in swim (run by Personal and Professional Learning, PPL), drop-in basketball, drop-in volleyball, pickleball, racquetball and wallyball.

To help provide members with a quick and easy way to access information about the Fitness Center, the team recently launched a new online information page, which also can be accessed through a QR code.

Donohue-Ebach’s full-time colleagues are Matt Cooper, Recreation Facilities Manager, responsible for day-to-day operations, among other responsibilities; and Walt Stecko, Business Office Manager, who manages financial and scheduling matters, again among other responsibilities.

“We’re also supported by great on-call staff, student employees and personal trainers,” Donohue-Ebach said. “We need that entire team to make all three of these facilities go!”

A look back

Jack Washka
Jack Washka joined Schoolcraft College in 1967.

Someone who predates Donohue-Ebach’s history with Schoolcraft College – by quite a bit, actually – is Jack Washka, Professor Emeritus. Professor Washka started at Schoolcraft College in 1967, which was just six years after the College was established and three years before the gym was built.

During those early days, physical education classes and athletic events and practices were held in a variety of off-campus locations, including the Northville Community Center, Livonia Stevenson High School and the now-closed Northville Regional Psychiatric Hospital to name just a few. The weight room was on the top level of the PE building and was rather cramped.

Professor Washka is pleased to see the progress made and that the College has a first-rate fitness facility.

“Certainly the Fitness Center helps develop cardiovascular fitness, strength conditioning and the activity has great benefits as a stress-reliever,” he said. “But something I’ve noticed recently, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, is that the Fitness Center provides a place to gather and get people together. It builds a great community in addition to building a healthy body.”

old photo of a fitness center
Old photo of person on bikes
Person working out with weight balls
Person lifting weights with assistance
Person working out their arms
Schoolcraft College’s fitness facilities were somewhat limited before the Fitness Center opened on January 31, 2012.

A look ahead

While 10 years is certainly a significant milestone for the Fitness Center, Donohue-Ebach is just as focused at looking ahead.

“We have some exciting changes coming to the workout floor in the next year,” she said. “We continue to grow and be responsive to customer and member needs in the area of fitness and exercise. We offer more choices now than ever before because people like to get fit in different ways. For some it’s playing basketball, volleyball or swimming or running or walking on an indoor track instead of on a treadmill. We want to provide all these amenities to continue to excel as a full-service fitness center.”

Wide view of fitness center facility
fitness center treadmills and bikes
person placing on weights
person lifting arm weights

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Supporting youth sports events brings visitors to campus

Schoolcraft College, recognizing its role to be a positive force in the community and support activities for young people, will open its sports facilities for two exciting events this spring and summer.

First, this weekend, the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center (ESC), the St. Joe’s Sports Dome and the main gym in the Physical Education building will be sites of the “Mizuno Motor City Madness” volleyball tournament.

Then later this summer, the St. Joe’s Sports Dome and the College’s soccer field will be host to the “Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 presented by Toyota” soccer event.

Sports Center front of building
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Sports Dome
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Photo 1: The St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center on the campus of Schoolcraft College will be one of the sites of the Mizuno Motor City Madness volleyball tournament on Saturday, April 23, and Sunday, April 24.

Photo 2: The St. Joe’s Sports Dome on the campus of Schoolcraft College will be used for both the Mizuno Motor City Madness volleyball tournament on Saturday, April 23, and Sunday, April 24, as well as the Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 presented by Toyota soccer event this summer.

“We are extremely pleased and proud to welcome these hard-working athletes and their dedicated families and friends to our campus to compete in our outstanding sports and recreation facilities,” said Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College. “In addition to providing transformative educational opportunities, we also want to be a good neighbor and actively support positive events in Livonia and Metro Detroit.”

Mizuno Motor City Madness will be this Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24. More than 500 teams, from ages 12-under to 18-under, from around the country and Canada are expected. The event is presented by Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy, which calls the ESC its home in the western suburbs.

The 75,000-square-foot facility has been a hub of activity for students, community members and youth sports since opening in October 2020. The ESC includes eight volleyball courts; a 1/7-mile track; a practice field for the Michigan Wolves Soccer Club; brand-new classrooms and equipment for Schoolcraft College’s Movement Science program; the MercyElite sports performance and training center; and the Elite Market & Smoothie Bar.

The volleyball courts also can be configured for pickleball, an increasingly popular sport that many community and Fitness Center members play regularly, especially during the winter.

Unified Cup coming this summer

Schoolcraft College will welcome the Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 presented by Toyota starting Sunday, July 31. A total of 24 teams from around the world, ages 16-21, are expected to compete. This event will show the world how the power of sport builds and shapes a diverse community that unites and empowers people of all abilities, from all backgrounds. Teams include athletes with and without intellectual disabilities playing together.

“We encourage everyone to come to our beautiful campus, learn more about what Schoolcraft College offers and enjoy these great events,” Dr. Cerny said.

Soccer player dribbling ball
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multiple volleyball court games going on
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Photo 3: Schoolcraft College’s outdoor soccer field will be one of the sites for the Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 presented by Toyota soccer event this summer.

Photo 4: The St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center on the campus of Schoolcraft College has eight volleyball courts. The 75,000-square-foot facility will be one of the sites of the Mizuno Motor City Madness volleyball tournament on Saturday, April 23, and Sunday, April 24.

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Changes will prepare students for rapidly changing industry

The restaurant business has changed rapidly in a short time. Schoolcraft College is preparing its Culinary Arts students for the ever-evolving realities of this complex industry by updating several areas of the curriculum. The new curriculum has launched and will be available in the fall of 2022.

“With the help of industry experts who provide valuable feedback, data from graduate and employer surveys, plus input from other valued sources within Schoolcraft College and beyond, we’ve adjusted our curriculum and programming to better train our students to become valued employees and leaders in the restaurant industry,” said Brian Beland, Certified Master Chef (CMC*) and Department Chair of Culinary Arts.

The goal is to raise competency levels for the students and improve skill sets in several key areas in cooking and operations.

Christopher C. Misiak, CCE**, CEC***, Program Coordinator for Culinary Arts, and 2016 National ACF Chef Instructor of the Year, was instrumental in helping develop the new curriculum. “A culinary curriculum must stay in tune with the industry standards and trends,” he said. “After a lengthy process of analysis, we were able to identify six additional program outcomes that needed to be addressed in the new curriculum.”

These newly identified outcome were:

  • Apply nutritional concepts to menus
  • Increased focus and repetition on fundamental cooking principles
  • Perform advanced butchery skills
  • Understand restaurant financial controls
  • Incorporation of alcohol service and accountability
  • Improve time-management skills

“These new outcomes were directly involved in the development of the new classes,” Chef Misiak said. “From them we created two new foundation cooking classes in the first year; a new nutritional class was created that included an emphasis on lab production; wine and spirits, once an elective choice, is now in the core program; and we expanded our restaurant classes hours to promote a better learning environment for the student.”

To reflect the updated curriculum, the program will be called Professional Culinary Arts and offer the following credentials.

  • Professional Culinary Arts Skills Certificate – 21 credits
  • Professional Culinary Arts Certificate – 43 credits
  • Professional Culinary Arts Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Degree – 60-66 credits

The program is stackable to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Culinary and Dietary Operations and is certified by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF).

Photo 1
Photo 2
Caption 1: Schoolcraft College’s program will now be known as Professional Culinary Arts.
Caption 2: Aspiring chefs will see greater emphasis on nutritional concepts as well as fundamental principles and skills.

A closer look at what’s new

Students in the Certificate and AAS tracks will especially benefit from the impact of the updated and new courses.  “These courses are especially key to teaching new competencies required by the industry,” Chef Beland said. “In some cases, we were able to streamline. With CUL 125, for example, we included material previously covered in the advanced pastry class. Further, we built both CUL 210 and CUL 245 to support the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation requirements and industry expectations.”

New courses include:

  • CUL 125 – Foundations of Classical and Contemporary Pastry
  • CUL 130 – Foundations of Cooking A (Dry Heat Cookery)
  • CUL 135 – Foundations of Cooking B (Moist Heat Cookery)
  • CUL 210 – Wine and Spirits
  • CUL 245 – Foundations in Healthy Cooking

High school students can get an early start

Schoolcraft College has articulation (transfer) agreements with several area school districts that can allow high school students to complete their prerequisites. These districts are:

  • Livonia Public Schools
  • Oakland County Public School District
  • Plymouth-Canton Public Schools
  • Saline Public Schools

Agreements in place with those districts allow students to receive credit for CUL 102 (Culinary Sanitation) and CUL 103 (Introduction to Professional Cooking Skills and Techniques) before entering Schoolcraft College.

Learn more about Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Arts program.

*     CMC – stands for Certified Master Chef (CMC) from the American Culinary Federation (ACF)

**   CCE – stands for Certified Culinary Educator® (CCE®) from the American Culinary Federation (ACF)

*** CEC – stands for Certified Executive Chef® (CCE®) from the American Culinary Federation (ACF)

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If you need resume help, contact Career Services – it’s free

Spring is a time of renewal, growth and opportunity. If those three words describe your career objectives or job search, then attend the free spring job fair from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6, in the VisTaTech Center at Schoolcraft College.

The job fair is presented by Career Services. More than 50 employers are expected.

Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 1: Students are encouraged to attend the job fair to network and explore opportunities.
Photo 2: The April 6 job fair is open to the public.

“The job fair is open to the public – anyone can attend,” said JoAnne Stadnicar, Director, Career Services. “We especially encourage students to attend – even if they aren’t looking for a job at this time – to learn more about the employers, what they have to offer, and to make that initial connection with what could be a future employer.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to network – any time a job seeker/student can get ‘face time’ with an actual recruiter, they should take advantage.”

Although no onsite interviews will be conducted, Stadnicar recommends that attendees should treat the job fair as a screening interview opportunity and prepare and dress accordingly. This also means making sure your resume is up to date.

If you need help with your resume, Career Services offers free assistance to anyone – students and community members alike. Contact them at 734-462-4421 or by email at [email protected].

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During the fall and winter semesters, Schoolcraft College recognizes students for high academic achievement by naming them to the Dean’s List. The minimum requirements are:

  • Full-time students with a semester grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.
  • Part-time students who, after completing a total of 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 credit hours, have earned a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

A total of 1,586 students made the Dean’s List for the Fall 2021 semester. Go to http://schoolcraft.edu/deanslist to see the complete list in alphabetical order.

Congratulations to all!

The Dean’s List recognizes high academic achievement. Go to schoolcraft.edu/deanslist to see the complete list.

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There are fewer than 80 Certified Master Chefs in the world

Schoolcraft College will be the site of Segment 1 of the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Certified Master Chef® (CMC) exams starting Friday, March 18, through Monday, March 21, in the American Harvest restaurant in the VisTaTech Center.

A CMC is considered the highest level of the profession, and demonstrates mastery of culinary competence and expertise through education, experience, knowledge and skills consistent with the master chef level.

“Schoolcraft College was selected as an approved Certified Master Chef testing site by the American Culinary Federation,” said Jonathan Moosmiller, CMC and American Master Chefs Order (AMCO) President. “The criteria included excellence in educational programming and strong leadership. The Certified Master Chefs program has worked with Schoolcraft College for many years, assisting in providing CMC chefs as Schoolcraft Instructors. The American Master Chefs Order is proud to continue this partnership with Schoolcraft College and the American Culinary Federation.”

There are fewer than 80 Certified Master Chefs in the world, with Brian Beland, Schoolcraft College’s Department Chair of Culinary Arts, among those to hold this distinguished ranking. In addition, faculty member Joseph Decker has attained the ranking of Certified Master Pastry Chef® (CMPC).

“We are honored to welcome this group of exceptional chefs to Schoolcraft as they look to demonstrate, and validate, their mastery of cuisine in their pursuit of earning the Certified Master Chef designation,” Chef Beland said. “Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts students have benefited from the world-class kitchens and instructional environment for many years, and we are excited to share what we have the privilege to experience daily with them. 

“Hosting the CMC exam is a great opportunity for the students in the program as well. The students are able to experience highest level of practical culinary certification first hand by supporting the exam candidates and evaluators as kitchen apprentices and hospitality support services. This gives the students personal interaction opportunities and experience in ‘the arena’ feeling the pressure and seeing the intense focus.”

The facilities in American Harvest include:

  • 70-seat full-service restaurant
  • 5 fully outfitted kitchen labs dedicated to the various skill competencies of the craft
  • Collaboration with Schoolcraft Brewing and Distillation program
  • Retail Café Market space
  • Construction of a new Demonstration and Innovation Center recently approved with construction scheduled to begin later this year
three master chefs
Brian Beland (center), Schoolcraft College’s Department Chair of Culinary Arts; is shown with Shawn J. Loving (right), who previously held that role; and Michael Russell. Each is a Certified Master Chef.

To apply for the exam, candidates must already be a Certified Executive Chef or Certified Culinary Educator, provide a letter of recommendation from current CMCs or CMPCs, and have completed education courses on sanitation and food safety, management, cost management and wine.

The exam schedule begins on Friday, March 18, with Freestyle Cuisine. Healthy Cooking follows on Saturday, March 19, then Global Cuisines on Sunday, March 20. Pastries and Baking concludes the exam on Monday, March 21.

Schoolcraft College’s Proud Heritage of Culinary Arts

Herman Breithaupt is credited with establishing Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Arts program in 1966, with his son, Robert Breithaupt, directing the department later that year.

“We began the first year with 16 students,” Robert said. “After that we had a list of students waiting to get into the program, and it has continued that way to the present day.”*

Schoolcraft College is continuing to prepare its Culinary Arts students for the ever-evolving realities of the complex restaurant industry by updating several areas of the curriculum.

“With the help of industry experts who provided valuable feedback, data from surveys from students and employers, plus input from other valued sources within Schoolcraft College and beyond, we’ve adjusted our curriculum and programming to better train our students to become valued employees and leaders in the restaurant industry,” Chef Beland said.

The goal is to raise competency and improve skill sets in several key areas in cooking and operations, including:

  • Apply nutritional concepts to menus
  • Demonstrate fundamental cooking principles
  • Perform advanced butchery skills
  • Understand restaurant financial controls
  • Incorporation of alcohol service and accountability
  • Improve time management skills
  • Increased focus on baking/pastry

To reflect the updated curriculum, the program will be called Professional Culinary Arts and offer the following:

  • Professional Culinary Arts Skills Certificate – 21 credits
  • Professional Culinary Arts Certificate – 43 credits
  • Professional Culinary Arts Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Degree – 60-66 credits

The program is stackable to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Culinary and Dietary Operations and is certified by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF).

Learn more about Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Arts program.

*From Page 68 of “Reaching Out … A History of Schoolcraft College” by Samuel Hudson.