With Commencement this week, Schoolcraft College is showcasing the stories of several students walking during the upcoming ceremony. The next student is Icecis McCrimmon, who is graduating with an Associate in General Studies Degree.
Icecis McCrimmon loved Schoolcraft College so much, she came back.
After graduating from high school, she discovered the world-renowned Culinary Arts program at the College and signed up for it. She said she and her father loved to cook together, so enrolling in culinary was a logistical next step for her.
But she discovered something within herself while in the Vistatech Center kitchens during classes: a love for more than just cooking. It was a love of helping others with mental health challenges.
“I got interested in psychology because mental health is very, very important to me,” she said. “I feel like a lot of things that a lot of men and women and children go through get swept under the rug.”’
So even though she had already completed a Culinary Arts program, she re-enrolled.
Now, McCrimmon will add another Schoolcraft College credential to her collection this weekend, receiving an Associate in General Studies Degree at the 59th Annual Commencement Ceremony. She plans to enroll in the fall at the University of Michigan-Dearborn to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
A graduate of University Prep Academy in Detroit, McCrimmon has spent plenty of time getting experience. She works with children with autism through an organization in Plymouth, a job she’s fallen in love with since starting several months ago.
It’s helped her identify what she wants to spend her career doing: that’s helping people, especially those in minority communities that don’t have access to such resources.
She’s faced plenty of challenges during her time on campus, including passing Business Math, something she considers one of her biggest accomplishments. She said she would stay after class for help for as much as 30 minutes, going over the work to better understand it.
“I couldn’t be able to do this without my teachers,” McCrimmon said. “The teachers are amazing here. “
Her mother also played a big role in her life, supporting her with a lot of emotional help throughout her journey and helping McCrimmon become who she is today.
Despite working six days a week between two jobs – McCrimmon also works as a delivery driver for Jimmy John’s on the weekends – she still finds time to spend on campus, a place she’s fallen in love with. Even with the busy schedule, she’s even found time to enroll in a few Personal & Professional Learning classes such as aerobics.
“I love Schoolcraft. You have so many things to do here,” McCrimmon said. “I spend a lot of time on the campus. I love it here. I recommend Schoolcraft to everybody. Schoolcraft is great.”
She recommends students considering Schoolcraft not be afraid to ask questions and really understand what campus can offer its students. It’s that quality that brought her back.
“Keep a positive mindset and don’t be afraid to ask for help,” she said. “We have a lot of resources here for everything. Mental health, crisis, addiction. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask for help.”
Schoolcraft College’s 59th Annual Commencement Ceremony takes place at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4, in the TrinityElite Sports Center on the Livonia campus. Those who cannot attend in-person are invited to watch the livestream of the Ceremony on the event web page.