Stevens Brings Students to SC for Forum

July 26, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

Students share ideas, experiences as they start their career track

Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who represents Michigan’s 11^th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, hosted a student roundtable with fellows in her office’s Summer Leadership Development program and other students on Friday, July 16, in the VisTaTech Center on the campus of Schoolcraft College.

Rep. Stevens was joined by Rep. Darren Soto, of Florida, who is the Chair of the House Future Forum Caucus; Rep. Stevens serves as Vice-Chair and has been a member since 2019.

Established in 2015, Future Forum is a generational caucus that includes 50 young Members of Congress who focus on issues important to younger Americans. Their work is guided by three core principles:

Bridging the divide between young Americans and their government.
Engaging with and empowering young voters.
Inspiring the next generation of leaders in public service.

Michigan’s 11th Congressional District contains portions of Wayne and Oakland Counties. Major cities in the district include several that are part of Schoolcraft College’s district – Canton Township, Livonia, Northville and Plymouth. So having Schoolcraft as the site of the forum was a natural one to listen to the voices of younger people.

“(Schoolcraft College) is a destination in Michigan’s 11th District. This is a destination in Michigan in general for training and educating our workforce and plugging into jobs and opportunities.”
Rep. Haley Stevens, Michigan’s 11th District

“20 percent of our district is under the age of 18 years old,” Rep. Stevens noted. “What’s going on is a real demand for talent. We’ve had a lot of people leave the labor force.

“(Schoolcraft College) is a destination in Michigan’s 11^th District. This is a destination in Michigan in general for training and educating our workforce and plugging into jobs and opportunities.

Rep. Haley Stevens welcomes the attendees to the roundtable.

“The other thing is not just the demand for your talent, but with your skill. How do we connect you with a skill that can never be taken from you?”

Developing a skill, or more to the point, a trade through an apprenticeship, is something that Logan Leinbach did while at Schoolcraft College. Leinbach, who spoke at the forum, is the first Woodwork Manufacturing Specialist apprentice.

This position combines skills from computer numerical control (CNC), computer-aided design (CAD) and bench carpentry. It rose out of a need at Leinbach’s employer, Burke Architectural Millwork in Livonia.

“I sat down with my boss, looked at the apprenticeships, which were very specific, and we took bits and pieces and combined them to create an apprenticeship that’s more broad,” Leinbach said. “I’m also learning project management and some of the higher aspects functions of the company so I’m better set to move up in the company or start my own company because I have knowledge of multiple areas.”

Leinbach was joined by fellow Schoolcraft College student Volkan Salmani, who is majoring in CAD and also works as a manufacturing tech lab assistant at the Manufacturing & Engineering Center.

“I definitely enjoyed the program. It’s really awesome to hear from the other young people about their ideas. It was really great,” he said.

Pamela Linton, Apprenticeship Coordinator for Occupational Programs, and Karen Maxton, Employment and Internship Coordinator for Occupational Programs, attended the forum and know first-hand the struggles employers are having to find skilled workers. They work each day to help connect students to opportunities in business and industry.

“Hearing these young people share their experiences about the challenges students face in learning about a range of post-secondary education and career options was both affirming and motivating,” Linton said. “Affirming in that we are definitely on the right track here at the College in our strong outreach efforts and relationship-building with area middle and high schools. And motivating in that we need to keep working hard to get the word out to students about the many outstanding opportunities available to them, especially at Schoolcraft.”

Maxton echoed Linton’s sentiments and was glad to hear that students are open to exploring a variety of options.

“I truly enjoyed watching Congresswoman Stevens interact with so many young people at her recent Future Forum event at Schoolcraft College,” she said. “Many of the students focused on the need for greater career exploration in high school, particularly in the area of apprenticeships and internships, which we were thrilled to hear.

“We couldn’t agree more that students need to truly understand all of the different career pathways available to them. There are so many in-demand, well-paying careers out there, particularly in the professional trades area, and we appreciate Congresswoman Stevens’ interest in highlighting those opportunities.

Dr. Michele Kelly, Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, also was an attendee. She was impressed by how engaged the students were.

“Personally, I was inspired by how much our young people were paying attention and how eloquently they were able to articulate exactly what they need from our government representatives,” she said. “Even though some of the attendees were under voting age, it was clear that when it is time their voices will be loud and clear. It gave me a lot of hope for our future and confidence that Schoolcraft is particularly well-poised to be an integral part of such a bright future.”

July 19, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

This piece of high-tech equipment is used in Biology and Metallurgy courses

It sits quietly in Room 175 of the Biomedical Technology building, exuding a formidable presence even when not in operation. Weighing more than 1,800 pounds – nearly a ton – it stands almost 6 feet tall on its pedestal and is approximately 2 ½ feet long and 3 feet deep.

In the scientific and technical community, it’s called the Zeiss Evo LS 15. Less formally, it’s the College’s scanning electron microscope and has been here since 2008.

Melissa Gury, Director of Laboratory Sciences, has been working with the scanning electron microscope, or SEM, since 2014. She’s eager to share its abilities with an even wider audience.

“It’s very rare for a community college to have such a high-tech, industry-standard piece of equipment like this,” Gury said. Gury said she didn’t know of any area community colleges that have an SEM and that some four-year schools and even businesses seek out Schoolcraft to use it.

View a video about the SEM

Infographic pointing out the microscope features — This infographic points out the key features of the scanning electron microscope at Schoolcraft College and how this piece of high-tech equipment works.

What is an SEM?

Unlike the microscope that you might have used in high school biology, a scanning electron microscope uses a beam of electrons instead of light to “see” an image. The process, as explained by Gury, works like this:

SEMs contain electromagnetic lenses that focus the beam of electrons, which is passed across the surface of a specimen.
Electrons bounce off the surface of the specimen and are collected by various detectors that turn this information into a black-and-white image.
Vacuum pumps physically remove air from the chamber so that the electron beam can travel straight to the specimen instead of bouncing off air molecules.
This normally means that to use a traditional detector, the specimen has to be completely dried.
If it is not conductive, it has to be coated in a very small (5-10 nm) layer of a gold-palladium mixture.
Schoolcraft’s SEM has a Variable Pressure Detector and a special aperture that is inserted below the final lens allowing the electrons to come out into the chamber but preventing air from going up into the column.
This allows the SEM to introduce a small amount of research-grade nitrogen gas around the surface of the specimen, meaning the specimen does not have to be completely dry or covered with any other materials.
This can be especially helpful when working with something like a museum specimen or some other item that is rare so it is not harmed during the imaging process.

“Typically, at a university, a student would have to be in a 400-level course or even in graduate school before using a scanning electron microscope.”
Melissa Gury, Director of Laboratory Sciences

What classes use it?

Two classes currently use the SEM: BIOL 140 (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and MET 248 (Metallurgy and Materials Science).

Here’s the course description for BIOL 140, which does not require a prerequisite:

This course emphasizes the principles and modes of operation of the scanning electron microscope and X-ray analysis systems, electron-specimen interactions, elemental analysis, effects of microscope variables on images, image processing, routine maintenance, the use of microscope accessories and digital outputs. In the laboratory, students will prepare and examine inorganic and organic specimens using the secondary, backscatter and variable pressure detectors of the SEM. Students complete a project consisting of the preparation, imaging and analysis of a biological specimen.

“Typically, at a university, a student would have to be in a 400-level course or even in graduate school before using a scanning electron microscope,” Gury said. “With BIOL 140, we’re able to expose our students to amazing technology early in their academic path.”

Here’s the course description for MET 248, which requires MET 153 or department consent:

This course introduces the fundamentals of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Microanalysis used for materials characterization and failure analysis. Topics include microscopy systems and components, safety and maintenance, applications in fractography and materials characterization and failure analysis.

Who else could use it?

Biology researchers as well as businesses and industries connected to metallurgy, geology, forensics and more all could find Schoolcraft College’s scanning electron microscope highly useful. For example, Schoolcraft College is currently assisting an area university student with research into diseases that affected amphibians. (The disease does not affect humans.) The student is able to examine rare museum specimens in a nondestructive manner to perform the research.

Business and industry that need to analyze parts or assemblies for fractures rely on scanning electron microscopes as well. The SEM can analyze the elemental composition, though not the actual “recipe” of components.

“Our scanning electron microscope is another example of how Schoolcraft College is providing the equipment and training to prepare our students for high-tech careers,” Gury said.

July 19, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

He is one of only 72 Certified Master Chefs in the world

Today for “Faculty Spotlight” we’re sitting down with Brian Beland, a Certified Master Chef and our new Culinary Arts Department Chair. He also serves as the Executive Chef at Country Club of Detroit, which has earned distinction as a Platinum Club of America.

Schoolcraft College: Hello, Chef Beland, and congratulations on your new role! To start out, could you please tell us about your position at Schoolcraft College, how long you have been with us and what classes you teach?

Brian Beland: Thank you and I appreciate the opportunity to be featured and represent the Culinary Team at Schoolcraft College. I was fortunate to join the Schoolcraft Culinary Team in January 2014. To be honest, I’m still learning on the job the many facets and roles of our department. Some of the highlight responsibilities include continuing the longtime tradition of culinary excellence and pursuit of a hospitality-first culture. I want to be a resource for the students and team members who make the Schoolcraft Culinary experience special and unique. And I want to be both a visionary and facilitator for short- and long-term curriculum and facilities planning for the department.

“The culinary industry and the educational model has been through so much change the last 10 to 15 years. We recognize that we need to maintain our standard of excellences, but also need to review what we are focusing on and how we are providing that to the students.”
Brian Beland, Culinary Arts Department Chair

SC: Please tell us a little about how one becomes a Certified Master Chef. What does attaining that achievement entail?

Brian Beland: For me, the Certified Master Chef process represents a commitment to lifelong learning and self-development. The process itself starts with a dedication to the personal development and refinement of cooking techniques, cuisine philosophy, time management and the desire for continuous improvement. The mindset carries through not only in the kitchen but in all aspects of personal and professional life. The exam itself is an eight-day practical cooking exam supported by levels of professional experience and education. The cooking practicals include: Nutritional, Cold Food Garde Manger, Classical Cuisine, Global Cuisines, Freestyle, Baking and Pastry, Continental European Cuisine and a Market Basket Final.

SC: What prompted your interest in the culinary arts? Did you always want to be a chef?

Brian Beland: In high school I became introduced to the kitchen. Initially, it was not the career path I through I would choose, but after some positive experiences and learning about myself along the way, I couldn’t see myself anywhere else. I chose Michigan State’s Hospitality Business program as an opportunity to continue working in kitchens and also obtain some business background education. I chose all my externships in the kitchen, with my Level 2 experience at Country Club of Detroit. It was in that kitchen I found myself committing myself to the craft and profession. I enjoyed the hustle, the stress, the continual push to get better. It replaced team sports that I had been accustomed to participating in.

Chef Beland teaching teaching a student in the kitchen — Brian Beland has taught at Schoolcraft College since 2014.

SC: Culinary Arts is perhaps the best known program at Schoolcraft College. What is your vision and what are your goals for the department as we move forward?

Brian Beland: Our team’s vision is a pursuit of continuous excellence and preparing the students to be ready to take positions in industry. An initial goal for our team this year is to reboot our program, enrollment and restaurant services as we come out of a difficult one-month stretch that drastically disrupted the hospitality industry. At the same time, we have been working diligently this year on our curriculum. The culinary industry and the educational model has been through so much change the last 10 to 15 years. We recognize that we need to maintain our standard of excellences, but also need to review what we are focusing on and how we are providing that to the students.

SC: What do you like best about teaching at Schoolcraft College?

Brian Beland: Schoolcraft is an amazing place to be associated with. Our kitchen labs are built for individual student learning, allowing us as instructors to provide the opportunity for each student to cook and develop individual skills. As we move into the second year part of the program, students can take the fundamental development learned in year one and apply those skills to full-service restaurant operations and work as a team. It’s a privilege to be a part of a team and institution where the College, administration, Board of Trustees and community all believe in our vision and support our various offerings.

SC: Thank you, Chef Beland. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Brian Beland: Thank you! We look forward to seeing everyone back in the fall!

July 19, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

The facility has membership opportunities available for community members

Summer is in full swing and so is the action at Schoolcraft College’s Fitness Center, which offers many familiar and favorite activities as well as some new options, such as open basketball on the Ocelots’ home court.

“We encourage the Schoolcraft College community and members of surrounding communities to take a look at what we have to offer,” said Patty Donohue-Ebach, Director of Recreation Services. “We have a full-service fitness center with a wide range of equipment, including cardio machines, weight machines and free weights. In addition, we have recreational facilities for several sports.”

Personal training sessions for individuals and small groups are available as well. You can learn more on the Fitness Center website.

“We encourage the Schoolcraft College community and members of surrounding communities to take a look at what we have to offer.”
Patty Donohue-Ebach, Director of Recreation Services

The Fitness Center is open 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Fridays. Weekend hours will be added in the fall.

Membership to the Fitness Center is free for active Schoolcraft College faculty, staff and credit students. Community members age 16 and older can join for $25 per month plus a one-time enrollment fee of $35. Prospective member can give the Fitness Center a tryout for just $5 for a daily pass.

The Fitness Center has:

Cardio machines
Weight machines
Free weights
Total body strength equipment
Functional fitness equipment
Full locker rooms with dry sauna
See the full list of equipment

Person lifting weights — The Schoolcraft College Fitness Center has a wide variety of free weights and equipment, such as kettlebells, for exercise.

Recreational opportunities include:

Racquetball and Wallyball courts in the Physical Education building are available to reserve. Active Schoolcraft College faculty, staff and credit students play for free. For others, it is $5 per person for 90 minutes of play.

Open basketball in the main gym in the PE building is available on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and on Thursday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Active Schoolcraft College faculty, staff and credit students play for free. For others, it is $5 per person.

This is the final week of summer open lap swim, which is available every day from noon to 1:00 p.m. There is a capacity of 18 per timeslot and you must obtain pool pass from the Fitness Center front desk. Open swim ends Monday, July 26. Information about the fall schedule will be announced soon.

Track in the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center (ESC) is open to use when there aren’t volleyball camps going on. The best times to walk or jog are usually 7:00 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Use of the ESC is included in Fitness Center membership and it is an easy walk from the Fitness Center.

For more information about the Schoolcraft College Fitness Center, please call 734-462-4348 or email [email protected].

July 15, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

Nancy Smith guided Northville girls to state title in 2013

An area coach with a strong record of success has been tapped to lead the revival of cross country at Schoolcraft College.

Nancy Smith, who led the Northville High School girls’ cross country team to a state title in 2013, is the new men’s and women’s cross country coach as the Ocelots resume their programs after a brief hiatus.

“Coach Smith’s passion, experience, success and her deep-rooted connections within the Northville and area cross country communities make her the perfect choice to restart our cross country program,” said Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics.

“I am super-excited to get going and bring in student-athletes interested in joining the program and build a program that is well-known and respected across Michigan and throughout the United States.”
Nancy Smith, Schoolcraft College cross country coach

Schoolcraft athlete running — Schoolcraft College will focus on invitationals in its first cross country season in three years.

Smith’s 30-year coaching career, the last 20 of which has been at Northville, includes:

10 Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) titles
9 regional titles
12 top 10 finishes at state over the last 13 years
1 state championship in 2013

Several of the school districts that Schoolcraft College serves, including Northville, Plymouth-Canton and Livonia, as well as the other KLAA schools, traditionally have outstanding cross country programs. That means Smith won’t have to go far to find prospective student-athletes for her teams.

“Without a doubt, Schoolcraft College sits in a hotbed of talented runners, so the immediate area will be my first focus of recruiting student-athletes, along with Livingston, Washtenaw and Oakland counties as well as Detroit Public Schools,” Smith said.

“My first plan of action is to reach out to any current graduates in the surrounding areas and try and find student-athletes who are interested in continuing their running. I will also start reaching out to local juniors and show them all the great facilities and programs that are available to them. I will use social media and reach out to my fellow coaching friends to spread the news of the return of the program, which will also be a big benefit at recruiting potential student-athletes.”

Group of cross country athletes posing for camera — Cross country was one of the first sports offered at Schoolcraft College.

Smith will have to hit the ground running, so to speak, as the season starts the first week of August. Competing in invitationals, rather than dual meets, will be the focus for this season. The Ocelots’ home course likely will be Cass Benton Park, which also is the home course of several area high schools.

“I am super-excited to get going and bring in student-athletes interested in joining the program and build a program that is well-known and respected across Michigan and throughout the United States,” Smith said.

Prospective student-athletes interested in joining a team should visit the links below:

July 12, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

Renowned classical bass singer adds author to list of accomplishments

Christopher Temporelli is an internationally acclaimed classical singer (bass), concert artist, professor, radio host and now author. This impressive and multifaceted list of accomplishments has its roots in Southeast Michigan, including Schoolcraft College, where he was a student in the fall of 1993 and the winter of 1994.

“I have such fond memories of Schoolcraft College,” he said. “It was my first collegiate environment to be in and was a wonderful launching place for my future. I would recommend for anyone at the college to really take advantages of the resources the school has to offer, and make the most of opportunities as best one can.”

Christopher Temporelli began his college career at Schoolcraft College, then continued at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. (Photo credit: Won Suk Chang)

Christopher’s mother, Barbara Temporelli, is a Professor of Chemistry at Schoolcraft College. She and his father exposed Christopher to a variety of music at an early age, with performances at the Metropolitan Opera tour in Detroit an early favorite.

“Chris would sit on the edge of his seat from excitement,” Barbara said.

The desire to go from observer to performer started with piano lessons during pre-school, followed by violin lessons.

“I have such fond memories of Schoolcraft College. It was my first collegiate environment to be in and was a wonderful launching place for my future.”
Christopher Temporelli, classical bass singer who attended Schoolcraft College 1993-94

Music Professor Donald Morelock then became an important instructor and mentor from middle school and on to Schoolcraft College.

“Professor Morelock was my private piano instructor in high school, and it made sense at the time for me to start up my education close to home, at Schoolcraft, and with top-quality professors and instructors,” Christopher said. “I took private lessons in my majors – which I ended up finishing in Piano and Voice performance at Michigan State University – and also took other coursework at Schoolcraft in such courses as music theory, as well as piano pedagogy.

“I also have very fond memories taking part in a choral ensemble.”

Professor Morelock, who retired in 2011 after more than 40 years of service to Schoolcraft College, appreciated Christopher’s willingness to learn.

“He’s one of those students you don’t forget. He’s very special,” Professor Morelock said. “You could tell early on that he was very talented. He was always prepared for the lessons, interested in what I had to say, interested in making the pieces sound good.

“He was interested in theory and very much wanted a well-rounded education, which he got here at Schoolcraft.”

Christopher Temporelli developed a love and passion for music at an early age. (Photo provided.)

Christopher then went on to earn a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) Vocal Performance in 2005 from the University of Michigan.

“One breakthrough moment for me was when I was singing a lead role with the opera at University of Michigan in my graduate school time,” he said. “It was the role of the ‘Forester’ in the opera Cunning Little Vixen. It was a fantastic experience singing a very pivotal role in a performance, and with an excellent team and musicians at U of M.

“After the performance, for one of the School of Music brochures, my picture was used on the cover, as taken in the role. It gave me a feeling of ‘This career choice just might work out!’”

Performing career takes off

For the next 10 years, Temporelli focused on a performing career based in New York City.

“It was very exciting to be building this type of career – and traveling around the world sharing music,” he said. “When I had a chance to teach at university, however, it was a new kind of excitement to help others, assist students in gaining these technical and musical skills – and develop themselves into artists. Both experiences have been very satisfying.”

The teaching experiences including serving as visiting professor for classical singing at a number of universities in South Korea. Temporelli also has served as adjudicator on national and international competitions.

His most recent appearance was at the Seoul Art Center, one of the major venues in Korea and comparable to Lincoln Center in New York Center. Other credits include:

Michigan Opera Theater
Opera Atelier, Toronto
Has sung the U.S. and Italian national anthems for the Columbus Day Parade Gala at the NYC Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
Appeared on the red carpet of the Columbus Day Parade on 5th Avenue
Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.)
National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa, Maestro Pinchas Zukerman)
Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall, Manhattan, New York
Performed in an Asia a co-production between Beseto Opera and the Prague State Opera at Seoul Arts Center Main Opera House

As with all artists, the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on his performance schedule.

“I was in India at the very beginning of the pandemic and needed to cancel last minute a concert there that was to have been my debut concert in India,” Temporelli said. ”I have had some virtual performances over the last period, including 2020 summer in a live broadcast from the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center–and that was very exciting.”

Turning a negative into a positive, Temporelli used the time to finish his book geared toward self-development.

Adding “author” to string of accomplishments

Temporelli is continually challenging himself and expanding his career and personal pursuits, so writing a book is a natural outgrowth. His work, FLOW Freedom Laws of the World ™: “Catch the Wave to your Current of Creativity” launched in December of 2020.

Christopher Temporelli’s new book is available from Amazon. (Photo provided.)

“I wanted to share my ideas about how to pursue anything in a creative, successful and fun manner!” he said. “In summary, I wanted to have the chance to make these personal ideas available, and relevant, even outside of the field of music.”

Temporelli said along with his full schedule, the book took about two years two complete from conception to publication. It is available at amazon.com in a variety of formats.

Dr. Temporelli is also happy to announce, that starting with a launch around September 2021, his book will be also be available in physical copies in shops across India, at all major airports and bookstores, published under the Times of India logo.

July 12, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

Grandmother serves as inspiration for dual-enrollment student

Schoolcraft College student Mackenzie Compton draws inspiration from her late grandmother, affectionately known as “nana,” as she moves forward to make a positive impact in the world.

“My nana was my grandmother on my father’s side and when my parents got a divorce she basically acted like a second mother to me,” Compton said. “I spent every summer with her camping and swimming in the pool. I was extremely close to her. Whenever I had a problem in life, she was the first person I went to. So when all of this happened it truly was hard on me, but it set off something in me to do better for her.”

Mackenzie sitting with her Nana — **With Nana:** Mackenzie Compton said her grandmother was like a second mother to her. (Photo provided.)

A native of Livonia, Compton was already familiar with Schoolcraft College. She became a Dual Enrollment student after starting at Livonia Churchill High School and continuing with Michigan Connections Academy.

“The phlebotomy program grabbed my interest,” Compton said of the program about how to learn to draw blood. “At Schoolcraft I took Anatomy and Physiology (BIO 237/238), Math 113, Math 128, Medical Terminology, Medical Office and Procedures, Biology (BIO 101), Software Applications (CIS 120), and Phlebotomy.”

She also plays travel hockey for Belle Tire out of Taylor, is active in in musical theater at Dearborn Youth Theater and works part-time at Ulta Beauty.

Despite carrying such a heavy academic load, working, and participating in other activities, Compton was determined to succeed – both for herself and to honor her nana’s memory.

“My absolute favorite class was medical terminology with professor Kathy Taylor,” Compton said. “She has stuck with me all these years because she truly cared about her students’ success more than anyone I’ve ever met. She helped me on several occasions and had genuine connections for her students. She was my favorite professor without a doubt.”

Professor Taylor, who teaches in the Health Information Technology program, was similarly impressed.

“Mackenzie was a student in my medical terminology class on-campus for the Winter of 2020 semester,” she said. “I remember the first day of class when I met her. She was an excellent student and participated in class positively.

“It wasn’t until a few weeks into the semester that she mentioned she was a dual-enrolled student, and I was really taken aback by that fact. Mackenzie was the youngest student in class, but one would have never suspected.

“She was a very mature student – very well-spoken and always on time and always prepared for class. She was just a joy to get to know and was well-respected by her classmates.”

Compton heads to Michigan State University this fall to study nursing and human biology as she begins her pre-med path.

“After that, I am planning to attend medical school (hopefully in California) to study cardiology,” she said.

Professor Taylor sees nothing but success in Compton’s future.

“My impression of Mackenzie is she is an intelligent young lady who has a very promising future and will be quite successful,” she said. “She is a self-motivated, hard worker and focused; I am very confident she will achieve her goals. I believe Mackenzie is an inspiration for our future.”

Feature Photo – Graduation: Mackenzie Compton started at Livonia Churchill High School and continued with Michigan Connections Academy. (Photo provided.)

July 12, 2021 by Schoolcraft College

Program offers chance to share experience, earn certification

If you’re an experienced motorcyclist, this is the right time to think about sharing your experience and improving your skills by becoming a certified RiderCoach through Schoolcraft College.

“Becoming a certified RiderCoach is a great way to share your passion for motorcycling with prospective and experienced riders, get more involved in the motorcycling community and make some extra money,” said Sean McGlinn, Motorcycle Safety Coordinator for Schoolcraft College’s program, which is part of Personal and Professional Learning (PPL).

PPL is the new name for the College’s continuing education department, previously known as Continuing Education and Professional Development, or CEPD.

The RiderCoach course is approximately 90 hours long. Course schedules vary, but students should plan on 7 to 11 days of intensive classroom and hands-on (range) activities. Applicants must have their own motorcycle and have been endorsed for at least one year. Cost is $75.

“Becoming a certified RiderCoach is a great way to share your passion for motorcycling with prospective and experienced riders, get more involved in the motorcycling community and make some extra money.”
Sean McGlinn, Motorcycle Safety Coordinator for Schoolcraft College’s program.

Candidates who successfully complete the course will become certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) RiderCoaches. Certification lasts for two years, and RiderCoaches apply for recertification by teaching a minimum of four classes, completing various professional-development courses, and submitting those records directly to the MSF.

In addition, the Detroit Metro Motorcycle Safety Consortium, which includes Schoolcraft College and four other community colleges, highly recommends that candidates complete a Basic RiderCourse (BRC) prior to the RiderCoach Preparation Course to familiarize themselves with the curriculum they will be teaching.

Motorcyclists listening to instruction — The RiderCoach course at Schoolcraft College is approximately 90 hours over 7 to 11 days of classroom and hands-on (range) activities. (Schoolcraft College photo.)

McGlinn completed his BRC at Schoolcraft in 2011, has been with the College since January 2018, and recently became a certified rider coach himself.

“I am humbled and honored to work for the program that has benefitted countless prospective and experienced motorcyclists, including myself, in Metro Detroit and beyond.”

The motorcycle training classes have historically been some of the most popular at Schoolcraft College.

“Motorcycle sales were booming last year, presumably because of people exploring new socially distant hobbies,” McGlinn said. “While we are tremendously grateful for, and proud of, training around 900 students last year within the span of just a few short months, we weren’t able to accommodate everyone who inquired about our courses due to the reduced class sizes.

“Typically, we train around 3,000 students every year. There is a backlog of students who weren’t able to take a course last year, and we currently have a significant shortage of active RiderCoaches in the Detroit Metro Consortium.”

RiderCoach applications are currently being reviewed. To request a RiderCoach application, contact [email protected] or call 734-462-4448.

Feature Photo: A large backlog of students means that RiderCoaches are urgently needed in the Detroit Metro area. (Schoolcraft College photo.)

July 6, 2021 by mlemon

Schoolcraft College was one of just 61 institutions – and one of just two from Michigan – selected by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to participate in its 2021 Institute on High-Impact Practices and Student Success. (The University of Michigan was the other participant from the state.)

The Institute is designed to advance campus- and system-level efforts to achieve quality, equity and student engagement goals through the design, implementation and assessment of active teaching and learning practices widely known as “high-impact practices,” or HIPs.

The Institute was held virtually June 15-18. The team from Schoolcraft College was:

Adam Authier, Director of Academic Innovation
Deborah Burke, Professor, Psychology
Sharon Christian, Director, Learning Support Services
Helen Ditouras, Professor, English
Dr. Elaine Lloyd, Professor, Nursing

“The AAC&U Institute on High-Impact Practices and Student Success provides an unparalleled opportunity for colleges and universities from across the country to collaborate on ways to become more intentional in serving all students and to improve both completion rates and the quality of student learning,” said AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella.

Each team worked with leading experts and practitioners to identify opportunities for deepening connections between students’ assets and their educational experiences. Drawing on research that demonstrates a positive relationship between student participation in HIPs and improved student outcomes, the teams defined and started to develop curricular and cocurricular practices that support student engagement, advance curricular coherence, and generate equitable outcomes.

They also defined and strengthened processes for directly assessing student achievement of the learning outcomes that result from participation in HIPs. These assessment processes will help institutions set and monitor progress toward equity goals to improve educational outcomes for all students.

“The Institute represents AAC&U’s continued partnership with leading experts on high-impact practices and student success to examine the latest research and to address the most pressing issues related to equity, quality, and assessment to design sustainable efforts that are responsive to students’ needs and values the diversity of students’ identities,” said Tia McNair, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers.

The Institute focused on implementing educational change and bringing effective practices to scale in a time of unprecedented changes, limited resources, and variations in modes of delivery. The curriculum supported campus teams as they develop faculty-engaged, evidence-based, sustainable models and strategies to advance quality, equity, and engagement in service to academic excellence and social justice.

Topics addressed included integrating HIPs across modalities, aligning courses and programs with guided pathways, promoting connections between educational experiences and long-term career success, and encouraging an academically open environment while promoting the safe and civil exchange of ideas.

Professor Burke, Professor Ditouras and Dr. Lloyd graciously provided the following insights at the end of the Institute:

Q: What are your overall impressions of the program?

The AAC&U conference was empowering and enlightening as we learned from and collaborated with experts in the field and our colleagues at the college. If we want to future-proof the College, we all need to pay attention to expanding access to all facets of the higher education experience.

High Impact Practices (HIPs) include educational activities that engage students in active learning that elevate their performance on desired outcomes.

Moreover, the conference focused on the essential role of HIPs in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, all of which are of high value to everyone working in education. HIPs are the best practice in ensuring the work of expanding access and accountability with concrete action plans.

Q: What was the format of the program?

As participants we engaged in keynote presentations, daily breakout sessions, and team consultations that centered on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging filtered through the framework of High Impact Practices.

Q: Are there any ideas in particular you want to bring to Schoolcraft College and why?

It is essential that the college re-configure the process of enrollment and advising, retention, co-curricular opportunities, governance, and teaching methodology to expand access through the framework of High Impact Practices.

Q: “Guided Pathways” seemed to be one of the key topics for this program, and it’s a topic that’s growing in importance here at Schoolcraft. In your opinion, were there any ideas from the program that can help us?

Guided Pathways, a portal to facilitate student completion with structures of support for first generation students, is a potential High Impact Practice that the College should continue to develop. HIPs should be embedded in all programing and practices at the college. Below is a list of AAC&U’s High Impact Educational Practices. High-Impact Educational Practices | Association of American Colleges & Universities (aacu.org)

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Under the leadership of Adam Authier, Director of Academic Innovation, Schoolcraft College’s AAC&U team is comprised of a cross-section of our campus community. We are proud of the work our Schoolcraft team was able to accomplish, but we are not enough. It will take the involvement of the entire campus community to future-proof the College utilizing the framework of High Impact Practices in everything we do.

July 5, 2021 by mlemon

Learning Support Services offers a wide variety of services to students at Schoolcraft College to help them achieve their academic goals. They offer tutoring, writing support, peer assisted learning, academic success coaching and more in the department, meeting students where they’re at in their academics. This department is unique in one major way – student employees make up more than half of their team.

“Want to learn real-world leadership skills all while sharpening your academics? Join our team,” said Sharon Christian, Director of Learning Support Services. “Learn to work in a team setting and gain professional development opportunities while supporting your peers at Schoolcraft College! Many of our students make lasting connections.”

Learning Support Services is currently looking to hire tutors, peer consultants for Writing Support Studio, and student assistants to work on-campus for the Fall 2021 semester.

Tutors support in various mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics courses by appointment and group tutoring sessions. Peer Consultants provide writing support in the Learning Center’s Writing Support Studio.

“Our tutors, peer consultants and service desk team members are the engines behind our work in the Learning Center,” said Elizabeth Kenney, Learning Center Coordinator. “As a Learning Center team, we enjoy and take pride in our work to support students across a wide variety of academic areas. As a department, we offer ongoing training, leadership and other professional development opportunities for our student employees.”

Want to join the LSS team? Please attend one of the information sessions. Both in-person and remote sessions are available. Here’s the schedule:

Date	Time	Mode
Wednesday, July 14	11:00 a.m.–noon	In person
Thursday, July 15	2:00-3:00 p.m.	Remote (Link to attend)
Tuesday, July 20	1:00-2:00 p.m.	In person
Thursday, July 22	10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.	Remote (Link to attend)

For more information, visit www.schoolcraft.edu/LSS, or email [email protected]

July 5, 2021 by mlemon

Being smart and talented used to be enough in business. In today’s climate, defined by round-the-clock challenges, multicultural workplaces and team members who might be located off-site or even around the world, those qualities are just the start, the bare minimum.

In addition to the academic rigor and hands-on training that community colleges excel at, companies today are hungry for entry-level employees who possess the critical skills to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure global business environment.

Schoolcraft College proactively worked with dozens of area businesses, many of which have global reach, to develop curriculum that addressed this glaring and growing need.

The result: Reality Ready®, an initiative that helps Schoolcraft students win in the workforce. Through an intensive, interactive all-day program, students come away equipped with intellectual and behavioral skills that result in well-rounded individuals who employers are seeking.

The College recently held its second Reality Ready® symposium, which was held on Tuesday, June 22, in the VisTaTech Center with a cohort of students who work in Learning Support Services, Bradner Library, and who participate in student organizations through the Student Activities Office.

Learning Center Coordinator Elizabeth Kenney moderated the session facilitated by Van Nguyen, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer; Dr. Michael Oliver, Associate Dean of Career Services; Michael Williams, Director of Financial Aid; and Sharon Christian, Director of Learning Support Services.

“I think is this a great experience for any student or anybody in general to get a good understanding and learn from,” said Larson Summers, who is studying business administration and management. “It’s very helpful to learn from people professionally trained on these topics to discuss these matters and teach us how we can open ourselves to these ideas.”

Reality Ready® boosts proficiency in four key areas:

Emotional Intelligence: IQ isn’t the only thing candidates get assessed by in the real world – EI is equally important. EI demonstrates the capacity to be aware of, control and express one’s emotions and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.
Conflict Resolution: An informal or formal process that two or more parties use to find a peaceful solution to their dispute through key points of negotiation arbitration and conflict avoidance.
Professional and Personal Communication: The oral, written, visual and digital forms of receiving and delivering information in the context of a workplace as well as personally. Acquiring nonverbal communication skills and the ability to have clear and concise conversations.
Networking and Professionalism: The cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business. In addition, exhibiting characteristics that can apply to virtually any type of business, including exuding competency, reliability, proper appearance any other qualities.

Romina Gega, an accounting student, and Emily Wenzel, who is studying math, found the module on Emotional Intelligence particularly helpful.

“I was most interested in Emotional Intelligence,” Gega said. “That’s been a good topic for me and helped me improve.”

Added Wenzel: “I think it’s very good and useful – most people should hear this. I really liked the Emotional Intelligence portion. That’s really important because everyone needs to know how to be better with their Emotional Intelligence.”

Building on Core Abilities

The areas presented in Reality Ready® mirror and build upon the eight Core Abilities established by Schoolcraft College. The Core Abilities are broad outcomes or skills that every graduate of Schoolcraft College is expected to achieve. From a practical standpoint, these universal skills are transferable from one job to the next.

Here’s how Reality Ready modules connect to Core Abilities:

Emotional Intelligence connects to Social and Cultural Awareness
Conflict Resolution connects to Act Responsibly
Professional and Personal Communication connects to Communicate Effectively
Networking and Professionalism connects to Manage Information

How Reality Ready® works: Putting theory into practice

Schoolcraft College has addressed the need for an engaging and practical training event for students of the college by creating a one-day symposium led by a dynamic, diverse group of professionals. This approach will create an environment for attendees to attain some sensible “real world” skills that will benefit them in the workplace and provide confidence as they pursue the next chapter in their lives – obtaining a job, getting accepted into a four-year institution, being selected for an important internship and more.

An interactive environment of table teams drives much of the learning. This approach allows a more tailored effect for the students in how they learn because each table had a 1:5 ratio. In real time, the table coach assessed if the students understood the content, provided clarity and coached them how to apply the skills.

“I love it – it’s more than I expected it to be and very interactive,” said Alexis Gibson, who is studying broadcast communications.

She appreciated several topics that will benefit her career.“Body language, tone, understanding people,” Gibson said in checking off key learnings from Reality Ready® that will help her moving forward. “Things are never going to be perfect, but you have to realize who you are so you know how to lead and what you say is going to affect you and your community. The camera is always on!”

June 28, 2021 by mlemon

Three Schoolcraft College student-athletes have been named National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) First-Team Academic All-American and Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) Academic All-Conference for 2020-2021. Honored were James (Alex) Neville, men’s soccer; Erin O’Neil, softball; and Justina Szalkowski, women’s basketball. Named NJCAA Second-Team Academic All-American and MCCAA Academic All-Conference were:

Erin Bressler, softball	Mason Kelley, baseball	Carlos Reynoso, baseball
Brandon Brewer, baseball	Allison Little, women’s bowling	Brandon Strickland, baseball
Gavin Brose, men’s soccer	Patrick McDonald, baseball	Summer Sullivan, softball
Natasha Carter, women’s basketball	Kiersten Metz, softball	Hailey Warra, softball
Dalton D’alexander, baseball	Autumn Reed, softball	Andrew Weiss, baseball
Kyle DePray, baseball		Leilani Williams, women’s bowling

Named NJCAA Third-Team All-American and MCCAA Academic All-Conference were:

Josh Allen, men’s bowling	Natalie Conn, softball	Mohamed Hammoud, men’s soccer
Colin Boulard, men’s soccer	Amanda Fsadni, women’s bowling	Curtis Moore, baseball
Tyler Brown, men’s bowling		Drew Tappen, men’s soccer

Named MCCAA Academic All-Conference were:

Cole Atkinson, baseball	Emma Hill, volleyball	Nate Raniszewski, baseball
Ella Bailey, volleyball	Carly Jasman, volleyball	Layla Sabrah, volleyball
Alan Brown, men’s bowling	Lauren Kroll, softball	Jonathan Sabuda, baseball
Erik Bunge, men’s bowling	Hailey Lozier, volleyball	Jake Saez, men’s bowling
John Evangelista, men’s soccer	Ashton Miller, baseball, men’s bowling	Nick Saylor, baseball
Tyler Garrett, baseball	Davion Page, men’s soccer	Luke Stevenson, baseball
Gabby Genaw, softball	Joshua Pierce, men’s soccer	Andrea Valdes, volleyball
Justin Gottschalk, men’s soccer		Nahvia Williams, women’s basketball

“This past season was a challenging one on many fronts, so we especially congratulate our student-athletes for staying focused on their studies and achieving these high academic honors,” said Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics. “Academic success will always be the primary focus for all Schoolcraft College student-athletes.”