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Catreese Qualls

October 13, 2022 by stgschoolcraft

To help the Schoolcraft College community better understand, support and engage in the strategic theme of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access), the Office of Equity and Engagement held a launch event in September. The well-attended program in the DiPonio Room of the Vistatech Center – supplemented by an engaged online audience – served as an important starting point to integrate equitable practices into the fabric of Schoolcraft College.

“We were so happy to have so many participating in the IDEA Launch Event and adding their perspectives to how we will move forward in creating a more inclusive campus,” said TaQuilla Kusero, Director of Equity and Engagement. “The event was not only to introduce the goals of IDEA, but to discuss how reaching those goals will take an integrated and structured approach from all of us.”

Also presenting were Catreese Qualls, Research Assistant for the Office of Equity and Engagement; and Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College.

What is IDEA?

Here is how Schoolcraft College defines IDEA:

Inclusion

  • An environment where individuals are empowered to use their perspectives, experiences, knowledge, and talent to create change.

Diversity

  • Psychological, physical, and social differences that occur among any and all individuals; The product/outcome of the inclusive and equitable practices of an organization.

Equity

  • Offering individualized support to address barriers that can limit the full participation of an individual or group.

Access

  • Students, employees and community members have equitable opportunities to take full advantage of the education, advancement, and resources that we offer and opportunities for similar outcomes.
Catreese Qualls, Research Assistant for the Office of Equity and Engagement.
TaQuilla Kusero, Director of Equity and Engagement.

“The launch event was an opportunity to share the mission, expectations, and purpose of creating a culture of inclusion, centrally focused on the IDEA Strategic Theme,” Qualls said. “It was a call to action to every member of our campus community to reimagine the way we think, communicate, and navigate within our respective departments and within our campus community. We must work in tandem to achieve success in creating a legacy of hope for generations to come.”

From these IDEA definitions, the College has created specific objectives to make the vision a reality. Those objectives are:

Objective 1

  • Enhance access and success

Objective 2

  • Inclusive teaching, learning and scholarship

Objective 3

  • Cultural engagement and competency

Objective 4

  • Accountability and responsibility

Objective 5

  • Fostering community

Those objectives then ladder up to specific areas of focus for the College’s leadership, faculty and staff, and student population, with action and accountability being at the forefront. Kusero noted in her presentation that progress is not always linear, but it should be incremental and measurable.

“Will it be easy to tear down barriers built by decades of broken systems? Absolutely not, but are we capable and authentically inspired to create change? Yes, we are!” Qualls said.

The DEE team noted that the launch event was the catalyst for more leaders to emerge and to encourage a deeply rooted desire to overcome the past and boldly overcome any obstacles by creating access for opportunities to have the uncomfortable conversations needed to push onward and upward.

“This is the first of many collaborations we will have as we begin to do the work of creating equitable outcomes for students, employees, and the communities we serve,” Kusero said.

Filed Under: IDEA, News, Schoolcraft Spotlight Tagged With: Catreese Qualls, Equity and Engagement, IDEA, TaQuilla Kusero

June 6, 2022 by mlemon

Omicron Iota Chapter consistently meets high standards with projects

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

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

The PTK officer team consists of:

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

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

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

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

You can view the video here. 

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

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

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

Three students were named an All Michigan Academic Scholar: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This year’s officer team and key contributors include: 

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

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

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

Filed Under: News, Schoolcraft Spotlight Tagged With: Catreese Qualls, Phi Theta Kappa, Todd Stowell

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