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Michele Kelly

November 8, 2022 by Schoolcraft College

One of the defining strengths of Schoolcraft College is the hands-on learning opportunities provided to students – especially those in occupational programs. Now the College is expanding those opportunities to more students through the brand-new Center for Experiential Learning (CEL).

The Center for Experiential Learning is not so much a physical location as much as it is a way to deliver impactful learning. Dr. Michele Kelly, Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, defines it as “learning by doing,” using the concept of baking a cake as an illustrative example.

people standing around Freedom House banner
Students will have service-based opportunities through the Center for Experiential Learning

“We tend to understand baking a cake more comprehensively when we actually bake a cake instead of watching a baking show or reading a recipe,” she said. “We understand baking a cake even better once we taste our creation and reflect on why it’s good – or not so good!

“Our occupational programs are full of hands-on experiences where student learn by doing – think of CPR and ambulance practice, practicing with welding equipment, driving on our driving facility or brewing beer and submitting it for contests.”

Now, for areas of study like Humanities or Communications, students and faculty may access and engage in learn-by-doing opportunities through the CEL.

Bridging the gap

In broad terms, Schoolcraft College tends to serve two types of students. One group is students in the occupational programs who gain education and training to enter the workforce quickly to begin their careers. The other group is students in the Liberal Arts and Sciences programs. These students tend to start here to earn credits to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree.

In fact, transferring to a four-year school is the one of the most popular “majors” at Schoolcraft College. Dr. Kelly said the CEL will help give those students access to the kind of high impact co-academic opportunities that will make their resumes and applications competitive to elite universities. It also will prepare them for the kind of project-based learning they may encounter in junior- and senior-level coursework.

“Students who earn degrees at Schoolcraft in our occupational programs intend to go directly into industry,” Dr. Kelly said. “If you study Nursing, you probably want to work as a nurse. If you study Culinary Arts, you want to get to work as a chef. If you join our Fire Academy, you probably want to get to it fighting fires.

“Also, perhaps you might go back to school to earn an advanced degree or maybe return for a career change. However, students who want to study economics, political science, chemistry, math and so forth often need further study before working. Many jobs we need in society require a bachelor’s degree or more.

“The CEL will benefit transfer students because their path to work is longer, and they need concentrated resources to be competitive transfer students. Whether transferring or going directly into employment after obtaining certification at Schoolcraft, all our students deserve access to high-impact learning opportunities, and the CEL is open for everyone!”

Bringing opportunities and services under one umbrella

Another key component of the CEL is that it will be the access point for:

  • Schoolcraft Honors Scholars
  • Service Learning Endorsement
  • SC International Institute Global Endorsement
  • STEAMz conference (eventually)
  • Existing liberal arts or science-based undergraduate research, fellowships, internships, and or scholarships

“Schoolcraft College has a legacy of high-impact programming including the award-winning Honors Scholars, Service Learning, International Institute and more,” Dr. Kelly said. “These are all examples of signature programming that are embedded in and run tightly parallel to the classroom. The Center for Experiential Learning consolidates these resources under a single access hub; it is an organized framework for our best stuff!”

Bringing all of this “best stuff” into a single unit isn’t a new idea.

“The reason we can do it now is through the generous outreach from the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Transfer Bridges program and their extension of a multi-million-dollar Mellon grant,” Dr. Kelly said. “We joined Grand Rapids Community College and Henry Ford College as partners with U of M. The University of Michigan is right to notice the value of transfer students from community colleges – especially those who come from Schoolcraft College – because of the extra opportunities students enjoy here.

“We joined this grant by proposing the Center for Experiential Learning as a one-stop shop for existing signature programs and with new features that will benefit students.”

The CEL also will introduce new programs that include the following:

  • Social Impact Scholars
  • Humanities in Action Network
  • New liberal arts or science-based undergraduate research, fellowships, internships and scholarships

“Since we won this grant in March 2022, Schoolcraft College students have had access to some awesome opportunities with the University of Michigan,” Dr. Kelly said. “For example, Schoolcraft students were awarded Engelhardt Social Justice Fellowships ($5,000 stipends), GLACE* fellowships (fully funded summer humanities research), and MoMentum workshops ($500 fully funded).

“The vision is for Schoolcraft College students to have funded access to life-changing opportunities like this along with many others, and for students and faculty to trust the Center for Experiential Learning as the access point.”

* GLACE stands for Great Lakes Arts, Cultures, and Environments. It is an interdisciplinary humanities program held in Northern Michigan during the summer half-term. University of Michigan faculty and other instructors teach three interconnected, two-credit courses: one in English, one in English/Anthropology, and one in English/American Culture. Successful students are awarded 6 credit hours total from the University of Michigan.

Filed Under: News, Programs Tagged With: Center for Experiential Learning, Michele Kelly

June 27, 2022 by Schoolcraft College

Theme of conference was “Women Leading With Resilience In Challenging Times”

Schoolcraft College was well-represented at the 2022 Michigan American Council on Education Women’s Network Conference (MI-ACE) of the ACE Women’s Network. Held June 13-14 at the Suburban Collection Showcase in Novi, this year’s theme of the annual conference was “Women Leading With Resilience In Challenging Times.”

The MI-ACE Women’s Network was formed in 1978 and is the professional network for Michigan women in higher education.

Attending from Schoolcraft College were:

  • Dr. Jodie Beckley, Director, Personal and Professional Learning
  • Joi Durant, Associate, Student Financial Services
  • Tammy Duval, Lab Technician
  • Melissa Gury, Director of Laboratory Sciences
  • Dr. Michele Kelly, Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • TaQuilla Kusero, Director of Equity and Engagement
  • Trennis D. Sweatt, Personal and Professional Learning Programming Coordinator
  • Lori Timmis, Dean of Distance Learning
  • Rena Yuzon, Course Manager, Distance Learning

Dr. Beckley co-presented “Women Leaders of Color in Community Colleges: New Research, Same Challenges” with CharMaine Hines, Ed.D., Vice Chancellor, Academic Accountability and Policy, Wayne County Community College District.

Here are some reactions to the conference from Schoolcraft College attendees:

From Joi Durant, Associate, Student Financial Services:

I was introduced to MI-ACE in 2021 after attending their WOCC (Women of Color Collaborative) and women’s equal pay day workshops. I became involved with the Schoolcraft division of MI-ACE this year and it has been such an impactful experience. This year’s conference focused on defining resilience and finding ways to put the ‘resilience perspective’ into practice. During the two-day conference I was able to attend several workshops, some of which included:

  • Enhancing your Institutional committee involvement
  • (Re) Imagining the Superwoman
  • Women Leaders of Color in Community College: New Research, Same Challenges
  • Women Leading with Resilience during Challenging Times Keynote Address

I found each session to be informative, which led to me feeling excited, empowered and equipped to bring this information back to campus and incorporate this information in conversations that contribute to impacting effective change. It also provided the opportunity to meet and collaborate with colleagues here at the college that I would not otherwise have had the opportunity to work with. I would encourage any woman employed in higher education to consider joining the MI-ACE Network as it provides networking support and training enhance the experience of women in higher education.

From Melissa Gury, Director of Laboratory Sciences:

One of my favorite sessions was “Mental Health Strategies for a More Resilient You” presented by Dr. Nikita Murry, Director of Diversity Education at Central Michigan University. She spoke about what it means to be resilient, and highlighted five ‘Gs’ to make sure to focus on in our lives: Gratitude, Goal Reflection, Girlhood, Goodness, and Gracefulness. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend, and am excited to continue working with the MI-ACE Women’s Network to empower women!

From TaQuilla Kusero, Director of Equity and Engagement:

One valuable practice discussed during the “Mental Health Strategies for a More Resilient You” session, led by Dr. Nikita Murry, Director of Diversity Education at Central Michigan University, was to ask yourself five questions before taking on a new role or opportunity.

  1. Does the opportunity align with your goals?
  2. Am I the right person?
  3. Is this a professional challenge?
  4. Do you see professional growth opportunity?
  5. Will the workload be manageable?

If you can answer yes to these questions, and the role or opportunity is something that fits into your mission, vision and goals, you will be in a better position to deal with more challenging times when they arise. I plan to implement this in the future.

From Trennis D. Sweatt, Personal and Professional Learning Programming Coordinator:

Attending the MI-ACE conference and “The Importance of Wellness and Belonging in the Workplace” session as well as the “Women Leaders of Color in Community Colleges: New Research, Same Challenges” session brought about the following insights for me:

First, as women of color working in higher education, it is essential to know that we belong and that we have the equal opportunity to be valued as a woman and as a leader in our organization. And second, Dr. Hines’ and Dr. Beckley’s research on Women of Color in Mid-Level Administration re-ignited my passion to pursue my Ph.D. in higher education. Our gender and ethnicity should not continue to be a barrier on our path to a leadership role in higher education.

From Lori Timmis, Dean of Distance Learning:

Tuesday’s keynote session with Dr. Stephanie Bulgur, incoming President at Lane CC (Eugene, Oregon), prompted three key takeaways:

  1. Lead from your values
  2. Address the moment with your vision
  3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable

In the spirit of resilience, as part of the conference theme, Dr. Bulgur affirmed that “comfort and growth do not co-exist.” Likewise, in times of challenge, we have a duty to serve – our students, communities, and the organization.

The presidents’ panel encouraged strategic risk taking, reimagining services, evaluating and enacting change propositions, sharing communications and camaraderie, setting stretch goals to build stamina, developing teams, empowering people, and elevating mentorship. The presidents reminded us that we all serve as educators in different ways with a same end goal.

The afternoon’s plenary session – Do Not Take It for Granted. Focus on International Women’s Resilience – with Manizha Wafeq, President and Co-Founder of the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry, was a powerful testimony of leadership, courage, and determination in establishing the first women’s chamber in Afghanistan. As the session title implies, women leaders and professionals can and do serve in valuable roles that make a difference.

The fishbowl conversations on leadership engaged session participants to share your voice, collaborate and connect with others, and balance work and other commitments with stress-relieving channels (the good reminder of “me” time).

A final takeaway includes the resources available through the MI-ACE Women’s Network of professional development workshops, committee engagement, and networking events to advance women leaders in higher education.

I will aim, as a leader and looking within, to promote the wisdom shared from the collective session takeaways – encourage dialogue, support engagement and participation, seek growth opportunities, serve assuredly and compassionately, and much more.

From Rena Yuzon, Course Manager, Distance Learning:

This was my first time at the MI-ACE Women’s Network Conference. It was a great experience where I got to meet women from all over the state. One of the best seminars I attended had to do with enrollment challenges for institutions of higher education. I learned about the many factors impacting enrollment in higher education today and will take that back with me in my work scheduling semester offerings.

Filed Under: News, Schoolcraft Spotlight Tagged With: Jodie Beckley, Joi Durant, Lori Timmis, Melissa Gury, MI-ACE, Michele Kelly, Rena Yuzon, Tammy Duval, TaQuilla Kusero, Trennis Sweatt

March 21, 2022 by mlemon

Staff, faculty help students succeed

STEAMzSchoolcraft: Bridging the Arts, Humanities, and Sciences will be held virtually this Friday, March 25, at 1:00 p.m. Previous years facilitated 26 student presentations with over 200 attendees. 

This year’s virtual summit theme is: Transforming Lives Through Storytelling. Specifically, how can we transform the world we live in through data-driven storytelling? Students will be encouraged and mentored by Schoolcraft College faculty and staff to explore this question. 

Behind the scenes, Schoolcraft College staff, faculty and leadership worked together to make this event possible. The STEAMz Committee and student mentors team comes from various departments across campus:

  • Sharon Christian, Director of Learning Support Services, STEAMz Committee Chair
  • Elizabeth Kenney, Learning Center Coordinator
  • Olga Martinez, PTAC Program Manager
  • Emily Podwoiski, Scholars Honors Coordinator
  • Jennie Rokakis, Learning Support Services Assistant
  • Annika Sholander, Academic Success Coach for International Learning
  • Deborah Taracuk, Communication Arts Faculty
  • Katie Webber, Administrative Assistant III
  • Dr. Carmen Wilson, Academic Success Coach for Reading
  • Christopher Wood, Physics Faculty and Department Chair
young professional smiling
Students will vie for awards in a number of categories.

Selected students received a scholarship provided by a generous grant through the Schoolcraft College Foundation and will be mentored by faculty and staff to strengthen their presentation, research, and story. To align with this year’s theme, students are encouraged to combine a meaningful story with research findings to drive curiosity and inspiration with their audience.

The event will open with a welcome from Dr. Michele Kelly, Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and share a special video message from Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College. In addition, several faculty and staff played a key role in this year’s event. Scott Davis, Curriculum Technologist; April Harden, English Faculty; and Christina Stansell-Weaver, Communication Arts Faculty; will serve as presentation judges. Judges review all presentations and evaluate them on a series of criteria, which they later use to award students on their presentation or lightning talk. Categories students can win awards are:

  • Best Presentation
  • Best Lightning Talk
  • Out of the Box
  • Top Investigator

An additional award will be presented to the student who captivates the audience – the People’s Choice. Attendees can vote for their favorite presentation to award the presenter or lightning talk. Students who are awarded will receive an e-certificate to add to their professional portfolio.

STEAMzSchoolcraft Virtual Summit will take place this Friday, March 25, at 1: p.m. via Blackboard Collaborate. The event is free to attend – registration is not required. Visit the website and click on the “Attend STEAMzSchoolcraft” button to attend this year’s event during the designated date and time.

If you have questions, please contact Sharon Christian, Director of Learning Support Services and STEAMzSchoolcraft Committee Chair, at [email protected]. 

Filed Under: News, Schoolcraft Spotlight Tagged With: Glenn Cerny, Michele Kelly, Sharon Christian, STEAMz

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