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Several students spent part of a day on the Alliance on the river, learning about the ecology of the river and its role in international politics. 

Several Schoolcraft College students recently did what those on Gilligan’s Island couldn’t do: return to civilization after a three-hour boat tour.

Instead of being stranded on a tropical island, those students made it back to land after spending part of the day on Sept. 11 on the Alliance, a 105-foot schooner with three masts that takes guests back in time to the days of sailboats dotting the Great Lakes.

Sponsored by the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science and the Arts Transfer Bridges Program, students enrolled in English and Anthropology classes spent time on the ship as a part of the Detroit River Story Lab, which provides experiential learning opportunities that focus on the river’s cultural and environment learning about ecological issues, including measuring water depth and clarity; as well as exploring animal and plant life along the river. Students also had the opportunity to learn about the ship’s operations and even had a chance to navigate the river’s waters.

“On the schooner we all participated in different activities learning about the biodiversity of the Detroit River, learning what it takes to run a boat successfully, getting a chance to steer the boat, learning the different effects the river had played in societies crucial moments, and how it was beneficial to people in the 18th century to the 21st century,” said Taylor Williams, an Honors Scholar student who attended the program. “A different perspective I gained from this experience was just the overall importance of the effects humans have had on the Detroit River. We have negatively impacted the river so much that the loss of biodiversity in multiple ways has harmed the different species of animals that are living there now.”

group of students in front of an old wooden ship
Students and instructors take a photo near the Alliance schooner, docked at Milliken State Park in Detroit. Students spent part of a day earlier this fall on the ship while sailing the Detroit River, getting a firsthand look at a unique maritime experience.
two people looking off the side of a boat
Students on the deck of the Alliance.

Students completed assignments related to expedition, as well as earned Enrichment hours for Honors Scholars students, which is time spent doing any civic and cultural engagement or leadership conference that is not considered service. The excursion was a way to bring education to life in a multidisciplinary way, learning about topics such as history and ecology, as well as the river’s economic impact and its role in international politics.

Several other instructors also attended, including, Josselyn Moore in Anthropology, Brett Griffiths in English and Jessica Worden-Jones in Anthropology, who also serves as the coordinator for Service Learning.

Errin Stegich-Moloney, a professor of history and coordinator of the Schoolcraft Scholars Honors Program, said while this was the first time students have undertook this expedition, she believes it won’t be the last. “Having the ability to experience a schooner ship like these students did is a great way to learn outside the box,” said Errin T. Stegich-Moloney, a history professor and coordinator for the Schoolcraft Scholars Honors Program. “Getting a firsthand look at a unique part of our state’s maritime heritage was an educational experience our students will not soon forget.”

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The $11 million renovation saw major changes to the American Harvest restaurant and Main Street Café, as well as the addition of the Collaborative Learning Studio and The Craft Grille.

The crown jewel of Schoolcraft College shown brightly Sept. 21 as the ribbon was cut on the brand-new Vistatech Center.

The College recently celebrated the completion of the $11 million renovation that took about a year to complete. The ribbon cutting marked the opening of the American Harvest restaurant, the Main Street Café and the brand-new Craft Grille, a dedicated brewpub serving up a new menu and award-winning beer created by Brewing and Distillation students.

“We’re so proud of what the Vistatech Center has become with this new renovation,” said Dr. Glenn Cerny, president of Schoolcraft College. “The new offerings will provide our students and the community with the best facilities in the region.”

More than 150 people from across the college and community attended the grand opening to help celebrate the new facilities.

New spaces also include the Collaborative Learning Studio, a one of a kind offering with unlimited possibilities. Equipped with cameras and full demonstration kitchen capabilities, the Collaborative Learning Studio is the perfect place to hold an event and be as creative as possible.

Also new is the prefunctionary space, now named “Town Square,” which adds more space for events and gives off a sophisticated vibe.

Student chefs behind a table of food
Culinary Arts students serve food to guests at the Vistatech Center grand opening Sept. 21.
Chefs migrating bread onto a plate
Chef Jeffrey Gabriel, a Certified Master Chef and Professor Emeritus, does a presentation using naan bread in the Collaborative Learning Studio during the Sept. 21 Vistatech Center grand opening.

The space was recently completed after several years of construction that transformed the front end of the building, which marked its 20th anniversary earlier this year. In addition to a community space, the Vistatech Center also houses our award-winning culinary arts department.

A major supporter of the new space was the Schoolcraft College Foundation, which raised millions of dollars to help make the new Vistatech Center a reality.

The public is welcome to return to the Vistatech Center and enjoy its culinary offerings. The Main Street Café is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The American Harvest is open for lunch select Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and is open for dinner on select Wednesdays and Thursdays, with reservations available on OpenTable. The Craft Grille will open to the public Oct. 4, and will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, as well as 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

More information, including how to book spaces, can be found at schoolcraft.edu/vistatech.

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Get a head start on college with this free program beginning later this summer. 

A free program aimed at kick-starting students’ collegiate careers offers plenty of benefits before the students begin later this fall. 

Step Ahead with Schoolcraft College is a new, grant-funded summer bridge program being offered to eligible students beginning July 31. By enrolling, students can earn college credit, discuss academic goals with advisors and even receive a free Chromebook. As a part of this program, students will take a College and Beyond 102 course with a focus on enhancing math and English skills. These offerings are designed to help springboard them into more rigorous coursework as they begin their collegiate careers. 

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this program,” said Jennie Rokakis, Learning Support Services Assistant. “This unique summer bridge program will help to prepare first time and returning college students to build student success skills such as time management, study skills, and career exploration; while also building in good habits for success such as visiting advisors and Academic Success Coaches.” 

The accelerated program is free to students and includes meals, swag, and other supplies in addition to the Chromebook to assist them in their studies. Once students complete the program, they may qualify to receive scholarships or awards to apply toward the fall semester if they enroll at Schoolcraft College, which may be applied in addition to the currently offered Michigan Achievement Scholarship. 

To enroll, students must have a GED, high school diploma or a certificate of completion and plan to take a college-level or co-requisite math or English course this fall. 

“This is a great opportunity for students when it comes to preparing for their first semester of college,” said Matthew Blagdurn, Lead Academic Success Coach in Mathematics. “They’ll be able to hit the ground running in the fall semester.  Our team of coaches will continue to support these students as they begin their first semester at Schoolcraft, helping to make sure they stay on track.” 

Students can drop in anytime between 10am-5pm at the Learning Center located in the Bradner Library during the optional onboarding week, which takes place July 24-28. The course and program take place Monday through Friday, July 31 through Aug. 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with lunch provided at no cost. Students interested in enrolling or looking for more information can fill out this interest form to determine eligibility. Don’t delay — registration for this program closes on Wednesday, July 12 at 5:00 pm. 

Photo Caption: Students in a classroom at Schoolcraft College. Those interested in enrolling in Schoolcraft College’s Step Ahead Program can still sign up to kickstart their collegiate careers. 

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Students in Schoolcraft College’s Radiologic Technology Program recently received their pins for graduating from the program during a June 26 ceremony in the Vistatech Center.  

One of Schoolcraft College’s newest programs recently saw its first class graduate during a special ceremony.

Students in the first Radiologic Technology cohort recently graduated from the program, marking the completion of their studies since they began the professional track last fall. The pinning ceremony, which took place June 26 in the Vistatech Center, marked a significant milestone for both the students and the College as they prepare to work in the field.

“The experience for students is exciting and challenging. They are exposed to state-of-the-art technology and how radiographers provide diagnostic imaging,” said Jufauri Ely, Program Director for Radiologic Technology. “The students must demonstrate passion for patient care and the knowledge of human anatomy.  They are taught about radiographic equipment, safety, physics and proper patient positioning.”

The field of radiologic technology is a growing one: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states jobs growth will increase 6% between 2021 and 2031, with hospitals, physicians’ offices, and outpatient radiology and imaging clinics expected to be the largest employers.

attendees watching the pinning ceremony
Radiologic Technology graduates listen during the pinning ceremony for the program June 26 in the Vistatech Center.

Radiographers are health care professionals responsible for producing images of the bones and organs of the human body.  They operate radiologic equipment utilizing ionizing radiation and are responsible for creating high-quality radiographs.  These medical images are used to diagnose and treat diseases. Upon successful completion of this program, students will be qualified to sit for the registry in their field of study.

The second semester of the program sees students go out to hospital partners for training and mastery of Radiologic Examinations, spending about 32 hours for 30 weeks learning how technologists work. While many students who have graduated have employment, they are still required to pass a national certification exam with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

student receiving their pin
Radiologic Technology graduate Erin Bernhardt receives her pin from Jufauri Ely, Schoolcraft College’s Program Director for Radiologic Technology.

The pinning ceremony marks a significant milestone in their careers, one worth celebrating as Schoolcraft College’s first class.

“The purpose of the pinning ceremony is to formally recognize and congratulate students when they have finished their allied health program, in addition to the official graduation ceremony. The pins received represent the students’ chosen profession and the school they attended. Each student has accomplished their dream,” Ely said. “It was with the support of family, friends, faculty, and those in the clinical settings that each student was able to reach out to secure a better life. No one’s efforts should go unnoticed or be forgotten.”

Schoolcraft College — which recently received accreditation from the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology — offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Radiologic Technology, as well as Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Additional Medical Imaging Programs offered include the opportunity to obtain training to test for credentials in Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Mammography (M). Upon completion of one of these programs, students will be eligible to test for advanced registry certification by the ARRT.

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Students in a recent Children’s Literature class took it upon themselves to help Hey Y’all Detroit by donating children’s book to help their mission across the city.

Charmane Neal was overwhelmed with emotion when she heard what Schoolcraft College students did for her organization.

Neal, the founder of Detroit nonprofit Hey Y’all Detroit, recently came to campus to pick up a portion of nearly 1,000 donated children’s books collected by students in a spring Children’s Literature class.

“I’m just really grateful and words can’t explain how happy I am right now,” said Neal, who previously attended Schoolcraft College before attending Wayne State University. “I don’t think you understand the impact that this is going to have.”

The class, taught by English Faculty Member April Harden, included a Service Learning component, which for this class included collecting books over a three-week period for the Detroit organization. Hey Y’all Detroit is an initiative dedicated to paying it forward to inner city communities that has several methods of giving back, including through books, food and community gardens.

The organization had its truck used for driving around the city stolen last fall. That included many books Neal and others would lend and give to children, leaving them without just as school started.

Seeing that need, students in the class then began collecting books from all over: work, libraries, family members and more. Slowly but surely, the students amassed books and quickly figured out they had plenty of donations to pass along to Hey Y’all Detroit.

group of students holding books
Students in a spring session of Children’s Literature take a photo with Charmane Neal, founder of Hey Y’all Detroit, at Schoolcraft College. The students recently collected hundreds of children’s books as a part of their course and donated them to Hey Y’all Detroit, which had its vehicle containing its books stolen last fall.

It didn’t take long for the small class to figure out they were onto something special.

“In the first or second week, we were in the group chat and people were like, ‘I have books,’” said Angie Seranian, a student in the class. “And someone else comes up and says, ‘I have books.’ Everybody already has books right now.”

Soon, box after box filled with books accumulated in a room in the Liberal Arts building, so many that Neal could not fit them all on her car in one trip. It’s a gesture, Neal said, that is unmatched for her three-year-old organization.

“Hey Y’all wouldn’t be able to continue if it wasn’t for the generosity of people like you,” Neal said. “It’s been really hard recovering from that theft. We’re still trying to pick up the pieces.

“For it to be over 1,000 books, I don’t even know. I’m just really excited and really grateful.”

Seranian said while the students began collecting books, she’s noticed the organizations they reached out to want to continue donating to Hey Y’all Detroit.

“It wasn’t just an ‘us’ thing,” she said. “We kind of spread the word for other people to continue it now, too.”

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The Pride Team aims to help students feel comfortable in their identities across campus and has begun holding events to do just that.

Being pulled over was a realization moment for Ayven Hunt several years ago.

Hunt, a transgender man who recently wrapped up attending Schoolcraft College, was driving with his learner’s permit with his mother in the car when he was pulled over by a police officer. During the stop, his mother began looking frantically through the glove box for the vehicle’s registration, but not fast enough for Hunt, who was feeling frustrated in the moment. He then quickly grabbed the paper from her hand to offer it to the officer, who then asked his mother to step outside the car.

Unknown to him what that was all about, Hunt — who also works with the Plymouth/Canton Chapter of PFLAG, an LGBTQ+ advocate group — a asked his mother when she returned. She told him the officer asked her if she was safe with Hunt, a statement that made Hunt realize how different it would be after transitioning. Had he been viewed as his mother’s daughter and not her son, Hunt said, the interaction would have looked a lot different.

Faculty member April Harden speaks at the recent Sip and Chat event put on by the Pride Team at Schoolcraft College.

“My mom told me that domestic abuse against women is such a large problem that me swiping that registration out of her hand was enough for that officer to feel like he should confirm that my mom was safe,” said Hunt, who plans to begin classes at the University of Michigan this fall. “That was the moment that I realized how much different society viewed me.”

Hunt’s story was just one of the many items discussed during a recent Sip and Chat event held June 22 in the Bradner Library. The event was significant, as it marked the first on-campus event put on by the College’s Pride Team.

The organization’s goals include helping to make students feel comfortable in their identities, including through support of not just other students but employees at Schoolcraft College as well, said Catreese Qualls, IDEA Research Assistant in the Office of Equity and Engagement.

“We hope for this to grow into something much larger,” she said. “I am truly hoping that we will have the support of each department, members that want to come on and support. Because it’s important that when we say we want students to feel welcome, that we want faculty, administration, staff, their families to feel important on campus, we need to be doing. Because change is an action word.”

The Pride Team began their work attending the first-ever Pride Celebration and Resource Fair held at the Livonia Civic Center, providing materials and resources to attendees.

The team will host another event to mark Pride Month called “Looking Back and Moving Forward,” an online panel discussion that will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 28. There, local LGBTQIA+ leaders will discuss what it means to look back and forward both historically and personally.

Feature photo: Ayven Hunt, a former Schoolcraft College student who plans to begin classes at the University of Michigan in the fall, speaks about his experience as a transgender man at a recent event held in the Bradner Library.  

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A signing ceremony took place June 15 to mark the 10-year anniversary of the relationship between the two institutions, which also included an expansion of the program aimed at assisting students transfer seamlessly.

A longtime partnership between Schoolcraft College and Wayne State University has gotten even better after a recent agreement between the two institutions of higher education.

A signing ceremony to mark the 10-year anniversary of the agreement between the two schools was held June 15 in the Jeffress Center. The event was not only a way to mark a decade of working together to help student success, but also to expand the Transfer Pathways Agreement to better maximize credit transfers.

The agreement allows students to transfer to Wayne State University into an academic program in one of six colleges and schools at the Detroit-based university after earning their associate degree. Having that agreement in place for students is a key component of the agreement between the two schools.

“We’re trying to create partnerships that make our students much more viable in the community, but they have to have flexibility,” said Schoolcraft College President Dr. Glenn Cerny. “These pathways are creating that.”

The partnership between the two schools has led to a strong bond, including bringing Wayne State University to Schoolcraft College’s campus: the university operates on the third floor of the Jeffress Center, including classrooms, study areas and more.

Having such a relationship with Schoolcraft College is also key to Wayne State University’s success, said Dr. Mark Kornbluh, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for the university.

“Every fall, Wayne State welcomes the most community college transfers of any university in the state to a four-year college,” he said. “Students who come to us from Schoolcraft are very well-prepared in their first couple of years here. And then they graduate at really impressive rates.”

student at a podium smiling
John Isbania speaks about his experience at Schoolcraft College during a signing ceremony June 15 in the Jeffress Center. Isbania will attend classes at Wayne State University in the fall, with plans to graduate with a bachelor’s degree next year.

One such student that is a great example of that relationship between the two institutions is John Isbania, who began taking classes at Schoolcraft College while he was still in high school. He recently finished up taking courses at Schoolcraft College and will begin at Wayne State University in the fall, with plans to major in marketing management. He hopes to graduate with his bachelor’s degree next year.

He credits the faculty of Schoolcraft College for helping him keep on the right path academically, which led him to make the Dean’s List this past semester.

“The faculty and my professors here really made me want to take a step forward and succeed at my best,” he said. “I did not believe this was possible until the professors with me would always, anytime I had something concerning with my classes or whether I was able to get the work in, they would always be there to help me outside of class.” Registration for fall classes is currently underway at Schoolcraft College. For more information, including how to enroll, visit schoolcraft.edu.

Header Photo Caption: Representatives including Schoolcraft College President Dr. Glenn Cerny, Schoolcraft College Chief Academic Officer Stacy Whiddon, Wayne State University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Kornbluh and Wayne State University Vice President for Academic Student Affairs and Global Engagement Ahmad M. Ezzeddine participate in the signing ceremony held June 15 in the Jeffress Center.