Mott Community College
Summer 2012 Volume 2 Issue 1
Mixing Music
and Technology
Finding a
Career
You Love
Respiratory Therapist:
“One of the Best Kept
Secrets” in Health Care
Learning a
Foreign Language
Playing Trombone is
Just the Beginning
for Estephanie Ward
Campus Life
MCC Men’s Basketball Teams Wins
Record-Breaking 4th National Championship.
See the full story on page 12
MCC Lady Bears Softball Team
Clinch Conference Title
The NJCAA District H tournament
in Battle Creek saw a strong
performance from the Mott
Community College softball team
culminating with the Lady Bears
taking the NJCAA District H
Conference Championship. After a
10-inning, 12-11 victory over Alpena
Community College to open the
tournament, Mott College shutout
Cuyahoga Community College of
Ohio, 7-0, before beating Macomb
Community College in the finals, 1-0,
to claim the tournament title.
Mott College sophomore Ashley
Mousseau hit in the only run against
Macomb in the bottom of the 7th
inning, recording a single to bring in
teammate Briana Hicks to secure the
win.
Hicks, a Mott sophomore, was the
winning pitcher in the championship
game, throwing seven shutout
innings with four hits, nine strikeouts
and one walk. Mikayla Smith had
three hits to lead the Lady Bears at
the plate. Brianna Hicks was selected
as the MVP of the tournament
and Ashley Mousseau and Emily
Ockerman were named to the AllTournament team.
The championship team included
Katie Berlin, Briana Hicks, Jamie
Howell, Maegan Hyde, Jessica Keeler,
Ashley Mousseau, Allie Newman,
Emily Ockerman, Mikayla Smith,
Madison Sutherland and Jessica
Wager under the direction of Head
Coach Rod Studaker.
Coach Studaker was backed by
assistant coaches Dan Cunningham,
Charlie Barden, Mike Denton, Linda
Kachelski, Britt Newland and Rachel
Martinez.
MCC Honored in Washington, DC as One of Top Ten
Community Colleges in America
Mott Community College was
recently honored at a prestigious
event at the National Press Club in
Washington, DC as one of the top
ten community colleges out of more
than 1,200 community colleges in
America.
be recognized on a national basis
from among well over a thousand
other community colleges as one
of the nation’s very best is great
for the college and our community.
Everyone should take pride in this
honor.”
The event was held by the Aspen
Institute and featured such
prominent participants as U.S.
Secretary of Education Arne
Duncan, Dr. Jill Biden (wife of
Vice President Joe Biden), former
Secretary of Education and
Governor Richard Riley and former
Michigan Governor John Engler
(now President of the Business
Roundtable).
At the event, John Engler praised
Mott College for its “strong
workforce development program in
one of the most difficult economic
environments in the country,” while
Richard Riley said MCC “really
deserves our praise.”
MCC President Dick Shaink and
MCC Board of Trustees Chair
Lenore Croudy represented the
college at the event along with MCC
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Dr. Amy Fugate and Vice President
of Student and Administrative
Services Scott Jenkins. “It is a
tremendous honor to be selected for
this recognition,” stated Dr. Shaink.
“For Mott Community College to
College Excellence Program
Executive Director Josh Wyner
said, “We must set the bar much
higher than we have in the past. To
achieve excellent student outcomes,
we need to highlight our country’s
success stories and learn from them
so that we can keep reaching higher.
Recognizing community colleges
like Mott Community College sends
a message to others that aspire to
excellence.”
Citing the urgent need to focus
on the value and potential of
community colleges, Aspen Institute
Former Governor John Engler (R-Michigan) presents a plaque to MCC President Dick
Shaink at the National Press Club in Washington, DC honoring Mott College as one
of the top ten community college in the nation while former Governor Richard Riley
(D-South Carolina) looks on.
US Sen. Debbie Stabenow visits MCC FABLAB
US Senator Debbie Stabenow became the latest national figure to visit
MCC’s exciting new fabrication laboratory (dubbed the FABLAB). The
MCC FABLAB, a dream-come true for inventors of all ages, is a hands-on
laboratory that provides the technology and modern fabrication tools to let
people build their own creations and products for personal or commercial
use. The FABLAB allows a person to essentially take an idea and discover
how to turn it into a physical object. FABLABs are also uniquely designed
to allow local communities to foster and support innovation that can lead to
sustainable solutions for small businesses. A longtime pioneer dedicated to
bridging the digital divide in the community, MCC has opened the area’s first
Digital Fabrication Laboratory in the college’s Regional Technology Center
(RTC), located on the college’s main campus in Flint. In the shown photo,
MCC President Dick Shaink shows Sen. Stabenow a moving part built at
the FABLAB as William Denton (left) and Doug Prehoda look on.
To advertise in CareerFocus, please call (810) 762-0456.
Publisher........................................................Dr. M. Richard Shaink,
President, Mott Community College
Editor ............................................................................Michael Kelly
Staff Writer ..................................Sharon Campbell, Eleanor Shelton
Photography ............................................. Michael Tews, Jared Field
Visit MCC on the web at www.mcc.edu
Mott Community College Board of Trustees
Lenore Croudy, Chair
Dr. John Snell, Vice Chair
Contents
Features
2
Mixing Music and Technology
3
Playing Trombone is Just the
Beginning for Estephanie Ward
4
Finding a Career You Love
6
Coming Down from the Thumb
to Learn Respiratory Therapy
7
Respiratory Therapist:
“One of the Best Kept Secrets”
in Health Care
8
Mott Community College Opens
New Law Enforcement Training Academy
at MCC Southern Lakes Branch
Center in Fenton
Albert Koegel, Treasurer
Sally Shaheen Joseph, Secretary
Pamela M. Faris, Trustee
Michael Freeman, Trustee
Rafael Turner, Trusteee
Mott Community College Executive Cabinet
Dr. M. Richard Shaink,
President, Mott Community College
Dr. Amy Fugate,
Vice President, Office of Academic Affairs
Larry Gawthrop, Chief Financial Officer
Scott Jenkins, Vice President, Office of Administration
and Student Services
Mark Kennedy, Chief Human Resources Officer,
Human Resources Department
CareerFocus
Questions about the Mott Community College programs described
in this magazine can be directed to the MCC Admissions Office
at (810) 762-0200. Visit the college website at www.mcc.edu for
more details about MCC and its more than 100 career programs.
Comments or questions about this publication can be directed to
the MCC Office of Public Information at (810) 762-0455.
Producers and engineers make recordings sing
10
Student Embraces Benefits,
Growing Importance of
Learning a Foreign Language
12
MCC Men’s Basketball Team
Wins Record-Breaking Fourth
National Championship
13
Mott Community College
Student Clown Troupe formed
to entertain and serve Flint
and Surrounding Communities
CareerFocus is published twice a year by Mott Community
College, 1401 East Court Street, Flint, MI 48503
All rights reserved. No part of the material printed
may be reproduced or used in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage retrieval system
without the permission of the publisher.
© 2012 Mott Community College
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CareerFocus I Summer 2012
I1
CareerFocus
Feature
Mixing Music and Technology
Producers and engineers make recordings sing
M
By Eleanor Shelton
usic producers
are the creative
visionaries
behind recorded
music. And it’s
music engineers
who provide
the technical
background to make the vision a
reality. Sometimes these roles are
filled by one and the same person.
Are producers and engineers
always musicians too? Sometimes,
sometimes not, but they absolutely
need to have an intimate knowledge
of both music and technology.
What the pros know
“The music technicians I work
with have to be able to
translate what they
mean without
using mumbojumbo or tech
talk. They have to
be able to serve as a
conduit between the two
worlds,” says Neil Cleary,
a musician living in
Boston who works as both
a touring drummer and as a solo
singer-songwriter.
“I’m not a very tech-head kind of
person,” says Cleary, “and it helps
me a lot to know that the person
doing the technical work is really on
their game. It gives me confidence
so that I can relax and have a better
performance.”
What the pros use
With the advent of all the new
technology, music recording
and production have become
more accessible. “It used to be
unaffordable to create a CD-quality
recording without being in a full
studio,” says Bonnie Billups, Jr.,
owner of Double B Productions in
Ann Arbor. “Now you can buy a good
computer and software, like Pro
Tools for about $5,000 and be in a
position to record. Just a few years
ago you would have spent $500,000
for the same thing.”
technology beginning way back in
1985 when he decided to learn the
drum machine.
“Professional music producers need
to have a keenly developed sense
of when things are right, and that
comes with experience. I hone
in on five things: timing, pitch,
interpretation, conviction and vibe –
that thing that tells you, ‘yes, we’re
going with that performance.’ Great
producers know when those five
things have come together,” says
Hunter.
New York, L.A. or
your basement
“If God’s given you the gift and
you’re going to be a music producer,
Billups pushes a few buttons on
his computer and manipulates one
or two bands on the mixing board
and suddenly a catchy jingle for a
commercial bakery fills the room.
He created this jingle from the
composition to the vocals and all the
instrumentation. It’s ready to hit the
airwaves.
then you’re going to be one and
nothing will stop you. You can live
anywhere, but living in music hubs
like L.A., New York or London
you will meet a lot of high-caliber
musicians,” says Hunter. “The funny
thing is that they are mostly from
places like Michigan and Kansas
where they had basements to
practice in and they didn’t have
surfing and nice weather to distract
them.”
If you’re not keen on L.A. or New
York, Hunter notes that cities, like
Atlanta, Chicago and Orlando, have
up and coming music scenes.
Bonnie Billups agrees that big
cities aren’t the only place for
musicians and producers. “I lived
in Los Angeles for six years and I
met a lot of musicians who weren’t
happy because they thought that
the only way to be successful was
to be a star,” he says. “There are so
many ways to be a musician and be
happy. There’s enough business for
everyone. Commercials, TV, video,
stage productions – they all need
music technicians.”
Meet a tech-head
Jimmy Hunter operates Cazador
Recording Studio in Los Angeles.
He’s a drummer and studio musician
who’s played with the likes of the
Doors, The Village People and Cher
He’s also a sought-after producer.
He’s intimately familiar with
CareerCapsule
Music Technology
2
The jobs
The education
The jobs are anywhere and
everywhere. With the advent
of affordable music editing and
producing computers and software
music technicians can work in a
large studio in a city or out of their
basements in the country.
Most music producers and
engineers have at least an
associate’s degree and often a
bachelor’s degree.
I Summer 2012 I CareerFocus
• Musically talented
• Good with technology
• Can put performers at ease
• Have a vision
Are you right for the job?
The salary
Successful music producers and
engineers are:
According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the median salary
for a sound engineer technician
is $38,110 with the middle 50
percent earning from $25,470
to $56,320. This field has a wide
range of income. Those just
starting out could make less than
$10/hour or a lucky few who own
their own studios could make
$250,000 or more.
Mott Community College I www.mcc.edu
I 810-762-0200
Playing Trombone is Just the Beginning for
Estephanie Ward
W
By Michael Kelly
hen you first
see Estephanie
Ward of Linden,
the last musical
instrument
you’d expect the
petite musician
to play would
be the trombone. “I’ve been playing
trombone since sixth grade, since I
was eleven,” she laughed. “Initially, I
wanted to play the flute but I couldn’t
make a sound out the flute so they
told me ‘You can play the French horn
or the trombone.’ I like trombone, I
love it.”
While at Linden High School she
played trombone in the marching
band. “I still go back and help
volunteer for that because I love
marching band,” Ward related. But
since coming to Mott Community
College, her musical horizons have
expanded. “I’m in the big band now,
the MCC Jazz Band.”
“It’s awesome. I love the Jazz Band,”
she explained with enthusiasm.
“It’s an adrenaline rush. It’s such an
amazing feeling you get when you’re
performing with a group of people.
We have about fifteen people in the
big band and it’s just a lot of fun.
We play a lot of Count Basie and
Duke Ellington. We like to stick with
the Thirties and Forties music that
defined the big band sound.”
But her work in the Mott Community
College Music Technology classes
goes far beyond playing the trombone.
Her time at MCC has exposed her to
the new world of music technology.
“I’m really interested in composing.
I want to go into composing for
movies, cinematic composition or
commercials. The program at MCC
I
really gave me an opportunity to
explore that and see what different
technology programs professionals
used in the real world. In the
Advanced Music Technology class
we are actually using computer
programs that professionals do use.”
Mott launched new Music Technology
courses in Winter 2011. The courses
were developed to meet the audio
production needs of both Music
and Media Arts & Entertainment
Technology majors. Courses were
developed by assistant professor Dr.
Bill Withem.
Ward has even explored career
possibilities beyond campus. “We
went on a field trip to a professional
recording studio two weeks ago,” she
recalled, “and that was really cool to
see a professional setting, to see what
a professional set up looked like.”
Having access to the latest technical
equipment and software has made
the program very rewarding for the
young musician. “I love the software
that we’re using. It’s really amazing
what we can do with the music. It
still blows my mind what we can do.”
She has had the opportunity to learn
the practical techniques in the field.
As she relates, “We got to learn how
to take out sound; for a commercial
you usually hear about thirty seconds
of a song, so we had to take a three
minute song and cut it down into
thirty seconds. We had to learn how
to cut it off, put it together, put it so
that it didn’t sound all chopped up. It
was really cool how we did that. We
learned how to speed up music, slow
it down, change the pitch without
making it sound all electronic. We
covered a lot.”
The musical technology program at
Mott College has inspired Ward in
many ways. “I love the people, my
810-762-0200 www.mcc.edu I Mott Community College
teachers. Professor Bill Withem is
awesome. He’s so funny.”
What’s it been like working with the
faculty at Mott College? According to
Ward, “Amazing!”
“My theory professor, Dr. Townes
Miller, is so cool. Theory was a very
different perspective on music, a
more clinical approach to it, and she
held our hands through it. She was
really good at teaching us without
being condescending to us. And we
had Bill obviously, and Dr. Matthew
Packer, who is also really cool; he’s
our keyboard teacher. He is really
nice.”
Along with good relations with MCC
faculty, Ward has had a wonderful
experience with her fellow students
in the program.
“We’ve had to work a lot with each
other,” she explained. “We’ve had to
help each other because Music Tech is
a completely new program. When we
use Logic and Garage Band, they are
user friendly programs where you can
pretty much navigate yourself around
them but with Pro Tools we had to
go through it step by step. We had
to relearn everything. It was really,
really hard because we didn’t know
how to use this. So we had to use
each other’s input and troubleshoot.
It was really awesome working with
everyone. We have a pretty good
rapport.”
Choosing to come to Mott Community
College for her higher education
proved an easy choice for Estephanie
Ward. Both her mother, Dafne Ward,
and her brother, Steven Ward, are
attending MCC at the same time.
“Mott College is close to home. It’s
cost effective. I like MCC,” Ward
relates. “It’s worked for my schedule,
especially because I’m paying for
school. I haven’t been completely
stressed out about tuition because
tuition at MCC is not that crazy.
Financial Aid here is really great, so
if I need money for classes I can get
it. I have a real easy time scheduling
for classes and if I need an advisor I
can go upstairs and get in. I just find
that it’s really flexible for me.”
That flexibility comes in handy
as Ward works at a job anywhere
between 20 and 40 hours a week
while still being a full-time student.
What are her career plans?
“I’m really thinking of looking into
going into audio engineering after
taking these computer classes here at
MCC. This has opened up an entirely
new opportunity for me that I didn’t
think I could do with music. I didn’t
want to go into performance because
that’s not really what I want to do
but composing and making music
for commercials or movies would
definitely be something I would want
to do.”
Ward recommended Mott College to
anyone interested in the field. “It’s an
excellent program. I’m taking all of
my general credits here and it’s been
excellent so far. I’m really happy that
I went here.”
“I do believe I’m getting a good
foundation here to follow music
as a career path,” Ward explained.
“My teachers have amazing musical
background. Through networking
with them I’ve been able to go with
them to conferences. I went to a
Leadership Conference because of
my music theory teacher. My classes
have been really excellent and I’ll
be prepared when I transfer to a
university. I’ll be able to take on the
course load of that university. I plan
to finish associate’s degree and go on
for a bachelor’s degree.”
CareerFocus I Summer 2012
I3
CareerFocus
Feature
Finding a Career You Love
“I’m working in a field where I look forward to clocking in. I look forward to coming to school.”
– Tim Forte
C
By Michael Kelly
work I’d done in the MCC Auto Lab
that landed the job.”
areer success did not
come on the first try for
Tim Forte, a student
in the Automotive
Technology program
at Mott Community
College. But he
eventually found
the type of career he was looking
for through a chance experience
working on his car and through his
automotive classes at Mott.
Forte found that his schooling and
work perfectly reinforced each other.
The skills he has learned at Mott
College prepared him for the work
at Walmart and the opportunity
to work in Walmart’s service area
makes him want to learn more in his
classes. “Even when I’m at Walmart
working with the cars,” he said, “it
gives me happiness, a personal love
for it. It’s like being in the Auto Lab
at MCC. It’s fun.”
Unlike many of his neighbors, Flint
native Tim Forte wasn’t from an
automotive family. He was born to
a military family and grew up at
various places around the country.
Spending a life moving from place
to place was difficult and Tim Forte
found himself drawn into a rough
street culture. “Back when I was
younger, I strayed off from where I
should be and got caught up in some
bad things.”
When he finally returned to his
hometown, he still didn’t think of
the automotive industry as a career.
Graduating from Flint’s Central
High School, he went on to study
computers at Baker College but
found he didn’t enjoy the program.
The computer field didn’t fit for
Forte. “I just didn’t really like a sit
down job,” he related, “I wanted to
focus on something to love. One day
I had something wrong with my car
and I went out and was messing
with my car. The joy that it brought
me to work on my own car - that’s
when I knew that’s what I wanted to
do as a career. I found my love.”
It wasn’t a decision he took lightly.
He researched the cost of education
and the automotive program and
found out that Mott College was the
best place.
That choice brought him to MCC’s
Automotive Technology program.
“When I came to Mott College,
I found that they take a more
personal approach to working with
students. If someone needs more
help with some aspect they will do
more hands-on or one-on-one, which
is a lot better. When I had my first
4
I Summer 2012 I CareerFocus
The Mott College experience has
been a good one for Forte.
class with Mr. Matt Roda, I gained
so much knowledge of things I didn’t
know. It made me want to learn
more.”
At Mott College, Forte found the
pathway to the career he wanted.
Automotive Technology is an area
where you get to use your hands
and it requires high level technical
knowledge and problem solving
ability. Students in the program
get the knowledge from instructors
that all have real-world experience
working in automotive repair shops,
but they also get the benefit of
working on shop cars and actual
customer cars. Mott has 14 shop
cars, including four hybrid vehicles
and cars as new as the 2010 Ford
Fusion. Students also have plenty
of opportunity to work on actual
customer cars. As Forte stated, “The
learning experience always gives
you something new that you actually
get to work on. You get actual
customer cars that are out on the
road, cars that have the real wear
and tear on them. On customer cars
you experience what you would in
the field. Sometimes when you fix
one thing some other problem will
occur, so you get actual experience.”
The program is structured where
students work on shop cars during
the specific content area courses,
such as Brakes and Braking
Systems. But once students have
demonstrated the appropriate skills,
they take the Service Floor I and
Service Floor II classes that work
just like real automotive service
shops. Customers bring in cars with
a wide variety of problems and the
students diagnose the problems,
order the parts and make the
repairs like they would on the job,
all under the supervision of ASE
Master Certified instructors.
At first, his family didn’t know what
to make of his new passion, but as
they saw his love for the new found
career they began to support him.
“Now anytime I’m around my family,
they start to tell me something
about their car. Friends and family
are always texting me about
something about their car. I love it.
My family supports me. Because of
the knowledge I’ve gained here at
Mott College I now have a position
as an automotive technician.”
Soon Tim Forte was hired by
Walmart to work in their auto repair
shop while he continued his studies
at MCC. “One of the managers
knew I was going to school for Auto
Tech. She talked to the manger
that was hiring for the automotive
position and let him know that I was
in school at Mott College so they
wouldn’t have to do much training,”
Forte said, “It was because of the
According to Forte, “Coming in
not having a background was
intimidating. I thought I’d get in
there and they’d talk to me about
cars and I wouldn’t know what they
were saying. So I asked Mr. Roda,
‘Do you think a person without a
background in automotive can make
it in an automotive position?’ Mr.
Roda told me, ‘Yes, that is why you
are here. We’re going to teach you.’”
Forte explained, “When we are in the
auto lab the faculty hold us to the
industry standards that we would
be held to if we were in a shop,
from safety rules and regulations to
doing repairs according to industry
standards. Each class that you take
guides you to the next one. So you
are prepared before you get there.
It’s pretty cool.”
MCC’s faculty has been a strong
reason for Forte’s success. “They
understand and always take the
time to teach you and take the
initiative to make sure you are
keeping up with the course,” he
recalls. “They take an interest in
you not just on an educational level;
they aren’t just looking at you like
a paying student. When I see my
instructors they know my name;
they know almost everybody in my
class by name. The professors at
MCC talk to us, joke around us with
us and know us on a personal level,
unlike other places.”
Forte encourages others interested
in the field to consider Mott College.
“If a person really wants to learn,
they can learn at MCC. Mott College
Mott Community College I www.mcc.edu
I 810-762-0200
Helping to Pay for College with the
American Opportunity Tax Credit
Although many students at Mott Community College (or other colleges
for that matter) qualify for financial aid and grants, there are always
a large number of students who will pay for their tuition and other
educational expenses with cash. Those people should be aware of the
American Opportunity Tax Credit.
has the right teaching methods. They
give you the knowledge to pass the
Michigan Mechanics Certification
tests and the knowledge and skills
to pass the National Institute for
Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
certified tests. The MCC faculty will
help you study for the tests, help you
get to where you need to go. They
even help you get jobs.”
I should do. Even though when I first
started to go I was intimidated by
people who had more knowledge than
me, if it’s something you love you
have to fight for it. I’m able to get out
and fix my own car or cars of family
or friends. When my classmates get
together outside of school and have
a car issue we can ask the teacher
about it.”
But the most important part of Tom
Forte’s experience has been the
discovery of a love for cars that can
carry him into a rewarding career
and a happy life.
Summing up, Forte stated, “You’ve got
to find something that you like and
something that you struggle with can
be your greatest triumph.”
“It’s like being lost and trying to find
yourself,” he said, “That’s how it is
with your career field. Some people
go to school over and over again and
never find what they love. I found
the love of something. When I found
it I knew instantly that this was what
According to the US Department of
Labor, the median annual wage of
automotive service technicians and
mechanics is $35,790. Employment
of automotive service technicians and
mechanics is expected to grow 17% by
2020 so job opportunities for qualified
jobseekers should be very good.
Under the American Opportunity Tax Credit, students can received
up to $2,500 in tax credits each year when they file and, if not liable
for any taxes, can receive up to $1,000 as a cash refund if no taxes are
owed. This credit is available for the first four years of postsecondary
undergraduate education.
While $2,500 may not go very far at most colleges, with the low tuition
rates at MCC, that tax credit would cover a large portion of any
student’s education expenses.
The full credit is available to individuals whose modified adjusted gross
income is $80,000 or less, or $160,000 or less for married couples filing a
joint return. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above
these levels.
Along with reimbursing out-of-pocket tuition payments, the credit can
be applied to required course material, such a textbooks. Students must
be taking at least 6 credit hours during a semester to receive this tax
credit.
For more information, check with your tax advisor or go to
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=211309,00.html
Details about a Career in Automotive Technology
T
he U.S. Department of Labor
reports strong job growth
in the field of automotive
service technology. According
to the Department’s job outlook,
“The number of jobs for automotive
service technicians and mechanics
is projected to grow faster than
average for all occupations over the
next decade.”
Even in today’s challenging
economic times, the field of
automotive repair continues to be
bright. A recent Wall Street Journal
article included auto repair in its
“Five Businesses to Start in a Bad
Economy”, stating that, “with gas
prices high and the economy weak,
people are liable to hang onto their
cars, rather than trading them in
for a new model every three or four
years, creating lots of opportunity
for automotive repair.”
MCC offers an Associate’s Degree
in Applied Sciences (Automotive
Technology), which requires
I
completion of 70 credit hours, 53 of
which are directly Auto Tech classes.
MCC also offers a Certificate in
Automotive Underbody Repair,
which requires completion of 31
credit hours.
The Associate Degree in Automotive
Technology at Mott Community
College provides a comprehensive
program of advanced studies in
automobile maintenance and
repair. The program prepares a
person for a variety of occupations
in the automotive industry. It
emphasizes skills to help the
person function successfully in the
world of work including exposure
to new technology as it evolves
so that the skills necessary to
become comfortable with change
are developed. A key component
emphasized is the ability to be
self-directed and learn skills
that enable technicians to learn
on their own throughout their
careers. The values evidenced
throughout the curriculum include
810-762-0200 www.mcc.edu I Mott Community College
the dignity of work and pride in a
job well done, caring instruction,
enthusiasm toward the work, and
professionalism in the work manner
in which it is accomplished.
MCC is the only college in Genesee
County to be NATEF certified in all
8 ASE areas. MCC also covers all of
the standards and tasks needed to
successfully pass any of the 8 ASE
Auto Repair certification tests. MCC
also offers its automotive classes
during the day and in the evening
to accommodate everyone’s busy
schedule.
Program Goals:
• Certification by the State of
Michigan in a multiple automotive
specialty areas.
• Skills to achieve certification by
the NATEF/ASE.
• Gaining the skills and knowledge
to function successfully as a
professional.
• Motivation and skills to be an
effective self-directed learner.
• Mastering the skills of learning
how to learn in order to grow
professionally.
A graduate with this degree may
be employed as a:
• Service Writer
• Line Technician
• Technical Report Writer
• Ground Technician
• Proving Ground Technician
• Fleet Manager
Auto Repair Specialist in any or
all the following areas:
• Brakes
• Steering and Suspension Systems
• Automatic Transmissions
• Manual Transmissions
• Electrical Circuits
• Engine Performance
• Engine Repair
• Heating, Ventilation and Air
Conditioning
CareerFocus I Summer 2012
I5
CareerFocus
Feature
Coming Down from the Thumb
to Learn Respiratory Therapy
W
in studying for whatever we were
doing, getting prepared.”
She had been working for years at
Hill and Dales General Hospital in
Cass City and had been providing
Respiratory Therapy (RT) service
to patients under the direction of a
licensed superior when a new policy
required her to earn her own RT
license.
“The instructors -- David Panzlau
and Kathy Gurin -- are absolutely
awesome!” McComb said with
enthusiasm. “They take the time
anytime you have questions. They
are always there willing to help
you.”
By Michael Kelly
orking at a
small hospital
up in Michigan’s
Thumb area and
living in the tiny
unincorporated
community of
Deford (located
15 miles north of Marlette), Brenda
McComb hadn’t planned on coming
back to school at 40 and taking her
classes in the City of Flint.
“My boss wanted everybody in the
department to be credentialed,”
Brenda McComb related, “So I went
back to school.”
Research on available RT programs
brought her to Mott Community
College, even though it meant a
daily drive of over an hour each way.
“One of the things I have to worry
about up there is watching for deer
and occasionally a farmer’s cow
getting out,” McComb remembered.
“One morning coming in I almost hit
a horse.”
But when she reached Mott College,
“I never had any problems. I always
came in early and I was usually
“I didn’t have to worry about going
back to school at 40 years old
although at the time I was pretty
nervous,” she said, “I was surprised
at the various age groups in my
classes: that’s what surprised me
the most. I always thought I’d be
the oldest person in class. I was
delighted when I wasn’t.”
The MCC program turned out to be
a perfect fit for the mother of two.
It wasn’t just the instructors and
curriculum that made Mott College
such a successful place for Brenda
McComb. Her fellow students
were also an important part of her
education.
“I thought we had a great class,”
McComb recalled with a smile.
“Even though there were different
age groups, we got along very well.
Most of us still keep in contact
now even after we’ve graduated
and moved on to jobs. We still text
each other and say, hey, there’s a
job opening here or there. We get
together. We have a lot of friends. It
was a good class.”
Not that the work was easy. “Dave
and Kathy weren’t there to give you
the answers; they made you work
for them. They made you research
it if you had difficulties in areas.
They were always there, before class,
every morning when I came even
before we started class. They wanted
to find out what questions I had.
They are great instructors.”
But one shouldn’t understate the
challenge Brenda McComb faced.
“Actually going to school, doing it
full-time, working full-time, taking
care of two children, running the
house and my husband’s a truck
driver out on the road so I was doing
all of it,” she explained, “I just had
the mindset that I can do this. I
want this. I have a goal set. It was a
challenge. Then I thought about how
it looks from my kids’ standpoint;
they can see how hard I’m working
for this.”
McComb’s appreciation went beyond
simply the level of commitment her
professors brought to their work.
“The RT program at Mott College
program was very well set up. We
knew what was expected of us.
There were no secrets about what
you needed to do to complete it.”
“Both of my kids told me, ‘I’m really
proud of you, Mama.’ My husband
went around telling everybody.
People would say, ‘You should see
your husband, he just smiles every
time he talks about you going to
college and getting your degree.’ It
felt good.”
The graduation ceremony was a
high point for her. “It was very
emotional. I think I bawled through
most of it. It didn’t feel real at the
time. You’re sitting there and see
all these people and just feel like I
know I did this. I made it. It’s like a
surreal feeling. I have my diploma
hanging on my wall at home and my
daughter walks by and she’ll stand
there and just look at it and then
she’ll look at me. She’s like, ‘Yep, I
can do that too.’”
them that we had to go through in
order to get our license.”
But her preparation at MCC had
left her prepared for the challenge of
state licensing. “Very much so. In our
last few months, we had simulations,
old tests for the respiratory license,
different levels, and different
simulators. The RT professors were
always available in class and we
could go in and stay after to practice
as much as we wanted. So we pretty
much had an idea of what the state
test was going to be like.”
“In fact, when we got to the state
test some of the stuff was a little
bit easier than what David and
Kathy were giving us. I didn’t have
any problems, I think everybody
was pretty well prepared and knew
what to expect. If you didn’t take
the time to learn, it was your own
fault, because MCC staff was always
available for us.”
Looking back, McComb is emphatic:
“The MCC program brought it all
together. Now I know why I’m doing
what I’m doing. I really like having
those three initials after my name.
I’m very proud of those. I worked
really hard. I made sure that when
they made my name tag that they
included them; RRT – Registered
Respiratory Therapist.”
“I would recommend Mott College,”
McComb stated. “I’m trying to get
my daughter to come to MCC. I
really like the way Mott College
is set up. Everything is available
for you. I would recommend Mott
College to anybody.”
Of course, as in most health service
fields, graduation with a degree
still leaves the challenge of state
licensing tests.
“Oh yes, we had to do state boards,”
McComb explained. “We had three of
6
I Summer 2012 I CareerFocus
Mott Community College I www.mcc.edu
I 810-762-0200
CareerFocus
Feature
Respiratory Therapist: “One of the Best
Kept Secrets” in Health Care
L
By Michael Kelly
ike many people, Flint
native Chaunce Reid
wasn’t sure what he
wanted to do when
he arrived at Mott
Community College after
graduating from high
school.
“I started looking at Graphic Design
and then Drafting because I draw
well. Finally my mother, who’s a
nurse, told me that Respiratory
Therapy (RT) was one of the best
kept secrets in the health field. “
“I decided to try Mott College
because I knew it was a good school,”
he said. “I knew some people who
graduated from MCC and had
careers. Someone at my church
went through this program. He
told me, ‘You should do it, it’s a good
program. You’ll learn a lot and, if
you want to transition, they have a
fast track to Nursing from RT.’ So I
could branch off and go even higher.”
Reid had already been working as a
Certified Nurse’s Aide at Briarwood
Nursing Home in Flint and found
the Respiratory Therapy program at
Mott College was a perfect fit.
“It suited me. I found my niche,”
he recalled. “The camaraderie; we
had a special class and instructors.
You become like family. You get to
know your preceptors at clinical
sites [a preceptor is a professional
Respiratory Therapist who trains
students in a health care facility];
you still keep in touch with them. “
After graduation, Reid soon found a
permanent post as an RT at Lapeer
Regional Medical Center in rural
Lapeer County. How did a man from
the heart of Flint find life out in a
small city surrounded by farms?
“I really thought I’d be at McLaren
or Hurley but I got out there and
the people enjoy me,” Chaunce
said with a laugh, “I think I’m not
what they typically see. I think for
them it’s like a breath of fresh air,
something different. My background
is pleasant for them. I get to know
my coworkers. They’re great. We
have great staff and our department
I
is really tight knit. Kind of reminds
me of our class.”
But a good relation with his
coworkers is not what Chaunce Reid
is all about. His real focus is on the
job.
“We’re important up there. We
have to be present at all crises.
Respiratory is number 1 before
everything; you’ve got to keep that
airway open or everything else won’t
go without that.”
Reid knows that his training at
MCC prepared him for the demands
of his daily work. “The transition
from the class to the real world is
amazing. You can’t make mistakes
in the field. I asked questions in
class because I didn’t ever want to
be in the field and not know what to
do. Now I’m in a situation and I’m
being the person making the moves
and having to be the quick thinker
and know what to do and what to
recommend. “
“The program at MCC prepared me.
One hundred percent of our class
passed the state licensing test. We
all were very well prepared.”
“There’s stuff you know from the
book -- and you have to know that
stuff --but everything doesn’t move
by the book in the real world and
you have to adapt. Sometimes you
have to react and have to make
decisions. Our MCC professors
David Panzlau and Kathy Gurin and
our preceptors really honed in and
drilled in on that and I think that’s
why we were ready for that.”
Reid remembered the intensity
of his class work. “They would
throw a scenario at you. You have
a work scenario and simulations.
They’ll ask you, ‘What if this is not
available? What do you do?’ They
throw so many scenarios at you
that you have to think and then you
can draw back on those scenarios.
Even sometimes now I think back
to David and Kathy saying that
certain things that work. They may
not be traditional methods, but they
work. If something’s not available
you improvise and you have to apply
it in a setting as you have to. We’ve
gotten so many different scenarios
of what could happen if this patient
810-762-0200 www.mcc.edu I Mott Community College
does this, or they go unconscious
or they get irate or you notice
something. There are little cues that
you key in on. We are able to pick
apart a situation. The more that
you do it and the more they throw it
at you, the more it becomes second
nature to you.”
Reid draws on lessons from more
than just his RT faculty. “All my
teachers had prepared me. I can
remember professors Ali Hekmati
and Bobby Sage teaching and Dr.
Bobby Jordan in those Biology and
Anatomy and Physiology classes.
I flash back sometimes to school
scenarios while I’m at work. The
faculty at MCC is top notch.”
“At Mott College, you have great
academics and advisors and they try
to steer you in the direction of your
interest.”
“My experience is that Mott College
is one of the best places you can be
because they don’t treat you like a
university would -- like a can in an
assembly line. When I had trouble,
the staff cared. They cared because
they saw the frustration. They
wanted to reach out. Do you need
extra help? There’s a tutor here.
Do you want to stay after with me?
When you have an extended hand
or hand on your shoulder that says
we’re going to get you through this,
we’re not going to let you give up.“
The way Reid was treated by MCC
faculty has influenced how he works
with his patients. “That’s why I take
that attitude with patients. Nobody
gave up on me, nobody wrote me
off. Everything clicked because of
the dedication of staff and constant
vigilance that they have. I was very
blessed for the path that I came
down here at Mott College.”
Chaunce Reid was in the same
class with Brenda McComb and had
nothing but praise for her. “Brenda
was like the glue for that class. She
was so outgoing and anything we
needed- she had it, she brought it:
ink for the printers, paper, extra
power points, pencils, she made sure
that things ran smoothly. She’s a
leader you know. You often don’t find
leaders like that; she’s motivated.
She’ll talk with you; she’ll try to
help where she can. She was like
the mom, she really held it together.
Even when the weather was bad
she would be here, the first one
here, and sometimes the last one to
leave. She’s probably one of the best
therapists I’ve ever seen in my life.
I would trust her with my life, no
question.”
In the final analysis, Chaunce
Reid loves his work and remains
grateful to the college that brought
him there. “Mott College gave me
a career that I love. Mott College
gave me an opportunity to earn a lot
more money. The word is out in the
hospitals; if you’re a student that
graduated from Mott College as a
respiratory therapist, you know your
stuff.”
“Mott College is the cream of the
crop for a lot of things and I’m proud
to be an MCC graduate.”
CareerFocus I Summer 2012
I7
CareerFocus
Feature
Mott Community College Opens New Law Enfo
at MCC Southern Lakes Branch Center in Fenton
W
By Sharon Campbell
hether it’s
patrolling a
neighborhood
to keep
residents safe,
gathering facts
and collecting
evidence for
criminal cases, or protecting people
in harm’s way, a law enforcement
officer’s career centers around
protecting and serving communities.
Mott Community College is
offering an excellent educational
opportunity for individuals
interested in pursuing careers in
law enforcement at the new Law
Enforcement Regional Training
Academy (LERTA), providing
a 15-week, intensive training
program for anyone interested in
law enforcement, who meet the
minimum qualifications.
Operating under the direction
of Chief Theresa Stephens-Lock,
Director of the MCC Department
of Public Safety, LERTA meets
the Michigan Commission on
Law Enforcement Standards
(MCOLES) training requirements
and prepares students for taking
the Law Enforcement Licensing
Examination.
Located at the MCC Southern
Lakes Branch Center in Fenton,
the LERTA will hold two sessions
each year to coincide with the Fall
and Winter Semesters at MCC. The
Academy’s first 15-week class will
start on September 4, 2012. Mark
D. Heidel is the Training Director
of the Law Enforcement Regional
Training Academy at MCC. For
more information about the LERTA,
call Mark Heidel at (810) 232-2654.
“Our goal is to help those
considering a career in law
enforcement to realize their
dreams,” Chief Lock said. “There are
several law enforcement academies
across the state of Michigan, and
MCC is extremely proud to be one of
the locations selected to provide this
great training opportunity.”
To be eligible for consideration,
candidates must meet one of the
following requirements:
•
Be employed by a Michigan law
enforcement agency that wishes
to hire and train the candidate
to become a police officer
•
Hold a two- or four-year college
degree from an accredited
college or university
•
Be a registered criminal
justice student at MCC and be
eligible for graduation upon
the LERTA completion. MCC’s
Criminal Justice program
provides students with the
option of earning an Associate’s
in Applied Science degree or
From Community College to Law School:
Massachusetts Public Defender’s journey began at MCC
By Sharon Campbell
F
or Daryl Lowe, it was an easy
choice: going to law school to
pursue his dream of becoming
an attorney was a given.
“I wanted to be a lawyer since I
was 15,” said Lowe, who graduated
with his Juris Doctor degree from
the University of Massachusetts
School of Law at Dartmouth last
May, 2012.
Lowe, 26, is also a “Morehouse
man.” He earned a bachelor’s
degree in philosophy from the
prestigious, historically black
institution, Morehouse College (Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s alma
mater), graduating from Morehouse
in May 2009.
But before Law School and
Morehouse, there was Mott
Community College. Lowe credits
his beginnings at MCC with the
academic success and personal
achievements he enjoys today.
“An Associate’s Degree is a
wonderful thing,” Lowe said. “It
lays the foundation for you to
accomplish great things. My A.D.
8
I Summer 2012 I CareerFocus
is the most important degree I
have. It laid the foundation for
everything.”
Lowe studied criminal justice
at MCC and graduated in 2006,
but there were a few bumps in
the road on the way to obtaining
that first degree. When he was
18, his adoptive parents, Gary
and Karen Felton, moved from
Ann Arbor to Grand Blanc and
from Grand Blanc, to Kingston
Jamaica. His father had served as
Genesee County Commander of the
Salvation Army and his mom was
pastor of a church in the Beecher
area.
“They were nervous for me,” Lowe
recalled. “I hadn’t been a good high
school student.”
An MCC administrator serving on a
community board with his father at
that time suggested that Lowe try
Mott Community College, so they
visited the campus.
“I always knew I wanted to be a
lawyer, so I chose the Criminal
Justice program,” said Lowe.
“But it was all new to me. That
first semester was rough. I didn’t
to sit in the front row from now
on.’”
Lowe added, “That was my
introduction to Criminal Justice
and she has been an influence in
my life ever since.”
A mentor and one of Daryl Lowe’s
most ardent supporters, Dr. Burns
assumed a role as a surrogate
parent in those days, when his
parents moved to Jamaica to start
a church there.
know things had to be turned in
on time. I didn’t know that “TR”
was Thursday in the schedule
booklet, so I went to a class (that
was scheduled for Tuesday and
Thursday) only on Tuesday, once a
week.”
Enter Dr. Avon Burns, Coordinator
and Professor of MCC’s Criminal
Justice program.
Lowe had heard about Dr. Burns,
and wanted to meet her. He stopped
by her office one day after class.
She admonished him for being late
to class, he recalled. “She said, ‘You
were late for my class. I expect you
“She really looked after me,” Lowe
reflected. “That was a defining
moment for me.”
With Dr. Burns’ encouragement,
Lowe decided to take on an active,
leadership role while a student at
MCC. He served as president of
the Law Enforcement Resource
Network, or the LERN Club,
MCC’s criminal justice student
organization. The LERN Club
promotes leadership development
with structured learning
experiences beyond the classroom
for its student members, focusing
on leadership development,
fundraising, community service,
tours and travel. Under Lowe’s
Mott Community College I www.mcc.edu
I 810-762-0200
Enforcement Training Academy
a Certificate of Achievement in
criminal justice. MCC Criminal
Justice students may earn up
to 15 credit hours toward their
Criminal Justice Associate’s
degree for attending and
completing the Academy.
Military candidates, who have prior
military law enforcement training
and experience, may seek enrollment
and a waiver of college requirements
from the Michigan Commission
on Law Enforcement Standards, if
specific requirements have been met. orientation sessions. Registration
is required for participation in the
orientation sessions.
No walk-ins will be accepted. You
can register to attend one of the
orientation sessions at http://
www.mcc.edu/lerta/lerta_info.
php. For additional details, please
visit www.lerta.mcc.edu. Financial assistance may be available
for eligible participants. In addition,
information about financial aid
will be available at the LERTA
leadership, the group travelled to
Baltimore to attend the annual
National Criminal Justice
Symposium where LERN was
chosen as club of the year. While
there, he asked Dr. Burns for a
recommendation letter to attend
Morehouse. He was accepted, and
decided to major in philosophy.
“I had heard that Philosophy
students tend to score higher on
the LSAT,” Lowe said. “That’s why I
chose this major. I don’t test well on
standardized tests.”
Initially, he didn’t get into any of the
law schools where he had applied.
“I was rejected by 13 schools,” Lowe
said.
But he never gave up. He admitted
that hard work and persistence
played a major role in the academic
and career success that was to come,
but maintained that unwavering
support from his parents, from
mentors and a faith in God were the
real keys to his success.
Retired Flint District Court Judge
Ramona Roberts also helped to
shape Lowe’s law school experience
and achievements. “She was very
influential in my acceptance into
Law School and has been in my life
since Mott Community College,” he
said.
I
“All of this speaks well to
determination and the faith I had in
God,” Lowe added. “God has a plan
for everything. I had the help of God
and everyone else. You should always
acknowledge that you have had help
along the way. Have faith in God,
and doors will open.”
Lowe has had the opportunity to
actually practice law while still
in law school, “under a state of
Massachusetts statute that allows
students who have good moral
character and academics to work
as a public defender representing
indigent clients,” he explained.
“It’s non-paid but it’s been a great
experience.”
While Lowe is learning the ropes
in the courtroom, performing every
stage of the legal process from
drafting motions to arguing in court,
he stated: “I don’t want to do this
forever.”
He has discovered, firsthand, that
African Americans remain largely
underrepresented in the legal
field, according to a report by the
American Bar Association, and that’s
been disconcerting for him.
“Since I’ve been practicing law out
here, I have not seen one black
attorney or a black judge in the
area,” he said.
810-762-0200 www.mcc.edu I Mott Community College
“I’ve had clients look at me, and
they’re surprised when they see me,
and in a suit,” he continued. “They’re
thinking, ‘this should be the other
way around.’
Lowe’s ultimate career goal is to
teach pre-law/criminal justice to
students; and he feels obligated to
“give back.”
“I didn’t get into this field to
make a lot of money; that wasn’t
what motivated me,” Lowe said.
“I would like to teach pre-law at
the undergrad level to students of
color who may not have the tools to
succeed. I want to show them what
they need to do.”
“I had help along the way, and I come
back to MCC every year as a guest
lecturer in Dr. Burns’ classes,” Lowe
added. “This is how I give back. I do
it because it’s the right thing to do.”
“And I want everyone to know that
Dr. Burns is one of the greatest
professors at MCC!”
Avon Burns is proud of Daryl Lowe
— excited to see his dreams coming
true, but also appreciative of his
willingness to return to MCC every
year to share his academic and
professional journey with students.
who by all accounts are successful
professionals today,” Dr. Burns
said. “These professionals work in
numerous capacities throughout the
criminal justice and human service
systems. In the criminal justice
program at MCC, we don’t often
have the opportunity to have some
of these successful criminal justice
graduates return. However, Daryl
Lowe is the exception. Mr. Lowe
makes the opportunity to return to
Mott each year to speak to current
students as a means to inspire and
motivate them to set high academic
and professional goals.”
Avon Burns had an opportunity to
join Lowe’s adoptive parents and
his biological mother, Mary Lowe,
attending what Dr. Burns described
as “a momentous occasion” for his
family and friends in attendance: the
University of Massachusetts School
of Law at Dartmouth graduation
ceremony on May 26, 2012.
She added, “Daryl Lowe has
definitely continued the LERN Club
motto of “Guiding the future toward
a stronger tomorrow.”
“The Mott Community College
Criminal Justice program has
graduated numerous students,
CareerFocus I Summer 2012
I9
CareerFocus
Feature
Student Embraces Benefits,
Growing Importance of
Learning a Foreign Language
M
By Sharon Campbell
CC honors
student Jesse
Counelis has a
list of reasons
why he’s studying
Spanish.
Spanish is the
second most
frequently spoken language in the
United States and is the native
language of over 358 million people.
Across the globe, only Chinese
has more native speakers than
Spanish. Learning Spanish keeps a
person in touch and current with a
growing, vital culture. It can open
doors to employment in a variety of
occupations, and learning Spanish
(or any foreign language) can help
break down cultural and language
barriers in society. The career
benefits of being able to bridge
English/Spanish language difference
are obvious.
“I’ve heard that America is projected
to be the number one Spanishspeaking country in the near future,”
said Counelis, 26, of Davison,
who has successfully completed
three Spanish courses at MCC -Elementary Spanish, Elementary
Spanish II and Intermediate
Spanish. “The important thing about
language is this: a barrier that may
have been there goes away.”
Selected as Mott College’s “Top
Foreign Education Student,” Jesse
Counelis has achieved a proficiency
level in Spanish affording him an
opportunity to work as a tutor,
10
I Summer 2012 I CareerFocus
assisting students with Spanish
at the MCC Foreign Language
Laboratory.
Teaching and helping others is a
skill that comes naturally for him.
“I love tutoring,” Counelis said. “If I
could make a living just tutoring, I’d
do it. I love it.”
Counelis has met with counselors
who have indicated that employers
are always seeking people who can
speak Spanish.
He has chosen Spanish for a minor
while pursuing a degree in social
work. He plans to pursue a career
as a social worker and transfer to
the University of Michigan-Flint to
complete his bachelor’s degree in
that field.
“I have close friends going into social
work, and it’s the kind of thing I
like anyway,” Counelis said. “I like
helping people and people tend to
look to me for help.”
“I think I’ve always had natural
intuition for listening to and dealing
with people,” Counelis added. “In
terms of social work, I think I’ll be
good at it. Instinctively, I feel I’m cut
out for it.”
practice, and using a variety of
learning resources — but Counelis
believes the benefits far outweigh
any challenges that may come with
learning the language. “As I force
myself to try to speak more Spanish,
I find that I actually get better at
it,” Counelis said. “At first, I could
hardly say much of anything.”
Xenia Prince-Mojica, a native of
Panama, is studying Respiratory
Therapy at MCC. Prince-Mojica
admits to having difficulty with her
English and looks to Counelis for
help, but it’s a mutually rewarding
working relationship between the
tutor and the student.
“My English is not so good and he
helps me with the English,” PrinceMojica said. “I help him with the
Spanish.”
Having an opportunity to practice
with Prince-Mojica since Spanish
is her native tongue is very helpful,
Counelis said, but being a little
adventurous doesn’t hurt when it
comes to exploring the study of a
foreign language. “You have to try
to say things even though there is a
chance that you may sound or look
silly. The only way to learn is to put
yourself out there,” Counelis said.
Learning a foreign language
isn’t easy – it takes a lot of time,
“The important thing about language
is this: a barrier that may have
been there goes away.”
“I have a sense of adventure,”
Counelis said. “I always go for it, in
spite of any self-doubt I may have.”
A high school dropout, Counelis
comes from humble beginnings.
Raised by a cousin, he grew up in
a tough inner city neighborhood in
Flint. He credits his cousin and an
aunt with guiding him on a path
toward a brighter future.
“I played bass in a band for several
years after dropping out of school,”
he said. “We hosted a jam night at a
local club.”
After the economy crashed, the
music gigs started dropping off. “I
had hoped to make a living playing
music. I got tired of being broke, and
not being able to support myself,
so I decided I should go to college,”
Counelis explkained.
He chose Mott Community College.
In addition to working as a tutor
at MCC, Counelis participated
in the inaugural group of Mott
Campus Clowns, a clown troupe
formed in 2011, comprised of
Mott Community College honor
students taking a service learning
course entitled Social Diversity
and Civic Engagement. As a course
requirement, the students enrolled
in that class developed various
clown skills that include juggling,
Mott Community College I www.mcc.edu
I 810-762-0200
The Value of a Foreign Language
By Michael Kelly
Aside from Spanish, Mott
Community College also offers
students the opportunity to learn
Arabic, Chinese, French, German,
Japanese and Russian along with
classes in English as a Second
Language.
What is the value of learning a
foreign language?
If the world’s population totaled 100
people, the distribution would be
as follows: 56 Asian, 21 European,
9 African, 8 South American and
only 6 North American (including
the residents of the United States,
Canada and Mexico, which would
also include people whose native
language was Spanish or French).
Across the planet more than 320
million people speak English, but
did you know that 358 million
speak Spanish, 189 million Bengali,
182 million Hindi and 885 million
Mandarin Chinese? More students
in China take English as a second
language than there are Englishspeaking people in the entire world.
A few years ago the Kiplinger
Report stated: “Demand for linguists
is soaring as technology sweeps
up more data from the Internet,
telephones, etc. Especially needy...
law enforcement and spy agencies.
The shortage is hampering
intelligence gathering and crime
prosecution. Arabic, Persian-Farsi,
Chinese, Korean, Russian, Pashto
and Uzbek speakers are scarcest.
Students and schools, take note.”
puppetry, pocket magic, making
balloon animals and face painting
in order to complete weekends of
community service. The group makes
goodwill appearances at non-profit
agencies, schools, hospitals, nursing
homes and a variety of community
events.
Service learning, a teaching and
learning strategy that integrates
meaningful community service
with instruction, focuses on critical
thinking as well as personal and
civic responsibility. Service learning
programs often involve students in
activities that address local needs
while developing their academic
skills and commitment to the
communities they serve. All of the
appearances of the Mott Campus
Clowns are supervised by Dr. Brian
Ivory, Coordinator of the Mott
Community College Honors Program
[see the article on the Mott Campus
Clowns on page 13].
Ivory, (also known as Bubby the
Clown), who oversees the Mott
Campus Clowns, is a 1987 graduate
of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum
& Bailey Clown College. He “unretired” from clowning to train the
Mott Campus Clowns.
Ivory observed Counelis (aka Messy
the Clown) as he worked on the
I
As educator Joe Caroll, chairman
of the North Carolina Alliance
for Language Learning, wrote,
“Learning a foreign language
teaches you that there are often
several ways to express a concept
or an idea. In the business world,
it gives you an incredible edge in
being able to communicate directly
with your customer. It creates a
relationship you could never achieve
through an interpreter.”
“I believe my instincts allow me to
read people,” he said. “I can tell if
someone is upset or having an off-day.
I take it as a challenge to win people
over. Working with people is what
makes me happy.”
When it comes to learning a
language, practice, practice,
practice is the best advice for
anyone wanting to master a foreign
language. Counelis credits Carol
Bueno-O’Donnell, the recently
retired coordinator of the Foreign
Language department at MCC, with
encouraging him and for “being an
amazing teacher.”
steering committee of the Mott
Campus Clowns in 2011, planning
and participating in activities and
events for the group.
“Jesse brought a ‘can do’ spirit to
the clown troupe,” Ivory said. “He
was excited for each new adventure
with the Mott Campus Clowns. I will
always remember, waiting for “Messy”
after a snowy December parade in
Lansing. He called from a cell phone
to say, ‘I’m lost, cold and hungry
but I’m having a great time.’ That
was the kind of spirit he brought to
serving as a clown.”
810-762-0200 www.mcc.edu I Mott Community College
Counelis will don his clown wardrobe
again, joining the Mott Campus
Clowns at the Michigan Special
Olympics Michigan games this
summer.
Counelis is passionate about wanting
to “give back” in his home state. “I
don’t want to leave Michigan,” he
said. “I love Michigan. I think if you
have something to offer here, you
should stay here. I am someone
who was helped, and I want to help
someone else. I feel like this: if the
area is suffering, people shouldn’t
just leave and let it fester. They
should try to do something about it.”
“She selected me to sit on the
committee to hire the current head of
the language department,” Counelis
continued. “I wrote her a goodbye
letter in Spanish when she retired,
telling her thank-you and that she
was my favorite teacher.”
Learning Spanish, or any foreign
language, has its challenges, but
varying learning experiences is
perhaps the best advice Counelis had
to give – with foreign language, or
life, in general.
“It’s a ton of work to learn a
language, but don’t be afraid or
intimidated by it,” he said. “Just enjoy
the experience.”
CareerFocus I Summer 2012
I 11
CareerFocus
Feature
MCC Men’s Basketball Team
Wins Record-Breaking Fourth
National Championship
T
By Michael Kelly
he Mott Community
College Bears, and their
Coach Steve Schmidt,
are used to shattering
records and making
history. This year, they
did it again. Making their eighth appearance at
the National Junior College Athletic
Association Division II (NJCAA)
Men’s Basketball Championship
in Danville, Illinois, the Bears
claimed a record fourth National
Championship title, defeating the
Community College of Rhode Island
70-60 in a contest where the Bears
led from start to finish. MCC now holds more national
championships than any other
NJCAA Division II men’s basketball
program. The Bears, who were ranked the
number one seed going into the
tournament, ended the season with
a 35-1 record. Coach Steve Schmidt
was named NJCAA Division II
Coach of the Tournament and MCC
Sophomore Guard John Taylor
was named the Tournament Most
Valuable Player. MCC’s Sophomore
Guard Darryl Marshall and
Freshman Guard Ralph Eason were
both named to the All-Tournament
Team. In 2008, the MCC Men’s Basketball
Team made basketball history
when they were crowned national
champions for a third time, having
won national championships in
2003, 2007 and 2008. At that time,
MCC became the first community
college to win three National Junior
College Athletic Association Division
II national titles, and the first to win
back to back championships since
1993. Since 2001, the MCC Bears have
won four national championships,
played in seven national finals and
eight national “final four” games.
The 2012 Championship was
the culmination of a powerhouse
seasons that saw Mott Community
College start the season ranked #1
in the nation, a ranking the team
kept for most of the year.
The National Championship team
included Korry Billups, Walter
Davis, Ralph Eason, Eugene Gipson,
Robert Littlejohn, Darryl Marshall,
Chavis Mattison, Jacob Perry, Kortez
Ross, Anthony Sisson, Shaquille
Smith, John Taylor and Jon Trawick.
“We are excited to bring this
National Championship back to
Flint,” Coach Schmidt said. “This
team did a great job of representing
Mott College throughout the year. I
would like to thank all of our fans
for their support. We genuinely
have a special program that is a
privilege for me to be part of. We
have tremendous support from our
entire college staff and unbelievable
support from our community. The
Mott Bears are proud to be National
Champions!”
Mott College basketball has drawn
overflow crowds to its games at the
Ballenger Field House on MCC’s
main campus at 1401 E. Court
Street in Flint and local observers
describe it as one of the best sports
values in the area. Game tickets
cost only $5 with refreshments like
hot dogs and popcorn at similarly
low prices. Find the game schedule
of both the men’s and women’s
basketball teams at www.mcc.edu
(click Search MCC for “basketball
schedule”) and make a plan to
become part of one of our area’s
finest sports traditions.
Coach Steve Schmidt: The Winningest Coach in MCC History
I
t takes a winner to be a winner,
and no one has done it better
than Steve Schmidt. In 21
seasons as head coach at Mott,
Schmidt has compiled a record of
success that is unparalleled at the
college level. He is the winningest
active coach in the nation at the
NJCAA level, the winner of four
National Championships (2003,
2007, 2008 and 2012) and a
member of the NJCAA Coaches
Association Hall of Fame (2010)
and the Greater Flint Area Sports
Hall of Fame (2006).
His career coaching record at
Mott is 573-124 and his record at
the National Tournament is 274, the all-time best record in the
tournament’s history.
In addition to the four national
titles, Schmidt’s teams have won
12
I Summer 2012 I CareerFocus
14 conference, nine state and eight
regional titles. He has been named
National Coach of the Year four
times and has coached 16 players
who have been recognized as
NJCAA All-Americans.
Schmidt wins off the court as well.
Throughout his career, Mott’s
program has set the standard for
student-athlete accountability.
Schmidt’s no-excuse approach
to athletics is founded upon the
principle that to be a studentathlete is a privilege, one that
requires all players to represent
Mott Community College to the
best of their ability.
In 2009, in honor of his many
achievements at Mott Community
College, the gym at Ballenger
Field House was named The Steve
Schmidt Gymnasium.
The Schmidt File
•
•
•
•
Winningest coach in MCC
history
Coaching record: 573-124
(.822)
Holds record for winning
percentage in national
tournament play 27-4 (.871)
MCCAA Eastern Conference
Championships (14): 1993,
1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009,
2010, 2011 and 2012.
• MCCAA State Championships
(9): 1995, 1996, 2000, 2005,
2006, 2008, 2010, 2011 and
2012.
• District/Regional
Championships (8): 2001, 2002,
2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011,
2012.
• National
Championships (4): 2003,
2007, 2008 and 2012.
• National Runner-ups (3): 2001,
2004, and 2011.
• National 3rd place finish (1):
2002.
• Final Four appearances (8):
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007,
2008, 2011, 2012.
• A member of the NJCAA Hall
of Fame
• A member of the Greater Flint
Area Sports Hall of Fame
Mott Community College I www.mcc.edu
I 810-762-0200
Mott Community
College Student
Clown Troupe
formed to entertain and
serve Flint and Surrounding
Communities
D
r. Brian Ivory doesn’t
mind when students in
his class clown around
some times: it’s a
course requirement.
Ivory, Coordinator of
the Honors Program
at Mott Community
College, oversees the Mott Campus
Clowns, a newly-formed clown
troupe comprised of MCC honor
students enrolled in the Social
Diversity and Civic Engagement
course he teaches.
As a course requirement, students
enrolled in the class must
develop various clown skills,
including juggling, puppetry, pocket
magic, face painting and making
balloon animals and then complete
weekends of community service
appearances, all as part of the
service hours required in the course.
Service learning, defined as a
teaching and learning strategy that
integrates meaningful community
I
service with course content and
reflection, focuses on critical
thinking as well as personal and
civic responsibility. Service learning
programs often involve students in
activities that address local needs
while developing their academic
skills and commitment to the
communities they serve. Service
learning has had a positive impact
on student learning outcomes, civic
engagement, and college retention
rates, according to the American
Association of Community Colleges,
which has been promoting the value
of service learning to the 1,200
degree-granting institutions in the
U.S. since 1994. MCC is among
nearly 60 percent of the community
colleges in the nation offering
service learning in their curricular
programs. All of the appearances of the Mott
Campus Clowns are supervised by
Ivory (aka Bubby the Clown). Ivory
is a 1987 graduate of the Ringling
Brothers and Barnum & Bailey
810-762-0200 www.mcc.edu I Mott Community College
Clown College. In 2011, he “unretired” from clowning to train the
Mott Campus Clowns for goodwill
appearances at non-profit agencies,
schools, hospitals, nursing homes
and community events.
Ivory knows that clowning is not
just about entertainment: the silly
antics, weird clothes, wild hair,
and painted smiles on the faces
can warm the hearts of all who
encounter the clown troupe. The
MCC group’s motto is “Our hearts
are bigger than our shoes.”
The clown troupe has already
introduced themselves to the
Genesee County area, spreading
cheer at various events and venues
in the area including the Special
Olympics, elementary schools,
rescue shelters and retirement
communities.
The Mott Campus Clowns have
appeared on NBC-TV 25’s morning
news program and was featured
in articles that appeared in
the View weekly newspapers.
During the last semester, the Mott
Campus Clowns chose service
instead of taking a typical Spring
Break trip by completing a weeklong
Alternative Spring Break in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The
troupe made goodwill appearances
at various locations throughout the
City of Brotherly Love. According
to Break Away: The Alternative
Break Connection, a non-profit
organization that promotes
alternative break programs that
inspire college students toward
lifelong active service, the Mott
Campus Clowns are the first
group of college students in the
U.S. to complete a curriculumbased Alternative Break involving
service learning through
clowning. According to Proferssor
Ivory, “This coming fall the Mott
Campus Clowns will be introducing
a Bully Prevention Program for K-3
students.”
CareerFocus I Summer 2012
I 13
CareerFocus
Feature
MCC has been named one of the Top Ten community
colleges in America* while still being the least
expensive college or university in our area.
*Aspen Institute, Washington, D.C.
Get Top Quality and Top Value.
The Smart Choice.
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THE WEB!
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Career Choices Ad_Summer12.indd 1
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