Real Students of Macomb

Claudia Nowicki’s work involves using a laser to build magnetic beads that bind to the body’s RNA, discovering information that could improve our ability to fight disease. Not bad for a Macomb student one year out of high school.

“Honestly, I never thought this could happen at a community college level,” Nowicki said. “I was thrilled and shocked that an opportunity like this could happen to Regular Joe me.”

Nowicki was admitted to the Early College of Macomb, which allowed her to take college classes at Macomb during her last two years at Romeo High School. She connected with one of her Macomb biology professors, Dr. Joseph Michalewicz, who recommended her for an internship at Detroit-based Life Magnetics. The company had recently received $25,000 in start-up funding from the Innovation Fund Macomb Community College, Powered by JPMorgan Chase & Co., which also created an opportunity for a Macomb student to work there.

“I wouldn’t have it without my professor – he was kind enough to think of it,” said Nowicki. “This has hit it right on the dot for me. The medical field has a huge range of different things to choose from. This has helped me narrow down the specifics.”

Nowicki has balanced her internship and schoolwork while also managing a retail store. Part of her solution has been to fit in online classes around the rest of her schedule.

“I really love the online courses that Macomb offers,” she said. “I’ve taken three up to this point and they’ve been great. I always feel like the professors of my online courses seem to be very understanding and helpful despite being virtual.”

Nowicki is making plans to transfer to Wayne State for a pharmacology degree, which should be a little easier thanks to both the work experience and connections she’s made from interning downtown.

“This has been the #1 best thing to prepare me to move on to a university,” she said. “It was definitely a stepping stone for that high-school-to-university transition that I would recommend to anybody.”

Tyler Gargalino came to Macomb directly from Dakota High School this fall to take culinary and business classes in preparation for opening up a sports bar with his father.  That the College has a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has only sweetened the deal.

“I see myself with a degree in entrepreneurship,” says Gargalino, who has already made plans to transfer to Northwood University, which offers classes in its entrepreneurship program at the University Center on Center Campus. “A College education is really important. But why not start at Macomb where the tuition is a little cheaper?”

Discovering that the College has a center dedicated to encouraging young entrepreneurs was “fantastic,” says Gargalino. But even more impressive has been the respect and support he has received from Macomb faculty and staff.

“I feel like I’m being treated like an adult; the faculty are not condescending. And I think that’s why I’m learning a lot better than I did in high school.” says Gargalino.  “When I walked into buildings on my first day on campus, everyone pitched in to help me find where I was going. A faculty member even went and got a map.”

While the Dairy Queen he works at is closing for the season, Gargalino isn’t waiting for the next opportunity to come his way.  He’s already applied at a Tim Horton’s and a Buscemi’s.  Either way, he will be picking up more restaurant experience that will serve him well when he and his dad can finally invest in their dream.

“It’s going to be called Gargie’s,” says Gargalino. “And if all goes good, we’re hoping for a franchise.”

Maureen Paul was so nervous before her first class at Macomb, she felt physically sick.

“In my head, everyone else knew what they were doing except me,” the former St. Clair Shores homeschooler said. “I felt more alone than I really was.”

Quickly, she realized that she belonged.

“All of my professors and everyone have been so welcoming at Macomb,” said Paul, who now carries a 3.9 GPA and is the recruitment and retention coordinator for Phi Theta Kappa, Macomb’s honor society. While working three jobs, she’s also found an outlet for her lifelong love of volunteering by joining Macomb’s alternative spring break trip to clean beaches in North Carolina, and an alternative weekend building wheelchair ramps in Indiana.

“I’m busy all the time now,” she said. “I just don’t sleep a lot, but that’s OK.”

Paul is taking advantage of a transfer agreement between Macomb and Madonna University, which allows her to take three years of classes at Macomb, then transfer to Madonna for her final year at Macomb’s University Center in Clinton Township. That’s saving her time and money on her way to a degree in hospitality management and a career in event planning.

“I really like how easily Macomb has set it up,” she said. “It’s so much cheaper going to Macomb. I’m probably the only one of my friends who’s going to graduate with no debt.”

Gage Ruehlen has served in the National Guard for four years, but while attending a university for the first three, he never accessed any of the financial aid benefits that come with being a servicemember.

“The nice thing about Macomb is they’ll do it all for you,” Ruehlen said of the College’s Office of Veteran & Military Services. “They take care of everything.”

Ruehlen, a Chesterfield native, said he serves because of a sense of civic duty, which is why he’s studying accounting at Macomb with hopes of earning a bachelor’s at Walsh and joining the FBI.

“I’ve always been someone to ask ‘why,’ and accounting explains the ‘why,’” he said.

There are unique challenges to being a student in the National Guard, he said. The military training which has pushed his physical and mental limits can occasionally interfere with his academic responsibilities.

“I’ve talked to every one of my professors about the military and that I might have to miss something for training, and they’ve all been really understanding and wished me well,” he said.

Ruehlen has earned straight As in his accounting classes and hopes to be a tutor at Macomb this fall.

“The classroom atmosphere (at Macomb) has made it really easy,” he said. “It’s smaller, so you’re more in tune to the other people in class. I’ve already made way more friends at Macomb.”

And much like the National Guard has taught him that he can do whatever he sets his mind to, so has following a course of study that excites him.

“I wake up and I want to learn,” he said. “That makes it easy.”

As an aspiring photographer in high school, Alix Rivard found that her favorite subjects tended to have four tires and a hood, preferably with a custom engine under it.  That was when the Macomb automotive service technology student had a glimpse of where her future might lead.

“I didn’t know much about cars when I started the program,” offers Rivard, 24, who works at Alta Equipment Company. “Now, at work, they come to me with questions about engines.  I learned everything I know at Macomb. It’s an awesome program, and I’ve grown so much as a technician.”

After reading her application essay, the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) Foundation agreed, awarding Rivard a $1,000 scholarship at its national convention held at Macomb in July.

“I was surprised that I won because I know how competitive these scholarships are,” says Rivard, shown here accepting the scholarship from her professor, Dave Roland. “This will help me pay for my last four classes.”

As a single homeowner, paying for a mortgage and tuition has required Rivard to hold a full-time job throughout college.  She started out in the office at Alta but happily moved to the shop floor, assisting in the repair and customization of construction equipment.

“No desk job for me,” says Rivard, who was raised by a single mom in a “NASCAR” family. Still, she has no intention of becoming the next Danica Patrick.  “I would love to drive a race car just once, but I prefer to be behind the scenes building the motors.”

Rivard, who is also earning a welding certificate at Macomb, currently drives a 1984 Chevy K10 and plans to overhaul the truck’s transmission soon.  But, she would gladly trade it in for a 1970ish Chevy Blazer with a removable top and an engine for her to rebuild.

“I like breaking them down and rebuilding them,” says Rivard, who has taken all of the engine classes at Macomb, with an eye toward becoming a performance engine builder for Team Penske.  “I fell in love with engines at Macomb.”

Bridget McKenzie was home schooled, so her first time in a Macomb classroom was also her first time in any classroom, ever.

“It was terrifying. I knew nothing and no one,” she said.

McKenzie, a dancer, found her footing one step at a time. She attended Student Success Seminars to learn about time management and how to handle college social situations. She raised her hand to be a group leader in one of her first classes. She made frequent trips to tutoring sessions because she liked the community feeling.

“It’s kind of like picking a lock,” she said. “You keep finding things that click until you get what you need.”

McKenzie came in without a clear picture of what path to study, until a business fundamentals class “blew my mind,” she said. She’s made accounting her focus, with an internship this summer (thanks to one of her professors) and plans to transfer for a bachelor’s degree. She’s also made good friends who are going through the program with her.

“To me, it’s felt like a family,” she said. “Like we’re all in it together.”

McKenzie, who’s now come “full circle” as a tutor herself, offered this advice to new students.

“Take Macomb for all it’s got,” she said. “Talk to everyone and experience as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to reach out and take advantage of the services that are there for you. You’ll have a lot of doors opened up to you just by showing up.”

After his team won the Michigan Sputum Bowl in April and he graduated from Macomb’s Respiratory Therapy Program in May, Spencer Hanson treated himself to a grand tour of Europe and Canada before starting his new job with the University of Michigan Health System.

“I went through a tour company and visited England, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and France,” says Hanson, shown here in Venice, Italy, of his ten-day trip in June. “I spent a week before the trip exploring Toronto, Montreal and Quebec, and a few days after in Paris by myself. It’s all been amazing.”

Also “amazing” was winning the state sputum bowl, a Jeopardy-like quiz competition in which teams of respiratory therapy students from community colleges across the state vie for the top spot and silver trophy, with the winning team adding an accomplishment to their resumes while advancing to the nationals.

“This was an especially big win because it marked 10 years of Macomb’s respiratory therapy team winning on the state level,” says Hanson.  “No pressure, right? Thankfully, we pulled it off.”

Respiratory therapy wasn’t Hanson’s first choice when he enrolled at Macomb. He knew he wanted to work in health care, but was leaning toward two other areas.  An anatomy and physiology class changed his mind. “I found the cardiovascular system to be super interesting,” says Hanson, “and with that, I decided to go for respiratory.”

Hanson begins working as a respiratory therapist with U of M at the end of July and intends to start classes toward his bachelor’s degree in the fall.  He will also be meeting up with teammates Renee Sassin, Steve Morrow and Crystal Tralka, and faculty advisor Richard Zahodnic, Ph.D., (also a Macomb’s Respiratory Therapy Program alum) this summer to cram with Egan’s Fundamentals of Respiratory Care in preparation for the national competition in October. It’s a homecoming he’s looking forward to almost as much as he did that trip to Europe.

“One thing I loved about the program is that you really get close to both your classmates and your professors. Because it is a smaller program, you have the same ones every semester” says Hanson.  “And the professors aren’t just your professors, they become lifelong friends and mentors.”