Real Students of Macomb

Xandraya Rodriguez was offered a partial scholarship to the College for Creative Studies after graduating from Lakeshore High School. Instead, she opted for a more practical pathway.

“I’m all about blending business with art, not just art itself,” says Rodriguez. “Macomb’s MACA (Media and Communication Arts) program fit me better personally.  Illustration is my passion, but I want to be working at something. And even with the partial scholarship, Macomb is still less expensive.”

Rodriguez is studying both Creative Imaging and Illustration, and Design and Layout at Macomb and expects to graduate in May. But nothing has taught her more about pleasing a client than a recent competition held by Selfridge Air National Guard Base for the design of a coin to commemorate its air show this year. Rodriguez’ design took first place. 

“I was very honored that they picked my design,” says the Harrison Township resident, who was accompanied to the awards ceremony at Selfridge by her husband, Christian Rodriguez, and two of her MACA professors: Kris Mellebrand and Mary Bush. “I worked on it for about a week, and then it all came together. I was so excited that I met their vision.”

On the front of the coin, Rodriguez incorporated the logo of the 127^th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, which is based at Selfridge, with the Michigan mitten superimposed over an image of the American flag. On the back are the words: “The Next 100 Years,” the theme of next year’s air show.  

“Because my husband was in the military, I was familiar with military coins,” relates Rodriguez. “The Selfridge coin will be two inches in diameter, and I wanted it to portray Macomb County as the heart of Michigan, with jet planes signifying the air show.”

In addition to her classes, Rodriguez also serves as the design editor for Sketches magazine, which spotlights the literary and artistic talents of Macomb students. She’s also a figure model in Macomb’s art classes, works part time at a florist’s shop, makes wreaths and other crafts in her home studio/workshop (shown in photo) and designs costumes, including a coat of armor made out of foam that she wore for Halloween, as well as her own clothes.  

“I still have my very first skirt, a skater-girl skirt,” offers Rodriguez. “It’s a navy floral that I made from a pair of sheets I got at the Salvation Army. I am so against fast fashion – so much waste. I like to reutilize whenever I can.”  

After graduation and a possible move out of state to accommodate her husband’s job, Rodriguez hopes to find work as a graphic designer with a company or launch her own freelancing career. A bachelor’s degree is likely on the horizon as well.  No matter what direction she takes, she is confident that Macomb has prepared her well.

“Any student looking into a design career, should go to Macomb if they strive to be the very best,” says Rodriguez. “A lot of the professors in the MACA program have worked in the field and are effective at what they do. The group projects are fun and a great way to network with other students. I’ve really enjoyed my time here.”       

For some of the shifts during her nursing externship in intensive care at Detroit Receiving Hospital, Alyssa McKay carpools with her mom, who often switches up her own work schedule to accommodate her daughter’s. It gives the pair a chance to compare notes about the work they are both passionate about.

“I don’t think she has ever come home and said her job was easy, but I see how much she loves it,” says McKay of mom Alison, a nurse at Harper Hospital and a 2006 graduate of Macomb’s Nursing Program. “It’s been very fulfilling for her.”

Both McKays live in St. Clair Shores in what the Macomb nursing student lovingly refers to as “a home for misfit animals.” A graduate of Southlake High School, McKay knew early on that she wanted a career related to science.  An animal lover whose “misfits” include three rescues: a Doberman, Labrador and Siberian husky mix, she considered going into Macomb’s Veterinary Technician Program.  But success in her physiology and anatomy classes suggested another career path, and she chose to follow her mom’s lead and apply for admission to Macomb’s Nursing Program.  

 “The setup and the faculty are amazing. We get to focus on one class at a time. I really like that format,” says McKay, who will graduate in May and likely be hired full time at Detroit Receiving. “I haven’t had one faculty (member) that I didn’t like. They are so smart and available. They give you a lot of help when you need it.”

McKay was elected president of the Student Nurses Association (SNA) last semester, leading her classmates in Thursday study nights soon after. Recognizing that health care professionals are more likely to encounter physical violence than those in less public-facing careers, McKay arranged for an off-site self-defense class for SNA members. Then there was a group trip to Lansing in October at the invitation of the Michigan Nurses Association, where the student nurses learned more about the proposed Safe Patient Care Act. That was followed by McKay’s solo attendance at a student nursing conference in Chicago and, with her SNA officers, coordination of an on-campus professional development day for all of Macomb’s student nurses in November. 

“I was not planning on being president, but no one else wanted it. I wanted to change that lack of involvement,” says McKay. “I thought, ‘Okay, let’s make this organization something we can be proud of as students.’ Fortunately, I have amazing officers.  They always stick by my side.”

Admittedly, the demands of school, work and the SNA leave McKay with little time to walk her dogs in the park or dote on her little nephew, among her favorite things to do. But she’s definitely not complaining.  “I love the nursing profession,” says McKay, who intends to transfer to Oakland University and earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing, with her tuition reimbursed by Detroit Receiving. “I like getting to know my patients, and I feel lucky that I get to be the one to care for them.” 

In words that will resonate with world travelers everywhere, Tessa Lau signed up for a study abroad trip this past summer hoping to “spend some time away from normal.”  It’s safe to say she wasn’t disappointed.

“It was an amazing experience,” says Lau, of the trip she took with Professor Susanna Williams and nine other classmates to Granada, Spain, which included Spanish language classes at the Centro de Lenguas Modernas, Universidad de Granada. “We met from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a short break, and we only conversed in Spanish.  My Spanish improved tremendously.”

Lau and her roommate/newfound friend, Melody Momper, stayed with a mother and daughter at an apartment in walking distance from Granada’s downtown.  From her hosts, Lau learned how to make yogurt from scratch and appreciate the finer details of daily life.  

“I so enjoyed the family that I stayed with.  They wanted to share their country with me,” says Lau. “Mare (her host/mother) knows French and Greek, and she cooks incredibly good, healthy food.  Her daughter Teresa is so talented.  She plays piano and is really fun.  I am so glad I got to know them. We are still in touch.”

After class each day, Lau and her classmates would meet up with Professor Williams outside of the Granada Cathedral, a Spanish Renaissance wonder that took 200 years to build.  They would then have lunch at one of the nearby cafes. 

“All of the food there is really good,” says Lau, who became fond of Spanish frittata – eggs and potatoes prepared much like an omelet.  “I also loved the ham sandwiches with olive oil and fresh tomatoes that you could buy on the street.”

A stay in Granada is not complete without a visit to the Alhambra, famous for its Islamic architecture, lush gardens and many fountains.  It was once home to the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella, the king and queen who commissioned Christopher Columbus’ journey to the New World. 

“It didn’t seem real,” says Lau, shown here with her sister Ava (left) in Granada, where they met up near the end of the trip. “When you look up at it at night from the Mirador (tower) de San Nicolas and it’s all lit up, it’s magical.”

During her two weeks in Granada, Lau also gave much thought to her career.  After seeing the stunning work of human hands so evident throughout Granada, she decided to venture into a new normal when she returned home.

“I wanted to do something I love every day, and I wanted it be creative. I had done some metal fabricating when I helped a friend build a food cart, and I really liked it,” says Lau, who changed her major from general studies to welding this fall. “It looks like a really interesting career. I’m hoping to get an apprenticeship.”       

At 18, Katherine Nonte radiates an emotional maturity far beyond her age. Following her biological parents’ divorce, the Sterling Heights native and her sister were raised by their aunt and uncle, whom she refers to as her mother and father (and who will henceforth be referred to as such).

Throughout her early high school years, Nonte felt a lack of self-direction and suffered from depression and low self-esteem. She coasted along in school with middling grades; that is, until she failed a class. Having hit a low point, she realized the need to set herself on the path to wellness and opened up to a teacher.

“Here’s what you’re going to do: You’re going to fix it the way you know how,” expressed her instructor. Cautioning that it would take time, she advised Nonte to look in the mirror and say, “I’m fixing it. I’m fixing it for me.”

Slowly, Nonte began to work on herself, improve her GPA, and set a path forward. She came to Macomb, decided on a career path, and started to build personal connections.

“This is a great stepping stone,” says Nonte, “because every single person who starts out at a university goes, ‘I wish I would have started at community college.’”

Among the highlights of Nonte’s experiences at Macomb, thus far, are the helpful instructors who look outside the textbook to ensure students understand the material. She adds that they provide a multitude of resources to further ensure their success.

“You give me a good adjective, and I could probably put it toward every single experience I’ve had at Macomb.”

Outside of school, Nonte enjoys running cross country and dabbling in music. In fact, she can play more instruments than you can name on one hand, including: saxophone (both tenor and alto), trumpet, euphonium, flute, guitar, ukulele, piano, bagpipes and accordion. But don’t call her a prodigy.

“I don’t even call it that, because it’s every once in a while,” notes Nonte. Due to school, work, family and her boyfriend, she isn’t able to spend as much time practicing as she would prefer. Nonetheless, she’s taken the time to name each of her instruments, to which she feels a “certain connection,” treating them “more like people, rather than just things.”

Nonte’s mother bestowed upon her an acute appreciation of the musical arts, exposing her to all genres. Growing up, they frequented the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Fisher Theatre and the opera. In addition to her aptitude for various instruments, she’s also a proficient vocalist. Every Tuesday, she sings in an a capella chorus, Sweet Adelines, an all-female group. Ages range from mid-40s to late-80s, placing her among their youngest members. While many career opportunities are available to budding “a capella connoisseurs,” her ambitions lie elsewhere.

“I just do it for a place to go, as kind of my outlet to the world,” clarifies Nonte.

Instead, when Nonte looks to the future, she sees herself in the medical profession. This was influenced, in part, by a Macomb medical science professor who related to their class, “I didn’t do well in high school, but I became a nurse.” Sharing a similar story, Nonte decided to follow in their footsteps.

Currently pursuing an associate degree in Nursing from Macomb, Nonte has already been awarded a Certified Nursing Assistant certificate, through which she secured a job at Medilodge. She also works as a carousel attendant at Lakeside Mall. Her ideal job title, pediatric anesthetist, would blend elements from both. A self-proclaimed extrovert, she draws passion from helping people, which has included assisting her ailing father throughout much of her life. Perhaps more so, she loves children.

“The only reason you’d need a pediatric anesthetist is something really bad is happening to that child,” explains Nonte, something requiring the need for a “translator” and a “human” element. She hopes to bring that special connection to young patients, as well as their parents. “It’s not just about getting better. It’s not the physical, ‘My stomach doesn’t hurt, anymore.’ It’s that, ‘I feel better about myself, and I got better.’”

Kayla Neal’s interest in politics began in 2008, before she was even nine years old. That was the year that Barack Obama was elected president of the United States.

“Being the first black male in office, there was a lot controversy,” offers Neal.  “And me, also being black, had to wonder if people wouldn’t like me because of the color of my skin.  As I got older and learned about slavery and how most race problems are based in politics, it made me want to study it to fight for equal rights and protection for all people.”

Obama is high on the list of Neal’s favorite presidents.  And so, too, is the lesser known James Polk, who served as commander in chief from 1845 to 1849.

 “Polk is one of my favorites because he is one of the only presidents to keep the campaign promises he made,” says Neal, of the eleventh U.S. president, best known for territorial expansion.  “Everything he told the people he would do, he did. I think that is really admirable.”

 Neal started college as a high school junior as part of the Early College of Macomb program.  She took classes simultaneously at L’Anse Creuse High School North and Macomb, graduating with her diploma in 2018 and an associate degree in 2019. With the two years of tuition at Macomb covered by her school district, it’s an academic path she would recommend to others.

 “I appreciated being treated like an adult by my professors, says Neal.  “I loved the independence and freedom that came with being a student there. It was absolutely wonderful.”

Not surprisingly, when Brooke Allen, Macomb political science professor, began recruiting for a trip she leads to Washington, D.C. every other year, Kayla Neal signed up.        

 “Politics has always been a potential career path for me.  Having been in Washington makes me feel like I’ve done something,” says Neal, who is now majoring in political science at the University of Michigan – Flint. “Seeing The White House, Supreme Court, Library of Congress and so on inspired me to follow my values.”

 Because of a grant from the Thomas S. Welsh Fund for Public Service and Political Science, the cost to individual students was kept at $300.  That made it a manageable expenditure for Neal, who works at a local Dairy Queen, and a worthwhile one.

 “My favorite landmark would have to be The Lincoln Memorial,” says Neal.  “I don’t know how my life would have turned out without him as a free black woman in this country.”

 In addition to the Capitol tour, which offered students insight into all three branches of the federal government, there was also a visit to some of the museums that comprise the Smithsonian Institution.

 “This was my first time in the African American Museum and while the content, at times, could be hard to look at, I felt a sense of unity with myself and my identity,” says Neal., shown here in front of it. “It was empowering.”

Ever since his childhood, Jahidul Islam, 20, wanted to emigrate from Bangladesh to America. On April 24, 2016, his dream came true.

“Here, you can live a better life,” says Islam. Compared with the agriculture-based economy in Bangladesh, “you have good jobs” and educational opportunities. That’s not to say he doesn’t remember his home country fondly.

“There is no single day that I don’t miss my country,” ruminates Islam. “Every single day. Every single moment, I miss my country, my environment, my old school, my friends.”

Before relocating to the United States, Islam completed much of his secondary education in Bangladesh. He finished his senior year at Warren Mott High School, among whose students Macomb Community College has a “really good reputation.”

Islam, who started at Macomb in the fall of 2018, notes that the college was his first choice. A couple of his relatives had previously attended the college before transferring to a university and now have successful careers. This prompted him to ask, “why not Macomb?”

Contributing to Islam’s success at Macomb are the Reading and Writing Studios and the Learning Centers. Each day, he spends an hour utilizing these resources before class begins. Islam notes that he especially appreciates that students have the advantage of free tutoring. While similar services were available in Bangladesh, they were expensive. Even above the resources, his favorite thing about campus is that people from all backgrounds are openly welcomed.

“I think the best thing about Macomb is the diversity,” says Islam. “There’s not one community of people. There’s a lot of communities.”

In his down time, Islam enjoys playing cricket and soccer, and participates in the Metro Detroit Cricket League during the summer. In addition, he likes to interview academically successful students, asking them how they maintain their grade point average.

“Can you give me five minutes?” Islam will first ask before proceeding with questions about his peers’ study habits. “How did you get this score? And, how do you work every day to get this score?”

Islam also serves as a translator for his family. “Nobody speaks English very well in my family, and I’m the first person who is coming to school or college,” he says. “I need to do all of their official things,” which include doctors’ appointments and banking.

After graduating, Islam hopes to transfer to Wayne State University or The University of Michigan – Dearborn to continue his studies, with a minor in Arabic.