Real Students of Macomb

It’s not often that students are presented with an opportunity to help shape the future of their college. That’s why when Lukas Mackenzie, 19, was recommended by James Matheney, the college’s police chief, to become involved with Macomb’s Strategic Plan 2025, he jumped at the chance.

“Having the student perspective, I think, is important,” says Mackenzie. “Students are the ones that go to the classes, and they have more of a different perspective on things.”

Mackenzie’s role with the strategic planning process is just one component of what he describes as “the busiest semester I’ve had in my whole school experience.” In addition to his coursework during winter 2019, he also plays football and soccer, volunteers with Gleaner’s Community Food Bank and Lighthouse Outreach Center, and has been serving as a work-study for the College Police Department since November.

“I’m not complaining about any of it,” says Mackenzie. “I really enjoy myself every day. I wake up and feel good about myself.”

After graduating from Lake Shore High School in 2017, Mackenzie came to Macomb to complete his general education requirements and figure out what he wanted to do with his life.

“If you’re not certain on a major like I was, Macomb is the perfect place to start,” says Mackenzie. “The counselors would help you out, give you options.”

Mackenzie encourages new Macomb students to take advantage of all the resources the college has to offer. Speak with the tutors at the Learning Centers and meet with faculty during their office hours. They can break down difficult concepts and put them into simpler terms.

“It’s very obvious, in my opinion, with me and my peers,” says Mackenzie, “that they want you to succeed.”

Beyond that, Mackenzie suggests that students should “go with the flow” and avoid feeling rushed. It’s the same advice he would give to his three brothers. His oldest sibling has taken classes at Macomb, and another will be attending in the fall.

“I feel like just finding your way in life would be a big thing,” says Mackenzie. “And, that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Mackenzie’s sights are currently set on a career in nursing, following in his mother’s footsteps in the health care profession (she works as a respiratory therapist for Children’s Hospital of Michigan, in Detroit). His goal is to graduate in May, 2020 and transfer to the University of Michigan to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Long term, he hopes to eventually settle into an executive position, such as nursing manager.

For now, Mackenzie is perfectly content living at home, saving on tuition and setting money aside for the future. “People are moving out later and later,” he says. “It’s not a bad thing at all.” Conversations with friends he’s made at Macomb have elicited similar responses.

“That’s the kind of mindset that I think people have here,” says Mackenzie. “Coming here, still taking the same classes (as they would at a university), saving money, and still going on about life as any other person.”

Myah Russell, 21, began teaching herself to play the piano at 13, but had no formal training until she took classes at Macomb.  She now counts the college’s music faculty among her circle of friends and credits them for helping her decide to pursue a career as a church pianist and songwriter.

“I have had great professors at Macomb. They are genuinely interested in their students,” says Russell, who earned an Associate of General Studies Degree last year and is now pursuing a Certificate in Music Performance.  “Tom Cook (music professor and director of the Macomb Symphony Orchestra) has been a huge influence and mentor.”

Russell is the fourth eldest in a family of 10 and was homeschooled, as were her nine siblings.   When she turned 18, she began considering colleges within commuting distance from her home in Almont in Lapeer County.  Undecided about a career, she wanted to take time and explore all of her options.  Macomb came highly recommended by older siblings and family friends as a place where she could do just that.   It also offers a special affiliate tuition rate for students living in Lapeer County and other communities not served by a community college.

“The affiliate rate was a big deal,” affirms Russell.  “I didn’t know what to expect and a community college was the best option for me.  I’ve been able to stay out of debt entirely, and it made for a comfortable transition. Music has always been a part of my life, but I hadn’t really considered it as a career.  I was excited when I found out I could complete a music performance certificate with a general studies degree.”

At home, Russell plays on a “hand-me-down” piano, a gift of a family friend, and teaches private piano lessons. She is a worship leader at her church and has decided to earn a bachelor’s degree in Music and Worship Studies online from Liberty University after she completes her Music Performance Certificate at Macomb.  All of her siblings also play instruments or sing, and her parents are “thrilled” that their fourth eldest has decided to pursue a career in music.

“My dream job would be writing and selling my music,” relates Russell, who is recording an album of her original songs that she intends to make available soon on Spotify. “I’ve never had a bad experience in music.”

Although her many outside interests and responsibilities keep her busy, Russell has found time to join Macomb’s Intervarsity Christian Fellowship student organization.  Just another reason she will remember Macomb as the “warm, friendly place” that encouraged her to grow into the musician she was meant to be.

“I’m glad I took my time,” says Russell.  “My experience at Macomb has been all-around great.”

Erin Ulery, 26, is no stranger to moving. Growing up, her family relocated several times, from Texas to Pennsylvania and then southern California, before finally settling in Michigan when she was in seventh grade. Having not firmly planted roots in any one location has given her a sense of adventure.

“It comes with the territory,” explains Ulery. “You’re more apt to go wherever, because there’s so much to see.”

With extended family living on both coasts, Ulery, the oldest of three, had the fortune of frequently traveling throughout her childhood. Those trips, however, were not confined to the United States. When Ulery was 14, her family visited her uncle and aunt in Australia. Two years ago, she took a solo journey to Iceland for her birthday.

“That was what really kick-started me to be recommitted to being a full-time student and really starting my vet tech program journey,” says Ulery, “It was probably the most significant trip I’ve taken.”

Ulery always knew she wanted to work with animals, and her mind initially jumped to becoming a veterinarian. She discovered her true calling, veterinary technician, during a job shadow opportunity in high school.

“What the technicians were doing is what I really want to do,” relates Ulery. “They were the ones who were really handling the patients. They were the ones nursing them when they were recovering from surgery. They were the ones that were helping to educate the clients when the doctor walked out of the room.”

After working in the field for several years and attending Albion College, as well as two other community colleges, Macomb was at the top of Ulery’s list to achieve her career goals.

“This is one of the best vet tech programs in the country, let alone the area,” says Ulery, “and I wanted to be the best vet tech I could be.”

Contributing to Ulery’s positive experience are the helpful and approachable faculty members teaching the coursework.

“They want all of us to succeed,” says Ulery. “If we ever have any questions, any concerns, their door is always open.”

When Ulery isn’t in class, she’s serving as a work-study for the Admissions & Outreach office on Center Campus. The flexible schedule they offer makes it easy for her to stay on top of her studies. “As soon as I’m done with class,” says Ulery, “I just walk across campus, and then I’m at work.” Her work-study responsibilities include assisting with high school campus tours.

“I’ve been able to share my story of how I’ve been to four colleges, total, and tell them how great it is to come here,” relates Ulery. “There really is just everything you could ever need available here.”

Neither Jennifer LoVasco nor anyone in her family has ever experienced hearing loss, and so her passionate advocacy on behalf of the deaf and partially deaf community speaks louder than words.

“There was no sign language interpreter at the State of the Union address,” notes LoVasco, a second-semester student at Macomb.   “That’s not acceptable.  People don’t realize how many deaf people there are in this country and they need to have access to important events.”

An innate curiosity led LoVasco to first learn American Sign Language (ASL) on YouTube right before her second daughter was born.  Discovering that she “absolutely adored it,” the Eastpointe resident progressed to online tutorials and, then, began teaching both of her daughters to sign.

“Children can learn to sign before they are ever able to communicate verbally,” notes LoVasco. “My youngest could sign ‘eat,’ ‘more’ and ‘all done’ by the time she was six months old.”

On her own since she was 15, LoVasco, like her partner Adam, is a tattoo artist.  After her second daughter was born, however, she decided to stay home until both girls were in class during the day.  Kai, eight, and Eva, five, began attending the same Montessori school last fall and, with Adam’s encouragement, mom became a student as well.

“This is my first go at college,” says LoVasco, 34, “and I have had a great experience at Macomb so far.”

Intent on becoming a sign language interpreter, LoVasco is currently taking American Sign Language I at Macomb, as well as an online psychology class.  Last semester, she took introduction to computers and medical terminology, earning As in both.  Another high point in her college career came this past February, when LoVasco volunteered with some of her classmates and their instructor, Beth Aylesworth, to teach members of Girl Scout Troop 75941 how to sign in order to earn their ASL badge.

“I have a Daisy at home, so I was thrilled.  We taught them how to sign the Pledge of Allegiance and the Girl Scout Promise, and we had a lot of fun,” says LoVasco. “I am also thrilled that the Girl Scouts promote this.  More people should have some type of sign language training.”

LoVasco intends to take as many credits at Macomb as possible before transferring to a college or university that offers a bachelor’s degree in sign language.  She practices signing regularly with her daughters, for whom she wants to serve as a role model.  That was another motivation for her to become a college student.

“I try showing my girls that anything is possible,” says LoVasco. “But I tell them: ‘Don’t wait.  You’ve got to go to college right after high school.’”

LoVasco is philosophical about the circumstances that prevented her from attending college until she was in her 30s.  “Everything happens for a reason,” she offers. And while it certainly hasn’t been easy balancing schoolwork with being mom to “two social butterflies,” it hasn’t been as difficult as she imagined it might be.

“I don’t know if I’m lucky or just have awesome kids, but they know when I need quiet time. My one daughter brought me a cup of coffee when I was studying the other day and told me, ‘Mommy I think you need this,’” relates LoVasco. “It was a little cold, but it was the best cup of coffee, ever. I drank every drop.”

When she graduated from Romeo High School, Kate Race planned on pursuing a degree in political science or history, but her love for animals led her to Macomb’s Veterinary Technician  Program instead.

“I just didn’t realize there would be so many science courses,” offers Race, who will graduate with her Associate of Applied Science Degree in May, “but I adapted.”

Race, 23, took classes for a couple of years at Macomb before realizing that she would need at least a master’s degree for any type of career in political science or history.  She began looking at other options that didn’t require such a significant investment of time and money.  The more she learned about the vet tech program, it seemed the perfect fit.

“I’ve always been passionate about animals,” says Race, who shares her life with a 10-year-old German shepherd mix and a one-year-old cat.  “Macomb’s vet tech program gets a lot of great reviews. Although she searched a bit for a major, there was never any doubt in Race’s mind that she would begin her college studies at Macomb.

“I live in Armada and I didn’t want to go away to school,” says Race.  “There are so many amazing programs at Macomb.  Although I love history and had great professors, the occupational health programs are definitely good for those who don’t want to dig themselves into student debt.”

This past Valentine’s Day, Race joined other student volunteers from Macomb’s vet tech program at the Macomb County Animal Shelter to help groom some of the 50 plus dogs rescued from what police described as a “hording” situation in Sterling Heights. One of the puppies, in particular, captured Race’s heart.

“There was this lab puppy that was so sweet.  He just seemed to appreciate that we had cleaned him up.” says Race.   “I would have loved to adopt him, but my dog would be mad at me if I had brought him home.  I’m hoping my brother will adopt him.” Although the situation at the shelter was sad, says Race, “I’m glad I was able to help.”

In addition to her vet tech classes, Race is also an intern at Shelby Veterinary Hospital. “I love it there,” she says, and would be very happy if offered a full-time job.  Someday, however, Race intends to move to the lower part of the northern peninsula and open up her own dog training business.  She has no doubt that Macomb’s Veterinary Technician Program has prepared her well.

“The faculty want what’s best for the students and for the animals,” says Race. “I’m glad this program sets us up for the real world.”

What motivates you? Ask this of a random crowd, and you will probably get wildly different responses across the board. For Macomb student Tranyssa Booker, the answer is as unique as her name: helping others with the sole intent of making the world a better place.

Booker spent much of her childhood volunteering, raking leaves and shoveling walkways for neighbors, as well as feeding the less fortunate. Now 28, she actively passes her passion for altruism, community service and cultural awareness to her daughter, 13. The duo has participated in Macomb’s annual MLK Day of Service and is currently working toward earning a Macomb Multicultural International Initiatives certificate.

“If we help one another, the world would really be a better place,” says Booker, who recently returned from a welfare trip to Puerto Rico. While there, she discovered that some people are still without lights following Hurricane Maria, the catastrophic storm that hit the island in 2017. She hopes to collaborate with a couple of individuals she met there and in Saint Martin to establish a program where she can assist residents with basic needs, such as clothing.

“My dream job would be to travel the world and help people,” says Booker, whose drive led her to establish a non-profit community garden, Brazill Eden of Nourishment (BEON), in 2016. She also actively volunteers with Keep Growing Detroit, a garden-based organization which, in turn, provides her with seeds for BEON. In order to grow her charitable efforts, she came to Macomb to pursue a degree in pre-social work.

Years prior, Booker attended community college in her hometown of Grand Rapids, after high school. She felt she wasn’t adequately prepared for it, and she struggled. Her experiences at Macomb changed everything.

“I’ve attended several community colleges,” says Booker, “and I actually love Macomb most out of all of them.”

Macomb has provided Booker with the resources she needs to succeed, “from the Reading and Writing Studios to the math tutors.” In addition, she receives monetary aid through the Federal Work-Study program, now serving her second semester with the Provost’s Office. “I don’t feel like I’m in it by myself at Macomb,” says Booker, who believes the supportive atmosphere on campus has greatly contributed toward her success.

“It gives me that extra motivation to do what I have to do,” says Booker. “Not only do I care, but the people that are actually here to help me progress care.”

While Booker plans to graduate in May, she has already created a lasting impression on her family, the first among her grandmother’s 12 kids and her nine cousins to receive a college degree. Not content to stop there, she will continue her social work studies at Oakland University, where she plans to pursue both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

“I hope to make a generational change for those coming and those before me,” says Booker. “I hope that my accomplishments do change the course of my family and the things that they see are attainable.”

Haley Mueller is already thinking like the accountant she wants to become.  She chose Macomb for its “price point” and is intrigued by “data analytics.”   That might be two of the reasons why a professor recommended her for an invite-only event for college and university students interested in business careers.

“It was a beautiful experience,” says Mueller of the Inforum North American International Auto Show Breakfast, held Jan. 18 at the Detroit Marriott.  “The breakfast involved a panel and they were talking about the future of artificial intelligence.  Definitely nerdy, but I loved every moment of it.”

Founded in 1962 as the Women’s Economic Club, Inforum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing leadership development opportunities to women.  At the breakfast, Mueller and the audience of 1,000 or so heard from some of the most forward-thinking leaders in business today:  Alisyn Malek, COO and co-founder of the self-driving vehicle firm May Mobility Inc.; Jason Mars, CEO and co-founder of CLINC, which specializes in artificial intelligence; and Ken Washington, CTO and vice president of Research and Advanced Engineering at Ford Motor Company.

“The Inforum event was a great opportunity for me,” says Mueller, one of eight Macomb students who attended the breakfast.  “I was able to talk with some of the leaders in the automotive industry after the panelists were done. I was also able to give some people my contact information at the event in hopes of landing an internship for the summer.”

Currently working in a uniform supply store, Mueller is also thinking about the bachelor of accounting program at Wayne State University as her next step toward an accounting career.

“I wouldn’t mind getting into something that involves data analytics. That field seems quite interesting to me,” offers Mueller. “Long-term, I see myself running an accounting firm or traveling to meet with clients that need special services.”

At the Inforum breakfast, panelists offered students their sage advice on everything from gaining experience by department hopping to making their voice heard by leadership.  But it was the message about following their own hearts that left the biggest impression on Mueller.

“My greatest takeaway from the event,” she offers, “is always be true to yourself.”

And the Clintondale High School graduate has found Macomb to be a great place to find out just who that is.

“I love that I have interacted with so many people from different backgrounds. It has given me a different take on the world,” says Mueller.  “I would have to say the opportunities available at Macomb are endless.”