Real Students of Macomb

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.

This photo of Tyler Giza standing under a bridge in Tucson, Arizona, tells you a lot about the 2018 Henry Ford II High School graduate.  He’s inquisitive about how things work and he pays attention to detail.  That made him an ideal candidate for Macomb’s Global Supply Chain Management Program.

“I’ve always been curious about how components get from one place to another,” says Giza, who just completed his first year at Macomb on his way toward an Associate of Business Administration Degree in Global Supply Chain Management.  “I emailed Professor (Patrick) Greek when my sister told me about this program.  He has become my mentor.”

Upon Greek’s recommendation, Giza participated in Wayne State University’s Supply Chain Case Competition, sponsored by Ford Motor Company, earlier this year.  Giza was the only community college student on his team, which was faced with the task of solving a supply chain dilemma: a shortage of one type of widget and a surplus of another.  His team’s solution involved modifying older parts until the new ones could be delivered, allowing production to continue.  Out of 12 teams, Giza’s took first place.

“That was a pretty great experience,” he says.  “It really sold me on supply chain management.  It is an up-and-coming career that is expected to grow by seven percent. It doesn’t matter whether its frozen dinners or automobiles, every company depends on its supply chain.”

Just as he did his research before deciding on a career, Giza is also determined to learn as much as he can about the automotive industry, in which he expects to begin working after graduating from Macomb. He will be attending the Center for Automotive Research Management Seminars, held in Traverse City each summer, on a scholarship from the organization.  Speakers will include executive leadership and researchers from General Motors, Ford, Daimler, Nissan, Honda, U.S. Department of Energy, Magna International, Delphi Technologies and the University of Michigan, to name just a few. Topics will focus on the future direction of the automotive industry, with ample opportunities for students to network with prospective employers.

“I’m looking for flexibility in a career,” says Giza, who intends to transfer to Wayne State University after he graduates from Macomb to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Global Supply Chain Management.  “At Macomb, I’ve had a lot of engaging professors, like Professor Greek, and they’ve kept things interesting.  I’ve been able to save money and get a feel for what supply chain management is really like.”

Giza, who works full time as a cook at Lakeside Family Restaurant, also participated in the Inforum Breakfast in downtown Detroit in January. It’s held each year during the North American International Auto Show and is intended to raise awareness among college students about leadership opportunities in the automotive industry. For his part, Giza has no doubt about what those opportunities will involve.

“I think autonomous vehicles are the future,” he says. “The vibe I get is that it will happen.”

Jessica Daffin-Thompson hopes to transform her love of telling stories and taking stands through the songs she writes into a career that “marries” journalism with political science, and she is in awe of how quickly that dream is taking shape at Macomb.

Since her first class in January, Daffin-Thompson has been mentored by Brooke Allen, political science professor, and Casandra Ulbrich, former vice president of College Advancement and Community Relations, who holds a Ph.D. in communication. Daffin-Thompson has also received a Democracy Fellowship from the Campus Vote Project and chatted one-on-on with Carl Bernstein when he and Bob Woodward (famous journalists who broke the Watergate scandal) spoke at the college in February.  Last spring, she visit Washington, D.C. with her political science classmates, before beginning an internship in the Warren office of U.S. Congressman Andy Levin.

“As soon as I started taking classes at Macomb, my life changed immediately. All these doors started opening,” says Daffin-Thompson.  “You don’t have to be a stellar student to start here, you just show your professors that you want (to learn), and they will help you get there.”

Following graduation from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Daffin-Thompson was accepted at Michigan State University. Encouraged throughout childhood by her parents, she was intent on becoming the first in her family to graduate from college. But she got sidetracked from that goal by a disappointing freshman year and the promise of a music career.

“I was supposed to be the golden child.  I was going to own Michigan State. I was going to make the dean’s list,” relates Daffin-Thompson. But large classes, rising tuition costs and a lack of connection with her professors made it easy to accept an offer from a record company. Unfortunately, she, like many young singers and songwriters, failed to read the fine print.  The company, not Daffin-Thompson, owned the rights to the songs she wrote and performed.  She returned home to Detroit, married a police officer turned accountant, had their son, Ira Thompson III, and moved to Clinton Township.

“I was trying to figure out what to do next when my husband said, ‘Hey, didn’t you want to be a lawyer once?’” relates Daffin-Thompson. “That’s when I decided to check out this place called Macomb.”

With lower tuition rates, “living lectures,” professors who “want to be here,” and “never-ending, exciting experiences,” Daffin-Thompson believes community colleges are “the best transition from high school.”  And, before she transfers to the University of Michigan – Dearborn to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science and/or journalism, she is taking advantage of all that her community college has to offer, including the Macomb Multicultural International Initiatives events that she regularly attends.

“These forums are so valuable, especially when people are identifying so strongly with political parties right now,” offers Daffin-Thompson. “It’s better to flow off of love and kindness, and that’s what these programs, this college, is all about.”