Campus Blog

Textbooks and lectures provide the facts about a profession, but a field trip provides the experience. That’s why Macomb’s Career Services works with professors to schedule tours for students at local companies, like the recent one to Suburban Bolt.    

Tyler Giza, a Macomb Global Supply Chain Management student, has been working at the industrial supply company’s Roseville facility since January. When fellow classmates arrived for their tour on Feb. 21, he was proud to help show them around.   

“I’m very happy here, it’s great. We train in the office and the warehouse,” said Giza, a second-year student who intends to transfer to Wayne State University after he graduates in December. “We get to see the interaction between the two, which gives us a better idea of how the supply chain works. And everybody here is approachable.”

On the tour, Ben Dack was impressed by the modern, organized office and relaxed environment. Chelsey Quinn liked that it was family owned and employees were willing to mentor students and answer their questions. Julia Pesci appreciated that it “gave off a friendly vibe” and there didn’t appear to be a dress code.

Giza’s part-time job at Suburban was arranged by Macomb’s Career Services, which also assisted Patrick Greek, business professor, in organizing the recent tour. Students were also treated to lunch and heard from Suburban Bolt staffers like Frank Woch, who started sweeping floors at the 49-year-old company and is now part of its sales team. He explained how Suburban Bolt began as a distributor of bolts and fasteners, and is now a supplier of entire assembly lines, as well as the hard hats and protective goggles that go with them.

“We’re a small company and we have to fend for ourselves,” said Woch. “We are cross-training the (Macomb) students because it’s part of our long-term strategy. We’d love to keep them here.”  

If you want to experience what a company is really like, contact Career Services at 586.445.7321 or careerservices@macomb.edu and ask them about the other Friday Field Trips they are offering this semester. 

Are you overwhelmed thinking about transferring credits from one college or university to another? Don’t be! We’re here to help.

We’re having a College and Transfer Fair on Tuesday, Feb. 25, which provides you with a one-stop resource for everything you need to know about transferring or how to transfer.

The fair will be held in the Sports and Expo Center on Macomb’s South Campus. Drop in anytime between 4 and 7 pm to learn about the Michigan Transfer Agreement, bachelor and master degree opportunities at Macomb’s University Center and other colleges and universities, and scholarships available to transfer students.

Don’t miss this opportunity! Register now to save your place at the Macomb College and Transfer Fair so that you, like Macomb/Walsh grad Aviana Vasko, can say, “…the transfer process was easy. I never had to redo any classes.”

 Instead of spending hours researching four-year colleges and universities online, on the phone or in person, you have an opportunity to compare what many of these schools have to offer in one evening and not far from home.

 Macomb’s College and Transfer Fair will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Sports and Expo Center on South Campus. Drop in anytime between 4 and 7 pm and learn more about the transfer process and what some of Michigan’s top colleges and universities offer in regards to programs, scholarships, academic resources and more.

All 12 of our University Center partners (see list below) will be present to discuss the degree programs they offer on Macomb’s Center Campus.

Macomb students who have earned at least 60 credits at another college or university have the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree (or earn a master’s degree) at the University Center, conveniently located on Hall Road in Clinton Township. 

 This event is free and those who attend can enter a drawing to win an Apple Watch! Don’t miss this great opportunity! Save your spot today at macomb.edu/TransferFair

Macomb’s University Center Partners
Central Michigan University
Davenport University
Ferris State University
Madonna University
Michigan State University (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine)
Northwood University
Oakland University
Rochester University
University of Detroit Mercy
Walsh
Wayne State University
Western Michigan University

If you’re looking for a short educational program to take the next step in your career path, Continuing Education could be for you.

Students on this path take courses that will lead to certificates, prepare for careers, gain new skills or brush up on the latest techniques. These certificates could lead to new employment, advancement or promotion.

Some programs prepare you to take International, National or State exams*. Once you’ve passed these exams, you can earn an industry recognized professional certification.

Continuing education courses are available to anyone! Students in our programs are looking to increase their job skills, get their foot in the door, gain knowledge or verify the mastery of specialized skills.

Most of our programs can be completed in anywhere from 2 to 18 months.

There are many ways to fund your program and I’m here to help you determine the best option for you. We have 28 programs leading to a certificate, along with many other courses that may be just the right fit for your goals. To learn more, click here or contact me today!

Patrick Jacobs, Recruiter
586-498-4126
Jacobsp285@macomb.edu

*You must be 18 years old to sit for a state, national or international exam.

By Mary Smith, communications manager

Why do hundreds of thousands of volunteers from all 50 states participate each year in the largest community service event in the country? Because, to paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “They want to be the peace they wish to see in the world.”

For the past ten years, the college has been giving staff and students the third Monday in January off so that they can volunteer in their community, emulating the slain civil rights leader’s lifelong dedication to serving others.

Timed to coincide with Rev. King’s birthday on Jan. 15, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service was established by Congress in 1994. This year, it will be observed on Monday, Jan. 20.  But, as in the past, the college has scheduled volunteer opportunities for the preceding Saturday, as well, to give more people a chance to participate.

Off-site opportunities for volunteers are still available on Saturday, Jan. 18, at Arts and Scraps, Focus Hope, Gleaners Food Bank and Windemere Park (senior living facility). On Monday, Jan. 20, volunteers may choose from Capuchin Soup Kitchen or Gleaners Food Bank (Detroit or Warren). On Saturday, on-site volunteer activities will also be available in the Lorenzo Cultural Center on Center Campus, where a free luncheon for all volunteers will be served at 1 pm.  

“Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is an opportunity for our students to make a positive impact on their community,” says Colleen Hitchings, Student Life and Leadership coordinator. “By choosing to spend the day serving others, our students honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory and help spread his message of service and equality.”  

The event is open to all staff, students and community residents, but you must register in advance. All participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt to wear on their day of service.

By Mary Smith, communications staff

Did you know that advanced manufacturing jobs are expected to increase 25 percent in Macomb County over the next few years?That’s according to the county’s office of Planning and Economic Development, and they have the research and data to back it up This means Manufacturing is making a comeback, and there are jobs available in tool and die making, machining, mechanical engineering, robotics, welding and computer numerical control, to name a few. This is great news for our County!

It’s also good news for r Macomb students like Tessa Lau,“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.”

It’s a safe bet that apprenticeships, which bridge the gap between school and career, will share the spotlight with employment opportunities at the free Explore Careers in Manufacturing event on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 5:30 to 8 p.m., at Macomb’s Sports and Expo Center on South Campus. Held in conjunction with the college’s Auto STEAM Days, Dec. 4 and 5, which is attended by thousands of middle and high school students, the evening event is also open to their parents, family members and anyone interested in learning more about the hot jobs in today’s manufacturing industry. There will be plenty of interactive exhibits, including those in clay modeling, robotics, virtual welding and traffic light programming, as well as the opportunity to hear from industry insiders about the job skills that are in high demand today – and are expected to be tomorrow.

There will also be a car show, free refreshments and the chance to win a laptop computer. If you like high-tech gadgets and cars, you won’t want to miss this event! Register now at www.macomb.edu/mfgevening and be prepared to be amazed at what 21st century manufacturing has to offer. Maybe end with a personal note like – I may just have to attend, in the event that I ever decide to make a career change!

By Mary Smith, communications staff

Jennifer Harvala covers a lot of territory in her life.  She is director of operations for the Mike Morse Law Firm in Southfield, lives with her husband and three beloved dogs in Warren, and is working on a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Macomb’s South Campus in a program offered by Ferris State University.

“This partnership (between Macomb and Ferris) has made it incredibly easy to earn my bachelor’s degree,” says Harvala. “I can take online or hybrid classes at times that are convenient for me.”

The 3 + 1 transfer agreement between the two schools also means that Harvala can save money as well as time by taking the majority of her courses from Macomb.  

“I have found this to be a super accessible format for earning a degree,” says Harvala, whose husband earned the same degree in the same program two years ago. “Everything about it has been awesome.”

After a short and unfulfilling career in cosmetology, Harvala earned an associate degree in Macomb’s Legal Assistant Program in 2007, which helped her move up the ladder at Morse’s firm, where she has worked for 15 years.  Next up will be Central Michigan University’s Global Campus and a master’s degree in administration, with a specialty in training and development. “That’s my passion,” says Harvala. “Fortunately, I work for a company that is very supportive of professional development.”

By college writers

Okay, so maybe no one at People, Pets and Vets can actually talk with the animals, but they certainly know how to care for them. And that includes teddy bears with broken arms and Siberian huskies afraid of thunderstorms.     

People, Pets and Vets will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26, 11 am to 3 pm, in and around E Building on Center Campus. Co-sponsored by Macomb’s Veterinary Technician Program and the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association, the free, family event includes 50 exhibits, demonstrations and activities, including face painting, farm animals, Leader Dogs, pet rescue associations and a free Teddy Bear Clinic for ailing stuffed animals.  Veterinarians will also be on hand to answer questions about real animals.  But please leave the family pets at home, there will be plenty of other animals to pet and interact with!

By college writers

If you don’t have time to visit Counseling and Academic Advising Services for help planning your winter semester class schedule, you are in luck! Academic advisors will be visiting popular on-campus hangouts next week. 

Look for them:

Monday, Oct. 21:
Center Campus Library (C Building), noon to 2pm
South Campus Student Center (K Building), noon to 2pm

Tuesday, Oct. 22:
Center Campus Library (C Building), 4 to 6pm
South Campus Library (J Building), 4 to 6pm

Bring a coffee or energy drink and all your questions about programs, courses, transfer, academic evaluations and college resources.  And, you don’t even need to make an appointment!  How convenient is that?

By Delena Austin, Medical Assistant Program faculty.

I was the first medical assistant, although I was called the doctor’s “extra pair of hands.”  I was quick thinking and did not mind a little blood.  I would care for the sick at the physician’s side and assist in any way I could. Whatever the doctor needed, I was there to provide.  Alleviating suffering was my calling and I was a compassionate professional.  Treating wounds, assisting in surgeries, administering medication, I did it all.

But oh have things changed since my time!  Now this extra pair of hands is called a medical assistant.  My proud profession now runs the whole ambulatory care facility.  We can do everything from greeting and triaging patients to getting their chief complaint and performing any diagnostic test or treatment ordered by the doctor.  At the end of the patient’s visit, we can even bill their insurance.  We have grown to be indispensable! 

There are now many more opportunities for a medical assistant graduate.  We are truly everywhere, in all medical specialties and hospitals across this great land.  Unlike many professions, our certification is national.  We can pick up and work anywhere without the constraints of licensure.  We work under the provider’s license and only do as we are directed and trained. 

Our scope of practice is now very broad, too.  You can never get bored when you are drawing blood, giving injections, answering patient questions and administering ECGs and other diagnostic tests.  If you find that you are not interested in the back office, you can specialize in the front office or do billing and coding.  There are so many more opportunities then when I was working as “an extra pair of hands.”  You can even teach in this proud profession once you have enough experience and education. 

Technology has truly lifted medicine up from my time!  Computers and electronic health records have forever changed how we provide patient care but one thing is constant, the compassionate and versatile medical assistant. I encourage you to learn more about Macomb Community College’s Medical Assistant Program!  It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and graduates are eligible to take the American Association of Medical Assistants’ Certified Medical Assistant certification exam.  This is truly something to be proud of as it is the “gold standard” certification for this great profession. 

Macomb’s Medical Assistant Program now takes only one calendar year to complete.  If you would like more information please email Delena Kay Austin at austind@macomb.edu. Next year, you could join the ranks of this proud and important profession as a credentialed medical assistant.