WCC student is defending our digital world
Fran LeFort - August 19, 2026
After seeing firsthand how damaging a cyberattack can be, Ypsilanti resident Scott Cochran decided to change careers and pursue a cybersecurity degree.
View Post : WCC student is defending our digital worldtags: Student Profile, cybersecurity
WCC student Roman Karas is Michigan's youth entrepreneur of the year
Rich Rezler - November 18, 2025
At the age of 17, Roman Karas is running four startup businesses, giving TEDx talks and planning to use his entrepreneurship skills to make healthcare solutions more accessible and affordable.
View Post : WCC student Roman Karas is Michigan's youth entrepreneur of the yeartags: On The Record, Student Profile, November 2025, Awards, Entrepreneurship, Washtenaw Technical Middle College
Credit for Prior Learning: Turn your work experience into college credit
WCC Public Relations - October 26, 2025
Over the last five years, 2,256 students have taken advantage of WCC's Credit for Prior Learning program, with a 195% jump in the total number of credits awarded.
View Post : Credit for Prior Learning: Turn your work experience into college credittags: Credit for Prior Learning, Student Profile, Winter 2026, Exercise Science, Launch, November 2025, On The Record
60 Stories: Two generations of WCC nurses
Rich Rezler - October 24, 2025
When Seema Awan walks across the stage at WCC's nursing pinning ceremony in December, she’ll be following in the footsteps of her mother, Anna, who began her own nursing journey at the college a decade ago.
View Post : 60 Stories: Two generations of WCC nursestags: 60 Stories, Nursing, Student Profile, 60th Anniversary, Alumni Profile, November 2025, On The Record
Student profile: Maurice Jordan is a veteran, plumber and lifelong learner
Kayla Gahagan - September 25, 2025
Maurice Jordan's education journey at WCC began in 1997 and continues today.
View Post : Student profile: Maurice Jordan is a veteran, plumber and lifelong learnertags: Construction Technology, ousearch_Programs_construction Supervision, Skilled Trades, Student Profile
Student profile: William Brink wants to fix machines that move America
Fran LeFort - September 25, 2025
Twice deployed to Afghanistan, U.S. Marine William Brink now has a clear goal to learn to use his education as a stepping stone.
View Post : Student profile: William Brink wants to fix machines that move Americatags: Launch, Student Profile, Wadhams Veterans Center, Fall 2025
Mother-daughter duo completing WCC program together
Terry Jacoby - June 28, 2025
When Emily Friedrichsen attended an orientation session for Washtenaw Community College’s Medical Assisting program, she realized she hadn’t only discovered the perfect fit for herself — she had found one for her mother, too.
View Post : Mother-daughter duo completing WCC program togethertags: Launch, Medical Assisting, Student Profile, Health Sciences, Medical Assistant
WCC Student Profile: Arterah Griggs
WCC Public Relations - September 10, 2024
A Chicago native, WCC student Arterah Griggs plans to transfer to Ferris State University in 2025.
View Post : WCC Student Profile: Arterah Griggstags: Launch, Student Services, Transfer, Launch Fall 2024, WCC Foundation, Student Success, Student Profile
WCC Digital Video student premiering film on October 12
Rich Rezler - October 05, 2023
A premier of Ethan Williams’ fictional comedy “I Hear That You Make Baby Videos” will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12 in Towsley Auditorium.
View Post : WCC Digital Video student premiering film on October 12tags: Student Succes, On The Record, Digital Video Production, Digital Media Arts, December 2023, Student Profile
Graduate Profile: De'ja Moon, Radiography
Rich Rezler - June 09, 2023
After 10 years in the healthcare field, De'ja Moon found her passion in radiography.
View Post : Graduate Profile: De'ja Moon, Radiographytags: Student Profile, Graduation, Radiography, Class of 2023
Graduate Profile: Karl Owen, Pre-Engineering Science
Rich Rezler - June 01, 2023
A native of San Jose, Karl Owen came to WCC to capitalize on its transfer relationship with the University of Michigan. And he has no plans to leave the state any time soon.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Karl Owen, Pre-Engineering Sciencetags: On The Record, June 2023, Pre-Engineering, Student Profile, STEM Scholars Program, Class of 2023, Graduation
Graduate Profile: Saydatou Cisse, Sports and Entertainment Management
Rich Rezler - May 30, 2023
Sports have always played a major role in Saydatou Cisse's life. While she attended WCC, she realized sports could extend beyond recreation and entertainment to become a career.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Saydatou Cisse, Sports and Entertainment Managementtags: Graduation, Sports and Entertainment Management, General Studies, Sports, On The Record, Class of 2023, June 2023, Student Profile
Graduate Profile: Adrian Barden, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Rich Rezler - May 25, 2023
Graduation doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve reached the end of your higher education pursuits. For Adrian Barden, joining the Washtenaw Community College Class of 2023 is just one stop along a much longer journey.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Adrian Barden, Entrepreneurship and Innovationtags: Graduation, Student Profile, June 2023, Business Administration, Class of 2023, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, On The Record
Graduate Profile: Lauren Blackford, Arts Management
Rich Rezler - May 23, 2023
Lauren Blackford played her first gig in September 2020, the same week she started classes at WCC. One week after completing her final WCC class in early May 2023, she was in a studio recording on her first EP.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Lauren Blackford, Arts Managementtags: On The Record, Student Profile, Graduation, liberal arts, June 2023, Arts Management
Graduate Profile: Susan Hamady, Photography
Rich Rezler - May 23, 2023
Susan Hamady earned a bachelor’s degree in 1968 and a master’s degree in 1980. But the 76-year-old Ann Arbor resident had never walked in a graduation ceremony … until Sunday.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Susan Hamady, Photographytags: On The Record, Photography, Digital Photography, Student Profile, Class of 2023, Graduation, Emeritus Program, June 2023
Lifelong mission to serve leads 20-year Army veteran to WCC
Kayla Gahagan - November 10, 2022
Rebekah Spencer experienced the worst of combat, including seeing fellow soldiers killed in action and spending two weeks in a coma herself. At WCC, she's working toward alleviating the harms that humans suffer.
View Post : Lifelong mission to serve leads 20-year Army veteran to WCCtags: On The Record, Student Profile, Student Veterans, December 2022, Wadhams Veterans Center
WCC STEM Scholars program fuels passions for Harris sisters
Fran LeFort - August 07, 2022
STEM Scholars was established at WCC in 2018 to encourage and facilitate success for students seeking science, technology, engineering and math careers. It supports underrepresented students through multiple grants.
View Post : WCC STEM Scholars program fuels passions for Harris sisterstags: On The Record, ousearch_News_Launch Magazine, STEM Scholars Program, Student Profile, Launch Fall 2022, 3D Animation, September 2022, Launch, STEM, Transfer
Graduate Profile: Kimberly Schamberger, Film Studies
Rich Rezler - May 25, 2022
Before she hits the stage at the Oscars or Emmys, Kimberly Schamberger already has one impressive award in her back pocket.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Kimberly Schamberger, Film Studiestags: Graduation, Student Profile, Class of 2022, Commencement, On The Record, June 2022
Graduate Profile: Caleb Rogers, Welding
Rich Rezler - May 25, 2022
Twenty college credits Caleb Rogers earned as a dual-enrolled high school student allowed him to finish WCC’s Welding Technology associate degree program in just one year.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Caleb Rogers, Weldingtags: Student Profile, On The Record, Class of 2022, Graduation, June 2022, Commencement
Graduate Profile: Austin Mudd, Mechatronics
Rich Rezler - May 24, 2022
Plenty of individuals hang their hat on the ability to do a job fast and do it right. Recent graduate Austin Mudd took that “fast and right” concept and upgraded it to “accelerated and exceptional.”
View Post : Graduate Profile: Austin Mudd, Mechatronicstags: Class of 2022, June 2022, Graduation, Student Profile, On The Record, Commencement
Graduate Profile: Ta'Varus Lumpkin, Dental Assisting
Rich Rezler - May 24, 2022
Extravagantly decorated caps are always a highlight at Commencement, but few have stood out quite like Ta'Varus Lumpkins' cap stood out.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Ta'Varus Lumpkin, Dental Assistingtags: On The Record, Commencement, Class of 2022, June 2022, Graduation, Student Profile
Graduate Profile: Daria Skalitzky, WTMC
Rich Rezler - May 24, 2022
Darie Skalitzky ended her time on the WCC campus with a high school diploma, associate degree, 62 transferrable college credits and a $1,500 scholarship she'll use at the University of Michigan.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Daria Skalitzky, WTMCtags: On The Record, Student Profile, Class of 2022, Commencement, Graduation, June 2022
Graduate Profile: Bianca Robinson, Nursing
Rich Rezler - May 24, 2022
Many WCC students returned to college to make a career change. Bianca Robinson has cycled through an interesting series of career choices herself, all before completing her education.
View Post : Graduate Profile: Bianca Robinson, Nursingtags: Class of 2022, Graduation, June 2022, Student Profile, Commencement, On The Record
Police academy? Law school? WCC student has 'law & order' options
Rich Rezler - March 24, 2022
Alexandra La Vallee is supplementing her education with a prestigious internship, giving her plenty of options after graduation.
View Post : Police academy? Law school? WCC student has 'law & order' optionstags: March 2022, Internship, On The Record, Criminal Justice, Student Profile
Academic All-Stars: Two WCC students named to Coca-Cola Academic Team
Rich Rezler - March 21, 2022
Rachel Rubanguka is one of 50 students nationwide named a “Gold Scholar” and Daria Skalitzky is one of 50 on the “Silver Scholar” list of the 2022 Coca-Cola Foundation Academic Team.
View Post : Academic All-Stars: Two WCC students named to Coca-Cola Academic Teamtags: Phi Theta Kappa, Student Profile, March 2022, On The Record, Student Activities, Awards, Student Success
Michigan Reconnect turns dreams into realities for students in program's first year
Fran LeFort - February 21, 2022
Amanda MacDonald and Carmen Samaniego are two of the nearly 1,300 students enrolled at WCC using the Michigan Reconnect tuition program. "Without Reconnect, I’m not sure I would have come back. I would have made excuses and seen too many obstacles,” MacDonald said.
View Post : Michigan Reconnect turns dreams into realities for students in program's first yeartags: On The Record, Launch Summer 2022, Student Profile, Medical Billing and Coding, Health Administration, March 2022, Computer Science, Reconnect, Michigan Reconnect
Student Profile: Let's all join Malia's Movement
Rich Rezler - January 22, 2022
Malia Ellis fought through the burdens of embarrassment and isolation that a physical disability can crudely place upon a young girl. So the 19-year-old WCC student is on a mission to erase those burdens for future generations.
View Post : Student Profile: Let's all join Malia's Movementtags: On The Record, Disabilities, January 2022, Student Profile
Student profile: Photography major Shelby Beaty also working on her business plan
Rich Rezler - October 09, 2021
It’s estimated that 75 percent of American college students start their higher education as undecided about their field of study or change their major at least once. Shelby Beaty is not most students.
View Post : Student profile: Photography major Shelby Beaty also working on her business plantags: ousearch_Programs_Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Entrepreneurship, December 2021, Digital Photography, ousearch_Programs_Photographic Imaging, Student Profile, On The Record, Photography
Student profile: Passion for patients led former EMT Demetrius Jenkins to nursing
Kathryn Wagner - October 04, 2021
For the past eight years, Demetrius Jenkins has served Washtenaw County as an emergency medical technician while contemplating and researching possible next career steps. His decision? Nursing.
View Post : Student profile: Passion for patients led former EMT Demetrius Jenkins to nursingtags: Men in Nursing, Nursing, December 2021, On The Record, Student Profile
Meet graduates at WCC's first Commencement Parade and Celebration
Rich Rezler - May 22, 2021
Spend any time around Washtenaw Community College students and you're bound to meet interesting people and hear compelling stories. Here are just a few we gathered at the college's Commencement Parade & Celebration.
View Post : Meet graduates at WCC's first Commencement Parade and Celebrationtags: Class of 2021, Commencement Parade, Student Profile, ousearch_News_2021, Graduation
Student Spotlight: Brenda Anderson exploring photography as 'retirement career'
Tabetha Chaney - March 01, 2021
Q&A with Brenda Anderson, a WCC alumni who's back on campus exploring photography as a "retirement career."
View Post : Student Spotlight: Brenda Anderson exploring photography as 'retirement career'tags: Student Profile, Digital Photography, Student Success, February 2021, ousearch_News_2021, On The Record