Board Spotlight: Ram Ramanujam, Schoolcraft College Foundation Board of Governors Vice President
Ram Ramanujam served as an executive leader in manufacturing engineering and global program management during his 33-year career at General Motors.
First Valedictorian’s Legacy Continues Through Planned Gift
The Schoolcraft College Foundation has received a $135,000 gift from the late Alan Tope, a member of Schoolcraft College’s first graduating class in 1966 and the College’s first valedictorian.
CulEx 2026 Sponsor Spotlight: Thomas Marek
Thomas Marek is a Platinum level sponsor of the annual Culinary Extravaganza event and a member of the Foundation’s Visionaries Circle.
Uncovering Purpose: Sophia Mark’s Story
Sophia Mark was certain she would never go to college, but support from the Schoolcraft College Foundation following a spur-of-the-moment decision changed her life.
Fostering a Better Environment: Arianna Nunez-Conley’s Story
Tragedy struck when her grandfather suffered a heart attack, but watching healthcare workers assist his recovery showed Arianna Nunez-Conley that she could do the same. Her resilience during those formative moments would set her on the path to a career in nursing.
Paying it Forward: Samantha Bleim’s Story
Samantha Bleim is proof that an investment by the Schoolcraft College Foundation can yield life-changing results. A 28-year-old aspiring Spanish major at Schoolcraft College, her collegiate trajectory is not traditional, but it is exceptional.
Schoolcraft College Joins 24 Community Colleges in Masonry Trades Agreement
A groundbreaking public/private collaboration with the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2, the Michigan Community College Association and Michigan’s Labor and Economic Development Office (LEO) are pioneering a new workforce development model. The initiative integrates apprenticeship training and a learner’s experience into credit toward an associate degree at 24 Michigan community colleges.
Board Spotlight: Spencer Knickerbocker
Spencer Knickerbocker serves as Chief Investment Officer and founding partner of Stonebrook Private, where he oversees the firm’s investment strategy with a disciplined, data-driven approach. He helped establish the firm in 2023, focused on aligning complex financial strategies with the real-world goals of clients.
Board Spotlight: Marina L. Shoemaker, President
Director of DEI External Partnerships, General Motors (retired) Marina L. Shoemaker served as Director of DEI External Partnerships for General Motors, where she expanded the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion impact through strategic external partnerships and helped guide its response to the evolving demographics and needs of customers and employees worldwide. During her 33-year career […]
Sparking Passion: Ally Sharnowski’s Story
Ally Sharnowski had no idea that a trip to the gym would be the deciding factor in her future. She was a Michigan State University sophomore in search of a job when she saw an advertisement for the Novi Fire Department that read “Add a New Suit to Your Wardrobe: Become a Paid-on-Call or Auxiliary Firefighter!”
For Sharnowski, with a passion for fitness and church volunteering, it wasn’t just a physical sign; it was a symbolic one. She saw herself in the woman outfitted with firefighting gear on the advertisement and decided that was the future she wanted. Over two years later, she is well on her way as a part-time firefighter/EMT for the Novi Fire Department, and as the fall 2025 recipient of the Marie & Clyde Rivard Scholarship through the Schoolcraft College Foundation.