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eNews 36th Edition

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In This Edition

Celebrate the Future: Vision 2025 Milestone Event – June 26

You're Invited to a V2025 Campaign Walk

Join us on Thursday, June 26th, for an unforgettable celebration hosted by the SC Foundation at the Vistatech Center from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm. This open-house event marks a monumental achievement in Schoolcraft’s history – raising over $18 million in philanthropic support for scholarships, programs, and projects that align with the College’s mission and strategic plan.

This is the first comprehensive fundraising campaign in Schoolcraft’s history, and we want you to be part of this joyous occasion! Come and witness the incredible impact of our generous donors across all areas of the College. Enjoy engaging activities, inspiring stories, and a chance to connect with fellow supporters who share a passion for education and community.

Let’s celebrate together and look forward to a bright future with Vision 2025!

Register Now!

Experiential Education: Nino Salvaggio’s

Exciting news! The new Nino Salvaggio’s gourmet market is taking shape on the north end of Schoolcraft’s Livonia campus, and it’s bringing incredible opportunities for our students. Set to open in Fall 2025, this innovative partnership offers our culinary and business students hands-on, real-world learning experiences. From mastering the culinary industry to exploring supply chain management and entrepreneurship, the possibilities are endless!

“Having a Nino Salvaggio’s International Marketplace right here on campus will give all of our students real-world experience that will enhance their education,” said Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College. “This marketplace will help teach our students in ways no other community college can offer. We cannot wait for our students and the community to see this wonderful addition to the campus.”

Here is just a sample of what our students are experiencing: 

Celebrating Schoolcraft College’s 2025 Graduates

Schoolcraft College marked its 60th graduating class on May 3rd, celebrating over 400 graduates. The ceremony featured a keynote by Rob Casalou, president and CEO of Trinity Health Michigan & Southeast Regions, who praised the graduates as “doers and dreamers” poised to change the world.

Distinguished Alumni Recipient Dr. Raj Maheshwari, an anesthesiologist at Advent Health in Tampa, also shared his inspiring journey from Schoolcraft to his successful medical career.

A heartwarming moment came when President Cerny awarded honorary degrees to Schoolcraft’s five Comfort Care Canines—Scout, Mocha, Starla, Copper, and Teddy—who help reduce stress and promote goodwill between Schoolcraft Police and the community (see viral video below).

Thanks to generous donors, many students achieved their dreams with the support of scholarships, breaking down barriers to education.

Schoolcraft’s Faculty & Staff Shine at Lip Sync Battle, Raising Over $69,000 for Student Support

During the month of April, the Faculty & Staff Giving Campaign raised over $11,000, including a $5,000 matching grant from Michigan Educational Credit Union for any faculty/staff donations made to the Student Food Pantry and the Student Emergency Needs Fund. Schoolcraft’s faculty and staff have generously contributed over $69,000 this year alone!

The campaign kicked off with the Second Annual Lip Sync Battle. This year, six acts competed in front of a crowd of 150 guests for a chance to win a $5,000 grant for the department of their choice. The Math Department took home First Prize with their energetic rendition of Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” Other notable performances included Chris Curd from PPL with “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis, and the Facilities team with “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” by Aerosmith.

Watch the video here! https://youtu.be/A3FD9upN5Xo

The Harvest Ahead: Unveiling CULEX 2025

The CULEX 2025 Sponsor Preview on March 20th was well attended as sponsors and friends of Schoolcraft anxiously awaited CULEX Committee Chair, Chef Marc Djozlija, to unveil the theme for the Schoolcraft Foundation’s annual fundraiser, CULEX 2025: An American Harvest. Read more. Guests were treated to a delightful baking demo by Chef Allison White, 2024 National Student Pastry Chef of the Year, as well as an incredible buffet dinner compliments of Chef Brian Beland and the Culinary Arts Department. CULEX 2025: An American Harvest is expected to be the most exciting CULEX yet!

Exciting News! We have over $57,000 in sponsors supporting this year’s CulEx, the signature fundraiser for Schoolcraft College that supports student scholarships and programs.

Missed the preview? No worries! For maximum impact, commit to sponsor CULEX by 6/1, or grab your tickets now: bit.ly/25scfculex. Tickets sell out fast, so secure your spot and support Schoolcraft students and programs!

Questions? Call (734) 462-4455 or email foundation@schoolcraft.edu.

Register Now!

Thanks to the following donors for establishing the following funds totaling $101,500!

New Funds

BOSCH Community Fund Awards $50,000 Grant to Schoolcraft Mobility Initiative

The Foundation received a $50,000 grant from BOSCH Community Fund to fund curriculum development for Schoolcraft’s new Mobility program that is being designed in partnership with University of Michigan’s EV Mobility Center.

The Schoolcraft Mobility Initiative, in collaboration with the University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center, aims to develop a comprehensive Mobility Certification Program covering all Electrified systems, and is being offered via a hybrid modality (i.e., part on-line and part hands-on). This initiative is designed to support the automotive industry by providing a skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of the evolving mobility industry from development through manufacturing and service. This module-based certificate program has been developed with input from major automotive industry partners who have identified a significant demand for this training.
The program’s target audience includes:

The program is expected to see 100 trainees per year for the certification program with the https://www.bosch.us/intent to develop credit-classes over the next five years.

Clarence & Lillian Constantakis Nursing Lab Room

On May 22, the Nursing Lab at Schoolcraft College Health Sciences Center was named in honor of Clarence and Lillian Constantakis. This recognition celebrates their establishment of the Marian Schoen Endowed Book Fund, a $1M endowed fund held at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. This generous gift provides $40,000 annually in scholarship support for Schoolcraft Nursing students, covering costs beyond tuition.

Mr. Constantakis expressed, “This scholarship honors the graduate nurses of this institution who are dedicated to compassionate patient care.”

Retiree Summer Luncheon 2025

Building Brighter Futures: D3C3 Grant’s Impact at Midpoint

Our D3C3 Mid Grant Celebration took place on April 25, 2025.  We had a great time celebrating year two of the generous grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.  Foundation and Ballmer Group. Schoolcraft College is dedicated to making a positive impact on our students and community. Through these strategic investments and goals, we aim to create a brighter future for all.

With this grant, our key investments focus on enhancing student success and community growth. We aim to improve student success through data-driven strategies, technology integration, and robust mental health support, boosting enrollment, retention, and completion rates.

In the K-12 sector, we are working closer with our K-12 partners introducing college preparatory programs and dual enrollment opportunities to help students transition smoothly to college.

Our mobility initiatives involve collaborating with community employers to develop relevant curriculum and training programs. Our goals include increasing student completion rates by 5% between the 2021-22 and 2024-25 academic years, expanding outreach to economically disadvantaged schools, and boosting enrollment among non-traditional aged students by 2% annually. We also aim to improve persistence and retention rates by 5% through enhanced mental health support.

We focus on placing 75% of mobility program graduates into related careers within six months of credential attainment, with at least 60% earning a minimum of $16 per hour. By working closely with community employers, we ensure our programs are relevant and beneficial, providing students with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

In the News

Nino Salvaggio and Schoolcraft College Culinary Students: Detroit Produce Terminal Tour
Schoolcraft College Culinary students tour the Detroit Produce Terminal with Leo Salvaggio, co-owner of Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace—a collaborative partnership in education and innovation.
Watch the video>

Community Colleges Eye State Funding for Dual Enrollment Expansion
Spartan News Room – By Emilio Perez Ibarguen – March 14, 2025
“For about a year, state and federal funds have been used to pay all tuition and fees for students from six districts who take classes at Schoolcraft.”
Read More >

Schoolcraft Culinary Arts Graduate Open Da Bomb Taco in Ferndale
Detroit Metro Times – By Lee DeVito – March 13, 2025
“A financial analyst with the city of Detroit and graduate of SchoolCraft College’s culinary school, Session launched Da Bomb Taco in 2022.”
Read More >

Schoolcraft Culinary Arts Graduate’s LIA- A Fusion of Art & Dining Debuts this Spring in Chicago
Eater Chicago – By Serena Maria Daniels – February 13, 2025
“Vaiciunas was born and raised in metro Detroit and graduated culinary school from Schoolcraft College, before cutting his teeth in the area’s restaurant scene…”
Read More >

Open Scholarships for Fall 2025/2026 School Year!

Do you know anyone who could use support for this upcoming school year? Scholarships provided by the Schoolcraft College Foundation are still available!

Whether it’s a recent high school grad, a returning student, or someone exploring a new career path—there is help available.

The Foundation is awarding 2025-26 scholarships in three rounds:

3/21 – 6/22 Round 1 Scholarships

6/23 – 8/10 Round 2 Scholarships

8/11 – 9/21 Round 3 Scholarships

There are different scholarships in each round and students are welcome to apply for scholarships in as many rounds as they would like.

👉 Head to schoolcraft.edu/scholarships to learn more and apply today!

Inaugural Vision to Venture Pitch Competition: An Ambitious Success

2025 Vision to Venture

The Schoolcraft College Foundation, in collaboration with the Business Club, organized the inaugural Vision to Venture event, led by Sanika Tailor, the Foundation Student Employee and Business Club President. This event was a wonderful celebration of innovation, ambition, and community.

Vision to Venture provided student entrepreneurs with an excellent platform to present their business ideas to a panel of esteemed judges, which included Board of Governors member Robin Whitfield, Dr. Arielle J. Taylor, and Jesse Jennings. The event highlighted innovation, creativity, and practical business planning, with cash prizes awarded to the top pitches.

2025 Winners:

1st – Joseph Lamothe, Lique Craft: Premium-quality drinkware for professionals and home enthusiasts.

2nd – Madeline Compton & Luke Jachman, Mad Designs: Custom graphic design services for business clients.

3rd – Rida Farinaz, Autobotix: AI-powered drive-thru dent and scratch repair service

Schoolcraft Offers Students, Alumni & Friends FREE Webinars

We are excited to offer monthly FREE webinars featuring national speakers. These webinars are an excellent way to enhance your business skills and broaden your knowledge. Topics include leadership, workplace fairness, technology, psychology, and many more, all led by a distinguished lineup of speakers. We encourage you to check them out and share your feedback! Remember, knowledge is power!

To register or to view past event recordings, please visit: alumlc.org/schoolcraft

Can’t make it to a webinar or miss one? 
Here is a link to the library of previous presentations you can access free of charge!

Human-Centered Leadership
Why Are We Here
Unstoppable Entrepreneurs
Mastering Your Job Move

SAVE THE DATES:

2025 Giving & Growth Series
A speaker series on philanthropy and planning – details coming soon…
Schoolcraft College – Vistatech Center – Diponio Room VT500A
18600 Haggerty Rd, Livonia, MI 48152
11:30 am to 1:00 pm

6/9: Presidential Golf Outing @ St. Johns

6/26: Vision 2025 Campaign Walk

Alumni & Friends

9/5: Schoolcraft Night at the Detroit Tigers Game

Show your support for Schoolcraft College students and programs today.

GIVE NOW

Vision 2025: The Fundraising Initiative
Vision 2025 is a five-year fundraising initiative that supports Schoolcraft College — its programs, students, and members of the southeast Michigan community. It is designed to provide the financial support needed for innovation beyond the limitations of current funding. Vision 2025 will impact the next 25 years of the 21st century by helping the college transform workforce education, which will engage, inspire, and transform students, the community, and economy.