Meet Our Alumni

Macomb alumnus starring in “Hockey, The Musical!”

In his second-grade Christmas pageant, Greg Trzaskoma was the only kid who didn’t need a microphone. That booming voice and personality would do him well after coming to the conclusion, while selling television sets at Montgomery Ward, that he wanted to be an actor.

“So I went back to Macomb,” says Trzaskoma, who had briefly attended here after high school with less than stellar results, “But something changed in me and I loved it.”

Perhaps it was because he had found his calling.

Trzaskoma took acting classes and won lead roles in Macomb theater department productions of Jesus Christ Superstar (Pontius Pilate) and Grease (Teen Angel). He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre from the University of Detroit (Mercy) and Master of Arts in Theatre from Wayne State University, followed by awards and critics’ praise while performing at the Hilberry Theatre, Jewish Ensemble Theatre, Planet Ant Theatre and other local venues. And, then, there was that gig with the Pistons in the early 2000s.

“After years of Shakespeare, Sophocles and Moliere,” mused Trzaskoma, at the time, “I am the ‘O’ guy.”

That’s “O” as in the red one Detroit Pistons’ guard Jerry Stackhouse painted on Trzaskoma’s stomach as part of a popular series of television commercials that paired him with local blues legend Thornetta Davis. Now, the University of Detroit Mercy and Macomb theater instructor and founder/director of the Warren Civic Theatre is starring in the much heralded Hockey, The Musical!, written by Mitch Albom, Detroit sports-journalist and bestselling author.

“He’s very hands-on,” says Trzaskoma of Albom. “His brother, Peter, is directing it but he was in England during the auditions, so Mitch ran auditions here and Peter watched and directed via Skype. Very 21st century.

However, Hockey – The Musical!, thinks Trzaskoma, is timeless.

“It should be called Detroit and Red Wing Hockey – The Musical,” muses Trzaskoma, shown here on stage at The City Theatre. “It’s very Detroit-centric with many references to our city and special appearances by celebrities and Wing greats like Steve Yzerman via video clips. But Mitch has done a nice job making it not too inside. Non-hockey fans seem to be enjoying the heck out of it as well.”

So much so, in fact, that the musical’s run at The City Theatre in Detroit, which began in May, has been extended by three weeks – through July 10. Albom calls his first musical, “Spamalot with hockey sticks.” While Trzaskoma, who plays the dual roles of Stanley/Terry, says that unlike Albom’s previous work, “There’s no message, no deep theme. Just laugh.”

New alumnus is blazing an old trail

In his first job after graduating from Macomb’s Police Academy, Mitchell Oliver finds himself enjoying the peace he has been sworn to protect as one of 13 officers entrusted with 3.8 square miles of pure Michigan.

“As soon as I stepped off the ferry, the whole pace of my life slowed down,” says Oliver, 21, whose move to Mackinac Island to live and work marked his first visit there as well. “The downtown set up, no cars, the horses, it’s completely different from where I grew up in Shelby Township.”

Oliver graduated from Eisenhower High School and earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Law Enforcement from Macomb. He followed that up with 17 weeks of Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards academy training, which, he says, prepared him well for his first job – with one exception.

“The academy definitely covered a lot of the aspects of police work, except the part about not many officers walking a beat anymore,” muses Oliver. “But that’s what I do nine hours a day.”

Oliver works 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. in a rotation that includes every other weekend off. The first half of his shift is spent downtown, assisting visitors, un-impounding bikes and gently directing patrons toward their hotels after the Pink Pony, Drought House or other similar establishments close. After 3 a.m., he travels to the other side of the island, patrolling the wooded areas and looking for anyone who may have inadvertently strayed from the beaten path.

“I am surprised by how fast 12 hours go,” says Oliver, who joined the Mackinac Island force in May and will remain there until the fall colors fade in October. “After I graduated from the academy, I wanted to work in northern Michigan. It would be nice to find a year-round job up here, but, at this point in my career, I’ll go anywhere in the state.”

Oliver lives with four other Mackinac Island police officers in provided housing on Market Street not far from headquarters. On his days off, he may ride his bike to the ferry, pick up his truck in Mackinaw City and head to Cheboygan to go grocery shopping. Recently, he also enjoyed showing his family around the island, when his mom came up to compete in the Lilac Festival 10K run in early June.

“But my very favorite thing to do here is ride my bike out to the uninhabited areas – by Arch Rock or Devil’s Kitchen,” offers Oliver. “By the end of the season, my goal is to hit every trail on the island.”

For museum curator, the adventure began at Macomb

Unsure of a major, Megan Paquette Stepe wanted to “ease into the college experience.” After graduating from Mount Clemens High School, she began taking classes at Macomb in literature, ceramics, anthropology and art history, unaware she was preparing for a future career as a museum curator.

“I very much enjoyed my classes at Macomb and I met some great people,” says Stepe. “If I hadn’t moved out of state, I would probably still be in touch with some of them.”

Stepe moved to Florida shortly after graduating from Macomb with an Associate of General Studies Degree.

“I wanted a bit of an adventure after that and to be closer to the ocean,” says Stepe. “And I was still going back and forth between art history and archeology as a major.”

Ultimately, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Anthropology from the University of Central Florida, which she followed up with a Master of Arts Degree in Art History, Theory and Criticism, from Florida State University. A mixed media and ceramic artist in her own right, she also continues to study painting conservation.

“It’s not only about fixing the damage done though the decades or centuries anymore,” explains Stepe, “sometimes its about undoing the fix so that more advanced stabilizing measures can be used.”

Stepe taught art history and oversaw the art gallery at Seminole State College for nearly seven years before accepting her current position as curator of South Florida State College’s Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) in June.

“I oversee and take care of over 600 pieces of art and artifacts, which includes jewelry and objects from the Seminole Indians that lived on this swath of land,” offers Stepe. “This was the original Florida, when it was an island not a peninsula. There is just a wealth of history here.”

With her husband Kyle Stepe, a horticulturalist, and dog Larry and cats Paul and Clara still in Orlando, Stepe is living out of hotel in Sebring until the rest of the family can join her. Once they get their home, she will be reassembling her studio where she will resume her work in pottery and mixed media, including assembling aprons out of vintage fabric.

“Sewing is meditative,” she says, “and aprons are a lost art form. I would love to bring back the tradition of wearing them.”

Meanwhile, she is contemplating earning a Ph.D. and preparing to teach art history at the Florida college this fall, in addition to her curator duties at MOFAC.

“Taking those classes at Macomb was the beginning,” says Stepe. “I am so happy to be here.”

Alumnus shares stories from the White House

Kenneth Hafeli, Macomb alumnus, has shook hands with Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter many times, is Facebook friends with former first daughter Susan Ford and counts the archivist at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California as one of his best friends.

It was all part of the job for Hafeli, who served as head archivist at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library in Ann Arbor until his retirement last May. He shared his interesting perspective in a talk: Growing up Grand: Gerald R. Ford’s Michigan, on Oct. 6 at the Lorenzo Cultural Center, as part of its The President’s Photographer exhibit.

“I really enjoyed helping someone find a letter they sent to President Ford when he was in office, or a photo of a particular day when they visited the White House,” relates Hafeli. “People are so excited when they discover that stuff is still here.”
Following his presidency, seven Roadway trucks with a military escort brought Ford’s papers and photographs from Washington, D.C., to the library in Ann Arbor. There was much that was still classified as confidential at the time and Hafeli had to have security

clearance before accepting the delivery.

“Still,” he said, “I couldn’t see two thirds of it.”

Hafeli worked at the Ford Library for nearly 39 years, arriving there fresh from Michigan Technological University, which he transferred to from Macomb. And as easily as he can relate significant moments in Ford’s presidency, Hafeli can list Macomb faculty who influenced his intellectual development while a student here.

“Jacobs, Hannert, Barrons, Ritas,” offers the 1973 Macomb graduate. “I enjoyed their classes and still have some of their handouts.”

As department head at the Ford Library, Hafeli was part of an elite group of 3,600 that constitute the federal National Archives and Records Administration. And, as one might expect, it’s the type of job that can leave you speechless now and then.

“I was awed sometimes,” acknowledges Hafeli, “touching something that the president once held in his hands.”

Sense of purpose has taken him to top of his career

Brian Tyrell has climbed many ladders in his lifetime. There were those he scaled as a firefighter, saving property and lives while risking his own. A ladder of a different sort took him from on-call firefighting to the top spot at a fire department in one of Macomb County’s fastest growing communities.

Pushing him up and over each and every rung were memories of his firefighter father, Bob Tyrell, and what he learned in Macomb’s Fire Science Program.

“I grew up watching my dad respond to calls and I’ve wanted to be in public service ever since. As soon as I turned 19, I joined (the Rochester Fire Department), and was lucky to work alongside my dad for three years,” says Tyrell, Washington Township fire chief. “I attended Macomb five to six years (after I began my) full-time paramedic firefighter career. It was instrumental in my career advancement.”

Tyrell earned an associate degree in Fire Science from Macomb in 2007 and has been fire chief since 2014, more than 20 years after joining Washington’s department. He started on-call there as well, went to full-time paramedic firefighter and then served as fire marshal, responsible for developing that department’s first-ever fire prevention bureau.

“I had to draw from the knowledge gained at Macomb, specifically, the engineering principles behind fire protection systems,” says Tyrell, “and the science behind fire behavior and fire investigations.” As fire marshal, Tyrell’s job was focused on protecting the community through fire safety education. As chief, he is also responsible for protecting his firefighters who lay their lives on the line.

“This is a tremendously rewarding and exciting period of my career,” says Tyrell. “I cherish the fact that I am in a position to make sure our firefighters have the tools they need.”

In addition to a commitment to public service rooted deeply in childhood, another thread ties Tyrell’s personal life to his professional one. His oldest son graduated from Macomb’s Fire Science Program and Fire and Paramedic academies and is now employed as a paramedic firefighter, while his youngest is pursuing a career as a firefighter/EMT. And in the department that Tyrell leads, Macomb alumni are the majority.

“Many take advantage of our tuition reimbursement program,” says the chief. “I do not think it is a coincidence that all of them choose Macomb’s Fire Science Program.”

Recruiting and retaining firefighters and mentoring the next officer, fire marshal or chief are what Tyrell considers the most rewarding parts of his job. Among the most challenging are balancing increased demand with decreasing revenues, and anticipating training needs before they arise.

“The fire service has always been a very dynamic business to run and today’s fire departments encounter many challenges,” says Tyrell. “Remaining proactive about future firefighting and EMS training needs and technologies is one of the greatest. I thank Macomb for helping train and constantly improve our Macomb County fire service.

And “service” is his key message when Tyrell is approached by anyone interested in a career in fire science or firefighting.

“Understand that the job is about following a calling, a desire to serve the public, as opposed to wages or work schedule,” says Tyrell. “Enter this honorable profession for the right reason and always remember your purpose. It’s all about the intrinsic value of helping people in need and being part of a team.”

Macomb “couldn’t have been there at a better time”

Billy Craig was already an accomplished musician when he decided he wanted to round out the business skills he had gained from life as an artist. Now he’s got a degree and a promising new job to show for it.

“The resource of Macomb Community College couldn’t have been there at a better time,” Craig said. “I really just kind of fell in love with the whole process and learned a lot.”

Craig said he benefitted from many great teachers on his way to making the Dean’s List, and one of his biggest assists came when he visited the Career Services department. As a student, he was able to utilize free resources including resume review, interview practice and job search advice.

“I can’t say enough nice things about” Lisa Phillips from Career Services, Craig said. “She was just amazing.”

Phillips helped Craig secure a communications internship with Advancing Macomb, a business and community leadership group recently created by the county. Craig did so well that he earned a permanent job there.

“If I’d never come back to school,” Craig said from his Mount Clemens office, “I wouldn’t be at this building right now.”

Macomb provided “big-school education so close to home”

The reality of working for one of Detroit’s highest-profile companies hit Raquel Thibault when she found herself in an elevator with Dan Gilbert, the billionaire founder of the company.

“I’m doing things I never thought I’d get paid for,” said Thibault, a Macomb Community College and Oakland University graduate who works as a background specialist for Quicken Loans.

Thibault, who’s from Utica, said her education has prepared her tremendously for this role researching new job candidates for the company. She saw many of her peers go away to college only to return after a semester or two, but she was able to avoid that pothole by getting her associate degree in general studies at Macomb and then completing a bachelor’s in communication with Oakland through Macomb’s University Center in Clinton Township. She said online classes allowed her to maintain balance by working during her lunch breaks as a Quicken intern. She graduated with no debt and started full-time work that month.

“It’s nice to be able to get that big-school education so close to home,” Thibault said. “Going to Macomb is a way to cut down the cost of college a lot.”

Thibault changed majors “probably six to eight times” while at Macomb and encouraged current students to seek out guidance on campus to help navigate their options.

“Make as many connections as you can,” Thibault said. “Have your future in mind – every step you take is going to lead to something.”