Meet Our Alumni

When the American-born Shandana Shah moved with her mother from Sterling Heights to her parents’ native Pakistan just before starting high school, barriers of both culture and language prevented the Macomb alumna from expressing herself to the extent she was accustomed.  Now Shah is making up for it as a communications major at the University of Michigan.

“Although we spoke a Pakistani language at home, it wasn’t the one spoken at school,” relates Shah.  “Not being able to talk to people was difficult. The sense of togetherness we felt with family helped make the transition easier, but, still, my grades in Pakistan were not very good.”

Shah took a year off after graduating from high school to think about what she wanted to do.  Her mom wasn’t quite ready to return to Michigan, and Shah wasn’t quite ready to commit to a major or a school.  By the time they resettled in Roseville, Shah had decided she would attend Macomb.

“My older brothers had both gone there before transferring to Michigan State (yes, you read that correctly, the new Wolverine’s siblings are both Spartans),” says Shah.  “Macomb was familiar, and that is what I needed at that time in my life.”

At Macomb, Shah excelled in her studies and was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for community college students.  She volunteered for an alternative spring break trip to New York, where she and other Macomb students, supervised by Daniel Thurman, Macomb’s associate dean of Student Success, prepped, packaged and delivered healthy meals to those with serious illnesses.  She was also selected for a paid Community College Summer Research Fellowship at the University of Michigan, a 10-week program that introduced her to one of Michigan’s most venerable institutions of higher learning.

“Macomb gave me a huge opportunity to reinvent myself. It helped me build up confidence to apply to U of M, and the faculty were genuinely excited for me when I was accepted,” says Shah, who credits Thurman for mentoring her throughout the transfer process.  “It has been so exciting to see Macomb be a part of each new milestone in my life.”

While living in Pakistan, Shah, who loves to read, found an expressive outlet in creative writing. After taking Marketing, her first class at Macomb, she hopes her passion for words will translate into a communications or marketing career.  Now in her second semester at U of M, she is availing herself of all the cultural opportunities the university and Ann Arbor have to offer, as evidenced by the photo of her in front of the Michigan Wings mural in the city’s downtown.

“Macomb taught me how important is to get involved, which is something I regret not doing when I lived in Pakistan,” says Shah. “There will be no more missed opportunities and for that, I am forever grateful to Macomb.”

At age 26, Macomb alumnus Edmon Armstrong has already led a storied career in entertainment, which includes a one-on-one meeting with “Darlene” from TV’s Roseanne and The Conners. More on that later.

It all began with a search for internships. Armstrong was in the process completing three (almost four) degrees at Macomb and wanted to prepare for his transition to the workforce.

“I got one internship from Macomb,” says Armstrong, who then went through the legwork of discovering additional ones on his own. “If you don’t learn how to be by yourself and how to be independent, you’re not going to make it.”

After building up enough experience, Armstrong was hired in to the Disney College Program in Anaheim, California. From there, he set his sights on Los Angeles, where he started performing television background work. In 2017, he landed a job as a Production Assistant (PA) with Reasonable Doubt on Investigation Discovery.

“It just went from there and snowballed,” says Armstrong. “You just need somebody to say ‘yes’ to you one time.” He went on to work for several other network and cable TV shows, including America’s Got Talent and Veep.

The pinnacle of Armstrong’s career journey to date was breaking into scripted television. While he didn’t end up getting the job, he interviewed with Sara Gilbert, executive producer of The Talk. “It was very much one of those heightened weird moments that happen when you’re in Hollywood.”

Behind the scenes, life in LA proved challenging. The cost of living mandated that Armstrong share a living space with as many as 13 people. While he enjoyed the work, the industry’s taxing time commitment also made it difficult to enjoy the exciting experiences that Hollywood can offer. “You don’t see the blood, sweat, tears and the sleepless nights.”

Armstrong returned to Michigan in August for family reasons, and also due to the wildfires. He is currently working as an actor for the Murder Mystery Company, which provides him with the opportunity “to interact with people and have fun.”

On a related note, Armstrong recommends that new Macomb students socialize and “be willing to walk into a club, come into the K Building (South Campus Student and Community Center) and actually see what’s going on.” And, while he believes it’s important to have a clear academic plan, Macomb provides “a place where people can test out the waters in a safe environment that is also going to have some merit, because general studies is everywhere.” In the midst of required classes, Armstrong notes for example that a student may decide to take a Photoshop or speech course, and then discover Macomb’s degree offerings have crossover.

“Something that you may have been just dipping your toe in, you figure out, ‘Oh, I actually do love this,’” says Armstrong. “And then you just go for the rest of the degree, because you’ve already taken one or two classes in it.”

When Casey Spencer was in class at the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico’s second largest city last summer, the recent Macomb graduate remembers thinking, “I did this.  I took the initiative to get here.”

Spencer (center in photo, to the right of Professor Maria Ramos) had also taken the initiative to apply for an award from the Macomb Multicultural International Initiatives Study Abroad Fund, which helped offset some of the tuition and travel expenses.

“The price was very reasonable, but the (stipend) definitely helped in paying for it,” says Spencer. “Spending those few weeks in Mexico was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  Like most students studying abroad for the first time, I was nervous about going to a new place. But from the moment I stepped off the plane, it was a really good experience. I met some of the most interesting and kindest people, and my Spanish-speaking skills definitely improved.”

Spencer had never flown in an airplane before or traveled outside of the U.S. when she signed up for Professor Maria Ramos’ study abroad trip to Guadalajara.  In fact, Spencer says, she never had any desire to travel at all until she began taking Ramos’ classes.  Now, she is majoring in Spanish and Global Studies at Wayne State University and planning on joining the Peace Corp after she graduates – eying an assignment in a Latin American country.

“Professor Ramos’ classes really interested me in seeing how other people live,” says Spencer, who, like the other Macomb students, lived with a host family during her stay in Mexico.  “They were wonderful.  Very accepting and understanding. Two of us from Macomb shared a bedroom at each house and we all grew close. If I had not gone on this study abroad trip, I would not be the person I am today and I would never have met some of my best friends.”

One of the highlights of the trip for Spencer was watching with the rest of Mexico as the Latin American country’s soccer team beat Germany in the World Cup championships held in Moscow.  At the time of its loss, Germany was the World Cup holder and all of Mexico celebrated the unexpected upset.

“It’s a day we will all remember,” says Spencer.

Some other standouts from her time in Guadalajara were the tamales her host family served frequently for dinner, visits to the historic city’s museums and strolling through the Tlaquepaque market.

“This was a street with vendors selling clothing, food, pottery and Mexican skulls (a famous fixture of the country’s Day of the Dead celebrations each November), relates Spencer. “Latin culture is very colorful, and we walked everywhere, taking it all in.  There were all these different, really large murals painted on buildings.  We sat down in chairs and looked at them. That was the best, just being there and experiencing the culture.”

King Jermaine Jones was hired for a job two weeks before he even completed his robotics training at Macomb’s M-TEC facility in 2014, restoring his belief in himself and society in general.

“People can tell you that you are going to get a job, but that doesn’t mean you will,” says Jones. “I didn’t want to put the time and energy into it if it was only going to be another dead end.  But the instructors knew what they were talking about and that gave me confidence to proceed.”

Confidence, Jones admits, was in short supply after five years in prison.  The Detroit Central High School graduate was attending Eastern Michigan University when he ran into some “bad luck” that led to his incarceration.  When he was released, his criminal record blocked most all of his attempts to enter the workforce via a minimum wage job.

“It was so difficult knowing you were qualified but you still couldn’t get hired,” relates Jones.  “But life doesn’t stop, and I figured if I learned a skill, I would have a better chance of getting past my criminal record.  After completing this program, no one seemed to care as long as I could do the job.”

From that first robotics position, Jones progressed to another, and then another, each enhancing his skills and his salary, before reaching the level of robotics engineer.  That’s when he decided that there were so many opportunities available to an individual with his skillset that he decided to make the leap to contract work.

“Contracting allows you to gain a lot of experience,” says Jones.  “The average contracting job lasts about three months and they pay you very well. And this type of work provides me the opportunity to pursue my passion, which is entrepreneurship.”

Jones’ most recent venture will be in Las Vegas. He has leased space in a mall and plans to open a fish spa, where patrons will dip their feet into a tank and experience an exfoliation like no other.  He first came across one in Cancun, and then realized they were all the rage in tropical destinations. He believes they will catch on in the U.S., but, perhaps, he acknowledges, not in Michigan.

“I did my research.  About 40 million come through this Vegas mall annually, that’s like two to three times the foot traffic of 12 Oaks,” he says, no pun intended.

“Before M-TEC, it was difficult for me to find a job,” notes Jones.  “Now these skills are allowing me to pursue my other interests as well as provide for my three-year-old daughter.  It definitely has been a turning point in my life.”

The third time was the charm for Malenda Avery.  She attended two other colleges before geography brought her to Macomb and she found the college experience that had previously eluded her.

“After I started, I loved it,” says the single mom of two teenaged boys who moved to Eastpointe from Detroit a couple of years ago. “I love the teachers, the atmosphere, the diversity, the small class sizes and the individual attention.”

Crediting all those factors for helping her excel in her classes as she never had before, Avery graduated cum laude from Macomb in May with an Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies.  She continues to take classes at Macomb while attending Rochester College, where she is pursuing a degree in psychology in a program offered at the University Center on Center Campus.

“I would like to be a social worker,” offers Avery, and earning the necessary master’s degree is in her plans. “But after I earn my bachelor’s degree, I am taking some time off school so I can work full time and focus on my sons’ education.”

Avery, a committed journal keeper and sometime poet, is currently employed as a tutor in Macomb’s Reading and Writing Studios, after starting out there as a work-study student.

“I feel like I am making a difference in people’s academic lives,” says Avery, who assists students with organizing their ideas, formatting written assignments and revising drafts. “I want everyone to succeed, and I love hearing about their papers. I learn new things from what the students have written.”

The skills she has developed as a tutor have also come in handy when she is coaching her sons: Cassieus, 13, and Elijah, 15, on their homework assignments.

“It has taught me to be patient when working with them,” says Avery. “It has given me insight into new techniques for helping them come to their own conclusions.”

Avery has also gained valuable insight as a single mom balancing the demands of work, school and family.  To those facing similar challenges, she offers a little advice and a lot of encouragement.

“It’s very stressful at times to try to juggle everything, but it is very rewarding to know that you are not only helping yourself succeed, but helping your children succeed as well,” says Avery. “Keep going and don’t get discouraged.  It’s not easy by any means, but trust that your goals are achievable.”

Some people spend much of their adult lives discovering what they want to be when they grow up. Others never truly find the answer. Not so for Christa Weaver, 24, a user interface developer at United Shore.

“My passion for web technologies started around the age of 11,” relates Weaver, who jump-started her interest by creating MySpace templates, as well as custom designs for message forums using cascading style sheets (CSS).

Weaver, a native to the Metro Detroit area, grew up in Warren and attended East Detroit Public Schools until her senior year, when her family moved to Clinton Township. She graduated from Chippewa Valley High School in 2012. Upon coming to Macomb in January 2013, Weaver originally intended to pursue a career in software development. At least that was her plan until she had a change of heart.

“Honestly, the Intro to Web Programming course is what made me declare my degree in web programming,” says Weaver. “Once I took that class, I remembered how much I loved front-end web technologies.”

Among the strengths of the web programming major at Macomb is “the passion of all the teachers who teach the web development courses,” says Weaver. In particular, she recognized Professors Jacqueline Wanner and Martin Kohl. “They are both very passionate about technology and teaching, and both of them at some point have gone the extra mile assisting me with any sort of problems that I may have had.”

During her academic journey at Macomb, Weaver completed a mixture of both on-campus and online classes? but her preference rested with the latter. “I really enjoyed the online classes because I worked full time,” says Weaver. “Online classes let me do it at my own pace, but also have class interaction through the forums.”

Weaver graduated with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Web Programming in 2016, and attributes her education at Macomb as contributing to her success in the workplace. Macomb “will provide you with a really strong foundation to build your career,” says Weaver. “They give you the tools to start, but you need the drive to build it even stronger. Stick with it, because it will pay off so much in the long run.”

April Anderson knows a thing or two about running a successful business. She did earn an MBA, after all, from the University of Michigan, but it’s her baking (finessed by a pastry degree from Macomb) that brings in the customers at Good Cakes and Bakes in Detroit.

“I get a real peace when I’m in the kitchen,” says Anderson, who started baking under her mother’s watchful eye at 9. “Being in the kitchen calms all my nerves and fears.  It’s like I was made for this.”

Anderson and her wife, Michelle, use only organic, locally sourced ingredients and even offer vegan options.  The bakery menu changes daily, but carrot cake cupcakes and gooey butter cake are usually in the mix. Oprah Winfrey enjoyed the latter when she visited FoodLab Detroit, an organization dedicated to sustainable food that Anderson is actively involved in.  But it’s when she’s kneading together yeast, flour, cinnamon and sugar that the pastry chef is truly in her glory.

“My favorite thing to bake,” acknowledges Anderson, “are cinnamon rolls.”

Good Cakes and Bakes has earned many accolades and fans since opening in 2013.  Just this year: The Detroit Free Press called it the “hottest bakery in Detroit,” its owners were invited to be the official pastry chefs at the James Beard Media Awards in New York, and more than 80 percent of its Yelp reviewers give it five stars.  Anderson’s most treasured testament, however, came courtesy of the late Aretha Franklin. Fond of the bakery’s red velvet and pineapple upside down cakes, the singer and Detroit resident instructed her team to order 40 for the annual community holiday dinners she hosted.  Following Franklin’s death in August, Anderson posted a tribute to the Detroit icon on the bakery’s Facebook page noting, “It was an honor to know she knew about our small bakery, and loved it.”

Working in finance until her son graduated high school, Anderson decided in 2010 to make a bold move, buoyed by the encouragement of her wife and parents. “I knew that if I didn’t take the leap then, I was never going to do it,” says Anderson.  “It was the perfect time in Detroit to start a business – there were so many new programs aimed at helping entrepreneurs.” A Detroit native whose longtime dream was to open a bakery in her hometown, Anderson now began researching culinary programs.

“Macomb was the school offering pastry arts as a degree, and that was very important to me. I loved that all the chefs were either still working in the industry or had worked in the industry for several years,” says Anderson. “I am so happy I chose Macomb. Without…Macomb, we wouldn’t be able to create some of the unique recipes we have. And, without the community support, we wouldn’t be growing the way we are.”