Meet Us
Meet the Macomb Makerspace Team
“I am convinced that the best learning takes place when the learner takes charge.” – Seymour Papert
We are teachers, students, innovators, learners, thinkers, problem solvers, question askers, and makers. We are the players on the Macomb Makerspace team. Each of us have our own specialities, talents, and passions – find out more about us below.
If you see us on campus, walking to class, or in the hallway, please say hello! If you want to learn something new, explore different technologies, or play with different gadgets, please stop by the Makerspace during our open lab hours – we would love to see you!
Lab Aides
Melissa Daoud
Melissa studied English at Macomb and then went to OU (Oakland University) where she graduated with a bachelor’s in English and a minor in Japanese in 2019. She came back to Macomb in late 2020 to study programming and graduated with an Associate of Applied Science in Programming in December 2022. Currently, Melissa is studying new topics through independent study, and would love to pursue further education in the future. Her goal is to find a job as a software developer. Melissa is also the president of the Makerspace Club!
When asked about her experience being a lab aide in the Makerspace at Macomb, “It has been the most amazing experience. I learn something new about programming, robots, and 3D design every day! My favorite thing about it is the atmosphere, it’s so warm and inviting. Anyone can come in and learn something new without fear of making mistakes or failing, and help is always available if they need it.”
Fun Fact: Melissa loves to learn new languages and she played the banjo for four years.
Devendra Ranjan
Deven is currently studying IT – Programming and planning on becoming a future software engineer / software company owner or majority shareholder. He plans on graduating from Macomb at the end of the Winter 2024 semester. His future college plans include transferring to a 4-year university and getting a BSE in Computer Science, possibly a PhD in Quantum Computation, and/or a MBA depending on the way things swing throughout college. Deven is also co-president of the Coding Club!
When asked about his experience being a lab aide in the Makerspace at Macomb, “So far it has been an exciting and fun experience! I feel like I’ve learned so much and there is still so much more to do. I love the freedom given by the mere possibility of projects and the narrow scope of limitations.”
Fun Fact: Deven is a music producer, enjoys going to the gym, and is a great Ocarina player.
Former Lab Aides
Garrett Mason
Garrett studied IT Programming at Macomb and transferred to Walsh College to continue his education in IT. His ideal job when graduating from college would be to sell apps on Google Play (or other stores) or developing software within a company. After taking the C++ class, Garrett says that C++ is his new favorite language!
When asked about his experience being a lab aide in the Makerspace at Macomb, “It’s fun! I am able to work with equipment that I otherwise would not have access to. I learned a lot on the job working with all the different kinds of tech.”
Fun Fact: Garrett has played many different musical instruments throughout his life like, the piano, guitar, bass guitar, and clarinet.
Nick Dluge
Nick is studied all things IT at Macomb. Currently took classes to prepare him for certifications down the road in cybersecurity and several others. Nick has a unique situation where he will going to college for many years and eventually having multiple degrees and certifications. Nick’s ideal job when he graduates and receives his certifications would be to work as an IT systems Admin (Linux or Windows).
When asked about his experience being a lab aide in the Makerspace at Macomb, “I enjoy it which is why I continue to do it. I get somewhat flexible hours and I get paid to play with 3D printers and tech.”
Fun Fact: Nick skis/snowboards, races sail boats, loves blasting around in powerboats, loves to ride motorcycles, and works on and builds anything that goes fast. He also builds and overclocks computers and if he gets bored, he tries and teaches himself a new hobby that he finds interesting.
Leslie is a 2019 Macomb Community College & Grand Circus Bootcamp graduate! She graduated with a degree in Website Programming from Macomb and also completed the Front-End After-Hours Bootcamp at Grand Circus in Detroit where she was awarded a scholarship to attend!
When asked about her experience being a lab aide in the Makerspace at Macomb, “My favorite thing about working in the Makerspace was having the chance to learn and help others learn at the same time. The projects were so unique and fun. The beginner projects were easy to follow and were great for someone starting out in technology and programming, even if they had never done it before.”
Leslie now works as a Software Engineer.
Fun Fact: Leslie is also an Anime/Manga artist and Star Wars enthusiast.
Faculty
Martin Kohl
Martin teaches Linux, Java, Android, and iOS programming courses at the college. His own Macomb success story began in the early ‘80s, when he came to the college to pursue a degree in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, which was “the closest thing I could get to computers and manufacturing.” He followed this up with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering from Wayne State University.
Whether stopping by the Makerspace or taking an IT class, Kohl encourages students to “stay hungry and keep learning.” And, Macomb provides the perfect atmosphere for this.
Fun Fact: Martin played on the soccer team for Macomb in the early ‘80s and his all-time favorite TV show is The Big Bang Theory.
Jackie Wanner
Jackie teaches Website Programming courses and feels that learning is a lifelong experience. She has earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising Design from Wayne State University, an Associate of Applied Science in Website Programming from Macomb, and a Master of Science in Management from Walsh College. Currently, she is pursuing an online Master of Arts in Educational Technology from Michigan State University.
When asked about the Makerspace, “It’s a space where students can dream big, make stuff, play, create, design and have fun without worrying about making mistakes or failing.” She believes that it is through failure that students learn best. She hopes this community environment will instill confidence in students and possibly inspire the next generation of technological innovators.
Fun Fact: Jackie wanted to be a cartoonist when she was younger and work for Hanna-Barbera. Her two favorite cartoons are The Flintstones and The Jetsons and she is a huge Sheldon Cooper fan (Big Bang Theory).