Alumni Information

Welcome ACC Alumni!

Thank you for visiting us today. We define alumnus as anyone who has taken a class at ACC, and that probably means you! There are several ways to stay connected and get involved with ACC as an alumnus.

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Alumni Newsletter
The Lumberjack Link is a bi-annual publication for ACC Alumni full of current information and happenings at the college. The Lumberjack Link is mailed to ACC graduates with a current address on file, it is also available online.

Recent Issues

• Summer 2026
• Summer 2024
• Summer 2023
• Summer 2022
• Spring 2021

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Not Our First Rodeo: ACC Earns National Recognition
When a team of Alpena Community College Utility Technology students traveled to South Dakota this spring for the College Lineman Rodeo, they carried more than climbing gear, tools, and safety equipment.

They carried months of preparation, countless hours of practice, and the support of donors who helped make the trip possible.


The national competition brings together some of the top lineworker programs in the country, challenging students to perform the same skills they will rely on throughout their careers. For ACC students, it was an opportunity to measure themselves against the best, and they confidently rose to the challenge.

ACC Team 1—Carson Green, Charlie Best, J.J. Schulz, Silas McCarty, and Isaac Dailey—captured first place in the obstacle course team event and third place in the crossarm changeout team event. ACC Team 2—Ryan Cook, Luke Delong, Hunter Kuusinen, Landen Wray, and Tristan Wood—earned first place in the crossarm changeout team event.“

This group was especially determined to show their skills off at the rodeo,” said instructor Roy Smith. “Numerous hours were spent on their own time practicing and finding ways to be faster and more efficient.”

While the competition tested technical ability, what impressed Smith most was the character of the students representing ACC.“The moment that stood out to me most was how our students had each other’s backs,” he said. “Whether it was cheering on teammates or supporting students from our other team, their sportsmanship was noticed by spectators and other teams as well.”

Experiences like the Collegiate Lineman Rodeo are possible because of donor support for ACC’s Utility Technology program. Those gifts help provide opportunities that extend learning beyond the classroom, allowing students to gain confidence, build professional skills, and represent ACC on a national stage.

For the students who made the trip, the rodeo was more than a competition. It was a chance to see firsthand that the skills they are developing at ACC can stand alongside the best programs in the country—and that they are ready for the careers ahead of them.

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A Scholarship Opened the Door for Valerie
For most college students, a short walk across campus is routine. For Valerie Binge, attending college would have meant a daily commute from Atlanta, Michigan.

Instead, thanks to the Early Middle College Housing Assistance Scholarship from the ACC Foundation, she was able to live on campus, immerse herself in student life, and take full advantage of the opportunities available at Alpena Community College.

That opportunity changed everything.

“When I first moved into the CPA housing, it all felt so real and foreign to me,” Valerie recalled. “But that first night on campus was when I realized how thankful I was for the opportunity. It allowed me to truly become part of the ACC community.”

Living on campus gave Valerie more than a place to stay. It gave her the freedom to participate fully in college life, build friendships, attend events, and develop relationships with faculty and staff. It also allowed her to focus on her studies and grow into a campus leader.

Valerie’s achievements include: 

• Perfect 4.0 GPA
• Vice president of ACC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter
• Selection to the Phi Theta Kappa All-Michigan Academic Team
• Recognition as a member of the 2026 Coca-Cola Academic Team

She was also named the recipient of the prestigious Anna Besser Award, recognizing the graduating female ACC student who most contributed to a culture of excellence on campus through her academic achievement, leadership, and involvement in ACC life.


This fall, she will transfer to Saginaw Valley State University to study mathematics education, with plans to pursue a career in school leadership.

For Valerie, the Early College Housing Assistance scholarship provided more than financial assistance--it provided belonging, opportunity, and security.

Donor support doesn’t simply help students like Valerie attend college. It helps them become part of a community where they can thrive.

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Legacy of Leadership - Honoring Dr. Donald Newport's Bold Leadership
Some leaders leave an impression, while others leave a legacy that shapes generations.

This May, ACC proudly honored former president Dr. Donald Newport as a Fellow of the College, recognizing his extraordinary contributions to the educational, cultural, and economic life of Northeast Michigan.

For many alumni and community members, Dr. Newport’s impact may already feel familiar. Much of the ACC we know today took shape during his presidency from 1988 to 2003.

The Oscoda campus, World Center for Concrete Technology, College Park Apartments, Madeline Briggs University Center, and the Center Building—now named the Donald L. Newport Center in his honor—were all conceived during Dr. Newport’s presidency. Each structure reflects a period of bold growth and forward-thinking leadership that expanded the campus and student opportunities in our region.

Yet Dr. Newport’s remarkable story extends far beyond his years at ACC.

He played semi-professional basketball in Europe, including a game before Queen Elizabeth II. He raced cars competitively for Porsche International, earned three degrees from the University of Michigan, studied at the London School of Economics, and served as a visiting professor in China. Plus, he is a proud community college graduate.
Even his career path in higher education was extraordinary. At just 26 years old, Dr. Newport became the youngest community college president in the nation. Over the course of his career, he led five community colleges before bringing his experience and vision to Alpena Community College.

Under his leadership, ACC embraced innovation and growth. Following the closure of Wurtsmith Air Force Base, the College expanded educational access by developing the Oscoda campus, turning a regional economic challenge into an opportunity. Technology advanced as email, voicemail, and interactive instruction arrived on campus, innovations that required foresight and a willingness to invest in the future.

Dr. Newport also strengthened student life, athletics, and community engagement. He helped launch the Association of Lifelong Learners, guided ACC through its first successful stand-alone millage, and helped lead the College’s first capital campaign.

His service extended far beyond campus. Dr. Newport served as president of the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, held leadership positions within Rotary International, and became a charter member of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. In 2003, he was named Alpena’s Citizen of the Year.

What distinguished Dr. Newport most was not simply the breadth of his accomplishments, but the vision behind them. He believed in investing in possibilities before they were obvious to everyone else, ensuring educational opportunity existed close to home.

Today, Dr. Newport’s legacy lives beyond the building that bears his name. It lives in every student whose future was expanded through increased access to education, every new educational pathway created through institutional growth, and a community strengthened by a college willing and able to meet its changing needs.

Because of Dr. Donald Newport, Alpena Community College—and Northeast Michigan—are stronger for generations to come.

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New Fund Addresses Overlooked Needs
When a student I’ll call Oliver finally came to me for help affording the textbooks he needed for class, it was already over a month into the fall 2025 semester. A student-athlete in ACC’s business program, Oliver didn’t have the money to purchase the books he needed for his classes, a fact reflected in his poor grades on assignments.

After listening to Oliver’s story, we went to the College bookstore to see how much it would cost to get him the required books for his classes. The total was $945.62 - and that was just for one semester! 

Unfortunately, Oliver wasn’t unique. During the 2025/2026 academic year, the ACC Foundation provided well over $5,000 to cover the cost of textbooks for students who faced having to drop out of school because they couldn’t afford the books they needed to learn.  

When people think about the cost of college, tuition usually comes to mind first. But for many students, the real barriers to success are the required materials that come after enrollment: a nursing student’s scrubs and stethoscope, a utility technology student’s tools, or the textbooks needed to succeed in class.

Now, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, ACC students facing financial hardship will have help overcoming those barriers through the new Building Blocks of Learning Fund.

Established through the Alpena Community College Foundation, the fund provides support for required course materials not covered by tuition. Assistance may include textbooks, tools, uniforms, scrubs, stethoscopes, art supplies, and other essential items students need to fully participate in their programs.

The fund was created with a simple but powerful belief: students should not have to choose between continuing their education and affording the required materials necessary to succeed. The Building Blocks of Learning Fund ensures students have access to the resources they need to build their future - one course, one semester, and one book at a time. 

Your gift will help give students walking into class with nothing but the desire to learn the basic tools they need to succeed. 

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The Kind of Student Every College Hopes For
Charlie Best spent his time at Alpena Community College living up to his name.

Whether he was pitching for the Lumberjacks, competing at the national lineman rodeo, or helping ACC capture a national esports championship, Charlie seemed to have a knack for bringing out the best in himself and the people around him.

When Charlie arrived at Alpena Community College from Farmington, Michigan, he could have focused on any one of his interests. Instead, he pursued them all. By the time he graduated, he had become a standout athlete, a skilled utility technology student, a national esports champion, and one of the most recognizable student leaders on campus.

For his accomplishments, Charlie was honored with the Jesse Besser Award as the graduating male student who most positively contributed to excellence in campus life.

On the baseball field, Charlie was a pitcher for the Lumberjacks, helping represent ACC while balancing the rigorous demands of academics. In the classroom and lab, he immersed himself in the Utility Technology program, a field that requires technical skill, precision, and a strong work ethic.

That dedication took him all the way to South Dakota, where he represented ACC at the College Lineman Rodeo, competing against students from some of the nation’s top utility programs. But Charlie wasn’t finished.

When teammates needed him in ACC’s esports program, he stepped into a completely different arena. The result was a moment few students ever experience: scoring the game-winning point to win ACC’s first national championship.

What makes Charlie’s story remarkable isn’t that he excelled in one area - it’s that he excelled in so many. ACC allowed him to explore his interests, challenge himself, and grow in unexpected ways. Charlie embraced every one of those opportunities.

Faculty and staff came to know him as the student always willing to work hard, support his teammates, and represent the college with class and pride. Whether in the classroom, on the pitcher’s mound, atop a utility pole, or competing on a national esports stage, he approached every challenge with determination and enthusiasm.

Students like Charlie remind us what makes a college community special. They bring energy to campus, elevate the people around them, and leave a lasting impression long after they graduate.

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A Lifeline to a Bigger World
Growing up on a family farm in Northeast Michigan, Dr. Donna Belusar learned early the value of hard work. As one of seven children and a first-generation college student, she also learned that dreams sometimes have to compete with reality.

For Donna, attending a four-year university immediately after high school wasn’t financially possible. Instead, she enrolled at Alpena Community College.

That decision changed her life. “ACC was a lifeline for me,” Donna said.

At ACC, she found more than an affordable education. She found instructors who believed in her and the confidence to see possibilities beyond what she had imagined for herself.

After transferring to Michigan Technological University on a full scholarship, Donna went on to earn both an MBA and a Ph.D. Her career would take her far beyond Northeast Michigan—from executive leadership roles at IBM and CTS Corporation to serving as CEO of a nonprofit organization supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.

Along the way, she managed billion-dollar operations, worked internationally, testified before Congress, and earned one of Indiana’s highest civilian honors.