Centralight

Jason Atcho was the youth at the window watching thunder and lightning during a storm. As a child, the Sterling Heights native also would intently watch the news and wait for the weather segment. "Weather is so fascinating," Atcho says. "I was just trying to figure it out." that CMU is the only university in Michigan that offers a bachelor's degree in meteorology. So Atcho set his goal to be a CMU graduate. And on May 5, he accomplished that goal. In addition, he became the first in his family to graduate from college. In high school, he found out what it took to be a weather forecaster – a college degree. Doing research, he learned "Learning how weather comes together in the atmosphere brought it all into perspective and strengthened my passion for meteorology," Atcho says. "I've learned so much while at school." To help him understand how televisions stations operate, Atcho worked at News Central – CMU's award-winning student-run TV news station – where he gained experience doing live, on-air newscasts. He turned that experience into getting hired at ABC-affiliate channel 12 in Flint and NBC- affiliate channel 4 in Detroit for internships. "Working at News Central and the internship experiences showed me how things run in a professional news station, in front of and behind the camera," Atcho says. In the last four years CMU has placed graduates from the meteorology program in the top four media markets in Michigan, and even has an alumnus on television in South Africa. Atcho says he is ready to join them in the industry. "I have interviews. I'm excited," he says. "Wish me luck." • Mother, daughters focus on educational goals together Walking across the stage to receive her Bachelor of Science degree is something Audrey Jarabek has wanted to do for 26-plus years. During the past year, the 48-year-old Saginaw resident earned 63 bachelor's degree credits and nine master's degree credits while working full- time as a dental hygienist. She plans to earn her master's degree in education by December 2013. She credits her daughters as a motivating factor. "I raised my girls since they were little to get as much education as they could have for personal security and stability," Jarabek said. "Now I am doing the same for me." She says her CMU educational journey began in May 2011 when daughters Amy Jarabek received her Master of Science in Health Administration degree and Ashley Jarabek earned her Bachelor of Science degree. "Thanks to our mom, we have high aspirations of what we want to be and where we want to go in life," says daughter Ashley Jarabek, who is now a second-year CMU physical therapy doctoral student. "CMU has helped us achieve those goals." And Amy Jarabek, who works as a senior oncology research analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and is taking CMU courses toward a master's in education, calls her mom, "My biggest hero." • centralight summer '12 9

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