Friends & Alumni Network (FANs)

Demetria is a multi-disciplinary artist with experience in fashion, costume design, and community cultivation. Demetria’s interest and creativity surrounding the business of fashion and textiles goes back to her childhood where she received teaching from her grandmother, who was a quilter and guidance from her entrepreneur mother.

In 2018, Demetria was the first "official" graduate of the MCC Fashion program. A fond memory Demetria has from her time in the Fashion program is traveling to the Garment District in New York to research and visit manufacturers that could help her scale her designs. After graduating, she quickly delved into the creative demands of fashion and costume design. She set high goals for herself and her craft and in 2023 she was credited as lead costume designer for an Emmy Award winning Short Form Content documentary. She also worked behind the scenes in the wardrobe department for the Tony Award winning Broadway show, Hamilton.

During her time at MCC, Demetria, a twenty-year military veteran, worked in the Veterans Services Office, where she helped fellow veteran navigate post military education. She was a dedicated and active member of the MCC Student Veteran’s Association as well. As a MCC Veteran alumni, Demetria continues to field questions about educational benefits and entitlements. She encourages her fellow vets to take classes, credit and non-credit, that are beyond their preferred programming that will help them have a smoother transition to civilian careers.

Even after graduating MCC, Demetria has remained involved in the MCC Community, she has lent her expertise as a judge, guest panelist, and mentor to support MCC sponsored Student Night for Omaha Fashion Week (OFW). Demetria is most proud of creating a scholarship from her 2017 season prize winnings (OFW); that offered art supplies to eligible MCC Fashion students. Additionally, Demetria is a regular guest speaker for the Principles of Fashion class, where she shares her insights on fashion, marketing, merchandising with MCC students.

Although most of Demetria's work in costume and design work finds her behind the scenes, her previous work with the MCC Marketing Department found her in front of camera as the subject for an MCC ad campaign. Demetria found this experience to be valuable because she gained knowledge surrounding production, sound, lighting and editing. This unique MCC opportunity aided Demetria when she later worked on national commercials for Bank of America and Samsung.

Demetria's most recent ventures find her in the driver’s seat of her mobile art unit, known as the SowMobile. The SowMobile host workshops that make art, fashion (art) and textiles accessible for all. In regards to the SowMobile, Demetria says her goal is to "Sow creativity, peak imaginations and inspire others to access their inner artist." The SowMobile featuring its "Sow it. Forward movement." along with several other pieces of Demetria's work, is currently showcased in a permanent exhibit at the Kiewit Luminarium, Omaha.

Demetria is passionate about helping others reach their creative potential, she has served as a mentor for the Joslyn Kent Bellows Mentorship Program where she helped students develop and shape their ideas. One of her former mentees is currently practicing fashion design in Paris while another is enrolled in the fashion program at Columbia College in Chicago.

Demetria fancies herself a "treasure-finder", due to her affinity for thrift shops and estate sales. She explores all art mediums. She also enjoys traveling and family adventures.

Associate in Applied Science - Prototype Design, 2019
Career Certificate - Computer Aided Drafting, 2018

Before attending MCC, Marie worked as a Math Tutor and Student Technology Mentor in New York City. Marie started expressing her entrepreneurial spirit way back in her home country, Burkina Faso, with the creation and sale of various jewelry and personal care products for women.

To develop her entrepreneurial spirit, Marie enrolled in the Prototype Design degree program at Metropolitan Community College. The program would allow her to later create physical models using computer-aided machines and power tools for her work and personal projects.

During her time at MCC, Marie served as the Student Ex-officio of Metropolitan Community College from 2018 to 2019. She represented the school at events in the community, attended students' activities, and helped students find the resources they needed. Moreover, as Student Ex-officio, Marie met with MCC’s Board of Governors to report on the student life by attending students' activities during which she interacted with the students, learned about their concerns, and what they liked about the school.

Attending the Board of Governors’ meetings taught her that the board members truly care about the students and wanted to learn as much as possible from them to be able to help the students. Those great experiences motivated Marie to serve as the Secretary of Integration for the Association of Burkina in Nebraska, from 2020 to 2022. Her Burkinabé community relied on her as the secretary to coordinate food deliveries and bereavement care and to share resources that helped them integrate. Marie personally called people that needed encouragement, guidance, or words of congratulations.

Marie is currently a senior at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering. She is still involved in the community where she is empowering kids to get interested in mathematics, science, and technology. She makes math, science, and technology concepts easier for children to understand. She also develops projects that help develop their motor, and social skills and later help them in their studies.

In August 2021, Marie was granted a scholarship from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Power and Energy Society (IEEE PES), an honor given to distinguished engineering students for their leadership and commitment to developing new green technologies, building smart grids, and efficiently generating and utilizing power.

In her free time, Marie enjoys crafting, reading, watching movies, visiting museums, and spending time with her friends and family.

Owner, S2 Rolloffs, Refuse, and Recycling

Over the last 15 years, Mitch Sawyer has become a well-respected business owner in the Fremont community. He is the owner of S2 Roll-offs, Refuse, and Recycling, which currently employs about 45 people.

Born and raised in Fremont, NE, Mitch started helping his father at the family construction business, Sawyer Construction, at the age of 12. Don Sawyer, Mitch’s grandfather, started Sawyer Construction in 1955. Upon graduating from Fremont High School in 2000, he enrolled at Metropolitan Community College in the construction technology program to strengthen the skills instilled in him at a young age by his father and grandfather.

After graduating in May 2003, he joined Sawyer Construction full time while exploring other jobs. In 2007, Mitch was ready to start the next chapter of his career. With the help and support of his parents, he began S2 Roll-offs. He rehabilitated an old roll-off truck that his dad had purchased, but never had the opportunity to fix. That August, S2 started with one truck and one roll-off container. Mitch utilized his connections in the Fremont area to grow the business. In 2010, S2 started offering residential and commercial garbage and recycling pick up.

S2 has grown to over 8,000 customers in six counties, along with adding portable restroom rentals for construction projects and special events. In 2013, S2 was awarded small business of the year by the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce.

In 2016, S2 Repair and Maintenance opened as a full-service diesel repair shop to fix, service, and maintain all of the S2 trucks and equipment while also providing maintenance service for outside customers.

During the March 2019 catastrophic flood in Fremont, Mitch and S2 assisted his brother Tom and Sawyer Construction to help stop the flooding from ruining the Fremont metropolis. After half the community was under water, they continued to do repairs for months.

Mitch was one named one of the 20 under 40 from the Fremont Chamber of Commerce in 2021. He currently serves on Fremont Planning Commission, Fremont YMCA Board of Directors, and Fremont Construction Employers Association Board.

Mitch has been married to his wife Bridget for almost 10 years and they have 2 daughters: Elliott and Evaleigh.

(Photo credit: Collin Spilinek, Fremont Tribune)
The 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award is sponsored by America First Investment Advisors, L.L.C.

Marco Kpeglo Leroc, Creator & Director, Global Leadership Africa Summit & Awards

Marco Kpeglo LeRoc is an emerging thought leader and a leading personal achievement expert. He’s the founder of Marco LeRoc & Co., an organization that inspires people to grow personally and financially.

Marco is the author of three books: Activate Your Untapped Potential, Screw College Debt, and Cash In with Your Money. He has been featured on many news outlets nationally and internationally, including: Huffington Post, ABC7 Good Morning Washington, Yahoo Finance, CBN News, Black Enterprise, Good Morning Ghana, WGN and Forbes Africa.

An international speaker, Marco has engaged audiences in the Americas, Europe, and Africa on the subjects of financial literacy education and self-leadership/leadership.

Marco is a go-getter and is impacting others through coaching and his show Inside a Great Mind on Marco LeRoc TV.

In addition, he is the creator and the director of the Global Leadership Africa Summit (formerly Leadership Africa Summit) the #1 gathering of global young professional African leaders, entrepreneurs, people who cherish Africa and value diversity.

With a passion of enhancing and impacting the lives of others, Marco is the founder and president of The League for African Advancement, Inc., serves on the board on the board of the Midlands African Chamber of Commerce, the Hidden Talent Foundation and volunteers for other organizations.

Marco has been featured on the Metro Magazine as a very inspiring person and is a 2019 Midlands Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree.

The 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award is sponsored by America First Investment Advisors, L.L.C.

Tera Kucera, chief executive officer, Care Corps’ LifeHouse

Tera Kucera was born in Texas, and later moved to Nebraska with her family in 1987. After high school, she became an interior decorator and Feng Shui consultant. In 1992, Kucera began her career in retail management, were she successfully worked for more than 20 years.

In spring 2014, Kucera enrolled in classes at Metropolitan Community College with her daughters, Taylor and Tyler. She served as Student Ex Officio on the Metropolitan Board of Governors August to November 2015 and graduated from MCC in May 2016.

During her time at MCC, Kucera received multiple academic awards and scholarships, including a weeklong study trip to Rosebud Reservation in May 2015. She also participated in the AmeriCorps program and served more than 1,800 volunteer hours at Care Corps Family Services.

In November 2015, Kucera was hired by Care Corps as a case manager. Shortly after, she was asked to step into the role of interim executive director. During her time as interim, Kucera evaluated the needs of the most vulnerable in the community and began implementing a new business structure. Within her first year, the organization was able to bring on a Rapid ReHousing program, geared toward moving individuals and families out of homelessness and into housing as quickly as possible. In June 2016, Kucera accepted the position of executive director.

In August 2018, Care Corps Family Services and Low Income Ministry formed a strategic partnership, and now operate under one organization, Care Corps’ LifeHouse. Kucera, now CEO, has grown the organization to include an emergency homeless shelter, food pantry, six supportive housing programs, homelessness prevention and aftercare programs, life skills and workforce ready programs, and a voucher program through the agency’s thrift store that provides gently used clothing and housewares to those in need in Dodge County.

In 2019, Care Corps’ LifeHouse was awarded $2.8 million dollars to build, own and operate 15 low income housing units for families in Fremont. These units, consisting of 10 two-bedroom, and five three-bedrooms, will provide more than just housing to families. They will provide a holistic approach to families with access to services such as mental health and healthcare, parenting classes, budgeting, life skills classes and more with wrap-around case management.

Under Kucera’s leadership, Care Corps’ LifeHouse has also grown in the number of individuals served, programs offered and has become an example for other agencies of homelessness across the state. Through innovation, she empowers staff to continually improve program outcomes. One example is the percentage of those exiting shelter to a permanent home. This percentage has increased to over 90 percent in the last five years.

Kucera serves as the vice president for the Balance of State Continuum of Care, the vice chair for Region Five Continuum of Care, co-chair on the executive board for the Fremont Family Coalition, and is a member of the Long Term Recovery Team, Dodge County Housing Task Force, and COVID Response Teams. She has been a rotarian for many years. Tera has a strong commitment to the community of Fremont and Dodge county, and the drive to advocate for and provide safe, affordable housing with access to services to those most affected by poverty.

Kucera loves spending time with her family; she has two daughters, two stepsons, two daughters-in-law and two beautiful granddaughters, Izzabell and Addy. She enjoys time at her family’s organic aronia berry farm, reading, writing and taking her Doberman puppy for walks.

The 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award is sponsored by America First Investment Advisors, L.L.C.

Tim Nicholson is a 2009 graduate of the Culinary Arts and Management program at Metropolitan Community College. While in school, Nicholson started working in his first kitchen frying fish. Working his way up through the ranks, he soon moved on to work for hotels and steakhouses around the area.

In late 2010, Nicholson met with founding chef of the Boiler Room, Paul Kulik, where he was brought on as sous chef. Nicholson fell in love with the restaurant, its food and philosophy. Kulik and Nicholson worked side-by-side, molding the Boiler Room into the restaurant it is today. Promoted to chef de cuisine in 2013, Nicholson really started to put more of himself into the restaurant by learning new techniques, perfecting recipes and helping push the Boiler Room forward.

With a constant pursuit of quality and refinement, he was given the promotion and title of executive chef at in 2017. His menus utilize local produce, cheeses and meats. Nearly all preparations are made from scratch–from soft cheeses and pasta, to charcuterie. Most animals enter the restaurant whole and are subsequently processed to utilize everything down to the pig’s head for terrines and bones for stocks.

Nicholson’s care, craft and precision have not gone unnoticed. In February 2017, he was announced as a semi-finalist for a James Beard Award in the Rising Star Chef Category–an award that is given to “a chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to make a significant impact on the industry in years to come.” In 2018, he was a semi-finalist once again as a Rising Star Chef and in 2019 is a semi-finalist for Best Chef: Midwest.

Nicholson is involved in the community. He also hosts students and provides internships at the Boiler Room. Nicholson continues to give back to his alma mater and, in January 2019, was presented the Sage Medallion—an honor given to a culinary or hospitality MCC graduate.

Hubert "Charles" Ahovissi is a professional artist, dancer, drummer, choreographer, educator, stage costume designer and tailor. He is an approved teaching and performing artist through the Nebraska and Iowa Arts Councils. Ahovissi began his dancing career in 1984 when he joined the National Ballet Company of Benin, West Africa. He left the National Ballet in 1987 and joined the Super Angels Dance Troop that toured extensively throughout the world performing and teaching traditional African dance and music. Ahovissi moved to Omaha in 2000 and since has shared his knowledge and love of Africa through traditional dancing and drumming to foster better understanding of Africa’s diverse and beautiful cultures. In 2006, he founded the African Culture Connection as a non-profit organization to teach African culture. Under his leadership, ACC and Ahovissi have received the following awards: 2010 Girls Inc. Angel Award; 2012 Nebraska Governor’s Art Award for Heritage Arts; 2012 National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award; 2015-18 Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards nominated (2015) and selected (2016 & 2018) Best Local Dance Production; 2017 U.S. Air Force Excellence Through Diversity Award.

In spring 2001, Ahovissi turned to Metropolitan Community College to further his skills. He started taking ESL classes and in 2012 earned his Associates of Arts in Liberal Arts/Academic Transfer. His education has helped him amplify the African Culture Connection. "After my graduation at MCC, I became more precise and passionate in my teaching…" says Ahovissi, "My communication and leadership skills have increased." Ahovissi credits MCC with providing him the education necessary to become an American citizen.

Throughout the Omaha community, Ahovissi shares his passion through dancing and drumming during public performances, school assemblies, residencies, and workshops. Ahovissi provides multicultural lessons by giving students authentic, hands-on experiences with African culture. He creates an authentic African village ambiance and uses ceremonial African clothes as well as traditional instruments to teach about African culture. Ahovissi promotes unity and multiculturalism while offering students a fun, social and physical activity.

Jon Queen faced many barriers before becoming the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree. He was raised in a home where his parents struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. Jon dropped out of high school at age 16. He fell into drug addiction and became a parent shortly after high school.

He drifted from job to job and lived life on the edge. He obtained his GED but college was never in his plans – until he met a pastor at his church. The pastor encouraged Jon to visit Metropolitan Community College. The visit changed the trajectory of his life.

Jon enrolled in 2010, still unsure if college was for him. What he discovered in himself was a strong aptitude for the classroom. His instructors were a source of encouragement and with the help of MCC’s TRiO program, he received additional guidance and support. Jon made the Dean’s List every quarter. He graduated in 2012 with an Associate of Arts – Business Administration with an overall GPA of 4.0. He was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and a recipient of the Business Administration Division Scholarship through the MCC Foundation.

He worked as a TRiO tutor until he graduated summa cum laude in business administration from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2015. Jon cared about the TRiO students he tutored – taking the time to call and check on them if they missed a session. As a former TRiO participant himself, he is a continued source of inspiration for others.

Jon continues to serve his community. In 2011, he took it upon himself to coordinate with No Frills Supermarket to personally deliver donated bread to a local food pantry. He is a deacon of his church and adult Sabbath school teacher. He leads a Bible study group entitled R.I.O.T. (Reaching In and Out Together). The group completes service work and raises funds for local and global projects.

Jon has inspired others to return to school and assisted his friends in enrolling at MCC – even starting their application for them!

Jon lives with his daughter and works as an Insurance Wholesale Underwriter for Berkshire-Hathaway Homestate Companies. He dreams of one day owning his own company.

This award honors and recognizes MCC alumni who demonstrate serivce to their community; personal or professional achievement; and involvement, commitment and/or support in the life and work of MCC.

Marian Holden started her interior design business, Designer's Touch, out of her home while still a student at MCC. Since then, she has expanded her successful business into a storefront location and along the way has provided internships as well as permanent employment for several young, aspiring designers, including MCC students. She continues to return to MCC as a classroom speaker on a variety of design-related topics. She is a member of MCC's Interior Design Advisory Committee.

Holden graduated summa cum laude from the College of Saint Mary with a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Management and was also awarded Outstanding Baccalaureate Graduate by the College's business division. She then received an associate's degree in Applied Science in Interior Design with honors from Metropolitan Community College and served on the board of the local American Society of Interior Designer's student chapter.

Holden was 2013-14 President of the Omaha Executive Club and awarded the Metro Women's Business Center's "Outstanding Business Woman of the Year" in 2010 and "Outstanding Woman in Small Business and Leadership" in 2014. Holden was 2012-13 President of American Society of Interior Designer's Nebraska/Iowa Chapter, and Communications Director from 2011-15. She is on the board of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, and a member of the Commercial Real Estate Women Metro Omaha. Holden is a licensed general contractor within the Omaha area.

Her design studio has been the recipient of numerous awards including "Readers Choice Best Interior Store" and has received numerous project awards from the American Society of Designer's Nebraska/Iowa Chapter.

Marian enjoys participating in athletic events to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She has also participated in the Habitat for Humanity Designer's Challenge to promote Habitat ReStore.

Cory Johnson was named Metropolitan Community College’s 2015 Distinguished Alumni winner.

Cory, a business development manager at AIT Worldwide Logistics, is an integral part of the leadership team at this local Omaha company.

Born and raised in Omaha, Johnson graduated from Millard South High School and went to work at another division of AIT Omaha – Cargo Zone, LLC. Starting out in warehouse operations and forklift duty, he took on ever-increasing responsibilities over the past 10 years and became the foreign trade zone administrator while also building on new business through sales activity at Cargo Zone. While working full time in the early years at Cargo Zone, Johnson attended MCC full time and earned his A.A.S. in Business Management. He went on to earn his B.S. in Marketing from Bellevue University, again while working full time at Cargo Zone.

Deeply engaged in the local community on many fronts, Johnson has a passion for working with youth to help them explore career pathways into the transportation, distribution and logistics industry. As a board member for the Nebraska Logistics Council for the past five years and current president, he led the fundraising effort to establish the NLC endowed scholarship for high school students entering the transportation, distribution and logistics industry.

Cory Johnson being presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award by former MCCF board member Terry McMullen, managing director, AIT Worldwide Logistics.