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Keristin Baker, of Sheridan, and Courtney Shafer, of Portland, were awarded Montcalm Community College’s Distinguished Alumni Award during the college’s Centurion Awards Banquet on June 23. 

"I am deeply humbled and incredibly honored to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from MCC,” Baker said. “I share this recognition with my family and professors who believed in me when I was just a student walking these very halls.” 

“If I am being honest, it truly feels surreal to even be nominated for an award like this, let alone be chosen to receive it,” Shafer said. “I have been speechless since getting the email about this and have struggled to find the right words to even express how incredible it feels to be recognized in this way. I am very appreciative to be a recipient of this award and will do my best to represent MCC and all who were involved in making this happen.” 

The MCC Foundation established its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2022 to honor an outstanding alumnus who has advanced their career and brought credit to themselves and to MCC through their accomplishments and embodiment of MCC’s values. 

Baker and Shafer were part of the same nursing cohort at MCC, graduating with their Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing in 2019. Connecting as students, the duo realized they had the same career aspirations and had the goal of going into business together. Three years after graduating, Baker and Shafer purchased and took over ownership of an assisted living home — Country Living Senior Care in Portland. The business has operated since 1998 and had the same owner for the first 24 years of its existence. 

Since then, Baker and Shafer have made significant renovations to the infrastructure of the building and expanded the business to a second location in Pewamo. Their mission to provide exceptional care and compassion for their residents has remained consistent and has allowed their business to thrive in the early years of ownership. 

“We took a leap of faith and a lot of risk to bring this business to life,” Baker said. “It represents years of hard work, faith, perseverance and commitment to create a place where people feel valued, cared for, and at home. Seeing what was once an idea grow into a thriving business has been incredibly rewarding and will have a lasting impact on our community.” 

“I would have never guessed I’d be opening a nursing home at such an early time in my career,” Shafer said. “I am very fortunate for the journey that got me to where I am today and I am so grateful for all my family and friends that helped make this dream become reality.” 

At the heart of their business, Baker and Shafer are solely focused on the well-being of their residents. When reflecting on their studies at MCC, it’s no wonder that the people who they interacted with along the way are the ones at the front of their mind. 

“I had some incredible instructors and advisors who assisted me throughout the program,” Shafer recalled. “I also had some great classmates, some who even became good friends that I get to see and talk to today. The study sessions, the nursing school clinicals, and all the fun we had in lecture and lab will always be some of the best memories for me.” 

“My absolute best memories of MCC are the lifelong friendships I formed and unforgettable relationships I developed with my professors,” Baker added. 

The two agreed that their education and experience at MCC helped set the foundation for successful nursing careers, thanks to the guidance and care from their instructors. 

“MCC will always be such a special part of my education,” Shafer said. “It is the place where I got to fulfill my childhood dream and become a nurse. I feel that MCC provided hands-on learning and nursing instructors who had real life experiences to help shape us into being successful nurses ourselves. I will forever treasure their guidance, support and help in getting me to where I am today.” 

“My time at MCC gave me so much more than a degree, it has provided me with a foundation that guided my career and led me to where I am today,” Baker added. “Receiving this award is not just a reflection of my achievements, but a motivation for me to continue moving forward and make a positive impact in my community.”