A life-long lover of art, Giselle Saab of Royal Oak was hopeful she could incorporate her artistic skills in her future career. By the end of high school, she found another passion: earth science. This new passion would catapult her future as a meteorologist.
Getting there, however, was not easy. Saab said she worked very hard throughout middle school and high school to achieve academic success, but it took a lot of time and effort. She has auditory processing disorder, a learning disability that impacts the brain’s interpretation of sounds.
“When I would take tests in high school, I would often be in a separate room to help with focus and usually get extra time to help me with reading and comprehension,” she said. “However, when I took earth science it came with more ease than other classes. I realized this is something I’m good at. I was one of those weather nerds that would watch the Weather Channel as much as cartoons. When my teacher suggested I may want to be a meteorologist, it seemed like the perfect career choice for me.”
Forecast for success: Enrolling at OCC with manageable workload
Saab chose to stay local as she embarked on her educational journey to become a meteorologist. It was important for her to be able to concentrate on fewer classes.
“Because OCC was local, it was very helpful to ease into the college lifestyle. I was able to pick how many classes and what classes I wanted to take. This was extremely helpful to keep me on task and focus on these classes and homework, and help ensure my success,” Saab noted.
She is also appreciative of several OCC instructors who were “tough but compassionate and kind” and the College’s teaching assistants who were “very helpful in getting through some of (her) more challenging classes.”
“There were so many great teachers who helped me succeed despite some challenging classes, such as my physical geography instructor Michael T. Vollbach at OCC Royal Oak. I took several classes with him and ended up being a group tutor for him. It was a great experience!”
As someone who struggles with math, Saab found OCC Math Faculty member Jeff Parent’s calculus class not surprisingly difficult but manageable.
“His math class was less painful somehow. He was easier to understand and a very kind man.”
Saab becomes a meteorologist on her birthday
Working at her own pace to ensure success, Saab graduated with an Associate in Arts Degree from OCC in 2019 and transferred to Central Michigan University (CMU). There she obtained her bachelor’s degree in meteorology on her birthday.
When she graduated from OCC, she was short one science credit to obtain a second degree in Associate in Science. Saab obtained this extra degree by reverse transfer and applied her CMU physics class for the final credit requirement.
A fun way to teach about weather at OCC
At CMU, Saab was part of the school’s weather club, The Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society (SCAMS). She said it was a great opportunity for her to combine her artistic talent with her science knowledge and teach others about the complexities of weather.
“We would chalk all over campus with informative facts about weather. It was so much fun!” she said.
After she graduated from CMU, she came back to OCC and brought her informative chalk art to the Royal Oak Campus. The drawings included memorable phrases such as “Tornado on the ground, keep your house windows down,” a slogan she created.
The art has been well received by students and faculty including her former Calculus faculty.
“Leaving school one evening, I was surprised by all kinds of creative weather murals chalked on the ground,” said Parent. “Then I stopped to talk to the artist and was further surprised and delighted to realize it was a former student who was finding success in her first career job.”
Saab said it’s been entertaining to see people looking around the chalk art, turning their heads and reading the words as they pass by.
“Professors have been very sweet thanking me for the teachable art,” she said.
Her “taco watch versus taco warning” play on words explains the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning. The experience has made her “feel proud” that OCC students, employees and community members on campus have told her they now understand the difference.
Career dream becomes reality at Detroit Metro Airport
While many people think of a meteorologist as someone who forecasts the weather on television, Saab is quick to point out that there are many other job opportunities. Jobs can include research, environment as well as weather forecasting in the field.
Not long after graduating, she found her first career opportunity at Detroit Metro Airport as a weather observer. Her responsibilities include monitoring and using specialized instruments to provide reports to airport personnel on atmospheric conditions to help determine if the skies are safe to fly.
When she’s not busy analyzing atmospheric conditions, Saab uses her knowledge learned in class to teach others about fun and interesting weather facts through her YouTube Channel WeatherByGiselle and Instagram.
Advice for others thinking about OCC
Saab, who made many life-long friends at OCC, says starting her college journey at her local community college was the right decision that helped her achieve her career dream.
“OCC is not only very affordable, but credits are easily transferrable. It’s wise to take care of your prerequisites before transferring to a four-year college.”
The positive OCC experience extends to Saab’s brother as well.
“My brother, George, did the same thing. He took care of his prerequisites at OCC, transferred to Walsh College and has found success with a job related to cyber security.”
For more information on OCC programs, visit oaklandcc.edu/academics
About OCC
Offering nearly 100 degrees and certificates, OCC is Michigan’s largest multi-campus community college and one of the top transfer institutions in the state. The College provides academic, career training and enriching experiences, designed to empower students to reach their potential and enhance our community. More than 1 million students have enrolled in the College since it opened in 1965. A seven-person Board of Trustees governs OCC. Board members are elected on a non-partisan, at-large basis, serve as volunteers and are not paid. Mission statement: OCC is committed to empowering our students to succeed and advancing our community. Learn more at oaklandcc.edu.
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