Pictured from left to right, Macomb Community College President James O. Sawyer IV; Libby Argiri, the college’s executive vice president of administration; Brian Newman, an accounting professor; Mike Balsamo, dean of business, information technology and culinary; and Monique Beauchamp, a marketing professor drink a toast in honor of longtime MCC accounting professor Shirley Glass, after whom the school’s new outdoor terrace is named.
By: Maria Allard | C&G Newspapers | Published October 10, 2025
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Macomb Community College accounting professor Shirley Glass was an instructor at the school for 55 years, encouraging her students to strive for their personal best and also mentoring her colleagues when needed.
Outside the classroom, the avid art collector could often be found at local art fairs, visiting the Detroit Institute of Arts, or taking in a performance at the Detroit Opera House.
Glass died in 2021. She was 78 and her legacy lives on. Glass, who taught more than 600 classes from 1966 to 2021, gifted MCC her estate by making a $3.2 million donation. A portion of the donation was used toward the Shirley Glass Terrace. According to a college press release, that marked the largest individual contribution in the school’s history. The donation was put toward constructing a new outdoor dining area at Center Campus called the Shirley Glass Terrace. The new space honors the longtime educator.
“While up-to-date resources, technology and facilities are vital to supporting the work of Macomb Community College, it’s the people of the college that truly make a difference in the lives of our students, residents and community,” MCC President James O. Sawyer IV said in a prepared statement. “Shirley Glass is a shining example. She was wholeheartedly committed to her students, to her colleagues and to the critical role Macomb plays now and in the future of Macomb County.”
The Shirley Glass Terrace is part of a major renovation located adjacent to the Macomb Culinary Institute’s teaching restaurant, the Monarque. The Shirley Glass Terrace and the Monarque are in the final stages of preparation and inspections, and will open soon.
As part of the reimagining of the teaching restaurant, culinary arts, pastry arts and hospitality management students could submit suggestions for a new name to replace Center Stage. The winning entry, Monarque, was submitted by Christina Thompson, a pastry arts student who graduates in December. The Mount Clemens resident won a $250 Macomb scholarship.
The Monarque teaching restaurant includes an expanded and modernized dining area, a new open-concept kitchen, a fully functional beverage service and training bar, and a formal entrance. The goal of the renovation is to better simulate real-world industry conditions and provide Macomb’s students with hands-on professional learning experiences and the community with first-class dining experiences.
According to the press release, Glass was instrumental in developing and expanding the accounting program at MCC. Accounting professor Brian Newman was the executor of Glass’s estate. He first met Glass in 2014 when he was hired at the college.
“She welcomed me on the first day like a family member. Shirley was a very kind and generous individual. She had a heart of gold. If you had any questions, people looked to her to see what we were supposed to do,” Newman said. “She loved to go out to eat with good food and frequented the Culinary Arts Department. It just shows the love she had for the college, the institution and the students. This is a final tribute to her legacy.
“It’s an extension of the culinary program. These are students that are doing all the work,” Newman said. “I got a sneak peek. It’s gorgeous. Everything is beautiful. It’s really like a hidden gem of the college. The culinary faculty does a phenomenal job.”
Mike Balsamo, dean of business, information technology and culinary at MCC, said the terrace brings together Glass’s three greatest passions: education, food and community. The culinary arts students take a number of courses that include culinary techniques, sanitation, table service, baking, wine appreciation, artisan and special breads, and much more.
“A lot of students are ready for employment at local places. A lot of them work in country clubs,” Balsamo said. “A lot of them want to go into catering. With younger students, they want to be entrepreneurs. They want to own food trucks or open up a bake shop on their own.”
One class Balsamo has observed firsthand is plated desserts.
“You can really see the creativity of the students. There is a little bit of an artistic component,” he said. “The challenge is not just to bake but the presentation is very important.”
Balsamo worked with Glass for about five years.
“She had a big, booming teacher’s voice and was always very approachable,” he said. “She liked to have the students work together. She was big on tutoring so she could spend time with students who needed help. She was always a great colleague.”