June 13, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College celebrated the career and legacy of President Emeritus Juan R. Olivarez by dedicating a mural and a student plaza in his honor.
Olivarez is a lifelong educator who has served generations of families across West Michigan, including serving twice as GRCC’s president.
“When we look back at the long and rich history of Grand Rapids Community College, there are leaders who shaped the institution into what we celebrate today,” GRCC President Charles Lepper said. “We can say they were, undoubtedly, the right people at the right time. Dr. Olivarez is without question one of those leaders, and I’m proud to dedicate this plaza and mural so his story will continue to inspire students for decades to come.
The plaza, which stretches from Lyon Street to Fountain Street, was once a very busy Bostwick Avenue. It was closed to become Bostwick Commons in 1999.
The space was renamed the Juan R. Olivarez Student Plaza at the urging of Lupe Ramos-Montigny, a Grand Rapids educator and community leader.
“I accepted this because it really isn’t about me,” Olivarez said. “It’s about having a Latino name on a landmark to inspire other students of color to reach high in their endeavors and to be proud of who they are.”
The mural was painted in a spot along the plaza near the GRCC Student Center by alumnus Raymond Trujillo, celebrating Olivarez’s ancestry and role as a trailblazer. He is the first Hispanic person to serve as a college or university president in the state of Michigan.
Trujillo called the mural, which depicts a Mexican courtyard, a labor of love, sharing his appreciation for GRCC, its students and caring employees.
“The butterflies represent the students here on campus,” he said. “I was one of those monarch butterflies.”
Olivarez worked in the Grand Rapids Public Schools for more than 20 years before becoming GRCC’s Dean of Institutional Research in 1991. He was appointed the college’s eighth president, serving from 1999 to 2008, and as interim president from June 2022 to January 2023.
He worked to increase access to a quality college education and cultivated student-serving partnerships with local businesses, public entities, and nonprofit organizations.
Olivarez continues to support GRCC and its students. He and his wife, Mary, were honored by the GRCC Foundation at Scholarfest for their years of service.