Amber Wychers found a mentor in GRCC’s Honors Program as she works toward her dream of becoming an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Wychers returned to Grand Rapids from Arizona with plans to go back to school and decided that GRCC was the perfect fit. She was inspired to become a doctor after working for two years at a safe house for girls rescued from human trafficking.
“I have been amazed with the relationships I've built with some of my professors,” she said. “I'm so thankful for the smaller class sizes and the relationships that I've been able to build with faculty.”
She found ways to become involved on campus and in the community through the Honors Program.
“I've made amazing friends and worked one on one with professors to complete Honors projects,” she said. “I hosted a blood drive on campus and implemented a community garden on campus to help combat food insecurity.”
The Honors Program also provided her with a mentor: Professor Leigh Kleinert, curriculum coordinator for the program, taught her first anatomy and physiology class and later helped her find medical professionals to job-shadow.
“Professor Kleinert always goes above and beyond for me and is such an amazing role model,” Wychers said. “She has worked with me on two Honors projects, always encouraging me to dig deeper and push myself harder. She made my experience at GRCC wonderful, and I am so thankful to have her in my life! Her passion and love for her students’ success make her such a valuable part of the Biology Department.”
“Amber impressed me right away with her exceptional leadership and organization skills, and her interminable energy and motivation,” Kleinert said. “She balances a busy family life, full-time work and full-time classes -- all while she maintains excellent grades in the Honors Program. She has sparked passion for community issues on our campus and inspired her peers -- and me -- to become more involved.”
Wychers, who received an Associate of Science this spring, wants to eventually work with a nonprofit organization that helps survivors of human trafficking, rape and domestic violence.