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Technology Notification: Upcoming Network Upgrade

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance infrastructure security and ensure smooth access to college resources, Information Technology (IT) is upgrading the campus network beginning on October 4. This upgrade involves migrating the college to a new Active Directory (AD) domain, a critical step in improving security and delivering modern solutions for our students, faculty, and staff. Actions required before the upgrade: BEFORE October 3, 2024 , move any important files stored on your GRCC computer to a safe location. Once you’ve done this, avoid saving new documents to any of the following locations: Desktop (including desktop shortcuts) Downloads folder Documents folder Music folder Pictures folder Videos folder Browser bookmarks You can save these to the J: drive, S: drive , or Google Drive , depending on your usual storage location. Personal data (including, pictures, music, or videos) should be removed from college devices and moved to a personal drive or device Follow institutional guidelines for data storage—do not move any protected or regulated information (such as student information, financial aid, or health data) to Google Drive.These are protected under laws like FERPA and HIPAA and require secure, approved storage solutions. Make sure to follow the college’s guidelines for storing sensitive data . For support in backing up your bookmarks please reference the following knowledge articles: Chrome Firefox Edge Safari We are committed to minimizing disruptions during this process and will provide regular updates. More details will be shared next week, including specific instructions for navigating the upgrade on and after October 4. If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out to IT via the IT Support Portal , email at itsupport@grcc.edu , or phone at (616) 234-4357.

ECLL has child care openings

The GRCC Phyllis Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Laboratory has child care openings for children ages 3 and up! We have both tuition based and GSRP available. We are open 7:30 am - 5:30 pm and operate year round. Interested families can reach out to ECLL@grcc.edu  or call (616) 234-4004 Children who are 4 years old before December 1st may qualify for free tuition! We have openings in our Monday-Thursday classroom. GSRP enrollment information can be found here:  https://www.kentisd.org/early-childhood/free-preschool/  "

Introducing “Torn” by Daniel Sundahl

On Display at GRCC’s Paul Collins Art Gallery During ArtPrize 2024 Everyone has a different reason for creating art. For Daniel, it started as a way to process post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Now he uses his art to help others who have mental health challenges. “Torn” is a 6’x10’ digital artwork based on a photo of a flight paramedic that Daniel took in Las Vegas. Then he added details using digital tools. The result is something that viewers have to look at twice. Is it a photo? Is it a painting? That questioning is part of the experience. “I experienced PTSD and other mental health issues as a result of being a first responder,” Sundahl said. “My psychologist recommended that I use art to process the trauma I had experienced. I was a little skeptical at first, but expressing my feelings in this way helped me process and recover.” Daniel acknowledges that “Torn” might be disturbing to some people. He’s actually okay with that. In “Torn,” the flight paramedic is pulled from one side by the devil, who represents the suicidal thoughts he has experienced. On the other side are his peers, fighting to save him because he has lost the ability to save himself.   “I want people who see my art to feel something,” Sundahl said. “I don’t intentionally try to make them feel bad, but I would rather have them feel uncomfortable than feel nothing. Hopefully they will see that hope and peer support can conquer even the ultimate hopelessness that drives people to suicide.” Daniel says he has been doing this work for approximately 10 years, and it has touched a nerve in the first responder community. He’s excited to share it in this, his first ArtPrize experience. “I find that my art resonates with people who have experienced trauma,” Sundahl said. “In addition to being an artist, I am also a therapist and a speaker. I understand how hard it is to recover from trauma. But I can truly say that I am a better person now, after my experiences, than I was before.” Daniel believes that art in general, and ArtPrize in particular, are wonderful celebrations. “This event brings hundreds of artists together and celebrates what they do,” Sundahl said. “Exploring artistic expression is so good for our mental wellbeing. Personally, I love to understand the ‘why’ behind the work. This is a great opportunity for artists to express what they feel and for the public to experience it.” At the end of the day, Daniel hopes people see one thing in “Torn.” “This is a message of hope for people who are suffering and have lost the capacity to find their way out,” Sundahl said. “Rely on the people who are there to help and support you when you don’t have the ability to help yourself.” You can learn more about Daniel and his work via his website . GRCC will be hosting six ArtPrize entries in the Paul Collins Art Gallery, located on the fourth floor of the Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall at 143 Bostwick Ave. NE. ArtPrize is open to the public from September 13-28, 2024. Learn more about the competition, venues, artists and voting .    

Introducing “Speaking the Words Without Knowing the Language” by Matthew Schenk

On Display at GRCC’s Paul Collins Art Gallery During ArtPrize 2024  “Speaking the Words Without Knowing the Language” is an electroformed 3D printed sculpture. While Matthew isn’t sure where the idea came from, he does hint at his motivations in the name. “Artificial intelligence is spawning big conversations in the art world,” Schenk said. “We have these systems that can write text or create imagery. But they don’t have context. They’re just following rules. It gets really confusing to think about. Do these things, created by rules, really have meaning?”   In a bit of a play on AI, Schenk took the human figure from his entry last year and repurposed it into a standalone sculpture. The caveat? The person has been removed from the original context. You don’t know why it is there, or what it represents. “I want people to be confused by this sculpture,” Schenk said. “If it has meaning, it’s because the viewer layers meaning onto it.” Matthew has a lot of experience with getting people to think. That’s because he does it all the time as an art professor at GRCC. “I don’t tell students exactly what to do,” Schenk said. “My design class involves critical thinking. Students have to figure out what they want to convey and how to share that message. Most of them get really engaged through that process.” Matthew has participated in ArtPrize for many years, and hopes that it continues to evolve. “I like being able to have my students go look at art, evaluate it, and think about it,” Schenk said. “I would love to see ArtPrize continue to improve and attract more artists from around the world. This event has the potential to expose people to really excellent art.” You can learn more about Matthew and his work via his Instagram page . GRCC is hosting six ArtPrize entries in the Paul Collins Art Gallery, located on the fourth floor of the Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall at 143 Bostwick Ave. NE. ArtPrize is open to the public from September 13-28. Learn more about the competition, venues, artists and voting .  

GRCC Votes! celebrating Constitution Day

The GRCC Votes! Team and partners will be tabling during Constitution Day, also National Voter Registration Day!! Stop by one of multiple tables across campus to learn more about how to register to vote, check or update your current information, learn about elections and pick up a copy of the U.S. Constitution! Between 10am-2pm, our teams will be split between the 1st floor of the Student Center, the ATC near Foodology and Sneden Hall.  At 12pm Student Government will join to pass out free pizza to students at the Student Center location!! More on Raider Connect --  https://grcc.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/grccvotes  

National Voter Registration Day is September 16

GRCC Votes! will be hosting multiple voter registration drives this fall in an effort to encourage students to get out and vote. In addition to GRCC Votes! non-partisan initiatives to empower students to plan and lead voter registration efforts, there will be community partners like Urban League, Urban Core Collective, League of Women Voters and some of our own student organizations heading up other pop-up tabling and opportunities to help you to get registered, to learn what's on the ballot and to help you make a voting plan....not to mention some fun and connection sprinkled in.  Lookout for events now through election day (November 5) and if you would like to get involved in this work, consider supporting or leading a voter registration drive with us! We're looking for additional students to support work across campus and extend the invitation to sign up now! Students will voluntarily participate and will be trained and the first five students to sign up will be compensated for their time. If you would like to learn more and sign up, follow the link to the Voter Registration Drive Student Sign-Up .   More about Student PIRGs here .

The Quest Begins: ARTS Club's Grand Rapids Adventure Quest

The adventure of a lifetime awaits! Are you ready to step into the shoes of a legendary hero, solve ancient riddles, and conquer evil forces? Join the Grand Rapids Adventure Quest and prove your worth!   Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the ARTS Club, GRCC Students will have the exclusive opportunity to embark on a real-life RPG adventure right here on campus. This project is a campus-wide game that invites students to explore the school grounds and solve puzzles as they navigate a fantasy world, offering a fresh perspective on our familiar surroundings.   The game features you, the students, as the adventurers. You are the heroes, tasked with solving various quests throughout the school on a journey to restore the world to order and prevent further chaos from unfolding. Clues and challenges are scattered throughout the campus, guiding your heroic journey. We aim to create a fun and interactive experience for students that will spark creativity and imagination. By setting the adventure on our campus, we hope to highlight our school's unique features in a new and exciting way, making the experience both enjoyable and engaging.   The Grand Rapids Adventure Quest has already generated a lot of excitement among students eagerly anticipating the chance to explore the school in a new light. The game is open to all students, and we encourage everyone to sign up. This is a unique opportunity to feel part of our incredible community and embark on an exciting adventure, making your mark on the school's activities.   The ARTS Club hopes that the Grand Rapids Adventure Quest will become a hallmark of the fall semester, providing students with a memorable and engaging experience that fosters a love of learning and creativity and catalyzes them to expand their networks and make friends along their journey. Signing up does not obligate you to complete the game, but whoever solves the most riddles near the end of the semester will win a customized sculpture designed by the fantastic ARTS club students. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your critical thinking skills and be rewarded for your efforts.   If you feel ready to step up to the role of hero, complete this form to receive your first riddle and embark on your quest. 

Become a Promise Zone Mentor

We are looking for local community members and professionals to serve as mentors to our Promise Zone students. Our goal is to help create and grow a student’s career and life skills, as well as expand their professional networking opportunities. We want to focus on career-oriented support and coaching by our mentors and provide Promise Zone students with real-life experience to prepare them for their future beyond college. For more information on the mentor requirements and objectives, visit our mentorship  webpage . Or you can complete the  Mentor Application form here!  
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