GRCC Hosting Free Community STEM Day on April 13 April 4, 2024 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Families can get a peek into the worlds of anatomy, zoology, genetics, robotics and more during Community Stem Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. “We are excited to offer this free community day,” said Kristi Haik, dean of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. “STEM career growth far outpaces other fields. STEM exposure is important for all students. That’s why we are hosting this free day of fascinating experiences in all facets of STEM.” Students will be able to explore a host of hands-on STEM-related activities, including building balloon cars, making slime, designing robots, dissecting owl pellets, examining cheek cells, and much more. "GRCC faculty and students look forward to hosting a fun, interactive science day for all ages," said Professor Leigh Kleinert of GRCC’s biological sciences department. "We will have more than 25 different activities going on simultaneously." “We want to inspire young students with fun, cool activities,” Haik continued. “We hope that by exploring STEM activities and meeting professionals in the field, students will believe STEM is for them,” Haik said. “We also hope to welcome them back to GRCC some day through the host of STEM pathway programs that we offer.” All of the programs and activities are free and open to the public. Starting at 10 a.m., the John Ball Traveling Zoo will offer a 45-minute program beginning on the hour, every hour. All of the other programs are available on a continuous, drop-in basis from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free parking will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in both parking ramp A and parking ramp B. Parking ramp A is located at the corner of Fountain Street and Ransom Avenue. Parking ramp B is located at the corner of Bostwick Avenue and Lyon Street. Volunteers will be on hand to provide directions and maps of the activities. For more information about all the programs that will be offered and their locations, please visit grcc.edu/STEMday . Special thanks to University of Michigan LSA Transfer Bridges and GRCC School of STEM for sponsoring this event. To learn more about GRCC, please visit the website . About Grand Rapids Community College GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college – and is focused on making college education accessible and affordable. Classes are scheduled in person and online, on weekdays, evenings, and Saturdays at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties. We offer traditional liberal arts and occupational career pathways, adult education courses, and skilled training courses and apprenticeships.

April 2, 2024, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The inhabitants of a 13th century monastery will have you clutching your sides and maybe even wondering about morality as they concoct an outrageous new plan to pay old debts in the GRCC Players production of Michael Hollinger’s “Incorruptible”. Grand Rapids Community College student Jase Harris portrays Charles, the monastery’s abbot; Asher DeYoung plays his second-in-command, Brother Martin, and Tyrell Jackson-Streets is a larcenous one-eyed minstrel named Jack. Tom Kaechele, the head of GRCC’s Theater Department, directs the production. Kaechele is enjoying the humor of Hollinger’s play after a stretch of heavier shows. “Most of what we’ve done since Covid has had a pretty serious bent, and the students were excited to lighten things up,” he said. “My history is predominately directing comedies, so it’s perfect.” “Incorruptible” runs at 8 p.m. April 11 through 13 at Grand Rapids Community College’s Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain St. NE. Tickets, which can be purchased online, are $5 for students, $10 for GRCC faculty and staff, and $15 for the public. For more information, call (616) 234-3387. The play’s humor and historical setting also allow the audience to ask profound ethical questions of themselves, Kaechele added. “There is a question to ponder here too, of whether morality is an absolute black-and-white or if there’s gray to it,” he said. “I like shows that have to do with these kinds of ethical dilemmas.” About Grand Rapids Community College GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college – and is focused on making college education accessible and affordable. Classes are scheduled in person and online, on weekdays, evenings, and Saturdays at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties. We offer traditional liberal arts and occupational career pathways, adult education courses, and skilled training courses and apprenticeships.

March 19, 2024, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College trustees approved a 3 percent tuition increase for the 2024-2025 academic year, prioritizing the affordability of a quality education.  GRCC President Charles W. Lepper said the new tuition rate, approved unanimously by the board of trustees on Monday, continues to ensure that resources are available to support student needs.  At the request of GRCC student leaders, the board of trustees also approved a $5 increase in the campus activities fee for part-time students. The additional funds will allow for increased student activities programming. “The board of trustees and executive leadership of the college continue to prioritize affordability of a quality education for students, while working to ensure resources are available to support student needs,” said Lisa Freiburger, vice president for finance and administration. The in-district tuition rate of $124 per contact hour is a 3 percent increase - $4 per contact hour - from the 2023-2024 rate. The total cost for most full-time students will be $4,179.  The tuition change comes at a time when students have several options to attend college with education costs covered by state, local, and federal programs. In the Winter 2024 semester, nearly one in five GRCC students qualified for state aid programs that cover tuition and fees for in-district students.  The Michigan Reconnect program, which provides a tuition-free opportunity to work toward a college degree or certificate, has been expanded from age 25 and older, to include residents ages 21-24 who apply and enroll no later than fall semester 2024. Additional details are at: https://www.grcc.edu/reconnect . The college also is a proud partner with the Grand Rapids Promise Zone in providing a GRCC education without cost to graduates from 25 public, public charter, and private high schools located within the city.  For the class of 2024, more than 1,130 students in the city are eligible to have all their GRCC expenses covered through the Grand Rapids Promise Zone. Additional details are available at: https://www.grcc.edu/grcc-promise-zone-scholarship Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an important step toward determining eligibility for these or other grants or scholarships. Students may qualify for a federal Pell Grant, Michigan Achievement Scholarship, or for other scholarships through the Grand Rapids Community College Foundation. Additional information is available at  https://www.grcc.edu/pay-college Michigan community colleges receive revenue largely from three sources: tuition and fees, local property taxes, and state aid. GRCC’s costs are far below the average tuition and fee costs among Michigan’s 28  community colleges and will remain one of the most affordable college options in the state. The cost to attend GRCC is about a third of the average cost to attend and live on-campus  at a four-year institution in Michigan, based on data from the Michigan Education Savings Program .

March 15, 2024 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Community College has announced three finalists in the search for the college’s next provost/executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs.  The three candidates will visit campus the week of March 18 and meet with several internal teams throughout the day. Faculty and staff will have the opportunity to hear from each candidate at forums March 19-21.  The provost reports directly to the president and serves as the chief Academic and Student Affairs officer with major responsibilities for strategic planning and guiding all aspects of teaching and learning in support of student success. Candidate background and visit dates are: Dr. Sheila Jones – Tuesday, March 19 Dr. Sheila Jones is GRCC’s interim provost/executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, facilitating efforts to build an innovative curriculum, effective teaching and learning practices leading to student success, and institutional effectiveness. Jones has spent over 15 years in community college education and remains committed to creating opportunities and removing barriers for students to achieve their educational goals. She began serving GRCC in 2016 as dean of instructional support and then became associate provost of instructional support and institutional planning in 2022.  Prior to moving to Michigan, Jones was a tenured faculty member at Broward College. Jones earned her doctoral and master’s degrees in history from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s in history and business administration from Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. Dr. Michael Pullin — Wednesday, March 20   Dr. Michael Pullin is the dean of Academic Initiatives at Queensborough Community College, a campus in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. His college-wide responsibilities include degree program development and assessment, leadership of academic momentum initiatives, and strategic planning. Additionally, he oversees several programs and centers essential to student success.  Prior to his current position, Pullin served in different educational and research roles at Broward College, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, University of Notre Dame, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Pullin earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and his doctoral and master’s degrees in analytical chemistry from Kent State University.  Dr. Daniel Powell — Thursday, March 21   Dr. Daniel Powell has served nearly five years as the vice president of Academic Success at Northwest Vista College in the Alamo Colleges District in San Antonio. During his time as chief academic officer, the college has been recognized nationally for its high-quality instruction and academic support. Prior to his current role, Powell served in leadership and academic roles at Laramie County Community College, Patel Conservatory, Chipola College and the Chipola Regional Arts Association.  Powell holds a doctoral degree in music from Florida State University, a master’s in music from Arizona State University, and a bachelor’s in music education from West Texas A&M University. He also completed an MBA at Troy University.   Feedback on the provost search may be directed to  provostsearch@grcc.edu .