Nov. 27, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - More than 1,130 students from the class of 2024 are eligible to have all their Grand Rapids Community College expenses covered through the Grand Rapids Promise Zone. The “last dollar” scholarship program, started in 2020, covers eligible students’ costs of attending GRCC for up to 60 credit hours. All students who live in the Grand Rapids Public Schools service area and graduate from one of the 25 public, public charter, or private high schools within the city limits have free access to the college’s associate degree or job training and certification programs. Students must have attended an eligible Grand Rapids high school from the 10th grade through graduation to have all costs covered; those who started in 11th grade may have 50% of their expenses covered. But the Promise Zone’s support goes beyond expenses. “While the Grand Rapids Promise Zone provides students with a tuition-free path to pursue post-secondary education, we also are able to provide direct support to students through our success coordinators,” said Ashlee Mishler, the program’s director. “They walk alongside students to assist them in pursuing whatever goal they have after high school.” She said 676 students are attending GRCC this semester through the Promise Zone. Eligible Grand Rapids high school seniors are notified by mail. They then must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, and apply to GRCC. Undocumented or DACA students do not need to complete the FAFSA. Students may be eligible for a Promise Zone scholarship even if they took time off after graduating high school or are attending another higher education institution and are looking to earn more affordable credits as a GRCC guest student. For more information on the program, go to grpromisezone.com , email promisezone@grcc.edu or call (616) 234-4321.

Nov. 21, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – It’s the house that Abby built. “From time to time, I find myself driving by that first house up in the Black Hills and remembering how amazing it felt knowing that we weren’t just building a house … we were impacting lives,” said Abby Langenberg of Habitat for Humanity of Kent County.  The Black Hills house construction was part of the hands-on training Langenberg received through Grand Rapids Community College’s Residential Construction Program in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.  Langenberg enrolled in the 18-week program in 2016 after deciding to take home renovation from an investment side-project to a hands-on occupation. “I looked around at what education was available that wasn’t going to take me years to complete, or that was so basic it was like going back to square one with what I’d already learned about construction,” she said. “I tell people all the time that the GRCC program was the best return on investment I’ve ever had in terms of time and money. “And it’s also where I fell in love with construction.” The job-training program takes place at construction sites and teaches GRCC students the entire process of residential building including blueprint reading, site layout, concrete, carpentry, door/window installation, roofing, siding and interior finishing. “It was a strong foundation of construction skills that really paved the way for me and my career,” said the Grand Rapids native. She especially appreciated the mentorship and confidence that program instructor Kyle Lackschiede provided. “I laugh thinking about myself back then because I was pretty timid when it came to my skills,” she said. “Probably the most common phrase I heard from Kyle was ‘There’s nothing you can screw up that we can’t fix.’” After completing the Residential Construction Program in 2017, Langenberg worked for a small residential builder for a year which gave her a good overview of different project types. She then worked for Rockford Construction for several years, first as a carpenter and eventually helping to coordinate work crews. “I really loved that space because you had some client relations, you’re working out problems, you’re coordinating people, but you’re still doing hands-on work, and getting that satisfaction, too,” she said. In June 2021, Langenberg made the move to Habitat for Humanity where she serves as construction and warehouse director overseeing a team of 10 people. The nonprofit agency this year celebrates 40 years of working alongside 500 families to help them build and buy their homes. Langenberg not only helps coordinate Habitat’s new builds and renovations, she also fosters partnerships with volunteers — including students enrolled in GRCC’s Residential Construction Program. “It’s really come full circle for me, getting to work with and occasionally hire GRCC students from the program,” she said. “The job has a lot of variety and I wear a lot of different hats. But that’s one of the things I love about it; every day is different.” And meaningful. “The chance to impact lives is so incredible,” said Langenberg, who sometimes drives her three children past that first house she helped build in the Black Hills Neighborhood. “It’s still a great looking house and I have a lot of really fun memories from there,” she said. “It’s definitely still a great source of pride.” New sessions of GRCC Job Training programs begin throughout the year. The next session begins January 15, 2024. For more information, visit grcc.edu/jobtraining . This story was reported by Beth McKenna

Nov. 15, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The state Legislature recently approved a supplemental budget bill that includes funding to help Grand Rapids Community College renovate and expand its Learning Resource Center. The $16.8 million capital outlay request was part of a $615.6 million spending bill approved by lawmakers Nov. 2. The bill now awaits Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature. The 61,268-square-foot Learning Resource Center, 140 Ransom Ave. NE, was constructed in 1972 and houses GRCC’s library, tutoring and academic support services, media services, and the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The $33.6 million renovation project calls for: Updating electrical, plumbing, mechanical and HVAC systems. Replacing and waterproofing the building envelope. Addressing accessibility issues. Reconfiguring interior spaces. Improving energy efficiency. Adding 16,100 square feet to house additional student services, such as counseling, disability support, collaboration space and a testing center. “We are grateful that state lawmakers recognize the importance of this project,” said GRCC President Charles Lepper. “The renovations will create a sense of belonging for our students and make it easier for them to access the resources they need to support their learning.”

Nov. 14, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Growing up in Grand Rapids, the world sometimes seemed pretty small to Francisco Arvizu-Mancilla. Sure, there were times during his four years at Kenowa Hills High School where the idea of someday traveling outside of West Michigan, and even outside the U.S., sounded pretty good. But realistically, he said, it was hard to picture. “It just seemed like a fantasy,” he recalled recently. “Maybe something I would be able to achieve in my late 20s or maybe my 30s.” But, thanks to the Grand Rapids Community College TRIO program,  Arvizu-Mancilla’s dreams came true this summer as he spent three weeks in the Netherlands as part of an international study abroad program through the Council for Opportunity in Education and the Keith Sherin Global Leaders Program.   Now, months after the experience, he’s still in wonder and grateful to GRCC for making the path possible for him. “It all came so fast, but it was a truly amazing experience,” he said with a smile. He first heard about the Keith Sherin Global Leaders program through his TRIO advisor. TRIO is a set of federally-funded college opportunity programs that provide academic advising, mentoring, financial guidance, counseling and other support to empower students that are traditionally underserved in higher education. The Keith Sherin Global Leaders Program selects TRIO students from around the country for three weeks of study in the Netherlands each summer. The first week is a deep dive into the host country, and the next two weeks see students at The Hague Summer School, participating in courses that focus on addressing global challenges. It all sounded pretty good to Arvizu-Mancilla, and with his interest suitably piqued, he applied, but, he added, without expecting too much. When he found out he had been accepted, it didn’t immediately seem real, Arvizu-Mancilla said. But when it finally sunk in, he started to look forward to the trip and to prepare himself mentally. What he found in the Netherlands was better than he dared imagine. “I experienced so much personal and professional growth,” he said. “I got to meet and become networked with individuals from numerous countries, explored cool historical places and got to do some dining of cuisines not found here. Since this was my first time abroad, everything was different. The food, water, even the way the air smelled. It definitely opened up my perspective of the world.” He also found that he fit in with the best and brightest from around the country. “I think from a personal perspective it allowed me to prove to myself I am capable of applying to such programs in the future, and it allowed me to understand myself better,” he said. The experience also solidified for Arvizu-Mancilla his plan to finish GRCC strong and then transfer to the University of Michigan to complete a bachelor’s degree, something that had been on his radar since he first decided to attend GRCC after high school. Drawn to GRCC by “the low cost of tuition and the ability to avoid unnecessary debt for as long as I could,” he is now in his third and final year at the college and on his way to an associate degree in social and behavioral sciences. As he looks ahead to graduation, with his summer experience still fresh in his mind, he has words of advice for his fellow college students, both in Grand Rapids and elsewhere. “I would strongly encourage not just GRCC students but anyone to go and travel abroad,” he said. “It really does open one’s mind as to how the world functions and really opens up doors to many more opportunities.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan