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GRCC Library and Learning Commons Celebrates Black History Month With Powerful Collection Honoring the Black Experience

  Immerse yourself in our curated collection that honors the depth, resilience, and creativity of the Black experience.  From powerful memoirs, compelling fiction, immersive audiobooks, provocative poetry and vibrant graphic novels, there is a story for everyone.   Visit our book display in the Library on the 5th floor of RJF Hall or view the collection in the  Black History Month Reading List located in the Library and Learning Common’s subject guides webpage. " The story of Black History Month begins in Chicago during the summer of 1915.  An alumnus of the University of Chicago with many friends in the city,  Carter G. Woodson  traveled from Washington, D.C. to participate in a national celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of emancipation sponsored by the state of Illinois. Thousands of African Americans travelled from across the country to see exhibits highlighting the progress their people had made since the destruction of slavery. Awarded a doctorate in Harvard three years earlier, Woodson joined the other exhibitors with a black history display. Despite being held at the Coliseum, the site of the 1912 Republican convention, an overflow crowd of six to twelve thousand waited outside for their turn to view the exhibits. Inspired by the three-week celebration, Woodson decided to form an organization to promote the scientific study of black life and history before leaving town. On September 9th, Woodson met at the Wabash YMCA with A. L. Jackson and three others and formed the  Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) . Black History Month is an annually observed month-long celebration of African American life, History, and culture. Founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in February 1926, what was Formerly known as Negro History Week became a month-long celebration as a way to promote, research, preserve, interpret, and disseminate information about Black life, History, and culture to the global community." From  The Association for the Study of African American Life and History  

GRCC Hosts Annual Legislative Luncheon, Highlights Student Success and State Priorities

Grand Rapids Community College welcomed members of its state and federal legislative delegation to campus Monday, Feb. 2, for the college’s annual Legislative Luncheon, held in the Secchia Piazza. The event brought together three state senators, eight state representatives and representatives from four federal legislators’ offices, along with members of the Executive Leadership Team and GRCC’s Board of Trustees. The luncheon provided an opportunity to share updates on the college’s progress, thank legislators for their continued support and discuss priorities critical to GRCC’s mission and future. During the program, Interim President Steve Triezenberg, Ph.D. presented an overview of GRCC’s enrollment trends, student outcome metrics and student success stories, underscoring the college’s role in transforming lives and meeting West Michigan’s workforce and community needs. He also expressed gratitude to legislators for renewed state funding included in the most recent budget cycle. Dr. Triezenberg outlined three key legislative priorities for the coming year: Creation of a more equitable state aid funding allocation model Updates to budget language related to administrative salaries Reversal of the House budget recession decision affecting GRCC’s three-year MiLEAP grant The luncheon concluded with a hard hat tour of the Learning Resource Center renovation project, a major campus investment made possible through State Capital Outlay funding. Guests also departed with parting gifts prepared by GRCC’s Culinary program, a tangible reminder of the quality and impact of the college’s academic offerings. The annual Legislative Luncheon remains an important opportunity for Grand Rapids Community College to strengthen relationships with elected officials and advocate for policies that support student success and community impact.  

Recycling at GRCC During Campus Race to Zero Waste

Feb. 4, 2026 Did you know, approximately 75% of the items we use every day are recyclable? Plastic containers, aluminum foil, paper, cardboard, even batteries, cell phones and old laptops  — it can all be recycled instead of ending up in the landfill. GRCC’s Sustainability Team and Facilities Department are working to increase awareness about recycling on campus by participating in Campus Race to Zero Waste. Campus Race to Zero Waste is a friendly competition among colleges and universities across the United States and Canada. The goal is simple: recycle as much as possible from Feb. 2 through March 27, 2026. GRCC will compete in two categories: per capita recycling and electronics.  Let’s Fill Up the Blue Recycling Containers in Feb. and March! You see them all over campus. The blue recycling bins are in every building, making it easy to recycle plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, cartons, and aluminum. After you place your recyclables in the correct bin, GRCC’s waste hauler takes the material to the Kent County Department of Public Works for sorting and recycling. Remember, clean and empty is the key for successful recycling. Rinse out any plastic bottles or food containers before tossing them into the blue bins. If a pizza box has grease on it, tear off that part and place it in the trash. Food residue may contaminate other recyclables in the bin and complicate the recycling process. If you’re not sure if something can be recycled, throw it out.    Bring Old Electronics to GRCC Between Feb. 2 and March 3 Recycling old electronics like computers and cell phones requires a specialized process to make sure heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel and barium are properly disposed of. GRCC partners with Comprenew , a local, nonprofit, R2 and e-Stewards certified recycler for all electronics recycling. Working with an accredited, certified company for e-waste recycling is critical for preventing contamination and mitigating environmental impact. GRCC staff and students may bring old computers, printers, cell phones, TVs, stereos, chargers and other miscellaneous consumer electronics to campus and have it properly recycled. If you would like to bring items collected from family and friends, please call ahead to make sure we can recycle the items. Call Media Technologies (616) 234-3830 or Facilities (616) 234-4057 to ask questions or make a drop off appointment. You can also email media@grcc.edu . As long as you can carry it into the recycle station here at GRCC, you can recycle it! Other Recycling Options at GRCC GRCC offers ways to recycle other items that often end up in landfills. Batteries: look for black buckets next to the blue recycling containers across campus. Place dead AA, AAA, C-Cell, D-Cell and 9-Volt batteries here. Do not use the buckets for lithium, button or rechargeable batteries as these are a fire risk. Call Media Technologies (616) 234-3830 to schedule a time to drop off lithium, button and rechargeable batteries so we may properly dispose of them. Composting: all of the plates and tableware at Foodology are completely compostable. Other Campus dining kitchens compost food scraps from prep areas. SafeMed: anonymously dispose of expired or unused medication by using the drop box in the main entrance of the GRCC Police Station. All items placed in the drop box are safely and securely destroyed.  Working Toward a More Sustainable Future GRCC is committed to prioritizing sustainability. We hope you will join us during this year’s Campus Race to Zero Waste and beyond to raise awareness of recycling opportunities here on campus. Together, we can work toward a more sustainable future. Together, we’ve got this!

Erin Busscher Elected as Michigan Liaison to the NACADA Region 5 Steering Committee

  Erin Busscher will be representing all of the advisors in the state of Michigan as the Michigan Liaison to the NACADA Region 5 Steering Committee. Region 5 covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nunavut, Ohio, Ontario and Wisconsin. Ericka Wade, Region 5 Chair, said Busscher “will play a key role in shaping the region’s strategic goals, overseeing the region budget, managing the Awards program and representing the members from Michigan.”  According to their website, “ NACADA promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education to enhance the educational development of students. NACADA provides a forum for discussion, debate, and the exchange of ideas pertaining to academic advising through numerous activities and publications. NACADA also serves as an advocate for effective academic advising by providing a Consulting and Speaker Service and funding for Research related to academic advising.”

"Go Beyond" Recipient for January 2026

Student Employment Services sponsors the “Go Beyond” recognition program for student employees. This program recognizes student employees who go beyond their normal job responsibilities to provide extraordinary service while working at GRCC.  Nominated student employees receive a special GRCC T-shirt and a gift card. Congratulations to our “Go Beyond” recipient for January 2026: Rod Amani - Student Life and Conduct To nominate a student employee, please visit the  Go Beyond Recognition Program webpage.

2026-27 Faculty Special Assignments: Interest Forms Due Feb.13

The 2026-27 Faculty Special Assignments are now available for your consideration. These are important roles that support Academic and Student Affairs and are also a great way for faculty members to gain leadership experience while collaborating with colleagues across departments and/or Schools. As of today, the Provost’s  2026-27 Faculty Special Assignments webpage has been updated to include the assignments as well as information for how you can express interest in an assignment. Please review the webpage and complete the  2026-27 Faculty Special Assignment Interest Form linked there if you are interested in an assignment or if you have any questions about an assignment.  Please note that the deadline to express interest via the Google form is Friday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m.

New Professional Development Opportunity: The Journey of Our Water March 27

Have you ever wondered where our water comes from or what happens when it goes down the drain? Take a step away from your desk for the morning and join us for an engaging professional development opportunity focused on water systems and sustainability. This PD explores the journey of our water, from its source through treatment, and highlights ways we can all contribute to more sustainable water systems. Participants will tour the Grand Rapids Wastewater Treatment Facility and also learn about the biodigestion process.  Details:  Friday, March 27, 2026  Boxed lunches will be provided The group will meet at MTEC by 8:30 a.m. to board the bus Return by approximately noon Please note that travel time and lunch are not included in PD credit hours. You will also need to fill out a Leave of Absence form.  If you’re interested in sustainability, infrastructure, or simply learning more about the systems that support our community, this is a great opportunity. Spots are limited, so sign up in the Online Center today!  If you have any questions, please reach out to talent_development@grcc.edu  

Campus Race to Zero Waste Feb. 2 to March 27

  Grand Rapids Community College’s (GRCC) Sustainability Team and Facilities department are excited to announce the college’s participation in the Campus Race to Zero Waste (CR2ZW) 2026 Competition! This is the second year that GRCC has participated in this competition. If you aren’t familiar with CR2ZW, it is a friendly competition that includes colleges and universities across the United States and Canada that want to take the opportunity to reduce waste on campus. GRCC will compete in the Per Capita recycling and Electronics categories.     Per Capita recycling is the combined weight of paper, plastics, glass, cans (the co-mingled recycling stream) and cardboard, divided by the campus population. This runs from February 2 through March 27.  Electronics recycling is an opportunity for GRCC employees and students to bring their old electronics to campus to recycle for free!  Recycling electronics through a R2 and e-Stewards certified recycler keeps all kinds of hazardous chemicals out of the landfill.  So start cleaning out those closets and shelves and see what you can bring to campus between February 2 and March 3.  And tell your family and friends! How can students, faculty and staff help? Recycle what you can while on campus.  GRCC has numerous recycling stations around campus. Look for the three bins and the recycling poster (designed by GRCC Graphics). Last year over 25,000 pounds of recyclables (cardboard, paper, plastics, glass and metal) and 2,300 pounds of electronics were collected. Let’s use February and March to be engaged and intentional about recycling on campus.
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