Nov. 8, 2022, LANSING, Mich. – Danyel Bibbs' 28 points and nine assists propelled the Grand Rapids Community College men's basketball team to a hard fought 103-90 victory Tuesday against the Great Lakes Christian College junior varsity team. The win kept the Raiders unbeaten, improving to 3-0 on the season. GRCC led by as many as 16 points and didn't trail after the opening minutes of the game. Brockton Kohler scored 19 points and added five rebounds, while Rico Wade chipped in 14 points, shooting six-of-nine from the field.  The two of them combined to go five-of-11 from three-point territory. Bashir Neely scored 10 points and Herman Brown led the defense with six steals and a game-high nine rebounds. The team's next game is Nov. 10 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse against Lansing Community College, a former Western Conference foe, at 7:30 p.m. or 20 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game.  

Nov. 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Audrey Torres and Eliza Thelen headline the list of eight Grand Rapids Community College volleyball players who received honors from the Michigan Community College Athletic Association on Tuesday. Torres and Thelen were named to the All-MCCAA, All-Region, and First Team All-Conference teams, while six additional GRCC student-athletes were named to the All-Conference Team. GRCC, currently ranked No. 13 in the nation, enjoyed its 11th conference title, finishing 9-1 in the MCCAA’s new Northern Conference. The team earned the MCCAA Championship – its sixth in the last seven years -- and on Saturday celebrated its 11th Region XII-District championship to advance to the NJCAA National Tournament. “GRCC is recognized as one of the top programs in the nation, a reflection of the excellent coaching staff and hard work from student-athletes,” Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. “It’s nice to see players recognized for their accomplishments. We’re looking forward to seeing the team compete in the national tournament.” Torres, a sophomore from Caledonia, was also named Most Valuable Player at the NJCAA Region XII Great Lakes A Tournament. She ranks first on the team in kills with 328, second in aces with 35 and fourth in digs with 176. Thelen, a sophomore from Grand Rapids, was second on the team with 269 kills while hitting an impressive .327, ranking her top-10 in the MCCAA. She also totaled 61 blocks and averaged 3.46 points per set. Kara Hecht, a third-year player from Zeeland, was named First Team All-Conference and was a member on the All-Tournament team at the regional tournament.  She started all 27 matches, averaging 2.89 points per set. She was second on the team with 210 digs and thirds with 211 kills. Karissa Ferry and Shannon Russell were named Second Team All-Conference as well as members on the All-Tournament team at the regional tournament.  Ferry, a sophomore right-side hitter from Chesaning, was fourth on the team with 192 kills and second with 64 blocks. Russell, a sophomore setter from Grand Rapids, led the team in assists with 872, was third in service aces with 33 and third on the team in digs with 206. Earning All-Conference honorable mention honors was Audrey Gower of Dimondale, Alena Visnovsky of Sparta and Vienna Koenigsknecht of Portage. Gower led the team in digs with 359 and Koenigsknecht added 161.  Visnovsky totaled 120 blocks, averaging 1.28 per set, ranking her number one among all MCCAA players and one of the best in the NJCAA Division II. Head coach Chip Will was named Conference Coach of the Year for the ninth time and MCCAA Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his 16 years at the helm.   GRCC awaits its first-round opponent at the NJCAA Division II tournament, taking place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Nov. 17 to the 19.

Nov. 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The GRCC Library and Learning Commons is equipped with everything students need to be academically successful: computers, printers, study space, textbook reserves and numerous book, journal and video collections.  It also has a hard-working third-shift custodian who doubles as an in-house artist, although Mark Fortuna laughs when he’s described that way. Still, in any given week, visitors to the building that he’s cleaned for a decade-plus now are likely to be greeted by a large whiteboard adorned with his latest artistic work, even as they walk on his carefully cleaned carpets and work in his lovingly cared-for building. And any conversation with Fortuna makes it clear that he takes painstaking pride in what he does as a custodian and an artist. A graduate of Union High School, Fortuna had a chance to attend Kendall College of Art and Design after graduation, but, as he says, life got in the way, and he went straight into the workforce instead. After a spell stocking shelves on the overnight shift at a local grocery store, he landed a job at GRCC. It took some doing, he said, despite the fact that both his mom, Lorraine, and his dad, Dave, were legendary GRCC employees, also working on the custodial side of things. “I think the college didn’t want to be accused of showing favoritism by hiring me,” he recalled with a smile of that interview process two decades ago now. “It took a little bit, and I really had to jump through some hoops. But I landed my first job here, and it’s been great to be part of the GRCC family.” Although his dad passed away soon after retiring from GRCC after a battle with pancreatic cancer, Fortuna said the lessons learned from him, and from his mom, have stuck with him and guide him daily in his work on campus. “From him and from my mom I got a real strong work ethic,” he said. “I saw them just do their jobs, go to work and do your job. Really, my dad worked two jobs for most of my life. My mom worked and was president of our union. I’ve always felt a responsibility to live up to the examples they set.” He approaches his art with a similar resolve. “I take it seriously,” he said. “The whiteboard drawings I do at GRCC mean a lot to me, and I love it when people enjoy them. It's also very relaxing to me. Almost therapeutic. If I have a day off, that's what I'm pretty much going to be doing. I'll just sit there and draw for hours. And it makes me happy to draw stuff and when people really get enjoyment out of it, that’s great, right?” Although Fortuna prefers to work with pencils and pens, he said he has enjoyed the challenge of having to use markers for his whiteboard drawings. His work on campus also has a lighter feel to it than some of his other work he said, most of which he posts on social media. “It's only been in the last few years that I've really shown my work,” he said. “I've been content to just do drawings for friends and family. You have to be ready when you put yourself out there.” Fortuna credits his colleagues in the Library and Learning Commons for encouraging him to put himself out there via the whiteboard exhibitions. “The people that work at the library are so great,” he said. “It’s just a great community of people that work there and make my job very enjoyable. When they gave me the opportunity to do some drawing on the whiteboard, I wasn’t sure, but they encouraged me, and I’m grateful they did.” The trust that his colleagues have in him is not something he takes lightly, and daily he does his best to make his colleagues’ workspace the best it can be. “In some ways, my custodial work is a bit like my art,” he said. “There’s details to it; you work hard at it, and when it’s done, you can look at it with satisfaction. I wouldn't trade it, that's for sure.” When he’s not cleaning and not making art, Fortuna stays busy with his family; his wife, Tonya, and children Mason, Shea and Brooklyn. His pride in his family is evident as he speaks about them. “Mason will be graduating from Grand Valley in business and finance; Shea is in her second year at Calvin for computer science, and Brooklyn is a sophomore at Byron Center High School,” he noted. “And Tonya works at Railside Assisted Living Center as a resident caregiver.” He also is proud of his brother Ben, the youngest in the family, who works in management in manufacturing, and his brother Dave, who is a custodian for GRCC at the Leslie Tassell MTEC. He laughs when asked about the fact that four of the five members of his Fortuna family found themselves working at GRCC. “It is a bit unusual I guess,” he said. “But GRCC is a great place to be, and, hopefully, we’ve all played a little part in making it even better.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.    

Nov. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grace Lodes scored a team-high 19 points, but the Grand Rapids Community College women's basketball team fell short is its season opener 57-45 against the Aquinas College junior varsity team. Lodes, a sophomore from Comstock Park, sank two free throws with 4:36 remaining in the game, bringing GRCC within two points. But Aquinas scored 12 of the final 14 points of the game to secure the victory. "We played well in spurts and I thought we did some nice things defensively and offensively to get back in the game," coach Dave Glazier said. "But overall we have to play like that consistently to be successful."  GRCC was just 15 of 57 from the field, including 2 of 18 from behind the arc.  Aquinas shot an impressive 41.2% from beyond the three-point line. Lodes also had a team-high nine rebounds and four steals. Marlene Bussler was the only other GRCC player scoring in double digits, finishing with 11 points including the team’s only three-point baskets. The team’s next game is 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse against former western conference foe Lansing Community College. 

Nov. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College volleyball head coach Chip Will earned NJCAA Great Lakes A District Coach of the Year honors after leading the team to its 11 th district championship on Saturday. GRCC won all four of its matches in the tournament, including victories in three of four sets in the championship match against St. Clair County Community College. “GRCC’s volleyball program is known across the nation, with a long track record of success,” GRCC Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. “Chip is dedicated to making sure his student-athletes are successful on and off off the court. He’s preparing excellent volleyball players, but also outstanding students and community members.” It’s the 11 th time Will has won the District Coach of the Year Award. He has coached the GRCC team for 16 seasons and has won more than 400 matches. Earlier in the year, Will's team won its 11th conference championship and later its ninth Michigan Community College Athletic Association championship. Will has earned MCCAA and conference Coach of the Year eight times and the national Coach of the Year in 2012 when his team won the national championship. The title remains the only women's national championship at GRCC, and alumni were saluted at homecoming last month. The 2022 team is heading to the NJCAA national tournament, played Nov. 17 to 19 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Nov. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Students in Grand Rapids Community College’s TRIO program will share their summer research experiences during a Nov. 9 open house. The federally funded TRIO program provides academic advising, tutoring, mentoring, financial guidance, counseling and other supports to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds. As part of TRIO, students have opportunities to participate in summer research through these programs: Michigan Technological University’s Michigan College and University Partnership. The University of Michigan’s Community College Summer Institute. U of M’s Great Lakes Arts, Cultures and Environments program. A study abroad trip to the Netherlands sponsored by the Council for Opportunity and Education. Stacie Aguirre-Jaimes was in Michigan Tech’s MiCUP program this summer. “It really opened my eyes to what type of opportunities are out there for me and other students like me,” she said. “It’s a great experience to have, especially as a first-generation student, who may or may not know what their path is.” Professor Anna Maria Clark, TRIO advisor, said summer research opportunities are transformative experiences for students. “Participating in summer research has impacted their academic journeys in immeasurable ways,” she said, “from goal and career clarification, academic confidence, personal confidence, understanding the transition to four-year schools, hands-on lab experiences, understanding of research and lab experiences, developing relationships with faculty and grad assistants, creating a broader network of friends from other schools also participating in summer research, and more.” The open house runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 9 on the third floor of the Student Center, 122 Lyon St. NE. Snacks will be provided.

Nov. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is saluting students, employees and community members who served in the Armed Forces during an annual Veterans Day commemoration on Friday, Nov. 11, including remarks from veteran and entrepreneur Michael Hyacinthe. The commemoration is planned for 10 a.m. on the Dr. Juan R. Olivarez Student Plaza near the college’s veteran’s memorial and iconic lion fountain. Hyacinthe, a Navy veteran, was recognized as one of Inc Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs in 2010. He founded Has Heart, a project aimed at connecting with wounded veterans and helping them experience restoration through art. The Grand Rapids Business Journal named Hyacinthe a Top 40 Under Forty Entrepreneur in 2020 because of his work with wounded veterans and his children’s media and Wimage, a tech company he founded.  This work led to the creation of an iPhone app and the start of the popular children's show called “Wimee’s Words” on PBS. He earned a Top Veteran Owned Business award by Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce in 2021. Hyacinthe also will be part of a panel discussion for GRCC students and employees starting at 11:30 a.m. in the Veterans Center, located on Level G2 of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall on the Main Campus. Topics include the transition from the military to higher education, challenges faced by veterans, and how to connect with GRCC resources supporting veterans.  

Nov. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Justin Ruehs had goals, and GRCC worked with him at his own pace to reach them. “GRCC allowed me to grow as a person and as a student at a pace and at a scale that was not overwhelming coming from a smaller town that didn’t have as many opportunities for students as some of the bigger or wealthier West Michigan public school districts,” he said. “GRCC gave me the opportunity to achieve higher education goals on my own by allowing classes that fit around my work schedule.” Start at GRCC and go anywhere. Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC gave them the education and opportunity to be successful. During his time at the college, Ruehs worked at the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, which counts among his favorite GRCC memories. “I paid my tuition as I went – not to say it was easy taking a full class load, working on campus part time as a student worker in a work-study program and holding down a full-time job, but it was my path to bettering myself through education.” Ruehs also appreciated the ease with which his two associate degrees transferred to Grand Valley State University, where he earned a bachelor’s health communications with a minor in public relations in 2000. He later received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and recently completed an MBA with a concentration in insurance from Olivet College. He also has earned professional designations through The Institutes and the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. He’s put his classroom knowledge, as well as his time management and teamwork skills, to use as a risk manager for Microsoft. “I oversee six of their insurance programs as well as working with our three ‘captives’ (wholly owned subsidiaries),” he said. “Prior to Microsoft, I worked as a large property underwriter for Liberty Mutual, AIG (American International Group) and AFM, part of FM Global.” He also works on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Microsoft and with outside organizations, such as the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation and the Chicago chapter of the CPCU Society. The father of triplets, he’s also a mentor with Foster Progress, which helps Illinois youths in foster care attain a college degree and successfully transition to adulthood. Ruehs is passionate about helping others because he’s grateful for the support he’s received in his life. “I am so fortunate for a few key people in my professional and educational journeys that took a chance on me and gave me a shot to learn new skills or roles,” he said. “Showing up, doing the work and exceeding expectations always opened the next door.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply

Nov. 4, 2022, PORT HURON, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team is headed to the national championship tournament for the 11th time in program history after a four-set win over St. Clair County Community College. "Each player comes to our program with the goal of winning a conference, state, regional and national title," head coach Chip Will said. "This group has worked every day on and off the court to give themselves a chance at achieving this goal.  We as a staff couldn't be prouder of how the girls competed together this weekend as teammates, always making sure they were making the person next to them better.  The Raider Nation crowd helped create an unbelievable atmosphere on St. Clair's home floor.  This was a total program championship!"  After two wins on opening night, including one against St. Clair, the MCCAA and Northern Conference champions only had to play one on Friday night and swept Kalamazoo Valley Community College to advance to the championship match. St. Clair County battled back through the consolation bracket, winning three in a row to land a rematch against the Raiders. GRCC prevailed, 25-18, 25-13, 19-25, and 25-13. GRCC played its best defense of the tournament, with 82 digs and having just two reception errors. Sophomore libero Audrey Gower was a digging machine finishing with a match-high 18 while Kara Hecht added 15. Offensively, tournament MVP Audrey Torres led the way with a match-high 19 kills, giving her a tournament total of 55. Eliza Thelen and Kara Hecht each had 11 kills and Shannon Russell dished out 35 assists. Because of their outstanding tournament play, Hecht, Russell and Karrisa Ferry joined Torres on the All-Tournament team. GRCC, ranked No. 13 in the latest NJCAA Division II poll, improved to 24-3 overall, and now awaits its opponent for the NJCAA Division II National Championship that takes place Nov. 17 to 19 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.