Sept. 12, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich . -- When it’s time to get serious about your future, GRCC is there for you. “GRCC afforded me the opportunity to follow through on my dreams without sacrificing life outside of school. While it was an incredibly busy time in my life, I still had a balance – able to work and spend time with my children," Caitlin Owens said. “In 2016, I was a single mother of two, and while I had some years of experience and some college credits under my belt, I really didn’t have anything to show for it." 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. Owens decided to enroll in GRCC’s Education program, partly to show her children how hard work pays off. “The instructors at GRCC are second to none,” Owens said. “While I had years of experience in early childhood education before, GRCC is really what cemented my passion for education, families and developmentally appropriate practices.” She quickly found work in her chosen field after earning her associate degree in 2018. “I started at Head Start (for Kent County) right after graduating from GRCC with my associate degree,” she said. “I began as an associate teacher. The following year, I became a teacher, obtained my bachelor’s degree in child and family development, then was promoted to early learning coach specialist and associate supervisor, and became a site supervisor in February of this year. It’s definitely been a whirlwind!” Owens’ home life was also becoming busier during this time. “By 2018, I was married and finished my last course at GRCC two weeks after having baby No. 3,” she said. “Baby No. 4 came one week after graduating with my bachelor’s degree. The baby-degree correlation is not something that will continue with subsequent achievements!” Owens, who will begin work on a master’s degree in educational leadership at Central Michigan University in the spring, says GRCC provided her with the support she needed when she returned to the classroom. “Instructors were understanding but also pushed me and challenged me in ways that were meaningful,” she said. “GRCC afforded me the opportunity to follow through on my dreams without sacrificing life outside of school. While it was an incredibly busy time in my life, I still had a balance – able to work and spend time with my children.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply

Sept. 10, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. –  Freshman Mason Kolhoff is off to an impressive start, helping the Grand Rapids Community College men's cross country team finish in sixth place out of 10 teams at the annual Calvin Knight Invitational at Calvin University’s Gainey Complex. For the second consecutive meet, GRCC was the only community college team competing. The men's team finished ahead of four four-year institutions Alma College, Kalamazoo College, Cleary University and Albion College. The women’s team also fared well against nine four-year schools in the 6K run, defeating Alma and Adrian College.  Men's team coach Rob Hyde was impressed by his team’s performance, even though 2021 All-American Coleman Clark was again unable to run. "Most guys ran faster through their 5K during the 8K run today," Hyde said. "Mason had a very positive run race setting him up for what could be a very special freshman season while Andrew (Periard) and Dan (Kehoe) pushed each other to good performances. Overall, we're moving in the right direction and I'm very proud of our men today." Kolhoff finished with a time of 27:28 good enough for 34th place out of 123 total runners. Freshman Kehoe and sophomore Periard had fine performances as well, both finishing in under 29 minutes with times of 28:46 and 28:52. Other GRCC finishers included sophomore Lucas Schneider in 29:37, 76th place; sophomore Derek Hopkins in 30:04, 88th place; freshman Craig Fuller in 30:47, 96th place; and sophomore Zachary Richards in 32:28, 110th place. All-American Kaylee Scott again led the women's team in a field of 108 runners, finishing in 37th place with a time of 24:56. Sophomore Rose Meyer was impressive, defeating teammate Audrey Meyering for the first time with a time of 25:32. Meyering, a two-time All-American, finished seven seconds back taking 45th place. Freshmen Mariana Zaragoza, Chloe Jones, Samantha Sixberry and Zoe Zawacki rounded out the Raider women with times of 27:09, 27:50, 28:47 and 31:27. GRCC is next scheduled to compete in their first home meet of the season which will be a 5K run for the women and 8K for the men.  That event is scheduled for Sept. 17, and it will again be held at the Gainey Athletic Complex.   

Sept. 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Anyone interested in competing in a triathlon should talk to Grand Rapids Community College biology adjunct faculty member Mary Fournier – she’s run, swam and pedaled her way through 40 of them.  Fournier has also taken six trips to Africa. After a 2009 trip, while she worked as a chemistry and biology teacher at Cedar Springs High School, she was inspired to take action. Fournier founded the nonprofit “To Africa: From U.S.,” to benefit infrastructure projects in Southern Uganda. She has raised 80,000 over the last 12 years through community fundraisers and donations for projects like digging a well and expanding a school.  Fournier, who also teaches at Grand Valley State University,is pursuing a second master's degree in Biomedical Science. Teaching while she attends college provides Fournier with a unique perspective of her work – and the benefits of a community college degree. “At GRCC, I enjoy the rich diversity in every aspect of the college and as I get to know the students I teach,” Fournier said. “The GRCC Biological Sciences department offers so many ways for students to get a solid start in the career pathways they want to pursue.”   Fournier admires students who follow their passion to a career, and who dare to be themselves.  “We can all be inspiring during our lives,” Fournier said. “We are all heroes at one point and we all need rescuing at other points. By being our true-selves we empower others around us to be true to themselves and live out their authentic lives. Be brave. Be kind. Be you.” Over her 20 years in biology and education, Fournier learned education is an art. “Each individual teaches differently,” Fournier said. “Some teaching strategies work well for me, when they would work terribly for another teacher. The converse is true as well. Educational research has a limited reach and can only tell us a few hardcore proven truths about education. The rest is art.” Fournier has earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Aquinas College, and a Master of Secondary Education with Biology concentration from GVSU.  You can join her at GRCC in BI 101 General Biology Lab, BI 118 Environmental Science, BI 121 Human Anatomy and Physiology, and BI 122 Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lecture and Lab.  

Sept. 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Community College has its first new athletic trainer in 27 years – but one who is very familiar with the program. Mackenzie Ondersma is replacing Mike Roche as GRCC’s head trainer. She once studied with Roche at GRCC, working as a student aide and often returning as first aid and support staff for various GRCC events. "I am so excited to return to GRCC as the head athletic trainer," Ondersma said. "This program is how I got started on my athletic training path and helped me succeed in my education and career. I look forward to working with each and every one of the teams as well as growing this Sports Medicine program to be the best it can be!" Ondersma worked for Kentucky Orthopedic Rehab Team as an assistant athletic trainer at Asbury University for two years in Wilmore, Ken. where she worked with men’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, and golf teams. Ondersma graduated with her undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University in 2020 and completed an internship at GRCC. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and passing the Board of Certification Exam, she moved to Kentucky and worked while she earned her master’s degree in Athletic Training from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2021. She is certified by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association Board of Certification as well as licensed in the state of Michigan and commonwealth of Kentucky. Ondersma will support about 150 athletes each year in partnership with physicians and medical specialists. Roche, who retired earlier this year, assisted generations of GRCC student-athletes and has been honored by having athletic scholarships named in his honor. Roche has served GRCC students for 27 years and in 2021 received the National Athletic Trainer of the Year from the National Junior College Athletic Association.  

Sept. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Janice Maggini is being remembered as a passionate, lifelong educator who played a key role in Grand Rapids Community College’s leadership as a founding member of the board of trustees. Maggini passed away on Tuesday after a long illness. She was 85. “Jan was a wonderful person who for decades had a tremendous impact on GRCC and its students,” GRCC Interim President Juan Olivarez said. “She was a leader in policy governance to help the college run effectively. She always kept the focus on our students, tirelessly advocating for them, and making sure that all students, credit and non-credit, had access to the same support and benefits.” Maggini graduated from what was then Grand Rapids Junior College in 1956 before earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Michigan State University. She taught in the Wyoming Public Schools, earning honors as the 1990 Junior High School Teacher of the Year, and was named one of 10 Outstanding Women of Wyoming. She retired in 1997 as assistant principal at Jackson Park Middle School. “My passion for education began here in the fall of 1954,” Maggini said about her time as a GRJC student. “GRCC has been a fortress in the face of adversity throughout its history, a haven for quality learning for me and countless students for generations.” Throughout her education career, Maggini remained committed to GRCC. She was a founding member of the board of trustees, serving from 1991 to 2011, and was named board chair in 2003. She also served on the GRCC Foundation board of directors from 2011 to 2018. She was a trustee-director to the Michigan Community College Association and was elected chair of its executive council in 2003. “Jan’s leadership was rooted in an understanding of the challenges faced by so many of our students, and what the college and the community could do to support them,” said Dr. Kathryn K. Mullins, vice president of College Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. “She continued to support them after her time with the trustees through the foundation and a scholarship her family established. The scholarship fund established by Maggini, her husband, Frank, and their family is in memory of Erma Ostapowicz, “Grandma O.” It is awarded to women who have faced adversity and are enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College part time.

Sept. 5, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- “GRCC is a second chance at success.” John Vesbit enrolled at Columbia College Chicago after graduating from Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School, but it didn’t work out for him. “When I returned home to Grand Rapids, I wasn’t sure what to do next, so I took a chance enrolling at GRCC,” he said. He learned a lot – not all of it was on a syllabus. “I am not a natural student,” Vesbit said. “I love learning but struggled, at the time, to focus on the work at hand. The patience and grace exhibited by many of the professors at GRCC helped me to overcome some of my bad habits as a student. “It was at GRCC where I became a much more committed student and adult. Even when I failed, I would get up, dust myself off, and try again. GRCC gave me breathing room to fail and taught me the value of perseverance.” After earning his associate degree in 2008, he received a bachelor’s degree in theater and speech communications from Siena Heights University and a master’s in theater arts from Eastern Michigan University. He has worked on many theater productions, including “The Fantasticks” on Broadway. Since returning to Grand Rapids, he has taught classes for Grand Rapids Civic Theater, GRCC and Aquinas College and has directed and acted in West Michigan productions. He manages the box office and patron experience for Grand Rapids Circle Theater and has written plays for the Civic and Circle theaters. “It’s not hyperbolic to say that I don’t know where I would be now if I hadn’t chosen to enroll at GRCC when I did,” Vesbit said.  “More important than the courses I took, it was the professors at GRCC who mentored and helped guide me through my college experience. It was because of their genuine interest in my success that I was able to hone my passions, not only for theater and creative writing, but they also assisted me with building a strong foundation for my eventual professional career.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply

Sept. 2, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College cross country teams struggled in their first meet of the season, but coaches said the event against four-year programs was a good learning experience. GRCC was the only community college team competing in the 5-kilometer event, the Central Michigan University Jeff Drenth Invitational. The men's team finished in seventh place out of eight teams, and the women's team was in sixth place out of six teams in a field that included three NCAA D1 teams, two in NCAA D3, and one in the NAIA. "I'm very pleased with the efforts of the six ladies who raced today," women’s team coach Sharon Becker said. "I'm also very pleased to have this first race under our belts. The athletes and team learned a lot through their experiences racing today. Some struggled because of the heat while others learned they can overcome and adapt through the heat. I'm fortunate to be able to coach a team that includes individuals with the integrity and determination to embrace hard work." The cross country teams are coming off a successful 2021 season, with both finishing in the top 10 nationally and each with two runners earning All-American honors. Men's team coach Rob Hyde said squaring off against tough competition was a good way to start the year, but the team definitely has work to do. All-American Coleman Clark was the only runner unable to compete, but freshman Mason Kohloff had a strong showing in his first collegiate meet, finishing in 32nd with a team of 16:37. Seven other men crossed the finished line, with all but one breaking the 20-minute mark. Sophomores Andrew Periard, 17:51, and Craig Fuller, 18:00 led the remaining GRCC runners. They finished respectably in 53rd and 57th out of 74 total runners. Other GRCC finishers included sophomore Derek Hopkins in 18:38, 63rd place; sophomore Lucas Schneider in 18:39, 64th place; freshman Daniel Kehoe in 18:40, 65th place, sophomore Zachary Richards in 18:59, 66th place; and freshman Alex Weber in 20:17, 69th place. All-Americans Kaylee Scott and Audrey Meyering again led the women’s team. Battling hot temperatures, the sophomores posted solid times of 20:42 and 21:22. Other finishers for the Raiders were sophomore Rose Meyer at 21:46; and newcomers Mariana Zaragoza, Chloe Jones and Samantha Sixberry who finished with times of 23:04, 23:22 and 23:53. GRCC is next scheduled to compete in the Calvin Knight Invitational, which will be a 6K run for the women and 8K for the men.  That event is scheduled for Sept. 10, with the women running at 10 a.m. and the men at 11 a.m. for the men.  

Sept. 2, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Drew Rozema, head of the Computer Information Systems Department, and nationally known cybersecurity expert, did not start his career with teaching and information security in mind.  “I always knew I wanted to do something with computers, and sort of bounced around in different roles in IT and engineering until I found cybersecurity,” Rozema said. “The switch to cybersecurity was somewhat serendipitous. I was tasked with helping out with a number of security initiatives and was sent for training while working for a company called Tribune. When I realized I would need a degree to advance my career, I knew security was what would keep me interested enough to complete it.” Rozema worked at Fox 17 WXMI-TV as a computer systems administrator for two years, and then manager of information systems for seven years, before becoming director of technology at Tribune Co. in 2009. He connected with teaching during his time at Tribune, when he took an adjunct faculty position in the Grand Rapids Community College CIS department in 2013. Just over a year later he stepped into the position of tenured assistant professor. Two years later he accepted the role of department head for the CIS department at GRCC – working with faculty and industry leaders to keep CIS degrees and certificates at the forefront of emerging software, technology and information security. Rozema was drawn into teaching by the subject matter  “I like the opportunity to be immersed in the subject matter I love, and try and share my passion with the students in my classes,” Rozema said. “Our program brings world-class facilities and cutting-edge curriculum to Grand Rapids. We have faculty trained and vetted by some of the biggest names in information technology and rigorous academic programs for students who want to be help desk professionals, IT technicians, network administrators, cybersecurity professionals or research computer scientists. Any of those careers can start (and have started) at GRCC's CIS department.” Through Rozema’s leadership and collaboration with faculty and administration members, CIS was recognized by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security in 2018 as one of two Michigan community colleges designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. That same year, Rozema launched the “Defeasible Reasoning” podcast. Podcasting, he said, is an egalitarian medium that allows for real conversations to happen and for intimate stories to get told in a way that no other media can. Archived podcast episodes cover all things cybersecurity from 2018 to 2020 with co-host Noah DeSmit, a former GRCC Media Technologies Department staff member. “Like most hackers I remain a techno-utopian at heart,” Rozema said. “I believe in the power of technology and the power of communication done well. I hope that we all benefit when everyone has an opportunity to have a voice. Admittedly, we’re all still figuring out how to make that work, and there are occasional misfires, but I’m confident we can all get there.” In 2020 Rozema also joined the University of Michigan faculty as an adjunct lead instructor for the Nexus School of Engineering Cybersecurity Professional Boot-camp. His advice to students? Know the real value of your skills and talent; and how important it is to have credentials that prove them. Rozema is currently working towards a doctorate through the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security at Purdue - Discovery Park. He holds a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems, with a concentration in security, from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Science from Capella University with a specialization in Information Security and Assurance.

Sept. 1, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Andrew Moore, one of the top players of the 2021-2022 Grand Rapids Community College men's basketball team, is taking his talents to Calumet College of St. Joseph this fall. Teammate Isaac Slomp also is committed to playing at a four-year school in Indiana, attending Franklin College. Moore was one of GRCC’s top players in 2022, and was named to the Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s All-Conference team. "I am so excited for Andrew to have the opportunity to continue his career at Calumet," GRCC head coach Joe Fox said. "Calumet is getting an experienced player and scorer who was in the top 20 in NJCAA DII in both points and minutes played last season. Andrew pushed himself both on the court and in the classroom, and will have a great opportunity to finish his degree at Calumet while making a huge impact with the basketball team as well. I can't wait to follow his successes for the next two years." Calumet College of St. Joseph, located in Whiting, Ind., is a private, four-year school that competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Moore is a 6-foot, 4-inch forward and guard from Grand Rapids who attended Forest Hills Northern High School. Last year he led GRCC in scoring, with 584 points, averaging 20.1 per game. He also led the team with 43 steals and in free throw shooting, at just over 80 percent. He scored 20 or more points in 13 games, including a season-high 32 points against Schoolcraft College and 31 points against Lansing Community College. Slomp also is headed to the Hoosier State to continue his education. The 6-foot, 10-inch forward from Big Rapids graduated from Crossroads Charter Academy. He played in 22 games last season, scoring 19 points. Franklin College is a four-year private college located in Franklin, Ind., just south of Indianapolis.