July 18, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Jake Blough is grateful to GRCC not only for his 22-year career but for introducing him to the world beyond his small town. “Coming from a small town, GRCC afforded so much more possibilities to interact with a diverse population, diverse professors and, of course, diverse learning experiences,” said Blough, who graduated from Thornapple Kellogg High School. “I spent a majority of my time at GRCC between the Music program and Computer Science program. Learning how to learn was a really important skill to hone.” 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. Blough was hired by Service Express Inc., a global IT company, just three weeks after his 2000 graduation from GRCC. “Over 22 years, I have gone from field engineering, supply chain, data science and, ultimately, to the CTO position,” he said. For Blough, learning continues to be an essential task. “Service Express was a very small company when I started of only 24 employees,” he said. “Over the years, it has grown immensely to over 900 employees in multiple countries. It took a lot of hard work, creative thinking and learning new skills every single day to keep up.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .

July 15, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Professor Julie Bera knows Grand Rapids Community College Dental Program graduates are the best in the state.  “Our reputation comes from our class sizes, that we are CODA Accredited, from our dedicated and experienced faculty, and from the way local dentists support the education of our students,” Bera said.  GRCC offers both dental assisting and dental hygiene programs, allowing instructors to provide a deeper education to students in each program.  Beyond teaching, Bera advises the GRCC Dental Assisting Club, and works statewide to promote careers in dental assisting. For example, she has served on a variety of task forces and committees to address the shortage of licensed dental assistants, and she was instrumental in developing GRCC’s new pathway for working dental assistants to advance in their education and careers.  Despite her advocacy, teaching remains Bera’s passion. And that passion is fed by her relationship building and interactions with students.  “Their excitement for learning as they progress through our dental programs is contagious,'' she said. Bera is also inspired by her team at GRCC, and she never forgets the servant leadership of former GRCC dental program instructor and director Bunny Cookwalter. Bera’s career teaching dental assisting was not something she planned for. “I was working as a dental assistant and decided to go back to college to get a degree, hoping to be a health educator,” she said. I was asked to teach part time at GRCC, after being an adjunct instructor for 10 years, I accepted a full time position in 1999. I have never looked back after 31 years at GRCC - I love teaching!” Bera holds an associate of arts in dental assisting she earned from GRCC when the college was known as Grand Rapids Junior College.  She earned a bachelor's degree in health studies, and a masters degree in educational leadership, from Western Michigan University.  She has served on the Michigan State Board of Dentistry and on the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. Bera was recently the first recipient of the Michigan Dental Association’s Allied Dental Professional Educator Award from the Michigan Dental Association for her commitment to public service and education.  

July 15, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College women’s cross country team starts its 2022 season on Aug. 8, looking to build on a successful run that includes back-to-back finishes in the national top 10 and two All-American performances. The team, led by coach Sharon Becker, kicks off its season with a team marathon in Beulah and a three-day team camp before scrimmaging Aquinas College.   GRCC will race on Sept. 2 at the Central Michigan Jeff Drenth Invitational in Mt. Pleasant, followed by the annual Calvin Knight Invitational on Sept. 10 at the university’s Gainey Athletic Complex. The Raider Invitational on Sept. 17 kicks off Michigan Community College Athletic Association conference competition, which continues through Oct. 15 with stops in Grayling, Auburn Hills and Muskegon. GRCC will host the MCCAA & Region XII Championships on Oct. 29, a first for the program. Should the Raiders qualify for the NJCAA National Championships, that meet will be Nov. 12 in Tallahassee, Fla. GRCC has three runners returning from the 2021 team, which finished seventh in the NJCAA National Tournament. Returning are two-time NJCAA All-American Audrey Meyering from Middleville, All-American Kaylee Scott of Grandville; and Rose Meyer, from Standale, who recently earned NJCAA All-Academic honors. The team has three incoming freshmen. Chloe Jones graduated from Ogemaw Heights High School, Samantha Sixberry studied at Saugatuck High School and Mariana Zaragoza is coming from St. Ignace High School.  Zaragoza also plans to play basketball this year. Becker said there is still time for students who are interested in running to join the team. “I am optimistic that, together, these six women have what it takes to not only compete as a top team at our conference and regional meet but will also earn a spot and qualify to travel to Tallahassee, Florida for the 2022 NJCAA D2 XC Nationals on Nov. 12,” Becker said. “But no matter the ability of our runners, to put it simply, what I would like even more from each person on our team, is a commitment to each other, the team and a dedication to always give their best effort each day.”    

July 13, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A fourth grant from Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation will allow Grand Rapids Community College to help more nontraditional students gain in-demand welding skills. GRCC was one of the first 10 colleges to be supported by the legendary band when it started the Metallica Scholars program in 2018, and has been included every year since. The foundation has provided GRCC with $185,000 over the four years, and the grant helps continue a program aimed at underserved community members, giving them career skills as well as hands-on welding experience. More than 100 GRCC students have earned certificates through the program, a partnership between the band’s foundation and the American Association of Community Colleges. GRCC currently is one of 32 colleges included in the program, and the only one in Michigan. “We’re proud that Metallica and its foundation continue to invest in GRCC and our students,” said John Van Elst, interim executive director of Workforce Training.  “When you provide someone with a new set of skills, you’re doing more than helping them get a new job. You’re changing the course of their lives.” GRCC partners with local employers so students can participate in site visits, employee panels and mentoring to help them determine if welding is a good fit for their career goals. Each student participates in individualized career-preparation with GRCC to ensure they are job-ready upon completion of their welding license. All Within My Hands leaders said the Metallica Scholars program has generated a proven and measurable impact. AWMH added 10 more schools to its roster, investing $1.8 million to expand in year four. “Our goal for the Metallica Scholars Initiative is to shine a light on workforce education and support the next generation of tradespeople,” said Pete Delgrosso, executive director of All Within My Hands. “With the addition of the 2022-2023 Metallica Scholars program, our grants will reach over 2,000 men and women in 32 community colleges across 27 states. We are honored to support these students of all ages and backgrounds and look forward to growing the program even farther in the future.” The foundation said on average, students who complete the program see new job opportunities and increased salary potential up to three times higher than pre-program. The foundation also will continue partnering with the Rockford-based Wolverine Boots & Apparel in a collaboration that has furnished financial support and outfitted Metallica Scholars with work boots. “I drive into Grand Rapids from White Cloud every day for this training, so receiving the Metallica Scholarship was like winning the lottery, and the beautiful boots from Wolverine were a bonus, too!” GRCC student Armondo Medina said. “I’m just so thankful!” Additional information about the program is available at grcc.edu/metallica .  

July 12, 2002, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Three Grand Rapids Community College student-athletes were named to the National Junior College Athletic Association’s All-Academic First Team for their perfect 4.0 grade point averages. Nine GRCC student-athletes were among 9,912 in the nation honored by the NJCAA for achieving GPAs of 3.6 and higher in 2021-2022 All-Academic Awards announced this week. Women’s cross country runners Rose Meyer and Audrey Meyering, along with volleyball player Alena Visnovsky were saluted for earning 4.0 GPAs. “Congratulations to all of our student-athletes for being recognized for their hard work,” Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. “It is always exciting to see our student-athletes succeed on the field, but more importantly in the classroom.” On the All-Academic Second Team, with GPAs of 3.8 to 3.99, are baseball players Caleb Engelsman and Joseph Hoeks; Craig Fuller, of the men’s cross country team and Allison Hoop of the women’s cross country team; and Karissa Ferry, who played both volleyball and basketball. Baseball player Brady Owen was named to the All-Academic Third Team for posting a GPA between 3.6 to 3.79. The GRCC women’s cross country team, with a collective 3.52 GPA, finished in the top 15 for team GPA among NJCAA DI, DII, and DIII cross country teams. The volleyball team, with a 3.25 GPA, and golf team, with a 3.22 GPA, also were recognized as Academic Teams of the Year.   

July 11, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  —The 39th Annual GIANT Awards and Banquet is returning after a two-year hiatus, commemorating the stellar contributions of Grand Rapids leaders and organizations. “We had to be patient and resilient during the hiatus,” said Dr. B. Afeni McNeely Cobham, Grand Rapids Community College’s chief equity and inclusion officer. “It is an absolute honor for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to rejuvenate this important tradition.” GRCC, since 1983 has hosted the awards recognizing exceptional leaders who shape the history, quality of life, and culture of the Grand Rapids community. Each award is named after a historical local “giant” whose dedicated service, advocacy, and activism are memorialized through honorees. The event is planned for Oct. 1, 2022, at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Limited ticket and sponsorship packages can only be purchased online via Eventbrite starting Aug. 12, 2022. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test is required to attend. Honorees for 2022 are: Floyd Skinner Justice Award: Adam C. Sturdivant, partner, Drew Cooper & Anding. Walter Coe Public Service Award: Shellie Cole-Mickens, founder and executive director, Our House of Blessings. W.W. Plummer Humanitarian Award: Nikeidra Battle-DeBarge, CEO and co-founder, New Destiny Pathways, Inc. Ethel Coe Humanities Award: Henry Sapp, CEO, Better, Wiser, Stronger Inc. Milo Brown Business Award: Daryl D. Reece, owner, Stock Da Bar & Stock Da Bar Vodka. Phyllis Scott Activist Award: Grand C.I.T.Y. Sports, Inc., Chris Sain, Jr., co-founder and CEO, and Preston Sain, co-founder and executive director. Raymond Tardy Community Service Award: Raynard Ross, president, Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education, and associate dean of student success at GRCC. H.C. Toliver Religious Life Award: Julian S. Newman, CEO and founder, The FutureCast Foundation. Hattie Beverly Education Award: Lorenzo Bradshaw, principal, Brookwood Elementary Martha Reynolds Labor Award: Kevin L. Clemens, president, Kent County Court’s union, an affiliate of the Technical, Professional, and Office Workers Association of Michigan. William Glenn Trailblazer Award: Jermale Eddie, co-owner and CEO, Malamiah Juice Bar & Malamazing Juice Co. The nomination process remains open for Junior GIANT scholarship awards. Visit the ODEI website to apply online by Aug. 26, 2022. Each year, the GIANT Awards selection committee undertakes the task of selecting honorees based on the merit of their nomination and stellar achievements. Committee members are: Larry Johnson, Tempy Mann, Darius Quinn, Faye Richardson-Green, and Shannon Wilson. ODEI Assistant Director Erin Mieskowski is the event’s chairperson. Grand Rapids Community College has offered educational opportunities in West Michigan for more than 100 years. Established in 1914, the college offers degree courses, certification and training programs, workshops, and personal enrichment classes. Offerings are held on GRCC’s downtown Grand Rapids campus and at several locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties, as well as through distance learning.

July 11, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- What do you need when you want to shift careers after 18 years in the workforce? You need an understanding employer – and a college program that quickly gets you into career No. 2. 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. Bryan Earvin liked working at Spectrum Health, but he was interested in radiologic technology, a field that encompasses X-rays, cardiac catheterization, CT scans and MRIs. He found the program he was looking for at GRCC. “The Rad Tech (Radiologic Technology) program at GRCC taught me everything and more to prepare me for this career,” he said. “The program splits both in classwork with working as an intern at hospitals so you can quickly apply what you have learned.” He landed a job mere months after his 2014 graduation: at Spectrum Health. Earvin, who recently moved from Butterworth Hospital to Blodgett, said many things had to all work together for him to make the career shift. “I did not get to where I am today without the blessings of my Lord Jesus Christ, a supportive family that kept things going while I worked full time and went full time through the program, and a very flexible Health Information Management Department at Spectrum Health to allow me to be in classes and clinics while still fulfilling my obligation to them,” he said. “GRCC is a great place to start when you have a vision in your mind about what you want to do.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at  grcc.edu/apply .

July 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Dr. Daniel Groh is sharing his love for science in chemistry classrooms at GRCC. “My desire to teach started with me tutoring students and teaching labs in college. I have never looked back!” Groh said. Dr. Groh attended Grand Valley State University, earning a bachelor’s in both chemistry and physics in 1998. He went to graduate school at Michigan State University to study nuclear chemistry and earned a doctorate in 2002.   Dr. Groh taught full time at GVSU before teaching chemistry full time at GRCC.  “The strengths of GRCC’s physics program are its academic standards, flexibility and support for students,” he said.   High academic standards, flexibility and student support in the past meant using technology and experiments to push the boundaries of conventional teaching and learning in the classroom. Now, as we are adjusting to life after the last two years of the pandemic, it also means using technology for dynamic course delivery and connecting with students in an entirely new way.  “Of course I prefer to have students in the classroom,” he said. “But the instant access students get through Zoom meetings is great - a student struggling with a problem can get to a Zoom meeting with me in minutes and we can work it out together.” You can catch Dr. Groh’s contagious enthusiasm for science in  CHM 130 General Chemistry 1, CHM 131 General Chemistry 1 Lab, CHM 140 General Chemistry 2, CHM 141 General Chemistry 2 Lab, CHM 110 Introductory Chemistry Lab, and CHM 210 Lab General, Organic and Biochemistry Lab.  

July 6, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The transformation of a shuttered JCPenney department store into the vibrant learning hub that is the GRCC Lakeshore Campus is being highlighted in a national publication for building design. Architect, the journal of the American Institute for Architects, salutes GMB Architecture + Engineering, which designed the project, and The Christman Co., which directed construction. The Grand Rapids Community College Facilities team, directed by Jim Van Dokkumburg, oversaw the transformation. The Washington-based AIA is the leading professional organization for architects and design professionals. “The new GRCC Lakeshore campus creates new identity, access, and integration for the full range of its academic programs. It does so with the sustainable and affordable reuse of existing retail space. It leverages the remaining retail of the mall as its 'third space' neighbors, giving students a robust atmosphere for fun and continued engagement. And it renews the role of the mall as a truly active, mixed-use anchor in the Holland Lakeshore community,” the journal reads. The 52,000-square-foot GRCC Lakeshore Campus opened in August 2021 in the Shops at Westshore Mall, 12335 James St. in Holland. The facility has nine classrooms, four computer labs and five unique labs for biology, chemistry, electronics, automation, welding and machine tooling, housing programs for students working toward an associate degree or a career-focused certificate. The building also has spaces for advising and counseling and other student support services and a satellite library, as well as areas for use by community groups. “The vast interior space was not only converted into labs and classrooms, but the exterior of the building was completely transformed by carving away exterior brick to allow for natural daylight to enter the vast space, establishing a modern, welcoming presence while saving as much of the existing building shell as possible to keep the project in budget. Additionally, the building will be LEED certified as part of GRCC’s sustainability goals.” The project earlier in the year was named an “Outstanding Project” in the Community College Renovation/Adaptive Reuse/Restoration category by Learning by Design magazine. Learning by Design showcases the best in the education design and construction market, recognizing innovative pre-K to 12 schools and cutting-edge colleges and universities. Information about the classes offered at the GRCC Lakeshore Campus and enrollment is available at grcc.edu/lakeshore-campus

July 6, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Like so many, Caylee VanDenToorn thought she knew what she wanted to do for her career. She started her education in culinary arts but soon realized that it was not for her. “As a kid, I was always into science and math,” she said. “I was never really quick at it but I did well. In school, I kind of did what my friends were doing so I didn’t take advantage of some classes that may have steered me in this direction. Once I started doing things for myself and making my own decisions, that was a total game changer.” VanDenToorn had been working in a label dispensing company since high school. “I learned a lot at that job. I took advantage of the opportunities to learn more about manufacturing until I figured out what I wanted to do for my career.” A coworker branched off and started his own business doing CNC machining. VanDenToorn saw what he was doing and that sparked her interest. Before that, she had no idea what a CNC machine was but once she saw what it does and how it works, she knew it was what she wanted to do.   “Finally, I figured out what I wanted to do that fit my interests in science and math,” she said. “In machining you learn about materials, measurements, and how it all comes to together. All of this experience just naturally grew into machining.” A machinist or CNC technician shapes metal and various materials to precise dimensions for parts by using machine tools. MT/CNC technicians plan and set up the sequence of machine operations in accordance with blueprints, layouts or other instructions to write both manual and computer-generated machine programs. “I started taking credit classes in manufacturing when I saw the group from the Job Training CNC Machine program in the lab. It was during the COVID pandemic and I just wanted to get through it quickly, so I enrolled in the Job Training program. Now I have my Job Training certificate and soon I will have my associate in manufacturing too.” “The best thing that I got out of the Job Training program was that it really boosted my confidence! It forces you to work with others. You work together and problem solve. It sticks in your head a lot better than when you have to figure it out yourself.” The GRCC Job Training CNC Machine Tool program meets 18-weeks for 34 hours per week. The program offers small class sizes, hands-on learning and job placement assistance. The Machine Tool/CNC program has recently been updated to better meet the industry needs. Skills taught in the program include blueprint reading, basic shop math, read measurement tools and how to communicate effectively with others using today's Machine Tool/CNC terminology. “At GRCC it’s more focused on hands-on learning. Even in the business and art history, there were aspects that incorporated hands-on activities. I really liked that my teachers worked in the real world. It was great to hear about real world experiences. GRCC made my experience more personal and less stressful. Both delivery methods were beneficial for sure!” VanDenToorn now works in a two-person shop with multiple machines. “The thing I like best about working here is that I get to do everything. I love the variety,” she said. The next section of Job Training programs begins Aug. 8, 2022.