As of Feb. 1, 2026, the Marketing and Communications department will fully switch to a Team Dynamics (TDX) form for all project requests. You can find the form linked on the  Marketing and Communications webpage. We will no longer accept project requests through the  marcomm@grcc.edu email.  What Types of Requests Should Go Through the Form? Any type of marketing or communication request should go through the form. Submitting an Employee News post, designing a new brochure, planning multiple assets for an event or campaign — it all will go through the form. Even if you don’t know exactly what you need, tell us about your idea and your goals with the form and we’ll help put a plan together. How to Submit a Marketing Request 1. Go to  grcc.edu/MarketingCommunications and select the “Request MarComm Services” button. 2. Use the form to tell us about your project.  Title: it’s helpful to include the type of project in the form’s title field. If you don’t know exactly what you need, that’s fine, too. The Requester and Acct/Dept fields are automatically filled in with your information. Description: include the details of your project, including your goals and your target audience. We may have additional suggestions for how to get the word out about your event or program. Attachments: include any examples or existing material. Due date: tell us when you’d like to have the finished piece. Please allow for at least two weeks for design and writing projects. Plan additional time if your project will go to Print and Mail Solutions (ePrint) for production. 3. Hit “Submit.” You will receive an automated confirmation email with your request number. What Happens Next? Your request will appear in our queue. We sort tickets every morning and will assign your ticket to the appropriate people within the department. If we need more information to complete the request, we will contact you via email. Once we have all the information, someone will email when it’s time to review and approve the deliverable. If your project includes printed materials or promo items, we can work with Print and Mail Solutions (ePrint) to set up your order. We look forward to working with you!

As announced during Opening/Learning Day and in the Provost January Update, Chief Whitman and Sheila Jones are collaborating with Faculty Association president, Mike Light, to host campus safety forums.   The forums will begin with an overview of GRCC safety practices followed by a Q and A session. Please join us to have your questions answered about classroom and campus safety. Tuesday, Feb. 3 3-4 p.m.  ATC 168 (Auditorium)  Virtual attendance available via this  Zoom link. Thursday, Feb. 19 1:30-2:30 p.m. ATC 168 (Auditorium)  Virtual attendance available via this  Zoom link.  

The GRCC Grants Department is now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 round of the Instructional Improvement & Professional Development (IIPD) grant program.  The purpose of the award is to support faculty professional development to ensure continued growth, develop new avenues of instruction and curriculum, and to enhance the professional lives of faculty for increased student learning, achievement and success. Awards are for amounts up to $5,000 and the deadline for submission is  5 p.m. on March 13. For a copy of the IIPD application packet, please contact Julie Blaszak, Grants and Contracts Specialist, at julieblaszak@grcc.edu. More information is also available on our   IIPD Application & Guidelines webpage. After March, the next IIPD application deadline will be in Fall 2026.

As winter weather settles in, we want to ensure all employees understand how GRCC decides to delay or close and how those messages are communicated.  Please take a moment to review the GRCC Emergency Closing Procedures webpage so you can stay informed throughout the season.  Emergency Closing Procedures We encourage everyone to use caution when traveling and take the necessary steps to remain safe during winter weather.

Group Details Connect with fellow GRCC employees who share a passion for birds and the natural world.  This group brings together birdwatchers of all levels to explore local habitats, share birding tips and enjoy casual hikes focused on spotting and learning about native species. Members also support conservation efforts that help protect bird populations and their environments. Small Outing Planned Wednesday, Feb. 4 Noon-1 p.m. Aquinas Any faculty or staff that is interested can email Shawn White at shawnwhite1@grcc.edu for more details.

This semester, CCWB will be offering a wide variety of workshops and events throughout the winter semester.  The Rest, Regulate and Relate workshop series focuses on assisting students in gaining knowledge and developing skills to support their physical, social and emotional well-being.  The Chill and Connect event series seeks to create a space for students to have fun, connect and increase their sense of belonging on campus.  For more information, please visit Raider Connect or our  Center for Counseling and Well-Being webpage. Please pass this information along to students.

Big Interview is now available to all GRCC students and employees. This online platform combines training and practice to improve interview skills and build confidence.  Video courses teach students how to stand out when interviewing for careers in their field. Students also learn tips for analyzing job descriptions, overcoming nerves and how to talk about their accomplishments. Practice Sets are mock interviews where students record their answers to interview questions. They can share the video response with an instructor, friend or family member, or have AI analyze the answer and provide suggestions. You may even use Big Interview video course and mock interviews as class assignments. Explore Big Interview today by logging into MyGRCC and selecting the “Big Interview” tile. For additional interview resources or career support, contact the Center for Career and Professional Readiness at career@grcc.edu or (616) 234-3367. Big Interview is available to GRCC students and employees thanks to a generous grant from  Transfer Bridges .    

We're hosting another ELT Pop-In session, this time on the Devos Campus.  There’s no formal agenda — just an open, welcoming space where you can ask questions, share reflections or simply say hello. Come and go as your schedule allows. Wednesday, Jan. 28 1-2 p.m. White Hall Reading Room We hope to see you there!

The Heritage Restaurant is closed today and will reopen Thursday, Jan. 22. Foodology is closed today and tomorrow and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan.  27.

The English Department invites GRCC employees to participate in the Spring 2026 Reading Series, a public event celebrating recently published creative work by members of the GRCC community. While the series traditionally features English faculty, this year we are inviting interest from across the college and hope to include 1–2 participants from departments outside English, alongside English faculty readers. Employees who have published or have forthcoming creative work—fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, plays, screenplays or hybrid forms—between January 2024 and June 2026 and are interested in reading are encouraged to reach out. Event Details Thursday, March 26, 2026 6:30 - 8 p.m. Readers will present for 5–7 minutes each To Express Interest Please email Alyssa Jewell at ajewell@grcc.edu by  Friday, Feb. 6. Include all information below: Title and genre of the work Publisher and publication date (or upcoming date) Brief description of the work A short (100-word) author bio This message is intended to gauge interest; final selections and confirmations will follow.