Oct. 24, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Deavondre Jones knew that enrolling at Grand Rapids Community College would give him useful credits that would transfer to his dream school: Columbia College Chicago. But he wanted more than that. “A young guy from Benton Harbor saw endless possibilities,” he said of his time at GRCC. “It was valuable because I made it valuable. I refused to only get a transcript when I left. I wanted connections and new perspectives that would help me on my journey.” 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. Jones found mentors and friends on campus, counting his membership in leadership development organization Alpha Beta Omega and working in the Student Life Office and as an orientation leader among his favorite memories. Also among those fond memories: “Running to catch the bus every day because I didn’t have a car and meeting so many people who said I helped their GRCC experience in some way.” Jones continued at Columbia after graduating from GRCC in 2013 with an associate degree in marketing. He attended on a Presidential Scholarship and earned his bachelor’s degree in business, management and marketing. “GRCC business and math courses, specifically accounting, prepared me more than I could ever understand at the time,” he said. Jones, the father of 6-year-old Brayden, founded DanceSpire, which works to accelerate the adoption of standardized hip hop education for dance programs, and the digital marketing company DanceSpire Agency. He also teaches at Hope College and Michigan State and Oakland universities. He serves on the Michigan Action Plan for Fatherhood Involvement and volunteers for the West Michigan “Dads Count!” collective. He still looks to learn something “from every room I walk into.” “GRCC is what you make it – so is your experience in the world,” he said. “GRCC is a low-cost, high-value practice for your next step. Don’t waste it.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply

Oct. 23, 2022, SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ken. -- Drew Harrington led the Grand Rapids Community College golf team to a seventh-place finish at the Heritage Hill Fall Collegiate, wrapping up the 2022 fall season. GRCC finished with a two-round score of 636, which was 58 strokes behind Campbellsville University, which dominated the field of eight teams with a score of 578. GRCC, the only two-year school in the tournament, had two players finish in the top 20. Harrington, who was in 10th place after round one, dropped five spots to finish tied for 15th with a score of 152 strokes. Mason Anderson tied for 20th place with a score of 157, but improved by seven strokes from round one to round two. Sam Foss had the biggest improvement of all eight GRCC golfers competing, with an 84 in round one and a 74 in round two, finishing tied for 22nd place. His 74 included a team-high five birdies. GRCC’s first tournament of the spring is scheduled for April 7, 2023 at Marion University in Indianapolis.  

Oct. 23, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A dominating performance in the Muskegon Invitational has propelled both Grand Rapids Community College cross country teams into the top 10 the latest coaches’ polls. The women’s team moved up two places to be the No. 4 team in the nation, while the men’s team jumped three spots to claim the No. 7 position in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll in the National Junior College Athletic Association DII category. The men’s team started the season ranked No. 14, then moved to No. 10 before jumping to No. 7 in the most recent poll. Rival Lansing Community College’s men’s and women’s teams are the nation’s top-ranked teams. The women’s team climbed into the No. 1 ranking, while the men’s team has claimed the lead in all three polls. The GRCC women’s team, coached by Sharon Becker, was last ranked as high as No. 4 in the 2021 season’s opening poll. The poll gains come after Kaylee Scott set a GRCC record and all 15 GRCC cross country runners set personal best times on Oct. 15 at the Muskegon Community College Invitational, helping their teams to top-five finishes in a field with mostly four-year colleges. Scott’s time of 19:12.7 was eight seconds better than Stephanie Thomas' record time, making Scott the fastest Raider runner since GRCC started cross country again in 2014. Audrey Meyering and Rose Meyer also broke 20 minutes at the event, with times of 19:29 and 19:34, finishing in the top 20. On the men’s team, coached by Rob Hyde, freshman Mason Kolhoff paced the Raiders with a 25:24 finishing in 18th place while All-American Clark Coleman finished four spots behind him with a time of 25:48. Both teams are preparing for the Region XII Championships, hosted by GRCC on Oct. 29 at the Gainey Athletic Complex.  

Oct. 21, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – An exhibit of art and writing inspired by the natural world features pieces from two Grand Rapids Community College students. “Pictures and Words from the Creative Fellowship at the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute for Environmental Education” runs through Nov. 10 at GRCC’s Paul Collins Art Gallery. The exhibitors are all recipients of the Gordon Art Fellowship or Nature in Words Fellowship. They spent a month this summer at the institute, a nature and environmental education center in Hastings, working with mentors. “Fellowships are important to writers and artists because it gives them an extended period to work on their craft,” said Visual Arts assistant professor Matthew Schenk, who was a mentor to student Julian Arpin-Cortez. “It is an invaluable experience for any student.” English professor Maryann Lesert, who worked with student Valerie Salerno, noted that while GRCC students have been awarded the fellowships in previous years, this summer was the first that the institute created a creative cohort of art and writing students who lived on site. “Both Matt and I and PCCI were really happy with the collaboration between art and writing students – and research students, too,” Lesert said. Salerno, who is majoring in writing and literature, enjoyed working with Lesert and the other cohort members. “A memorable moment from the fellowship was looking up at the stars with the other fellows, watching the shooting ones and contemplating alien life,” she said. “We also heard an Eastern screech or barred owl – I can’t remember which one – and it somewhat terrified us!” Arpin-Cortez is a returning GRCC student – having received an associate degree here several years ago and a bachelor’s degree. He’s pursuing an art career and is exploring diverse media and disciplines. He counts hiking through wetlands and participating in a controlled burn among his memorable fellowship experiences but most enjoyed getting to know the other students in the cohort. “On our final night at PCCI, a group of us sat outside and stargazed,” Arpin-Cortez said. “We sighted several meteors and listened to the sounds of nocturnal animals in the surrounding woods. It was a lovely and memorable conclusion to our four weeks together.” The exhibit also includes work from students at the Kendall College of Art and Design, Aquinas College and Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Calvin universities. The Paul Collins Art Gallery is open 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and is located on the fourth floor of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, 143 Bostwick Ave. NE. To apply for the 2023 Pierce Cedar Creek Institute fellowships, go to  https://cedarcreekinstitute.org/

Oct. 19, 2022. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College’s efforts to share the stories of students overcoming obstacles and the people who support them was honored by a national organization that supports college advancement efforts. The 2019-2020 GRCC Foundation Annual Report earned a Best of CASE District V Award in the Fundraising: Annual Reports category from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. CASE is a nonprofit association based in Washington, D.C. dedicated to educational advancement professionals—in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services—who share the goal of championing education to transform lives and society. The organization includes both two- and four-year programs. The Annual Report was created by GRCC’s College Advancement team, which includes members of the GRCC Foundation and Communications team, and is led by Dr. Kathryn Mullins, vice president for College Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. The 2019-2020 Annual Report focused on the stories of the people the GRCC Foundation has helped and the lives it has transformed – shared by the people themselves, often telling their stories in their own words. The edition includes inspiring stories about students and alumni including trailblazing Super Bowl Chef Dayanny De La Cruz, and Amanda Constant, who used the support from a Spectrum Health Care Professionals Education Scholarship to rise above a series of setbacks and complete her Medical Assistant program. It also highlights alumni and philanthropists Dave and Karen Custer, and 41 years of giving from former college employees Jerry and Jan Benham. The 2019-2020 Annual Report earlier in the year earned a Gold Paragon and Best in Show Award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, an organization that supports and advocates for community colleges.

Oct. 19, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – For two days next week, lunching at Grand Rapids Community College’s Heritage restaurant will give you a taste of international travel – with some familiar faces. The Heritage, a fine dining restaurant operated by GRCC’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, will feature a special prix fixe menu celebrating Scottish and Italian cuisine on Oct. 26 and 27. Chef Angus Campbell, who was GRCC faculty member for 25 years before retiring in 2016, teamed up with his friend and fellow chef Nicola Conte on the special event. Conte has planned an Italian appetizer of tartar of tuna with braised borlotti bean salad and an entree of poached halibut, citrus sauce and asparagus with prosciutto. Campbell has contributed a roasted crab soup with Scottish sausage fritters and Cranachan Briosgaid Ime, a traditional dessert with raspberry, oatmeal, whiskey and butter shortbread Students in the CA 114 International Food Production and CA 115 Table Service courses will work under their direction. Campbell was the star of “Cooking with Angus,” where he shared lessons about cooking and life for more than 100 episodes. GRCC’s Media Technologies Department produced the series through a grant from Peter Secchia and Jay Smith. Campbell and Conte, who met in 1979, reunited for the final episode of the series, which earned the second of two Emmy Awards from the Michigan chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. GRCC’s Heritage restaurant is located in the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, 151 Fountain St. NE. Parking is off of Ransom Avenue. Those wishing to make reservations for the Oct. 26 and 27 lunch must call 616-234-3700. Online reservations will not be accepted on those days.

Oct. 18, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team’s win streak was snapped at 18, as the team lost a grueling five-set match to Muskegon Community College despite a dominating career performance by Eliza Thelen. Thelen had 22 kills and just four errors, hitting .340 for the match in the annual Pink Game that helped raise money for Gilda’s Club of Grand Rapids for cancer awareness. "It was a tough night, but give Muskegon a ton of credit," head coach Chip Will said. "They played fantastic, but we're not going to hang our heads after the loss. Despite the conference season ending, we still have a lot more volleyball to play." GRCC, ranked No. 12 in the nation in the latest National Junior College Athletics Association poll, dominated set one, 25-17 and nearly went up 2-0, but Muskegon went on a 5-1 run to end the second set, winning 25-23. GRCC responded in the third set, leading by as many as six points, but the Jayhawks went on a 7-0 run to take the lead and they wouldn't trail the rest of the way, winning 25-19. The team forced a fifth set by taking set four 25-21, and was two points away from taking the match, up 13-12. But Muskegon scored the final three points to steal the match. Should Muskegon win on Thursday against Delta College, it will tie GRCC for the Michigan Community College North Conference title. But the Raiders will win the tiebreaker because they defeated Muskegon earlier in the season in four and Muskegon won in five. That means GRCC will be the North Conference representative in the MCCAA tournament on Oct. 29.  It also means that they will be the North top seed in the regional tournament. GRCC dropped the first two matches of the season in a tournament, then won every game since, with the team record now 18-3. GRCC has one more match left in the regular season before MCCAA tournament play. It hosts Oakland Community College at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 27.   

Oct. 17, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College volleyball players are raising awareness of breast cancer and supporting those fighting the disease and working for a cure with a special Pink Night on Tuesday. GRCC student-athletes will be wearing special pink jerseys when they take the court at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse against Muskegon Community College. “Our student-athletes work to be leaders on and off the court, and the Pink Game has long been an important event for our volleyball players,” Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. “Many of us have friends and relatives who have courageously fought the battle against cancer. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity to share about the challenges being faced, and the resources available in our community to help people.” Admission is $5, with GRCC students and employees admitted free with their RaiderCard. Proceeds and donations will go to Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. The organization supports people battling cancer and those grieving the loss of friends and loved ones. Donations also will be accepted during the game. The game commemoration is one of several events hosted by the Athletic Department and Exercise Science Department to raise awareness about the disease. Professor Melanie Schiele Gady is leading a presentation and learning session from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 in room 214 of the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. This learning session will include what breast cancer is, signs and symptoms, risk factors, how to lower risk, screenings, lifestyle heath, exercise, treatment and care. The event is open to all students and employees. Pink Night has been an annual event for the volleyball team during coach Chip Will’s 16 years at the helm. The volleyball team is riding an 18-game win streak and has already clinched a share of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Northern Conference title.

Oct. 17, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- When Nate Peltier left the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, he planned to put his military food service experience to work as a civilian. GRCC helped him do just that. 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. “I graduated from the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education with an associate in Culinary Management,” said Peltier, who earned his degree in 2019. “This helped immensely in the planning and knowledge of starting a small business.” Peltier has the only veteran-owned and operated military-themed food truck in West Michigan. His Silver Star Cafe’s Airborne Burritos specializes in gourmet burritos from around the world. He gained mentors and friends in the culinary program and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the University of Michigan. Peltier’s favorite GRCC memory is graduating with honors and receiving the Directors Award. “I was nominated by all of the chefs and instructors to the student to most likely make an impact on the community,” he said. “This meant a lot to me as I had attended college later in life after experiencing a lot of ups and downs in life such as experiencing war and traveling the world. “GRCC is the reason I’ve been able to excel and thrive in the food service industry in West Michigan!” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply