Always remember, at GRCC, you are surrounded by people who want you to be successful and are ready to walk with you on your educational pathway. We are here to help! Meet Garrett Esper. Garrett is here to help new students who don't have recent ACT or SAT test scores, letting them know what English and math placement assessments they need. He also helps students schedule those assessments. As the placement specialist for GRCC's Student Services office (formerly Enrollment Center), Garrett oversees the coordination and administration of academic placement testing at the college. As a student employee at GRCC, Garrett learned that helping students is fulfilling work, and he continued at the college in different positions as he earned his associate degree from GRCC, and his bachelor's degree from Ferris State University. "It makes me feel good to know I am helping someone take steps to begin a new chapter of their life," Garrett said. "My passion for our students to succeed is what drives my effort to always go the extra mile to ensure each student feels welcomed and supported." Garrett chose GRCC after high school for the affordability and student support that set the college apart from others in West Michigan. He planned to become a high school English teacher when he began college, but then switched to marketing. "I completed my Bachelor of Science in Marketing at Ferris State University in 2020," he said. "While completing school, I began working as a student ambassador for New Student Orientation, and found the work to be fulfilling. That role made me want a career working in higher education. In 2018, I began working in the Enrollment Center, and finally transitioned to the placement specialist role in 2021." In the six years that Garrett has worked at GRCC, he has learned all about the services and resources available to students. He's ready to help each semester's new students confidently complete assessment testing so they can be placed in the math or English class that is right for them. "I have great experience with helping students navigate the steps to completing admissions and enrollment at GRCC and encourage anyone with questions to connect with me," he said.

March 4, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two incoming high school students will attend Grand Rapids Community College tuition-free through a new scholarship opportunity from the GRCC Foundation’s board of directors. The GRCC Foundation Board of Directors Excellence Scholarships, announced today, will go to two students – one each from Kent and Ottawa counties, who are nominated by high school counselors. “Foundation board members are always moved when they hear students sharing how a scholarship helped them overcome financial challenges and move forward with a life-changing education,” said Dr. Kathryn Mullins, vice president of College Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. “We’re proud to offer this new opportunity and work with counselors in schools across our region. Together, we can change lives.” The foundation plans to distribute $1.4 million in scholarships this year to more than 1,000 students. The new Board of Directors Excellence Scholarships will pay tuition and all fees associated with registered classes. If tuition and fees are already covered by other grants or scholarships, $1,500 will be awarded each semester to cover books, transportation, and other education-related expenses. This award is available for one full academic year: Fall 2022, Winter 2023 and Summer 2023. Students must maintain full-time enrollment of 12 or more credits during the fall and winter semesters to receive these scholarship funds. Summer enrollment is optional; however, students wishing to use this scholarship in the summer semester must be enrolled in six or more credits. High school counselors have until April 1 to nominate a senior based on the following criteria: The student will graduate from a high school in Kent or Ottawa counties in spring 2022. The student has been admitted to GRCC with plans to start classes this fall. The student currently has a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Counselors can consider other factors, including barriers and obstacles the student has faced, involvement in community service, and leadership activities or qualities. U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for this award. Counselors can find additional information and the nomination forms at grcc.edu/fullride .

March 3, 2022, COLUMBIA, Tenn. -- An eight-run fourth inning led the Grand Rapids Community College baseball team to a 15-5 victory over Columbia State Community College on Thursday, snapping a 10-game losing streak to start the season. The win concluded the team’s annual southern trip to start the season, where it challenges itself by  facing tough non-conference teams that have been playing outdoors in warmer climates. "We are very happy with the development of our players," Coach Mike Eddington said. "Our players learned they can compete with the top D1 community colleges in the country, which should give them confidence." Eddington said the team learned it has to do little things to win close games, such as getting bunts down, improving base running and situational hitting. "We also learned our guys will compete and not give up and can move on from a close loss," he said. "We need to continue to try to getter better each day. I think we will our players are together and are motivated to be good." Dylan Chargo, Zacarias Salinas, Caleb Engelsman, Jacob Gumieny, and Ryan Dykstra all contributed in GRCC’s big inning with RBIs. Jerad Berkenpas was the winning pitcher. The righthander lasted five innings, allowing five hits and four runs while striking out one. Eliott Traver and Jeremy Marble entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game. Patrick Green took the loss for Columbia State, with the southpaw surrendering eight runs on eight hits over two and two-thirds innings, striking out three and walking one. Nicholas Neighbours started the game for Columbia State, lasting three and a third innings, allowing five runs on four hits and striking out one GRCC had 12 hits. Dykstra, Luke Huerta, Xander Reisbig, and Salinas all had multiple hits, with Dykstra getting a single, double, and triple in five at-bats. GRCC’s next game is March 20, facing University of Northwestern Ohio’s junior varsity team in Lima, Ohio.  Powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

March 3, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is partnering with Amazon’s Career Choice program, providing Amazon’s hourly employees access credits for transfer or degrees and career-focused certificates. The Career Choice program is an Amazon education benefit empowering employees to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere. GRCC is one of 140 colleges and universities in the nation, and one of four in Michigan, to partner with the company. “Amazon and employers across West Michigan partner with GRCC to help residents gain in-demand skills and grow a talented work force to strengthen our economy,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “We are proud of our mission and history of being the place students of all ages turn to for degrees and career certificates to advance in their careers and support their families. GRCC students know we will walk with them and support them along the way to help them thrive.” The program meets individual learners where they are on their education journey through a variety of education and upskilling opportunities including full college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs, and foundational skills such as English language proficiency, high school diplomas, and GEDs. In the United States, the company is investing $1.2 billion to upskill more than 300,000 employees by 2025 to help move them into higher-paying, in-demand jobs. Amazon’s Career Choice program has a rigorous selection process for third-party partner educators, choosing partners that are focused on helping employees through their education programs, assisting them with job placements, and overall offering education that leads to career success. “We’re looking forward to GRCC coming on board as an education partner for Career Choice, adding to the hundreds of best-in-class offerings available to our employees,” said Tammy Thieman, Global Program Lead of Amazon’s Career Choice program. “We’re committed to empowering our employees by providing them access to the education and training they need to grow their careers, whether that’s with us or elsewhere. We have intentionally cultivated a partner network of third-party educators and employers committed to providing excellent education, job placement resources, and continuous improvements to the experience. Today, over 50,000 Amazon employees around the world have already participated in Career Choice and we’ve seen first-hand how it can transform their lives.” Additional information on Amazon’s Career Choice is here.   

March 3, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A tasty and trendy charcuterie board might seem like a challenge to assemble. But Grand Rapids Community College alumna Jennifer Struik has tips that can help even a kitchen novice create a dazzling board. Chef Jen is making the tips available through a March 3 livestream organized by the Grand Rapids Community College Alumni Association. Everyone – alumni or not – is invited to participate by heading to youtube.com/grcc at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Charcuterie boards have been around since 15th Century France, and started as a way to serve cured pork. Today are a popular serving option at restaurants and gatherings and can include many other types of meats, as well cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts, and other foods. Struik, who is an instructor with the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dietetics before earning certifications in Culinary Arts, Personal Chef and Chef Training from GRCC. An executive chef with Root Functional Medicine, she was a winner in Food Network’s “Supermarket Stakeout” in 2020. And, she’s a fan of charcuterie boards, especially when entertaining friends. “I think of charcuterie boards almost as a conversation piece,” she said. “Discussions are stimulated by bringing food into the conversation, and it starts a chain reaction to discuss other topics. They can be kind of an educational tool.” Struik was recognized in 2020 by The Grand Rapids Business Journal as a 40 Under 40 award winner, and has a large following on her “Jenny with the Good Eats” Instagram account.  “We are so lucky to have alumni who are willing to share their talents,” said Jenna VandeKamp, GRCC’s development manager for Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. “Charcuterie boards are the latest culinary trend, and after some guidance from Chef Jenn, you’ll know how to adapt them to different events and preferences.” Have these ingredients on hand to follow along with Struik: Cheeses: Cheddar cheese, goat cheese, brie. Meats: Prosciutto, salami. Condiments: Whole-grain mustard, jam, honey. Fruit and vegetables: Dried fruit, pickled vegetables, fresh berries or grapes, . Other ingredients: Nuts, two kinds of crackers, and fresh herbs for garnish.    

March 2, 2022, PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team dropped two one-run games to Gulf Coast State College on Wednesday to remain winless on its annual Southern spring trip. GRCC lost the first game 1-0, a no-hitter with the only Raider reaching base by advancing to first on a dropped third strike. GRCC hurler Caleb Engelsman kept the team in the game, giving up just a first-inning run and scattering four hits over six innings. The Gulf Coast State pitchers struck out 12 and walked none.  In the second game, GRCC scored two runs in the first and another in the second to go up 3-0.  But, Gulf Coast responded by scoring seven runs in the next three innings to take a 7-3 lead going into the sixth inning. Xander Reisbig led off the GRCC rally with a double to left field. After two strikeouts, lead-off hitter Jacob Gumieny singled to put two Raiders on base for freshman Andres Rivera-Calderon.  Rivera-Calderone drilled a base-clearing triple to cut the deficit in half, then scored on Ryan Dykstra’s single to right field. Elliott Traver held the Gulf Coast State scoreless in the bottom half of the inning and gave his team some hope going into the seventh. But GRCC’s offense was unable to score, losing 7-6. GRCC is 0-10 in the season, with the team falling short by one run in four of the defeats. The team either matched their opponents' hit total or out-hit their opponents in four of the games. GRCC is scheduled to play one more game on March 3 before returning home, a nine-inning game against Columbia State Community College starting at noon. The game will be available on the GRCC Athletics YouTube channel.

March 2, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Marisa Kiliszewski graduated from high school in 2020, right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was a difficult time to try to figure out what I wanted to do with my future. I didn’t love school, so I got a job and hated it,” she said. GRCC Workforce Training programs provide in-demand skills leading to rewarding careers. We are introducing students who are heading down an educational pathway and changing their lives by earning occupational certificates. “My dad told me about the Metallica welding program a few years ago, so when I saw that there was a new session coming up, I signed up right away,” Kiliszewski said. The GRCC Metallica Scholars Welding Bootcamp offers individuals the opportunity to gain skills for entry level welding positions.  It is a short-term program to get welders work in West Michigan, with the goal of helping these individuals grow into apprenticeships or other learning opportunities within the welding field. The program is a partnership with GRCC, the legendary band Metallica, it's All Within My Hands foundation, and the American Association of Community Colleges. “This have been a great experience for me,” Kiliszewski said. “I feel pretty fortunate to have gotten in right away. I always thought the trades were cool because that is what my dad does but I didn’t really think that I would go into one. Now that I’m in it, I love it, it’s great!” The program goal is to build an accessible pathway into the field of welding with a focus on producing ready-to-work welders for Kent County companies. This program works to attract, retain, and graduate individuals of different genders and racial/ethnic backgrounds to welding careers. “The education and training part are not as bad as I thought it would be, in fact, it’s pretty good!” she said. “The instructors, Nick Pinkney and Brittany Todd, were really great. I came into the program knowing literally nothing about welding. I didn’t even know that there are different types of welding. “The best part about welding is that it is fun! I get to do things with my hands. I can just go off into my own little world and burn wire.” Kiliszewski is now excited for her future and is already interviewing for welding jobs. “I’m looking to get into a job where I can get some time under the hood and keep working on my craft. I plan to join the pipefitters union, because that is really what I hope to do forever. I will probably come to GRCC for more classes. The instructors are super cool.” Kiliszewski is hoping to work for a company that will offer an apprenticeship or cover the cost of more training and education. “I’ve listened to Metallica my whole life and I’ve even seen them in concert! If I could say anything to Metallica, I would say, ‘You guys rock! This program is awesome. I’m so glad you are doing this! Thanks!’” To qualify for the program, participants must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma/GED, and be able to work in the United States. For more information go to grcc.edu/metallica .  

Mar. 1, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College women's basketball team advanced to the semi-finals of the Great Lakes A District Championship after a gritty 70-62 victory over Glen Oaks Community College on Tuesday. "Proud of how our kids battled tonight," Coach David Glazier said.  "Gritty win and what turned out to be a solid all-around performance in a win-or-be-done situation.  Looking forward to the challenge that is in front of us on Friday." GRCC improved to 19-10 while Glen Oaks ended their season with an 8-20 record. The Vikings, coming off a victory on Monday, came out strong and out-scored GRCC in the first half 15-13. But GRCC responded by out-scoring the opponents 17-11 in the second period to have a 30-26 lead at the break. GRCC went on a 5-0 run to begin the third quarter and never looked back, leading by 14 points on three occasions. Glen Oaks fought back late in the game, coming within four points at 64-60. But GRCC point guard Marlene Bussler drilled her third three-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the game out of reach. Bussler was solid in all phases of the game, scoring 17 points, grabbing nine rebounds and getting a season-high six steals. GRCC now is heading to the semi-finals for the fifth-straight season. Grace Lodes, who missed the last two games, had a big night, dropping in 12 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and leading the team with five assists. Sally Merrill played all 40 minutes, scoring a team-high 22 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Allison Kellogg came off the bench, shooting 50% from the field and 80% from the free throw line, totaling 12 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes. The team will take on Jackson for the third time this season after the Jets won their tournament opener on Tuesday by 12 over Ancilla College. The game will be played at Mott Community College in Flint at 1 p.m. on March 4.  

March 1, 2022, DOTHAN, Ala. – The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team continues to struggle on its season-starting Southern road trip, dropping a doubleheader to Wallace Community College – Dothan on Tuesday. GRCC, now 0-8, watched the opener slip away early and couldn't recover in a 7-3 loss.   Wallace pulled away for good with two runs in the second inning, both on errors. Then the team scored three runs in the fifth inning on singles by Kade Snell and Jake Killingsworth and a walk by Gio Ferraro. Carlos Nolasco earned the win, pitching four and a third innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out three. Brooks Byers threw two and two-thirds innings in relief, recording the last eight outs to earn the save.   Kellan Smith took the loss, with the righty lasting four innings, allowing six hits and four runs while striking out three. Caleb Engelsman, Ryan Dykstra, Andres Rivera-Calderon, and Fernando Rivera-Calderon each collected hits for the Raiders. GRCC lost the second game 5-1. Wallace put across a first-inning run on a walk by Jake Killingsworth, and a single by Michael Machin, and runs in the second inning on doubles by Zane Faulk and Killingsworth. Righty Brice Dillmore earned the win, allowing two hits and one run over three innings, striking out two. Ben Steward threw four innings in relief. Mason Hammond took the loss for GRCC. The lefty surrendered five runs on three hits over three innings, striking out two. Zacarias Salinas, Xander Reisbig, and Joe Hoeks each collected hits for GRCC. The team looks to rebound on Wednesday, with a doubleheader to Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Fla.   Powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.