A School News Network feature:  Hours before ringing in 2022, Grand Rapids Community College graduate Amer Bektaš sat in the announcers’ booth in Miami, calling the Orange Bowl football game for the University of Michigan student radio program, WCBN Sports. His broadcast broke the record for all-time listenership at U of M, with more than 80,000 people tuning in.  Behind this first-generation college student completing his U of M Bachelor of Science in Information degree are his parents – both refugees who came to the United States during the Bosnian War in the 1990s. Mirsad and Almedina Bektaš spoke no English then, and were among some 37,000 refugees from Bosnia and asylum-seekers who obtained legal permanent resident status between 1992 and 2000, according to U.S. Census data estimates. Amer and his two younger brothers, Anel and Armin, were born and raised in Caledonia. “Growing up in Caledonia, you could count on one hand how many Bosnians went to my schools,” Amer said. He recalled making friends with students who went to Kentwood and Forest Hills districts. “We stay connected through the Bosnian Cultural Center and our mosque to where we can go and be together,” Amer said. A 2016 survey titled “New Americans in Kent County” identified Bosnia as one of the top five countries of origin in the area, including Mexico, Guatemala, Vietnam and Canada. Amer’s father, Mirsad, is also very involved in Grand Rapids’ Bosnian community. “My dad is very Bosnian,” Amer said. “He’s committed to not forgetting where we came from and keeping the roots of our community tightknit.” Goals Throughout K-12 A varsity soccer player at Caledonia High School, Amer refers to sports as his “first love.” “Having European blood, my brothers and I played soccer growing up and would always have a ball in the house,” he said. “We were either playing or watching sports, and my parents noticed I would say what the commentator said before they said it.” Amer’s parents, whom he collectively called “the rock of the family,” never missed one of his games.  “We spent a lot of time driving them around for sports practices, and when Amer played soccer,” Mirsad Bektaš said. Amer attended Caledonia schools from kindergarten until he graduated in 2016. “Every day my teachers would push me to be better than what I was the prior day. Their main priority was to help me learn and not just memorization and regurgitation.” Mike Wilson, Amer’s STEM teacher from Duncan Lake Middle School, said he was a “great student” who took all the audio and video classes they offered. “What stood out to me about him was he wanted to learn all aspects of production. He wasn’t content to simply be in front of the camera, but also enjoyed the behind-the-scenes tasks as well,” Wilson said. “He was incredible in paying attention to detail, and it comes as no surprise that he is earning success in broadcasting.” Said Amer, “My teachers and classes at Caledonia were great, because they planted a seed for my passion in sports media and business. I always knew I wanted to do something in sports, so I took journalism and business classes at CHS. Both classes created an environment that resembles what it is like in the industry.” Open Doors to Destiny GRCC served as an opportunity for Amer to take introductory classes and gain two years’ experience as a first-generation college student. “The only person who graduated from college in my family was my uncle,” Amer said. “I’ll be the first in my household.” Amer credits GRCC for “opening a lot of doors,” he said, and helping him transfer to the University of Michigan. An adviser in the TRIO program encouraged him to apply to bigger schools, even though “I thought my grades weren’t good enough,” he said. TRIO Student Support Services is a set of federally funded programs that supports first-generation, low-income students and students with disabilities throughout their college experience. “I grew up a Wolverine sports fan, so going there for school was always in the back of my mind,” Amer said. “I toured a few campuses, but U of M fit and I wanted to be here.” Once on campus, getting involved with media and broadcast journalism was “a kind of destiny thing,” Amer said. “The biggest reason I came to U of M was its analytics program through the School of Information and getting involved with sports analytics. One day while walking through the diag, I saw a table for a broadcasting club, gave them my information and my life took off from there.”    When the COVID-19 pandemic shifted college classes online, Amer took a gap year to gain broadcasting experience at home in Grand Rapids, with plans to move back to campus when in-person classes resumed. “During my year off, I reached out to WOOD-TV’s sports reporter Jack Doles and asked if I could shadow or help out,” he said. “At the time, high-school sports were on pause, so when they came back I sent him an email that day and he added me to the Football Frenzy crew to cover Friday night high-school football games.”  Strong Familial Bonds The Bektaš family relies on their strong family bond and technology to stay connected daily while Amer is back living on the other side of the state. During their son’s radio broadcast on New Year’s Eve, the Bektaš family “muted all the commentators” on TV and just listened to Amer. “His hard work has paid off. He could end up anywhere around sports,” Mirsad Bektaš said. “I hope he’s going to accomplish more of what he’s already doing and keep doing what he loves to do. We realized we did something good and we have pride in the direction he’s going.” After he graduates from U of M in the spring, Amer plans to continue pursuing his passion for sports with an open mind and admiration for his Bosnian heritage. “My dad tells me to go with the flow with everything and be open to all my options,” he said. “In the Bosnian community, hard work goes a long way. If you go to school just to get a degree, you won’t go very far. I’ve seen my community start their own businesses with little to no experience at all, and not fearing failure because they had nothing to lose.” Amer’s family paid homage to their Bosnian roots in 2018 with a visit to his parents’ hometowns, their first home since immigrating more than 20 years ago. “Going to Bosnia for the first time was one of my favorite trips,” Amer said. “My parents wanted to wait until me and my younger brothers were older, but there was also the fear of going back to a place where you were being hunted by your neighbors.” Before their plane landed in Sarajevo, Bosnia’s capital, Amer recalled feeling surprised seeing his dad become emotional. “My dad never cries, but when he gathered himself, he said, ‘Twenty years ago they chased me out of here, tried to kill me, but now, I’m coming back with an army of my own: my wife and three kids, stronger than ever.’” Before his love for sports, Amer said, comes his love for family and the desire to make his parents proud. “Making my family proud is one of my life goals. I go to school and everything that I do is to complete my family’s American dream of being successful here.” This story was reported by Alexis Stark of the School News Network .

Feb. 16, 2022, Muskegon, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College's basketball teams fell on the road to Muskegon Community College, 58-45 in the women's game and 88-81 in the men's match. Muskegon's women's team jumped out to a 9-0 lead but GRCC’s Marlene Bussler knocked down her fourth thr3e-point shot of the first half to give her team a 23-22 lead. Bussler scored 18 of her 20 points before the break. The Jayhawks opened up the second half on a 10-0 run and never looked back. "Tough loss against a talented team on the road," Coach David Glazier said. "Though there were a couple opportunities for our kids to put their head down and quit. But as has been the case all year, this group fought. I might be most proud of this effort and how we will grow from it that any other game this season." Grace Lodes just missed a triple-double with 10 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocked shots. Sally Merrill added 12 points. The GRCC women are now 15-9 and 11-3, dropping them to fourth place in the conference. In the men’s game, Ryel Daye nearly had a triple-double himself, with 22 points, 19 rebounds and 7 assists in the loss to the first-place Jayhawks.  Muskegon led by 27 points with 9:01 left in the game, but GRCC battled back. The team outscored Muskegon by 20 the rest of the way, but could not overcome the deficit. The men's team record drops to 9-17 overall, 4-11 in the conference. MCC improved to 15-6 and 12-3. "The guys really battled back and played well in the second half," Coach Joe Fox said. "Scoring 57 points in a half in a road game is a number that should be good enough to win a game. It's tough to beat good teams on the road, and even tougher when you dig a deficit like we did tonight. We have to execute better in the first half, and work to get stops to fuel our transition offense. That will be our main emphasis looking forward to Saturday, really locking in defensively." Drew Moore led GRCC with 26 points, and Rico Wade chipped in with a career-high 20 off the bench.  Wade hit five of the team's six made three-pointers. The GRCC teams will be back at home for a Homecoming afternoon doubleheader on Feb. 19 against Kalamazoo Valley Community College.  

Feb. 16, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – 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. In the summer of 2018, Wrindy Hauser decided to move south from the Upper Peninsula. “I moved to the big city for better job opportunities and I found that at Autocam Medical. I was hired as a machinist level 1 in September 2018,” she said. After about a year, it was suggested that Hauser apply to the Autocam Apprenticeship program. An apprenticeship program is a partnership between an employer, in this case Autocam Medical, and an educational institution, GRCC. The program offers the combined benefits of on-the-job training plus college instruction. Apprentices gain both practical experience and exposure to the theoretical aspects of skilled occupations. Hauser started her apprenticeship program in the summer 2019. “I had worked as a machinist prior to coming to Autocam so I was able to apply many of those hours toward the required 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. Still the program takes about two and a half years but it’s totally worth it,” she said. “The program was actually a lot of fun! Only one hour of each week is spent in a classroom setting; the rest is all hands-on learning. We made some cool projects and were able to be creative too. When our instructor told the class about a competition for machinist, I knew I had to do it. I guess I’m a little competitive!” Hauser and another apprentice worked together on a submission to the 2021 Mastercam Wildest Parts Competition. The two worked countless hours to create their own design and build a custom Mjollnir. “We came up with our own design and even a stand for it to sit in. Then we had to do all the programming to make it. There were many days that we worked straight through to our shift at Autocam just to get it done in time.” Hauser and her teammate won first place in the team division! “We wanted to make something that would get people excited about machining and it did!” she said. Companies work with GRCC to create their own list of apprenticeship courses; which are then submitted and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeships. Typically, an apprentice is required to have a minimum of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training in addition to successfully complete 30 credit hours in the technology area to be eligible to receive their journey-person’s certificate. Hauser graduated in November 2021 and is now a journeyman. “Since graduation, I have been able to really grow and learn more. I am currently a machinist level 3 and working toward the next level which is machine technician,” she said. “I wake up happy to come to work. There are always new things to learn either about the machine or about the product.” CNC machinists are in high demand. The jobs in the industry pay well and offer many upward pathways to increase that wage. Machinist-computer numerical control technicians shape metal and various materials to precise dimensions by using machine tools. MT/CNC technicians plan and set up the correct sequence of machine operations in accordance with blueprints, layouts or other instructions to write both manual and computer-generated machine programs. The technician is required to use various hand tools, micrometers, gauges and other precision measuring instruments. To be most effective in the manufacturing environment of today, individuals will need to be able to read blueprints, perform basic shop math, read measurement tools and communicate effectively with others using today's machine tool-CNC terminology. Anyone interested in gaining career skills through GRCC Workforce Training can connect via email at  workforcetraining@grcc.edu , and by phone at (616) 234-3800. Additional information is at  grcc.edu/programs/job-workforce-training .

Feb. 15, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College’s music students are coming together for the Music Department’s 74 th “Musical Moods” performance, both a celebration of student hard work and talent, and an opportunity to showcase the college’s performing arts opportunities. The performance is planned for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 at Northview High School’s Max Colley Jr. Performing Arts Center, 4451 Hunsberger Ave NE in Plainfield Township. “Musical Moods” presents a cross section of all the Music Department’s ensembles and features student soloists and small ensembles, said Kevin Dobreff, GRCC Music Department program director. Last year’s concert was presented virtually due to the pandemic, and Dobreff said faculty and students are excited to be performing together again. “The best part is all the student groups being on stage together and getting to see and experience what all the other ensembles are doing,” Dobreff said. “It’s an opportunity for our students, and the community, too, to see the camaraderie and collaboration from our faculty members. It’s an exciting night.” Presented as a musical collage, the concert will seamlessly flow from one performance to the next. No one performance is longer than six minutes. “Musical Moods” was started 74 years ago by Albert P. Smith, founder of the music department, at what was then Grand Rapids Junior College. Dobreff said the department typically presents the show in high schools across the region, taking advantage of larger performing arts centers. But the concert also serves as an opportunity for potential students and families to see the high quality of GRCC’s Music Department instruction and students, and inspire them to attend the college. The concert will include submissions by student groups including the college orchestra, jazz ensemble, guitar ensemble, string quartet, percussion ensemble, choir, and wind ensemble.   The college’s Shades of Blue vocal group will perform, as well as students Madilyne Barbrick, Desteny Zuniga Elms, Kathrynn Davis, and Abagail Solomon performing as Cantus Femina. The duo of Hailey Ergang and Anastasia Fiorenzo will be accompanied on piano by Emily Grabinski Conklin. Soloist David Dziuban will perform on guitar. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for students, seniors, veterans, and active military members. GRCC students, and students attending any of the K-12 schools in the Kent Intermediate School District are admitted free with their school identification. Tickets are available here. Photo by Andrew Schmidt.

Feb. 14, 2022, BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College women's basketball team won its second in a row after a dominating 59-34 road win at Kellogg Community College on Monday. The teams went back and forth in the first quarter of play, with GRCC leading just 15-13. But the Raiders held the Bruins to no more than eight points in each of the last three quarters to cruise to the 25-point victory. With the win, GRCC is 15-8 overall and 11-2 in the conference, which puts the team a half game back of the first place Jackson Jets. Kellogg fell to 1-18 overall and 1-12 in conference play. GRCC out rebounded Kellogg 63-40, including an impressive 26 on the offensive end, which led the team to a 24-2 advantage in second-chance points. "We didn’t have as productive a first half as I think any of us had wanted, but I thought the adjustments each player made in the second half were the key to the victory tonight," Coach David Glazier said. Sally Merrill had her second straight double-double finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The freshman guard and forward ranks in the top 10 in the conference in both scoring, with 15.4 points per game, and rebounding, with 8.1 per game. Emersyn Koepke, who had eight points and eight rebounds, and Karissa Ferry, with eight points and nine rebounds, also had solid outings for GRCC. GRCC will be back on the road Feb. 16 against Muskegon Community College, which is in third place in the MCCAA Western Conference. 

Feb. 14. 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – People around the world are celebrating Valentine’s Day with gifts of candy – including popular treats created on machines designed and assembled by Grand Rapids Community College graduates Bob Cisler and Mike Sherd. 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. Cisler and Sherd, along with fellow GRCC grad Tom Jasper, run Egan Food Technologies in Walker. They design and create customized machinery that makes confections, baked goods and snack foods. Clients include Hershey and Atkins, and products created by their equipment includes the Reese’s peanut butter hearts, Atkins protein bars, and the big cookies in Jimmy John’s sandwich shops. Cisler earned an Associate of Science degree from what was then Grand Rapids Junior College in 1972, with Jasper earning an Associate of Arts degree three years later. Sherd earned his Associate of Arts from GRCC in 1995. The company designs and manufactures customized chocolate molding, depositing and extruding equipment that forms products like candy bars, chocolate candies with fillings, and cookie dough. “I graduated from Union High in 1970 and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” Cisler said. “A counselor asked me what I liked, and I was good at math and science. He told me I’d make a good engineer.” Cisler graduated from the University of Michigan two years later. He said the GRJC classes were more affordable, and he appreciated the smaller class sizes. “The one thing I liked about engineering is that you can do so many different things with the degree,” Cisler said. “I thought it was valuable. It was a tough degree to get, but once you have that, you have something they just don’t hand out to everyone. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do with it, but it was a great start. GRJC provided great value and solid academics.” Sherd, a Kenowa Hills High School graduate, studied at GRCC before finishing at Grand Valley State University. “GRCC gave me a good foundation,” he said. “The cost was a huge factor, and it allowed me to live at home.” Sherd planned to be a math teacher. He determined he could take statics and dynamics engineering and advanced physics at GRCC, fulfilling prerequisite classes and taking advantage of the more affordable tuition. He later switched to engineering and transferred to GVSU. He credits professors Jarrod Johnson and Jeff Stone for being especially helpful on his educational journey. Cisler started at a Grand Rapids company called Werner Lehara that began in 1904 as the Dutch Cookie Machine Co. and in the 1980s created pretzel-making equipment and chocolate molds. He and Sherd formed a partnership with Jasper to form Egan Food Technologies in 2010. From their 60,000-square-foot shop on Walker Court NW, they design and assemble machines for clients large and small nationwide. And, they look at candy a little different than others with a sweet tooth. “I look at how they did it,” Cisler said. “I look at the sheen and to see if the center filling is leaking out the sides.” So, when you give your true love some chocolates today, look at it closely before taking a bite, recognize the craftmanship that went into creating it – and know that GRCC might have played a role. Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .

Feb. 14, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – For Trimell Hawkins, Grand Rapids Community College’s first Young Alumni Award recipient, GRCC "is more than a school: it's a pathway to the future."  The new award recognizes alumni ages 40 and younger for their community or civic contributions, service in support of GRCC, and exceptional accomplishments in their profession. Since graduating from GRCC’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education in 2015, Hawkins has put his personal stamp on menus throughout West Michigan. He credits the foundation the culinary program gave him for his success and says the “quick fire” challenges were one of his favorite things to do. “My experience at GRCC was one of the most important and vital things to my success in my career,” said Hawkins, who enrolled after leaving the Marines. “It truly prepared me for this industry and gave me tools to be successful. The program gives you insight on what to expect, how to handle it, how to grow, and how to face adversity and overcome.” Hawkins counts culinary professor Kevin Dunn as one of his mentors and friends. “Trimell was working, raising his family, while being an excellent student,” Dunn said. “He can best be described as a sponge – he wants to learn from every chef as much as they have to offer.” Now executive chef at the Portico Restaurant in the Canopy by Hilton Hotel in Grand Rapids, Hawkins has learned and challenged himself at every stop in his career. “I’ve been fortunate to work for some great restaurants that have helped hone and develop my talent,” he said. “Black Heron was my first executive chef position, then Forty Acres, where I was truly able to spread my wings and flourish, and a few restaurants from there to my current position, where I’ve learned a great deal and grew.” For Hawkins, cooking isn’t just about making a living; it’s how he shows he cares. “When I had hip replacement surgery, I stopped by to see him on my way home,” Dunn said. “Trimell had a caravan of to-go food for my family. He fed my family for the entire weekend!” Jenna Vande Kamp, development manager for alumni relations and annual giving, said Hawkins is a great selection to launch GRCC’s new award. “We are so excited to recognize and highlight the early career accomplishments of our young alumni,” she said. “Trimell’s achievements – and his pride in his GRCC education – are representative of so many of our graduates and the impact that they’ve already had on their community.” Photo by Andrew Schmidt.  

Feb. 12, 2022, LANSING, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College women's basketball team qualified for postseason play after a convincing 66-50 win over Lansing Community College on Saturday. The men's basketball team fell to the hot-shooting Stars, falling 105-87. The GRCC women’s team dominated on the glass, finishing with 43 rebounds against just 20 for Lansing. The team also put up its third-best shooting performance at 42.9% (24-56), and best free throw shooting performance, sinking 17 in 20 attempts. Grace Lodes, 8 for 16 from the floor and 6 for 7 from the free throw line, finished with a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds to go along with 6 assists. Sally Merrill picked up her eighth double-double with a 13-point, 10-rebound performance in 36 minutes of action. "Pleased with the win today," Coach David Glazier said.  "I thought we responded well to a competitive first half, and the adjustments we made at halftime, specifically our defensive intensity and execution, to hold Lansing to 17 combined points in the second and third periods. I also loved that we had 20 assists on 24 made field goals." The women’s team’s win improved its record to 14-8 overall and 10-2 in the conference, and also qualified them for this year's NJCAA Region XII-Great Lakes District A Basketball Championship, which begins on March 1. The men’s team record drops to 9-16 overall, 4-10 in the conference. “We talked before and after the game about the importance of sustaining success,” Coach Joe Fox said. “As a young team, you need to build off of successes and string positive things together. We need to do a better job of building on momentum throughout the game, especially defensively. You need to be fully locked in to get stops, and commit to rebounding. Those are the main things holding this group back from reaching their potential right now.” LCC's men's team shot 56.2% from the field compared to 39.1% for visiting GRCC. Drew Moore carried the team with 27 points on 10-21 from the floor while Ryel Daye contributed with the team's only double-double, with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Point guard Danyel Bibbs had 11 assists for the third time this season and grabbed 5 boards. GRCC's women's team will return to the hardwood on Feb. 14 at Kellogg Community College.  The men's team returns to action on Feb. 16 at Muskegon Community College.