Sept. 13, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College’s Paul Collins Art Gallery is hosting three ArtPrize entries, showcasing digital animation, pen and ink technique and acrylic painting. ArtPrize 2022 runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 2 and features 750 entries in the interactive art competition. The Collins Art Gallery is found on the fourth floor of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, 143 Bostwick Ave. NE. From Sept. 15 to Oct. 2, the gallery will be open from 1-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Guests visiting during the weekend should enter through the doors on the south end of Finkelstein Hall Level G2, near the iconic lion fountain, or through the skywalk connected to Parking Ramp A. Signs or staff will direct you to the gallery. The entries include “Inexcusable,” which features pen-and-ink drawings by teacher Ginger Creasy in collaboration with student Jessica Newell, which explores the intricacies of nature. “I am collaborating with one of my art students with the thought of creation and its wonderful intricacies from the largest mammal, hidden in the designs of the ocean, to the smallest of creation, and the complicating designs of organisms,” wrote Creasy, of Twin Lake, Mich., in her artist’s statement. “This is really a hidden adventure for all to enjoy. ‘Inexcusable’ is what we think about when we see the complicating designs of what seem simple. Nothing in nature is simple! For instance, why don't ducks’ or geese, or even penguins’ feet freeze? DESIGN! You will find this somewhere in my art piece.” Creasy, who is entering ArtPrize for the eleventh time, said there is a story behind everything I chose to put into this piece. Newell’s piece, although separate, relates also to creation, particularly the golden ratio which describes predictable patterns on everything from atoms to huge stars in the sky.” “Derivations of a Gothic Arch Part 2” is a digital animation by Morehead State University instructor Gary Mesa-Gaido. The six-minute digital animation with sound moves through multiple iterations of a gothic arch being pushed and pulled in a multitude of directions and shapes that all tie back to the gothic architectural element of the arch. Mesa-Gaido has been an artist for more than 30 years, and his work has been displayed in international, national, regional and state-juried and invitational exhibits. His pieces have been viewed at diverse venues, including the Abraham Lubelski Gallery in New York, the Museo ItaloAmericano in San Francisco, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland, plus museums and galleries across the United States. “Landscapes in my mind’s eye,” is an acrylic-on-canvas piece by Seongbae Cho, was inspired by a summer trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National parks. He said the title comes from the words of Ansel Adams My title for his entry was inspired by acclaimed landscape photographer Ansel Adams. “I think the word, ‘mind’s eye’ would show the meaning of my paintings,” he said in his artist’s description. “I traveled to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National parks last summer. I stayed in the park and explored great nature. I saw huge mountains, river, falls, geysers, hot springs, and wild animals. I felt something beautifully and imagined I lived in paradise. I am seeking to capture the inherent beauty in nature in my artwork.” Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea expresses the beauty he sees with various methods; abstract landscape paintings, representative landscape paintings, and digital images that he produces with a computer program. Since 2010, he had five solo exhibitions and has taken part in several group shows in South Korea. He also showed his digital paintings at the Muskegon Museum of Art and at the ArtPrize in 2021. GRCC student Christina Hindle y has an entry nearby at Park Congregational Church, titled “For the Love of Hope and Harmony.”  The  piece is 14,114 paper-quilled hearts  mounted on a board that is four feet by eight feet and arranged to resemble a sunset. Paper quilling is a centuries-old craft that uses thin strips of paper that are then formed into shapes; these shapes are combined into further shapes via artistic pinching and the strategic use of glue. Hindley estimates that the project totaled hundreds of hours of work from December 2021 to July 2022. But the time invested, she added, was for a greater goal. “My purpose is to show everybody that we are a lot more similar than we are different,” she said. “All of the hearts are individual but similar and then put together in what looks like a sunset because that's something that everybody can see all over the world from anywhere you are. So, it's a unifier. I feel like there's just so much division right now. I wanted to do something to pull people together.”    

Sept. 12, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Alec Alvarado doesn’t remember exactly where he heard about GRCC’s TRIO Educational Opportunities Center. He thinks he saw an ad on Facebook. But he knows with 100 percent certainty what TRIO has done for him and his future. “It’s changed my life,” he said. TRIO is a set of federally funded programs that support first-generation, low-income students throughout their college experience. The Educational Opportunities Center connects people with programs and services that help with high school diploma or GED certificate completion, tutoring and mentoring, career exploration, financial assistance and completing college admissions and enrollment processes. The work covers a region of 13 counties. GRCC was awarded a five-year, $1.16 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to create the center, where unemployed or low-wage workers, prospective first-generation college students, and other adult learners can work with campus specialists to explore higher education options and connect with on- and off-campus resources and programs to support their educational goals. Alvarado can attest to that. “After I saw that ad, I called them,” he said. “They literally walked me through the whole thing. I told them I was a bit intimidated about how to apply, what to expect. But they made it so easy.” He noted, too, that GRCC got him reconnected to his tribe -- he’s part of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians -- and that because of his heritage, he pays no tuition thanks to Michigan’s Indian Tuition waiver. Alvarado is now approaching the finish line of the Construction Electrician Certificate program, which prepares graduates for placement in an Electrical Apprenticeship program. Once hired and registered as an Apprentice Electrician, students may request to have their certificate articulated into credit that applies to their state-required training. The course runs for 18 weeks, with students in class from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Alvarado loves it. “I really like working with my hands, and I really like being active,” he said. “I’m learning a lot, and the time just flies by.” He’s also making his two kids proud, he said, especially his 6-year-old son. “To have my kids be proud of me means a lot,” he said. “My son, he was really happy when he realized I go to school like he does. He sees me put on my backpack. It’s pretty great.” Like a lot of students, Alvarado thought college was what he was supposed to do right after high school. So, when he graduated from Northview in 2017, he applied and was accepted to GRCC, and that fall, five years ago now, he started taking classes on the downtown campus. “I wasn’t ready,” he recalled recently. “I felt like I wasted my time. I had no idea what I wanted to do, really. I decided to go work for an automotive factory. I had a young son, and I needed to take care of him, too.” The money was decent, but something was missing. “I was figuring it out as I went along,” Alvarado said. “But I also wondered if there was more.” Alvarado had heard about electricians and the electrical field as a high school student but didn’t know a lot about the profession. Now, he said, the sky is the limit. “Before this (program at GRCC), I didn’t know this kind of stuff or if I was going to be any good at it,” he said. “And I fell in love with it. Now this is what I feel like I’m going to do for the rest of my career. I give a lot of credit to the TRIO program for helping me see a future I’m excited about.” Additional information about the TRIO Educational Opportunity Center is available by email at eoc@grcc.edu , by phone at (616) 234-3399 and on the web here . This story was reported by Phil de Haan.

Sept. 12, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich . -- When it’s time to get serious about your future, GRCC is there for you. “GRCC afforded me the opportunity to follow through on my dreams without sacrificing life outside of school. While it was an incredibly busy time in my life, I still had a balance – able to work and spend time with my children," Caitlin Owens said. “In 2016, I was a single mother of two, and while I had some years of experience and some college credits under my belt, I really didn’t have anything to show for it." 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. Owens decided to enroll in GRCC’s Education program, partly to show her children how hard work pays off. “The instructors at GRCC are second to none,” Owens said. “While I had years of experience in early childhood education before, GRCC is really what cemented my passion for education, families and developmentally appropriate practices.” She quickly found work in her chosen field after earning her associate degree in 2018. “I started at Head Start (for Kent County) right after graduating from GRCC with my associate degree,” she said. “I began as an associate teacher. The following year, I became a teacher, obtained my bachelor’s degree in child and family development, then was promoted to early learning coach specialist and associate supervisor, and became a site supervisor in February of this year. It’s definitely been a whirlwind!” Owens’ home life was also becoming busier during this time. “By 2018, I was married and finished my last course at GRCC two weeks after having baby No. 3,” she said. “Baby No. 4 came one week after graduating with my bachelor’s degree. The baby-degree correlation is not something that will continue with subsequent achievements!” Owens, who will begin work on a master’s degree in educational leadership at Central Michigan University in the spring, says GRCC provided her with the support she needed when she returned to the classroom. “Instructors were understanding but also pushed me and challenged me in ways that were meaningful,” she said. “GRCC afforded me the opportunity to follow through on my dreams without sacrificing life outside of school. While it was an incredibly busy time in my life, I still had a balance – able to work and spend time with my children.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply

Sept. 10, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. –  Freshman Mason Kolhoff is off to an impressive start, helping the Grand Rapids Community College men's cross country team finish in sixth place out of 10 teams at the annual Calvin Knight Invitational at Calvin University’s Gainey Complex. For the second consecutive meet, GRCC was the only community college team competing. The men's team finished ahead of four four-year institutions Alma College, Kalamazoo College, Cleary University and Albion College. The women’s team also fared well against nine four-year schools in the 6K run, defeating Alma and Adrian College.  Men's team coach Rob Hyde was impressed by his team’s performance, even though 2021 All-American Coleman Clark was again unable to run. "Most guys ran faster through their 5K during the 8K run today," Hyde said. "Mason had a very positive run race setting him up for what could be a very special freshman season while Andrew (Periard) and Dan (Kehoe) pushed each other to good performances. Overall, we're moving in the right direction and I'm very proud of our men today." Kolhoff finished with a time of 27:28 good enough for 34th place out of 123 total runners. Freshman Kehoe and sophomore Periard had fine performances as well, both finishing in under 29 minutes with times of 28:46 and 28:52. Other GRCC finishers included sophomore Lucas Schneider in 29:37, 76th place; sophomore Derek Hopkins in 30:04, 88th place; freshman Craig Fuller in 30:47, 96th place; and sophomore Zachary Richards in 32:28, 110th place. All-American Kaylee Scott again led the women's team in a field of 108 runners, finishing in 37th place with a time of 24:56. Sophomore Rose Meyer was impressive, defeating teammate Audrey Meyering for the first time with a time of 25:32. Meyering, a two-time All-American, finished seven seconds back taking 45th place. Freshmen Mariana Zaragoza, Chloe Jones, Samantha Sixberry and Zoe Zawacki rounded out the Raider women with times of 27:09, 27:50, 28:47 and 31:27. GRCC is next scheduled to compete in their first home meet of the season which will be a 5K run for the women and 8K for the men.  That event is scheduled for Sept. 17, and it will again be held at the Gainey Athletic Complex.   

Sept. 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Anyone interested in competing in a triathlon should talk to Grand Rapids Community College biology adjunct faculty member Mary Fournier – she’s run, swam and pedaled her way through 40 of them.  Fournier has also taken six trips to Africa. After a 2009 trip, while she worked as a chemistry and biology teacher at Cedar Springs High School, she was inspired to take action. Fournier founded the nonprofit “To Africa: From U.S.,” to benefit infrastructure projects in Southern Uganda. She has raised 80,000 over the last 12 years through community fundraisers and donations for projects like digging a well and expanding a school.  Fournier, who also teaches at Grand Valley State University,is pursuing a second master's degree in Biomedical Science. Teaching while she attends college provides Fournier with a unique perspective of her work – and the benefits of a community college degree. “At GRCC, I enjoy the rich diversity in every aspect of the college and as I get to know the students I teach,” Fournier said. “The GRCC Biological Sciences department offers so many ways for students to get a solid start in the career pathways they want to pursue.”   Fournier admires students who follow their passion to a career, and who dare to be themselves.  “We can all be inspiring during our lives,” Fournier said. “We are all heroes at one point and we all need rescuing at other points. By being our true-selves we empower others around us to be true to themselves and live out their authentic lives. Be brave. Be kind. Be you.” Over her 20 years in biology and education, Fournier learned education is an art. “Each individual teaches differently,” Fournier said. “Some teaching strategies work well for me, when they would work terribly for another teacher. The converse is true as well. Educational research has a limited reach and can only tell us a few hardcore proven truths about education. The rest is art.” Fournier has earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Aquinas College, and a Master of Secondary Education with Biology concentration from GVSU.  You can join her at GRCC in BI 101 General Biology Lab, BI 118 Environmental Science, BI 121 Human Anatomy and Physiology, and BI 122 Human Anatomy and Physiology II Lecture and Lab.  

Sept. 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Community College has its first new athletic trainer in 27 years – but one who is very familiar with the program. Mackenzie Ondersma is replacing Mike Roche as GRCC’s head trainer. She once studied with Roche at GRCC, working as a student aide and often returning as first aid and support staff for various GRCC events. "I am so excited to return to GRCC as the head athletic trainer," Ondersma said. "This program is how I got started on my athletic training path and helped me succeed in my education and career. I look forward to working with each and every one of the teams as well as growing this Sports Medicine program to be the best it can be!" Ondersma worked for Kentucky Orthopedic Rehab Team as an assistant athletic trainer at Asbury University for two years in Wilmore, Ken. where she worked with men’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, and golf teams. Ondersma graduated with her undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University in 2020 and completed an internship at GRCC. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and passing the Board of Certification Exam, she moved to Kentucky and worked while she earned her master’s degree in Athletic Training from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2021. She is certified by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association Board of Certification as well as licensed in the state of Michigan and commonwealth of Kentucky. Ondersma will support about 150 athletes each year in partnership with physicians and medical specialists. Roche, who retired earlier this year, assisted generations of GRCC student-athletes and has been honored by having athletic scholarships named in his honor. Roche has served GRCC students for 27 years and in 2021 received the National Athletic Trainer of the Year from the National Junior College Athletic Association.  

Sept. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Janice Maggini is being remembered as a passionate, lifelong educator who played a key role in Grand Rapids Community College’s leadership as a founding member of the board of trustees. Maggini passed away on Tuesday after a long illness. She was 85. “Jan was a wonderful person who for decades had a tremendous impact on GRCC and its students,” GRCC Interim President Juan Olivarez said. “She was a leader in policy governance to help the college run effectively. She always kept the focus on our students, tirelessly advocating for them, and making sure that all students, credit and non-credit, had access to the same support and benefits.” Maggini graduated from what was then Grand Rapids Junior College in 1956 before earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Michigan State University. She taught in the Wyoming Public Schools, earning honors as the 1990 Junior High School Teacher of the Year, and was named one of 10 Outstanding Women of Wyoming. She retired in 1997 as assistant principal at Jackson Park Middle School. “My passion for education began here in the fall of 1954,” Maggini said about her time as a GRJC student. “GRCC has been a fortress in the face of adversity throughout its history, a haven for quality learning for me and countless students for generations.” Throughout her education career, Maggini remained committed to GRCC. She was a founding member of the board of trustees, serving from 1991 to 2011, and was named board chair in 2003. She also served on the GRCC Foundation board of directors from 2011 to 2018. She was a trustee-director to the Michigan Community College Association and was elected chair of its executive council in 2003. “Jan’s leadership was rooted in an understanding of the challenges faced by so many of our students, and what the college and the community could do to support them,” said Dr. Kathryn K. Mullins, vice president of College Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. “She continued to support them after her time with the trustees through the foundation and a scholarship her family established. The scholarship fund established by Maggini, her husband, Frank, and their family is in memory of Erma Ostapowicz, “Grandma O.” It is awarded to women who have faced adversity and are enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College part time.

Sept. 5, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- “GRCC is a second chance at success.” John Vesbit enrolled at Columbia College Chicago after graduating from Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School, but it didn’t work out for him. “When I returned home to Grand Rapids, I wasn’t sure what to do next, so I took a chance enrolling at GRCC,” he said. He learned a lot – not all of it was on a syllabus. “I am not a natural student,” Vesbit said. “I love learning but struggled, at the time, to focus on the work at hand. The patience and grace exhibited by many of the professors at GRCC helped me to overcome some of my bad habits as a student. “It was at GRCC where I became a much more committed student and adult. Even when I failed, I would get up, dust myself off, and try again. GRCC gave me breathing room to fail and taught me the value of perseverance.” After earning his associate degree in 2008, he received a bachelor’s degree in theater and speech communications from Siena Heights University and a master’s in theater arts from Eastern Michigan University. He has worked on many theater productions, including “The Fantasticks” on Broadway. Since returning to Grand Rapids, he has taught classes for Grand Rapids Civic Theater, GRCC and Aquinas College and has directed and acted in West Michigan productions. He manages the box office and patron experience for Grand Rapids Circle Theater and has written plays for the Civic and Circle theaters. “It’s not hyperbolic to say that I don’t know where I would be now if I hadn’t chosen to enroll at GRCC when I did,” Vesbit said.  “More important than the courses I took, it was the professors at GRCC who mentored and helped guide me through my college experience. It was because of their genuine interest in my success that I was able to hone my passions, not only for theater and creative writing, but they also assisted me with building a strong foundation for my eventual professional career.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply

Sept. 2, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College cross country teams struggled in their first meet of the season, but coaches said the event against four-year programs was a good learning experience. GRCC was the only community college team competing in the 5-kilometer event, the Central Michigan University Jeff Drenth Invitational. The men's team finished in seventh place out of eight teams, and the women's team was in sixth place out of six teams in a field that included three NCAA D1 teams, two in NCAA D3, and one in the NAIA. "I'm very pleased with the efforts of the six ladies who raced today," women’s team coach Sharon Becker said. "I'm also very pleased to have this first race under our belts. The athletes and team learned a lot through their experiences racing today. Some struggled because of the heat while others learned they can overcome and adapt through the heat. I'm fortunate to be able to coach a team that includes individuals with the integrity and determination to embrace hard work." The cross country teams are coming off a successful 2021 season, with both finishing in the top 10 nationally and each with two runners earning All-American honors. Men's team coach Rob Hyde said squaring off against tough competition was a good way to start the year, but the team definitely has work to do. All-American Coleman Clark was the only runner unable to compete, but freshman Mason Kohloff had a strong showing in his first collegiate meet, finishing in 32nd with a team of 16:37. Seven other men crossed the finished line, with all but one breaking the 20-minute mark. Sophomores Andrew Periard, 17:51, and Craig Fuller, 18:00 led the remaining GRCC runners. They finished respectably in 53rd and 57th out of 74 total runners. Other GRCC finishers included sophomore Derek Hopkins in 18:38, 63rd place; sophomore Lucas Schneider in 18:39, 64th place; freshman Daniel Kehoe in 18:40, 65th place, sophomore Zachary Richards in 18:59, 66th place; and freshman Alex Weber in 20:17, 69th place. All-Americans Kaylee Scott and Audrey Meyering again led the women’s team. Battling hot temperatures, the sophomores posted solid times of 20:42 and 21:22. Other finishers for the Raiders were sophomore Rose Meyer at 21:46; and newcomers Mariana Zaragoza, Chloe Jones and Samantha Sixberry who finished with times of 23:04, 23:22 and 23:53. GRCC is next scheduled to compete in the Calvin Knight Invitational, which will be a 6K run for the women and 8K for the men.  That event is scheduled for Sept. 10, with the women running at 10 a.m. and the men at 11 a.m. for the men.