Jan. 30, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Steven Van Iwaarden lives in Manhattan with his wife and dog and works at a prestigious New York law firm. He has a law degree from the University of Michigan and helped launch a first-of-its-kind law journal.  It all sounds like a dream come true, but Van Iwaarden didn’t believe it could happen to him – not at first. “For various reasons, my high school career was less than stellar, and I did not attend college for years after graduating high school,” he said. 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. When Van Iwaarden decided to finally get serious about his education, he enrolled at GRCC. He found knowledgeable and understanding professors and uses many of the skills he learned in those early classes – College Writing, Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, and Fundamentals of Public Speaking – in his career today. “In my first semester at GRCC, I entered – and ended up winning – the ‘One Book, One College’ essay contest,” Van Iwaarden said. “The prize for this was getting to attend a dinner with the author of the book that was the subject of the contest, Josh Sundquist, and then getting a front-row seat to his keynote speech later that evening. “Winning this contest really put wind behind my burgeoning academic sails. It was through this experience that I realized my talent for reading and writing could lead to great things, so long as I put the requisite effort into developing it.” Another turning point: a GRCC-sponsored bus trip to Ann Arbor to tour the University of Michigan. “That ended up being an important factor in me thinking I could actually attend that university after graduating from GRCC,” Van Iwaarden said. After receiving his associate degree in 2016, he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics in 2019 from U of M, where he served as an ambassador to transfer students. He earned Juris Doctor degrees from University of Michigan. He gained experience working on employment discrimination claims as a clerk to Administrative Judge Thomas Harward of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s hearings unit in Los Angeles. He also helped a group of law students and doctoral candidates launch the Michigan Journal of Law & Society, which brings the humanities and social sciences into legal scholarship. Last year, Van Iwaarden, who passed the New York State Bar exam in July, accepted an offer from Latham & Watkins LLP to become a lawyer in its New York office. Van Iwaarden credits the success he’s seen to the support of his family and friends, as well as his willingness to take advantage of opportunities offered to him, like the Ann Arbor bus trip.  For him, GRCC means two things: hope and opportunity. “I view GRCC as a place offering hope to prospective students who don’t fit the archetype of the over-achieving high schooler who goes straight to a four year university,” he said. “GRCC is an institution that serves an invaluable social goal: a gateway to prosperity for those who didn’t have it handed to them.  “I would not be where I am today without GRCC.” Start your GRCC story today here.  

Jan. 28, 2023, GRAYLING, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College men's and women's teams dominated in their games at Kirtland Community College on Saturday, both by more than 30 points. The women's team bounced back from a tough loss at Muskegon Community College on Wednesday, cruising to an 85-51 win while getting two career performances from players off the bench. After scoring a season-low 35 points in their previous game, the Raiders offense lit it up for a season-high in points, including 30 in the second quarter.  The team also set season highs in overall field goal percentage, with 45.2 percent; and three-point field goal shooting, with 60 percent. Alyssa Katerberg was on fire from behind the arc, totaling five threes for a career-high 15 points while adding five rebounds. Dual sport athlete Karissa Ferry scored a career-best 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive end. Sally Merrill led GRCC with 20 points and Grace Lodes added 15 points, helping the team improve to 9-6 overall and 3-2 in MCCAA Northern Conference play. The men's team led by just seven points at the half, but erupted for 62 points in the second half on 65 percent shooting, to cruise to a 98-59 victory, the team’s 14 th of the season. "Incredible effort from the guys in the second half," head coach Joe Fox said. "We really locked into the scout and played with incredible energy. Brockton Kohler was a steadying force, and Jack Scrimshaw really helped us close the game out. Feels great to string a few wins together on the road. After an 11-0 start, the team dropped four in a row. But now it is riding a three-game win streak to improve to 3-2 in the conference. GRCC had a total of 12 players score on the night, led by Kohler who scored 16 points on 5-of-8 from the floor. Just as it did in its previous game, GRCC led in every statistical category, including only turning the ball over 10 times against 23 for Kirtland, and blocking five more shots. Danyel Bibbs scored 14 points and Chris Coleman, JaJuan Walker and Myron Brewer all added 10 points. Both teams will be back on the road on Feb. 1, visiting Delta College.  The women will tip-off first at 5:30 p.m. 

Jan. 26, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College President Charles Lepper said the Michigan Reconnect program has provided access and opportunities for students across West Michigan, and encourages lawmakers to thoughtfully consider Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s call to expand the program. Whitmer in her State of the State Address on Wednesday called for expanding the Michigan Reconnect program to include residents age 21 and older. The program, now for residents ages 25 and older, covers the cost of in-district tuition, helping remove financial obstacles for residents looking to start or restart their education. “Reconnect has already helped more than 1,000 students at GRCC, and we find them on our campus gaining a quality education and in-demand career skills,” Lepper said. “Our mission as an open access college is to serve as many people in our community as possible. Our entire region grows stronger when more people have access to a life-changing education. We appreciate that our lawmakers have supported Reconnect in the past, and we encourage thoughtful consideration of this proposal in the months to come.” Dr. Lepper on Monday heard about the successes of the Reconnect program from students Andre Broussard and Jodi Holland on Monday at a roundtable hosted by Lt. Governor Garland Gilchrist II at GRCC’s Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center. Reconnect, launched in Feb. 2021, is aimed at students 25 and older who have not yet earned a degree. Frontliners was available in 2020 for residents who worked in essential fields during the state’s COVID-19 shutdown. The two are part of Gov. Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal, hoping to have at least 60 percent of the state’s adults have a college degree or career certificate by 2030. Lawmakers last year approved an additional $6 million to help pay for other expenses, such as daycare or transportation. Andre Broussard said he used the Reconnect program to enroll in GRCC’s Computer Support Job Training program. He recently was awarded the first-ever MTEC Leadership Award, which recognizes a student who has gone above and beyond expectation. Jodi Holland is a first-generation college student, who came to GRCC at age 58 to gain skills to follow her dreams of being a baker – and also to inspire her grandchildren. As of September, 9.5 percent of all state Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners students were at GRCC. Of the winter semester that started this month, 2,584 students were accepted to GRCC through Reconnect, and 1,141 are enrolled for the winter semester. Others can start in the summer or in the fall. About half of the enrolled Reconnect students -- 556 – are taking classes for the first time. And 464 students are returning after more than two years away to complete their education. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/reconnect and grcc.edu/reconnect .  

Jan. 26, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College is teaming up with the University of Michigan to provide students with cutting edge research opportunities. GRCC students have until Feb. 10 to apply for the 2023 statewide Community College Summer Fellowship Program , a 10-week, paid fellowship at U-M.  The program runs May 30 to Aug. 4 and offers research projects with mentors representing all 19 colleges/schools at U-M. The fellowship is offered by the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program at U-M and is open to any currently enrolled community college student interested in transferring in the future to any four-year university, not just Michigan. The fellowship is a great chance to do research at U-M, gain professional networks and opportunities, and attend professional training workshops teaching the latest research techniques, said Michelle Ferrez, director of U-M’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. “We see the real-world assets that community college students bring to the program, which is invaluable,” Ferrez said. Many GRCC students have taken part in the research program through the years. “The summer program has strengthened not just their academic skills, but their confidence as scholars and prepared them for a more successful transfer experience,” said Leanne Challa, GRCC program manager for the Transfer Bridges partnership between GRCC and U-M. Student access to these programs removes barriers to learning which often exist between the two- and four-year institute experience, she said.  “By encouraging and supporting the exploration of fields of study, connecting students to professionals in these fields, and providing the ability to engage first-hand with the four-year institute experience, these partnerships help build the bridge for successful transfer,” Challa said. Research fellows receive a $3,000-$6,000 stipend for their part- or full-time participation in the program, and there are both in-person and virtual opportunities. CCSFP seeks to attract a diverse student population, including women and historically underrepresented students, first generation college students, students from low-income backgrounds, and veterans. Applicants must have: Completed at least 18 credits (or two semesters) at the community college level and must have already graduated from high school or earned a GED Completed 30 credits at the community college if you are a dual enrolled in high school Enrolled and in attendance at a community college in Michigan The CCSRP is one of many opportunities available to GRCC students available through the Transfer Bridges U-M grant relationship. For more information, GRCC students can visit the U-M Community College Summer Fellowship Program page here , or reach out to Leanne Challa, p rogram manager, Transfer Bridges to the Humanities U-M, via email at lchalla@grcc.edu. This story was reported by Beth McKenna.

Jan. 25, 2023, MUSKEGON, Mich. – Danyel Bibbs celebrated his birthday by leading the Grand Rapids Community College men's basketball team to a win over a tough Muskegon Community College team on Wednesday. With the 83-74 victory, the Raiders are 13-4 and 2-2 in MCCAA Northern Conference play. The women's team snapped a two-game win streak to move to .500 in the conference after a tough, 62-35 loss. The men’s team was back and forth all night with Muskegon, with a season-high 26 lead changes. But Bibbs' and-one with five minutes to go was the final lead GRCC needed to secure the victory. “It’s so great to go on the road and get a win against a good team,” coach Joe Fox said. “I was very happy with our execution down the stretch, and I thought our guys really picked their spots well. Isaac Warning played his best game as a Raider and Danyel Bibbs also was great. I can’t say enough about how excited I am about our execution of the game plan tonight.” Bibbs finished with a team-high 22 points while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists. GRCC led in just about every statistical category, including field goal percentage, three-point shooting, rebounding, blocks and steals. Chris Coleman and Issac Warning also had solid outings, scoring 30 total points and grabbing 15 rebounds. The women's team never could get into any rhythm on the offensive end, scoring a season-low 35 points while shooting just 1-of-19 from behind the arc. "Tough loss to a good Muskegon team," coach David Glazier said. "We will have to get much better as the year continues to compete with the teams atop the North." Sophomores Sally Merrill and Marlene Bussler led GRCC with nine points while Grace Lodes added eight points and team highs with seven rebounds and four assists. Both teams will be back on the road on Jan. 28, visiting Kirtland Community College.  The women will tip-off first at 1 p.m.  

Jan. 25, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College is celebrating the 40 th anniversary of the GIANT Awards with an evening saluting the leaders of the past and present while inspiring the next generations. Since 1983, GRCC has hosted the annual awards recognizing African American leaders and organizations for their exceptional contributions in shaping the history and quality of life in Grand Rapids and West Michigan. The 40 th anniversary celebration will highlight the past GIANT honorees and present a special anniversary award, with recipients revealed at the event. “GRCC is tremendously proud to host the GIANT Awards each year, recognizing the people who have played key roles in making West Michigan a stronger, better place to live,” GRCC President Charles Lepper said. “The 40 th anniversary milestone is a perfect time to pause and reflect on those who have been honored over the decades – to hear again their stories, appreciate their impact, and celebrate their important places in our history.” The gala is planned for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at DeVos Place’s Exhibit Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Individual tickets are $100, with eight-seat tables available for $1,000. Proceeds will support the Milo M. Brown Scholarship and the Junior GIANT Fund and can be purchased online . The keynote speaker for the event is Dr. Jacqueline Walters – better known as “Dr. Jackie” – a philanthropist, health expert, women’s advocate, television personality and award-winning doctor of obstetrics and gynecology. A two-time breast cancer survivor, Walters founded the 50 Shades of Pink Foundation, an organization focused on treating the inner and outer beauty of survivors. The Atlanta resident is featured on the Bravo hit reality series “Married to Medicine” and is a frequent speaker on the topics of women’s health, wellness and self-esteem. Local media personalities Jamal Spencer, Eddie Rucker and Jennifer Moss will serve as emcees. The event is being planned by a community committee that includes Vanessa Greene, Larry Johnson, Tempy Mann, Darius Quinn, Faye Richardson-Green, Misti Stanton and Shannon Wilson, and facilitated by GRCC President Emeritus Juan Olivarez and GRCC leaders. “The GIANT Awards are special to so many people in our community,” Olivarez said. “It’s an honor to work with leaders who are devoted to recognizing what we have done to this point, but also making sure this important work continues long into the future.” Mann said the awards are an opportunity to look back, but are also a call to action. “The people who have been honored over the last 40 years are the ones who built our community,” Mann said. “When we tell their stories, we reflect on their legacy. But we also remind ourselves that there is so much more to do. We stand on the shoulders of our Giants, but we need to continue to carry on the work they started.” The annual GIANT Awards, last presented in October 2022, salute 11 leaders. Each award is named after a local person who has demonstrated excellence and serves as a perpetual memorial to those notable contributions. Honorees have made meaningful contributions to Grand Rapids in a variety of areas, including justice, education, religion, medicine, humanities, business and labor. The Junior GIANT Award, named in honor of GIANT founders Dr. Patricia Pulliam and Cedric Ward, are presented to students of African American heritage who have demonstrated leadership, community involvement and impact. The Milo M. Brown Scholarship is presented to at least one male and one female African American GRCC students returning as full-time sophomores for the following fall semester.

Jan. 25, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Sally Merrill started playing basketball in third grade and had been around the game all her life because of her dad, who played collegiately. She remembers loving to hoop when she began but also remembers with a smile that “I wasn’t very good. My first couple seasons I never even scored and that discouraged me a lot as a kid.” Things have changed a bit since then! Last year, Merrill, a sophomore 5’10” combo guard and forward, averaged 15.8 points per game for the Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team, while playing 36 minutes per contest. She also pulled down an average of 8.1 rebounds per game as the Raiders ran their way to a 20-11 record, reaching the championship game of the NJCAA Great Lakes A District tournament. And she finished the season as an All-Region, All-MCCAA, First Team All-Conference and All-Freshman Team honoree. She has picked up where she left off in 2022-23, averaging a double-double with 13.5 ppg and an even 10.0 rpg through GRCC’s first eight contests. Merrill admits that after a good high school career at Hamilton High, she didn’t necessarily see this level of success coming at the collegiate level. “We won regionals twice,” she said, “and we made it to the Final Four. We always had a really good record. But last year, here at GRCC, I had to step up and contribute more, and I found that the ball was in my hands a lot more than it was in high school. This was a big transition for me and helped me gain a ton of confidence as a player.” GRCC coach David Glazier said there’s a good reason Merrill found herself with more touches last season. “I had seen her play a couple times prior to her joining us, and it was her drive, her never-take-no-for-an-answer mentality that she had that made me realize how much benefit our program could get from Sally being a part of the family,” he recalled. “But there is an added level of introspection that I have a respect for because I am that way at times. Basketball is a sport that demands leadership which is typically most valued if the leadership is loudly vocal. I think Sally's ability to be introspective will help her find continued success as a player and as a person.” For her part, Merrill said she loves playing for Glazier. “Coach definitely has a more relaxed coaching style,” she said. “He lets his players play and create. He also does a good job of finding sets that work well for the players and for the strengths we have.” Her experience in the classroom has also been stellar. “Overall, I have had a great experience at GRCC,” she said. “I am currently studying exercise science, and I plan to get a four-year degree in exercise kinesiology in the future. My classroom experience has been positive. I have had many kind professors who care about me.” One of her favorites, she added, is Melanie Schiele- Gady of the GRCC E xercise Science department. “I had her for an Introduction to Exercise Science class and now I am in a second class with her,” she said. “She is so kind and always takes the time to say hello whenever I see her.” Next year Merrill hopes to continue her education, and to play basketball, at a four-year National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school. This story was written by Phil de Haan.

Jan. 24, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  A successful run last November for a seat on the Grand Rapids Public Library board fits right in with GRCC professor Lauren Woolsey’s willingness to walk a different path. After completing two bachelor’s degrees at the University of Maryland, she went on to earn a doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics at Harvard. For many academics, the next step would have been some sort of post-doctoral research fellowship. Woolsey had those opportunities, but she turned them down to accept a tenure-track teaching position in GRCC’s Physical Sciences Department. “I was a teaching fellow for three semesters (at Harvard),” she said. “I had the opportunity to go down a couple of different paths after grad school, but I really like the engagement involved with teaching college students. That passion for teaching drew me to GRCC, and I have never looked back. I am in my dream position.” She is equally enthused about her new role as member of the Grand Rapids Public Library Board of Commissioners. As a child, she moved a lot, but one constant in her life from state to state was finding the library and “seeing the magic of what was available there.” “I've always loved reading, and I have to thank my parents for using books and trips to the library as rewards,” she added. So, when she saw there were two empty library commission seats on the ballot last fall, she sensed an opportunity. “I like to think that I spend some time being aware of societal issues and take seriously how to be a good citizen,” she said. “I didn’t want there to be an empty seat where someone could come in and do some damage, so I asked myself: ‘Do I have the ability, and can I commit to the kind of time it would take to be a good library commissioner?’ I decided that I did, and I am excited to have been elected and to start my work with the board on Jan. 31.” Woolsey said conversations with GRCC librarian Sophia Brewer helped solidify her decision. Brewer was a GRPL commissioner but had decided to run for a state-level library position -- which she later won -- so her position was one of the two that needed to be filled. “It is a positive move for her to be in her new seat, and she was happy that I ran for and won her old seat,” Woolsey added. “And now we have two GRCC people in, hopefully, positions of influence when it comes to libraries.” Although she ran unopposed, Woolsey still campaigned, including creating an information-filled website . “I wanted to make sure that voters were actively informed,” she said. “Having information does make a difference. I believe that information is key, and that’s why the public library is key.” That philosophy is imbued in her approach to all of life. One of her hobbies and interests outside of teaching is board games and game design . She has designed two card games and one board game. “I’m not trying to make money with my games,” she noted. “But to have made something that people enjoy is quite a lot of fun.” She also is a regular at Grand Rapids Unpublished Boardgame Society meetings, where attendees play and critique board games in process. She said she enjoys the give and take of a typical GRUBS get-together. “We play and test each other’s games,” she said. “It’s really about giving feedback and finding the potential and the positive things in these games that are still developing.” She said her skills as an instructor lend themselves to what she does at GRUBS and that what she does with the group probably helps her as a GRCC instructor. Indeed, she said the unique nature of a community college is something she still appreciates after almost seven years at GRCC. “One of the reasons I like teaching so much is the wide range of our students,” she said. “The diverse community we have at GRCC allows me to learn from my students even as they are learning from me.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.  

Jan. 23, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Michigan Reconnect program has successfully helped residents start or restart a college education, but state leaders “have more work to do” to make a degree or career certificate within reach for others, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II said Monday. Gilchrist conducted a roundtable discussion with Grand Rapids Community College President Charles Lepper, students, administrators, and faculty members at the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, saying he wanted to hear how the program has been effective, but also how the state can continue to make changes and help more residents. “We want everyone to be able to determine their own path,” Gilchrist said, noting that additional support services would help the program expand, and help students with financial obstacles and other challenges. “We want to help people finish what they’ve started.” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to discuss Michigan Reconnect during her State of the State Address on Wednesday. The Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners programs cover the cost of in-district tuition for community college students. Lawmakers last year approved an additional $6 million to help pay for other expenses, such as daycare or transportation. Reconnect, launched in Feb. 2021, is aimed at students 25 and older who have not yet earned a degree. Frontliners was available in 2020 for residents who worked in essential fields during the state’s COVID-19 shutdown. The two are part of Gov. Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal, hoping to have at least 60 percent of the state’s adults have a college degree or career certificate by 2030.  Gilchrist said the state already is close to 50 percent in just the last two years. “The pace is good,” he said. “But we have to keep our focus on it.” Andre Broussard used the Reconnect program to enroll in GRCC’s Computer Support Job Training program. He recently was awarded the first-ever MTEC Leadership Award, which recognizes a student who has gone above and beyond expectation. “My experience has been very great,” he told Gilchrist. “This took me from being an over-the-road truck driver into now, in IT, as a computer support technician with Magic Steel. This basically gave me a second chance, to redefine what I want to do. This is something I wanted to do since I was a child, and it is coming to fruition now.” Jodi Holland is a first-generation college student, who came to GRCC at age 58 to gain skills to follow her dreams of being a baker – and also to inspire her grandchildren. “When I started school, I thought I could become a baker, but now, I’m a pastry chef,” she told Gilchrist. “I’ve learned so much at school. Not just about baking, but about how to manage employees and manage my time.” Employers have said Michigan’s job market continues to change after the pandemic. Many older students are looking for additional training to advance in their careers, or to start new careers. Employers are looking for people with skills – and also ready to gain more skills by heading back to college. Michael Welch, vice president of operations for the Grand Rapids-based Magic Steel, said he hopes the state can boost partnerships with employers and colleges. “As an employer, we sometimes struggle to find people with the right skills,” he said. “This program has helped me get people in the door and be productive, and then we can build from there.” As of September, 9.5 percent of all state Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners students were at GRCC. Of the winter semester that started this month, 2,584 students were accepted to GRCC through Reconnect, and 1,141 are enrolled for the winter semester. Others can start in the summer or in the fall. About half of the enrolled Reconnect students -- 556 – are taking classes for the first time. And 464 students are returning after more than two years away to complete their education. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/reconnect and grcc.edu/reconnect .

Jan. 23, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Tom Barczak is proud of the work he does to ensure that buildings are safe, and he’s proud of the role GRCC has played in his career. Barczak serves as regional director of Forensic Analytical Consulting Services, a national company that ensures public health safety in buildings. 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. Barczak first enrolled at GRCC in 1991, majoring in general studies.  “That fall semester at GRCC led to taking courses at Purdue University for six semesters, working toward a degree in biology to pursue a career in medicine,” he said. “With life and family changes, I made a career switch and started working in building sciences and restoration work in 1999.” Barczak has enjoyed his career in industrial hygiene and environmental consulting.  “My education over the past 20 years has allowed me to travel across the United States and work in various business sectors from residential to health care and even skyscrapers,” he said. “I have also worked in various cities following devastating natural disasters such as hurricanes and other extreme weather events." When Barczak decided to complete a bachelor’s degree – “a longtime personal goal and professional milestone” – he turned again to GRCC. “GRCC was a great place to start my collegiate experiences in 1991, but, more importantly, GRCC was the catalyst which allowed me to complete my degree at Ferris State University in 2019,” he said. “The established collegiate partnership between GRCC and Ferris State allowed me to finish my bachelor’s degree along with enhancing my skills and knowledge in key coursework areas such as business law and project management.” For Barczak, GRCC has been the right place at the right time, twice. “GRCC is an incredible place to start your college experience, complete valuable coursework to gain knowledge in a career field, and a place to complete your educational goals and achievements.” Start your GRCC story today here.