Sept. 12, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College cross country teams are among the very best in the nation, with both the men’s and women’s teams ranked in the top five in the first U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll of the season. The men’s team tied for No. 3 in the nation for National Junior College Athletic Association Division II, and the women’s team was ranked No. 4, following the first meet of the season, where the Raiders competed against four-year colleges at the Calvin Knight Invitational on Sept. 4. The rankings follow GRCC’s Coleman Clark being named Michigan Community College Athletic Association Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week, and Kaylee Scott earning Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week honors. The men’s team tied with Hawkeye Community College of Iowa in the rankings. Heartland Community College in Illinois was in the top spot. “The RedTails recently finished fourth as a team at the Corridor XC Clash hosted by Mount Mercy and put four runners in the top-25. The Raiders recently took part in the Calvin Knight Invited hosted by Calvin University and saw a young team gain valuable race experience at the collegiate level,” the association posted on its website. Clark, a freshman, was out in front of GRCC runners from start to finish in the Calvin race, with an impressive time of 26:48 for the 8K distance. He was followed closely by Brian Frazee in a time of 27:14, finishing in 77th place overall; Andrew Periard, at 27:47 and 94th place; Joshua Kipkoech at 28:14 and 112th place; and Christian Martinez-Ramos at 28:16 and 113th place. Kipkoech returns to the team after being named an NJCAA DII All-American last season. All-American Audrey Meyering is returning to the women’s team. Scott finished a solid 40th place among runners from NCAA DII, GLIAC & NAIA schools in the Calvin event, with a final 6K time of 24:32, a 6:35-per-mile pace. Meyering followed her teammate and finished in 60th place with an average pace of 6:49 per mile. The Raiders, who finished fourth in NJCAA national tournament last season, follow Hawkeye Community College, Wallace State Community College of Alabama, and Heartland Community College in the rankings.

Sept. 9, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Annie Holesinger and Audrey Torres scored 12 points each, leading the Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team to a 3-1 win in a conference matchup against Lake Michigan College on Thursday.  The No. 16-ranked Raiders defeated the Red Hawks by a score of 25-12, 25-14, 21-25, 26-24. The win brought GRCC’s season record to 5-5, and 2-0 against MCCAA Western Conference opponents. Lake Michigan drops to 2-6 for the season, and 0-3 against conference teams. Holesinger, of Rockford, finished with six kills, hitting a team high .375, and six blocks and while Torres, of Caledonia, scored her 12 points on a match-high eight kills, three blocks and an ace. Right side hitter Karissa Ferry, a freshman from Chesaning, finished with six kills and five blocks.  As a team, the Raiders totaled a season high 14 blocks, with 10 different Raiders contributing with at least one block. Ola Nowak, a setter from Grandville, added another double-double to her freshman resume with 25 assists and a match-high 20 digs. Statistical Leaders: Kills: Torres, 8; Holesinger and Ferry, 6; Morgan Fugate, Kylie Oberlin and Rylee VanPatten, 3. Assists: Nowak, 25. Digs: Nowak, 20; Torres 10; Kara Hecht and Shannon Russell, 4. Blocks: Holesinger and Oberlin, 6; Ferry, 5; Torres, 3. Aces: Nowak, 3; Charlie Baker and Fugate, 2. Conference play continues for the GRCC on Sept. 14 as the team travels to Ancilla College. GRCC will be back at the Ford Fieldhouse on Sept. 16 as it takes on Kellogg Community College. 

Sept. 9, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- 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 Lori DeBie. As a reference and technical services librarian, Lori is here to help students feel less anxiety about the research and writing process, and help them find reliable information. This help includes showing students how to find and evaluate sources for their projects and research papers.  "This prepares students for the rest of their academic career, and for life in general," she said. Lori knows from experience that the support she's providing students now can have a big impact. She worked in libraries or bookstores since she was 16, but never considered it as a career path until late in college. "Like many GRCC students, I changed my mind about what I wanted to do several times, first considering careers in visual arts and journalism," she said. "It's okay to not know what you want to do, but GRCC is a great place for figuring it out." The technical part of Lori's job is working behind the scenes with the library's computer systems to make sure books and other resources can be found easily in GRCC's online catalog. Lately much of her work involves electronic resources, including making ebooks and streaming video easily accessible from anywhere. Lori also orders materials to add to the library's collections in anthropology, biological sciences, children's literature, English, history, journalism, psychology and social work. And she works with faculty in those areas to provide resources that help them teach their classes. "Not only do I enjoy helping students, but being at a smaller library also lets me have a lot of variety in what I do day to day, which suits me," she said. Lori has worked at GRCC for 13 years. She attended Calvin College (now Calvin University) for her bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism, and then University of North Carolina - Greensboro for her master's degree in Library and Information Science. You can connect with the library team through email library@grcc.edu and by phone (616) 234-3872, or by stopping in the Library and Resource Commons, 140 Ransom Ave NE, in Grand Rapids.

Sept. 8, 2021, WYOMING, Mich. – The 2021-22 season couldn't have gotten off to a better start for the Grand Rapids Community College men's golf team as it brought home the title in Wednesday's Aquinas College Invitational. With a score of 307, the Raiders defeated nine other opponents, including the second-place Aquinas Saints by two strokes. C.J. Stephan, a freshman from Rockford, led the Raiders with 73 strokes, placing him second overall in a field of 63 competitors. Davis Courtright, a redshirt freshman from Zeeland, was just one stroke behind his teammate and tied for fourth overall.  Both Stephan and Courtright each tied the leader board with four birdies. Other scorers for the Raiders included Arie Jackman and Conner Oman, who each posted an 80, tying them for 13th overall. Ben Abare tied for 30th with an 83, while Logan Templeton shot an 86, landing him in 41st place. Redshirt freshman Matt Denhartigh fired an 88 to also land himself in the top 50. The team has won every tournament it participated in during the spring season, earning the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Championship and National Junior College Athletic Association Region XII. The team finished 11 th in the nation at the NJCAA D2 National Tournament. The Raiders are next scheduled to compete in the Sam Kromer Invitational on Sept. 17. Competition is set to begin at 10 a.m. at the Elks Golf Club in Port Huron, Mich. 

Sept. 8, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – GRCC Workforce Training programs provide in-demand skills leading to rewarding careers. Each Wednesday we’ll meet students who are heading down an educational pathway and changing their lives by earning occupational certificates. Joshua Kia Alviar is a family man. Prior to enrolling into the Construction Electrical Job Training program, he was working as a stay-at-home dad with his two children, ages six and three. “Previous to staying at home, I was in the service industry bartending and serving. As I lost my job due to COVID, my wife got a work opportunity. It worked out good that I could stay home with my kid,” he said. While home, Kia Alviar thought about his family’s future. “I had taken a tour of the Tassell M-TEC a couple of years ago now, a friend of mine starting talking to me about skilled trades and I just started looking online. I didn’t even know that GRCC had programs like this and I was a student here before!”  He’ll finish the program next month. The GRCC Construction Electrical Job Training program provides the basic knowledge and skills required to become an electrician and be placed in an Electrical Apprenticeship program in just 18 weeks of training. Students participate in job site, lab area, field trip and classroom settings. Learning is hands-on in all areas of electrical installation including employability skills, construction and electrical safety, hand and power tool safety, electrical math, electrical history, electrical theory, the National Electrical Code, electrical material identification, blue print reading, underground installations and residential/commercial wiring. “I love the program! I feel like I have learned a lot and I really enjoy the work, which you never know when you make that choice,” Kia Alviar said. “If I had gone right into a job, I’m sure I would have had a boss riding me a little bit harder than an instructor. I love that I will be going into a job with all this knowledge I’ve learned. Definitely gives me confidence.” Once graduates of this program are hired, they may register as an apprentice electrician, and request to have their certificate articulated into credit that applies to their state required four years of training. “I have a job lined up already! I finish this program on a Thursday and start my job as an apprentice electrician on Monday.” He was connected to his new employer, Shoreline Power Services, by an instructor. Kia Alviar made this career change to provide a better future for his kids. “In the service industry, you can make a lot of money, and I was, but I need health benefits for my family and retirement. That is not available in the service industry.” “I’m willing to get paid less for now because the potential for making more money is definitely there. My family is my why.” According to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, there will be 16% job growth annually in this field from 2012 to 2022. Average wage per hour is $23.78. 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.

Sept. 8, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College cross country runner Kaylee Scott was named Michigan Community College Athletic Association Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week. Scott, a freshman from Grandville, is the second GRCC runner to be saluted this week by the MCCAA, and the fourth GRCC student-athlete to earn honors already this season. Scott finished a solid 40th place among runners from NCAA D2, GLIAC & NAIA schools at Saturday’s Calvin Knight Invitational, with a final 6K time of 24:32, a 6:35-per-mile pace. GRCC was the only community college team competing in the event. "I am so pleased that Kaylee has been chosen as the MCCAA Runner of the Week," coach Sharon Becker said. "She is a great teammate and we are grateful for her contributions to help everyone in our team become better. Kaylee and Audrey Meyering having been working together in practices the past few weeks. Both women are hard workers and want to do all they can do be the best they can be. Before the season started I was concerned that Audrey would not have a teammate to help her and challenge her in key workouts (a teammate as fast as she runs). From the first day, Kaylee showed not only that she followed the training plan during the summer off-season but that she is a very determined and talented runner."  Audrey Meyering was named an All-American after last season, when the women's team finished fourth in the nation. Scott earned four varsity letters in cross country and three letters in track and field at Grandville High School.   The Raiders are next scheduled to compete in the Knight-Raider Invite that Calvin College and GRCC will both co-host, Saturday Sept. 18. Competition is set to begin at 10 a.m. for the women and 10:45 a.m. for the men.  The MCCAA on Tuesday named GRCC’s Coleman Clark Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after he opened up the season with an 8K time of 26:48 at the Calvin meet, good for 57th place overall out of 184 runners. It’s the third week in a row the MCCAA has honored a GRCC student-athlete. Volleyball team members Annie Holesinger and Ola Nowak were each named Western Conference Player of the Week.

Sept. 7, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College cross country runner Coleman Clark was announced Tuesday as the first Michigan Community College Athletic Association Runner of the Week. Clark, a freshman from Carson City and the defending MHSAA Division 4 State Champion, opened up the season with an 8K time of 26:48 at the Calvin Knight Invitational on Sept. 4 in Grand Rapids.  His time was good for 57th place overall out of 184 runners. "Coleman is an extremely gifted runner who is very deserving of this recognition, and he showcased that last Saturday in his first ever college cross-country race,” coach Garrett Lacy said. “I believe Coleman can develop into one of the top runners in all of the NJCAA D2, and finish this season off as an All-American runner when it is all said and done. He has the talent and the drive to make it happen, and I look forward to seeing how he progresses in our upcoming races." GRCC was the only community college team competing in the event. The men's team finished in 11th place out of 12 teams. The Raiders are next scheduled to compete in the Knight-Raider Invite that Calvin College and GRCC will both co-host, Saturday Sept. 11. Competition is set to begin at 10 a.m. for the women and 10:45 a.m. for the men.   It’s the third week in a row the MCCAA has honored a GRCC student-athlete. Volleyball team members Annie Holesinger and Ola Nowak were each named Western Conference Player of the Week.

Sept. 7, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- GRCC is proud to partner on a project to prepare the next generations of skilled professionals to keep West Michigan’s economy thriving long in to the future. The West Michigan Construction Institute will be a trade education center focused on developing the workforce of skilled construction professionals, helping fill a growing talent gap and helping ensure the industry’s long-term stability and growth. “Partnerships build stronger communities,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “Our college has been partnering to prepare individuals for careers in the construction trades for decades, and The West Michigan Construction Institute is a perfect example of employers and educators collaborating to create opportunities for residents to be successful. Together, we will create a talented workforce ready for rewarding careers and help our West Michigan economy thrive.”  The West Michigan construction industry is projected to grow almost 16% over the next 10 years. At the same time, nearly 48% of today’s construction workforce is expected to retire within the next 15 years. The decline in skilled labor has resulted in West Michigan companies losing projects to understaffing and severely increased construction costs. WMCI will have daytime high school programming coordinated with and through area high schools, and community-wide training programs. WMCI evening classes will be focused on apprentices and upskilling those already employed in the industry.  WMCI fills a shared need across the industry for more skilled tradespeople to complete construction projects in various categories, as well as serves as an entry for employees to work in the commercial construction industry. The institute is designed to be a hub for talent recruitment, development and placement for the West Michigan commercial construction industry. “The workforce pipeline is drying up, and the need for more trade education programs is growing; but existing programs are not,” said Jen Schottke, WMCI president. “WMCI offers the education needed to advance in a trades career where services are in demand, with the job security that comes with it.” The program will be based in a new facility at 801 Century Ave. SW, south of Franklin and just west of US-131. The building is under construction and is expected to be completed in December. Student registration begins in late fall, and classes are slated to begin in January 2022. “Students today want meaningful, well-paying careers that allow them to live their lives and contribute to their communities,” Schottke said. “The Institute will provide hands-on trades education that allows students to develop their hands and their minds.” WMCI students can enroll in programs including Construction Core, Carpentry, Electrical, Interior Finishes and Plumbing, as well as pursue certifications or professional development in additional specialties such as becoming a Building Industry Consulting Services International Certified Technician or Copper Installer. Length of programs range from one-week certification trainings to multi-year apprenticeship and craft training programs. The Electrical program is a partnership with Grand Rapids Community College, which will move its more than 400 students currently enrolled in electrical apprenticeships to the WMCI facility beginning in January.

Sept. 6, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – 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. Kevin Belk graduated from what was then Grand Rapids Junior College in 1979 with an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice -- the first step in a long and successful career in public safety.  After GRJC, Belk graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. in 1998 and then earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Grand Valley State University in 2000. His education and skills served him well during the 30 years he spent in the Grand Rapids Police Department. He became its chief in 2007 and retired from the GRPD in 2013. While Belk stepped away from his high-profile public role, he continued to serve the community behind the scenes. He is a member of the state Parole Board, and a board member for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth and NorthPointe Christian Schools.  Belk also served on advisory panels for the Kent Career Technical Center’s criminal justice program and the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority-Law Enforcement. He was named GRCC’s 2013 Distinguished Alumnus, is now senior vice president at DK Security Inc. “It was not only convenient and affordable for my first two years of college, but it also provided a foundation on which I was able to build a career in law enforcement,” he said of his GRJC start. Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .