May 23, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – David A. Veneklase has been a leader in education and in the community, and credits professors at Grand Rapids Community College for inspiring him in the classroom and beyond. 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. Veneklase is executive vice president for Finance and Organizational Development and CFO for Davenport University. During his 22-year career at Davenport, he’s held every executive vice president leadership role. “We work tirelessly to transform students to achieve the highest levels of academic performance, leading them to excel and advance in their chosen fields,” he said. Prior to Davenport, he served Grand Valley State University for more than 15 years in several roles in finance and human resources. He also is chair of the Board for Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, chair emeritus for West Catholic High School and treasurer for Hello West Michigan. He was a member of GRCC’s Business Advisory Committee from 1983 through 1995 and chaired the committee from 1989 to 1995. He taught at GRCC as an adjunct for two years as well. “GRCC provided an outstanding foundation for the remainder of my college education and my career,” Veneklase said. “In addition to the excellent education I received in the classroom, the faculty and staff provided support and encouragement to challenge and inspire me to greatness.” He said James Skidmore was the college professor who most influenced him. “He was my mentor and advisor,” he said. “He encouraged me to pursue accounting and finance and instilled confidence I was lacking. He encouraged me to tutor to help others. I am forever grateful to Mr. Skidmore. Ron Weidenfeller, Velvie Greene and Art Hyde were also influential mentors.”  After GRCC, Veneklase earned a Bachelor of Business in Accounting, as well as Masters of Business Administration in Finance from GVSU. He completed the Dale Carnegie program and received a Certificate in Strategic Collection Bargaining at the University of Michigan. “I have been blessed with many mentors in my career that encouraged me and provided opportunities to learn and lead,” he said. “My parents instilled strong values founded in my faith. They also taught me to be humble and recognize others as any success is not possible alone. One of the greatest lessons learned from Mr. Skidmore is to not be afraid to fail. He would say “if you never fail, you aren’t reaching high enough.” Most importantly, I followed my passions for education, community, service and my faith.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply.

May 21, 2022, JOPLIN, Mo. – Difficult weather conditions at the NJCAA National Championship tournament cut the Grand Rapids Community College golf team's postseason run short after three rounds of golf this week at the Twin Hills Golf and Country Club. Every team at the tournament was scheduled to play four rounds of golf. But due to the weather conditions the NJCAA committee opted to only send the top 12 teams to the final round of play. GRCC was among the teams not eligible to advance. “The team was dedicated to making it to the finals and played with a purpose,” coach John Forton said. “It was all about us proving we belonged there, and it happened. Great effort by all involved.” South Mountain Community College dominated the competition and finished 19 strokes ahead of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to win the national title. At the end of three rounds, Arie Jackman (78-75-83) was leading GRCC with a score of 236 strokes. After two rounds, Jackman was tied for 35th place overall. After the third round, he was tied for 60th. Matt Denhartigh had a strong finish to his GRCC career, shooting 76 in his final round to finish with 241. Conner Oman shot 249 while fellow freshmen Brad VandenHout and Sam Foss shot a respectable 251 and 259. The team tied for the conference championship this year, marking their 13th straight title. It also finished runner-up in the MCCAA and the region. Jackman was named MCCAA and Region XII medalist to receive All-MCCAA and All-Region honors. Denhartigh also earned All-MCCAA and All-Region honors after finishing in fourth place last weekend at the MCCAA/Region XII Tournament. Oman finished his freshman campaign also as a member of the All-MCCAA team.

May 20, 2022 - ADRIAN, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team's season ended on Friday, with the team losing both games in the NJCAA Region 12 tournament. GRCC fell 10-2 against Lansing Community College – one of the top teams in the nation -- then 8-4 to Kellogg Community College, which finished ahead of GRCC in first place in the MCCAA Western Conference. Lansing, ranked No. 8 in the final NJCAA poll, scored seven runs in the second inning, creating a deep hole for GRCC’s offense. The Raiders responded with two runs in the top of the third inning, but were unable to score during the rest of the game. The loss snapped GRCC’s 17-game win streak, and sent the team to the elimination round. GRCC was held to four hits in the opening game. Catcher Dylan Chargo, had two of them, with Ryan Dykstra and Andres Rivera-Calderon collecting one each. Drew Murphy took the loss, lasting one and two-thirds innings, allowing six hits and seven runs. In the final game, fifth-ranked Kellogg avenged Thursday’s loss to GRCC by staying in front for the entire game and advancing to the tournament championship game. Kellogg out-hit GRCC nine to seven, and was perfect on defense. Six players had hits for Western Conference runner-up GRCC, led by first baseman Zacarias Salinas, who went two-for-four with four RBI. Caleb Engelsman took the loss, allowing five hits and four runs while walking one in four innings. GRCC finished the season 31-22-1 despite losing their first ten games down on their spring trip against NJCAA Division 1 competition. Post season awards are scheduled to be announced Tuesday at 10 a.m.

May 20, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Pack your laptop and notebook with your flip-flops and sunscreen so you can take Grand Rapids Community College with you on summer vacation this year to save money and get ahead on your education.  About 1,600 seats are available in classes during GRCC’s second summer semester, providing opportunities for students to start earning credits for a new credential or to stay on track for graduation. The second seven-week summer semester starts on June 28, with many classes available in person on the Main Campus in Grand Rapids and at the GRCC Lakeshore Campus. And about half of the classes are offered in an online format, making it convenient to take classes with you this summer whether you are headed Up North, to the lake or staying around town. It’s also easy to schedule around home and work responsibilities. “The second summer semester provides many opportunities for students to get a head start on their education, especially those just graduating from high school,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “These classes also are ideal for summer guest students looking to save money while earning credits.” Classes are available in a wide variety of subjects, including math, English, social sciences, biology, chemistry, computer information systems and others. Summer classes are popular with students who attend four-year colleges and universities because they can transfer credits from GRCC’s more affordable courses back to their home school. Additional information is at grcc.edu/guest, and students should always check with their home institution’s course equivalency guide. Eligible students are able to use Grand Rapids Promise Zone scholarships to attend GRCC, including enrolling as guest students. The Promise Zone covers tuition and expenses. Additional information is at grcc.edu/promisezone. Residents 25 and older with a college degree can attend through the Michigan Reconnect program, which covers the cost of in-district tuition. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/reconnect. Potential students can start the enrollment process at grcc.edu/apply and can contact the Enrollment Center by phone at (616) 234-3300 and by email at enroll@grcc.edu and be connected to their personal enrollment specialist.

May 12, 2022 - ADRIAN, Mich. – Jerad Berkenpas pitched a complete game and Ryan Dykstra went four-for-four to lead the Grand Rapids Community College baseball team to victory over Kellogg Community College and advance in the NJCAA Region 12 tournament. GRCC, which has won 17 games in a row, defeated Kellogg, which finished in first place in the conference, 8-2. GRCC now plays Lansing Community College, the top team in the state and one of the best in the nation, on Friday. After going just 1-for-10 to start the game, the GRCC bats came alive in the top of the fourth inning, scoring three runs on four hits to pull in front 3-2. Cam Keatley hit the go-ahead single and Berkenpas didn’t allow a run for the remainder of the game. Keatley finished the day 3-for-5 while Berkenpas threw his fourth complete game of the season - and first career nine-inning complete game - improving his record to 9-2.  The right-hander from South Christian High School also leads the team with a 1.41 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 74.1 innings. Berkenpas praised his catcher, Dylan Chargo after the win. "It was a great team win, and I couldn't be more thankful for my catcher after such an excellent performance today," he said. MCCAA Western Conference Player of the Week Ryan Dykstra increased his batting average to .425 after going a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate with a sacrifice fly. GRCC totaled 16 hits in all, and every one of them were singles. The Bruins scattered 7 hits, but just one after the third inning.  Berkenpas retired 14 consecutive batters. GRCC also was the first team this year to hand Kellogg ace Ashton Potts a loss.  Last week's Western Conference Pitcher of the Week is now 8-1 this season. GRCC, 31-20-1 on the season, will now face eighth-ranked Lansing Community College on May 20 at 1 p.m. in the winners bracket final.  If defeated, the team will play Kellogg again at 5 p.m. If GRCC wins, it advances to the championship game on Saturday at 1 p.m. 

May 19, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Come to GRCC and learn from the best! Meet Ben Meyering, an adjunct faculty member in the Manufacturing Department is sharing his expertise with students to get them ready for a rewarding career. GRCC’s manufacturing degree and certificate programs focus on teaching students the application of high-tech production equipment, software and techniques to achieve cost savings and quality in the manufacturing, service and distribution industries. Ben values his position as an adjunct faculty member in the department because of the great communication he has with his colleagues, and the professional development programs they all have access to. Ben teaches MN 218 Pneumatics, MN 217 Hydraulics, TE 103 Intermediate Technical Mathematics and TE 104 Advanced Technical Mathematics. He connects with students to teach them critical thinking and hands-on skills to prepare them for careers in manufacturing, plastics, tooling and welding. Though he has found success, Ben did not plan to work in manufacturing when he graduated high school. “I failed out of four-year college and then got an internship that led me to this type of work,” he said. “The rest is history.”  Looking back, Ben thinks there might have been an easier path to his career and teaching, but doesn’t regret his journey. “It’s easier to go to college and get your degree when you are right out of high school,” he said. “Although work did pay for my college tuition.”  Ben has two decades of on-the-job experience in manufacturing to share with his students. He earned his associate degree in industrial maintenance technology and a bachelor’s in management. He began his career working at Bil-Mar foods in security, then as a maintenance technician and refrigeration technician. He spent some time operating his own business, then began moving up the career ladder at Mead Johnson Nutrition –  working as a reliability technician, senior reliability technician, then associate manager of reliability. Ben worked as a maintenance manager at Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. in Holland, before he stepped into his current position, maintenance and reliability manager at Vertellus in Zeeland.  

MAY 19, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- As a welder, Emily Rivera knows what it means to work under pressure and bring two things together. The same is true for her life away from work. Right now, she’s combining full-time work with part-time studies as a GRCC Manufacturing and Industrial Maintenance Technologies student. It’s a lot of work, and she couldn’t be happier. After almost a decade away from school, she has a plan for her future. And she has the Michigan Reconnect program – and its tuition-free assistance – to thank for it. “When I first heard about it, I thought, what’s the catch?” Rivera recalled. “And so, I went for it. And there is no catch. I’m going to school without all the loans I thought I’d have to take out. It’s pretty amazing.” Michigan Reconnect is a state program covering the cost of in-district tuition for residents age 25 and older who don't have a college degree.  Rivera said she was a good student in high school, part of the last graduating class at Wyoming Park High School in 2012, active in sports and willing to push herself in the classroom, including Advanced Placement classes. After graduation she headed to Davenport University to pursue a degree and eventually a career in Human Resources. She also was trying to work full-time. After a year and a half, it all came crashing down. As she looks back now on that time, Rivera is sanguine about that initial post high school misstep. “You know you’re 18 years old, and they tell you that you have to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life,” she said. “And you’ve probably never even thought about it before. I thought I wanted to do HR, and it turned out I really don’t want to listen to people’s problems all day.” Instead, she learned how to weld, and she learned she liked the manufacturing world. “Manufacturing really piques my interest,” she said. “I’m always in awe of people who can write programs for machines to work, people who can take machines apart and fix them. My time in manufacturing has been eye-opening.” Rivera said that as she worked in manufacturing, she began to ponder the engineering field and dream about a four-year degree in engineering and eventually a career that would meld her manufacturing experience and expertise with her degree in engineering. When she heard about Michigan Reconnect, her dreams started to come to fruition. “I always knew I wanted to go back to school,” she said. “To know I could go back and take my time with it was life-changing. I didn’t want to get burned out again.” She began taking classes on a part-time basis in the fall of 2021 and now takes six credit hours or more every semester, including summers. “It’s super awesome,” she said with a smile. She plans to take her time getting her GRCC associate degree and then transfer to a four-year university – either Western Michigan or Ferris State – to get a bachelor's degree in engineering. And then? Of that, Rivera is not sure. But she’s confident the future is bright. “I feel pretty golden,” she said with a big laugh. Additional information about the Michigan Reconnect program is available at  grcc.edu/reconnect,  by emailing  reconnect@grcc.edu  or by calling (616) 234-3366. This story was reported by Phil de Haan.

May 18, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Would it surprise you to know the car wash and auto detailing business is a $12-$14 billion industry in the United States? Chad Lodenstein knows. He’s head of the Automotive Department at in the GRCC School of Workforce Development. He’s also a graduate of the program and used his associate degree to springboard to a bachelor’s degree in Automotive Management from Ferris State and then a career in the auto industry before returning to our campus as an instructor in 2002. And this fall he plans to offer GRCC’s first-ever course in automotive detailing. He can’t wait. “The used vehicle market is so high right now that people are willing to put more money into the car they have,” he said. “Especially here in the Midwest, if we can keep the salt off, keep those interiors nice, it’s a good investment. So, the industry is growing, and there is good money to be made.” Lodenstein said that when he returned to GRCC to teach, he did so because he believes the college is “the best place ever. GRCC gave me so much. The chance to give back was too good to pass up. I want to see our students succeed, and everything I do is for that goal.” The new course fits right in with helping GRCC students succeed, he said. “My hope is that the course will appeal to people who don’t necessarily want to have a wrench in their hands,” he said. “It might even be interesting to people who are not part of our (automotive) program. I could see business students take it if they are interested in maybe setting up their own detailing shop or getting involved in the detailing industry. This can be a great side hustle for people.” The new course at GRCC will be 45 contact hours: one three-hour class a week for 15 weeks. It comes as a result of a former student’s suggestion, Lodenstein said. “I was visiting a student on an internship a couple of summers ago,” he recalled. “The student told me, ‘I really wish the college had a detailing class.’ It got me thinking, and I started doing some research. And I thought, ‘Yeah, detailing is something we should be able to do.’” To get ready for this fall, Lodenstein went back to school. He spent a week in North Carolina, in the classroom eight hours a day, taking a class offered by CARETECH, a detailing training center. He got a hands-on education in interior and exterior cleaning and polishing, sanding and leveling paint correction, ceramic coatings and more. “Taking the class gave me a great structure for what we will offer our students,” Lodenstein said. “It was really set up well, and the materials were great. Plus, they will be a great resource for me, and for our students, going forward too. Being back in the classroom as a student was both exciting and exhausting, he admitted. “It was a great reminder for me,” he said. “I remembered how tiring it can be to be a student. It’s always good for me to be reminded how students have to take in so much material that is new to them and the ways I can be sensitive to their lives and their workloads.” And though it has been a lot of work to plan for and establish the new course, Lodenstein said that as he was considering it and what it would take to bring it to the college, he kept thinking back to President Bill Pink. “Dr. Pink always says that we need to be relevant and responsive,” he said. “This course seemed like a perfect fit for both categories.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.  

May 17, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – GRCC baseball player Ryan Dykstra was named MCCAA Western Conference Player of the Week after his performance against Jackson College on May 12 in the NJCAA Region XII opening round games. The 6-foot outfielder batted .571, going 4-for-7 against Jackson with two doubles, three runs scored and a walk. He also stole home, which put GRCC up for good in a 2-1 ball game to clinch the series and send the Raiders to the next round of regionals. Dykstra is from Byron Center, attended South Christian High School, and plans to attend and play for Oakland University next year. He leads GRCC in multiple statistical categories, including batting average, .411; slugging percentage, .675; runs scored, 44; hits, 67; runs batted in, 43; doubles, 14; home runs, 7; and total bases, 110. GRCC finished second in the conference and is headed to the final four of regionals, facing conference champion Kellogg Community College, in a 3 p.m. matchup on May 19. The tournament will be played at Siena Heights University's baseball field in Adrian, Mich. Should the team lose, it will play at 7 p.m., and if they win they will play next on May 20 at 1 p.m.

May 17, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Stephanie Duron admits her first go-around at GRCC a dozen years ago was a bit of a mess. After graduating from Cedar Springs High School in the spring of 2009, she decided to live at home and become a fulltime student at GRCC that fall. “I was a pretty typical high school student,” she said. “Involved in some plays, decent grades. And I was of that generation where we were told you had to go to college after high school. So that’s what I did.” Part of her Cedar Springs experience included a TV production class, so she figured she’d study communications in college and maybe end up in a TV production job of some sort after graduation. “I really didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she said. Her first semester saw her taking 12 credit hours but without some of the drive and motivation she’d had in high school. She soon realized she had probably taken on too much. “I passed maybe two of the four courses,” she said. “So, I was on academic probation, and instead of coming back, I decided to take some time off.” She returned again for the winter semester in 2011. And again, things did not go well. This time she ended up on academic suspension, so she decided to enter the workforce on a fulltime basis and began a series of jobs – first some retail positions and eventually administrative assistant type posts at a law firm and a hospital. Soon enough she began to feel the nudges to go back to school and get a degree. A career in human resources – based on experiences she had had with both good HR people and bad HR people – intrigued her. But she was married, had a couple of kids, money was tight, and she tried to resist those nudges. Until she heard about the Futures for Frontliners scholarship program. The state program covers the cost of in-district tuition for people who worked in essential fields during the state's COVID-19 shutdown.  While the application period is closed for Futures for Frontliners, many residents age 25 and above are eligible to attend GRCC with in-district tuition covered through the Michigan Reconnect program.  Frontliners was exactly what Duron needed to turn the nudges into a push. “I had two little girls,” she said. “And I remember I would often think about how they looked up to me and what I would be showing them if I went back (to college). That I’d be showing them it’s never too late. When Governor Whitmer announced the program (Futures for Frontliners), I thought ‘you’d be pretty dumb to not take advantage of this.’” And take advantage she has. “The program changed my whole life,” she said. Stephanie re-enrolled at GRCC and started her first semester in 2021. She hasn’t stopped since, including summer school classes both last summer and this summer! “It was tricky to adjust to being back as a college student in my 30s,” she said. “I started slow, only taking six credits a semester since I was still working part-time and taking care of kids.” But Stephanie soon found her rhythm and soon was getting all As and becoming a regular on the Presidents List. “I also got myself off the academic probation that followed me from 2009,” she said with a laugh. She’s now approaching the finish line on an associate’s degree in Business Management and so grateful to GRCC that she said she’d love to find a job at the college after graduation and pay it forward to the next generation of students. In her words: “I owe this place.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.