Aug. 25, 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. Brian Stauffer spent the last 18 years working for a franchise restaurant, supervising five locations and had planned to purchase his own franchise. Then COVID-19 changed everything. “It become clear that the pandemic along with corporate politics were going to keep me from moving forward with my plan,” he said. “So instead of retiring in 15 years, I am starting over at 40. When I saw the Future for Frontliners opportunity I made sure to apply before I even knew what I was going to do. I needed to have as many options as possible.” “I’m familiar with GRCC, and its trade programs have a great reputation. Welding seems like a strong foundation for my future. This certificate will definitely help me get my foot in the door.” This program is highly regarded by employers as a top trainer in welding and fabrication. Job developers are ready to help students with the job search process. After graduating, students will be ready to begin a career as a welder, cutter or brazer – with the skills to meet the needs of local employers. “This is only my third day and I’m welding already,” he said. “This program is definitely teaching more than just welding skills here. The way it is set up, it’s like prepping for students to go to work.” The GRCC Job Training Welding program meets for 18 weeks for 34 hours per week. The program offers small class sizes, hands-on learning and job placement assistance. Students learn: shielded metal arc welding (arc/stick welding), gas metal arc welding (metal inert gas/wire welding), gas tungsten arc welding (heli-arc/tungsten inert gas welding), oxy-fuel welding (gas welding), cutting, brazing, blueprint reading, mathematics, metallurgy, problem solving, teamwork and communication skills. “The facilities are great and everyone has been so helpful, empathetic, professional, caring,” Stauffer said. “My instructor is awesome!” Instructor Nate Haney holds a Bachelor of Science in Welding Engineering Technology from Ferris State University and is an American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector and Certified Welding Educator. Stauffer is not sure about what his future holds but feels grateful to be moving forward. “Mentally emotionally, this program has really saved me.” On Tuesday, Stauffer took advantage of the opportunity to thank Gov. Gretchen Whitmer personally for the Future for Frontliners program. “This program means a lot to me and my family.” The next section of Job Training programs begins October 18, 2021. 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.

August 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -   Grand Rapids Community College volleyball player Annie Holesinger was named MCCAA Western Conference Player of the Week after her performances at the McHenry County Invitational Tournament. The Raiders won one game and lost three in the season's opening tournament in Rockford, Ill., facing three teams ranked in the national top 10. Holesinger, a sophomore from Rockford, Mich, totaled 45 kills, averaging 3.46 kills per set, and five blocks across the four matches on Aug. 20 and 21. Holesinger tied her career high of 17 kills against No. 3 Iowa Central Community College while hitting .500.   GRCC defeated Joliet Junior College in three sets on Aug. 21, and also faced No. 1 Johnson County Community College, No. 3 Iowa Central Community College and No. 8 Kirkwood Community College. The Raiders won at least one set against every nationally ranked opponent this past weekend. The team is scheduled to travel to Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio on Aug. 27 and take on Oakland Community College, Waubonsee Community College, No. 2 Parkland College and No. 12 Catawba Valley Community College at the Owens Express Invitational. The Raiders will open conference season on Thursday, Sept. 2 at home against Glen Oaks Community College.

Aug. 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is proposing expanding Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect – programs providing free in-district community college tuition to eligible residents -- as part of a proposed $2.1 billion program to boost middle-class residents, support small businesses, and help communities. Whitmer, speaking Tuesday in the welding lab at GRCC’s Leslie Tassell M-TEC, proposes using federal stimulus money for a $215 million expansion of the two programs, a $70 million to improve the pipeline of talented workers to industry, a $100 million influx for the Going PRO credential program, and additional programs to offer work experience to Michiganders earning their GEDs and help those reentering society after incarceration transition into the workforce.  “As we emerge from the once-in-a-century pandemic, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to use billions in federal resources to grow Michigan's middle class, support small businesses, and invest in our communities,” she said. “With the $2.1 billion in proposals I have laid out, we can raise wages, give people paths to high-skill jobs, grow start-ups, build clean energy infrastructure, and do so much more. I’m utilizing every resource and ensuring that we continue to take bold action to help families, communities and small businesses thrive. Together, we can usher in new era of prosperity for Michigan.”  Whitmer was joined by GRCC President Bill Pink, The Right Place President and CEO Randy Thelen and Susan R. Corbin, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Pink said the Tassell M-TEC was an appropriate place for the announcement, considering it houses training programs providing students with in-demand skills. “You have our welding lab, some of our machining work -- this work is vital to our community. It’s vital to West Michigan,” he said. “When this community college prepares people for the workforce, prepares people for their next institution -- if the community college is doing it, it means it lifts the community." Whitmer said Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect are a part of her “60 by 30” goal of having 60% of Michiganders obtaining a degree or career-focused credential by 2030. About 160,000 residents statewide have applied to attend community colleges through the two programs. “People are eager to get the skills, but the barrier has been the cost,” she said. “When we make this investment, we improve on that ability for so many people in our state.” Michigan Reconnect is a state scholarship program providing free in-district tuition for students ages 25 and older who don’t already have a college degree. More than 900 Reconnect eligible students are enrolled at GRCC for the fall 2021 semester. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/reconnect , by emailing reconnect@grcc.edu or by calling (616) 234-3366. The fall 2021 semester is the last time for students accepted for the state Futures for Frontliners program to start taking classes. More than 1,000 students are enrolled for the fall semester through the program, which provides free in-district tuition to people who worked during the state’s COVID-19 shutdown in the spring of 2020. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/futuresforfrontliners , by email at Futures4Frontliners@grcc.edu and by calling (616) 234-3344. Students can start the application process at  grcc.edu/apply , and also connect with specialists in person at a Service Saturday event planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 28 at both the downtown campus and the new GRCC Lakeshore Campus.  

Aug. 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College celebrated renovations to historic buildings on the Main and DeVos campuses – and the ability to expand programs and improve the student experience -- with a four-part ribbon-cutting today.  The work includes renovations to Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, Steven C. Ender Hall and the Custer Alumni House in addition to a new wing and other improvements to the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center. Some of the projects were completed earlier this year, with celebrations delayed because of the pandemic. Others are nearing completion as students are welcomed back for the fall 2021 semester. “These renovations allow us to modernize buildings and expand programs, but we also are able to honor the legacies of people who, for decades, have worked to make our college and community stronger,” said Dr. Bill Pink, GRCC president. “We are preserving what made these buildings special, but making sure they are able to meet the needs of the students of today, and tomorrow.” Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, built nearly a century ago, has been transformed into a 21 st -century learning space, reimagining the student experience for services including admissions and financial aid, as well as modernized classrooms, offices, gathering areas, dining spots, and welcoming entrances. Renovations to four floors are complete, and work continues on part of the building that includes a new Veterans Center, technology support and dining options. Formerly called the Main Building, Finkelstein Hall was renamed in 2019 to honor the support of Raleigh J. Finkelstein, a business leader and philanthropist who has supported higher education in West Michigan. Renovations and updates will help keep the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center a state-of-the-art facility serving students and the greater community. The project includes a two-story, 18,416-square-foot expansion with machine tool and data center labs as well as a renovated open computer lab and increased student gathering and study spaces. The building is named after business and community leaders Tom and Joyce Wisner and David and Michelle Bottrall, who have long supported GRCC and West Michigan organizations. The former Mable Engle House on the DeVos Campus received a historic renovation, preserving its beautiful wood interiors while creating modern spaces for students, staff and faculty. As Steven C. Ender Hall, it will be used by student-focused departments, including the Experiential Learning and Honors programs and Student Employment Services, with space for Student Life clubs and organizations. The building is named after the college’s ninth president, who focused on providing opportunities for students and helping them overcome obstacles to success. The Custer Alumni House is the new name for the Lettinga House, reflecting its role as the home of the GRCC Foundation and alumni activities. Renovations include a kitchen, meeting space and areas for receptions and other gatherings – a welcoming place for former students and community members.  The building is named after community leaders and philanthropists David and Karen Custer. David Custer is director emeritus of the GRCC Foundation, receiving two national alumni awards in 2020. “Together, these projects reflect an investment in our students and in our community’s future,” said Dr. Kathryn K. Mullins, vice president of Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. “GRCC is uniquely positioned to help learners connect or reconnect with higher education, meeting people where they are to help them get to where they want to be.”   The college celebrated a ribbon-cutting on Aug. 19 for the new GRCC Lakeshore Campus, a consolidated presence in Holland Township aimed at making higher education more accessible and affordable for Lakeshore residents.      

Aug. 23, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College is sharing a generous gift it received with West Michigan: a collection of photographs by world-renowned artist and alumnus Peter Fink. Mort and Peg Finkelstein, archivists for the Finkelstein family, are allowing the Grand Rapids Community College Foundation to keep the collection with a permanent bequest in the future. “It is with great honor and pride that we are able to loan, from our personal family collection, many of these works by Peter Fink,” Mort Finkelstein said. “This photography collection was all originally sent to our parents by Peter during his many years of travel throughout the world.” The public can view the photos -- which have been exhibited in more than 60 institutions in the United States, Israel, Cuba, France and England -- starting Aug. 24 in GRCC’s Paul Collins Art Gallery. The gallery, which is on the fourth floor of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall at 143 Bostwick Ave. NE, is open 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; admission is free. “We’re so proud not only to accept this wonderful gift, but to be able to share it with our community starting with this exhibition,” said Dr. Kathryn K. Mullins, GRCC vice president for Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. “GRCC, our students, and our community continue to benefit from the generosity of the Finkelstein family. Current and future students can learn about Peter Fink, his roots here at GRCC and be inspired to follow their own dreams.”   Fink, who attended what was then Grand Rapids Junior College from 1926 to 1929, started his career as a designer for V’Soske, a local rug manufacturer. His promotional efforts made the V’Soske name synonymous with the finest hand-crafted rugs produced in the United States during the 1930s and 40s. In 1942 he arranged the first exhibition of contemporary rugs and tapestries in the United States, held in the Museum of Modern Art. He later went to the couture firm of Lucien Lelong, where he was a package designer and a decorator for its French and American salons. He eventually became the art decorator for Lanvin Parfums. He traveled the world during the 1950s through ‘70s -- always with his camera. His photos captured life and street scenes in post-war Japan, France, Portugal, northern Africa and the Middle East. Fink, who passed away in 1984, published three books of his photographs: The New York I Love in 1964, The San Francisco I Love in 1970, and New York Nocturnes: 85 After Dark Photographs in 1982. His work was the subject of 51 one-man exhibitions worldwide; the last time his collection could be viewed in West Michigan was at the Grand Rapids Art Museum from February 9 thru March 18, 1990. “I am lucky enough to have lived among beautiful things, people and places all my life,” Fink said in 1969. “I never needed to possess them, nor could I afford to. But I wanted to translate what I beheld. Thus, the camera became my viewer, my recorder, my mind’s eye.”

Aug. 23, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College has openings in nearly 400 on-campus classes, with time remaining to enroll before the Aug. 30 start of the fall 2021 semester. GRCC is again offering classes in four models, with students able to sign up for in-person classes, hybrid classes that are partly on campus and partly online, real-time virtual classes, and traditional online classes. Students can start the application process at grcc.edu/apply , and also connect with specialists in person at a Service Saturday event planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 28 at both the downtown campus and the new GRCC Lakeshore Campus. “We are offering students opportunities to take classes in the format that fits their learning styles and can be scheduled around their home and work responsibilities,” said Tina Hoxie, GRCC’s associate provost and dean of Student Affairs. “Students benefit so much by staying on track. Even taking two classes a semester allows them to move forward, and even take advantage of state programs including Michigan Reconnect.” Michigan Reconnect is a scholarship program for students ages 25 and older who don’t already have a college degree. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/reconnect , by emailing reconnect@grcc.edu or by calling (616) 234-3366. The fall 2021 semester is the last time for students accepted for the state Futures for Frontliners program to start taking classes. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/futuresforfrontliners , by email at Futures4Frontliners@grcc.edu and by calling (616) 234-3344. Of the 398 on-campus classes available in a variety of subjects, 289 are offered at the downtown Grand Rapids campus, and 26 at the new GRCC Lakeshore Campus in Holland Township. The college has openings in 331 hybrid classes, with 307 on the downtown campus and 12 at the Lakeshore Campus. GRCC has openings in 79 real-time virtual classes, which meet online at specific times using programs such as Zoom, allowing students to interact with faculty and classmates in real time. There are 206 online classes with openings. Service Saturday features specialists from GRCC student support and service offices, including Admissions and Enrollment, Academic Advising, Financial Aid, Student Financial Services, Disability Services and Student Records.