Aug. 23, 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. Cutting the ribbon on the new GRCC Lakeshore Campus represented a new start for students, employees and community members. But for alumnus York Tardy, it was the sign of a job well done. As project superintendent for The Christman Company, Tardy oversaw every aspect of the transformation of the former JCPenney department store in The Shops at Westshore mall into a 21 st Century learning hub.   Tardy started on his career in construction pouring concrete right after graduating from East Kentwood High School. He then enrolled at what was then Grand Rapids Junior College, where he was a part-time student with a full-time job. A series of construction jobs later and Tardy is now a senior project superintendent for Christman. Even though he was already in construction as a college student, he says GRJC taught him important skills. “The critical thinking that you’re taught in college – take the ‘big picture’ stuff and bring it down into the detail part of it – we do that every day in construction,” he said. The GRCC Lakeshore Campus is a challenging conversion of a 52,000-square-foot big box into a consolidated campus with classrooms and labs, including one dedicated to professional trades including welding and machining. The project superintendent carries out the designs of the architects and engineers, overseeing the flow of construction and keeping the project on time. Tardy was involved in every part of the construction. “I do feel like there’s a little bit of coming full circle here: right out of high school, pouring concrete and right into JC after that,” he said. “Here I am back 30 years later building the next facility that’s going to educate the future people that are in our industry! GRCC President Bill Pink acknowledged Tardy’s role in the project and his ties to GRCC during Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “York was always the person up front saying, ‘Hey, here’s what this thing is all about, here’s what this facility is going to do.’” Pink said, “And what was nice was that we had a family member taking care of it.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .

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 Nan Schichtel. Nan is a is a GRCC grad - as are four of her five brothers. Nan credits GRCC for giving her family the opportunity to get a college education, and she is honored to work with the GRCC students today as the Information Literacy and Outreach Librarian in the Library and Learning Commons. Nan provides library service and collections for students interested in careers in medical assisting, pharmacy tech, phlebotomy, craft brewing, culinary arts, dental, exercise science, medical and dental pre-majors, nursing, occupational therapy assisting, political science, and radiologic technology. She introduces them to resources that will enable them to be successful. Usually those are GRCC library resources. But sometimes those resources are people, collections or organizations in the community. Like the special collections at the Grand Rapids Public Library, the GVSU library, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum and their Grand Rapids Community Archives and Research Center. "When I see students with a dream, I want to enable them to reach that dream and to prepare for an ever-changing world of work,” she said. “As a former classroom teacher, I especially like seeing the light bulb go on as students learn how a professional database works, and how they can use special database features to meet their assignment requirements and personal interest goals." Nan's professional background includes teaching at Grand Rapids Catholic and Kalamazoo Catholic schools, and substitute teaching at Grand Rapids Public Schools. She also held the position of Off-Campus Librarian & Access Services Librarian; Health Sciences Librarian at Grand Valley State University, and Assistant Library Director, Serials and Instruction Librarian at Aquinas College. A Grand Rapids historian, Nan sits on the Grand Rapids History Detectives Committee and is a member of several local organizations related to her varied interests. She is also a United States Junior Chamber of Commerce Senator, the Trustee & Secretary for the Grand Rapids Historical Society and sits on the ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database Advisory Board. Nan is here to help GRCC students from all walks of life interested in a multitude of careers, but she is the most enthusiastic about helping students who want to get out into the working world to help others. 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.

August 21, 2021, ROCKFORD, Ill. - The No. 11-ranked Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team picked up its first win of the season by sweeping Joliet Junior College in their last match of the McHenry College Invitational on Saturday. In their first match of the day, the Raiders took on the No. 1 ranked and defending national champions, Johnson County Community College. After a tough opening set, losing 20-25, the Raiders responded with a five-point win in set two. The Raiders led 20-19 in set three, but the Cavaliers responded by scoring the last six points to take the set.  Johnson County then took the fourth set 25-20 to win the match. Sophomore middle Annie Holesinger of Rockford, Mich. led the Raiders offense with 12 kills while hitting just over .400. GRCC concluded tournament play by defeating Joliet Junior College of Joliet, Ill. in straight sets 25-9, 25-14, 25-10. All 14 Raiders contributed by scoring at least one point in the match, led by sophomore outside hitter Kara Hecht of Zeeland, Mich. who scored seven points on five kills and two aces. She also hit a season best .571 and picked up a season best five digs. Freshman outsides Morgan Fugate of Wayland, Mich. and Audrey Torres of Caledonia, Mich. combined for nine kills and just one hitting error, while freshman right-side Karissa Ferry (Chesaning, MI) added five kills and two blocks. GRCC had a season high 12 aces against the Wolves including four from libero Audrey Gower of Dimondale, Mich.   The team finished the season-opening tournament with a win and three losses. Next weekend the Raiders will travel to Perrysburg, Ohio to participate in the Owens Express Invitational. The team is scheduled to take on two more top 10 teams, including No. 2 Parkland College on Aug. 28.

Aug. 20, 2021, ROCKFORD, Ill. -- The No. 11-ranked Grand Rapids Community College Raiders volleyball team opened up their season with two losses to top 10 teams at the McHenry College Invitational on Friday. The Raiders opened up tournament play against Iowa Central Community College, who came in ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA Division II pre-season poll after a third-place finish at nationals last year.  The Tritons came away with the victory in four sets, 25-18, 25-18, 24-26, 17-25. Sophomore middle Annie Holesinger of Rockford, Mich. lead the Raiders with 17 kills while hitting an even .500. Freshmen outsides, Audrey Torres of Caledonia, Mich. and Morgan Fugate from Wayland, Mich. combined for 16 kills, while freshman Karissa Ferry of Chesaning, Mich. added six. Sophomore middle Kylie Oberlin of Fruitport, Mich. had seven kills and a team high four blocks. Defensively, three Raiders tallied 12 or more digs, with sophomore libero Audrey Gower of Dimondale, Mich. leading the way with 20. Ola Nowak from Grandville, Mich. was the lone player who had a double-double, totaling 38 assists and 12 digs in her Raider debut. The Raiders battled the No. 8-ranked Eagles of Kirkwood Community College in their second match of the afternoon.  After a superb first set where the Raiders won 25-22 and hit nearly .400, the Eagles would respond by taking the last three and the match, 25-11, 27-25 and 25-22. Holesinger again led the Raiders offensively, totaling 16 kills with just one error, hitting at a .600 clip. Torres and Fugate would contribute with 25 while Gower would lead the defensive again with 18 digs. For the day, 12 Raiders scored at least one point and as a team only had seven service errors in eight total sets.  The Raiders will be back on the court 10 a.m. Central Time on Saturday against the defending champions and No. 1 ranked Johnson County Cavaliers.  They conclude the tournament with a match against Joliet Junior College at 1 p.m. Central Time.

Aug. 20, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – New Grand Rapids Community College softball coach Molly McKinney says she’s focused on creating a culture where student-athletes grow and develop, but also enjoy playing. McKinney, a Byron Center High Hall of Famer and an collegiate All-American, was named head coach of GRCC’s team by Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo. "Molly has been a proven leader on the GRCC campus,” Ferullo said. “We will look to her to provide our softball players a great student-athlete experience on and off the field."  McKinney spent the previous year assisting Brian Skudre, who stepped down after five years at the helm. "I am thrilled with the opportunity to continue with the GRCC Athletics community in this new role,” McKinney said. “I am looking forward to the exciting challenges that this role will bring. There is a lot of opportunity for further growth and development within this program. I look forward to creating a culture that balances competitiveness with the enjoyment softball can provide." McKinney grew up in West Michigan and played varsity softball for four years at Byron Center. The team played in the Division 2 state finals in her senior year, finishing as runners up. She was voted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2016. McKinney started playing travel ball when she was just 10 years old and continued until she was 23, winning a national title while being named Second Team All-American for her performance during travel ball seasons. She received a scholarship to the University of Maine and started all four years, batting cleanup and playing in the outfield. The Black Bears won their conference tournament during McKinney’s sophomore year, earning a trip to the regionals for only the second time in the program’s history. The team won the America East conference during her senior year. McKinney earned a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education in 2006 and later earned her master's degree of Health and Human Performance from Western Michigan University in 2014. She has been teaching mathematics at GRCC since 2009 and also serves as a tutor. Before working with GRCC’s softball team, McKinney coached for both Byron Center High School and the University of Maine.  She also coached at Frank W. Springstead High School in Spring Hill, Fla. McKinney said she has high expectations for GRCC’s team. She is excited to cultivate relations with her student-athletes and promote their growth both on and off the field.  She looks forward to developing a program the entire GRCC community can be proud of. Students interested in playing for the Raiders can complete a questionnaire found here, and can contact McKinney at mmckinney@grcc.edu.  

August 20, 2021, HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Kelsey Sivertson says Grand Rapids Community College helped her turn her life around, and says the new GRCC Lakeshore Campus will provide those same opportunities to others. Sivertson spoke at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting, celebrating the opening of the new campus in the former JCPenney department store in The Shops at Westshore mall. The 52,00-square-foot building is a consolidated Lakeshore presence for GRCC, with both credit and career-focused certificate classes under one roof. Located on a bus line and in the heart of a growing Holland Township community, the campus presents an opportunity to make a quality, affordable GRCC education more accessible. "You have chosen to take this empty mall that once stood as a representation of failure and repurposed it with promise and meaning and hope. And in doing that, you have vocalized your belief that people like me can do the same," she said. “As I look at this new Lakeshore Campus, I see opportunity for Ottawa County students like me to drive 10 rather than 35 minutes to class. Isee accessibility for those who get off work at 5 p.m. -- they’ll be able to make it to a 5:30 class with time to spare. Most importantly, I see hope. I see a community that believes in its residents, even those who, for a long time, have felt stuck.” Sivertson used to be stuck. She loved school and reading, and even dreamed of someday becoming a teacher. But her life changed at age 14 when her mother died of cancer. “I had two younger siblings who were suddenly looking to me as a mother substitute,” she said. “I didn’t stop to think that I might not be mature enough to step up to the task of parenting, and for sure I didn’t know how much parenting I still needed. At school, my grades swan-dived. I began to skip classes. My career dreams faded. I saw them as a relic of a life that had been taken from me.” She went to college but emerged with bad grades and big debt. "I felt as useless as an empty mall, locked into living beneath my potential," she said.  Sivertson entered the workforce. A series of evening and receptionist jobs eventually led to a full-time administrative position at Lakeshore Advantage, an organization fostering economic development in Ottawa and Allegan counties. She was surrounded by colleagues and supervisors who wanted more for her. “Growth was really the only option,” Sivertson said. “So, I looked around and found some mature people of faith. I asked them to be my mentors. And you know what they suggested? ‘Kelsey, go back to school.’” She paid off her remaining student loans and enrolled at GRCC. “I tried again, one class at a time, one semester at a time,” she said. “It was slow. It was gradual. But today, what were once failures and incompletes are now As. Each class has taught me confidence. Each class has introduced me to a growing community of professors and guidance counselors who are eager to help people succeed.” Sivertson’s return to higher education was challenging as she continues to work full time. She had to set priorities with both her time and budget. But it was worth it: She is now less than a year away from graduating with her degree in pre-English literature and, at age 30, is back to believing that she can accomplish whatever goal she pursues. “Until we breathe our last breath, it’s never too late to do what we have been called to do,” she said.   

August 19, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Community leaders say the new GRCC Lakeshore Campus’ affordability and accessibility will remove obstacles to residents gaining a quality college education and help employers gain talented people to boost the growing region’s economy. Grand Rapids Community College celebrated the opening of the new campus on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with plans for a community open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21. The college transformed a shuttered JCPenney in The Shops at Westshore mall, 12335 James Street, into a consolidated campus for students of all ages seeking both degrees and career certificates. GRCC President Bill Pink said the new campus reflects a commitment to Lakeshore residents, providing and educational pathway to success that benefits students, but also the entire region. “This is a community effort. Community college is about community,” he said. “The work we do goes well beyond the work that will happen in classrooms and labs. It goes to the outreach we’ll have in this community. It goes to opportunities to host events in this building. It goes to opportunities for our staff and our faculty to reach out to this community in ways that you’ve never seen before. That’s the work of a community college.” The campus is located on a Macatawa Area Express bus line, and students can complete many programs without needing to go to the downtown Grand Rapids campus. Lakeshore Advantage President Jennifer Owens noted recent census figures showing Ottawa County had the largest population increase in the state, with Allegan County close behind. But college completion rates lag behind, and that makes it more challenging for employers to grow and create jobs. “There are so many innovative companies in this community offering challenging and financially rewarding job opportunities,” she said. “However, the skills needed for these jobs increasingly require some level of postsecondary education such as degree seeking programs, apprenticeships or technical skills training.” She said the GRCC Lakeshore Campus brings education closer to home for the students in the area who need it most. “Thank you to GRCC for your investment in this Lakeshore campus,” she said. “And more importantly, for your investment in the long-term economic health and vitality of our entire lakeshore community.” As president of the Michigan West Coast Chamber, Jane Clark represents 1,100 firms with 64,000 employees in the Holland and Zeeland area. She said students can gain in-demand skills leading to rewarding careers. “When we are talking to our member firms, all we are hearing about these days is talent,” she said. “Talent is the most critical issue they are facing. We need this facility so we have affordable, attainable education available for everybody in this community. You are going to help us skill our young people coming into the workforce and upskill the existing workers, and it is so needed.” Attorney and school board member Randy Schipper is a Grand Rapids Junior College graduate, and said the college’s affordability allowed him to build a quality educational foundation without debt. He’s advocated for Lakeshore students to have the same opportunities. “GRCC is not a second-rate education. It’s first-rate,” he said. “People in our community should be proud to have this opportunity and take advantage of it.” GRCC has offered classes on the Lakeshore, spread out in four locations, for more than 20 years. The new Lakeshore Campus consolidates resources and programs in the heart of Holland Township with access to public transportation, employers and services. The 52,000-square-foot facility has nine classrooms, four computer labs and five unique labs for biology, chemistry, electronics, automation, welding and machine tooling, housing programs for students working toward an associate degree or a career-focused certificate. The $12 million project also has spaces for advising and counseling and other student support services and a satellite library, as well as areas for use by community groups.  

Aug. 18 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Starting today, Grand Rapids Community College students can register for a $200 incentive to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The college also has a series of vaccination clinics planned to make the vaccines as accessible as possible as part of efforts to keep the campus safe. Vaccines have been determined to be the most effective tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and preventing serious illness and hospitalization. Eligible students can receive a $200 credit on their RaiderCards to use for campus dining, parking, printing, and in the bookstore. The vaccination incentive program is available to students enrolled in an in-person, hybrid, virtual, or online credit course, clock-hour Job Training program, or apprenticeship program that begins between Aug. 30 and Dec. 16, 2021. Eligible students must meet this enrollment definition at the time incentive funds are disbursed to their RaiderCards and have achieved fully vaccinated status any time on or before Nov. 15, 2021. To be considered for the incentive, students should log into their Online Center, select the GRCC Vaccine Incentive tile, and complete a brief form. There will be a place for students to upload a photo of their COVID-19 vaccination record card. Credits will be added to RaiderCards in September for students who have completed the process, and weekly thereafter as students become fully vaccinated and upload a photo of their card. RaiderCards are available in GRCC’s Office of Student Life on the first floor of the Student Center. The incentives are limited to GRCC students. Employees are not eligible. Additional information is available on the GRCC COVID information page.  The college is offering a series of on-campus clinics to help students gain the vaccination. The first will be at Raider Rally, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 28 in front of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall. Another is planned for Sept. 8 during Welcome Week, available from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Finkelstein Hall on the Main Campus and GRCC Lakeshore Campus and from 3-6 p.m. at the Leslie M. Tassell M-TEC. Vaccination location information is available at vaccinatewestmi.com . The incentive program is one of the steps GRCC is taking or extending as part of a campus safety and wellness plan. The campus is requiring face-coverings indoors. On-campus class sizes will be limited to 75% capacity, and the college is replacing two-person desks with single-person desks in most classrooms. Hundreds of hand sanitizing stations were added last year, and changes were made to campus cooling and ventilation to increase air flow. College leaders are monitoring developments with COVID-19 and the delta variant, and are communicating with state and federal health authorities for guidance as conditions change. GRCC Nursing students administered shots into the arms of students, campus employees, and others in the spring as part of the Shot of Love campaign, a partnership with Urban Church Leadership Center and Spectrum Health. In May, the college hosted a campus vaccination pop-up clinic, which was visited by first lady Jill Biden.