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.    

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.