June 3, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- After successful careers in law enforcement, Kris and Lars Poleski decided it was time to pursue some longtime dreams. But they wanted to build their second careers on solid skills, so they both turned to Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education. Kris Poleski retired from the Grand Rapids Police Department in 2004 as a lieutenant, and then served as a deputy police chief in Florida. She returned to Michigan to become a professor of criminal justice at Ferris State University. “I always said that ‘someday’ I would pursue my dream of going to culinary school,” she said. “In 2017, when a dear friend of mine died at an early age, I decided life was too short to wait until I retired or for ‘some day,’ so I enrolled in the Secchia Institute’s baking and pastry program while I was still teaching at Ferris. “Because I had a Ph.D. for teaching, I chose to pursue a certificate rather than an associate degree.”  She completed the Baking and Pastry Arts program in December 2019.  Lars Poleski comes from a law enforcement family and began his own career with the Grand Rapids Police Department in 1994. He served on patrol, community policing, the Neighborhood Police Bureau, patrol supervisor, the Internal Affairs Unit, and the Support Services Division.  When he retired in 2019, he returned to a longtime interest: homebrewing. “I have been involved in homebrewing since the late 1980s,” he said. “I studied foreign languages in college and when I studied at the University of Augsburg in West Germany, good beer became a bit of an obsession.” But Lars Poleski wasn’t satisfied with his latest homebrewing efforts, finding the quality and consistency “very hit-or-miss.” Kris Poleski had a suggestion for fixing that: GRCC’s Craft Brewing program. “The program was a great experience and has helped me to achieve many of my goals with my own brewing,” said Lars Poleski, who earned his certificate at the end of 2020. Kris Poleski has started two businesses, a bread company and a dessert catering business, although she’s put them on pause temporarily to care for her 1-year-old grandson. Lars Poleski didn’t plan on another job when he started the Craft Brewing program, but he found one. “The program required me to obtain an internship in the craft beverage industry,” he said. “Joel Bierling, owner of the Bier Distillery in Comstock Park, accepted me as an intern, and that internship eventually led to my employment there.”  

June 2, 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. NaiDra Walls was a returning student, and said the GRCC Residential Construction Job Training Program gave them more than in-demand skills. It gave them confidence. Since starting at Rockford Construction in May 2020, Walls has been promoted and received several raises in pay. They could not be happier, “Rockford has a great company culture! I’m excited to go to work every day!’ Walls’ path to GRCC took many twists and turns. They hold a couple academic degrees, has their realtors license, and has started a non-profit. Walls came to GRCC when there was a need to fix up homes in the Detroit area. “I’m an older student so I wasn’t really sure how it was going to go for me,” Walls said. “Our instructor, Kyle, was super consistent and a great example of how to handle any situation. He was a great role model and stressed that the most important lesson is to care about people and have a little fun, too!” GRCC offers three 18 week Job Training Certificate programs in the field of construction; Introduction to Construction, Residential Construction , and Construction Electrical . GRCC offers other industry certifications including; Carpentry Certification 1 , Commercial Construction , Lead Abatement Training , and the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program. The Residential Construction program takes place at a construction site, where students build a new home. Students get hands-on learning and application about the entire process of residential building including blue print reading, site layout, concrete, carpentry, door/window installation, roofing, siding, and interior finishing. Graduates are qualified for employment in the residential construction industry. The program focuses on constructing homes that achieve a 5-Star Energy rating, are Michigan Green Built, and LEED Certified. Walls is currently working on a construction site in Ann Arbor, which works good for them and the work being done with their non-profit. “My advice to anyone in a construction work environment – show them what you know and ask a ton of questions! It’s the best way to learn in the construction industry. GRCC Job Training gave me the confidence to ask the questions.” 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. Additional information is at grcc.edu/programs/job-workforce-training.      

May 31, 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. “I am proof that a career is not always a path, but it can also be an evolving journey.” Alumnus Tim Mroz’s career has taken him to big corporations, small businesses, the software industry, photography, economic development, project management and communications. At GRCC, instructor John Plummer introduced Mroz to graphic design. “He was the first professor to take an authentic interest in me and mentor me,” Mroz said. “I remember being so excited about those courses, working ahead and going back to Plummer to give me more. This was me, actually asking for more coursework -- a first in my lifetime! I will never be able to thank Mr. Plummer enough for what he eventually did for my career.” Mroz received his Associate of Arts in 1996 and transferred to Grand Valley State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies in 1998. His first job was account manager for McGraw-Hill followed by marketing positions at 20-20 Technologies and X-Rite. In 2008, he started with The Right Place, a West Michigan economic development agency. He has worked his way through marketing and communications to his current role of senior vice president of strategic initiatives. Mroz credits GRCC with providing him the hard design skills that helped launch his career. But decades later, he recognizes that GRCC helped him build “soft skills” as well. “Throughout my career, I have been provided many new opportunities that have taken my career in different directions,” he said. “I have been able to succeed because GRCC encouraged me to say ‘yes’ to new experiences. I’ve learned that the ability to connect with others and build relationships is just as important as the hard skills that make up the bullet points on your resume.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .

May 27, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – First Lady Jill Biden praised Grand Rapids Community College’s leadership in helping students and community members get vaccinated against COVID-19 during a tour of a campus pop-up clinic on Thursday. Dr. Biden highlighted partnerships between federal pharmacy partners and community colleges in a national vaccination effort. Rite Aid staff administered vaccines at the pop-up clinic, and had enough doses on hand to assist up to 100 students, employees and community members. Dr. Biden called community colleges “special places” and thanked GRCC President Bill Pink for the college’s role in removing obstacles to people getting the vaccines. “We can see how far we’ve come during this really difficult time,” she said. “So many people have told me they are finally feeling hopeful and optimistic again. Families are returning to work and to school. Businesses are reopening. And we’re getting back to the things we missed for so long -- hugging the people we love, catching up with friends face-to-face, and seeing our friends’ and families’ smiles.” Dr. Biden, who teaches at a community college, met Rite Aid staff members, and spoke with people who had just received their shots. She arrived with U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, who joined her on the tour, along with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. GRCC Nursing students recently administered shots into the arms of students, campus employees, and others at DeVos Place as part of the Shot of Love campaign, a partnership with Urban Church Leadership Center and Spectrum Health. “Thank you for doing your part to protect yourself and the people in your lives,” Dr. Biden said. “The vaccine is safe and effective – it saves lives. Vaccines are the best way for all of us to get back to the weddings, the sporting events, the concerts that we all miss so much.” She also praised frontline workers for all of their work during the pandemic crisis: “I want to say to the frontline workers, ‘God bless you. You are the ones who have carried us through this pandemic, and you’ve shouldered this burden. I want to say, ‘thank you.’”    

May 26, 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. Gaspar Vizcarra is not new to manufacturing. He’s been working in assembly, quality and machine operation ever since he graduated from high school. “The problem was I want to operate more complex machines, but I was never given the opportunity to do it.” Vizcarra learned about the Machine Tool/Computer Numeric Control Job Training Program back in 2017 and began saving his money for the tuition. “When I found out that I qualified for the Futures for Frontliners I took a little leap of faith. Everything fell into place.” The Machine Tool/CNC program has recently been updated to provide skills needed to meet industry needs. The new curriculum and brand-new state-of-the-art machine lab, in the Applied Technology Center, is in full swing! “This program is exactly what I was looking for. The schedule is perfect for me. I saw all these machines -- the lab is amazing. I was nervous about the instructor but Andy Beach makes you feel so comfortable asking questions. If you fail at work a few times you will just get replaced but here when you make a mistake, Andy just teaches you how to do right,” he said. “I have learned so much in just the first eight weeks, even with all of the experience I had coming in.  Now I am thinking that I really want to be a programmer. Ultimately, I want to design and machine rims for cars.” What is a machinist or CNC technician? A machinist/CNC technician shapes metal and various materials to precise dimensions by using machine tools. MT/CNC technicians plan and set up the sequence of machine operations in accordance with blueprints, layouts or other instructions to write both manual and computer-generated machine programs. Skills taught in the program include blueprint reading, basic shop math, read measurement tools and communicate effectively with others using today's Machine Tool/CNC terminology. “I love that you see a really complex machine but I can go up to it and I know what every button does. I don’t even second guess myself – it’s amazing! I always thought CNC was just about running a machine but to see that I can physically made something from my drawing, I feel so accomplished!” 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. Additional information is at grcc.edu/programs/job-workforce-training .

May 25, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is hosting a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday, May 27, welcoming First Lady Jill Biden, who is highlighting partnerships between federal pharmacy partners and community colleges. The walk-in clinic is open to the public, with vaccinations available between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at GRCC’s Administration Building, 415 E. Fulton Street. Dr. Biden, a community college professor, will tour the GRCC vaccination clinic and meet some residents getting their shots. “We’re proud to welcome the first lady to GRCC, and deeply appreciate her support for community colleges and for vaccinating our community members,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “Community colleges will play a vital role as our region emerges from the pandemic. This pop-up vaccination clinic is one more example of how GRCC and partnerships make West Michigan stronger.” Additional information about the GRCC clinic is here:  grcc.edu/coronavirus-information/covid19-campus-protocols/popup-vaccination-clinic GRCC Nursing students recently administered shots into the arms of students, campus employees, and others as part of the Shot of Love campaign, a partnership with Urban Church Leadership Center and Spectrum Health. Pink said the vaccines are an additional layer of protection, one of several tools used in GRCC’s ongoing efforts to keep students, faculty, staff and community members safe with an eye toward a more familiar fall semester. All COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States have been deemed as safe and effective. Additional information about the vaccines is available at cdc.gov/coronavirus/vaccines .

May 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Five Grand Rapids Community College athletic teams participated in national tournaments this season, reflecting hard work, talent, and determination in overcoming challenges created by the pandemic. Three GRCC teams finished in the top 10 nationally, with the golf team falling just shy. The college also celebrated five student-athletes earning All-American honors, including a Player of the Year. Three coaches were named Coach of the Year. “I’m proud of our student-athletes, who this year faced challenges we never could have imagined,” GRCC Interim Athletic Director David Selmon said. “We made student success and safety a priority. Seasons were delayed and abbreviated, and we made safety a priority. Everyone pulled together to compete, and demonstrated our GRCC programs are among the best in the nation.” The women’s cross country team finished fourth in the nation, with Audrey Meyering earning National Junior College Athletic Association and Coaches Association All-American honors, and Kiah Becker earning Coaches Association All-America honors. The men’s cross country team claimed ninth place in the nation, with Josh Kipkoech earned First-Team All-American honors. Former Coach Matt Sicilia was named Coach of the Year by both the MCCAA and the NJCAA Region 12. The volleyball team’s season was delayed for months and shortened due to the pandemic, the program continued to be successful. The team was runner-up in the regional tournament, but was able to participate in the NJCAA D2 National Tournament after Muskegon Community College withdrew due to health concerns. The Raiders inished tenth in the nation. Five volleyball players were honored by the MCCAA. In honors determined by conference coaches, Kylie Oberlin and Gabi Kitley earned First Team All-Conference honors as well as All-MCCAA and All-Region. Annie Holesinger was named Second Team All-Conference, as well as All-MCCAA and All-Region. Kailey Carmean and Kara Hecht were named Honorable Mention All-Conference and Hecht was named to the All-Freshman team. Oberlin was named to the All-Tournament team for her outstanding performance. The women’s basketball team posted a 12-5 season record, a second-place finish in the conference, a district championship and a national tournament appearance – the program’s first since 1978. Shonyah Hawkins was named a Division II, second team NJCAA All-American and earned MCCAA Player of the Year honors. Hawkins, a sophomore from Grand Rapids, earned All-Region, All-MCCAA honors along with teammate Jayla Bibbs, who was one of the best rebounders in the nation. Danielle Lamancusa earned Second Team All-Conference honors, and Eurasia Green-Boyd and Olivia Koetje received Honorable Mention All-Conference salutes. Bibbs Hawkins and Green-Boyd were also named to the All-Defensive Team. David Glazier earned Coach of the Year honors. The GRCC golf team finished in eleventh place in the NJCAA National Tournament, capping off a season that saw the Raiders dominate conference competition. The Raiders wrapped up a regular season winning every tournament, with five golfers earning All-Conference honors and John Forton being named Coach of the Year. The team finished the weeklong NJCAA D2 National in eleventh place out of 19 teams. Tyler Hausserman, Logan Templeton, Davis Courtright, Dominic Luciani, Arie Jackman -- posted the top five scores in the conference for the season, and were named to the MCCAA’s All-Conference team. While the other three GRCC teams did not reach the national tournament, they had reasons to cheer. The baseball team was tied for first place with a 24-11 record when its season ended in its final weekend due to wellness concerns. The team’s highlights included playing a doubleheader against nationally ranked Kellogg Community College at LMCU Ballpark, home of the West Michigan Whitecaps. Four Raiders were named to the All-MCCAA, First Team All-Conference Team: Aaron West, Drew Murphy, Collin Murphy and Ryan Dykstra. Sam Schmidt, Fernando Rivera-Calderon and Caleb Engelsman were named to the Honorable Mention All-Conference team. West was one of six players named to the All-Freshman Team. The men’s basketball team suffered a string of last-second losses, and participated in the postseason. Isaac Anderson was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Anderson and Chandler Collins were named to the Second Team All-Conference team. Azyah Brown earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors and was named to the All-Freshman team. The softball team started slowly, but showed promise for next year with many players likely to return. 2nd Team All-Conference: Lexi Nguyen was named to the Second Team All-Conference squad, and Brooklynne Siewertsen, Taylor Cross and Haley Van Huis earned honorable mentions. Five members of the team finished batting .300 or better for the season, led by second-year player Siewertsen, who batted .373. The third basemen also led the team with 31 hits, five stolen bases and an on base percentage of .418.  The slugger also struck out just once in 100 plate appearances.

May 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. You are familiar with Lumen Winter’s artwork. He created the beautiful frieze along the Lyon Street entrance to the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse. But Winter’s work is known all over the world – and beyond. He designed the Apollo 13 “Steeds of Apollo” medallion, which also was used as the mission insignia. His mural “Titans” in the United Nations General Assembly, and his talents adorn the Kansas State Capitol rotunda, the National Wildlife Federation’s headquarters, the AFL-CIO headquarters, and the U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel. Winter got his start at what was then Grand Rapids Junior College, graduating in 1928. His cartoons and artwork appeared in the 1927 and 1928 yearbooks. He later studied at the Cleveland School of Art and the National Academy of Design in New York. The frieze on the fieldhouse, “The Legend of Grand Rapids,” is made from marble from Italy’s Mount Altissimo and completed in Winter’s studios in New York and Italy. The work depicts Michigan history, mythology, industry, education, and culture, and was completed in time for the dedication of the fieldhouse in 1976. Winter was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Winter, who passed away in 1982, is considered one of America's most respected muralists, but he also completed portraits of leaders including four popes, Cardinal Terence Cooke, and Amelia Earhart. He was a guest at the White House and the Vatican. Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .    

May 22, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College golf team finished in eleventh place in the NJCAA National Tournament, capping off a season that saw the Raiders dominate conference competition. The Raiders wrapped up a regular season winning every tournament, with five golfers earning All-Conference honors and John Forton being named Coach of the Year. The team started the weeklong National Junior College Athletic Association National Tournament in fifth place, then dropped to seventh place before finishing in eleventh place out of 19 teams. The finish was the highest among Michigan teams, with Oakland Community College finishing thirteenth, and Muskegon Community College in nineteenth. GRCC’s team score of 1,235 was just two strokes behind tenth place Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.  Parkland Community College in Champaign, Ill. earned the crown with 1,168 strokes. Tyler Hausserman, with 304 strokes, and Logan Templeton, with 305, were the top two finishers for GRCC, and finished tied for thirty-third and thirty-fifth place. Davis Courtright tied for forty-fifth with 309 strokes, followed by Dominic Luciani with 316 strokes and Arie Jackman with 335. GRCC Athletics finished at a successful year under Interim Athletic Director David Selmon, with the men's and women's cross country teams, volleyball team, and women's basketball team all earning spots in national tournaments.   

May 19, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is expanding a free summer college prep program to include a $500 stipend for students who meet attendance goals. Bridges to College – Raider Ready is a summer program for graduating high school seniors to help boost math, reading, and writing skills before they attend GRCC or another college. More than 100 students so far have signed up for the program, which will be offered in two sessions in both Kent and Ottawa counties. GRCC is providing all students with a laptop and Wi-Fi hotspot for use in the program and for as long as they are enrolled at GRCC. The program will predominantly be offered on the GRCC Main Campus and the GRCC Lakeshore Campus in the Midtown Center. Some parts of the sessions will be offered online. “It’s important for students to start college prepared so they can be successful, and Bridges to College – Raider Ready will help with those foundational skills,” said David Selmon, GRCC’s associate dean of Student Affairs. Sessions are scheduled for mornings Monday through Thursday, allowing students time for summer jobs and other responsibilities or activities. The $500 stipend is intended to offset any lost earning opportunities or cover expenses. The college also will provide breakfast and bus passes. Students also will work with college navigators, helping prepare them for the higher education experience. Selmon said the program is part of GRCC’s service to the greater community, helping students who might have struggled academically during the pandemic. The first session is planned to run from June 8 to July 6, and the second from July 12 to Aug. 12. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The program is open to all high school graduates of the class of 2020 or 2021 who are planning to attend a college in the fall. The health and safety of students, faculty and staff is a top priority. GRCC will continue to work with local and state health authorities to follow wellness guidelines. Registration and information is available at grcc.edu/bridgestocollege , email at bridgestocollege@grcc.edu, by phone at (616) 234-3388 and by text at (616) 404-4634.