May 19, 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. GRCC M-TEC Champions are moving forward! We first met Kenneth Lara and Francisco Mendez as part of the first cohort of GRCC M-TEC Champions program. Neither of them knew what career path they wanted to take after graduating.  “I had just graduated from high school and had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to go to college but I had no real direction. My high school counselor told me about the Champions program and because it was free, I signed right up! It’s been great!” Lara said. “Yeah, I just graduated too. I wanted to go to college but didn’t know for what or really how I would pay for it. When I first got the email about the Champions program I thought it was a scam – just too good to be true,” Mendez said. “This program allowed me to explore different fields to see what interested me.” The GRCC M-TEC Champions program offers qualified applicants, ages 18-24, the resources to obtain job skills that can lead to a more secure and better quality of life. The program is free to those who qualify. Participants first attend a training program preparing them for five possible career types. “The Readiness Bootcamp helped out so much! They gave us a lot of information about jobs that I had no idea about. Once we toured the construction field, I was excited,” Lara said. “ Now both are learning hands-on skills in the Introduction to Construction Job Training program. The readiness program includes: career exploration and planning, employer interaction, tours, “ready to learn” activities, financial literacy, computer/digital skills, and leadership skills.  “When we had to practice interviewing I was nervous, Lara said. Mendez added, “It was good to practice that skill. We practiced a lot! It really helps build confidence to practice.” After successful completion of part one, each student chooses and receives training in various technical careers tracks, also free of cost. These technical paths focus on building skills and credentials that lead to gainful employment.  “If not for the Champions program, I would probably be working all day, not making much money. I’m on my own and I don’t have thousands of dollars for credit classes right now. The Champions program has really helped me be excited about my future,” Lara said. 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 17, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Kathy Crosby is stepping down from the Grand Rapids Community College board of trustees, saying she needs to focus on her health and family. The resignation is effective May 21, and the trustees will have 30 days to fill the seat. “My decision to serve was not lightly made, and it is therefore hard to step away from,” Crosby wrote in a letter to board chairperson David Koetje, shared at Monday's meeting. “However, life and health situations change. Often, they can be unpredictable. In this case, those changes have pushed me to re-prioritize time. Going forward, it must belong to my family.” Crosby has been the board’s vice chair, and was elected in 2018. Trustee Kenyatta Brame will serve as the board’s vice chair, and trustee Sheryl Siegel was tapped to replace Brame as treasurer. “For decades this board has had seven individuals sitting around its table. Very few of those trustees have matched the richness of your experience, the depth of your perspective, and the personal charm that you have blessed us with in these few years that you have been with us,” Koetje said of Crosby. Brame said Crosby has been a tremendous asset to the college and the board, with her background in business and non-profit organizations, as well as her great knowledge of the community. “When Kathy and I ran for this position, I was awed that she knew everybody in the city, and even more awed that she’s beloved by everybody in the city,” Siegel said. Crosby retired as CEO Emeritus of Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids in 2018. Her other community service includes past chairs of the boards of directors of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids and of the Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan. She serves on the CEO Leadership Council of Talent 2025, the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce's Regional Issues Council, and the YMCA's Board of Directors.

May 17, 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. After coming close with an honorable mention in 2014, Jeff Meyers now knows how victory tastes. His business, Meyers’ Bakery & Beanery in Lake Odessa, is home to MLive’s 2020 Michigan’s Best Doughnut .  But running the bakery that produced the No. 1 doughnut takes more than just a winning recipe, and Meyer still draws on what he learned at Grand Rapids Junior College. He came to GRJC’s culinary program with a passion for cooking.  “I had worked in a couple of restaurants but wasn’t exactly sure what direction I was going, but GRJC gave me various experiences in the culinary field and, with the help of some top chefs and hospitality associates, gave me knowledge of things I had no clue of coming from a small farming community,” he said. After graduating, he worked in the bakery that provides baked goods to Steelcase’s 11 cafeterias, later becoming an associate chef. In November 1992, Meyers took a part-time job at a recently opened “mom and pop” bakery in Lake Odessa. When the owners decided to close at the beginning of 1993, he decided to purchase the business, opening Meyers Hometown Bakery on May 4, 1993.  Meyers moved the bakery down the block in 1996 to a building he purchased. After a remodeling project that added an espresso bar, the business was renamed Meyers Bakery and Beanery in 2007. “The main reason I am where I am today is my faith in God and perseverance, not giving in when times seemed a little difficult,” said Meyer, who is married with two sons. “There were a few times when I felt maybe I should do something else for more money or benefits and vacations, but now, when I look back, I feel God closed doors instead of what I originally thought were missed opportunities.” He says GRJC prepared him for the shifts he’s made in his culinary career. “The culinary program at GRCC is one that gives you total experience of the restaurant and retail sides of the food industry and helps to prepare you for whatever aspect of the food industry you may want to explore,” he said. Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .

May 13, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- GRCC boasts alumni who represent many generations of the same family, but it’s rare to celebrate two generations sharing a commencement! Karah Kamstra, who is completing an internship with a family dentist office in Grandville, graduated this month with her associate degree in dental assisting from GRCC as well as a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Grand Valley State University. She was joined by her aunt, Amy Maggini, who received her Associate of Arts in nursing from GRCC. Maggini, who has four grown children, already has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Taylor University in Indiana and a master’s in counselor education and counseling psychology from Western Michigan University. But she returned to the classroom to pursue her longtime dream of a nursing career. “At age 49, I realized that if I was going to become a nurse, I had better get going!” said Maggini, who is completing an internship at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. “Returning to the classroom at that age and ending up doing so during a worldwide pandemic was not an easy task. However, GRCC’s outstanding staff, student support services, and commitment to its mission of being ‘an open access college that prepares individuals to attain their goals and contribute to the community,’ got me to the point of graduating May 1 with an Associate of Arts degree in Nursing.” Kamstra says she can vividly remember the first day she stepped onto the campus five years ago: “Both my mom and Nonni (grandmother Jan Maggini – a former GRCC trustee) were with me touring the campus. As alumni themselves, it was so fun to have them show me around and hear their experiences from when they first began their GRCC journey.” While it took some time for her to achieve her goal, she knew right away that she wanted to work in the dental field. “Although it took a few years to find my way back to GRCC, I’m especially grateful for all the people who led me to where I am today,” Kamstra said, adding that she is very thankful for the inspiration provided by her grandmother, who is not only a Grand Rapids Junior College alumna but is also a founding member of the board of trustees. “She has encouraged and supported me through all my school years and has taught me to never stop learning -- you are never too old!” Kamstra said.  

May 12, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Two Grand Rapids Community College students will receive a highly competitive undergraduate transfer scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Gideon Kortenhoven and Deidre Mitchell were among 72 recipients nationwide to receive the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which provides up to $40,000 annually for up to three years, comprehensive advising, and the chance to connect with fellow Cooke Scholars. It is among the largest private awards in the nation for students transferring from a community college. Just two other students from Michigan – from Oakland and Gogebic community colleges -- were selected. The foundation selected 406 semifinalists in March from the more than 1,500 applications representing 398 community colleges. Michigan had 15 students reach this level -- six of them from GRCC. Kortenhoven, who went high school in Palo Alto, Calif., received his associate degree in French studies on May 1. While at GRCC, he participated in the University of Michigan’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, presenting research on Black families after the Civil War. “I’m planning on transferring to the University of Michigan, and I’ll be majoring in Afroamerican and African studies, but I also have a strong interest in sociolinguistics,” he said. “I’m not sure what I plan to do after that, but I think I will probably try and get my master’s.” Mitchell, a Caledonia High School graduate and a member of GRCC’s Honors Program, also is transferring to the University of Michigan. “I will be pursuing Pre-Med while double majoring in molecular, cellular and developmental biology and biochemistry, along with a double minor in French and Spanish,” she said. Associate professor and academic adviser Lynnae Selberg called the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship life-changing. “It is rare for an institution to have multiple winners -- in 2020, there was just one winner from the state of Michigan,” she said. “Having two winners highlights how incredible our students are.” “We know how much exponentially harder this past year has been on students,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “It’s an honor to award this group of individuals as they have achieved so much, both in the classroom and in their daily lives. “We are proud to welcome this new class of Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholars to our community and are excited to support them as they transition to four-year institutions.” GRCC student Daniel Gebrezgiabhier received the scholarship in 2015. He is now pursuing a doctorate in biomedical engineering at the University of California-Berkley.

May 12, 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. Recent GRCC Job Training graduates are celebrating even though they were unable to hold in-person graduation celebrations.    This group of students showed an incomparable amount of fortitude. Some of the hands-on programs paused for weeks due to various pandemic challenges. Students showed dedication to come back to school, knowing the program would take a few weeks longer to complete. “It wasn’t easy, but I really want these skills,” said Eric Ouwinga, who completed the Machine Tool/CNC program. Many of the grads are getting right to work, like Francis Motsay, “I will be starting as an IT tech support for Car City. I’m pretty happy to get to work!” The GRCC Job Training program uses an open enrollment model, which means programs begin about every other month. Students in the same program may be just beginning while others are almost done. There is no need to wait for a semester to begin. By the time a student is admitted to GRCC, they can likely begin the program of their choice within a month. For Juan Miranda, a Welding program graduate, the timing of the program was perfect. “I wanted a program that wouldn’t take so long,” he said. “I want to get to work and start making money as soon as possible.” Job Training classes run 34 hours per week and about 20 weeks in length. All eight of the   programs are designed by area employers and industry experts, so students get the hands-on training used on the job. “I have a bachelor’s degree already,” said Tyler Woodworth, who also completed the Computer Support program. “I didn’t want something that would put me back in debt. I’m ready to get on with my life.” After entering a Job Training program, students are assisted by career coaches and instructors to determine the best training plan to meet their goals. Job placement assistance is also available upon program completion.  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 11, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College golf team is headed to the national tournament after earning the state and conference championships. The team has won every tournament it has participated in this season, and earned the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Championship and National Junior College Athletic Association Region XII crown with an eight-stroke win over second-place Oakland Community College on Tuesday. Tyler Hausserman,a freshman from Ionia, finished in second place overall, shooting 76, 78 and 73 over the three-round tournament. Davis Courtright, who attended Zeeland East High, tied for third with scores of 75, 73, 80.  Logan Templeton of Portage was tied for fifth place after shooting 75,76 and 78. Dominic Luciani of East Grand Rapids was tied for seventh with scores of 76, 79 and 78. Arie Jackman of Caledonia finished ninth, shooting 81, 73 and 81. The win, at Bedford Valley Golf Club in Battle Creek, is the GRCC golf team’s eighth state championship since 2000, and eleventh overall. The team will now advance to the NJCAA DII National Championship, hosted by Ancilla College at the Swan Lake Golf Resort in Plymouth, Ind. Five members of the undefeated team posted the top five scores in the conference for the season, and were named to the MCCAA’s All-Conference team. The GRCC cross country teams, volleyball team and women’s basketball team all reached the national tournaments this year.

May 11, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College was saluted by U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona for its outreach and support for students facing challenges during the pandemic. GRCC President Bill Pink was asked to participate in a call with Cardona with national media to discuss $36 billion in emergency grants provided by the Education Department under the American Rescue Plan Act for post-secondary education. About 60 Michigan colleges and universities are expected to receive grants. GRCC is slated to receive about $25 million to help students overcome obstacles created by COVID-19 and to launch programs to help the region recover. Funding also can be used to offset costs related to the pandemic and prepare the campus for additional students. Cardona said he invited Pink to participate because he is impressed by how GRCC used previous federal support efforts to help students. “They’re actually an exemplar in how they reach out into the community and get those students who were hit the hardest – including students from rural communities, which were impacted greatly by the pandemic,” Cardona said. GRCC transitioned largely to remote classes after the pandemic struck. Many students struggled financially when their work hours were reduced or their jobs eliminated. The transition to online learning also revealed that many students did not have access to computers, strong internet service and the equipment needed to participate in classes. “This pandemic has been hard on our state, and this institution has been focused on how we can support our students, no matter where they come to us from,” Pink told Cardona and the media. GRCC distributed about $3.4 million in federal CARES Act funding directly to students to help them with food, health care, child care and technology and is in the process of distributing additional resources made available through Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. GRCC provided more than 630 loaner laptops, about 400 internet Wi-Fi hotspots, and other equipment. The college also partnered with the Kent District Library to provide Wi-Fi in 20 branches around the county, including in parking lots so students could connect and complete assignments after hours. The college also worked with community partners to replenish its food pantry for more than a year, providing thousands of packages to students facing food insecurity, work that still continues. “This American Rescue Plan funding will give us the opportunity to continue this work and relieve some of the barriers we know our students are experiencing,” Pink said. “These funds will help us, and it will help these students. We know many students told us this school year, ‘We’re sitting it out. We’re not even going to college.’ Now that we’re able to get these types of funds in place, it will help us in helping those students re-engage because now, these funds can take some other barriers off the table.” The American Rescue Plan grants will help over 5,000 institutions of higher education, including historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions provide emergency financial aid to millions of students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 national emergency. "These funds are critical to ensuring that all of our nation’s students – particularly those disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic – have the opportunity to enroll, continue their education, graduate, and pursue their careers,” Cardona said. “With this action, thousands of institutions will be able to provide direct relief to students who need it most, so we can make sure that we not only recover from the pandemic, but also build back even stronger than before.”    

May 10, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Community College student Heidi Garland won first place in the MWest Challenge student venture competition in the Innovation Showcase Pitch Round.  Garland pitched her idea for Bugs B Gone, a startup to create an all-natural bedbug and flea solution. Garland won $1,500 for her first-place Innovation Showcase Pitch for a business that would take care of home pest solutions without chemicals. Through MWest Challenge, students can develop and grow new ventures based on their own ideas. This year, 108 student teams from nine West Michigan colleges and universities competed for $12,000. GRCC led the way with 65 of the 108 student team. The next-closest college had 10 student teams apply for the competition. The competition also includes opportunities for students to network with investors. “This experience meant an opportunity to have designated funding to use going forward and patent my product recipe -- as well as having an opportunity to communicate with actual investors and learn from their words of advice,” Garland said. “I won a cash prize of $1,500 that will go directly back into my business for growth. I will be using this money to get patent information before going on to look at things like mass production or selling the product to someone else for production. I was also put in front of ‘angel’ investors who could reach out to me at any point with interest in my idea -- not to mention the guidance I received from the judges and my professors.” Garland got involved in the competition through classes with professor Felix Pereiro, head of the Business Department, and adjunct instructor Brent Alles. Pereiro was impressed as he watched Garland handle some technical difficulties with audio during her virtual pitch to the judges. “Heidi kept her composure and maintained her patience,” Pereiro said. “She was asked to return and be the last presenter because of the technical problems she encountered delivering her pitch. Most people would have quit -- but not Heidi. She believed in her idea and was not going to let a technical glitch stand in her way.” GRCC student Michael Powell placed in the top eight teams, earning a spot in the competition’s finalist level. He presented his idea for the Start Small Promo, an exclusive social media marketing and bookmarking website that caters to small businesses and is fused with a promotional service provided by the website. “I gained confidence in my own vision of life, and what I think I can do,” Powell said. “The reward of trying something that takes you outside of your comfort zone is immense in life, and I think that more people should try it because of the perspective it gives a person.” Powell, who was a frontline worker at a senior care facility during the pandemic, said he understands the challenges his idea works to address because his family lost their business during COVID-19. “Michael faced tremendous adversity and challenges in the last month as he prepared to present to the panel of judges,” Pereiro said. “The judges were beyond impressed with him. They marveled at his tenacity, ‘stick-to-itiveness’ and courage. He has true grit, character, and an entrepreneur’s spirit and drive that will help him succeed at anything he puts his mind to now and in the future.” Three other GRCC students competed in the showcase idea pitch round:  Jared Seng placed ninth place with Landscape Match, a startup and app that allows consumers to post an ad looking for mowing and plowing services, and connect with businesses and independent contractors. Kerry Johnson placed tenth with Johnson Equestrian and Critter Farm, an equestrian center and animal petting farm. Alexandria Viveen placed thirteenth with Wavy Cravings, a startup to deliver restaurant food to customers while they are boating. The students' MWest achievements are the culmination of hours of practice and preparation, Pereiro said.  “Heidi, Michael, Jared, Kerry, and Alexandria put in the hours necessary to compete against the very best college students in West Michigan – facing juniors, seniors and MBA students from top four-year universities in West Michigan -- and their work and dedication paid off,” he said. GRCC was scheduled to host this year’s MWest Challenge before the competition moved completely online because of COVID-19. Pereiro said the campus will instead host the 2022 MWest Challenge. Grand Rapids Community College has been offering educational opportunities in West Michigan for more than 100 years. Established in 1914, the college offers degree courses, certification and training programs, and workshops and personal enrichment classes. Offerings are held on GRCC’s downtown Grand Rapids campus, and at several locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties, as well as through distance learning.  

May 10, 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. Tom Rademacher’s feelings about Grand Rapids Junior College run deep: “That beautiful little college on Bostwick Avenue -- along with its swim coach at the time, Dave Clark -- helped me set a compass for life.” That compass and his gift for words have launched him in many directions, where he’s met people from all walks of life with interesting stories: people who use metal detectors to find lost rings, an archer who uses his teeth instead of his hands to work a bow, a couple who created a Wiffle Ball stadium in their backyard. For more than 30 years, he shared those stories with readers of The Grand Rapids Press. His talent earned him writing awards from the Michigan Press Association and the Associated Press, and he earned first-place honors an unprecedented three times from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. The author of four books, he retired from The Press in 2009 and now writes for Sabo PR and on behalf of a variety of clients as close as right around the corner and as far away as Africa. He and his wife Hollie now reside in the sleepy lakeshore haven of Stony Lake, in Michigan’s Oceana County. Tom received his associate degree from GRJC in 1974, where he was awarded the Merle Storr Award, given annually to the top student-athlete. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in special education and psychology from Grand Valley State University. He served as an adjunct instructor of English at GRCC for more than 20 years. “I made lifelong friends, got schooled by incredible professors like Gertrude Croom, and came to understand that a community college will give you back as much as you put into it,” he said upon receiving GRCC’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2013. “My only regret is that I couldn’t attend there all four years.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .