June 10, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Chris Schell loves helping students learn new things in electronics classes for their HVAC, industrial maintenance, mechatronics, and electronics degrees and certificates at GRCC. “I started out in industry as an electrical engineer at GE Aviation, and switched to full-time education at GRCC in 2020, after a year of being an adjunct,” he said. Schell holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico.  He teaches EL106 Technical Electricity, EL 107 Technical Electronics, EL 144 Basic Electricity and Electronics, EL 150 Electrical Schematics, and EL 163 Electrical Troubleshooting. “You will find a low student-to-faculty ratio in these classes,” Schell said. “The instructors are all experienced and love to teach, and our placement rate is great.” Along with hands-on skills for an in-demand field, Schell’s students learn critical thinking skills. “Problems are never as big as they seem to be,” he said. “And there will always be challenges with anything worth doing. If it was easy, then I wouldn't really be needed.” He also shares that a certificate or degree is more than a credential, it’s a life changing experience. “Education is so much more than just regurgitating information,” Schell said. “I had a professor who once told me to ‘learn something in spite of your classes,’ and it took me a while to figure out what he meant. Long after I graduated from college, it dawned on me that, though valuable, it wasn't just the engineering degree that was important--it was the experience of learning. I developed a thought process on ‘how to learn’ and that has been invaluable to me.”

June 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich . – Forget Superman and Wonder Woman. In today’s digital world, cybersecurity experts are the real superheroes – and Grand Rapids Community College is where they go to train. With nearly 850,000 cybercrimes reported to the FBI in 2021, and losses surpassing $6.9 billion, the need for enhanced cybersecurity is greater than ever before in the United States, experts say. But demand nationwide continues to outpace a growing cybersecurity workforce: In Michigan, an estimated 16,397 industry jobs were unfilled through April, including more than 1,369 in the Grand Rapids area, according to cyberseek.org . It’s that promise of a good career that prompted 34-year-old Michael Storer to enroll in GRCC’s nationally recognized Pre-Cybersecurity degree program last winter. He’s worked much of his life in manufacturing or warehouses, never able to earn enough to keep his head above water. “But I’ve always been interested in computers, and I see a lot of job possibilities in the cybersecurity side of things,” he said. GRCC's Computer Information Systems Department offers an array of programs and certificates for anyone considering a career in programing, software or web, hardware maintenance, network systems – or cybersecurity. The college’s new Cybersecurity Certificate offers a 100% online program that prepares students to become the next generation of data defenders in a single academic year. “By the end of the certificate program, they’ve managed to do half an associate degree, plus some additional courses,” said Andrew Rozema, CIS Department chair. “All our coursework is designed in response to the needs of West Michigan employers and students. We’re here to make educated, talented students who can go on to make great employees.” In addition to skills in coding and operating systems, the program ties closely to many of the top industry-recognized cybersecurity certifications. “By earning these certifications, it really shows future employers that I’m a guy who wants to learn more and proves I have the proficiency they require,” Storer said. For students like Storer interested in continuing education beyond the certificate, the program consists of 36 credit hours that can transfer into GRCC’s CIS Pre-Cybersecurity or Network Administration associate degrees, which transfer into related programs at four-year partner institutions. Storer estimates it will take him another 18 months to complete his associate degree. He then plans to attend Ferris State University to earn a bachelor’s degree. GRCC was one of two Michigan community colleges designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense in 2018 by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. As part of the program, GRCC students mentor local high school students looking to pursue a career in cybersecurity. Additionally, students will travel to a national cybersecurity conference and complete a paid summer internship with a federal, state, local or tribal government organization to further their learning in the cybersecurity field. GRCC started partnering with Davenport University in 2019 on a five-year, $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to train and educate the nation’s next generation of cybersecurity experts. Many people interested in cybersecurity careers might be eligible for the Michigan Reconnect program, which covers the cost of in-district tuition for state residents age 25 and older who don’t already have a college degree. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/reconnect. Storer paid for his first GRCC semester out of his own pocket but now has applied for the Reconnect scholarship to help cover the rest of his associate degree. To concentrate on his cybersecurity studies, Storer dropped down to part-time work at a local assembly plant. He looks forward to the day he can work in his new field and make a living wage. “There’s so much to learn, but I’m really enjoying school,” he said. “I’m going to keep putting my best foot forward, work hard and get it done.” Additional information about GRCC's Computer Information Systems program is here : This story was reported by Beth McKenna.  

June 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Plants and butterflies brighten summer days, but GRCC alum Deirdre Mitchell sees them with different eyes than most people. Plants and butterflies – specifically, milkweed and monarchs – have been her research subjects during the past year at the University of Michigan. But she started studying them as part of GRCC’s Honors program, working with professors Matt Douglas and Leigh Kleinert and assistant professors Lauren Elliott and Nicole Evans. “After graduation, I participated in UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) over the summer with Dr. André Green II’s laboratory,” said Mitchell, GRCC’s Biology Student of the Year for 2019. “I continued monarch migration research into the fall 2022 academic year.” The Society of Developmental Biology is sponsoring her continued research this summer, and she’ll carry on with her investigations for the 2023 academic year as part of the UROP Scholars Year cohort. Mitchell credits GRCC – “the perfect stepping stone after high school” –  with sparking her passion for research. “I have always known college was the best route for me,” she said. “Because of familial responsibilities, financial opportunities and distance, Grand Rapids Community College was a great choice!” A major financial opportunity for her came in spring 2021, when she was one of two GRCC students who received a highly competitive undergraduate transfer scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is among the largest private awards in the nation for students transferring from a community college. Mitchell, who is majoring in molecular, cellular and developmental biology, has maintained her GRCC connections, mentoring students who want to transfer to U of M. “GRCC offered resources that aided in the college processes while preparing me for a four-year university,” she said. “Lessons learned will help me well into graduate school.”

June 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Tyler Thompson graduated with a marketing degree from Ferris State University in 2017. He continued as a manager at a local restaurant as he looked for work in the marketing field When the pandemic struck, Thompson paused to think about what he really wanted to do in the future. A friend who previously took a Grand Rapids Community College Workforce Training program and is successfully working in the technology field told him about the Job Training Computer Support Technician program. GRCC Workforce Training programs provide in-demand skills leading to rewarding careers. We are introducing students who are heading down an educational pathway and changing their lives by earning occupational certificates. Thompson connected with instructor Moss Ingram. He began the program in January and has already completed it. “One of the biggest factors to enrolling for me was the fact that it is completely online. It allowed me the time to do the school work and still balance my work schedule,” Thompson said. “I really liked the format – we started with an 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Zoom meeting and then the rest of the day I worked on the lab work.” Although the Computer Support Technician Job Training Program is offered in an entirely remote format, there is still a personal element to the program. Instructor Ingram stresses that entirely online should not deter anyone from taking the program. “We have structured the program in a way that provides flexibility but keeps the personal interaction necessary to be successful in the program and in the industry,” Ingram said. The Job Training Computer Support Technician program prepares students to achieve two certifications: the CompTIA A+ Certification and the Network+ Certification. Both of these IT certifications are globally recognized and represent in-demand skills sought by a wide array of employers. “The biggest difference between this program and my bachelor’s degree program is the hands-on skills I learned and the certifications I gained,” Thompson said. “In this program, you learn how to actually do real world work. By learning this way, you feel like you really know what you are doing. I gained skills I never thought I could. That gave me confidence so that I didn’t feel like an imposter. I have already received my A+ certification and plan on pursuing the Network+ certification as well.” Thompson credits his instructor for inspiring him. “Moss is amazing. He is the most inspiring and compassionate person I’ve ever worked with. I’ve never met anyone so genuine.” This program is designed to address Computer Support from four perspectives: technical, professionalism and employability, business innovation, and design. Students regularly meet local IT technicians, engineers, business owners, and recruiters via Zoom to learn from their experiences and current market expectations. One of the projects in the program is building a resume and getting comfortable in today’s style of job searching. While working his project, Thompson noticed a posting for an IT Customer Support Technician at GRCC. He applied. “I just figured I am doing this project anyway, I might as well apply. I was contacted by GRCC and went through the interview process. I start on Monday!” Looking forward, Thompson is excited to join the GRCC IT team. He is delighted to work a regular daytime schedule. He has even recruited his brother who is currently enrolled in the CST program.  “I was very hesitant to do this at first. It was a shot in the dark but I couldn’t be happier.” GRCC has an unmatched reputation among employers for supplying West Michigan with work-ready technicians. Our graduates specialize in providing empathy for the people they support while solving complex problems using troubleshooting and design thinking methodologies. Students are also taught to focus on human-centered solutions and technology-based innovations for both colleagues and customers. Next Computer Support Technician program begins August 8, 2022 with details at grcc.edu/jobtraining

June 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Mike Roche, who assisted generations of Grand Rapids Community College student-athletes as athletic trainer, is being honored by having athletic scholarships named in his honor. Roche has served GRCC students for 28 years. His departure, a year after receiving the National Athletic Trainer of the Year from the National Junior College Athletic Association, is one of several changes in the GRCC Athletic Department as the program wraps up the 2021-2022 year. Roche earned national honors for his focus on athletic training, pandemic wellness protocols and keeping GRCC student-athletes safe and physically prepared during a pandemic season both historically challenging and successful. In addition to supporting about 150 athletes each year in partnership with physicians and medical specialists, Roche’s duties included overseeing student trainer interns, NJCAA compliance requirements, equipment and uniforms for all of the college's teams. He also taught athletic training classes for GRCC. "GRCC's athletics programs wouldn't be as historic without the guidance and leadership of Mike Roche," women's basketball coach David Glazier said. Michael Roche A.T.C. Athletic Scholarships next year will be awarded to one GRCC student-athlete on each of the program’s eight teams. Students are selected by the Athletic Department. People can donate to the scholarships at grcc.edu/donate. The baseball program is losing two longtime coaches after a season that included a second-place conference finish and a third-place regional finish. The team also celebrated a 17-game win streak that was snapped in the late rounds of the NJCAA Region 12 tournament. Carl Pohlman is retiring from coaching after serving his last four years under head coach Mike Eddington, primarily working with the pitching staff. His plans to spend more time with his wife, children and grandchildren, travel more, and volunteer for various causes.   Pohlman’s career includes three years at Aquinas College as associate head coach and 17 years at Muskegon Community College, winning more than 500 games. "I am grateful to Coach Eddington for allowing me to work with the team for the past four years," Pohlman said. "He is a great coach and an even better man.  GRCC is well served for having him as their head coach!  He bleeds Raider blue! I will miss the players and the daily interaction with the team and the coaching staff and I will continue to support the Raiders anyway that I can." Mark Rasmussen is transitioning from assistant baseball coach to assistant golf coach during the 2022-23 school year. It will be the fourth sport he has coached at GRCC, previously working with men's and women's basketball teams. Rasmussen also coached baseball for seven years at Ottawa Hills High School, for nine years at Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School, for four years at Forest Hills Central High School and for five years at Aquinas College. "My time working with the coaching staff and all of the players has been unforgettable," Rasmussen said. "I'm truly going to miss watching the players grow and develop into better people and baseball players. Moving on, I am excited to be able to work with one of my best friends, John Forton and help the golf team compete for a national championship."

June 6, 2022,  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Some of John Hallacy’s favorite GRJC memories are tied to his time on the swim team, which finished third in national competition in 1982 and fifth in 1983. 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. “The team was pretty good,” he said in a 2014 interview. “We were very competitive, and we’re practicing every day, so it really helped me set a schedule, as far as studying.” Being on the team boosted his confidence, as did his classwork. “The education was challenging,” he said. “The professors I had were very positive, very encouraging, and they really built up my confidence in what I could do and what I thought I could accomplish.” Hallacy received his associate degree in 1983 and then a bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University and a law degree from Valparaiso University.  After working as a prosecuting attorney, he became a judge for the 10th District Court in 2009. Throughout his career, he has worked to improve the justice system. As a Calhoun County prosecutor, he started a diversion program that gives first-time juvenile offenders the opportunity to have their criminal charges dropped if they successfully complete the program, He also has been honored for his efforts to get funding to provide nurse examiners in sexual assault cases. He has served on the Michigan Parole Board and started a sobriety court in 2010. “When I went to community college, if you had told me that I would be sitting on a bench in Battle Creek, wearing a black robe, pounding a gavel, I wouldn’t have thought that possible,” said Hallacy, GRCC’s 2014 Distinguished Alumnus. “But Grand Rapids Community College helped me make it possible. “It’s just the beginning. It can be the beginning of a long path that can take you in any direction you want to go.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .    

Lynn Prince is all-in on “Team English” at GRCC – she’s proud of her department’s investment in getting to know students in order to prepare them for future classes and careers. “Right from the start, GRCC has always felt like family to me,” she said. “There is a wonderful camaraderie within the English department faculty and adjunct faculty. I love collaborating with people--sharing ideas and best practices; I also love working with college students; they are invested in their future. It's a privilege to be a small part of the forward momentum in their lives; they have so much potential! I always miss them when classes end-- my goal is each class feels like a family, too.” Prince teaches English Composition 101 and 102, and IRW 099 Accelerated Composition. And she is confident any English course a student takes at GRCC will empower them with important skills for the career path they have chosen. “The English Department works diligently to stay current,” Prince said. “We recently adjusted course requirements, content and textbooks to better meet the needs of transferring students. We have integrated reading and writing (IRW) to get students through their required courses more quickly. After much research and training, we have created an innovative program: IRW 099 ‘A-comp’ paired with EN 101 for students with high aptitude and motivation.” Prince is dedicated to her discipline and teaching. But she changed her major in college three times before she landed on the one for her.  “Different jobs, classes and mentors helped guide me into English Language Arts and teaching,” she said. “I finally decided to be a teacher when I was invited to be a camp counselor one summer during college. After that, I was hooked. Working with kids united my purpose and passion; it seemed like a culmination of my natural skills and interests. I always tell students that they have a purpose and passion, too. They can narrow it down with the things they do not want to do, but to be open for the surprises and other careers they maybe didn't think of or jobs that aren't even created yet.” Prince earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in English and Secondary Education with a Social Studies Composite Minor from Hope College. She taught English at Caledonia High School, and earned her Master’s degree in the Art of Teaching with an ELA focus Aquinas College. From there, she stepped into teaching at GRCC.  “I think I was well prepared as far as theory and practice,” she said. But teaching and grading writing--really investing in coaching students' thinking and English Language Arts growth--takes an incredible investment of time and emotional energy,” she said. “Teaching is also much more than just the classroom interaction with students, it's all the behind the scenes work that takes additional time and effort. It's worth it, but my first few years of teaching I didn't have very good work-life balance. Then after having my own kids, I figured it out quickly! Prince also learned from the example of her mentor, Dr. Leslie Wessman from Hope College. “She was instrumental in my education,” she said. “She was brilliant; with her innovative learning design and brain research, she modeled everything in her classroom that she was trying to teach us. We learned not only by example, but because she knew each one of us personally and she gave great advice. She believed in me before I believed in myself. She saw a trajectory for my life and encouraged me until I saw it, too. Thank you, Dr. Wessman!”  

June 2, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Although Erin Windemuller and his daughter Hannah were not able to be together at GRCC’s graduation ceremonies, both said it was still a thrill to together become part of the Class of 2022. And they did have a graduation party together, Erin said with a smile. Graduating at the same time was a milestone neither Windemuller ever expected. Erin first began at GRCC in 1993, fresh out of high school. He gave college a couple of years but left without completing a degree. “I was not a very good student and did not apply myself,” he admitted. Hannah’s path was more conventional. After her high school graduation, she too went on to GRCC where she studied marketing and completed her associate degree in the traditional fashion. Their journeys intersected when Erin, three decades after his first attempt at college, decided it was time to finish what he’d started. “The Futures for Frontliners scholarship enabled me to continue my education,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised and happy to be able to receive this scholarship, and it spurred me on to finish up an associate degree.”  Futures for Frontliners is a state program that covered the cost of in-district tuition for people who worked in essential fields during the state’s COVID-19 shutdown. A similar program, Michigan Reconnect, is available for residents age 25 and older who have not completed a college degree. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/reconnect . In 2018 he returned to GRCC to pursue his associate in Applied Science HVACR, setting up the scenario in which he and Hannah could both become GRCC degree holders in ‘22. “I had a job in the property maintenance field and saw the value in earning a degree in HVACR,” Erin recalled. “It also was important for me to finish what I had started in 1993. I wanted to prove to myself – and with the encouragement of my family – that I could finish with a degree.” It was a thrill, Erin said, to finish the degree and to cross the stage and celebrate that accomplishment. “It had been 29 years since I had walked across a stage to receive a diploma,” he said. “My wife and kids pushed me to do it. I was hesitant being an older student, but they told me that I had worked hard for it, and it will be an encouragement to the younger graduates that you are never too old.” One of those younger graduates, Hannah, fully agreed. “Graduating at the same time as my dad was such an honor,” she said. “Watching him work on his homework and encourage me at the same time was such a blessing. Knowing that we were in this together helped both of us continue to work hard at our schooling and try our best. I’ve watched my dad consistently work hard his whole life. I’m very proud of my dad and everything he has accomplished. I know he will continue to use this knowledge the rest of his life and will also keep gaining more.”  Such words mean a lot to Erin. The GRCC degree is important to him, and he knows it will have a positive impact on his future and his career. But he also said the impact of finishing what he started extends to the next generation, and that means the world to him. “The impact of you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to,” he said simply. “Learning is not just for the young. It is a lifelong journey. That is how we grow and evolve.” Hannah has fully absorbed her dad’s mentoring and modeling over the years.  Recalling her GRCC career, she said: “I’m always looking for a challenge and ways to further my knowledge. Going to GRCC was a great way to do this. In my experience when you learn something new, you just want to keep learning. This momentum of learning has given me a new confidence.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.  

May 31, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Up to 25 Grand Rapids Community College students will be able to get United States passports for studying abroad through a grant from the Institute of International Education. The IIE American Passport Project, in its second year, is intended to increase participation and diversity in study abroad programs, giving all students access to the academic and career benefits of international experience. GRCC, one of 40 colleges and universities selected for this second cohort, will identify 25 students in the TRIO/Student Support Services program to participate. TRIO is a federally funded program that provides academic advising, tutoring, financial guidance, counseling and other supports to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds. A United States adult passport costs $165, a price that can put studying abroad out of reach for many students. “A passport is an essential tool of mobility for our students,” said Anna Maria Clark, academic advisor for GRCC’s TRIO program. “So many current events around the world today continue to show us that we live in a global society, and lack of experience within our global world will only continue to perpetuate our world’s inability to work together to solve problems. “A passport, learning a new language, and study abroad go hand in hand in providing our students with essential experiences they, in turn, will be able to apply to their studies and professional lives.” AAA Kentwood-Grand Rapids has also committed to providing 25 sets of passport photos for free to the 25 GRCC students. GRCC is restarting its Study Away program, which shut down temporarily because of the pandemic. Past trips have allowed students to work in health care in Costa Rica, study literature in Spain, and learn about the cultures of Morocco, Greece and France.

May 30, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – It’s the kind of place where everybody knows your name. “The Veterans Center is always my first stop when I get to campus,” said CJ Norton, who served in the U.S. Marines and is now enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College. “When you meet another veteran there for the first time, it’s like an instant connection … you know you’ve gone through similar circumstances.” Start at GRCC and go anywhere. Every student has a story to tell about how GRCC gave them the education and opportunity to be successful, with support services available to help them through. GRCC’s new Veterans Center on level G2 of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall opened in October to serve as a single point of contact for students who served in the military, connecting veterans with campus resources, including financial aid, advising and disability support. It’s also a place to call their own on campus. “The other veterans I’ve met there have been great. I met another former Marine who I studied physics with, and another guy who I work out with every morning I’m on campus,” said 26-year-old Norton, of Wyoming. Norton enlisted in the Marines at age 17, serving four years as an embarkation logistics specialist at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. After his 2016 discharge, he returned to West Michigan and tried GRCC for the first time. “I was still sort of transitioning from the military and I just couldn’t handle college,” he said. After years working security, waiting tables and odd jobs in warehouses, Norton decided to follow in the tracks of a childhood friend pursuing an engineering degree. He re-enrolled at GRCC in 2019 and is making progress toward his own engineering degree. “I’m super happy with how I’m doing in school now,” he said. A big part of that is thanks to GRCC’s Veterans Services team, which Norton said goes above and beyond the call of duty to support military and veteran students at every stage of their academic journeys. It was the Veterans Services staff that told Norton about Michigan Reconnect. Michigan Reconnect is the largest effort in state history to ensure that Michiganders who are 25 or older and don’t have a college degree have an opportunity to earn an associate degree or skills certificate, with the cost of in-district tuition covered.   “As soon as they told me about Michigan Reconnect, I applied for the scholarship and immediately qualified. It was a huge weight off my shoulders,” said Norton, who’s transferring to Grand Valley State University this fall to continue his engineering degree. The Veterans Center is helping GRCC expand its partnerships with state and local veterans’ agencies, helping students access benefits and support in the community. It’s also making veterans in the community aware of opportunities at GRCC to earn credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills. Norton said the center fills different needs for veterans. “If you want to go there and study, you can study,” he said. “If you want to talk with another vet, you can do that. If you want to play video games with a buddy, you can do that. There are people there to help you in whatever you might need. “I see it as such a bright light, and I feel like if other veterans go in there they’ll feel the same way.” Students can connect with the Veterans Center by phone at (616) 234-2578, and by email at  veterans@grcc.edu . Additional information is available online at  grcc.edu/veterans This story was reported by Beth McKenna.