April 21, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is changing its commencement plans to provide students with a safe, in-person experience while responding to the recent increases in COVID-19 cases. The college is proceeding with plans to hold four in-person commencements, but attendance will be limited to graduating students with no graduate-invited guests attending the ceremonies. Family members will be able to watch the events virtually on GRCC’s YouTube channel. School of Arts and Sciences ceremonies are planned for 4 and 7 p.m. on Friday, April 30. School of Workforce Development ceremonies are planned for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 1 “We’re making these changes out of an abundance of caution, along with other careful planning for an in-person commencement celebration experience for our students,” said Associate Provost Tina Hoxie, dean of Student Affairs. “Commencement is a special moment in the lives of our students. Streaming the events live will allow students to share this milestone with friends, family and other supporters since it is not possible for them to attend in person.” Spreading out commencement over four ceremonies and two days will allow graduates to attend the event in the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse while socially distancing and following strict health and safety protocols. GRCC continues to work with state and local authorities and monitor local conditions. GRCC might need to make additional adjustments to the commencement plan to ensure safety. Additional details will be posted at grcc.edu/commencement

April 21, 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. Both Shelley Anderson and Nicole Freeman took advantage of the Futures for Frontliners tuition program and are enrolled in the GRCC Medical Assistant Job Training Program. Shelley Anderson was a phlebotomist at Spectrum Health. Last June, her future changed, not because of COVID 19 but because of a car accident. “I am very lucky to be OK now and looking back, it was kind of a blessing. Recuperating gave me the chance to think about what I want to do going forward. I love the healthcare industry and when I was contacted about the Frontliners program, I jumped at the chance to get certified as a medical assistant.” The stars aligned for Nicole Freeman, who was a nurse tech as Spectrum Health. “Last year, I started the GRCC Nursing Program but quickly realized it was too much and I was overwhelmed,” she said. “I thought it was the end of the world. Then, one of my instructors told me to look into the MA program. It’s still challenging but with the small class size, hands-on learning and supportive instructor, I am now confident this is where I am supposed to be.” “This program is extremely thorough. We are learning so much! I researched other MA programs offered from other schools and this is by far the best,” Anderson said. “And on top of it, all we’ve had to pay for is the parking!” The GRCC Medical Assistant Job Training program prepares students to perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep health practitioner offices and clinics running smoothly. The goal of the program is to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The course combines classroom lecture, group activity, simulation learning, and a competency-based externship experience. On successful completion of the program, students are prepared to take the Registered Medical Assistant national certification exam through American Medical Technologists. The 772-hour program is designed to take 22 weeks to complete and is currently being offered as a hybrid with some virtual learning and some hands-on in person lab work. GRCC’s Medical Assistant Program empowers them to succeed in a changing healthcare environment. 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 .  

April 20, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team split a doubleheader against the Davenport University JV squad on Tuesday, piling up 11 hits in the opener to secure a 7-4 win. The team fell short in the night cap, 4-2. The GRCC softball team continues to struggle, dropping both of its games. The Raiders fell behind in the third inning of the first game, then powered to seven runs in the bottom of the frame, a rally started by Payton Young’s triple.    Ryan Dykstra, Fernando Rivera-Calderon, and Aaron West all managed multiple hits for GRCC, with Dykstra getting three hits in four at-bats. Justin Kozlowski earned the victory on the mound for Grand Rapids Community College. The righthander allowed three hits and two runs over one inning, striking out one and walking none. Dalton Vander Ark and Blake Waibel entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief.  Vander Ark recorded the last five outs to earn the save. The Raiders could not generate as much offense in the second game, falling 4-2. Keegan Spomer took the loss for GRCC, allowing two hits and two runs while walking none in one inning. Caleb Englesman was solid on the mound, pitching three innings, allowing five hits and one run while striking out one and walking one. Aaron West led GRCC with two hits in four at bats. The Raiders are now 15-10 on the season, and back in action on Friday at home against Glen Oaks Community College. The softball team lost both games of its doubleheader on the road against Kalamazoo Valley Community College, dropping the first game 19-7and the second game 17-0. The team is 3-19 and next plays on Saturday against Ancilla College.

Congratulations to the winners of the Math Awareness Month contest! The competition, to mark April as Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, was open to staff and students. The contest: LeBron and Adele play Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock tentimes. There are no ties in the games. The order of the games is unknown. LeBron uses paper once, scissors six times, lizard once, Spock once, and rock once. Adele uses Spock four times, scissors four times, and paper twice. Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, and rock crushes scissors. All the correct entries were numbered, and a random number generator was used to pick two student and two staff winners. Each will receive a “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock” cap and game. The student winners are William Bosch and Grace Veeneman, and the staff winners are Debra Davis and Douglas Heintzleman. The solution: LeBron won 4 games. Adele won 6 games. LeBron: scissors vs. Adele: Spock  (winner: Adele)          Spock smashes scissors LeBron: scissors vs. Adele: Spock  (winner: Adele)          Spock smashes scissors LeBron: scissors vs. Adele: Spock  (winner: Adele)          Spock smashes scissors LeBron: scissors vs. Adele: Spock  (winner: Adele)          Spock smashes scissors LeBron: scissors vs. Adele: paper   (winner: LeBron)        scissors cuts paper LeBron: scissors vs. Adele: paper   (winner: LeBron)        scissors cuts paper LeBron: paper vs. Adele: scissors   (winner Adele)            scissors cuts paper LeBron: rock   vs. Adele: scissors   (winner: LeBron)        rock crushes scissors LeBron: lizard vs. Adele: scissors   (winner Adele)            scissors decapitates lizard LeBron: Spock vs. Adele: scissors  (winner LeBron)         Spock smashes scissors        

April 20, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Community College golf team powered through challenging weather conditions to post a dramatic 55-stroke win over six rivals in an event on home turf. The Raiders won their own invitational Monday with a score of 307 on a windy, cold and wet Egypt Valley Country Club course. "This win was impressive because the margin of victory was 55 strokes," Coach John Forton said . "I would say that is a record." Tyler Hausserman was the leader with a 74-stroke game. Logan Templeton shot a 76, with Dominic Luciani following with a 78, Arie Jackman with 79, Matt Denhartigh with 82, and Davis Courtright with 84. The team has won all three of its events this season. The team is back in action on Friday at the Jackson College Invite at Ella Sharp Golf Course in Jackson. 

April 19, 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. We’re sharing some of those stories, and want to hear yours! Edwin Collazo has returned, in a way, to his GRCC roots. When he was a freshman, he lived in the Belknap Lookout area, and now it’s the location for his City Built Brewing Co. “I enjoyed GRCC because it was close to home,” he said. “It allowed me an opportunity to start my college journey in an environment that was nurturing. It was a great place to learn lessons about life and how to pick yourself up if you fall.” Collazo, who attended GRCC from 1992 to 1995, has added -- and shared -- his knowledge and experiences through many careers.  He received a bachelor’s degree in education and child development from Cornerstone University and taught for five years in alternative education before returning to Michigan to teach in the Deerfield Correctional Center in Ionia. He then worked as a manufacturers rep for James Hardie Building Products before moving to a career in financial services. But after seven years as a financial advisor, Collazo was feeling dissatisfied. “A mentor encouraged me to write a mission statement that touched on the idea that I was created to be better, do better and make an impact,” he said. “I was encouraged by a different mentor to find my passion, and in that, I decided to create City Built as a place to effect a culture of service by developing people while serving our community.” The years of planning and learning he spent are paying off for City Built, 820 Monroe Ave. NW: In March, USA Today named it the best beer label in the nation, and the newspaper’s readers voted it the third-best brew pub.   Collazo says his GRCC roots are part of his current success. “I learned many lessons while at GRCC,” he said. “It allowed me to move through a core group of classes that helped prepare me for my next learning environment. I met an eclectic group of people from a variety of backgrounds, which paved the road for an appreciation of different cultures -- appreciation that has blossomed in what is now a part of our business mission: to connect people to our culture. It is why we say City Built is ‘where cultures collide.’” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply . And tell us your story here: grcc.edu/communications/shareyourgrccstory  

April 17, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College golf team notched its second win of the season with an 18-stroke win over Muskegon Community College on Thursday. The weather was windy, cold and wet, but Coach John Forton said the Raiders were up to the challenge. Arie Jackman and Dominic Luciani led the way with 77, Davis Courtright and Tyler Hausserman each shot 79, Logan Templeton shot 82 and Matt Denhartigh finished with 85 The Raider Invitational is Monday, April 19 at Egypt Valley Country Club, starting at 10 a.m. The team is now 2-0 to start the season after winning the Ancilla College Invitational on April 9. The GRCC softball team had a tough day. The team lost 15-1,18-2 and 17-1 to Muskegon Community College at home at Belknap Park. The day included a doubleheader and the completion of a rain-shortened game from April 8.

April 16, 2021, COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team proved it could hang with the best teams in the country, losing two close games to nationally ranked Kellogg Community College. The teams took the field at Lake Michigan Credit Union Ballpark – home of the West Michigan Whitecaps. It was the first games played at the ballpark since 2019, and the first with the stadium’s new name. The event was a celebration of Community College Month, and included performances by GRCC Music students and recognition of alumni and student-athletes. The afternoon started with GRCC alum Dino Paganelli, an NFL Super Bowl referee and Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame member, throwing the ceremonial first pitch to his son Jake, the Raiders’ catcher. GRCC Music students Megan Meadows and Anastasia Fiorenzo performed the National Anthem at the baseball game. Music students Matthew Ghanasekharan, Christian Blanchard, Jalen Finn and Elijah Mikel greeted spectators and performed again between and after the games. The first game was pitchers duel, with GRCC’s Collin Bradley taking a shutout into the final inning. Kellogg, ranked No. 6 in the nation, scored three runs in the top of the seventh, winning 3-1. Jayden Dentler got the win for the Bruins, going seven innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out 10. Bradley took the hard-luck loss, allowing just three hits and three runs over seven innings, striking out 10 and walking none. Aaron West and Sam Schmitt had GRCC’s two hits, with Schmitt being the first player to score a run in the newly christened LMCU Ballpark. The Raiders fell behind 5-0 in the second game, but nearly came all the way back, eventually losing 6-5. GRCC scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on singles by Caleb Englesman and Payton Young. The Raiders added three runs in the sixth inning, led by singles by Ryan Dykstra and Englesman. Ashton Potts earned the win for Kellogg CC and Ryan Vought recorded the last four outs to earn the save. Drew Murphy took the loss for the Raiders. GRCC collected 10 hits, led by Dykstra, who went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Englesman drove in three runs on two hits. The Raiders are now 14-9 on the season, and are back in action on Tuesday, April 20 with a doubleheader against Davenport University’s JV team at Belknap Park. The GRCC softball team lost the first game of its doubleheader against Jackson College 15-0 in Jackson, but powered to a win in the nightcap, 9-8. Taylor Cross hit a home run to put the Raiders in the lead. Kate Stearns had a huge day at the plate and in the field and Mariah Redding pitched the team to victory.