A School News Network feature:  The talents of Grand Rapids Community College music students will flow harmoniously again this year, continuing a long-standing tradition — just in virtual form.  ‘Musical Moods,’ the Music Department’s annual collage concert, brings together GRCC’s 250 student musicians as a way to showcase the program to the community. “We attempt to present a cross section of all our different ensembles and we also feature student soloists and small ensembles,” said Kevin Dobreff, GRCC Music Department program director. The  concert flows from one performance to the next. “We try to do it seamlessly, without any breaks,” Dobreff said. “You go from one thing to another by using staging and lighting.” ‘Musical Moods’ was started 73 years ago by Albert P. Smith, founder of the music department, at then Grand Rapids Junior College. The GRCC music building was renamed as the Albert P. Smith Music Center in 2016.  The  performance debuts  at 7 p.m. Friday, March 26. While there is no cost for tickets, a contribution of any amount is encouraged.  “Our faculty here in the Music Department have really risen so highly to the challenge of working and creating art in spite of the restrictions that are placed upon us by COVID-19. It is just so inspiring, to me, to watch these people work with our students and to see how much creativity has come out of this situation,” Dobreff said. “It is awe-inspiring. We have some very fine faculty and our students are amazing.” He added, “If Smitty were still alive, I think he would be very proud.” Smith was a graduate of University of Michigan, which performed a similar concert, Dobreff said. “He brought that concert over to the junior college and we’ve been doing it ever since.” Generating Interest in High School Students The concert is a recruiting opportunity for future students and is normally performed in high school auditoriums in Kent County. It was performed at East Grand Rapids High School last year, prior to the pandemic. This year, GRCC faculty has been connecting with high school music directors to make students aware of how to watch, and see the quality of the instruction and students at GRCC.  The concert will include submissions by the wind, jazz, saxophone, guitar and vocal jazz ensembles; the orchestra and various choirs; plus student soloists and small ensembles. Soloists are selected by audition.  The GRCC Media Services Department has compiled the performances, which will be archived for people to view anytime on the website. The pandemic has created challenges, but GRCC Music faculty members have found innovative and creative ways to continue providing quality instruction. Professor Jed Scott works with the Shades of Blue ensemble, and has created performances by recording students individually and editing them together.   Recorded earlier this year, “Love Walked In” was among the ensemble’s most challenging recordings. Students were provided a keyboard demonstration lined up to a video of Scott conducting. Students followed a video of a classmate singing, listening on headphones while singing their parts into their cell phone microphones. The Media Technologies team then added visuals to bring this performance to life. Scott discovered the transition allowed some students to participate from far away. One Shades of Blue member, a professional touring guitarist, started the semester in the Ukraine and is now in New York.     You can watch "Love Walked In" here .   The title of the concert, ‘Musical Moods,’ is apropos. “Students and faculty alike have learned to cherish the small amounts of time we’ve had face to face. When you can make music together, it’s such a joyous experience for us,” Dobreff said, Music has a powerful impact on people, he noted: “People who make music together cannot be enemies. Our students and faculty have become very aware of how important music making is in this time.” This story was reported by Erin Albanese of the School News Network .    

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. Stephan "Stevie" Paul, had an associate degree but was having trouble obtaining a job due to his lack of real-world, hands-on experience.   “At this point I needed to seek an education that would give me experience. I researched and toured several educational centers that offer hands-on training. All were well out of my price range as I am the sole income provider for my family. My wife provides care for our son and we have twin daughters who have major health issues. While on the GRCC website I found exactly what I was looking for.” Paul is now graduate of the Computer Support Technician Job Training Program. “I feel very blessed that I was able to participate in this program for it changed my life. The class truly was one of the best experiences of my life.” Paul is currently a systems administrator at Flat River Group, which has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in both 2016 and 2017.  “Not only was this program exactly what I was looking for, but it was more than I expected,” he said. “I realized I had neglected all that goes into ‘job training.’  Paul said instructor Moss Ingram covers how to find out about emerging technologies.  Ingram also focuses on employability skills and conducts a resume workshop aimed at IT careers. The Computer Support Technician Job Training Program prepares students to achieve two certifications: the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and the CompTIA A+ Certification. Both of these IT certifications are globally recognized and represent skills sought after by a wide array of employers. Unlike many training programs that meet the needs of a specific market, any and all employers who use computer technology require computer support, whether the IT support is provided by a full-time employee or by a contracted managed services company. This program is designed to address computer support from four perspectives: technical, professionalism and employability, business innovation, and design. From a technical perspective, this program focuses on the four fundamentals of IT: hardware, software, networking, and security. Students gain experience with both the Windows operating system, as well as Linux, along with setting up and accessing virtual machines and cloud computing services. Many troubleshooting strategies are taught to prepare students for the myriad problems they will encounter and how to provide the most efficient and effective solutions. This program also prepares students with the employability skills and the professionalism required to work in IT. Students regularly meet local IT technicians, engineers, business owners, and recruiters via Zoom to learn from their experiences and current market expectations. The topic of design is integrated throughout the program in order to best prepare students to satisfy the increasing and ever-changing demands and expectations of today’s IT users. GRCC has an unmatched reputation among employers for supplying West Michigan with work-ready technicians. 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. “When I was offered an entry level position at Flat River Group, I had reservations, so I consulted Moss,” Paul said. “He gave me the confidence to go for it! My training at GRCC gave me the skills to learn and grow with the company well beyond the IT helpdesk role that I first accepted. “The Computer Support Technician Job-Training program is by far the best education I have ever had. It has changed my career and life is immeasurable.  I spent 15 years trying to get there by myself and failed.  Six months in this program gave me my entry into the market and the ability to far exceed that entry point.” 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 .

March 23, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College’s women’s basketball team bounced back from a tough loss on Saturday to soundly beat Alpena Community College on Tuesday, while the men’s team lost a second heartbreaker. The GRCC volleyball team also fell short, on a night when four of the college’s teams were in action. The baseball team swept a doubleheader against Aquinas College’s junior varsity team, while the softball team split a twin bill against Glen Oaks . A missed shot at the buzzer prevented the women’s basketball team from upsetting powerhouse Macomb Community College during the weekend. The team returned to its winning ways, nearly doubling up Alpena, 79-30 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse. Jayla Bibbs – the fourth-best rebounder in the nation – pulled down 14 while scoring 11 points. Four other players were in double figures. Shonyah Hawkins and Olivia Koetje had 14 points each, Danielle Lamancusa had 12 points, and Erin Kruithoff had 10 points coming off the bench. The women are now 8-2 on the season, and are back in action on Friday on the road against Mid Michigan in Mt. Pleasant. The men’s basketball team lost its second close game in a row, falling to Alpena 72-69. The team’s record drops to 4-6 on the season. The volleyball team lost to a tough opponent. Muskegon Community College continued its undefeated streak, though it needed five sets to beat the Raiders. Grand Rapids won the first set 25-23, lost the second 26-24, and won the third 25-14. But the Jayhawks took the next two, 25-23 and 15-11 to claim the night. Gabi Kitley and Kylie Oberlinled the team in kills with 18, with Annie Holesinger right behind at 15. Kailey Carmean had 57 assists and Audrey Gower had 23 digs. The Raiders drop to 7-4 on the season – with three of the four losses coming at the hands of Muskegon, which is 13-0. The team wraps up its regular season at home on Friday against Lake Michigan College.

March 23, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The GRCC baseball team swept a doubleheader against Aquinas College, continuing a string of dominating performances. The softball team showed some power of its own, snapping a four-game losing streak with a win in the first game of its twin bill against Glen Oaks Community College at Belknap Park. The baseball team was shutout in its first game of the season, and has since scored 52 runs while giving up just seven, improving the season record to 4-1. GRCC scored six runs in the third inning on its way to a 9-2 victory over the Aquinas junior varsity squad in the first game. The rally was led by a triple by Caleb Englesman, a single by Matt Williams, a sacrifice fly by Max Varon, and a double by Fernando Calderon. Keegan Spomer earned the win, going two innings and allowing no runs on one hit, striking out three and walking none. Bradley Dunn, Dalton Vander Ark, and Sam Schmitt all put in work in relief out of the bullpen, steering their team towards the victory. Drew Murphy started the game and pitched two innings, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out three and walking none.   GRCC totaled eight hits. Ryan Dykstra and Englesman each had multiple hits. The Raiders tore up the base paths, as two players stole at least two bases. In the second game, GRCC scored nine runs in the fifth inning on its way to a 15-2 victory. The Raiders’ big inning was driven by singles by Jake Ryan, Ryan Dykstra, and Payton Young, walks by Camden Keatley and Fernando Calderon, a triple by Jake Paganelli, and a groundout by Sam Schmitt. Caden Van De Burg was credited with the victory. The righty went two innings, allowing no runs on two hits, striking out two and walking zero. Jerad Berkenpas and Blake Waibel entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief. Englesman started the game for the Raiders, pitching two innings, allowing one hit and no runs while walking none. GRCC racked up 12 hits in the game. Ryan, Aaron West, and Young all managed multiple hits for Grand Rapids Community College. West and Ryan all had three hits each. On the nearby softball diamond, the Raiders shutout Glen Oaks 4-0 to notch the first win of the season. Mariah Redding had a big day, hitting her second home run of the young season, with pitcher Alexa Abrahamson scattering eight hits and striking out three without surrendering a walk to earn the win. Alexis Nguyen had two hits in two at-bats, with two runs batted in and two stolen bases. Brooklynne Siewertsen had a run batted in and made a great catch in the top of the seventh inning. The Raiders settled for a split, dropping the nightcap to the Vikings, 6-4. GRCC was up 4-2 heading into the sixth inning, but Glen Oaks connected to score four runs to climb ahead. Krin Beach had two hits in three at-bats. The team is next in action on Friday, with a doubleheader against Mid Michigan.  

March 23, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College’s Phyllis Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Laboratory has again received recognition as one of the top programs in the nation. The National Association for the Education of Young Children recently renewed the program’s accreditation -- a recognition that less than 10% of all child-care centers, preschools and kindergartens achieve. The process for NAEYC accreditation is rigorous and includes intensive studies and on-site visits. “NAEYC-accredited programs bring our definitions of excellence for early childhood education to life each day,” said Kristen Johnson, the association’s senior director of Early Learning Program Accreditation. The laboratory preschool, which serves children ages 6 weeks to 6 years, is the heart of GRCC’s Child Development and Education Department. It provides GRCC students with opportunities to work with children under the guidance of instructors in a model early childhood program. Located at 210 Lyon St. NE, it was the first in West Michigan to have a State 5-Star Quality Rating. “We are proud to share that, despite a global pandemic, the Early Childhood Learning Laboratory is able to consistently provide a high-quality learning experience for young children,” said Rebecca Brinks, department head. “Our program also allows future teachers to interact with highly qualified mentors while observing and participating in the delivery of effect curriculum for young children.”

March 22, 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! Many people told Sara Knoester she was doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. But she was willing to navigate obstacles to achieve her dream: Mixed Staffing and Recruiting, a staffing agency focused on helping women and minorities find employment. Knoester was raised by a single mom and an absent father who died when she was 17. She started helping her father in second grade, balancing his checkbook, printing invoices and doing other tasks to help the business he owned. This fueled her dreams of entrepreneurship, but her ambitions didn’t match her high school achievements: a 2.5 GPA and a record-setting 23 detentions her freshman year. “Needless to say, I wasn’t predicted to succeed,” she said. “But what many people might not have known was that I knew in my heart that I was going to be different. I knew in my heart that God had something bigger planned for me -- even if others couldn’t see it on the outside.” After graduating from Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School in 2006, she started at GRCC.   “All my friends, they were going to universities; they were playing college sports; they were living in the dorms,” she said. “Me -- I lived up the street on Lyon with my mom. I was working full time, paying my own tuition and really struggling mentally and academically.” Knoester couldn’t understand why school seemed so easy for her friends, but so hard for her. She decided to get tested for learning disabilities and was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention-deficit disorder. “I remember feeling pretty discouraged and saying, ‘OK, I can quit or I can learn and I can grow,’” she said. “I decided I needed to figure out how I was going to excel in the classroom.” She learned ways to adapt and was able to raise her GPA from a 2.5 to a 4.0. After receiving her associate degree in 2008, she enrolled at Grand Valley State University. She graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in creative marketing.  Frustrated with her failure to find a job -- even with her degrees -- she decided to move with two friends to Chicago. Knoester and her roommate decided to create a business to help women and minorities find employment. She terminated her Chicago lease, quit her job and prepared to start Mixed Staffing in 2012.  “People are always going to tell you why you can’t do something, and you have to be strong-minded enough to know that you can,” she said. “You have to believe in what you do and why you do it.” Her belief in herself has carried her through failed attempts to “cold call” clients, 12-hour work days, no salary from the business for three years, and seven hospitalizations. “Since starting the business, I’ve had at least one major setback each year,” Knoester said. “And each one has been a pretty significant punch to the gut. You either hunch over and give up, or you keep your head up and get ready to embrace the next challenge.” Mixed Staffing now employs more than 1,500 and has 30 plus clients, generating over $1 million dollars in revenue annually. Knoester has been recognized as one of the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” and one of the “Top 50 Companies to Watch in Michigan.” “Yes, I graduated from a four-year university, but Grand Rapids Community College -- that’s like my heart,” Knoester said. “It’s also a stepping stone for everything I’ve accomplished, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities given to me there.” 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    

March 20, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – So close. Both Grand Rapids Community College basketball teams suffered heartbreaking losses against Macomb Community College on Saturday, each missing final shots at the buzzer. The softball team also fell short, dropping a pair of games against Jackson College at Belknap Park. The women’s basketball team snapped a seven-game winning stream with a 58-56 loss to Macomb, a tough team that arrived at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse undefeated. The Monarchs have won 40 straight games, and are ranked No. 6 in the nation. The Raiders fall to 7-2. The Raiders’ Jayla Bibbs is the fourth-most rebounds in the country. The sophomore from Buchanan had another strong game with eight points and 20 boards. Sophomore Shonyah Hawkins of Grand Rapids continues to shine, with 20 points. The men’s team fell behind and caught the Monarchs several times before falling just shy at the end, losing 79-76. Isaac Anderson, a sophomore from Fort Wayne, Ind., continues to lead the team, on Saturday scoring 27 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. Azyah Brown, a freshman from Allentown, Penn., had 14 points and 11 boards. Chandler Collins, a sophomore from Hudsonville, and Darien Banks, a sophomore from Southfield, each scored 10 points. The Macomb men are now 2-8 on the season, and Grand Rapids falls to 4-5. The Raiders next play Alpena Community College on Tuesday at home. The softball team is off to a tough start after dropping back-to-back doubleheaders. The Raiders pulled ahead of Jackson in the second inning of the first game when Marlo Abbey drove in two runs with a double. But the Jets pulled ahead in the third inning and never looked back, winning 15-5. Alexa Abrahamson, a sophomore from Wyoming, took the loss for the Raiders, pitching seven innings and allowing 14 hits and 14 runs while striking out five and walking one. Grand Rapids collected nine hits. Mariah Ridding, Kate Stearns, a sophomore from Sparta; and Abbey, a freshman from Kentwood, all collected multiple hits. The Jets took the nightcap 15-7, with Jackson scoring seven runs in the fourth inning. Ridding, a freshman from Levering, took the loss for the Raiders, allowing 17 hits and 15 runs while striking out three over five innings. The Raiders had 10. Haley VanHuis, a freshman from Grandville, went three-for-four at the plate. Brooklynne Siewertsen also had multiple hits. Grand Rapids hosts Glen Oaks Community College in a Tuesday doubleheader.   

March 19, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team earned two wins against Ancilla College on Friday, winning both ends of the twin bill in straight sets. The GRCC softball team struggled in its first games of the season, losing both games of a doubleheader against Lansing Community College at Belknap Park. Playing at home in the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse, the volleyball team won the first match 25-14, 25-12, and 25-12, with sophomore Kylie Oberlin, from Fruitport, leading with 10 kills and 21 assists. Freshman Kara Hecht from Zeeland had nine kills and 22 assists. The team continued to roll in the second match, winning 25-23, 25-8, and 25-17. Sophomore Gabi Kitley from Grand Ledge had 16 kills and 22 assists, sophomore Annie Holesinger from Rockford had eight kills and 15 assists and Hecht had 5 kills and 22 assists. Sophomore Kailey Carmean from Fruitport recorded her 600th career assist and 200th career dig.  The volleyball team has won four games in a row and is now 7-3 on the season. The Raiders head to Muskegon Community College on Tuesday.  The softball team squared off against a tough opponent for its first games. Lansing already played seven games, and had won six of them. The Raiders were unable to get their offense started, losing the first game 7-0, and the second game 8-0 in five innings. The team will look to rebound quickly, with a Saturday doubleheader against Jackson College. The Jets are 4-3 on the season.

March 19, 2020 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Community College students account for nearly half of Michigan’s 2021 semifinalists for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s highly competitive undergraduate transfer scholarship. The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship provides recipients up to $40,000 annually for up to three years, comprehensive educational advising, and the chance to connect with their fellow Cooke Scholars. It is among the largest private awards in the nation for students transferring from a community college. The foundation announced 406 semifinalists late last month, selected from more than 1,500 applications that represent 398 community colleges.  Michigan had 15 students reach the semifinalist level, including six from GRCC: Cayden Beardslee. Destiny Carrera. Nicholas Cetlinski. Gideon Kortenhoven. Deidre Mitchell. Paulo Zepeda. “I am extremely proud to not just see GRCC students named semifinalists, but to see so many achieve this honor during a very challenging time for them and for our community,” GRCC President Bill Pink. “This is also a reflection of the faculty and staff who were determined to help students be successful, overcoming the obstacles all of us faced.”  Beardslee was recently accepted to the University of Michigan and plans to study business law. He credits GRCC with helping him develop confidence and leadership skills. “I always envisioned myself just going to a big university after high school,” he said. “I never expected I would ultimately choose a community college first. Unequivocally, this was the best decision I have ever made.” Carrera has applied to both Grand Valley State and Michigan State universities with plans to become a physician’s assistant. “GRCC has helped me better prepare myself for new challenges,” she said, adding that she found the tutors and academic advisors especially helpful. The foundation will announce the recipients in April. GRCC student Daniel Gebrezgiabhier received the scholarship in 2015. He is now pursuing a doctorate in biomedical engineering at the University of California-Berkley. “The research is clear: Our community colleges are full of talented students with a diversity of experiences that contribute to their educational journey,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We see this in our applicant pool every year and are excited to recognize this group of semifinalists for their academic achievements.  “We are especially impressed with the incredible perseverance and drive these students have exhibited during such an unprecedented year.” Grand Rapids Community College offers learners of all ages opportunities to gain credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills leading to rewarding careers. GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college -- and offers affordable classes on weekdays, evenings, Saturdays and online at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.  

March 19, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The GRCC Communications Team was honored by a national college communications and marketing organization for a campaign encouraging students considering taking a gap year due to the pandemic to instead take classes at GRCC. The “Fill the Gap” campaign earned first place in the Paragon Awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations in the Successful Recruitment or Marketing Program category. The awards were presented during a virtual ceremony on Wednesday. The campaign included a series of 20 social media posts running in May and June, supported by information on the GRCC website.  “Your objectives are spot-on,” judges wrote. “Great idea to try to combat the gap year and communicate the affordability factor. Awesome diversity representation.” The campaign featured portraits of GRCC students, considered reasons why a student would contemplate a gap year, and countered every one with an example of why a community college would be a better option for them. It shared the educational and financial benefits of gaining transferrable credits at GRCC rather than taking a year off. The Paragons are a national award. GRCC in October earned eight regional awards from NCMPR’s District 3, which includes community, technical and junior colleges in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and the Canadian province of Ontario. The district awards included a Gold Medallion for the GRCC Foundation’s 2018-2019 Annual Report, which focused on telling the stories of GRCC’s best ambassadors – its students, alumni and community members – and sharing how scholarships can lower financial obstacles and help many students gain a life-changing education. Grand Rapids Community College offers learners of all ages opportunities to gain credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills leading to rewarding careers. GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college -- and offers affordable classes on weekdays, evenings, Saturdays and online at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.