Jan. 16, 2026 Not every student graduates high school with a five-year plan, and that’s OK. For many, the question “What’s next?” feels less like excitement and more like pressure. At Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), students don’t need all the answers on day one. Instead, they find flexibility, affordability and the space to discover what comes next. That was exactly what Jennifer Levandowski needed. A Grand Rapids native, Jennifer Levandowski wasn’t sure what she wanted to do after high school, but she knew she wanted options. GRCC offered a place to explore her interests while keeping future doors open. After one year at GRCC, Levandowski completed an associate degree in the pathway program with a health and exercise sciences concentration and transferred to Grand Valley State University (GVSU). There,  she earned a bachelor’s degree in public and nonprofit administration.  Her academic journey ultimately led to what she calls her dream job: events and corporate giving administrator at Van Andel Institute. While building her career, Levandowski is also pursuing a Master of Public Administration at GVSU. Levandowski had a helpful example close to home. Her older sister also began her college journey at GRCC before transferring to GVSU. Being seven years younger, she had more time to determine her own plans, but her sister’s experience remained influential. “When I finished high school, I was just looking at what options were available to me,” Levandowski said. “I had an idea of what it looked like since my sister went to GRCC and transferred to GVSU. I was already working, so the flexibility of online, hybrid and in-person classes was something I really needed. GRCC had great options, and it was affordable. I could work and pay for college myself. It felt like a great place to start.” Levandowski entered GRCC with a strong academic background, including Advanced Placement coursework and classes through Kent Career Technical Center. After meeting with an academic advisor, she discovered she already had enough credits to transfer after just one year at GRCC. “I didn’t really realize how many college credits I already had going into GRCC,” Levandowski said. “I met with an academic adviser, and they looked at my transcript. When they saw I had credits from KCTC along with AP classes from high school, they told me I could transfer at any time. I was really excited that I had enough credits to transfer early.” Once she set her transfer goals, Levandowski kept her coursework general, focusing on health- and science-related classes. She selected courses based on her interests, which allowed her to explore potential career paths while meeting transfer requirements. GRCC’s course offerings made it easy to stack classes efficiently and stay on track. “GRCC offers the opportunity for you to come in and earn enough credits to easily transfer while you’re still figuring out what you want to do,” Levandowski said. “You never feel locked in or stuck. You have space to figure things out while working toward your transfer. I was able to take classes in my general field and transfer into a bachelor’s program without any hiccups. It was the best decision I made to start with GRCC and transfer to GVSU.” Thanks to previously earned credits and a clear transfer pathway, Levandowski completed her undergraduate education in just three years. Today, she’s building a career she loves while continuing her education, something she says wouldn’t have been possible without starting at GRCC. “I really feel like I got the full college experience while also being able to afford it,” Levandowski said. “Education is so valuable, whether it’s for a career or just for yourself. I’m going to graduate school and I already have a position I love. It’s valuable to you. ” For Levandowski, the journey from certainty to confidence didn’t require having everything figured out from the start. Just the willingness to begin. With GRCC’s transfer programs, that kind of path is possible for students every day.  To start your own college career, visit grcc.edu to explore programs and learn how to take the first step toward your future.  This story was reported by Anjula Caldwell