Skip to main content
ToggleMenu

Anna Marshall

Anna Marshall currently serves as the Adjunct Professor of Applied Horn at Grand Rapids Community College. They are a native of Michigan and attended Western Michigan University for their undergraduate studies and completed their masters at the University of Iowa. Anna is currently pursuing their Doctorate in Horn Performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a cognate in Music Technology. Their primary horn teachers include Lin Foulk Baird, Jeff Agrell, Bernhard Scully, and James Naigus. Anna has previously held positions as the interim horn professor at SUNY Potsdam School of Music, as an adjunct horn professor at University of Illinois Springfield and Illinois Wesleyan University, and as a music instructor for the Music Shoppe in Champaign, IL. Anna began teaching private lessons in 2012 and has experience teaching courses and topics related to Horn Methodology, Creativity in Music, Classical Improvisation, Composition, and Music Technology. Anna is passionate about new music with a focus on electroacoustic music featuring horn. Notably, they commissioned Hear There by Ralph Lewis which premiered at the 2022 Radiophrenia festival. In that same year, Anna joined two electroacoustic music consortiums for composers, James Naigus and Jenni Watson. While a part of Illinois Modern Ensemble from 2018 to 2022, they premiered a number of new works including playing principal horn on Algunas metáforas que aluden al tormento by Carlos Carrillo with Sō Percussion. Anna is currently developing a website dedicated to works for horn and electronics that includes an ever growing catalog of works featuring horn and electronic accompaniment.

Bridges to College-Raider Ready Program Helps Students Start Strong

Sept. 12, 2025 Starting college can be intimidating. The Bridges to College-Raider Ready Program helps recent high school graduates planning to attend Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) get acquainted with college life. This free, nine-week summer program provides valuable insights before students officially begin their college career.  Getting a Head Start Bella Sampedro, a graduate from City High School in Grand Rapids, completed the program this summer.  “I heard about the Bridges program during orientation,” Sampedro said. “They mentioned we could get $500 on our RaiderCard and earn up to six credits. I hadn’t been in any college classes yet, so I might as well find out what this is all about.” Sampedro felt confident she was prepared for the next step, but she gained more than she expected.  “I was pretty confident I knew everything I needed to get started, but it sounded like a fun opportunity to get plugged in,” Sampedro said. “I was always on the GRCC website researching what I could, but the program helped broaden my horizons. It revealed just how many resources were really available to us. I’m so glad I was a part of this.” Inside the Classroom   This summer, students in the program took a math or theater class as well as a College Learning Studies course. The in-person classes give students a chance to gain experience in a college classroom setting.  “It felt like a shift from being in class during high school,” Sampedro said. “The teachers dove right into the content. It’s very self-motivated and feels like you get more autonomy in your learning. The CLS100 class taught us how to accommodate our learning styles in ways that would be beneficial to us. I am starting in the nursing program with the plan to transfer to the University of Michigan, so it felt good to get an idea of how to prepare myself for college learning before I officially get started.” Exploring Resources The program also introduces students to GRCC resources with presentations on how to apply for financial aid and scavenger hunts to explore campus.  “We had several presentations that were really helpful,” said Sampedro. “Bank of America came in to talk to us and we were able to speak with them directly to ask questions about our finances. The scavenger hunts helped us become familiar with all the campuses which helped me feel more comfortable. I found really neat places to study on campus. Plus, I still felt like I had my summer. The obligation is very reasonable and I was done early in the day. I know I keep saying this, but I learned just how many resources we have at our fingertips.” Sampedro’s journey in the Bridges to College program provided her with a stronger understanding of all GRCC has to offer. And, the program also helped her make new connections.  “I met this fantastic group of people,” she said. “We made a group chat and talked about hanging out throughout the year. The program helped me feel connected before even getting started.”   Students also had opportunities to take several field trips to Craig's Cruisers, the John Ball Zoo, Celebration Cinema downtown and Michigan’s Adventure. Other perks included free breakfast, lunches during the field trips and bus cards for transportation. Sampedro’s experience in the Bridges to College program gave her a stronger understanding of what GRCC has to offer as well as confidence for the transition ahead. Learn more about the Bridges to College-Raider Ready program This story was reported by Anjula Caldwell.  

September Provost Update

I hope that everyone is having a great start to the new fall season.  This is always a busy time on campus and now is no different.  Please read below for several updates and opportunities. World Suicide Prevention Day: September 10! In support of suicide prevention and awareness, our Center for Counseling and Well-Being is hosting tabling/drop-in events around campus for students to get information, make self-care bags, take a mental health screening, and connect with faculty counselors.  Please share this information with students – this is a great opportunity for learning and engagement, even for extra credit (if you choose).  Please see their  World Suicide Prevention Day for more information. Campus Safety September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month and the College is going to be providing emails and updates to promote awareness and understanding of safety and security protocols across campus.  Please stay tuned for these messages. Additionally, I want to draw your attention to the following: Our Campus Safety-Active Assailant Response Video has been updated. Please take a few moments to show this video in class: Active Assailant Response .  Please note that the video begins with an introduction in which GRCC alumni who transferred to Michigan State University reflect upon their time here on our campus and on the tragedy that occurred in 2023 at MSU. Please remember that College practice–for campus safety–is to close and lock classroom doors while classes are in session. For added security, all GRCC buildings lock at 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday.  Students, faculty, and staff can still enter using RaiderCards. Students and faculty who come to campus for class on Saturday will also need to use RaiderCards to enter the buildings.  For additional campus building hours, please visit the  Campus Building Hours webpage. GRCC Police Chief Rebecca Whitman and Victoria Janowiak, Executive Director for Operational Planning are hosting an Emergency Framework Overview professional development opportunity for new employees or anyone wanting a refresher.  The next session will be held on September 23rd from 1:00 - 2:30 pm in Sneden 108 with a HyFlex option to attend as well. Winter Opening and Learning Day: GRCC Annual Marketplace Planning for the 2026 Winter Opening and Learning Day is underway!  This year, we're excited to launch a GRCC Annual Marketplace. The marketplace will be held during breakfast, offering a unique opportunity to learn about and connect with departments and areas you may not regularly interact with. To be a part of the marketplace, please sign up on the  1st Annual Learning Day Marketplace form by October 31, 2025. Homecoming Week is Almost Here! Throughout the week of September 29th-October 3rd we will be celebrating Homecoming.  Highlights include athletic events, annual office decorating and chili cook-off contests, and much more!  See the full event schedule on the  Homecoming 2025 webpage and note the following spirit week days: Monday, September 29: Tie Dye Spirit Day Tuesday, September 30: Jersey Spirit Day Wednesday, October 1: GRCC Spirit Day Thursday, October 2: Character Spirit Day Friday, October 3: Dress to Impress Spirit Day Reminder: TLDE Catalog of Programs and Services Please remember to review the opportunities available throughout the year from Teaching, Learning, and Distance Education (TLDE).  TLDE's  catalog of offerings for the 2025-26 academic year continues to be available.  Highlights include: Professional development sessions TLDE can bring straight to your department Scheduled Canvas training and support throughout the semester The 2025-26 Faculty Showcase And much more!  Register for sessions at  TLDE's Learning Sessions page , contact TLDE to request a  departmental session , or visit  grcc.edu/TLDE for additional information. Canvas Appreciation Event: Save the Date As I shared at Opening Day, 14 teams of over 100 faculty and staff members supported the transition from Blackboard to Canvas.  The Instructional Support and Institutional Planning (ISIP) area is planning an appreciation event on October 10 to thank everyone for their excellent work and service to the campus in completing this transition.  More details will be shared from our Associate Provost of ISIP, Dr. Jennifer Batten, as plans are finalized. In closing, there are a lot of events happening on campus this month.  The  GRCC Events page has details about even more activities open to the public and for students, in addition to the Employee Events calendar, which is available via the  Stay in the Loop: Employee Events Calendar webpage.  I hope you’ll join me at a performance, game, or lecture soon.  I’m grateful for all of you for continuing to provide vibrant learning spaces for our students–inside and outside of the classroom–that create a welcoming and engaging community here at GRCC.  There is a great energy on campus and I know it matters to our students.  Now and always, I hope you find our campus to be a space for learning, reflection, and care for each other. Have a great rest of the week and talk to you soon, Sheila
Transfer