April 1, 2025 Monika Martinez is the first to admit she had a rocky start at Grand Rapids Community College. But she’s never given up. “I was a bit too confident my first year at college and took four classes including biology, which also had a lab,” said Martinez, 24. “I focused on biology because it was harder and then my grades went down in my other classes; I ended up having to retake some of them. It was tough, but I learned a lot from it — like I should only take two classes at a time.” Now Martinez is on track to graduate from GRCC this spring with an associate degree in  Nursing . One day she hopes to work in a neonatal intensive care unit. The Holland native worked hard to get to this point and had some great support along the way. No. 1 is the convenience of attending nearly all her classes at GRCC’s  Lakeshore Campus in Holland . The 52,000-square-foot satellite campus opened in 2021 providing programs and student services in one convenient, state-of-the-art location. It has nine classrooms, four computer labs and five unique labs for biology, chemistry, electronics, automation, welding and machine tooling, housing programs for students working toward an associate degree or a career-focused certificate. Many West Michigan students have found the Holland satellite a time-saving alternative to attending classes at GRCC’s main campus in downtown Grand Rapids. “Transportation has sometimes been an issue for me, so I’m so glad I live just five minutes away from the Lakeshore Campus,” Martinez said. Her academic journey had its share of twists and turns. After a rough freshman year, Martinez was placed on academic probation. She took a year off school to regroup before returning to the Lakeshore Campus with a smaller class load and a new determination to complete her degree. Martinez is the first person in her family to attend college in the United States. While her parents are always supportive, they were unable to help her navigate the world of academia. She found the allies she needed among GRCC’s  academic advising and support staff. “My academic advisor knows how badly I felt like a failure after my first year. She was my No. 1 supporter, though, pushing me and guiding me to get back on track,” Martinez said. Martinez also worked with a success coach in the  College Success Center . Coaches walk alongside students as they navigate their college journey. For some, this includes helping students establish a time management routine, enhance their study skills, or communicate with their professors. Other times it’s being a good listener and a source of encouragement. “My success coach helped me weave through the obstacles I had in my life. But she was never judgmental and always knew I was in a safe space to talk with her,” she said. With each new term, Martinez worries she’ll again struggle with classes.  Nevertheless, she persists. “New classes are still a little bit scary for me,” she said. “But every semester, I feel more accomplished and just keep pushing through.” This story was reported by Beth McKenna.

March 28, 2025 Occupational therapists need tangible knowledge in order to do their work. But the best ones also possess the intangible quality of empathy. September Foisy has this in spades. “September is graduating from the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program with significant skills that will help her be successful,” said Robin Pegg, Assistant Professor/Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the program. “September has a seemingly endless ability to feel with or for people. She has an inherent vein of kindness.” That degree of empathy is hard to teach. However, the second significant skill that will contribute to September’s success is her growth mindset. That is something both she and her professors agree she has developed during her time at GRCC. “When September first started our program, she was very focused on getting all the points on each assignment,” Pegg said. “I told her that if she focused on the learning, the points would take care of themselves. Of her own volition, September read “ Mindset: The New Psychology of Success ” by Carol Dweck. She sent us faculty members an email afterwards, sharing her self-reflection and saying it transformed her life. My heart exploded with pride as I watched this young lady embrace her potential.” September is quick to credit her professors for helping her acquire this skill. “Obviously, I learned a lot about occupational therapy,” Foisy said. “But probably the most important thing I am walking away with is a growth mindset. My professors kept reminding me that I was learning, and that it was okay to make mistakes. That’s important in all of life, but especially in a complex career like occupational therapy.” Many people in the occupational therapy profession want to work with kids. September brings a different perspective to her work. “I want to work with people of all ages who have development disabilities,” Foisy said. “My cousin has Down Syndrome. My youngest sister has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. They have both benefited so much from therapy. I want to give back so that other people receive the way they did. I want all people to know that they matter.” September pursued learning with vigor but she also made time to give back to her community through the Student Occupational Therapy Association at GRCC. Accredited OTA colleges are required to have a chapter of this association, which is organized under the umbrella of the American Occupational Therapy Association . However, Robin is quick to point out that the GRCC chapter is much more than a rubber stamp presence. “This is an active group,” Pegg said. “They do at least one community service project every semester. They’ve done sock drives, Alzheimer’s Walks, an intensive feeding clinic with Mary Free Bed and many other projects. September served as secretary and participated in so many of these events. She embodies the spirit of responsibility to the profession.” Her innate qualities, her learned skills and her commitment to the community earned September the 2025 OTA Student Scholarship Award from the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association . She is the most recent in a line of amazing GRCC students who have won the award every year since its inception in 2022. “Applicants for this scholarship are screened by a committee,” Pegg said. “They are looking for well-rounded students who have high academic standards but also a community focus. They want to reward people who demonstrate personal altruism. I am not at all surprised that September won this award. She embodies all of those characteristics.” So what is next for September? She is graduating as an OTA, which means that she will work directly with patients under the supervision of an occupational therapist. (Learn more about the work of an OTA in this December 2, 2024 article .) “I’m going to work as an assistant for a year or two, and then decide if I want to continue with my schooling,” Foisy said. “It’s fun to do field work and I want some hands-on experience.” Learn more about the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at GRCC . Article reported by Julie Hordyke.