Jena Buttery had always planned on attending college. During her senior year in high school, Buttery mapped out her future alongside her friends. She researched programs for film and video production, applied to colleges and universities, got accepted, toured campuses and made plans to move away from home. She even received scholarships. But when it came time to commit to a program, Buttery hesitated. Something just didn’t feel right. “It was set in my head, but not in my heart,” she said. “I had worked for this my whole life, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want to move away from my family. And even with scholarships, college would be difficult to afford. I was paying for college on my own and my biggest worry was drowning in student loans.” Despite this change of plans, Buttery knew that college was in her future. She applied to GRCC and declared marketing as her major. And, thanks to GRCC Foundation scholarships, Buttery was able to continue her education without worrying about finances. “I was able to stay at home with my family, take classes at the Lakeshore Campus, and even try doing classes online,” Buttery said. “Receiving scholarships allowed me to feel confident and comfortable continuing my academic career.”  Despite being an introvert, Buttery was determined to make the most of her college experience. She was invited to join the GRCC Honors Program and attended the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Chicago. After sharing her interests and passions with Experiential Learning Director Michael Schavey, she was given the distinguished position as social media marketing intern. She also joined another academic-based group, Phi Theta Kappa, where she attended leadership conferences and served as the social media and communications officer.  “I learned that making strong and positive connections with others and getting involved in your community can boost your self-confidence and be the driving force for your success,” said Buttery. “You are not alone in this world, and you do not have to do it all alone. Confide in those around you, be with and engage with others, and you will succeed.” In March 2024, Buttery was named a 2024 New Century Workforce Scholar — the first national scholarship of its kind to support community college students entering the workforce after completing their degree or certificate.  Buttery graduated from GRCC in April with an associate degree in marketing. She plans to use her passion for storytelling to pursue a career in social and digital media marketing. “I began my GRCC journey thinking only about my education and opportunities for success,” said Buttery. “Now that I’ve graduated, I can confidently say I will never forget the connections I’ve made here. GRCC is an amazing school because we are a community. I have made life-changing friendships, gained real-world experiences that directly relate to my career path and learned leadership skills that will benefit me in all aspects of life.” This story was republished from GRCC's 2023-24 Foundation Annual Report.

Grand Rapids Community College is excited to announce the hiring of Mario Zuniga-Gil as the new head coach for the women’s soccer team. Zuniga-Gil takes over from Jason Hill, who led the program during its first two seasons before stepping down. Director of Athletics Lauren Ferullo expressed her enthusiasm for Zuniga-Gil's appointment, stating, "I am thrilled to welcome Mario to the GRCC family! His extensive soccer expertise, combined with his passion for the game make him an invaluable addition to our team. I am confident his leadership will elevate our women’s soccer program to new heights, both regionally and nationally." Zuniga-Gil brings a wealth of coaching experience from all levels of NCAA soccer. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach for Calvin University’s women’s soccer team, helping the Knights to an impressive 15-3-2 record, capturing the MIAA regular season and tournament titles, and advancing to the second-round of the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2024. Prior to his time at Calvin, Zuniga-Gil was an assistant coach at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where he helped the team secure back-to-back GLIAC regular season and tournament titles in 2022, a Midwest Regional Championship in 2023, and strong NCAA Division II Tournament runs, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2022 and an Elite 8 finish in 2023. Zuniga-Gil also served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan in 2021, where the Wolverines won the Big Ten Championship and advanced to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Division I Tournament. His coaching experience extends beyond the collegiate level, having worked with high school teams, club programs and university programs, where he earned a strong reputation for talent development and tactical expertise. Accepting the position at GRCC, Zuniga-Gil said, "I’m ecstatic to join GRCC and accept my first head coaching job at the collegiate level. GRCC is an amazing institution with a history of providing a great education to students of all backgrounds, and I couldn’t be more excited to become a part of it. I see a huge potential in our women’s soccer program thanks to the incredible location of the school in the city of Grand Rapids, and the vast amount of soccer talent that we have in our community. I can’t wait to get started and see how far we can get together!" Originally from Spain, Zuniga-Gil holds a UEFA 'A' license— the second-highest credential in European soccer— and was selected for the United Soccer Coaches "30 Under 30" program, which recognizes rising stars in the field. He earned a degree in translation and interpretation from the University of Granada (Spain) and a master's degree in recreation and sports sciences, with a concentration in soccer from Ohio University.  In addition to his coaching duties at GRCC, Zuniga-Gil will continue this work as the college recruiting coordinator and performance phase director at the Michigan Rangers Football Club. With Zuniga-Gil’s leadership, GRCC is poised to build on the foundation established in the program’s first two seasons. His diverse coaching background, international experience, and vision for the future mark an exciting new chapter for GRCC athletics. For those interested in joining next year's team, fill out a  questionnaire .