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GRCC Student’s Artwork Brings Ancient Mastodon to Life at Public Museum

Grand Rapids Community College student Paul Kuchnicki is continuing to make his mark in the world of fossils and paleontology — this time right here in West Michigan. Kuchnicki, a geology student with a lifelong fascination for prehistoric life, created the illustrations for the new mastodon exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The exhibit, The Clapp Family Mastodon , features the skeleton of a 13,000-year-old mastodon discovered in Kent County and now preserved for the community to explore. “It wasn’t just about making art, but also getting to know the animal and the environment in which it lived,” Kuchnicki told MLive. “It has given me a deeper connection to the state of Michigan and how beautiful and prolific this state is.” This project builds on Paul’s growing reputation for blending science and creativity. Earlier this summer, in GRCC Student Answers the Call for Fossil Preservation , we shared how he traveled to Utah with GRCC adjunct professor John VanRegenmorter for his first-ever fossil dig. That experience deepened his commitment to paleontology and paleoart, where scientifically accurate illustrations help us understand the past. Paul’s work is now on display for the entire region to enjoy, standing alongside a full 3-D-printed replica of the mastodon, fossils unearthed during the dig, and renderings of ancient Michigan’s landscape. The mastodon exhibit is open now in the museum’s atrium, and a new tyrannosaurus exhibit will open on Oct. 11. Read the full MLive story here: “It’s so beautiful”: Skeleton of 13,000-year-old mastodon unveiled at Public Museum

Nominate an Achieving the Dream - DREAM Scholar Today!

DREAM Scholars are students "who demonstrate leadership, ambition, resilience, service, and strong academic achievement." DREAM Scholars are also involved at GRCC and make an impact on their local community.  Do you have a student who comes to mind? Please nominate them using our new internal nomination process by filling out the  DREAM Scholar GRCC Nomination form!  Questions? Please contact Amanda Kruzona, Jason Vinson or Kaelee Steffens

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.

Ocrea Collier Above and Beyond Award Recipient for September 2025

  Ocrea Collier, student resource coordinator, was nominated by Lakisha Beck, Student Records registrar, for September’s Academic and Student Affairs Council’s Above and Beyond Award.  Lakisha shared that “Ocrea is our Student Resource Coordinator who works with students to ensure that they are receiving resources on and off campus. Ocrea has helped to transform the food pantry and offer a wide variety of food to students on campus. Sometimes you will see her walking around campus with a wagon of snacks delivering them to different areas. You may even see her lifting heavy boxes from the food being delivered from Feeding America. She has even helped to transform the clothes shop, now called From One to Another Thrift Shop. The thrift shop allows students to come in and get gently used shoes, clothes, household items, etc., for themselves or their children, if in need. She also donates her time to the garden club Staying RootED, educating students on self-sustainability and the importance of growing their own food with the hopes of one day helping the club to supply the food they grow for the pantry to feed our students in need. Ocrea has really come in and hit the ground running with a goal of growing both the food pantry and thrift shop for the betterment of our students. Both of the areas look amazing and Ocrea has done a wonderful job. Keep up the awesome work!

Save the Date for a Town Hall on Sept. 25: Updated Viewing Option

September 25 1-2 p.m. ATC Auditorium This is a great opportunity to hear from President Triezenberg and other college leaders as they share updates and insights on topics important to our campus community. We understand schedules can be tricky, so if you're unable to attend in person, a virtual option is available at  Employee Town Hall 9-25-25 Also,  if you work at the Lakeshore, you can gather with your colleagues and watch it in room 102!

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.  
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