Oct. 14, 2025 Many students come to Grand Rapids Community College with a specific goal in mind. But that’s not everyone. A large number of students arrive unsure which career might fit their skills. For GRCC alumnus Erick Hernandez, that willingness to explore led to a career he loves. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do after high school,” Hernandez said. “My parents did not finish high school and they wanted a different path for me. I knew that a degree would open more doors, but I didn’t know which doors sounded interesting.” Erick chose GRCC because it was an affordable choice and his credits would transfer to a four-year university. He started with general education courses as a stepping stone to whatever might come next. And then he discovered Introduction to Exercise Science. “I like to exercise and I thought medicine was cool,” he said. “So I took this class with Professor Laura Kennett, and suddenly the light bulb in my brain clicked on. I talked to her, and she encouraged me to start exploring careers in this field.” While browsing the options, Erick came across physical therapy and thought it sounded interesting. He went on a job shadow and suddenly found his focus. “I loved physical therapy, but I still faced some big hurdles,” Hernandez said. “Getting into a physical therapy program is not easy. Until you’re actually in, you’re not sure it’s going to happen. The day I got the email saying I had been accepted at my first choice school, I immediately called my parents. My mom was crying, and my dad couldn’t believe it happened. They were really proud of me.” A few years later, Erick holds a doctorate in physical therapy and practices at a worker’s compensation clinic, where he primarily helps people recover from on-the-job injuries. The good news is that Erick loves physical therapy as much today as when he first started. “I enjoy the process of problem solving to help my patients,” Hernandez said. “The feeling of making a positive difference in someone’s life is why I fell in love with the field and why I love it so much now. When I was a physical therapy technician, I was executing another person’s plan. Now that I’m the one managing the journey, it’s even more exciting. Learning to think critically and communicate well are important parts of the role.” Erick finds the work both challenging and rewarding, and he is already looking ahead. “My plan is to work toward a specialist certification in orthopedic surgery in the next five years, where I would focus on post-surgical recovery and musculoskeletal impairments,” Hernandez said. Learn about GRCC’s exercise science program .   

Oct. 8, 2025 Grand Rapids Community College’s GRCC Players will take audiences from Transylvania to a movie set in the desert this academic year, with three productions that mix high-energy comedy, contemporary romance and sharp, timely satire. “This season gives our students and audiences a little bit of everything: slapstick comedy, raw emotional honesty and biting social commentary,” said Tom Kaechele, program director of Spectrum Theater. “It’s a chance to laugh, to reflect and to see our students tackle plays that stretch their skills in exciting ways.” Audiences can experience that variety through three productions scheduled across the academic year: Fall 2025 Main Stage: “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” Nov. 6–8, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. | Spectrum Theater By Gordon Greenberg and Steven Rosen What happens when Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire story collides with the spirit of Mel Brooks, Monty Python and "The 39 Steps?" A lightning-fast, laugh-out-loud, 90-minute, gender-bending romp. When Mina falls ill with a mysterious blood disease, Lucy Westfeldt and her fiancé, Jonathan Harker, recruit famed vampire hunter Dr. Jean Van Helsing for a clever, quick-change chase after the dangerously charming Count Dracula. Winter 2026 Lab Theater: “Orion” Jan. 22–24, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. | Spectrum Theater, Lab Theater (Room 201) By Matthew McLachlan After Sam and Gwen’s breakup, friends Scott and Abby help Sam navigate what comes next—while part of Gwen may not be ready to let go. Honest, charming and funny, Orion looks at the relationships that shape us at the start of adult life and the loves that end but never quite leave. Limited seating available each performance. Winter/Spring 2026 Main Stage: “CONTINUITY” April 9–11, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. | Spectrum Theater By Bess Wohl It’s magic hour in the New Mexico desert, and a film crew is racing the sunset to shoot an “artsy blockbuster” set on an arctic (Styrofoam) ice floe featuring an eco-terrorist out to save humankind. Personalities clash, vision wrestles with studio demands, and the gap between fiction and science yawns wide in this dark, hilarious “play in six takes” about storytelling on a warming planet. Tickets and Info Tickets are available online or on the GRCC Players webpage .  For more information, email jonathanwheeler@grcc.edu or call (616) 234-3946 . About Grand Rapids Community College GRCC was established in 1914 — Michigan’s first community college — and is focused on making college education accessible and affordable. Classes are scheduled weekdays, evenings and Saturdays in Grand Rapids, Holland and online. We offer traditional liberal arts and occupational career pathways, adult education courses and skilled training courses and apprenticeships.   

Oct. 6, 2025 Keyandra Totten is in the second year of her dental hygienist program and she knows exactly what she wants to do once she graduates. “I used to work as a receptionist at Hackley Community Care in Muskegon,” Totten said. “Many of the people who come there need extra care and education. And that’s exactly what I want to provide.” Totten started her post-secondary education as a nursing candidate at another college because, as she says, that college didn’t have a dental program. Once she found out about GRCC’s dental education, she transferred schools and changed programs. “I have always been interested in oral health,” Totten said. “I would ask a million questions as a kid every time I went to the dentist. I was lucky, in that I didn’t have any ‘dental trauma’ growing up. But I know many people are scared of the dentist’s office. If I can help change that perspective through careful work and educating the patient, then I will be happy.” Having a career aspiration is one thing. Having the finances to achieve it is a completely different proposition. That is why Keyandra was so thrilled to receive a Delta Dental Foundation Dental Hygiene Scholarship this year. “The dental program is demanding,” Totten said. “I am at school all day, and I’m a parent besides. I worked part time, but that wasn’t enough to cover my financial needs. I had exhausted the financial aid resources available to me, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I’m so grateful to have received this scholarship, because it means I can focus on school without worrying about money.” Keyandra found out about the scholarship opportunity through a co-worker at Hackley. “The hygienist there told me about the scholarship and encouraged me to apply,” Totten said. “I applied, but I never thought I would win it!” Delta Dental called attention to the shortage of dental hygienists in their press release announcing the winners . They noted a recent survey from the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute reported that 31.7% of dentists have been trying to hire dental hygienists during the last three months, and 77.8% say that it’s been “extremely challenging” to recruit them. Further, that same survey reports that more than 62% of respondents say staffing is the top challenge facing their practices in 2025. Keyandra knows how hard it is to find people to fill these positions, and she can’t wait to finish her program so she can start. “It will be full circle for me,” Totten said. “I have had several job offers, but I’m going back to where I started. I learned a lot at Hackley and I am looking forward to the opportunity to help my community.” Learn about the dental hygiene program at GRCC