On August 22, 2024, GRCC kicked off the fall semester with its Opening Day Celebration, a vibrant gathering of staff and faculty. During this annual event, three outstanding employees were honored with the prestigious Excellence in Education Award. Established in 1989, the Excellence in Education Awards recognize the exceptional dedication of GRCC employees who significantly impact our students and the broader community. This year’s distinguished recipients are: Faculty Award: Nancy Forrest, Mathematics Nancy Forrest, a devoted mathematics professor, has earned a reputation as a “math mom” for her unparalleled commitment to her students. Nancy goes above and beyond to ensure each student feels supported and understood, offering explanations in diverse ways to cater to different learning styles. Her dedication extends beyond the classroom. Nancy founded the Math Awards for Perseverance and Achievement, attending ceremonies with personalized trophies to celebrate student success. She is a steadfast supporter of student athletes, frequently attending games and even serving as a scorekeeper for the basketball team. A pioneer in adopting alternative teaching methods, Nancy leads her department in online instruction and effectively integrates ALEKS as a teaching tool. Adjunct Award: Jodi Dawson, Mathematics Jodi Dawson, an adjunct instructor at the Lakeshore Campus, exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and advocacy. She actively engages with her departmental colleagues and broader college groups, recognizing the value these connections bring to student support and advocacy for new course offerings.  Jodi’s commitment to lifelong learning is evident in her readiness to undertake both formal and informal training for new teaching sections. She is a proactive advocate for student needs, working to ensure that necessary resources and services are available and effectively implemented at the Lakeshore Campus. Jodi consistently refers her students to a Lakeshore Math tutor through a warm handoff so students feel comfortable attending. She raises alerts when needed and works closely with the Lakeshore Success Coach to align support with students in and out of the classroom. She is aware of workshops and events hosted at the Lakeshore Campus by the College Success Center and encourages her students to attend Staff Award: Misty McClure-Anderson Misty is the rare staff person who balances a broad strategic perspective of what needs to happen to make our college effective. She is sensitive to individual needs, making sure that all feel included in campus events; she is highly aware of how our institution is perceived in the community, and strives to make sure each of us represents GRCC well. This is her nature: she cares and will do any task in order to guarantee success. From working in the Math Department decades ago through supporting the Board to serving as Chief of Staff, she has remained hands-on.  Misty fiercely and compassionately advocates for students encountering barriers to their academic success. This student-focus began early in her career at GRCC and has been a continued theme in her work for over three decades. She understands the diverse needs and backgrounds of our students and helps them feel they belong. From her work in Academic and Student Affairs departments to the President’s Office, when she encounters a student in need, she responsively rises to the occasion, takes responsibility and lends a helping hand. Misty’s commitment to service is evident in her extensive volunteer work, from supporting the food pantry and Grad Fest to organizing Welcome Week events. Her ability to work behind the scenes, mobilize colleagues, and orchestrate high-performing committees ensures that GRCC's initiatives are executed with excellence. Congratulations to Nancy Forrest, Jodi Dawson and Misty McClure-Anderson for their well-deserved recognition and invaluable contributions to GRCC!

At Grand Rapids Community College, our Marketing and Communications team drives the way we tell our story and connect with the world. We emphasize the life-changing power of education, bringing to light the real experiences that demonstrate how GRCC is making a meaningful difference in our community. Who We Are We are a dynamic team of creative professionals dedicated to telling GRCC’s story and enhancing our brand’s presence across multiple platforms. We’re strategists, designers, writers, web architects and content creators. Every communication effort and design project at GRCC is guided by our team to ensure consistency and excellence.  This is the team: Lyndsie Post , Executive Director of Marketing & Communications Ell Simpson , Support Professional to Executive Director of Communications and Associate Director of Web Content and Digital Strategy Ben Benefiel , Graphic Designer David Fitch , Associate Director of Web Content and Digital Strategy Alissa Gorsky , Lead Graphic Designer Lisa Kirschner , Graphic Designer Patrick La Penna , Web Systems Architect Ryan Nausieda , Communication Systems Specialist Kailee Potgeter , Social Media Coordinator Amy Soper , Associate Director of Communications  Bethany Tuffelmire , Web Support Technician & Content Specialist What We Do We ensure everyone at GRCC is informed about each other's work, reinforcing our collective mission and achievements. Through consistent storytelling, we strengthen the college's brand by executing promotional campaigns and program-specific initiatives that utilize a range of communication channels. From strategic marketing campaigns to engaging social media content, our comprehensive approach encompasses all forms of internal and external communications—news, advertising, publications, social media, web presence, media relations, photography, email, texting and more. We ensure every message and visual aligns with GRCC’s mission and values. How We Can Help You We’re here to help tell your story and share your message. Email  marcomm@grcc.edu to get a project started. Or, visit  our webpage on the grcc.edu website.

August 26, 2024 Casey Brunetti loves drinking beer. But she  really loves making it. Now pub brewer at Big Lake Brewing in Holland, Brunetti got her start at Grand Rapids Community College in the renowned  Craft Brewing, Packaging & Service Operations Certificate Program . The program changed the trajectory of her life. “I’m very grateful that I was able to go through the program because it gave me a good introduction to the world of craft brewing,” said Brunetti, who earned her certificate in 2018. “GRCC is also where I met my classmates who are still at the heart of my professional network today.” But brewing beer wasn’t always the career the Alpena native envisioned for herself.  In 2016, Brunetti earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Michigan State University planning to continue on to a master’s in social work after taking a gap year. She lived in Ireland, working as an au pair and traveling across Europe whenever time allowed.  “And I drank so much good beer,” said Brunetti, now 30. The experience was wonderful — and eye-opening. She realized she no longer wanted to become a social worker, sitting behind a desk for the rest of her life. Beer is what really interested her. “I found out about GRCC’s craft brewing program by literally Googling ‘beer college’ and enrolled at GRCC when I got back home,” she said. In addition to classes, she worked at GRCC’s on-site brewery,  Fountain Hill Brewery , getting hands-on experience in the art, science and technology brewing. She interned at Five Lakes Brewing Company, formerly located in Dorr. After earning her craft brewing certificate, she held a series of brewing jobs in Alpena and Grand Rapids before and after the pandemic. She started at Big Lake Brewing a little over a year ago. “I had a pretty tumultuous start to my career because of COVID, but I feel very comfortable at Big Lake and have had so many amazing opportunities to do cool stuff,” said Brunetti, who most recently crafted three new beer recipes debuting there in September.  When she’s not crafting beer, she volunteers with the  Pink Boots Society , a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing the careers of women and non-binary people in the brewing industry. In January, she was elected leader of the organization’s West Michigan chapter. The GRCC alumnus is happy with the path her life has taken — and so is her family. “My mom was a little shocked by my decision to craft beer for a living, but she’s been my biggest supporter since I started doing this,” she said. “She really likes craft beer, so that helps a lot.” This story was reported by Beth McKenna.

August 23, 2024 Just over 18% of the K-12 students in  Ottawa Area ISD’s  service region are Hispanic or Latino. In contrast, 30% of the students at the  GRCC Lakeshore Campus in Holland come from this background. What is attracting all these students to GRCC? In a word: intentionality. “GRCC is an open access college that prepares individuals to attain their goals and contribute to the community,” said Cameron Buck , dean of the Lakeshore Campus. “We want to provide relevant educational opportunities that are responsive to the needs of the community. On the Lakeshore, that means being intentional about understanding and reaching the Latinx community.” Word of mouth is an important part of sharing information. That’s why GRCC partners very closely with  Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP) , which has been around for more than 60 years. That organization is a key entry point for GRCC to share information and resources. “GRCC has sponsored LAUP’s Fiesta event for many years,” Buck said. “This is a significant and visible way for us to be present and get the word out. We also provide college presentations for youth involved with LAUP, and assistance with financial aid forms. We open our building for LAUP events. Our goal is to get as many people through the door as possible so they feel like they belong here.” Johnny Rodriguez, president & CEO of LAUP, notes that this collaborative approach yields excellent results.  "Our joint efforts enable us to cater to the distinctive needs of the Latinx community,” Rodriguez said. “LAUP provides culturally responsive, accessible programs that encompass education, skill development, career advancement and celebration of Latinx culture. The partnership with GRCC and their role as Fiesta community engagement sponsor exemplifies how we can work together toward a shared goal.” The entire Lakeshore Campus focuses on providing a welcoming, affirming environment for all people. The leadership and staff pay particular attention to the challenges faced by the Latinx community. GRCC recently created the position of operations manager for the Lakeshore Campus, and promoted  Jackie Araiza to that position. Araiza grew up in a Spanish-speaking home, which allows her to connect effectively with the Latinx community.  “A lot of our work focuses on dispelling misconceptions,” Araiza said. “It’s understandable that the Spanish speakers in our community would assume we only speak English. We also understand their hesitancy over complicated things like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process, especially if they don’t have a Social Security number. For those and other reasons, our Latinx neighbors may not feel GRCC is for them. We are working hard to get accurate information out there by partnering with LAUP. I put “Se habla español” right on my business card so that they know we speak Spanish here and will feel comfortable starting a conversation.” Rodriguez appreciates the intentionality that GRCC demonstrates in connecting with the Spanish-speaking community. “GRCC fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment by hiring diverse faculty and staff,” Rodriguez said. “GRCC's most significant contributions are providing affordable, high-quality education and training programs; enabling accessible pathways to higher education; and promoting success and socioeconomic mobility for the Latinx community.” Araiza agrees that a community college is a wonderful bridge to opportunity.  “You don’t need a high GPA or perfect grades to succeed,” Araiza said. “We have tutoring available. When someone comes in, we ask if they want to converse in Spanish or English. That bi-lingual support allows parents to come, communicate, and understand how to help motivate their kids.” What’s the bottom line?  “The personal connection matters,” Buck said. “Our classes are in English but the welcome is bi-lingual. We want everyone in our community to view GRCC as a place where they can achieve their goals.” Learn more about the GRCC Lakeshore Campus.  This story was reported by Julie Hordyk.