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.