Oct. 18, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Start at GRCC and go anywhere. Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC gave them the education and opportunity to be successful.
The recent ribbon-cuttings for GRCC’s renovated Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall and the new Veterans Center was a source of pride for the TowerPinkster team that worked on it.
It was an especially proud moment for team member – and GRCC alumnus – Ryan Archer.
“It’s a rare opportunity to work on a project that was so foundational to me becoming an architect,” said Archer, TowerPinkster’s healthcare business line leader.
“My general ed requirements, as well as my pre-architecture classes, allowed me to transfer to the University of Michigan’s architecture program,” he said. “I had a solid base of skills that I have relied on my whole career – thanks to my classes here at GRCC.”
Archer earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in U of M’s architecture program. He joined TowerPinkster in 2013.
He credits hard work, support from his family, and great mentorship from his colleagues for his satisfying career – and GRCC helped, too.
“The small scale of classes, the affordability and the great faculty put me in a spot to move forward successfully,” he said. “Most importantly, there are lifelong friendships that started for me at GRCC. It was both a value and valuable.”
One of his fondest GRCC memories is having coffee at Art and Bev’s with a fellow student: his mother.
“I was always proud of Mom for going back to school after raising us three kids,” Archer said. “Also, she always bought the coffee …”
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