Nov. 22, 2024 Edirene Flores is on her way to the life she always imagined. The 18-year-old is wrapping up her first semester at Grand Rapids Community College’s  Lakeshore Campus in Holland and couldn’t be happier. “My classes are interesting and my professors are really good,” said Flores, who lives in Holland.  “I really appreciate the convenience of going to college like 15 minutes from my house rather than having to drive all the way to Grand Rapids.” But Flores is most grateful to GRCC financial aid specialists who helped guide her through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process and, ultimately, qualify for grants and scholarships so she could afford college. “Going to college was my dream and I knew I could be a good student and a worker in the future,” Flores said. Born in Indiana, Flores lived most of her childhood in Mexico with her mother. She moved to Texas at the age of 15 and relocated the following year to live with extended family in Holland and complete high school. Flores began working on the FAFSA form months before graduating from Holland High School. But the process was complicated by the fact that her mother lives in Mexico and doesn’t have a U.S. Social Security number. “I spent three months calling FAFSA every single morning trying to get help,” Flores said. “I was just really sad because I left Mexico looking for a better life. But without completing my FAFSA and qualifying for loans or grants, I could never afford to go to college.” Then  Jaqueline Araiza came to the rescue. Araiza, operations manager at  GRCC’s Lakeshore Campus , is dedicated to supporting new students in navigating the enrollment and admission process, bringing her wealth of experience to assist individuals on their educational journey. Araiza worked with Flores for weeks until her FAFSA was successfully submitted. Thanks to GRCC grants and scholarships, Flores was able to begin classes in August and is enrolled full-time. Flores shares her FAFSA struggles not to complain, but in hopes of inspiring others — especially those whose first language isn’t English — to seek assistance from the college’s  Financial Aid Office .  “I’m so grateful and want to thank GRCC and my family for supporting me,” Flores said. “Maybe if someone reads this they’ll see that good things can happen and they don’t have to give up their dreams.”  This story was reported by Beth McKenna.

Nov. 21, 2024 Nicole Richardson first came to Grand Rapids Community College in 2013 as a student in the  Practical Nursing Certificate program . Now she volunteers as a preceptor, helping provide the same critical, hands-on training that she once received herself. “I like to pay it forward, because someone took me on once too,” Richardson said. “It’s a real full circle kind of situation.” GRCC's Practical Nursing program gives students firsthand experience by mixing classroom instruction with clinical lab work, while a variety of health care partnerships provide in-depth learning opportunities and connect students with potential employers. All this combined creates a high-quality, affordable path to becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in under a year. Preceptors, explained Richardson, are an essential aspect of the program. They are experienced, licensed nurses who mentor and train nursing students during clinical rotations, and their role is to help students translate theoretical learning to clinical practice.  “You oversee them and guide them. I always start out by gauging their comfort level and building on that until they’re handling about 80 percent of their work themselves. At that point, I’m just guiding things,” Richardson said. The real-world experience that comes with a  Practical Nursing certificate from GRCC gives graduates an important advantage in an increasingly high-demand job market.  The Michigan Health Council (MHC) predicts that, by 2033, there will be a shortage of 4,611 RNs and 520 LPNs to fill open positions in the state, a forecast that comes after Michigan experienced the most significant decline in its LPN workforce of all the Midwest states studied. But for Richardson, love for the job – which began in high school while working with dementia patients as an aid in an assisted living facility – is the motivation.  “I loved the feeling of helping somebody have a better day, so I decided I wanted to become a nurse,” Richardson recalled. “Then I heard about the  Practical Nursing program   at GRCC, and I decided to apply.” One of the most challenging aspects of the program, Richardson said, was also one of the most valuable.  “It was critical thinking, not just learning, memorizing, and regurgitating. For example, you would need to choose the most correct out of a series of potential answers. It was a little jarring at first to learn to think like a nurse but, once I had that, it was smooth sailing,” Richardson recalled. After earning her Practical Nursing certificate, Richardson began working for Brookcrest Rehab and Life Center, where she completed a leadership rotation as part of the program. “I got hired immediately after finishing my rotation, and I stayed there for eight and a half years. And I actually completed my  Nursing Associate Degree at GRCC while I was working there,” Richardson said. Now, Richardson works as a registered nurse at Corewell Health’s Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and plans to graduate in April from Davenport University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. And she knows her love for educating new nurses won’t end anytime soon. “I like to help students complete their clinical training without stress or anxiety,” Richardson said. “I try and set them at ease and set them up for success, and it’s fun to watch them grow and be a part of that.” This story was reported by Alissa Griffin.

Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) is embarking on an extensive renovation of the Library and Learning Commons, a landmark building constructed in 1972. The $35 million project is partially funded by the State of Michigan's Capital Outlay program, which awarded GRCC $16.8 million for this vision. The 61,268-square-foot facility has long served as a central hub for student resources and learning. The renovation aims to transform the building to meet the evolving needs of students and the community, integrating both traditional and innovative resources to support academic success. Upon completion, the renovated facility will reopen as the Learning Resource Center (LRC). This new name reflects an expanded mission and enhanced offerings, including an array of student-centered services, updated technology, individual study areas and collaborative spaces. The redesigned LRC will blend traditional library elements with cutting-edge resources, catering to diverse learning styles and encouraging collaborative education. Jim Van Dokkumburg, GRCC’s executive director of facilities, highlighted the comprehensive and collaborative effort behind the transformation: “The steering committee, composed of building stakeholders, is thrilled to lead the transformation of the Learning Center. Our goal is to create a state-of-the-art facility that not only meets the current needs of our students, staff and faculty but is also highly adaptable, student-centric and welcoming, while anticipating future educational advancements. It represents GRCC's commitment to fostering environments where collaboration and learning can thrive for decades to come.” Once completed, the Learning Resource Center promises to be a modern, inclusive space where students, faculty and community members can access resources to aid in academic and personal success. The grand reopening is anticipated to mark a new era in GRCC's commitment to excellence in education and support services. With construction set to begin soon, GRCC students, faculty, and community stakeholders eagerly await a revitalized learning center that will redefine access, collaboration, and community engagement on campus.   The Learning Resource Center aims to serve as a cornerstone for community engagement, offering resources and spaces that support lifelong learning and collaboration.  For more information about the Learning Resource Center renovation project and to stay updated on its progress, please visit the  LRC project page . This story reported by Ryan Nausieda

Grand Rapids Community College has been recognized by the  ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The  ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. GRCC is proud to join a group of 471 colleges and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing four core actions: Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Sharing 2022 NSLVE Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s  Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation .  “The research is clear: colleges and universities that make intentional efforts to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement have higher campus voter registration and voter turnout rates. This year we saw more colleges than ever before step up their efforts to ensure that their students were registered and ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These Most Engaged Campuses are setting the standard for nonpartisan civic engagement work for colleges and universities across the country.”  The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages 10.8 million students from more than 1,075 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join the ALL IN Challenge .