Aug. 3, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Aaron Smalley knows firsthand the value of a second chance. “I made a really poor choice when I was young.”   Smalley is a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School. On his 21 st birthday he drove while intoxicated and was involved in a fatal accident. He served five years in prison, and was released this spring.   Smalley sought a fresh start and began classes in GRCC’s Job Training Welding Technician program in June. He was connected to GRCC by West Michigan Works! “I’m a really big car guy and I’d like to get into engine building,” he said. “I feel like welding is a great skill to have as I move in that direction. That’s my passion.” Smalley had no experience in welding. “It was pretty intimidating that first week. Having that big flame coming out of the torch! I like it now. You almost get into a meditative state while you are welding. It’s like artwork, almost.” Smalley likes the way the program is scheduled. Classes are hands-on and taught in a modern welding lab at the Tassell M-TEC, which is said is “really nice. Not what I was expecting.” The program meets for 18-weeks for 34 hours per week and offers job placement assistance. He said instructor Nate Haney “knows a lot to say the least. His brain is packed full of knowledge. I’m picking his brain for all he knows!” Haney holds a Bachelor of Science in Welding Engineering Technology from Ferris State University and is an American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector and Certified Welding Educator. As Smalley navigates re-entry, he highly recommends the GRCC Job Training programs to others who may be in a similar situation. He has found GRCC’s Tassell M-TEC to be a place where people can rebuild their lives. “I was very anxious when I was first released. I’m trying to get some stable ground underneath my feet and this is the perfect opportunity to do that. It gives you a routine and adds some structure to your life especially with just getting out. It takes time to re-adjust to being out in society and the small class size and friendly environment is helpful. I like coming here.” As a student, you will learn: shielded metal arc welding (arc/stick welding), gas metal arc welding (metal inert gas/wire welding), gas tungsten arc welding (heli-arc/tungsten inert gas welding), oxy-fuel welding (gas welding), cutting, brazing, blueprint reading, mathematics, metallurgy, problem solving, teamwork and communication skills. Smalley is motivated by his parents and sister. “I want to do right for my family and make good decisions. This is a perfect decision -- a step in the right direction.” This program is highly regarded by employers as a top trainer in welding and fabrication. Job developers are ready to help with the job search process. Graduates will be ready to begin a career as a welder, cutter or brazer – with the skills to meet the needs of not only local companies but national companies as well. Smalley plans to finish his program in October, and might look into work as an independent welder.  “I’m still young, and don’t have a family of my own, so I need to take advantage of these opportunities while I can. I look forward to being done so that I can hop right into the workforce.” Additional support is being provided by the One Workforce grant. According to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, there will be 34.7 percent job growth in welding from 2012 to 2022. The next section of Job Training programs begins, October 3, 2022. For more information: grcc.edu/jobtraining or (616) 234-3800 .

Aug. 1, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team is looking to return to nationals for the 12th time in the history of the program with a mix of honored sophomores and incoming freshmen. GRCC last season finished runner-up in regionals after winning its 10th conference championship and eighth Michigan Community College Athletic Association title. "I'm very confident that this year's team has what it takes to contend for another regional championship and get back to nationals," Coach Chip Will said. "We should have strong leadership from our nine sophomores and a great incoming class and I'm very excited to get the season underway."   Will celebrated his 400th career win last season. Nine players are returning, including outside hitter Audrey Torres, who earned All-Region, First Team All-Conference honors; setter Shannon Russell, who earned Second Team All-Conference honors; and Kara Hecht, Karissa Ferry and Eliza Thelen who were all named All-Conference Honorable Mention. Also returning is Alena Visnovsky, recently named to the NJCAA All-Academic team for a perfect 4.0 GPA; Rylee VanPatten, and outside hitter from Charlotte; and Audrey Gower, a defensive specialist/libero from Dimondale. The team has three incoming freshmen. Outside hitter/defensive specialist Braelyn Berry graduated from Morley Stanwood High School and was named Female Athlete of the Year . Defensive specialist Lexi Heavner went to Rockford High School, and defensive specialist Vienna Koenigsknecht comes from Portage Central High School. GRCC lost All-American middle hitter Annie Holesinger, now playing at Lander University in South Carolina, and Ola Nowak, now at Davenport University. The 2022 season will include new competitors and a celebration of the 2012 National Championship team at Homecoming. The team kicks off its season with a scrimmage at Ferris State University on Aug. 11 in Big Rapids followed by two more scrimmages on Aug. 12 and Aug. 16 at GRCC. The regular season begins on Aug. 19 as the Raiders travel to Rockford, Ill. for the McHenry County College Invitational. The team will face stiff competition including Iowa Central Community College and Johnson County Community College, which finished third and fourth in the NJCAA National Tournament last year. A week later, GRCC travels to Owens Community College for three more matches, playing Terra State Community College, which finished in sixth at nationals and the host team, which won the NJCAA Division III National Championship. Conference season begins on Sept. 16 at Bay College in Escanaba.  With the addition of Bay, North Central College and Delta College, the MCCAA realigned the conference and GRCC and Muskegon Community College will play in the North Division.  This year's Raider Challenge is scheduled to take place Oct. 1 and 2 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse on the campus of GRCC. The Oct. 7 match against North Central Community College will be Homecoming, with the 2012 National Champions invited. Postseason play begins Oct. 29 and this year's National Tournament is Nov. 17-19 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Aug. 1, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Miles Postema, Ferris State University’s vice president and general counsel, believes higher education can transform lives. He’s seen it firsthand. He attended what was then Grand Rapids Junior College as a first-generation college student because it was affordable and allowed him to live at home and continue working. 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. “All of my credit hours transferred seamlessly to Western Michigan University, and I was able to complete my degree in four years, which was important to me,” Postema said. “I was able to obtain my degree with little or no debt due to the reasonable cost of the coursework at GRCC and the financial support of my parents. “While I was confident that I would succeed in college, starting at GRCC lessened the risk and cost of failing had it not worked out the way I planned.” Postema went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in finance from WMU, a law degree from Wayne State University and a Master of Science in Taxation from Grand Valley State University. His legal career began in 1987 at Warner Norcross & Judd, where he specialized in employment law. He later was a partner at Tolley VandenBosch Walton Korolewicz & Brengle before joining FSU in 2000 as deputy general counsel. He also served on the Rockford Public Schools Board of Education for 17 years.  “It turned out that the combination of public higher education and law was a very good fit for me, and then even more so when I was appointed to the Rockford Public Schools Board of Education,” Postema said. “I have always believed in the transformative power of public higher education, particularly for first-generation college students, and working in a legal role at Ferris seems to be the best of both worlds for me.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply

July 29, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Sean Mackey will be quick to tell you that GRCC has the best students in Michigan, and that he’s proud to be the one teaching them the critical thinking and empathy skills they’ll use in the career they pursue. “Teaching at GRCC feels like winning the lottery,” Mackey said. Mackey is an assistant professor in the English department, and the faculty advisor for the literary portion of Display – a magazine featuring GRCC’s best and brightest artists and writers. Mackey mentors student writers and poets as they seek to publish works in creative writing, non-fiction writing, short stories, essays, short plays and poetry.  In the classroom, he leads with listening, and allows students to find their own path. Mackey’s students think of him as a great professor – laid back, but effective. “He is very clear with each assignment, offers help after every class if needed, works with you when life happens, provides great feedback, he just makes class fun,” one student shared. During the pandemic, when “life happened,” Mackey changed what he taught as well as how he taught it. For example, for one of his common assignments, reading and analyzing Allen Ginsberg's poem ‘Howl,’ he would have led a discussion to analyze cultural, historical, and social similarities and differences between the 1950s and today. To flip this assignment for online learning, Mackey took a note from crowdsourcing. “I created a Google Doc and asked students to add four lines that mimic the style of Ginsberg if the poem was written today,” he said. “I treated the document as a wiki, and students built the poem collaboratively throughout the week. Some students submitted anonymously while others added their names." Student’s can experience Mackey’s passion for poetry and unique approach to teaching in EN 233 Poetry, EN 242 Popular Literature, IRW 99 A-Comp (Accelerated Developmental Composition), and EN 101 English Composition. Mackey earned his Bachelor’s of Arts in Writing and Literature: Poetry from Naropa University. He went on to earn a Masters of Arts in Literature, with a focus on Postcolonial Lit. and American Poetry, from Grand Valley State University.

July 29, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Chuck White, a Muskegon native with 20 years of coaching experience, will head Grand Rapids Community College's softball program. White was the head coach at Muskegon Orchard View High School between 2015 and 2020, accumulating a career record of 160-55.  He also coached the Lakeshore Storm, a softball travel ball team in West Michigan, for eight years and was an assistant for Muskegon Community College. White also has coached football and baseball. "I'm looking forward to working with our new head coach Chuck White and his assistant, Steve Roersma,” Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. “Both have an established reputation within the softball community in West Michigan.  They have hit the ground running and I expect them to provide a great student-athlete experience to our softball team. Roersma spent the last two years assisting Muskegon Community College's softball team, which won back-to-back Michigan Community College Athletic Association championships. The team finished the season with a 34-10 record.  Roersma’s daughter Annika played on the Muskegon team, and has transferred to GRCC.  Annika Roersma played in the outfield and in 43 games batted .389 and had 43 RBI, 3 home runs and was second on the team with 22 stolen bases. Bill Roersma, Steve Roersma’s brother, was an NJCAA Wrestling All-American for GRCC in 1976.  The GRCC softball team did not compete in 2022, but outgoing coach Molly McKinney recruited a solid team for 2022. "I was very sad to hear that Molly was not going to be able to continue in her role as the head softball coach at GRCC," Ferullo said. "I am so grateful that she was able to recruit a quality class of student-athletes so we can continue the softball program.  Her hard work and dedication to the program over the last year did not go unnoticed and I want to thank her for everything she did."

July 27, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College is one of 15 colleges in the nation selected for financial support to expand computer labs and be part of an Artificial Intelligence Incubator Network program to better train students for careers in the emerging field. GRCC was awarded a $40,000 grant from the American Association of Community Colleges, Dell Technologies and Intel to create a hybrid laboratory with greater access to AI computing power, tools and resources. “GRCC works to provide our students with the most up-to-date training in emerging and rapidly expanding fields,” said Julie Parks, dean of Workforce Training. “Doing that effectively means partnering with experts in these fields. With Dell Technologies and Intel, we know our students will have the right resources. We appreciate the leadership and support from AACC to bring these partners together and provide community college students with tremendous opportunities.” AACC, Dell Technologies and Intel announced a joint commitment in January to grow Intel’s AI for Workforce Program from 18 states to 50 by 2023. Today, 42 institutions are joining the AI Incubator Network. The AI Incubator Network and AI for Workforce programs now include 70 community colleges in 32 states collaborating on AI curriculum, teaching best practices and lab development. In addition to receiving the grant, GRCC was asked to join the AI Incubator Network to connect with community colleges nationwide on strategic economic development opportunities, participate in discussions about learning pathways, strategize on student engagement in AI programs, and gather best practices from each other and industry leaders. “AI has become an increasingly important focus for community colleges as providers of workforce education for multiple industries,” said Walter G. Bumphus, AACC president and CEO. “Working together with peers and across sectors will enhance the ability of our colleges to advance and scale this curriculum across the nation to ensure that students earn the skills needed to fill these jobs and begin meaningful careers.” Adrienne Garber, Dell Technologies’ senior strategist for higher education, said the company is committed to transforming 1 billion lives by 2030. “By providing learning content for in-demand technology skills and creating artificial intelligence labs for teaching and learning at community and technical colleges across the U.S., we are moving closer to achieving that goal,” she said. “With collaborators like GRCC, we are creating opportunities for underrepresented populations in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics and the like to enter careers and fill job openings in much-needed technology fields.”- Students don’t need extensive tech or coding experience to participate in the program; they just need an interest in developing AI skills for careers in the digital economy. “Today’s students will enter a technology workforce where every organization will focus, in some capacity, on applying AI to solving problems and creating value for organizations,” said Carlos Contreras, senior director of AI and Digital Readiness at Intel. “Intel is excited to partner with the AACC and Dell Technologies to democratize AI technology and enable students to enter that workforce with AI experience.”

July 26, 2022 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A national association for health professionals recognized a Grand Rapids Community College program director with an award recognizing professional and community service. Linda Witte, program director and manager for GRCC Workforce Training’s health programs, received the Pride of the Profession award from American Medical Technologists during the organization’s recent annual meeting. The honor, awarded to an AMT member of at least 10 years, recognizes Witte’s professional and community service activities. “Linda is a wonderful leader and ambassador for GRCC and our healthcare programs,” said John Van Elst, interim executive director of Workforce Training. “It’s nice to see her recognized for her hard work, connecting students with in-demand skills for rewarding careers in fields that are constantly evolving.” Witte manages the Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, Pharmacy Technician and Phlebotomy Skills programs. She’s also working with the Surgical Technologist and Anesthesia Technologist programs and is developing a Direct Support Professional program. “I meet with employers to find out their hiring needs and put together short-term training programs to fill their needs,” she said. “Secondly, I oversee the best group of trainers who have a big heart for students. Thirdly, I work with potential and current students – from wanting to know more about health careers to encouraging their success once they are in our programs to celebrating with them once they’ve successfully completed the program. I ensure that our curriculum teaches students what the profession needs them to know, and I arrange for the students’ clinical placements.” Witte earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in social work, from Calvin College (now Calvin University) and a master’s in public administration from Grand Valley State University. Before joining GRCC in 2009, she worked in a variety of health-care roles, including pharmacy, CNA, administration, adult foster care and medical assisting. “There are so many choices for people in health careers, and it’s fun for me to help people consider their options,” she said.

July 25, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Wanda Moreno-Aguilar doesn’t graduate from Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design until the end of this year, but she’s already tackling a large and important project. 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 Diatribe, a nonprofit that aims to empower youth through poetry, recently selected Moreno-Aguilar to create a mural on the Farmers Insurance building on Eastern Avenue SE. It’s part of the organization’s 49507 Project, a collaboration that teaches event organizing and commissions community art for and by people of color in the 49507 ZIP code. It might seem to be a daunting challenge for someone navigating her first year as a freelancer, but Moreno-Aguilar says her time at GRCC helped prepare her for this opportunity. “Grand Rapids Community College did a phenomenal job introducing the field in the courses, which allowed me to understand what to expect in the industry,” she said. “I learned many skills and techniques I use today from the professor at GRCC. I left feeling satisfied with the knowledge I acquired and fully capable of taking on any task because of the foundation GRCC laid for me.” Moreno-Aguilar, who will graduate from Kendall with a bachelor’s degree in illustration, would like to work on children’s books some day. She counts seeing her work displayed in GRCC’s Paul Collins Art Gallery among her favorite memories. “As a first-generation student, I felt that GRCC made it a comfortable space for me to learn and grow as an individual,” she said. “I enjoyed the small-knit community that I could fall back on to have an honest conversation about my career choice and how to help me achieve that. The professors were fantastic and very knowledgeable! It felt like a judgment-free zone for someone who had no idea how college worked. “I always recommend to anyone who wants to pursue a fine arts career to do so at GRCC.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .