Nov. 6, 2021, PORT HURON, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team's season came to end after losing to Terra State Community College in Saturday's NJCAA Region XII Great Lakes B Tournament championship. GRCC dropped its opening match of the tournament to Muskegon Community College on Thursday. But the team responded by sweeping both opponents on Friday, and got a chance at redemption against the Jayhawks in the semi-finals. GRCC swept the Muskegon 25-18, 25-19, and 25-21 to advance to the championship against Terra State Community College of Ohio, ranked No. 7 in the nation. GRCC fell short in a hard-fought match. This season reminded the GRCC assistant coach Amanda Glaza of 2017, when the team suffered a loss to No. 1- ranked Owens Community College at the regional final. GRCC was ranked No. 3 at the time. "We knew it was going to be an uphill battle after losing our first match to a very good Muskegon Community College team,” she said. “But winning five in a row is tough, and I think we just ran out of gas in the end.  A ton of credit goes to Terra State. It has a very great team and played amazing. It will do very well in Iowa and deserves to represent our region." After falling behind by nine in the opening set against Terra State, the Raiders - ranked No. 6 in the nation - clawed back to make it just a one-point game. But the Titans would hang on for a 25-23 win.  After losing the second set 25-19, GRCC made a few adjustments and was ahead late – but could not close the door on the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference champs. GRCC had three set points, but lost 26-24 to win their second straight district title. The loss ends the Raiders’ season with a 24-7 overall record. Terra State, which has not lost since getting swept by the GRCC on Oct. 3, will head back to the NJCAA DII National Tournament with an impressive 35-3 record.  GRCC’s Annie Holesinger and Audrey Torres were named to the All-Tournament team after outstanding play over the past three days. Holesinger, a sophomore from Rockford, had a match-high 15 kills against Muskegon in Saturday's opener. Torres had 11 against the Jayhawks and a team-high 10 against Terra State. Some of the highlights for GRCC this season was an 18-match winning streak spanning 66 days, a 10th conference title, finishing 14-0 in Western Conference play, and an MCCAA Championship, the team’s fifth in the last six years. Regional tournament statistical leaders: Kills: Torres, 50; Holesinger, 49; Kara Hecht, 36; Kylie Oberlin, 20; Karissa Ferry, 16; Eliza Thelen, 14. Assists: Shannon Russell, 156; Ola Nowak 23. Digs: Nowak, 52; Torres, 49; Audrey Gower, 39; Hecht, 25; Russell, 30; Morgan Fugate, 10. Blocks: Holesinger, 16; Ferry, 9; Oberlin and Thelen, 7; Hecht, 6. Aces: Russell, 9; Torres, 8; Nowak and Hecht, 6. Post-season awards are scheduled to be announced Nov. 8.

Nov. 5, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College’s Native American Student Organization has partnered with the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education on an event focused on sharing Anishinaabe history and culture. The Decolonizing Diet Project Culinary Speaker Events, offered online 6-8:30 p.m. Nov. 8, will feature a panel of experts discussing the topics of food sovereignty, clean water, land access, foraging and cooking as a way of learning traditions. The speakers are: Dr. Martin Reinhardt, a Native American Studies professor at Northern Michigan University and president of the Michigan Indian Education Council. Frank Sprague, drummer from the Gun Lake Band Potawatomi Nation tribal elder Turtle Clan. Camren Stott, an Anishinaabe personal chef, a Grand Valley State University advisor and co-owner of Thirteen Moons Kitchen. Myriah Williams, a GRCC alumna and Gun Lake youth specialist now attending graduate school at NMU. Williams and Stott will lead a live cooking demonstration, and Sprague will open and close the event. In-person registration for the event has closed but you can still sign up to participate online through the link here . You can also find a QR code on the NASO Facebook page here . The culinary speaker series is funded, in part, through a grant NASO received from the Native American Heritage Fund in 2019. The student organization also sponsored a trip to the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinaabe Culture and Lifeways in Mount Pleasant. "The GRCC NASO would like to thank the Native American Heritage Fund board members for awarding us this grant back in the fall of 2019," GRCC NASO President Rachel Beecher said. "As our grant proposal states, the GRCC Education and Reconciliation Project will create educational opportunities for students, faculty, staff and the greater community that will enable individuals to learn about Anishinaabe history and heritage as a way to foster awareness, dialog, understanding, and reconciliation. NASO accepted this opportunity with humble hearts and have diligently worked with much enthusiasm and excitement ever since. We understand the importance of further enriching GRCC and the greater Grand Rapids community with events that delve into the hidden histories and present day happenings of the Anishinaabe peoples and culture."   Beecher said the vision behind this grant work was a healing cycle, or medicine wheel, representing four quadrants as directions: truth, talk, teach, and tell. "This imagery is important to me as it represents a teaching tool, a reminder that we should all learn the obscure truth of our past, talk towards reconciliation, teach the community about its various rich cultures, and tell the next generation to continue this vital work," she said. "In keeping with that imagery and after a long COVID-19 pause, we created the second half of this NAHF grant work, our Decolonizing Diet Project Event." Beecher said she found myself going beyond just those four directions and began to further understand it as seven directions, like the seven grandfather teachings. "Thanks to the NAHF grant, Secchia Institute, GRCC NASO faculty advisor, and our Anishinaabe panelists, I worked to talk with community members gaining more wisdom, I lovingly helped teach the hidden histories of our past, I bravely researched and asked about the lack of Anishinaabe (female) perspectives within our classrooms, I respectfully asked elders about traditions all while fostering that much needed dialogue, and I held a mirror up to the circle for more transparency encouraging honesty and humility here at GRCC and beyond. Miigwech, Thank you for this opportunity, it was my chance to help give back to my people, a promise made many years ago during an eagle feather graduation ceremony."   About 0.5% of GRCC students identify as Native Americans, according to GRCC Institutional Research and Planning. NASO, which is open to all students, has hosted film screenings and discussion panels, taken part in a Ghost Supper, and participated in cultural activities with preschoolers in the Phyllis Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Laboratory.

Nov. 5, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- When Penelope Jones saw the chance for a tuition-free degree at Grand Rapids Community College, she knew she had to take it. Never mind she’s 70 years old. “My whole life, I always wanted to go to college. So, when I heard about Futures for Frontliners , I knew if I didn’t walk through that door, it might never be open again,” said Jones, a Kentwood grandmother of five. Futures for Frontliners is a state scholarship program for Michiganders who worked frontline jobs in essential industries during the state's COVID-19 shutdown. The scholarship provides eligible frontline workers with free in-district tuition to pursue an associate degree or a certificate at their local community college. Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect have proven wildly popular for West Michigan adult learners. At GRCC, 24% of students this fall -- 3,017 out of 12,685 -- are enrolled in the scholarship programs. Jones qualified for the free tuition because she worked at a local FedEx office facility throughout the pandemic. But she’s certainly no stranger to hard work. Her hefty resume includes a lifetime of work with Grand Rapids-area nonprofits, businesses, a municipality and a hospital, among others. Her longtime husband, Eric D. Jones Sr., was pastor of the former Agape Christian Ministries International, where she also worked. Together, they raised three sons. After her husband died in 2017, Jones moved in with her son David and his family. She retired from FedEx in June after nearly 15 years as a store consultant. But Jones isn’t one to sit idle. “I believe in staying busy and staying current,” she said. “So much I’ve seen has changed with the world going global and digital, and I said, ‘I need to know how to make it in that kind of world.’ “A GRCC degree is my opportunity to dust the cobwebs off, to be current and see where it leads me.” This fall, she began her first semester with two virtual courses: business management and English 101. While the classes are challenging, she felt prepared after this summer’s FastTrack, a three-week learning lab at GRCC that helped strengthen her academic and study skills. In FastTrack, Jones worked with a success coach to brush up on her writing skills and then tested well enough to sidestep the need for additional developmental courses. “Mrs. Jones pushed herself by taking advantage of everything FastTrack offers and really set herself up for success,” said Sulari White, a GRCC academic advisor. “She is an amazing, inspirational and dedicated student.” So, what’s ahead? Jones said she’s hopeful her business coursework will give her the expertise to serve on local boards as a well-informed – and active – participant. “I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing -- but I will not be sitting on my hands,” she said. The story was reported by Beth McKenna for GRCC.

Nov. 4, 2021, PORT HURON, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team will have to fight its way through the consolation bracket if it wants to return to NJCAA DII National Tournament after losing 3-1 to Muskegon Community College in the opening round at the NJCAA Region XII Great Lakes B Tournament. Muskegon, which lost to GRCC in both regular season matchups, defeated the MCCAA conference champions 25-16, 19-25, 25-22, 25-13 to advance to the winner's bracket final against Terra State Community College on Friday at 8 p.m. Head coach Chip Will said he was disappointed with the outcome, but believes the team has plenty of fight left in it. "We've been in this position before," Will reminded his players. "We've come out of the consolation bracket before, and I believe this team has what it takes to do it again." GRCC is set to take on Glen Oaks Community College Friday at 2 p.m. If the team wins, it will face either Kalamazoo Valley or Lansing Community College in a 6 p.m. match-up. To get back to the national tournament, GRCC – ranked sixth in the nation -- will have to win two matches on Friday and then three matches on Saturday. Statistical Leaders: Kills: Audrey Torres, 10; Kara Hecht, 9; Annie Holesinger, 8. Assists: Shannon Russell, 29; Ola Nowak, 16. Digs: Torres, 15; Audrey Gower, 12. Blocks: Eliza Thelen and Kylie Oberlin, 3. Aces: Torre and Russell, 2; Nowak, 1. 

Nov. 4, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Always remember, at GRCC, you are surrounded by people who want you to be successful and are ready to walk with you on your educational pathway. We are here to help! Meet Ashley Fox. Ashley is here to help in the Student Life and Conduct office. As the assistant director her goal is to connect students with student organizations, or to help create new student organizations, all of which will enrich their time here at GRCC. "Getting involved can easily expand your circle of friends, and is a great way to stay motivated about your personal or academic interests, even if you’re still deciding," she said. "I co-advise Student Alliance and the Garden Club, and it is life giving! If you're curious about how to get involved, stop in and we’ll talk!" Working in the office of Student Life allows Ashley to get to know students for who they are who they aspire to be. She knows building community with staff and faculty on campus is important for a student's academic and personal development. Ashley attended GRCC right out of high school and was the first in her family to go to college. Everything was new and unfamiliar to her. "I remember feeling pressure to perform well in school while balancing work and family commitments, among other life circumstances," she said. "At the time, I didn’t know what college was supposed to be, or feel like, but I knew I loved learning and enjoyed being in downtown, Grand Rapids."  At first Ashley did not know what career she wanted to aim for, but she knew what to study, and kept taking classes -- moving towards what gave her energy, while ruling out what was not a good fit. "It didn’t always feel like I was making progress," she said "But I knew to keep trying." Fortunately, there were staff and faculty who encouraged Ashley to broaden her horizons and try new things on- and off-campus. She is glad she was challenged to step out of her comfort zone. Outside of her self-perceived limits, she experienced job shadowing, working as an intern, volunteering in the community, traveling, researching, and meeting new people via student orgs. Those new experiences helped her consider and discard many career options, and moved her forward on her educational journey. Those experiences also helped her build her community, and gave her a sense of belonging that helped her stay committed to her education. "Fast forward to today, it’s no surprise that my work here on campus is fueled by my own college experiences and the culture of care that is so valued at GRCC," she said. After graduating from GRCC, Ashley attended GVSU to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in social and cultural perspectives on education. She continued at GVSU to earn a Master of Education with an emphasis in college student affairs leadership. Ashley wants students to know that she understands how hard it can be hard to walk into unfamiliar spaces on campus, even when the stakes are low. But she encourages everyone to take the leap, and wants them to know that you have a place in Student Life. "Come in and find a comfortable spot to take a break between classes and to be yourself," she said. You can connect with Ashley and the Student Life team on the first floor of GRCC’s Student Center, or by emailing studentlife@grcc.edu or calling (616) 234-4160.

Nov. 3, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- GRCC Workforce Training programs provide in-demand skills leading to rewarding careers. Each Wednesday we’ll meet students who are heading down an educational pathway and changing their lives by earning occupational certificates. Today we are putting the spotlight on one of our own. John Doane has only 20 days left with GRCC Job Training students as he is retiring in December after 33 years of inspiring others. “When I started at what was then GRJC in January of 1989, I was an instructor for the Furniture Finishing Program for GRJC Occupational Training. It was located in a small building over on the corner of Leonard and Ball,” he said. Doane has seen a lot of changes at both GRCC and in the field of construction trades training over the last three decades. “The requirements for our faculty now include both industry experience but also credentials in teaching. This really elevated our level of teaching. Another major shift was when our programs became eligible for financial aid. Most of our students qualify for some financial help, if not all of their program getting paid. “The big changes in the construction industry have really focused on safety. We never used to teach anything on safety, if you can believe that! Now we teach OSHA 10 and safety protocols on a daily basis. The other change has been in the area of sustainability, energy efficiency and green building practices. Both of these have been winning improvements for the students.” Doane started the Intro to Construction Job Training program in 2002, when Job Training moved into the Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC. It was the first program GRCC offered in the construction trades. Now Job Training offers Residential and Electrical as well. “I really found my calling when I switched from manufacturing to teaching. The best part of this job is working with students. I love interacting with students! Helping them, seeing them flourish and seeing them get opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten had it not been for our programs. I love teaching!” Doane will be retiring but will still have his hand on a hammer. His daughter is an interior designer and has an Airbnb business, and he’ll be helping her expand her business. Doane and his wife, who also recently retired, love to travel, and will be doing some of that too. “I’ve been very fortunate. The faculty, staff and supervisors I have worked with have been a joy!” Anyone interested in gaining career skills through GRCC Workforce Training can connect via email at workforcetraining@grcc.edu, and by phone at (616) 234-3800.  

Nov. 2, 2021 - GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College runner Coleman Clark was named NJCAA DII National Athlete of the Week after winning the MCCAA-NJCAA Region XII cross country championships on Saturday. Clark also was named MCCAA Conference Runner of the Week, joined by Kaylee Scott of the GRCC women’s team. Clark, a freshman, earned national honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association after winning the MCCAA-Region XII Championships on Saturday in a time of 25:56.5 for the 8,000 meter course. “I’m really happy to have been selected as the NJCAA D2 National Runner of the Week<” Clark said. “I think the season has gone really well so far and I’m really looking forward to Nationals. I attribute my success this season to supportive friends and family and an awesome team that really pushes me to be the best that I can be.” Clark is from Carson City, a community east of Greenville that also is the hometown of men’s team coach Garrett Lacy – and he even broke Lacy’s school record in the 3200-meter race during his senior year. “I’m very happy for Coleman to have received this honor,” Lacy said. “He’s worked so hard all season long, and has led us as our No. 1 runner in every single competition thus far. He’s been as much a leader in practice as he has been in competition as well. Breaking the 26:00 barrier for 8k last meet for the first time at the MCCAA/NJCAA Region 12 championships is no small feat, and he is just scratching the surface at what he is capable of.” Clark was named to the earned All-MCCAA, All-Region, freshman of the year and MCCAA Runner of the Year honors while helping the Raiders finish second. He is the first GRCC student-athlete awarded National Athlete of the Week honors for NJCAA Division II schools. Josh Kipkoech, from Kenya, was named All-Region and All-MCCAA for the second consecutive year after running a 25:58.9. The 2020 NJCAA All-American finished in second place at Saturday's championship races. Freshman Jaydon Moleski, of Cedar Springs, was named All-MCCAA after running a personal best 27:32.1. Scott, a freshman from Grandville, finished fourth in the MCCAA/Region XII Women's Cross Country Championships to help the Raiders to a second place finish. She finished the 5,000-meter course in a time of 19:47.1 to earn both All-MCCAA and All-Region XII honors. 2020 NJCAA All-American, Audrey Meyering earned back-to-back All-MCCAA and All-Region XII honors after running a 19:47.8 while her twin sister Elizabeth and freshman Rose Meyer earned All-MCCAA honors.  Scott and Meyer both were named to the six-runner All-Freshman Team. GRCC will compete in the National Championships in Richmond, Va. on Saturday, Nov. 13. 

Nov. 2, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is planning a second walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic for students, employees, and community members that includes booster shots for all three vaccines after a larger-than-expected turnout at last month’s clinic. The event is planned for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11 at Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center auditorium, 151 Fountain St. NE.  A parking pass will be provided for individuals getting the vaccine. Walk-ins are welcome. GRCC’s Oct. 27 clinic saw 76 people getting the shots through Visit Cares, the organization partnering with GRCC and the state of Michigan to administer vaccines. The clinics are part of an effort to help students, employees and community members have access to an effective COVID-fighting tool. All three COVID-19 vaccine options will be available, as well as booster shots for those who are eligible. Information about booster shots and eligibility is available here . Vaccines will not be available for children ages 5-11 at this time. It is recommended that people bring their vaccine card if they are getting a second vaccine dose or a booster vaccine. Additional vaccination location information is available at vaccinatewestmi.com . The clinics are one of the steps GRCC is taking or extending as part of a campus safety and wellness plan. On-campus class sizes will be limited to 75% capacity, and the college is replacing two-person desks with single-person desks in most classrooms. Hundreds of hand sanitizing stations were added last year, and changes were made to campus cooling and ventilation to increase air flow. College leaders are monitoring developments with COVID-19 and the delta variant, and are communicating with state and federal health authorities for guidance as conditions change. GRCC Nursing students administered shots into the arms of students, campus employees, and others in the spring as part of the Shot of Love campaign, a partnership with Urban Church Leadership Center and Spectrum Health. In May, the college hosted a campus vaccination pop-up clinic, which was visited by first lady Jill Biden.

Nov. 1, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Andrew Moore's 32 points were not enough for the Grand Rapids Community College men’s basketball team, which opened the 2021-22 season with a 91-89 double-overtime loss to Schoolcraft College.   Moore, a sophomore from Forest Hills Northern High School, connected on two free throws with over 13 minutes remaining in regulation, giving the Raiders their biggest lead of the night, 52-40. But the Ocelots came back, whittling the lead down to two points four minutes later. A lay-up by Ashton Nance (16 points-16 rebounds) gave the visitors their first lead of the second half with 4:20 on the clock. Keionte Cornelius, son of former GRCC great Kendrick Cornelius, put Schoolcraft up by three with 57 seconds to go. Moore would respond with a three-pointer to tie the game at 66.  With Schoolcraft up two, Moore missed a three, but Rico Wade was there for the rebound and knocked down a huge fade away jumper to force the first overtime of the night. In the first overtime, Cornelius had a shot blocked by Matthew Richards (17 points-16 rebounds-four blocks) and to a second overtime they went with the score tied at 75. In the final period, Richards tied the score at 86 with 30 seconds remaining. The Ocelots’ Ross Stofflet hit a three and Avery Ismail made two free throws on their next two possessions to claim the victory. "It was a tough loss," assistant coach Jordan VanDyk said. "We saw a lot of good things and a lot of details we need to work on and improve. We played hard and our guys were together. We look forward to the next one and can't wait to get back in the gym tomorrow." Cornelius led all scorers with 34 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists.  For GRCC, Justus Clark, of Farmington Hills, was just one rebound shy of a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 10 assists and nine boards. Wade, from Atlanta, Ga., tallied 18 points and seven rebounds while Brockton Kohler, of Greenville, scored six points and grabbed 10 rebounds. GRCC will be back at home on Nov. 6 and they will take on St. Clair County Community College.  Tip-off will be 20 minutes after the Raiders women's basketball game that begins at 1 p.m. 

Nov. 1, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- State economic and workforce officials met today with Grand Rapids Community College leaders and local business, workforce development and community representatives at GRCC to discuss Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plans to invest federal stimulus dollars to support the economy. The event is part of a statewide tour designed to gather stakeholders to discuss a comprehensive strategy to use American Rescue Plan funds to support small businesses, grow the middle class and invest in communities. “We have a strong commitment to carrying out the governor’s economic vision that tackles structural challenges in an effort to grow Michigan's economy, create good-paying jobs and build industries of the future,” said Susan Corbin, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. “It is critical that we work together and hear from a diverse set of voices throughout the state, so that we can continue our economic recovery and build Michigan back better.” The goal of these events is to share the governor’s vision with key stakeholders and thought leaders and highlight local projects that demonstrate how the MI New Economy plan can move the state’s economy forward. The Grand Rapids stop of the tour included presentations from LEO and an open discussion with other local leaders to highlight their initiatives – current and on the horizon – that align with Whitmer’s MI New Economy plan. Whitmer’s plan includes continued support for state programs Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect, which provide free in-district community college tuition to eligible residents. The programs are part of Whitmer’s plan to have 60% of state residents earn a college credential by 2030. GRCC President Bill Pink said he appreciated the state’s support for the students, and suggested community colleges could have state support for success coaches and wraparound services to help students starting or restarting their education through the programs. “At this institution, this semester we have about 3,000 students on campus taking advantage of those dollars,” Pink said. “What’s helpful is to have those dollars come with the systems that we need to give those students some support. It’s great to be able to bring someone 30 years old back to school who didn’t think they’d be able to navigate college. It’s awesome to get them in the door. We have to make sure we have the boots on the ground to help them be successful. We want them to have access, and success.” Whitmer in August came to GRCC to talk about increased funding for the two scholarship programs and Going PRO, which provides in-demand career skills. Last month Whitmer detailed her economic agenda, including the unveiling of the three pillars of her $2.1 billion MI New Economy plan with goals that will help state leaders track progress on efforts to build a stronger and more resilient Michigan. The pillars are focused on economic development, workforce and community investment. “Workforce development, small business growth and affordable housing investments are all connected and necessary to advance Michigan’s economy,” said Jeremy DeRoo, CEO of Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids. “Growing these in a coordinated effort that aligns with the work local partners are already doing will allow Michigan to emerge stronger than before the crisis.” In addition to the college attainment goals, the governor’s plan also calls for: Lifting 100,000 families out of working poverty during the next five years.    Providing access to low- or no-cost childcare for 150,000 more families by 2024.  Becoming a top 10 state for small business job growth and revenue growth from 2022 to 2026.  Becoming a top 10 state for household income growth during the next five years.    Becoming a top 10 state for growth in venture capital funding over the next five years. Creating 100% access to high-speed internet and 95% adoption by households during the next five years, while continually investing in higher quality access. Creating 75,000 new or rehabilitated housing units in five years. Additional information about the MI New Economy plan is available at www.michigan.gov/MINewEconomy .