Aug. 12, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Come to the Grand Rapids Comic-Con Summer Bash this weekend dressed like a pretend superhero, and leave ready to gain the skills to become a real one – and maybe even win a special replica of Thor’s famed hammer! Members of the Grand Rapids Community College Job Training team will be at the event from Friday to Sunday in the DeltaPlex in Grand Rapids, showing off sci-fi-themed projects they’ve created in the college’s labs and sharing how the skills used to produce them lead to rewarding careers. Faculty and staff will be on hand to talk about Information Technology and Machine Tooling classes. Guests can get a close look at projects that include replicas of Iron Man’s mask, Star Wars lightsabers, and Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer. Guests can enter a free drawing to win Mjolnir, designed and created using a combination of CNC milling and turning machines in the new state-of-the-art manufacturing lab in GRCC’s Wisner- Bottrall Applied Technology Center. According to legend, only those “deemed worthy” are able to lift Mjolnir. Guests are invited to stop by the GRCC Job Training booth and test their worthiness, pose for photos and enter their name for the drawing. “Many of the people attending Comic-Con will be interested in learning about the skills used to create these projects, and might not be aware programs are available at GRCC,” said Andrew Beach, CNC machine tooling instructor. “These 18-week programs will prepare students for rewarding careers in automotive, aerospace, health care and other essential fields.”  GRCC Job Training team members will be in booth 116. Event hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the DeltaPlex, 2500 Turner Ave. NW in Grand Rapids.  

Aug. 11, 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. Nataly Ramirez thought she wanted to be a dental hygienist and started at Grand Valley State University. After her first year she realized it was not for her. “I knew I wanted to do something hands-on but I wasn’t sure what to do.” Ramirez started looking at GRCC and all the programs offered.   “I made appointments with counselors and advisors to see what might be a good fit for me. When I found out about the Automotive program, I was like, that’s what I want to do. I didn’t think there were actually programs that teach automotive skills.” To become an Automotive Technician, people are required to be certified and licensed in the state of Michigan. Licensed technicians use precision diagnostic equipment, service manuals and hands-on power tools to diagnose and repair customer vehicles. “I did not know anything when I went into this program now I am coming out with a lot of knowledge. I was very nervous to start. I thought that there would be people that would already know so much but they start you off with the basics and help you along the way.” Students learn braking systems, suspension, electrical, heating and cooling and computer operations. In 2016, GRCC became the only location in Michigan to partner with Chrysler Fiat to provide MOPAR CAP Level One Certification - giving students the opportunity to acquire the value credential which includes 37 certifications. “I like how we start off each day in the classroom and then go into the lab to work on the cars.” The Automotive Technician program is taught by instructor Gayl Beals, who has more than 25 years of experience in the industry. Beals earned an education specialist degree, holds MOPAR level one certification and is accredited by Snap-on Tools. “After the program, I would like to get a job at a dealership and learn as much as I possibly can. Someday, I would like to have my own business. There aren’t very many female owned garages. My friends think it’s cool that I’m doing this. They say that I am changing the industry.” The next section of Job Training programs begins October 18, 2021. 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.   

Aug. 9, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is offering an incentive to encourage students to get the COVID-19 vaccine and plans on-campus vaccination clinics as part of efforts to keep the campus safe. Vaccines have been determined to be the most effective tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and preventing serious illness and hospitalization. As of Tuesday, GRCC is requiring that everyone on campus wear face coverings when indoors, following a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kent and Ottawa counties were moved into the “substantial” category for risk transmission. Students who have already received the vaccine or who are fully vaccinated by Nov. 15 will receive a $200 credit on their RaiderCard accounts to use for campus dining, parking, printing, and in the bookstore. The incentive will be available for students enrolled for the fall 2021 semester. The college is using federal Strengthening Institutions Program Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds for the project. “An increased number of students and employees are coming back to campus this fall as we emerge from the pandemic,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “We believe vaccines are the best way to assure students are able to successfully engage in on-campus learning and participate in campus activities. Vaccines are readily available, and we’ll provide vaccinations here on campus to make sure everyone has the opportunity to get one. Promoting vaccines is one more thing we can do to keep our campus safe.” Vaccination location information is available at vaccinatewestmi.com . The incentive program is 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.

Aug. 9, 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. When Grand Rapids Junior College alumnus Paul Krieger looks back over more than 30 years in the workforce, one “dream job” stands out. Was it working as a lab assistant, analyzing the expression of receptors for CCK and similar hormones in Xenopus laevis oocytes? No. Was it teaching English and biology to high schoolers in Beijing? No. Was it authoring a four-book series of illustrated science guides? Close, but no. Krieger says he landed his dream job in 1991: biology professor at GRCC. “I taught courses in anatomy and physiology, general biology, and personal health,” he said. “My former students have launched their own successful careers as nurses, dental hygienists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, physician assistants, occupational therapists, and medical doctors, as well as many other careers.” GRCC was Krieger’s own launching pad, back when it was known as GRJC. “Both of my older brothers attended GRCJ and then the University of Michigan,” he said. “After seeing how well it worked out for them, I followed in their footsteps. I was not mature enough to go away to college as a first-year college student. GRJC gave me the opportunity to start my college career while living at my parents’ home and working a part-time job. This was an ideal situation for me.” Krieger also credits GRJC with setting him on his career path. “Since my childhood, I always loved art and science, but I was having trouble deciding on a career,” he said. “Several of my multitalented professors at GRJC inspired me to consider teaching as a career. I decided this would allow me to possible combine my passions for art and science in a meaningful way. This turned out to be a great decision for me and worked out even better than I could have imagined.” After earning an Associate of Science in 1984, Krieger received a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Michigan and a secondary teaching certificate. He earned a master’s in biological sciences from Wayne State University in 1991. He started teaching in high schools in Beijing and Jackson before returning to GRCC, where he worked for 28 years. But his 2019 retirement from GRCC didn’t end his teaching career: He is the author and illustrator of the four-book Visual Analogy Guides series, which cover anatomy, physiology and chemistry. Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .  

Aug. 5, 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 Marisol Blanco. Marisol is associate director of GRCC’s College Success Center, which hosts success coaches who are passionate about assisting students along their educational paths. The center connects students with helpful campus resources, and runs programs such as FastTrack, a three-week learning lab to help strengthen academic and study skills and prepare students to take placement tests through a combination of web-based and professional tutor-guided activities. Marisol earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Spanish, and Latino Studies from the University of Michigan, and then a Master of Education with an emphasis on Adult and Higher Education from Grand Valley State University.  This month she was recognized by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Development as the state’s AmeriCorps Site Supervisor of the Month.   Her department has two AmeriCorps college completion coaches to support first-generation, low-income, and students of color with a focus on college persistence and completion. “Blanco is dedicated to student success and retention,” read an announcement from LEO. “Drawing on her own experience as a low-income, first-generation college student, a Michigan College Advising Corps alum, and a GRCC Success Coach, Marisol works to bring forward ideas like FastTrack and other coaching initiatives to improve student success at GRCC.” The state praised Marisol as an exemplary leader who is focused on staff development as well as student success. “As a servant leader, Marisol focuses on rapport and team building to create a cohesive team and promote a healthy team dynamic, creating a warm and welcoming environment for college completion coaches as much as permanent staff. From her dedication to lifting others up, to maintaining a cohesive team, she embodies the values and goals of AmeriCorps and the College Completion Corps program.” Marisol was recognized as one of the 2018 Top 50 Latinas of the state by the Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan, and was one of 13 people saluted by the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber as a Young Professional of the Year. You can find the College Success Center at 113 Sneden Hall on GRCC’s DeVos Campus, and can connect with the team through email at collegesuccess@grcc.edu and by phone at (616) 234-2312.

Aug. 4, 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. Steven Jetton had been working as a patient registration specialist for Spectrum Health for two years. During this time, he got to know many medical assistants and learned what that job entails. That is when he looked into the training to become an MA. “I had been hesitating to start the school and then COVID-19 happened. I just put it on the back burner until I found out about Futures for Frontliners. “That really left me no excuse. With my husbands support and Spectrum Health willing to flex my work schedule, I had to do it!” The goal of the GRCC’s Medical Assistant program is to prepare competent entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The 772-hour program is designed to take 22 weeks to complete and combines classroom lecture, group activity, simulation learning, and a competency-based externship experience. Currently, the program is offered in a hybrid format with half in person and half online coursework.  “It is not easy, especially working and going to school," he said. “The first two weeks are crazy but somehow you get through it! I love the group I am going through this with. We are all from different backgrounds, ages, lifestyles but we have really bonded.” Following a four-week practicum experience, students are prepared to take the Registered Medical Assistant national certification exam through American Medical Technologists. The exam fee is included in the tuition. “I am currently doing my practicum at Metro Health in the ER. I am the first MA Metro has hosted. I love it! They are incredibility helpful and I can ask as many questions as I need to. I really love what I’m doing and the people I work with,” he said. A healthcare information video is available to watch when it is most convenient for you! To get the answers you need to determine which healthcare program is right for you as well as how to enroll and requirements. 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. Additional information is at Job and Workforce Training .  

Aug. 3, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College was saluted by the Heart of West Michigan United Way  for its efforts supporting our greater community. GRCC has been a partner with United Way for decades, with employees donating more than $700,000 during the last 10 years. United Way Vice President Kim Ritz and account executive Scott Sorenson presented President Bill Pink and Misty McClure Anderson, executive deputy to the president and board liaison, with the 2020 United Way Top Campaign Award. The honor goes to an organization running a best practice campaign with increased involvement in the current year campaign. From 2019 to 2020, GRCC employee giving increased by 47% along with the total United Way campaign dollars raised by GRCC employees increasing by more than 20%. GRCC employees met the college's $25,000 donation goal, recognizing the needs of students and community members increasing during the pandemic.  United Way helped college students, partnering with the Kent County Commission to donate $48,000 to GRCC's student food pantry, and providing $10,000 for the pantry earlier in the year through its Coronavirus Response Fund.

Aug. 2, 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. With the security of their Secchia Institute for Culinary Education training -- and the support from the GRCC community they found there -- Levi and Callee Knoll have embarked on a long-held dream: opening their own brewery and restaurant. The Knolls are both GRCC alumni: Levi has degrees in Culinary Arts and Culinary Management, while Callee earned a Culinary Arts degree and certificates in Personal Chef and Baking and Pastry Arts. They then worked at various food industry jobs that included experience in craft brewing, farming, restaurants and ice cream making. “Owning a restaurant has, for so long, been a dream of Levi’s,” Callee Knoll said. “And after working in the restaurant industry for a combined 30 years, with seven years in the craft brewing industry alongside home brewing experience, we decided it was time to start pursuing that dream and open a brewery-restaurant. They opened Archival Brewing just last month at 6266 West River Drive in Belmont, specializing in regional cuisine and “historic-style beer.” “We want to bring more attention to old and forgotten brewing styles, ranging from ancient Egyptian meads to pre-Prohibition beer, old English ciders and everything in between,” Callee Knoll said. “With an equal passion for good eats, we want to create rotating menus for a heightened food experience, being mindful of ingredient seasonality, while supporting local farmers.” The Knolls say the connections they made at the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education gave them the skills and confidence to open Archival. “We became close with so many of our peers and chef instructors, helping us navigate the food industry and create a community of creative, talented individuals,” Callee Knoll said. Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .

July 30, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Baseball player Logan Campbell just signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins, and says Grand Rapids Community College prepared him to be successful. Campbell is turning professional, but several other recent Raiders are continuing athletically and academically at four-year colleges. Campbell, a 2017 Belding High School graduate, played his first year of collegiate baseball at Mesa Community College in Arizona before coming back home and attending GRCC. Posting an 8-3 record for the Raiders in 2019, he led the team in wins, was second in ERA with 3.23 and had 52 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. "GRCC was a place for me that I was able to focus on the important things in my life,” he said. “With the new facilities it felt like a D1 atmosphere. I was able to do what I need at GRCC to develop as a baseball player." Campbell transferred to the University of Charleston, where he dominated his competition while improving his velocity and adding more pitches to his repertoire. In two seasons there, one of them cut short due to COVID-19, he accumulated a 13-1 record, with a sub3.00 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 91 innings. He was signed by the Twins as a free agent, and is heading to the team's Fort Myers, Fla. training complex. He'll soon learn his first destination for the organization. "Going to JUCO was one of the smartest decisions in my life,” Campbell said. “It gave me two more years to develop so I could get better opportunities than I did out of high school. Work ethic is the biggest thing I learned while being in junior college because you are the only one that decides your future." Campbell is one of several Raiders who will continue to compete in new places in the year ahead. Baseball player Matt Williams will attend University of Michigan-Dearborn while Collin Bradley is headed to Grand Valley State University, Garrett Cheslek to Aquinas College, and Aaron West at Concordia University. Jake Ryan, Jake Paganelli and Sam Schmitt are weighing their options and expect to compete.   The women's basketball team, which won its district and competed in nationals this past season plans to bring back many players, but starting forward Danielle Lamancusa chose to continue her athletic career at Alma College. The All-Conference native of Rockford played and started in every game for the Raiders during her two years at GRCC, averaging just over 10 points and about seven rebounds a game. The men and women's cross country teams, which competed at nationals the past two years, have a couple runners so far that have committed to run at the next level this fall; Noah Peterson is headed to Rochester University and Diana Candela will run for Ferris State University. The golf team’s Dominic Luciani plans to attend Aquinas College. Dom was named All-Conference, All-MCCAA and All-Region after finishing in the top five in five events and top 10 in all seven events before the nationals. During his first year, he played in all seven events before the shutdown and was fourth in the MCCAA in scoring. Krin Beach of the softball team signed to play for Cornerstone University.  Beach, a Lowell High School graduate, played and started in all 30 games this past Spring and batted .261 while posting a stellar .948 fielding percentage.