July 29, 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 Linda DeVries. Linda is a Financial Aid senior functional analyst working to create better processes and remove obstacles. Linda joined GRCC in 2020 as the student financials functional analyst. She has over 15 years of experience working in higher education. She previously worked in financial services at GRCC and as the accounts receivable/student billing coordinator and also as the financial aid coordinator at Montcalm Community College. Additionally, Linda has 15 years of experience in manufacturing and non-profit accounting. Linda has an associate’s degree in Accounting/Computer Information Systems and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Davenport University. She also holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Walsh College. Working in higher education is extremely rewarding for Linda. She gets to follow the success of the students she meets each year -- watching them achieve their dreams and knowing that she assisted them along their journey. The Financial Aid office is temporarily located on the third floor of the Student Center while Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall is being renovated. You can connect with the team there via email at  financialaid@grcc.edu  or by calling (616) 234-4030.  

July 28, 2021 HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College will welcome the public to its new Lakeshore Campus with an open house on Aug. 21 – and will be ready to assist anyone who is interested in taking classes. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., area residents can check out the renovations that transformed the former JCPenney space into GRCC’s consolidated Lakeshore home. In addition to refreshments and tours, they can sign up for classes leading to credits for degrees or transfer, or career certificates. Experts from the Enrollment, Financial Aid, the Academic Advising, Student Records, Veterans Benefits, Student Life, Honors, TRiO, and the College Success Center will be on site to help. “Come in as a visitor; leave as a student,” President Bill Pink said. “Our new campus will allow even more Ottawa County residents to benefit from our life-changing programs. We are excited to have the community visit and have a look at what we know will be a vibrant hub of learning for students of all ages.” GRCC purchased the 50,000-square-foot space in the Shops at Westshore mall in 2019, consolidating classes and services previously held at four Ottawa County sites. The new facility features classrooms, labs and study spaces along with testing, counseling, and placement services as well as a satellite library. The campus is centrally located on U.S. 31 and James Street, with a stop on the Macatawa Area Express bus line. “Lack of transportation is a huge barrier to higher education for many Ottawa County residents,” Pink said. “The new site is more accessible, and consolidating all our programs into one place means students can more easily align their class schedules with their work and family obligations.” Staff on hand at the open house can help with admissions and registration, and help potential students learn if they are eligible for the Michigan Reconnect program or federal Pell grants, which could substantially reduce costs. Current class offerings can lead to an Associate of Arts, Associate of General Studies, and Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences-Industrial Maintenance Technology, as well as certificates in Industrial Maintenance, Industrial Technology, Tooling and Manufacturing, and Welding. The expanded space will increase GRCC’s partnerships with area employers, and plans call for additional programs, possibly in health care, early childhood education, and teaching. No reservations are needed to attend the Aug. 21 open house. For more information on GRCC’s Lakeshore programs, call (616) 234-2200 or email lakeshore@grcc.edu .  

July 27, 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. Brigham Clark said he was living at home and working at a fast food restaurant, but was craving something different. “I’m the kind of person that needs to keep busy all the time so that I stay out of trouble,” he said. “Honestly, what attracted me to welding was the danger of it. I’m a huge adrenaline junkie and this has just the right mix of fire and metal to keep me engaged. The GRCC Metallica Scholars Welding Bootcamp offers people the opportunity to gain skills for entry level welding positions.  It is a short-term program to get welders work in West Michigan, with the goal of helping students grow into apprenticeships or other learning opportunities within the welding field.  “I’m young, but I was super stressed about what I was going to do with my life. I think a lot of us feel that way,” Clark said. “Now that I have some direction, I feel a little more relaxed. I feel like I have a life I can enjoy and look forward to. The program goal is to build an accessible pathway into the field of welding with a focus of producing ready-to-work welders for Kent County companies. This program works to attract, retain, and graduate individuals of different genders and racial/ethnic backgrounds to welding careers. “When I first started the class, I wasn’t too sure about it. I’m not artistic and I was kind of frustrated. Then I started practicing with Matt, another student. We became super competitive and that made it so fun! We really pushed each other to get better all the time. “The Metallica scholarship really made this all possible. It’s so cool to tell others that ‘hey, Metallica paid for my training!” Clark is currently working as a welder at Ram-Pak Industries. GRCC this month was awarded a third grant from Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation and the American Association of Community Colleges, extending a program focusing on providing in-demand career skills to underserved populations, changing lives. To qualify for the programs, participants must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma/GED, and be able to work in the United States. For more information go to grcc.edu/metallica .    

July 26, 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. GRCC helped Ruben Juarez start his college experience close to home, but his willingness to explore new places led to success at WOOD TV. Juarez came to GRCC to take care of general education requirements. “In the end, it helped me save thousands of dollars,” he said. “I enjoyed the different classes that I took, including one on Native American history.” Juarez went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Grand Valley State University. While attending college, he worked for The Grand Rapids Press and was an intern for WOOD TV’s sports department.  “I got to where I’m at today because once I realized I wanted to pursue a career in journalism, I strived to do whatever was necessary to get there,” he said. “School helped without a doubt, but interning was a major factor. I quit my job in Grand Rapids at The Grand Rapids Press and stayed with family in Oklahoma for a summer when I interned in Oklahoma City.” Journalism has kept Juarez on the move ever since: His on-air career started as a sports reporter at WLFI in West Lafayette, Ind. After three years there, he was a sports anchor and reporter at KRGV in Weslaco, Texas. In Texas, he began producing work in English and Spanish. “I never had formal Spanish lessons until I took classes at GRCC,” Juarez said. “Those classes paid off tremendously when I was in Texas. I grew up speaking Spanish at home, but learning how to write and hearing people from other parts of the world speak it was very helpful.” He returned to WOOD TV in December 2020 and ’s now the station’s first reporter to regularly produce separate versions of his reports in Spanish and English. “Having connections with staff at WOOD TV opened the door for me to return years later as a reporter,” he said. “I’d say making those connections and giving your best effort when interning are crucial to succeed.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at  grcc.edu/apply .

July 23, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A third grant from Metallica’s All Within My Hands will allow Grand Rapids Community College to help more non-traditional students gain in-demand welding skills leading to rewarding careers.  GRCC is one of 23 colleges in the nation -- and the only one in Michigan -- to have received the grants, which are funded by the legendary band in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges. The Metallica Scholars program was designed to support students while also elevating the importance of career and technical education. Band co-founder James Hetfield met with GRCC President Bill Pink after a 2019 Grand Rapids performance and said members are intent on spreading the word about the importance of the professional trades and community colleges. “That Metallica and its foundation continues to invest in GRCC speaks volumes about the band’s dedication to providing professional trades skills, but also to the success of our Metallica Scholars program and the lives that have been changed,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “We’re proud to continue this partnership and provide additional opportunities for West Michigan residents with this support.” The foundation awarded GRCC Workforce Training $25,000 to help continue a program aimed at underserved community members, giving them career skills as well as hands-on welding experience. GRCC partners with local employers so students can participate in site visits, employee panels and mentoring to help them determine if welding is a good fit for their career goals. Each student participates in individualized career-preparation with GRCC to ensure they are job-ready upon completion of their welding license.  “This is a great opportunity for individuals in our community to get in-demand skills and great jobs,” said Julie Parks, interim dean of the School of Workforce Development. “The Metallica Scholars program is a great example of how philanthropy, educators, and employers can come together to fill vitally needed jobs and provide meaningful employment opportunities as our region recovers from the pandemic.” GRCC student Krista Steffens last year earned recognition from the Michigan Department of Education. She was honored with a 2020 Breaking Traditions Award, given to students who overcame obstacles and stereotypes to succeed in career and technical education programs. “As a touring entity we are in direct involvement with multiple essential career choices along our path,” Metallica’s Hetfield said. “From electrical, professional driving, culinary, mechanical maintenance, public safety, logistical organizers. And that just scratches the surface. Those, along with a multitude of other technical careers, make our touring and our performances possible. We are passionate and grateful to these trades and tradespeople.” GRCC was one of 10 programs selected for the initial Metallica Scholars program in late 2018, and was tapped again for a second round in 2020. “The foundation and the band pay attention and follow these programs and students, and there is no doubt that lives have been changed,” said Dr. Edward Frank, executive director of AWMH. “What makes this work so unique is that in addition to supporting students directly, our goal is not just to change individual lives, it is to unabashedly promote the trades as meaningful and well-paying career pathways,” he said. “We are not afraid to be loud nor to dig in on things we believe in, and we believe in these students.”   Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO, said he is proud to work with Metallica to advance the career and technical education provided by the nation’s community colleges. “Colleges across the country provide pathways to well-paying jobs through programs, services and training that lead to in-demand skills, certificates and degrees for students,” he said. “These programs are responsive to the needs of local businesses and provide a pipeline of qualified workers to local industry. It’s a win-win for our students and the local economy. For Metallica to continue to invest in these students and communities is a testament to the power of the workforce education community colleges provide and we are proud to do this work with them.”

July 22, 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 Danielle Nyland. As a support professional, Danielle here to help GRCC Lakeshore Campus students, faculty and staff. From making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, to making sure people know where they are going in the hallways, Danielle has it covered. After graduating Holland High School, Danielle chose to attend GRCC on the Lakeshore because it was close and affordable. Any classes that she was not able to take on a GRCC campus in Holland she took online to finish her degree, which allowed her the flexibility to work as a student employee in the now closed Thompson MTEC GRCC office. After graduating with her associate degree, and while working as a support professional for the GRCC Lakeshore Campus, Danielle transferred to GVSU and earned her bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management. Danielle is excited that students taking classes at the new consolidated GRCC Lakeshore campus will have a different experience than she did - with a greater sense of community and all the services and resources they'll need in one place. She is looking forward to helping more students in-person more often. Danielle's favorite part of her work is watching GRCC Lakeshore Campus people go from potential students to graduates. Whether they begin their career after graduation, or transfer to a 4-year college or university, she knows they'll be back to skill up for the next level of their career, or as alumni because of the strong connection they make with the college and the people who work here. GRCC’s new Lakeshore Campus opens next month in a transformed space in the Shops at Westshore in Holland Township. The consolidated location will make a quality GRCC education more accessible. More information about the campus and programs offered there can be found at grcc.edu/lakeshore , by calling (616) 234-2200 , or emailing lakeshore@grcc.edu .  

July 21, 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. Justin Vogelar was unemployed with no prospects in 2016. He had a degree in behavioral science but need a skill that would get him on his way. He never had formal training on computers but definitely had interest in technology. That is when he found GRCC’s Computer Support Technician Job Training program.   “This program had exactly what I was looking for. I liked the structure of the class. It felt like a real job. Once I started the program, I was hooked. The instructor, Moss Ingram is so much more than an instructor. He has connections in many different areas of computer technology and just knows so much!” Ingram’s connections and knowledge provides students with an ever-expanding pool of opportunities; including concepts like IoT & ambient/ubiquitous computing in terms of nearly all products and services. Vogelar completed the program and applied for an internship at GRCC but didn’t get it. “It actually worked out that I didn’t get that internship because I interviewed and was offered a part-time help desk position instead.” Eventually he was offered a full-time position and has been a valuable member of the GRCC Information Technology team ever since. The Computer Support Technician Job Training Program is now offered in an entirely online format – but there is still a personal element in the program.  “We have structured the program in a way that provides flexibility but keeps the personal interaction necessary to be successful in the program and in the industry,” Ingram said. The program prepares students to achieve two certifications: the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and the CompTIA A+ Certification. Both of these IT certifications are globally recognized and represent in-demand skills sought after by a wide array of employers. Unlike many training programs that meet the needs of a specific market, any and all employers who use computer technology require computer support, whether the IT support is provided by a full-time employee or by a contracted managed services company. This program is designed to address computer support from four perspectives: technical, professionalism and employability, business innovation, and design. From a technical perspective, this program focuses on the four fundamentals of IT: hardware, software, networking, and security. Additionally, students gain experience with both the Windows operating system, as well as Linux, along with setting up and accessing virtual machines and cloud computing services. Many troubleshooting strategies are taught to prepare students for the myriad problems they will encounter and how to provide the most efficient and effective solutions. This program also prepares students with the employability skills and the professionalism required to work in IT. Students regularly meet local IT technicians, engineers, business owners, and recruiters via Zoom to learn from their experiences and current market expectations. The topic of design is integrated throughout the program in order to best prepare students to satisfy the increasing and ever-changing demands and expectations of today’s IT users. GRCC has an unmatched reputation among employers for supplying West Michigan with work-ready technicians. Our graduates specialize in providing empathy for the people they support while solving complex problems using troubleshooting and design thinking methodologies. Students are also taught to focus on human-centered solutions and technology-based innovations for both colleagues and customers. “The skills taught in this program really set you apart from the others. The human element is unique to GRCC’s program. It gives you a lot of confidence,” Vogelar said. 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 grcc.edu/programs/job-workforce-training .

July 20, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Community College is mourning the passing of Joyce Wisner, whose generosity helped GRCC grow a state-of-the-art facility that is the home to world-famous programs and life-changing opportunities. Wisner, who passed away July 14 at the age of 91, served as chair of the Tassell-Wisner-Bottrall Foundation. GRCC’s Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, 151 Fountain St. NE, was named after her, her husband, Grand Rapids Junior College alumnus Tom Wisner; and their children, David and Michelle Bottrall. It houses the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, the Pietro and Regina Culinary Amphitheater, Art & Bev’s bistro, Fountain Hill Brewery, the Heritage Restaurant and the Manufacturing and Computer Information System programs. It was created through a partnership with Ferris State University, which also offers programs in the facility. The Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, recently gained a two-story, 18,416-square-foot expansion that includes a new Data Center Lab suite, an expanded and updated Machine Tool Lab, more student study spaces, and a renovated computer lab. “Joyce Wisner recognized the importance of creating opportunities for students to succeed, and that their success would help our community as a whole grow stronger,” said Dr. Kathryn Mullins, GRCC’s vice president for Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. “The Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center represents the value of partnerships, the connection of GRCC to students and programs around the world, and the importance of career skills. That’s a tremendous legacy we will recognize and celebrate for years to come.” Dr. Bill Pink’s GRCC’s president, showed the college’s gratitude for Wisner’s generosity by presenting her with an honorary degree on her 88th birthday. “Joyce Wisner truly cared about GRCC students and our West Michigan community,” Pink said. “Students of all ages leave that building with skills that allow them to step right into careers. I’m saddened by her passing, but proud to count her and members of her family as friends, and thrilled her vision will allow us to continue changing lives long into the future."

July 19, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Students in Grand Rapids Community College’s Public Works Academy gain hands-on experience preparing for rewarding careers in area municipalities -- a training that just got better through a donation from the City of Kentwood. Kentwood leaders delivered a 2005 Sterling dump truck with an underbody plow on Monday, which will help students prepare for a variety of roles in the field of public works. "This donated truck will give GRCC students an opportunity to earn their commercial driver’s license for public works and get experience in the type of truck they will use on the job when they are hired by a municipality or employer who requires that license – our graduates will be ready for work on Day 1,” said Julie Parks interim dean of the School of Workforce Development.   “The vehicle will also be an important component in recruiting the next generation of public works employees. Our summer public works camp, middle school and high school outreach activities will include the use of the truck.  It will provide another opportunity for students to learn about careers in a vital field." GRCC’s Public Works Academy launched in 2018 to help local communities fill vitally important jobs. At the time, it was the first municipal workforce training program in Michigan and the third in the nation. The academy is a partnership that includes public works departments for the cities of Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Grand Haven, in addition to the road commissions from Kent, Muskegon and Van Buren counties, the Michigan Department of Transportation, Prein&Newhof, Rowe Professional Services Co. and the west Michigan chapter of the American Public Works Association. More than 60 people have graduated from the academy so far, and most have joined the public works field, filling positions that include building specialist, engineering technician, equipment operator, fleet services technician, plant assistant, safety specialist, truck driver, and maintenance worker for utilities, streets, grounds and buildings. “We are honored to be a partner in this collaborative effort that creates a pathway for residents to stay local and build their careers through essential roles that keep our communities safe and improve quality of life,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “We wholeheartedly support our donated truck being used to equip the next generation of public works professionals as they gain in-demand skills needed to fill this growing need in our region.” Students learn from professionals, gaining hands-on experience. Employees from Kentwood and other communities have helped teach courses. Jamie King, Kentwood Fleet Services supervisor, is one of the instructors for the commercial driver’s license component of the program, where the donated truck will play a huge role. Having a CDL is required for most public works positions. The academy’s CDL component was introduced in 2020 using borrowed equipment from partnering cities. Equipment availability became a challenge, and GRCC and academy partners agreed a used truck in good condition would be useful. The Sterling dump truck became available when Kentwood’s Department of Public Works replaced it with a new model. The vehicle was previously used for snow plowing and was later repurposed for tree disposal and chipping. Under normal circumstances, the truck would have been sold at auction. Kentwood leaders determined it would be effective for the Public Works Academy, and the City Commission approved the donation on June 1. The truck needed minor repairs to its front hood, along with new paint and tires. City leaders approached Truck & Trailer Specialties to get an estimate for body damage and Best-One Fleet Service for the tires. Both companies donated their services and supplies. The truck will be used for hands-on training of skill maneuvers and vehicle inspections that are required to earn a CDL. GRCC Technical Education Center staff and students will provide ongoing maintenance to the vehicle. “We are grateful to Truck & Trailer Specialties and Best-One Fleet Service for donating the services and supplies needed to bring this truck up to suitable condition for the Public Works Academy,” King said. “Using the truck as part of their hands-on training will be truly beneficial for the students by helping them gain the skills needed to get their commercial driver’s licenses, which helps open the door for more opportunities in public works.” The next round of training begins on Oct. 19, 2021, a part-time program running through March 15, 2022 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The next full-time program starts Jan. 11, 2022 and runs through March 2, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

July 19, 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. Many alumni credit GRCC for setting them on their career paths, but what if you don’t know what you want to do? Cadey Korson discovered GRCC was the perfect place to figure that out. She had no idea what she wanted to do with her life when she started college. She dug into general education courses. And -- as has happened to many other GRCC students -- one class began to really interest her: GE 210 Cultural Geography. “One day, after class, the professor stopped me and asked what my plans were,” Korson said. “After telling him I was considering international relations -- and that my parents said I could study anything I wanted as long as I got a Ph.D. -- he asked if I had considered geography. ‘You can do the same things as you could with a degree in IR, but you’ll get paid to do it.’ “I was sold!” After earning her associate degree in 2009, Korson completed a bachelor’s degree in geography, international relations and French at Aquinas College. She then earned a master’s degree in geography at the University of Missouri and a doctorate at Kent State University. “After that, I headed overseas for a two-year postdoctoral research position in human geography at the University of Oulu in northern Finland,” Korson said. “Travel is one of the things that drew me to geography, so it’s no surprise that I have spent my time working and traveling around the world.” She has conducted fieldwork in the South Pacific and delivered papers at conferences in England, Turkey, Greece, Serbia and Sweden. Currently, she’s the senior lecturer in geography for the School of People, Environment and Planning at Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand. “Among other things, this means that I am responsible for teaching some of our undergraduate and graduate classes, supervising graduate students, applying for grants and doing research, publishing, and organizing outreach events,” she said. Korson has recently added the role of outreach coordinator, organizing camps for high school students and working with teachers. She’s built a YouTube channel to help with this work. She returned to GRCC in 2018 to deliver a lecture for the Geography Department and notes that she still keeps in touch with professor Michael DeVivo and other mentors here. She has many fond memories of her first college experience. “It is hard to pick just one: When I was dual enrolling as a 16-year-old and my history professor suddenly put a chair on the table and asked the class, ‘How do we know this is a chair?’ Or swapping Hawaiian recipes with my geology professor? Or maybe it’s all the field trips I took in my geography courses. “Clearly, my favorite memories are the people, and the ways in which they made me feel welcome in a new and challenging environment.” Korson credits GRCC -- but also her husband and family -- for helping her on her career path. “The low tuition costs and flexibility to take courses I was interested in (that still fulfilled my undergraduate general education requirements) was a significant benefit of GRCC,” she said. “It gave me the freedom -- financial and academic -- to investigate different career options and potential areas of study. The smaller class sizes meant that I got to know my classmates and professors, facilitating a supportive network that continues to benefit me.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .