June 9, 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. Andrea Ziebarth is a 2020 graduate of Coopersville High School. She did well, but just couldn’t figure out what she wanted to do after graduation -- until her guidance counselor sent her an email about the GRCC Welding Job Training program. “I saw that the Job Training program is only 18 weeks and I was like, ‘That sounds great!’ Looked into it more and found out that that the industry is looking for women welders. It kind of surprised my parents but they think it’s cool now!” Now that Ziebarth is halfway through the program, she knows that she made the right choice. “I really love how it’s all at your own pace. I’m pretty far ahead and that feels good. Nate Haney, our instructor, is great and gives us lots of pointers.” The GRCC Job Training Welding program meets for 18 weeks for 34 hours per week. The program offers small class sizes, hands-on learning and job placement assistance. This program is highly regarded by employers as a top trainer in welding and fabrication. Job developers are ready to help you with the job search process. Graduates are ready to begin a career as a welder, cutter or brazer – with the skills to meet the needs of local companies. Get trained from the best! Instructor 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. Students 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. According to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, there will be 34.7% job growth from 2012 to 2022. Ziebarth’s future is already moving forward. “My goal right now is the get a good paying job and move out on my own. That would be great! Eventually, if my employer wants me to get more training, I would totally be up for that.” 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 .

June 8, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – More than 1,100 people have so far been accepted to attend Grand Rapids Community College tuition-free through the Michigan Reconnect program, aimed at helping residents 25 and older gain new skills as the state emerges from the pandemic. More than 70,000 Michiganders have been accepted into the program statewide, exceeding the government’s goal of 60,000 by Memorial Day, according to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Students can work toward an associate degree or a career skills certificate. About a third of GRCC’s Reconnect students are already taking classes this summer. Of these, about 40% have restarted their education after time away – and about 10% are picking up where they left off 10 or more years ago.  “Michigan Reconnect gives residents an opportunity to return to the classroom and advance in their career or gain new skills in emerging fields,” said Tina Hoxie, GRCC’s associate provost. “Take that step forward. No one needs to walk this journey on their own. We want students to be successful so our community as a whole is successful, and we will help them along the way.” Reconnect covers resident rate tuition and mandatory fees after other state and federal scholarships and grants have been applied. GRCC students living outside of the Kent Intermediate School District will pay the difference between the resident and non-resident tuition rates not covered by Reconnect or other financial aid.  People hoping to attend through Reconnect are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. GRCC financial aid specialists are able to help with applications. Additional information is at grcc.edu/pay-college , by phone at (616) 234-4030 and by email at financialaid@grcc.edu. Reconnect is one of several programs available to students to reduce costs and potentially attend tuition-free. More than 3,200 students were accepted by the state to attend GRCC through Futures for Frontliners, a program providing a tuition-free education for people who worked during the COVID-19 shutdown. Eligible frontliners must begin enrollment in college no later than Fall 2021.  Eligible students also can attend GRCC through the Grand Rapids Promise Zone Scholarship or with assistance from the federal Pell Grant program. GRCC has online and hybrid class options, allowing students to schedule around home and work responsibilities. The bipartisan, $30 million Michigan Reconnect program is part of Gov. Whitmer’s plan to have 60% of the state’s residents earning a postsecondary degree or certificate by 2030. “A talented and skilled workforce helps build a strong economy and puts Michigan on the map as a place for opportunity,” Gov. Whitmer said. “Businesses need skilled talent so they can thrive in our vibrant communities. I’m proud of the hardworking men and women who have taken the leap to continue their education and I look forward to ongoing bipartisan work with lawmakers to connect millions of Michiganders to the resources they need to succeed in a good-paying career.” Additional information is available at grcc.edu/reconnect , by calling the Reconnect hotline at (616) 234-3366 and by emailing reconnect@grcc.edu.

June 7, 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. Le Tran decided to pursue a dream -- and was willing to juggle her studies with her family obligations to do it. She found the flexibility she needed at Grand Rapids Community College, and her degree laid the foundation for a career that blends her passions for art and teaching. “I was a young mom with three children, and I wanted to return to school to earn my teaching degree,” Tran said. “GRCC’s schedule, tuition and location made it possible for me to complete the courses I needed to advance to a four-year college. “Earning my Associate of Arts at GRCC gave me the confidence to take the next step.” For Tran, that meant a Bachelor of Arts from Aquinas College in 2001 and a master’s degree in art education from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2015.  She then stepped to the front of the classroom as an art teacher at East Kentwood High School. There, she continues to multi-task: In addition to her teaching duties, she serves as advisor to the school’s National Art Honor Society chapter and the Asian Student Union. She also serves on the Michigan Art Education Association’s council.  Tran herself hasn’t stopped learning. She has received two Fulbright-Hayes Group Projects Abroad Program grants, traveling in 2004 to Vietnam, where she lived until age 10, to study the culture and traditional art of silk painting and to Bulgaria in 2008 to learn about icon painting. “Both of these experiences enriched my teaching practices, and I was able to share my learning with my colleagues and students,” she said. Tran has also led students on trips to France, Spain, China and Italy. Her work has not gone unnoticed by her peers. In 2021, she was named the Michigan Art Education Association’s Secondary Art Educator of the Year as well as the National Secondary Art Educator of the Year. “What I have learned from my experience at GRCC is that it’s never too late to go back to college and definitely never too late to earn an advanced degree,” Tran said. “Taking that first step with GRCC opened up a whole new world for me, and I am where I am today because I said ‘yes’ to my community college. I am where I am today because I love what I do: teaching art to high school students and exposing my students to the world through travel -- and learning along with them.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at  grcc.edu/apply .  

June 4, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Athletic Trainer Mike Roche has earned national honors for his focus on athletic training, pandemic wellness protocols and keeping Grand Rapids Community College student-athletes safe and physically prepared during a season both historically challenging and successful. Roche this week was named National Athletic Trainer of the Year by the National Junior College Athletic Association, which goes to an athletic trainer “who best exemplifies the overall purpose of leading an institution, athletic department, and student-athletes through athletic training.” The honor comes in a year where five of GRCC’s eight teams participated in national tournaments while following strict protocols aimed at preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. “This past year has been a rough one for everyone, but especially our student-athletes,” Interim Athletic Director David Selmon said. “Mike has taken the time and effort to make sure our athletes have been as safe as possible in order to participate in their sports. He has been the lead of our COVID team within the department and has done an excellent job keeping everyone as safe as possible. Without him, none of our athletes would have been able to even step foot on the court or field.” Roche has served as GRCC’s athletic trainer for 26 years, supporting about 150 athletes each year in partnership with physicians and medical specialists. He also oversees student trainer interns, NJCAA compliance requirements, equipment and uniforms for all of the college’s teams. This year he was in charge of leading the Athletic Department’s COVID protocols, which included daily screenings, social distancing and face coverings, with testing added mid-year through a partnership with Ferris State University.  “Mike took on the responsibility and far exceeded even the best of expectations given the initial unknowns of the pandemic,” Women’s basketball Coach David Glazier said. “His determination and clear plan to keep athletes and coaches safe so the 2020-2021 season could happen cannot be overlooked. The plans and policies he recommended for GRCC became a benchmark for the MCCAA and Region 12. On top of his steadfast leadership to stay the course, Mike was also a leader when the moment called for us to take additional steps to provide the safest possible environment possible, which included the midseason addition of testing protocols. There is no doubt in my mind that the historic 2020-2021 season for the GRCC Athletics Program would not have been as historic without the guidance and leadership of Mike Roche,” Glazier said. Roche is a 1986 University of Nevada Las Vegas graduate and worked through Spectrum-Butterworth Hospital, NovaCare, and Professional Physical Therapy Services as an athletic trainer assisting eight to 10 local high schools with sports medicine needs. Roche teaches first aid and Introduction to Athletic Training classes in GRCC’s Exercise Science Department in addition to his athletic trainer and equipment manager roles.  

June 3, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- After successful careers in law enforcement, Kris and Lars Poleski decided it was time to pursue some longtime dreams. But they wanted to build their second careers on solid skills, so they both turned to Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education. Kris Poleski retired from the Grand Rapids Police Department in 2004 as a lieutenant, and then served as a deputy police chief in Florida. She returned to Michigan to become a professor of criminal justice at Ferris State University. “I always said that ‘someday’ I would pursue my dream of going to culinary school,” she said. “In 2017, when a dear friend of mine died at an early age, I decided life was too short to wait until I retired or for ‘some day,’ so I enrolled in the Secchia Institute’s baking and pastry program while I was still teaching at Ferris. “Because I had a Ph.D. for teaching, I chose to pursue a certificate rather than an associate degree.”  She completed the Baking and Pastry Arts program in December 2019.  Lars Poleski comes from a law enforcement family and began his own career with the Grand Rapids Police Department in 1994. He served on patrol, community policing, the Neighborhood Police Bureau, patrol supervisor, the Internal Affairs Unit, and the Support Services Division.  When he retired in 2019, he returned to a longtime interest: homebrewing. “I have been involved in homebrewing since the late 1980s,” he said. “I studied foreign languages in college and when I studied at the University of Augsburg in West Germany, good beer became a bit of an obsession.” But Lars Poleski wasn’t satisfied with his latest homebrewing efforts, finding the quality and consistency “very hit-or-miss.” Kris Poleski had a suggestion for fixing that: GRCC’s Craft Brewing program. “The program was a great experience and has helped me to achieve many of my goals with my own brewing,” said Lars Poleski, who earned his certificate at the end of 2020. Kris Poleski has started two businesses, a bread company and a dessert catering business, although she’s put them on pause temporarily to care for her 1-year-old grandson. Lars Poleski didn’t plan on another job when he started the Craft Brewing program, but he found one. “The program required me to obtain an internship in the craft beverage industry,” he said. “Joel Bierling, owner of the Bier Distillery in Comstock Park, accepted me as an intern, and that internship eventually led to my employment there.”  

June 2, 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. NaiDra Walls was a returning student, and said the GRCC Residential Construction Job Training Program gave them more than in-demand skills. It gave them confidence. Since starting at Rockford Construction in May 2020, Walls has been promoted and received several raises in pay. They could not be happier, “Rockford has a great company culture! I’m excited to go to work every day!’ Walls’ path to GRCC took many twists and turns. They hold a couple academic degrees, has their realtors license, and has started a non-profit. Walls came to GRCC when there was a need to fix up homes in the Detroit area. “I’m an older student so I wasn’t really sure how it was going to go for me,” Walls said. “Our instructor, Kyle, was super consistent and a great example of how to handle any situation. He was a great role model and stressed that the most important lesson is to care about people and have a little fun, too!” GRCC offers three 18 week Job Training Certificate programs in the field of construction; Introduction to Construction, Residential Construction , and Construction Electrical . GRCC offers other industry certifications including; Carpentry Certification 1 , Commercial Construction , Lead Abatement Training , and the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program. The Residential Construction program takes place at a construction site, where students build a new home. Students get hands-on learning and application about the entire process of residential building including blue print reading, site layout, concrete, carpentry, door/window installation, roofing, siding, and interior finishing. Graduates are qualified for employment in the residential construction industry. The program focuses on constructing homes that achieve a 5-Star Energy rating, are Michigan Green Built, and LEED Certified. Walls is currently working on a construction site in Ann Arbor, which works good for them and the work being done with their non-profit. “My advice to anyone in a construction work environment – show them what you know and ask a ton of questions! It’s the best way to learn in the construction industry. GRCC Job Training gave me the confidence to ask the questions.” 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.      

May 31, 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. “I am proof that a career is not always a path, but it can also be an evolving journey.” Alumnus Tim Mroz’s career has taken him to big corporations, small businesses, the software industry, photography, economic development, project management and communications. At GRCC, instructor John Plummer introduced Mroz to graphic design. “He was the first professor to take an authentic interest in me and mentor me,” Mroz said. “I remember being so excited about those courses, working ahead and going back to Plummer to give me more. This was me, actually asking for more coursework -- a first in my lifetime! I will never be able to thank Mr. Plummer enough for what he eventually did for my career.” Mroz received his Associate of Arts in 1996 and transferred to Grand Valley State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies in 1998. His first job was account manager for McGraw-Hill followed by marketing positions at 20-20 Technologies and X-Rite. In 2008, he started with The Right Place, a West Michigan economic development agency. He has worked his way through marketing and communications to his current role of senior vice president of strategic initiatives. Mroz credits GRCC with providing him the hard design skills that helped launch his career. But decades later, he recognizes that GRCC helped him build “soft skills” as well. “Throughout my career, I have been provided many new opportunities that have taken my career in different directions,” he said. “I have been able to succeed because GRCC encouraged me to say ‘yes’ to new experiences. I’ve learned that the ability to connect with others and build relationships is just as important as the hard skills that make up the bullet points on your resume.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply .

May 27, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – First Lady Jill Biden praised Grand Rapids Community College’s leadership in helping students and community members get vaccinated against COVID-19 during a tour of a campus pop-up clinic on Thursday. Dr. Biden highlighted partnerships between federal pharmacy partners and community colleges in a national vaccination effort. Rite Aid staff administered vaccines at the pop-up clinic, and had enough doses on hand to assist up to 100 students, employees and community members. Dr. Biden called community colleges “special places” and thanked GRCC President Bill Pink for the college’s role in removing obstacles to people getting the vaccines. “We can see how far we’ve come during this really difficult time,” she said. “So many people have told me they are finally feeling hopeful and optimistic again. Families are returning to work and to school. Businesses are reopening. And we’re getting back to the things we missed for so long -- hugging the people we love, catching up with friends face-to-face, and seeing our friends’ and families’ smiles.” Dr. Biden, who teaches at a community college, met Rite Aid staff members, and spoke with people who had just received their shots. She arrived with U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, who joined her on the tour, along with Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. GRCC Nursing students recently administered shots into the arms of students, campus employees, and others at DeVos Place as part of the Shot of Love campaign, a partnership with Urban Church Leadership Center and Spectrum Health. “Thank you for doing your part to protect yourself and the people in your lives,” Dr. Biden said. “The vaccine is safe and effective – it saves lives. Vaccines are the best way for all of us to get back to the weddings, the sporting events, the concerts that we all miss so much.” She also praised frontline workers for all of their work during the pandemic crisis: “I want to say to the frontline workers, ‘God bless you. You are the ones who have carried us through this pandemic, and you’ve shouldered this burden. I want to say, ‘thank you.’”    

May 26, 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. Gaspar Vizcarra is not new to manufacturing. He’s been working in assembly, quality and machine operation ever since he graduated from high school. “The problem was I want to operate more complex machines, but I was never given the opportunity to do it.” Vizcarra learned about the Machine Tool/Computer Numeric Control Job Training Program back in 2017 and began saving his money for the tuition. “When I found out that I qualified for the Futures for Frontliners I took a little leap of faith. Everything fell into place.” The Machine Tool/CNC program has recently been updated to provide skills needed to meet industry needs. The new curriculum and brand-new state-of-the-art machine lab, in the Applied Technology Center, is in full swing! “This program is exactly what I was looking for. The schedule is perfect for me. I saw all these machines -- the lab is amazing. I was nervous about the instructor but Andy Beach makes you feel so comfortable asking questions. If you fail at work a few times you will just get replaced but here when you make a mistake, Andy just teaches you how to do right,” he said. “I have learned so much in just the first eight weeks, even with all of the experience I had coming in.  Now I am thinking that I really want to be a programmer. Ultimately, I want to design and machine rims for cars.” What is a machinist or CNC technician? A machinist/CNC technician shapes metal and various materials to precise dimensions by using machine tools. MT/CNC technicians plan and set up the sequence of machine operations in accordance with blueprints, layouts or other instructions to write both manual and computer-generated machine programs. Skills taught in the program include blueprint reading, basic shop math, read measurement tools and communicate effectively with others using today's Machine Tool/CNC terminology. “I love that you see a really complex machine but I can go up to it and I know what every button does. I don’t even second guess myself – it’s amazing! I always thought CNC was just about running a machine but to see that I can physically made something from my drawing, I feel so accomplished!” 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 .

May 25, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is hosting a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday, May 27, welcoming First Lady Jill Biden, who is highlighting partnerships between federal pharmacy partners and community colleges. The walk-in clinic is open to the public, with vaccinations available between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at GRCC’s Administration Building, 415 E. Fulton Street. Dr. Biden, a community college professor, will tour the GRCC vaccination clinic and meet some residents getting their shots. “We’re proud to welcome the first lady to GRCC, and deeply appreciate her support for community colleges and for vaccinating our community members,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “Community colleges will play a vital role as our region emerges from the pandemic. This pop-up vaccination clinic is one more example of how GRCC and partnerships make West Michigan stronger.” Additional information about the GRCC clinic is here:  grcc.edu/coronavirus-information/covid19-campus-protocols/popup-vaccination-clinic GRCC Nursing students recently administered shots into the arms of students, campus employees, and others as part of the Shot of Love campaign, a partnership with Urban Church Leadership Center and Spectrum Health. Pink said the vaccines are an additional layer of protection, one of several tools used in GRCC’s ongoing efforts to keep students, faculty, staff and community members safe with an eye toward a more familiar fall semester. All COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States have been deemed as safe and effective. Additional information about the vaccines is available at cdc.gov/coronavirus/vaccines .