March 9, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich . – The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team fell to the unbeaten Muskegon Community College Jayhawks in four sets on Tuesday, breaking a three-game winning streak. The Raiders won the first set 25-15, but then dropped three-straight to Muskegon, which is ranked No. 15 in the nation, 16-25, 18-25, and 20-25. The game was the first of the season with spectators in the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse. The Michigan Community College Athletic Association is now permitting colleges to allow up to 250 people at events with safety protocols in place, including socially distant seating, face coverings, and health screenings. Admission is limited to two people per athlete, and spectators must be registered in advance with the Athletic Department. No one is admitted without pre-registration. After dominating the first set with 7 aces, 12 kills and 2 blocks, the Raiders struggled early on in the second set, trailing 8-0 early on. The team clawed its way back to tie it a 11 after a combo block from Annie Holesinger and Gabi Kitley, and tied it up three more times, but never could pull ahead and lost 25-16. The Jayhawks scored the final 9 points of the set. The teams traded the lead throughout sets three and four, but the visitors prevailed to improve to 10-0 and 8-0 in the conference. The Raiders snap a three-match win streak to fall to 3-3 on the season. Kitley lead the Raiders with 14 kills and hit a team-best .333. Kylie Oberlin had 11 kills and 3 blocks while Holesinger finished with 8 kills, 3 aces and 4 blocks.  Haley Stewart led the defense with 12 digs and also had 3 aces. The Raiders will be back on the court on Friday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m. against Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor. In their first meeting the Raiders defeated the Red Hawks in straight sets. All home volleyball and basketball home games will continue to be streamed through the MichiganSportsRadio.com website, including postseason games. Games will be archived on the GRCC Athletics YouTube channel. Students, coaches and training staff participating in contact sports have been receiving weekly antigen tests, with results available in about 15 minutes, through a partnership with the Ferris College of Pharmacy. The tests are administered by Ferris faculty and students, and are planned to continue through the end of the season.  

A School News Network feature - When the coronavirus pandemic hit last March, Kate Greening found herself with time to reflect on her career.  The catering manager for corporate events was out of work as people stayed home and avoided gatherings. She began to brainstorm her options and, with a dusty 10-year-old bachelor’s degree in health information management, decided to begin building credentials in health care again. She enrolled in the new  pharmacy technician program  at GRCC. Now, with that completed, she plans to get a job in a pharmacy as a licensed technician. “I would hope to get into a hospital to advance into some kind of specialization,” said Greening, of Grand Rapids. “For the first two years, I just want to dive in and work under some people to give me the knowledge to help teach someone else this.”  She’s also looking for structured hours and less stress than she had in catering.  “I can still help people, but have a high focus on customer service as well,” she said. Demand Increasing for Pharmacy Techs GRCC recently finished its first 15-week pharmacy technician course, a hybrid of online learning and in-person labs. Twelve students were enrolled, working to earn their national certification from the  Pharmacy Technician Certification Board . Another session runs April 12 to July 30 and has room for up to 16 students. GRCC offered a similar program several years ago, but stopped it due to the industry shifting to part-time jobs and little demand, said Julie Parks, executive director of workforce training. Now, due to increased interest and demand, the program has relaunched as a hybrid of online and lab work. While coursework is online, three lab sessions focus on simple compounding, customer service and other areas of the job. Affirming that the profession comes with solid job prospects, pharmacy technician is on the  West Michigan Works 2020 Hot Jobs List , with median hourly earnings listed at $15.24 per hour (certified technicians make more money per hour than non-certified) and a projected growth of 11.8% in demand from 2016-2026, and annual openings of 170. Nationally, the job outlook is projected at a 4% growth rate, according to the  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Instructor Clint Conley said an increasing number of pharmacies have opened in the area and an aging population comes with a greater need for pharmaceuticals. Also, pharmacy technicians are much less expensive to employ than pharmacists. “The older people get the more meds they need and more people retiring out of the profession,” he said. Pharmacy technicians essentially can complete all pharmacy work except a few duties that require a pharmacist, such as giving medical advice to  customers. They take and fill prescriptions, communicate with insurance companies, stock and order medications. Certified technicians make a couple more dollars per hour than non-certified. “The primary things they need to have a passing knowledge of: the most commonly used drugs, classifications, side effects and uses of them,” Conley said. Good math and customer service skills are also crucial. More and more often, techs are performing other services such as blood pressure and insulin checks.  “There are always new medications and new techniques and we are expanding in so many directions. Pharmacies are becoming mini health care centers,” Conley said. Jontea’ Bolden, of Grand Rapids, is a certified nursing assistant who finished the course as a stepping stone toward her goal of getting a bachelor’s degree and becoming a physician’s assistant. She plans to work as a pharmacy tech while going to school.  The course gave her an in-depth look at the industry. She said Conley provided all the information she needed through effective communication platforms. “It wasn’t like we were just cramming stuff in our head and moving on,” she said. Now she’s versed on everything from identifying pills to simple compounding and handling common scenarios with customers. Mostly, she likes the idea of having a role in people’s health. “I just like helping people,” Bolden said. “This drug I am dispensing or handling right now might be the cure or help this person needs; I like that aspect of it.” This story was written by School News Network reporter Erin Albanese .

March 8, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College President Bill Pink has been named to the board of Lakeshore Advantage, an organization fostering economic development in Ottawa and Allegan counties. The appointment comes as GRCC is consolidating its GRCC Lakeshore Campus into a new location in the Shops at Westshore in Holland Township to make a college education more accessible for Lakeshore residents. “Our presence in Ottawa County is important to me. I am honored to be a part of the Lakeshore Advantage board, as our college has had a strong relationship with the organization for quite some time. Our new GRCC Lakeshore campus is another prime example of the importance we place on the Lakeshore community," Pink said. GRCC is renovating the former JCPenney in the mall, a 50,000-square-foot building near the intersection of U.S. 31 and James Street. The campus will include classrooms for both arts and sciences and workforce classes, as well as student resources. The project is planned to be completed by the fall 2021 semester. Pink is one of three new members of the board, which also added Muskegon Community College President Dale Nesbary and fairlife plant manager Hawk Dobbins. Lakeshore Advantage is a non-profit local economic development organization started in 2003 by business and community leaders to ensure current and future generations want to live and work in the economy. Lakeshore Advantage assists primary employers, from startups to large world-class corporations, in Allegan and Ottawa counties. “Hawk, Dale, and Bill bring with them years of experience in leadership and innovation and their addition to our board will continue to bring nuance to the reach of Lakeshore Advantage,” said Jennifer Owens, Lakeshore Advantage president. “As we walk forward into 2021, we are confident our board will guide us into further levels of economic development for Ottawa and Allegan counties.” Lakeshore Advantage in 2020 supported 14 business growth projects, resulting in $152 million in private investment and 652 new jobs. The organization assisted 395 primary employers in 2020, double its typical support due to the increased need caused by the global pandemic. It supported 63 startup companies and administered two small business grant programs that injected $3.625 million into the local economy. “Dr. Pink and Dr. Nesbary bring to the board insight and alignment to increasing educational attainment and skilled workforce training in our region. Hawk Dobbins represents the primary employers Lakeshore Advantage serves, leading and innovating at fairlife’s local food manufacturing operations,” said Scott Brooks, Lakeshore Advantage Board Chair.    

March 8, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Start at GRCC and go anywhere! Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC – or Grand Rapids Junior College – gave them the education and opportunity to be successful. We’re sharing some of those stories, and want to hear yours! Ruth Straayer-Kelly has had many careers in her life: teacher, community organizer, Grand Rapids city commissioner. She credits what was then Grand Rapids Junior College with building a foundation for all those roles, by allowing her to explore different interests and introducing her to new perspectives. “At GRCC, I was exposed to fellow students from a large variety of backgrounds and perspectives,” she said. She majored in political science at GRJC in the mid-1970s, but through electives, she explored music, art and other subjects. “Electives such as music appreciation, bowling and ceramics helped me make friends and develop skills I’ve used outside of employment,” Straayer-Kelly said. “A large clay pot from an art class still resides with me and brings back pleasant memories of my time at GRCC.” Straayer-Kelly went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in political and social sciences from Aquinas College, a certificate in Montessori education and a master’s in educational technology from Grand Valley State University. She taught in Grand Rapids Public Schools’ Montessori program and middle school English and social studies classes from 1987 through 2008. Work as a community organizer during the 1980s inspired her to run for a seat on the City Commission. In 2010, she was elected to represent the 2nd Ward. She stepped down from that role in 2019, but she continues to be involved in organizing efforts for political campaigns and initiatives. She has also added “mom of an alum” to her GRCC ties: One of her sons graduated from the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education. “Affordability goes beyond finances,” Straayer-Kelly said. “A community college like GRCC also affords the opportunity to explore options before choosing a major field of study and the ease of transferring an associate degree to a college or a university to continue your studies.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply . And tell us your story here: grcc.edu/communications/shareyourgrccstory  

March 5, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – It  was a win-win-win situation, as all three Grand Rapids Community College teams soundly beat opponents on Friday. The basketball teams were victorious at Glen Oaks Community College, while the volleyball team convincingly beat Ancilla College in straight sets. The volleyball team won it’s third-straight match, 25-13, 25-19, 25-16, beating Ancilla on the road in Plymouth, Ind. In the opening set, Kylie Oberlin led the Raiders with four kills and hit .667. Kailey Carmean picked up six assists and four service aces while Audrey Gower picked up a set high five digs. The visitors had 11 kills on 22 attempts, committing only one hitting error to hit .455 as a team. In set two, Oberlin picked up another four kills paired with another .667 hitting percentage. Zari Kruger ran the offense in set two picking up a career high 10 assists. Kruger also led the Raiders with three service aces and added three digs. Gower led the defense picking up five digs again with Annie Holesinger and Kara Hecht each picking up a block. In the third and deciding set, Gabi Kitley led the Raiders with five kills hitting .714. Carmean ran the offense once again and picked up a team high six assists while adding a kill and another ace.  Freshmen Kara Hecht and Gower each picked up two digs. The Raiders closed out the set hitting .370 as a team. For the match, Oberlin led all players with 9 kills while hitting a season best .600.  Freshman, Alena Visnovsky led the Raiders with two blocks including a solo. Gower, the Raiders libero for all three sets, anchored the defense with 12 digs. Kruger recorded 12 assists and Carmean recorded a career high five service aces. The Raiders will play their next match at home against the first place Jayhawks of Muskegon Community College at 6:30 p.m. The win brings the Raiders’ season record to 3-2, with the team preparing to face a tough Muskegon Community College team at home in Grand Rapids on Tuesday. For the women’s basketball team, the win was the team’s fourth straight, and overpowered Glen Oaks, 63-31, a 32-point difference. The women’s team has not lost since dropping the season opener, and is now sitting on a 4-1 record. The Vikings fall to 2-6. Shonyah Hawkins led the Raiders with 16 points and seven rebounds, with Danielle Lamancusa scored 11 with two rebounds. The men’s basketball team bounced back from a devastating loss to Mott Community College on Wednesday to beat a struggling Glen Oaks Community College team, 70-45. Isaac Anderson led the Raiders with 20 points and 18 rebounds, followed by Chandler Collins with 13 points and nine rebounds. Grand Rapids is now 3-2 on the season, and the Vikings are 0-9. The basketball teams next face the Delta College Pioneers on Wednesday at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse.

Leonard Savala planned to play football in college, but a diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer during his junior year of high school blocked that path. His mother suggested he enroll at Grand Rapids Community College, where she was pursuing an associate degree.  “When I started GRCC, I was finally in remission after cancer, and I was taking the bus from Wyoming to GRCC several days a week,” he said. “Those were tough days. I was renting out a house while living on my own.” Savala wasn’t sure what career path he wanted to follow, but he found help from his advisor, Ivette Reyes-Vazquez, and his involvement in GRCC’s Latino Club. “It was that organization that really helped me stay focused and gave me a sense of belonging,” he said. “I was around other students who understood my experience at GRCC.” After graduating with an Associate of Arts in 1996, Savala earned a bachelor’s in dietetics and a master’s in agricultural and extension education, both from Michigan State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Western Michigan University.  “GRCC gave me the foundation I needed to get where I am today,” he said. “Had it not been for GRCC, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.” Savala’s workplace experience ranges from a manufacturing assembly line to nutritional educator for the Detroit Urban League to academic services coordinator for MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine to his current position as the first director of Wayne State University’s Office of Multicultural Student Engagement. He served two terms on the state Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs and its education subcommittee. He received the 2021 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alumni Award from MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources -- the most recent addition to honors that include MSU’s Excellence in Diversity Award in 2005, 2013 Education of the Year Award from the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan, and the 2014 Hispanic Alumni of the Year from MSU’s Latino Alumni Association. Savala is quick to point out many who helped him along the way, including Dr. James Nachman from the University of Chicago’s Pediatric Cancer Center and family friends throughout Grand Rapids. “I want to encourage lots of people like me who are dealing with, or have dealt with, difficult situations to try to stay positive,” he said. “I got where I am today because of a lot of support from family and friends. It was a long road, but I wouldn’t change anything.”  

March 5, 2021 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Community College Foundation helped 10 students achieve a life-changing education through the generosity of the AT&T Aspire program. Funded by the AT&T Foundation, The AT&T Aspire program awarded the GRCC Foundation a $10,000 grant to benefit 10 low-income or first-generation students. “Through AT&T Aspire, we are investing in students today -- at home, in the classroom, at work -- to prepare them for success tomorrow,” said David Lewis, president of AT&T Michigan.   Sara Nguyen said the AT&T scholarship will be a huge help because she is just at the start of her higher education journey: After finishing her associate degree at GRCC, she plans to transfer to Grand Valley State University for a bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in psychology. “I am super grateful and beyond blessed to have been able to receive this scholarship award,” said Nguyen, a first-generation college student. “Thank you!” For Julia Buzzinotti, also a first-generation college student, the scholarship couldn’t come at a better time.  “It’s such an honor to be selected for this scholarship,” said Buzzinotti, who plans to transfer to GVSU in pursuit of a teaching career. “It’s been such a hard year with the pandemic, and receiving this money is such a blessing!” In addition to Nguyen and Buzzinotti, the scholarship recipients are: Deborah Nasu Acosta, pursuing a pharmacy career. Maritsa Aguilera, majoring in business. Makala Bohrer, majoring in education. Teague Storm Donazzolo, pursuing a psychology degree. Veronika R. Frei, pursuing a career in art education. Michelle-Ann Natalia Davida Morle, planning a social work career. Rita Nava Orozco, majoring in journalism. Jeniffer C. Pablo, pursuing a career in nursing. “We are so grateful for the generosity of the AT&T Foundation,” said Dr. Kathryn K. Mullins, vice president for College Advancement and executive director of the GRCC Foundation. “These scholarships will make such a difference for these 10 students as they work toward their goals.” The GRCC Foundation, established in 1964, has awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships to help students along their educational journey. If you are interested in donating to the foundation, you can learn more here . Grand Rapids Community College offers learners of all ages opportunities to gain credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills leading to rewarding careers. GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college -- and offers affordable classes on weekdays, evenings, Saturdays and online at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.  

March 3, 2021, FLINT, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team won it’s third-straight game, beating Mott Community College 61-55. The men’s team, however, was dominated by the Bears, 80-53, evening its season record to 2-2. The women’s team broke through in the third period, scoring 24 points to the Bears’ 14, and held t Shonyah Hawkins led the Raiders with 16 points. Olivia Koetje added 13 points. Danielle Lamancusa had 10 while Jayla Bibbs and Eurasia Green-Boyd each had eight points. Bibbs lead all players with 20 rebounds. Xeriya Tartt turned in a strong effort for Mott, leading all players with 27 points. The Raiders are now 3-1 on the season after dropping the season opener to Muskegon Community College. The men’s team had an off night against a strong team. Mott went to the half with a 12-point lead, finished up 27. Malik Clincy and Isaac Anderson led the team with nine points each, with Anderson topping the team with seven rebounds. The teams play on Friday, on the road again against Glen Arbor Community College in Centerville.

March 4, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The number of university students attending Grand Rapids Community College during the summer semester continues to rise, with students earning credits to transfer back to their home schools. Summer guest students attending GRCC increased 82% between 2013 and 2020. Last year, 1,574 students from other colleges and universities took GRCC summer courses – 25% of all students enrolled during the semester. This year, GRCC is offering 736 courses during the summer semester, with registration now open. Classes run May 10 to Aug. 17 with a variety of start dates. Classes are offered in seven- and 14-week schedules, and in four formats – online, in-person, hybrid and virtual real-time. “Summer classes at GRCC are an excellent, affordable way for students to keep the momentum going, especially in a year with so many challenges,” said Tina Hoxie, GRCC associate provost and dean of Student Affairs. “Universities and colleges throughout the state accept transfer credits from GRCC, a reflection of the quality of our programs and faculty.” GRCC summer courses allow guest students to gain credits at a lower cost than squeezing in the same class during their regular academic year at their home school. GRCC’s in-district tuition rate is $117 per credit hour. Classes can be scheduled around summer jobs, internships and other activities, and allow students to work safely from home. Students living in Grand Rapids who graduated from a high school in the city may be eligible to attend for free through a Grand Rapids Promise Zone scholarship even if they attended another college in the fall or winter semesters. Summer sessions also are an option for students attending GRCC at least half-time through the state Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect programs. Additional information is on the GRCC website at grcc.ed/gueststudents , by calling the Admissions and Enrollment Center at (616) 234-3300 or by email at admissions@grcc.edu. Grand Rapids Community College offers learners of all ages opportunities to gain credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills leading to rewarding careers. GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college -- and offers affordable classes on weekdays, evenings, Saturdays and online at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.  

March 3, 2021, CENTERVILLE, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team traveled to Glen Oaks Community College Tuesday and came back with a sweep over the Vikings, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19. After beginning the season 0-2, the Raiders are now 2-2 and sit in a second-place tie with Vikings. In their first meeting of the season, the Vikings beat the Raiders in straight sets, 25-23, 25-22, 25-16. The Raiders were 11-0 against the Vikings until that point, including defeating them twice in the District Championship last year. GRCC had a season high 27 hitting errors in that last event, but Tuesday's match was much different for both teams. GRCC had just 15 hitting errors against a season best 43 kills, hitting a solid .287 for the match. Freshman Kara Hecht played her best match of the year producing her first career double-double with 12 kills and 13 digs. She also added a block and an ace.  Sophomore Gabi Kitley had a season-best 11 kills and hit a team high .421.  Sophomore Kylie Oberlin had nine kills, hit .400 and had a season best six blocks.  Sophomore Annie Holesinger added seven kills and two blocks. Sophomore setter, Kailey Carmean, nearly had a double-double of own, racking up a season-high 33 assists while digging out eight balls.  Libero Audrey Gower totaled nine digs, five assists and two aces. The Raiders will be back on the road on Friday in a matchup against Ancilla College. The match will be streamed live through Ancilla's YouTube site.