Dec. 7, 2020, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Start at Grand Rapids Community College 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! David Cope left high school with less-than-stellar grades and a lot of anger.  “I wasted my years in high school, enraged at parents, authorities, caring only for my English, Latin and French classes, a passion for poetry, as well as a variety of antisocial behaviors,” he said. “My grades were not good enough to attend my chosen school -- U of M -- and I didn’t have enough money anyways.” Grand Rapids Junior College was a “convenient” second choice. While working 10 to 20 hours per week as a dishwasher at the airport, Cope attended classes and found himself as poetry editor for Display magazine, a compilation of art and creative writing from GRJC (now GRCC) students. “This was my first experience of editing a magazine, and I made lifelong friends among the students I encountered there and on The Collegiate,” he said. “Poetry has been in my life blood ever since I first memorized psalms in first grade and began writing it with a passion in eighth grade. Everything in the experience of work on Display began the continuous preparation and execution of writing that has given me a most fulfilling life, from book publications and acclaim to national awards for my work and in my retirement.” After receiving his Associate of Arts in 1968, Cope earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s from Western Michigan University.  “GRJC gave me the platform to succeed at Michigan, and eventually I was able to use the skills I perfected in grad school to teach my most beloved subjects at GRCC,” he said. In addition to teaching poetry and writing, Cope developed courses in Shakespeare, multicultural literature and women’s studies during his 22 years at GRCC. “Both teaching and writing are callings and require enormous commitment to be successful,” he said. Cope is committed to both fields: He has written seven books and two chapbooks of poetry, has edited three anthologies, and was Grand Rapids’ poet laureate from 2011-2014.. He won first place in the Kent County Dyer Ives Poetry Competition, received the Pushcart Prize and won an award in literature from the American Academy/Institute of Arts and Letters.  Cope, GRCC’s 1984 Distinguished Alumnus, has retired from teaching but continues to write while editing and publishing Big Scream magazine. In 2019, Cope was the only American poet to attend an international poetics conference in Sichuan, China, and he has since published his multidisciplinary journal,  A Bridge Across the Pacific,  on the experiences, lessons, and poetry he wrote while there. “Since retirement, I have given myself over to my poetry career with all the energy I gave to my teaching and the poetry I wrote during those years as well,” he said. “I have been rewarded by the continuing friendship of former students and colleagues, publishing them in my magazine and encouraging their own work.”

Dec. 4, 2020 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Cholonni Madison had just returned to West Michigan after living for a while in California. “I was feeling like I’m getting older and I need a career with real opportunity,” he said. “My coach at West Michigan Works! told me about the Public Works Academy.” GRCC launched the seven-week Public Works Academy in 2018 with grant funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Its curriculum was developed with help from public works departments for Grand Rapids and Grand Haven, in addition to the road commissions from Kent, Muskegon and Van Buren counties, the Michigan Department of Transportation, Prein&Newhof and Rowe Professional Services. “The training was awesome,” Madison said. “I never really thought about working for the city, but it’s amazing all the different services they provide.” He stepped right into his “career with real opportunity” after graduating from the academy. “I was hired right away at the city of Grand Rapids,” he said. “They have a program where employees rotate through different positions every month. I like it. Every day is different, and I am building so many relationships. “I have a real pride in what I do: serving the people in my city.” Madison shared his story with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer when she visited GRCC after delivering her first State of the State address in 2019. The next Public Works Academy sessions are planned for Jan. 19 - Mar. 18, 2021, with classes running Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Additional information is available in  the GRCC catalog 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.

Dec. 1, 2020, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  – The deadline to apply for free tuition through the state’s Futures for Frontliners program is at the end of this month, and Grand Rapids Community College is ready to assist applicants struggling to complete required federal financial aid forms. More than 1,700 people have been accepted so far by the state to attend GRCC through the Futures for Frontliners program, which provides a tuition-free pathway to an associate degree or a technical certificate to those who worked in essential industries during the COVID-19 shutdown this spring. More than 6,000 additional applications are under review by the state. Many of these applicants need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. Others may need to submit additional information to the state, such as employment verification. GRCC has direct and easy connections with staff experts to answer questions about FAFSA and help frontliners start at GRCC. Contact GRCC through the Financial Aid hotline at (616) 234-4030. The Futures for Frontliners hotline is (616) 234-3344; email is  futures4frontliners@grcc.edu ; and text is (616) 404-4519. “We don’t want anyone to miss this opportunity because they need assistance with the final steps to submit the FAFSA,” said Tina Hoxie, GRCC’s associate provost and dean of Student Affairs. “Financial aid specialists can help finish the form, and answer any other questions about enrolling and how a GRCC education can help someone gain new skills and advance in their careers. Futures for Frontliners is perfect for students of all ages, helping them start working toward a degree or certificate or picking up where they might have left off.” More than 85,000 people statewide have applied for the program, according to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Futures for Frontliners is part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s goal of having 60% of working-age Michiganders earning a college degree or certificate by 2030. The state application is available at  Michigan.gov/frontliners,  and the deadline to apply is Dec. 31. Once accepted by the state, new students must apply to GRCC at grcc.edu/apply and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form. Students would be eligible to begin attending during the winter semester, starting in January 2021. The Futures for Frontliners program is for people who worked at least half-time in frontline jobs for 11 of the 13 weeks between April 1 and June 30 and who do not have a college degree. Eligible frontline industry examples include – but are not limited to -- food and agriculture; healthcare and public health; critical manufacturing; communications and information technology, including news media; law enforcement, public safety, and first responders; public works; and transportation and logistics. 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.

Nov. 30, 2020, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Start at Grand Rapids Community College 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! Dr. Nkechy Ezeh said GRCC “opened the door” for her to embark on a career of advocating for children and training educators around the world, especially those working to help families overcome the effects of poverty. “GRCC started it for me, opened the door for me, and made my life now possible,” Ezeh said in a 2017 interview. Ezeh came to Grand Rapids in 1986 and liked to take long walks to explore the city. When she found herself in the GRCC library, a brochure for the Child Development program caught her eye. "I wanted to learn about babies," she said. "I was pregnant at the time and without my family here, I knew that I needed help." She decided to study child development at GRCC and found an extended "family" of support. "I remember all too well the day I finally went into labor for the birth of my first daughter," she said. "I was taking an exam in my psychology class and it soon became apparent that something very different was happening with my body. I quietly spoke with my professor, who was more than willing to excuse me from class. I wouldn't leave until he also promised that I could finish the exam at a later date! The whole class was so supportive and that meant so much to me!" After earning her child development degree at GRCC, Ezeh was hired by Messiah Baptist Church to work with a program that served vulnerable children in Grand Rapids and saw how poverty can have an impact on the early development of children. Parents all want to do their best for their children, but sometimes the reality of life circumstances get in the way, she said. Ezeh completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Grand Valley State University and then earned her doctorate in child and youth studies, with a specialization in curriculum development and systemic change, from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. She became an associate professor of education and director of the early childhood education program at Aquinas College. She was also named a Fellow with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and then became the founder and CEO of the award-winning Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative. Ezeh believes it is important to provide support to both children and their families. She developed Empowering Parents Impacting Children, a unique two generational approach to early childhood education in which family coaches support parents to fully assume their roles as change agents for their children. Ezeh has assisted several schools and nonprofit agencies as an education consultant, providing curriculum and evaluation expertise. She conducts professional development and parent education workshops all over the world. Her work and support for children and families led to Ezeh being named a Distinguished Alumna earlier this year.

A School News Network feature:  Calvin University student JonJon Conflitti enjoys his classes but has a hard time focusing on assignments. As a person with autism, he struggles with slowing down and keeping his work organized.  He’s getting help from Mandy Enos, a second-year student in Grand Rapids Community College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program. She recently met with Conflitti to discuss his needs and use her knowledge and background to help come up with solutions to his focusing issues.  “I created a homework checklist with Calvin’s Knight logo on it and put them in clear sleeves so he could write on them and then erase,” Enos said. “He was so excited while working with me and was happy to have someone helping him better complete his assignments.” Conflitti currently takes a mix of courses through Calvin and the   Ready For Life Academy  with the goal of graduating, getting a full-time job and living independently. With a presence at Hope College, Calvin University and Ferris State University, Ready for Life helps provide post-secondary educational experiences for college-aged individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities. “I worked with Mandy, so I could learn to slow down the process of doing my work and going back to check and proofread my work,” Conflitti said. “It was so good and now I have a homework checklist that I can write on and erase and I’m focusing a lot better.”  A Creative Solution The new partnership between the Occupational Therapy Assistant program and Ready for Life students formed during the pandemic as a way to help students who fell behind on their requirements. In March, GRCC pulled second-year students from their fieldwork, which is required for completing the program and becoming a certified occupational therapy assistant, said GRCC Professor Robin Pegg, the program’s academic fieldwork coordinator. “By the time hospitals and our other partners began taking students back in the fall, everyone was trying to finish their second year,” Pegg said. “I went to my boss and said, ‘Houston, we have a problem.’” “We got creative this semester with a great partnership,” she said. “My students pair up with a real person and real problem to analyze and come up with a solution for each person.” Pegg connected with longtime colleague Emily Perton, executive director of the Ready for Life Academy. The two put their heads together and came up with a plan to benefit both GRCC and RFL students.  “Robin’s students brought something new to the table we didn’t think about before,” Perton said. “The Ready for Life Academy students love interacting with college students, collaborating on their projects and building friendships.” ‘Students Learn, Community Benefits’ For Pegg, key pieces to the partnership are the emphasis on collaboration and the dual benefits received by both organizations.  “The college came up with the saying, ‘students learn, community benefits,’” Pegg said. “Working alongside RFL has been an all around win for everyone.” She divided her class of 24 students into groups of eight and paired them with RFL students.  To prepare, GRCC students watched videos of their clients doing a task they struggled with and met with them one-on-one to gain a better understanding of their needs.  “My students have one month to communicate and meet with their student, make a plan, run it by their student’s caregiver and myself, make any adjustments to their proposed solution and then present it to their client,” Pegg explained.  GRCC student Abigail Cummings was excited to work with her client and apply the skills she learned in the classroom to real life.  “My client’s goal is to professionally clean homes, but she experiences difficulties with sequencing and remembering the steps of cleaning things,” Cummings said. “I created stickers and visuals to put on her toilet to help her remember all the sections to clean and in what order.”  She gave the plan to her client’s caregiver, helped make adjustments, Cummings said. “Open communication is a big thing; you have to make sure you’re looking at all aspects of the person and their abilities.”  Pegg is impressed with the creative accommodations the students came up with. “From vacuuming to organization skills to carrying a bowl of soup, the problems the students have dealt with have been simple to complex,” Pegg said. “It’s been fascinating for the students to understand that something as simple as getting something out of the oven can literally inhibit someone’s independence.”  Perton is excited about how much the students are learning from their experiences working with real clients. “This isn’t just a career; it’s life-changing for people,” Perton said. “It’s easy for students to get caught up just learning the material. This partnership shows them they’re going to make a real difference in someone’s life.” Keeping Connections Going Pegg is optimistic about the long-term benefits of the partnership. “The gains are huge and it helps reduce the workload on our community partners,” she said. “We now have some structure and control around ensuring the students share a similar experience and gain the same sense of accomplishment.” Due to the pandemic, both GRCC and the RFL programs are facing limitations and students are feeling isolated. “This partnership opened a door of new opportunities to get excited about,” Perton said. “Our students and clients are used to someone being with them at all times, but this experience provides an opportunity to communicate and advocate for themselves without parents or guardians.” Real-world problems allow the GRCC students to get creative with their solutions and learn lifelong problem-solving skills.  “Some students have just blossomed and it’s been amazing getting them to use their creativity on their own projects,” Pegg said. “The growth zone is the icky, unsettling place and students all have to learn to grow through it. This partnership encourages them to learn and grow, while benefiting another human being.” This story was reported and photographed by  Alexis Stark of the School News Network .

Nov. 24, 2020 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  – Grand Rapids Community College’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in its newest construction project through a 10,000-square-foot green roof on the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center expansion. The recently completed green roof sits atop the two-story, 18,416-square-foot expansion of the ATC, which was part of the project that included extensive renovations in other parts of the building. “Infrastructure and sustainability are strategic goals for our campus, and we always are looking for opportunities to be better stewards of our environment,” said Jim VanDokkumburg, GRCC’s executive director of facilities. “Green roofs help with sustainability in many ways, including stormwater management, extending roof life cycle, improving acoustics and thermal insulation, creating habitat, and decreasing urban heat island effect.” Sedum was planted on the roof. It is a hearty species that does well in all West Michigan’s weather conditions, and can thrive in relatively shallow soil, such as on green roofs.  The new roof is near the ATC’s existing 35,000-square green roof, which was added in 2008 with support from the Steelcase Foundation. That roof is accessible from the ATC’s second floor study area, with an outdoor deck for students to get a closer view. Buildings typically have black or light-colored roofs. Black roofs absorb heat while white roofs reflect the sun. Green roofs are designed to soak up ultraviolet light without the heat, allowing for more temperature control. The $12.7 million ATC project is designed to provide a teaching and learning environment supporting learning and experiential problem-solving while providing greater visibility for workforce training and information technology programs. The ATC project includes: Improving the flexibility and use of existing classrooms and labs. Creating an open and inviting front entry. Adding a Data Center Lab suite. Expanding and updating the Machine Tool Lab. Increasing student study and meeting spaces. Providing small project rooms where students can work together. Adding interaction areas where faculty, students, and researchers can gather informally. Renovating the open computer lab. The project is expected to be completed in December and be ready for winter 2021 classes. GRCC has a Sustainability Team, and other campus efforts include “zero waste” events, where all materials used - such as utensils, plates, napkins, cups and food – are completely recyclable, reusable or compostable. GRCC staff make it easier for participants to compost or recycle the materials, with plentiful and clearly marked bins and staff available to remind users how to dispose of materials. Several buildings on campus have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, which is a national standard established by the U.S. Green Building Council. 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.

Nov. 23, 2020 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Start at Grand Rapids Community College 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! George Lessens has been a fixture on West Michigan televisions for 40 years, a trusted voice telling us how to prepare for the day and keeping us safe as dangerous storms approach. Lessens is WZZM 13 On Your Side’s chief meteorologist and became the region’s longest-tenured meteorologist in 2007. His story started at what was then Grand Rapids Junior College. Lessens graduated from GRJC in 1977, majoring in Chemistry, before transferring to Penn State University and earning a degree in meteorology. "GRJC was my logical choice for a quality and economical education,” he said. “All my credits transferred, and I saved thousands of dollars on out-of-state tuition at Penn State University.  Lessens said several professors had a huge influence on his life, Harold DeVries in physics, Sigurd Nelson in organic chemistry and Richard Chesnutt in mathematics. “I look back at my career and know it had a good foundation because of Grand Rapids Junior College." Lessens began his career at WZZM in 1980 as weekend meteorologist. He anchored weekday morning weathercasts from 1985 to 1991 before returning to the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekend newscasts. The Lowell native has been passionate about weather ever since the 1965 Palm Sunday tornadoes hit West Michigan. He formed a weather club as a youth to scan the skies for storms and tornadoes. Although he has never been an eyewitness to a tornado, Lessens has been inside the damage paths of many of these storms. Early on his 21st birthday, a small tornado touched down in Lowell. Lessens heard the storm coming and alerted his family members. This storm destroyed the Lowell Showboat, toppled a church steeple, and caused considerable damage to the surrounding community. Lessens has been recognized and honored with many awards, including being named a GRCC Distinguished Alumnus in 2008. The following year he was saluted with a Silver Circle Award given by the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences for 25-years or more of service. He is also a nine-time winner of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ Best Weathercast Award and a four-time recipient of the organization’s Merit Weathercast Award.   Lessens also has two Michigan Emmy Awards for Weather, winning in 2005 and 2009.

Nov. 20, 2020, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. --  Alec Falicki, a second-time college student, is willing to wait for his career goal to become reality. “I had gone to college right out of high school, and I had quickly learned that I was not ready,” Falicki said. “When I decided to pull the trigger again, GRCC was waiting for me with open arms.” Falicki, who works as a nursing assistant at Emmanuel Hospice, plans to pursue a career as a registered nurse. GRCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program has a waiting list, but Falicki is undeterred. “I had thought about switching to another community college that had a shorter wait-time for their nursing program,” Falicki said. “It quickly dawned on me that the other college’s admission and support were no match to GRCC’s. “Despite the longer wait-time to join GRCC’s program, I knew that because of the support I had gotten that GRCC is the smartest route for me. I am willing to wait longer if that means I will have everything I need and I will get an outstanding nursing education.”