August 8, 2024 In 2007, Grand Rapids Community College had zero returning players on their  women’s volleyball roster . That team included 12 incoming freshmen and a new coach. What do you think happened that season?  The GRCC Raiders won their first-ever regional championship in women’s volleyball. Eighteen years later,  Coach Chip Will is still at the helm, and the team continues to  thrive , having won 10 regional championships, nine conference championships and one national championship.  What’s his secret?  “I coach with a sense of love,” Will said. “It’s not easy to play competitive sports. There are tough moments and hard conversations. Seasons have their ups and downs. But we stick to our core values of having fun, working hard, and treating people with love and respect. Our players know that this is a genuine, caring team. And they bring their best to it as a result.” Coach Will grew up watching his dad coach both men’s and women’s basketball in Whitehall.  “I was a gym rat,” Will said. “I hung around my dad’s teams and watched him interact with players. I coached high school and other collegiate teams before coming to GRCC, and I had the chance to learn from some incredible mentors. Over time, I have come to realize that I can have a great impact on student’s lives through sports.”  A great team starts with recruiting For Coach Will, the work starts with recruiting. He talks to the athlete’s coach and gets a read on the person and their abilities. But for him, the most important part of the process is the family visits. He invites partners to come with their students and watches the interactions.  Not all talented players make the cut. “I ask myself, ‘Is this someone I want to spend two years with? Is this someone who has respectful conversations with parents and adults? Does she work hard? Would I want her as a role model for my own kids?” Will said. “I’ve passed on good players because they don’t possess the character that has been the foundation of our team since day one.”  Coach Will believes that competitive athletics are an important part of the community college niche.  “I completely support what GRCC stands for academically and philosophically. As a parent, I see the huge impact that an affordable community college can have on a student’s future,” Will said. “I’ve turned down coaching jobs at four-year universities because I don’t like seeing students buried in debt. I enjoy coaching at this level. We compete against some of the best in the country and treat our athletes with many perks that Division 1 athletes receive, like travel, uniforms, and so forth. But more importantly, we also allow them to be kids.” Developing a family of athletes Will said it’s important that the athletes he coaches feel important and valued.  A large part of his job is trying to help form people who will be better prepared for the next stage of life. He works with his long-time assistant coach  David Rawles and the rest of the coaching staff to build a family dynamic, so at the end of the season, players are physically healthy, mentally strong, and still want to play.  That family dynamic matters a great deal to Coach Will. “Many of our competitors — especially those in the top 10 — recruit foreign athletes and out-of-state athletes,” Will said. “That’s not my philosophy. Most of our athletes come from a two-hour radius around Grand Rapids. I want families to come to our games and cheer for their kids.”  In preparation for the team’s upcoming season, GRCC recently hosted a huge dinner for all the volleyball team members and their parents. They played a corn hole tournament, smiled and laughed together, establishing a family culture to help see the team through the challenges they may face in the coming year. Coach Will nets it all out to one very simple philosophy.  “If players are the priority, the team does better. I want them to have great mental health. I want them to feel safe about learning and putting themselves out there. I think that’s why our alumni come back,” Will said. “The memories they make matter more than the wins and losses. They have moments that bond them for life. That’s why kids want to play for us. Our actions back up our words.”  To learn more about athletics at GRCC, please visit our Raiders  website . This story was reported by Julie Hordyk. 

August 6, 2024 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott joined Congresswoman Hillary Scholten at an event hosted by Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan to celebrate their selection for a $1 million Innovative Water Workforce Development Grant. This EPA grant program supports career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sectors and expands public awareness about drinking water and wastewater utilities. “Water utility operators play a critical role in supporting their communities by ensuring that drinking water is safe, and that wastewater is safely managed. I’m thrilled to celebrate this $1 million investment from the Biden-Harris Administration that will help recruit and train the next generation of the water workforce here in Michigan,”  said   EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “ It is a pleasure to visit Grand Rapids Community College and meet the program’s interns who are training for rewarding and good-paying careers in the water sector. “Pathways to good paying jobs are essential for any graduate. I’m thrilled for students of Grand Rapids Community College who can begin their education knowing there are opportunities to use their degrees in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector,”  said   Rep. Hillary Scholten.  “This federal grant is laying the groundwork for economic growth in West Michigan that will have ripple effects for years to come.” With this grant funding, Grand Rapids Community College will develop and implement a community-wide program to address the emerging employment needs of water sector utilities in the city of Grand Rapids and surrounding region. Grand Rapids Community College will partner with local government and community organizations to expand public knowledge about the importance of essential water services, build awareness of family-sustaining careers with water utilities, and provide training and other assistance to help individuals pursue careers in the water workforce. Grand Rapids Community College’s efforts will focus on supporting historically disadvantaged communities. “As we look to the future, it's imperative that we train and prepare the next generation of water workers, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in this vital industry,”  said Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director Susan Corbin . “Water workers play a critical role in maintaining the health, safety, and well-being of our communities. They ensure that we have access to clean drinking water and effectively manage our wastewater systems. With the EPA’s Innovative Water Workforce Development Grant, we are creating opportunities for Michiganders to enter a field that is both rewarding and crucial to our state's infrastructure.” “We are grateful for this innovative grant opportunity to highlight careers for water professionals and attract student interns who will obtain valuable training and skills in the water industry,”  said Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. “This is the second grant the EPA has awarded Grand Rapids Community College as we continue to address the growing demand for skilled professionals in the water sector,”  said Grand Rapids Community College President Charles W. Lepper, Ph.D.  “This funding will not only enhance our training programs and build critical partnerships but also enable us to scale our efforts beyond the City of Grand Rapids to our neighboring communities. By regionalizing our initiatives, we aim to equip more students with the knowledge and skills needed for rewarding careers in water utilities. We are excited to collaborate with local organizations and government entities to create pathways for success and make a meaningful impact on our region's future.” EPA’s Innovative Water Workforce Development grant program expands public awareness about job opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector and addresses the workforce needs of drinking water and wastewater utilities. Activities that are funded include: Targeted internship, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and post-secondary bridge programs; Education programs designed for elementary, secondary, and higher education students; Regional industry and workforce development collaborations to address water utility employment needs and coordinate candidate development; Integrated learning laboratories in secondary educational institutions; and Leadership development, occupational training, mentoring, or cross-training programs that ensure incumbent drinking water and wastewater utility workers are prepared for higher-level supervisory or management-level positions.

August 6, 2024 Grand Rapids Community College is launching a new indoor digital signage system to better inform students and campus visitors of the opportunities we offer on campus, including events, academic deadlines and the activities our students are involved in every day. The 33 signs distributed across all campuses will play content created by the Marketing and Communications department, working closely with other GRCC departments interested in using this channel. The system is managed by the Web and Digital team, in close collaboration with others in Marketing and Communications and Information Technology. In the future the Web and Digital team hopes to incorporate additional types of content including student artwork, video clips from campus activities, temporary wayfinding signage, Instagram content and more. Besides showcasing campus life, the signage system can also display emergency alerts via an integration with GRCC’s emergency alert system. Beginning in the winter semester, signage will begin displaying more location-specific content pertaining to specific departments or spaces. Those interested in developing department specific content this school year can reach out to David Fitch, associate director of web content and digital strategy, at davidfitch@grcc.edu . Faculty and staff can request digital signage by submitting an ePrint ticket . This story was reported by David Fitch.

Kent ISD Adult Education is partnering with Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and Kentwood Public Schools to offer more classes in new locations to adults seeking GEDs and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Starting in fall 2024, GED classes will be held inside GRCC’s Sneden Hall at 415 Fulton St, E. in downtown Grand Rapids. ESL and GED classes will be offered evenings at Crossroads Alternative High, 28 60th St. SE in Kentwood. “We are excited to partner with GRCC and Kentwood Public Schools to add Adult Education classes downtown and in Kentwood where many students can access campus by bus or from nearby neighborhoods,” said Sue Gardner, Kent ISD Assistant Superintendent of Career and Talent Development. “Our free classes help adults create brighter futures by obtaining GED’s, improving English language skills and obtaining specialized technical training that can lead to professional and personal advancement.”  “This new partnership will allow more students to achieve their goals,” said GRCC President Dr. Charles W. Lepper, “We already provide ESL services and a high school completion program with Grand Rapids Public Schools at GRCC. Bringing more offerings from Kent ISD gives students numerous options to best meet their needs.” “Kentwood Public Schools exists to serve our community,” said Kevin Polston, Superintendent, Kentwood Public Schools. “We see this collaboration with community partners to provide GED and ESL classes at Crossroads as a great learning opportunity for adults in our community and are pleased to be part of this effort.” In addition to the new GRCC and Kentwood Kent ISD Adult Education locations, ESL and GED courses and testing are available at 3600 Byron Center Ave. SW. in Wyoming. These new locations replace programming previously offered at Beckwith School on Leonard St. NE in Grand Rapids. Enrollment is open now to adults age 18 and up.