April 21, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Samantha Minnis spends her days helping students learn, and her passion for her work is infectious.  Minnis loves learning new things everyday. Working in a library constantly surrounds her with information and questions. She gets to learn alongside students about a wide variety of subjects, helping them find the information they need.  Minnis is the Information Literacy and Outreach Librarian for the Grand Rapids Community College Library. Her role allows her to spend time in classrooms teaching students how to research, at the Reference desk in the library helping students with assignments, and around campus sharing information about the resources the library provides.  Minnis received her bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Central Michigan University, where her mother is a professor. While at CMU, Minnis began working at the library as a student employee. Upon graduation she became full-time and completed her masters degree in Library Sciences. She has worked for the Kent District Library as well as the GVSU library.  Minnis came to GRCC in August of 2022. She was intrigued by the community college experience, and excited to work in a library that is integrated into the community. The work that Minnis does is pertinent to all students, regardless of what academic pathway they are on. Literacy skills are important for students wherever their career takes them.  Minnis said the best part of working for GRCC is the students she encounters on a daily basis. She helps students determine what information they are looking for, the best places to find it, and the best way to use the new information.  Minnis is impressed by the research skills GRCC students have. She invests in these skills and empowers students to grow their confidence in their skills. Giving them the tools they need to solve problems on their own in the future.  “The purpose of the library is to support students. Whether it is through research assistance, providing laptops and hotspots, or just a quiet place to study. We really just want to see students succeed, and are always willing to help,” Minnis said.  More information about Library resources can be found here.

April 20, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College students are accustomed to getting feedback and guidance from professors. But this week?  Astronauts. Two teams of GRCC students took part in the NASA HUNCH competition at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, vying to send a meal to the International Space Station or develop edible packaging to be used on future space missions. The teams will learn how they finished in about two weeks. “It was so exciting, but it is also a little bittersweet because we’ve enjoyed working on these projects all these months,” student Katie Bird said. Bird and Devon Vanderwall were among 10 finalists today preparing a dish for judges including Jessica Watkins, the fifth Black woman to travel into space, and the first to join a space station expedition. She recently completed a six-month stay on the space station. Students Abby Tichelaar and Cole Herring on Wednesday pitched their edible packaging plan to NASA experts including astronaut Victor J. Glover. He recently served as pilot and second-in-command on the Crew-1 SpaceX Crew Dragon, named Resilience, and served as flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 64. The GRCC Raider Fuel NASA HUNCH teams are working under the direction of the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, with Dr. Werner Absenger, Secchia’s program director, and Chef Jennifer Struik serving as coaches. The Secchia Institute is partnering with the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District’s Careerline Tech Center for the culinary competition. This year’s theme was hearty ethnic soups or stews, and the GRCC team prepared Austrian style steak soup, following strict dietary guidelines. Students closely watched levels of sodium, fat, saturated fat and looked for higher levels of fiber. Students wanted to create a meal that was flavorful, but would not create difficulties for astronauts in space. “We learned how to be adaptable,” said Bird, who has been working on the project since September. “You have to be ready for just about anything that could happen. The second team, through a middle college partnership with the Kent Intermediate School District’s Launch U program, was among five finalists in the Health and Biomedical Science category. Thursday’s competition took place in the space center’s Food Lab, with all 10 teams preparing dishes as judges, guests and even celebrity chef Joshua Weissman peeking over their shoulders and conducting interviews. Tichelaar and Herring are mechanical design students and devised edible cargo boxes in an interdisciplinary project with a goal of eliminating waste on missions, where space on aircraft is at a premium. Their edible cargo transfer boxes hold nutrition bars, and at the end of its life cycle upcycled into an edible solution, such as gummy bears, recycled, or downcycled into plastic components. Vanderwall said the experience opened his eyes to the wide variety of careers within the culinary world. “There are so many ways you can go and things you can do in this field,” he said. Students said they had some time to explore the space center, learning about the Apollo missions and Mars expeditions. The competition was intense, but students said they had some time to meet some of the other teams from around the country. “We swapped samples,” Wanderwall said. “I liked ours better.”

April 20, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Recent graduates from Grand Rapids Community College Workforce Training programs can connect with more than 20 area employers at a job fair planned for April 26. The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the Tassell MTEC, 622 Godfrey Ave. SW, in Grand Rapids.   “In Workforce Training, we are focused on offering programs that lead to satisfying employment”, said Lead Job Developer, Sydney Plaggemars. "Hosting this annual job fair is one way we are supporting our students, alumni and area employers. Career coaching and placement services are invaluable services and a rewarding aspect of our work.” The annual event features employers in the fields of manufacturing, automotive, construction and welding. The job fair is available for anyone who has taken one GRCC’s hands-on Job Training Programs or credit classes. Students will receive on-the-spot interviews. Any student who would like help preparing a resume can contact a GRCC job developer for assistance at (616) 234-3800. Attendees are asked to RSVP here . 

April 19, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS Mich. –  The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team shut out Aquinas College's junior varsity twice on Wednesday to win its 12th and 13th straight games, 3-0 and 10-0. Game one of the doubleheader at Belknap Park was a pitcher’s duel, with both staffs not giving up hits until the bottom of the fourth inning, when GRCC's Xander Reisbig drove home two runs on a double to right-center. Two batters later, Reisbig scored on a wild pitch, giving the Raiders a 3-0 lead and enough to secure the victory. The pitching staff of Ethan London, Ryan Hawkins, Kellan Smith and Alex Schmitt allowed just two hits while striking out seven batters.  Smith picked up his first win in relief and Schmitt picked up his first save. In the nightcap, GRCC, 22-10, took advantage of seven base on balls and cruised to a 10-0 victory in just five innings.  Five of those seven walks scored for the Raiders.  Andres Rivera-Calderon led the team, going three-for-three and Ryan Hether added a triple to deep center field to score the game's final run. Blake Waibel picked up his second victory, pitching three innings, giving up two hits while striking out four batters. Aaron Bess and Mason Hammond pitched the final two innings, giving up just one hit. GRCC resumes conference play on April 21 for a five-game series against Muskegon Community College.    This story was reported by Ben Brown.  

April 19, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Izzy Regner, Fernando Rivera-Calderon and Lucas McKinney of the Grand Rapids Community College softball and baseball teams were named Michigan Community College Athletic Association Northern Conference Players of the Week after outstanding work both on the mound and at the plate. Regner pitched four complete games, giving up no earned runs while striking out 37 batters, including 11 twice against Alpena Community College. The sophomore hurler from Elkhorn, Wis. not only ranks as one of the best in the conference, but one of the best in the country.  Her 11.97 strikeouts per inning ranks her second in the national NJCAA division two rankings.  She's also fifth in the nation with a 0.89 ERA and 188 strikeouts. Regner also ranks as one of the best batters in the conference, batting .472 with 20 RBI, four home runs, 12 doubles and a triple. McKinney picked up two wins during the week for the baseball team, once against Mid Michigan College in their final game of the series and the other against Alpena Community College in game three of their series. At Mid Michigan, the freshman from Clarkston, tossed a complete game, giving up just three hits and one run.  Four days later, against the Lumberjacks, he gave up five hits and no earned runs.  For the week he posted an ERA of 0.69 and struck out 10 batters. McKinney leads the team with five wins in six appearances. In 29 innings on the mound, he has 24 strikeouts and opponents are batting just .217 against him. Rivera-Calderon slugged his way to player of the week honors by batting .583 with seven extra base hits, including two home runs and a triple.  He had at least two hits in six of the seven games played.  He also had five stolen bases and had nine putouts. The sophomore from Cayey, Puerto Rico is the only player on the team to play and start in all 30 games for the Raiders. He leads the team with 36 hits, 10 stolen bases, 31 RBI and four triples.  He is second on the team in batting average, .371; home runs, five; doubles, nine; and slugging percentage, .701. The baseball team is 20-10 and on an 11-game winning streak. The softball team is 16-13 after taking three of five in their last conference series. Both teams are scheduled to resume conference play April 21 in a five-game series with Muskegon Community College. This story was reported by Ben Brown. 

April 19, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Like so many, Daniel Martinez was barely making ends meet. “I was working in an office supply warehouse working 60 to 80 hours per week and was still struggling,” he said. Martinez then learned about an opportunity to learn and get paid as a water intern at the city of Grand Rapids. “I was excited at the prospect of having a stable job working 40 hours a week with security, benefits and decent pay.” Municipalities are preparing for a large number of employees to retire in the near future. Career opportunities in public works are available in a variety of areas and interests. Because of this, the city of Grand Rapids has partnered with Grand Rapids Community College and Bay De Noc Community College to offer this unique program. Interns work part time with the city of Grand Rapids Water Department while taking online courses through GRCC and Bay College.  Interns are mentored by current and retired Grand Rapids employees. By the end of the program, students are prepared to take certification tests for Michigan Drinking Water and Municipal Wastewater licensing.  Martinez is pleased with program. “I found this to be a really supportive system. Everyone wants to see us succeed.” The interns are encouraged to apply for open positions even as they work through the internship program. Martinez was recently hired in the area of operations. “I think it’s a fun job to tell people about,” he said. “Most people don’t know anyone who works at the Grand Rapids Water Resource Recovery facility or what even happens here. Drinking water is so important and there is really cool science happening here. I already have a friend who is interested in the program for the next session.” Some of the potential job opportunities include: Water plant operator, utility aide, utility field operator, plumbing inspector and project engineer. Courses include Wastewater Operations and Management, Water Operations and Management, and general chemistry. Professional Development workshops are also offered. “What is nice about taking classes while we are working is that if we have any questions or don’t understand something, we can ask the professor, a co-worker, or another intern. Actually, we can just go into the facility and figure things out by looking at the water system,” Martinez said. The group of six students has been part of the pilot program that began in November 2022 and will end in September. Due to its success, dates are currently being worked out for the next session. If you would like to be contacted about the program, please sign up here or go to grcc.edu/water .

April 18, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Izabella Regner didn’t intend to be a pitcher when she started playing softball as a 10-year-old in Elkhorn, Wis.   But then, as is often the case in sports stories, the girl who was supposed to pitch backed out, and Regner, who goes by Izzy, volunteered to take her place. She still remembers the moment. “I instantly fell in love with it,” she recalled. A decade or so later her love for pitching has only intensified. And after a sterling high school and travel ball career, Regner now toes the pitching rubber for the Grand Rapids Community College Raiders. And, she has become one of the top pitchers in the nation. “What I love about pitching is having control of the diamond and seeing hard work pay off with big swings and misses,” she said with a smile.  Those swings and misses have come in abundance this season when she gets the start. After a recent weekend five-game series against Alpena Community College – in which she pitched and won three times – GRCC was 16-13 overall. Regner’s record was 13-2, including three wins against Alpena by scores of 4-0 (eight strikeouts and one walk surrendered), 9-1 (11 strikeouts, one walk) and 5-0 (11 strikeouts, three walks). For the season, the 5’6” right-hander had pitched 110 innings with 188 Ks and just 23 walks. For good measure, her .472 batting average through 29 games was among the best on the Raider squad. Regner’s strikeouts per seven innings is third best in the nation in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division II. She’s third in complete games and fifth in strikeouts overall. Regner said she decided to come to GRCC when her boyfriend was recruited to play baseball at Cornerstone. It’s a long way from Elkhorn, Wis., to Grand Rapids, some 280 miles around the bottom of Lake Michigan. But the distance from the mound to home plate is still 43 feet, the feel of the softball is the same in her hands and the sound of a perfectly placed fastball popping the catcher’s mitt for strike three never gets old. That’s especially true this year, after GRCC didn’t field a team in 2022. And Regner is savoring every moment. “Last year was heartbreaking for sure,” Regner said. “I was really looking forward to playing but (former) Coach (Molly) McKinney made the best out of the situation. We continued to practice even without a season, and I focused on strengthening my body for this season.” When new head coach Chuck White and assistant coach Steve Roersma were hired to head up GRCC softball, they and Regner made an instant connection. “Coach White and Roersma have made a significant impact on the program,” she said. “Coach White has improved every single pitch that I have and pushes me to be better every day. The coaches have given me a new level of confidence both on the mound and in the batter's box.” White said Regner is “a great teammate and a competitor.” “Izzy works on things until she can’t get it wrong and picks up things quickly,” White said. “The team has instant swagger whenever she’s on the bump.” And though she will wear the Raider colors for only a single season (she is being recruited by numerous NAIA and NCAA four-year programs and will play at the next level in 2024), she said she has loved her time at GRCC. “I think we have good competition that pushes us to improve every game,” she said. “I also love seeing everyone's improvements throughout the season and great relationships being made.” Her classroom experience has been equally terrific, she said, and she will be graduating this month with an associate degree in business which will set her up for an eventual bachelor’s degree in business administration and then, she said, a career still to be determined. Before that happens though, there’s a season to finish, more games to start, and, she hopes, a few more swings and misses. This story was reported by Phil de Haan. 

April 17, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Hon. Drew William Allbritten was one of the nation’s first work study students at Grand Rapids Junior College, setting the stage for a career of service that included posts serving President Ronald Reagan and others. Start at Grand Rapids Community College and go anywhere. Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC gave them the education and opportunity to be successful. Allbritten graduated from GRJC in 1967 and was mentored by Dean of Students Donald Black, and President Richard Calkins.  Allbritten accredits his academic and professional confidence to his time at GRJC. He was elected as Student Government president, and was an officer in the International Relations Club.  “This was an eye-opener for me,” Allbritten said. “ I began to understand the relevance between my academics, career aspirations, and community/civic responsibility. I also was able to establish lifelong relationships which served me well.” Allbritten continued his education and received his bachelor's degree at Western Michigan University, as well as a master’s degree and a doctorate degree. Early in his career, he wanted to pay it forward for his experience at GRJC and was an aspiring administrator at Alpena Community College, Glen Oaks Community College, and GRJC.  Allbritten was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1978, serving until 1980. He authored the Child Passenger Safety Act, a seat belt bill that became a national model and within a decade saved over 125,000 lives, according to a WMU profile. He then became a state and national public policy leader. He was appointed by Reagan to a post for Intergovernmental Relations at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development between 1981 and 1987.  He also advised administration officials for several other presidents, and worked on several important national initiatives. He helped develop President George H.W. Bush's National Institute for Literacy in 1992 as the Coalition of Lifelong Learning chair. He then helped develop President Bill Clinton’s School-to-Work program in 1994 and Welfare-to-Work program in 1995 as the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education executive director. He served as executive director of the Georgia Association of Educators from 1998 to 2002, overseeing its restructuring and actively participating in political issues related to education in Georgia. Allbrittenin 2003  became executive director of the Council for Exceptional Children, a special education association dedicated to serving professionals, organizations, and parents of children with a variety of physical, mental, and emotional challenges. Allbritten became a senior fellow for Public Administration at the University of the South Pacific and also a visiting professor at Fiji National University before retiring. He now resides in Occitanie, France and helps others advance in their careers.  Allbritten says there was no magic or secrets to his success.  “I knew that coming from humble beginnings, I had to work harder, smarter and longer than others,” he said. “Early on, I developed a mutually beneficial support network of kindred spirits who also cared about human rights and equal opportunity.  I knew that being ethical could make you a professional target.”  He specifically recalls receiving the Outstanding Service Medallion in 2021 from AAACE . The medallion honored over five decades Allbritten spent advancing the adult learning profession in the United States and internationally as well.  Allbritten encourages current students to be resilient and try difficult things.  “GRCC is an opportunity for all to be academically prepared to compete in the global marketplace,” he said. “If your time and obligations permit, get involved in some extra-curricular opportunities to begin developing networks for your future (be sure to develop relationships outside your usual ones).”   Start your story at GRCC by applying here .  

April 15, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS Mich. –  The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team swept a rare a triple header against Alpena Community College on Saturday, running its win streak to 11 games.   The softball team won its season series against Alpena after winning two of its three games. All three starters picked up victories for the baseball team, with Lucas McKinney and Jeremy Marble pitching six innings in games one and three and Colton Leatherman pitching a complete game shutout in game two.  GRCC's pitching staff finished with 25 strikeouts while giving up just 12 hits in its 9-2, 4-0 and 9-0 triple header victories. Offensively, GRCC (20-10, 14-1) batted .366 on the day with Fernando Rivera-Calderon leading the pack by going 6-for-10 at the plate with four doubles and a triple. Tommy Reid, 4-for-6; Xander Reisbig, 4-for-8; Aaron Bess, 4-for-9; Jacob Gumieny, 3-for-7; and Zacarias Salinas, 2-for-5 all batted .400 or better.  The team also was 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts, while allowing just one steal. The softball team, (16-13, 8-7), took the day’s first and third games, but fell short in the second game. After a 9-1 opening game victory, GRCC's bats cooled down until the fourth inning when the comeback began. Down 5-0, GRCC scored two in the fourth and then four in the fifth to make it a 7-6 game and only trail by one. Alpena plated one more run in the seventh and it proved to be the insurance run they needed.  GRCC scored one run, left the bases loaded, giving the visitors an 8-7 victory. In game three, Izzy Regner picked up her second win of the day, and 13th of the year, shutting out the Lumberjacks 4-0. Five players batted .400 or better for the softball team as well, with Jaye Guchelaar, 6-for-12, and Brynn McArthur, 5-for-10, leading the way batting .500. Regner, Annika Roersma and Samara Kolehouse all went 4-for-10 and each had a double. Both teams will resume conference play on April 21 for a five-game series against Muskegon Community College. This story was reported by Ben Brown.