Feb. 25, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Dr. Patricia Pulliam and the late Cedric Ward, who created the GIANT Awards 40 years ago to preserve history and inspire the next generations, were honored Saturday with the GIANT’s first Legacy Awards for their impact. GRCC since 1983 has hosted the annual awards recognizing African American leaders and organizations for their exceptional contributions in shaping the history and quality of life in Grand Rapids and West Michigan. Leaders are honored each year in 12 categories, and with an overall GIANT Among Giants revealed at the ceremony. The 40th anniversary celebration highlighted the past GIANT honorees and honored Pulliam and Ward. “Whatever the GIANT banquet has become is beyond my wildest imagination from 40 years ago,” Pulliam said. “That you, community. The GIANT banquet has grown, and grown, and grown. It’s all because of people like you. It’s all because of the people who have received awards during the past 40 years. I thank you for keeping it going in the spirit in which it started. We are recognizing people who made a difference here, not for themselves, but for the rest of us.” Pulliam has made two careers shining a light on minority issues and concerns: first as a Grand Rapids Community College educator and later as a newspaper publisher. She began at what was then Grand Rapids Junior College in the early 1970s as a language arts instructor and advisor to the Black Students Union. She later became chair of the Council for Minority Concerns, an advisory group to GRJC President Richard Calkins that worked to attract, support and retain minority students. The council organized conflict resolution workshops, an annual banquet for minority high school seniors and their parents, and a loan fund to help African American, Hispanic and Native American students. After a referendum passed in 1991 that created the independent Grand Rapids Community College, she became executive vice president and vice president for instruction and administration. Pulliam capped her 30-year college career by serving as interim president in 1998 – the first woman and the first African American to lead GRCC. She received an inaugural Salute to Women Award in 1999. Patricia and Yergan Pulliam purchased The Grand Rapids Times in 1986. Founded in 1957, it is the oldest existing weekly publication targeting the black community in Grand Rapids. She is active as both publisher and editor. The arts and social justice were the twin passions of Cedric Ward, who passed away in 2002. His theatrical debut at the age of 13 in a Circle Theater production of “Little Foxes” was the start of four decades of directing, performing and volunteering. He and his wife, Sandy, established Circle Theater’s first children’s company, and he wrote and directed its first production, “Hansel and Gretel.” He founded the Robeson Players in the 1980s to provide theatrical opportunities to African Americans and co-founded the Grand Rapids Symphony’s “Symphony with Soul” concert. Ward was focused on helping young people have access to higher education. and the Junior Giants Cedric Ward Leadership Scholarship is named in his honor. The Cedric and Sandy Ward Leadership Award goes annually to a Grand Rapids Community College student. He was honored by the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids for his leadership and received the Dr. MaLinda P. Sapp Legacy Award posthumously from the Grand Rapids Symphony. “As I look through the list of GIANT Among GIANT honorees, I see people who made an impact nationally, and those who focused on strengthening our community right here in West Michigan,” GRCC President Charles Lepper said at the event. “There are doctors, educators, pastors, artists, business leaders, activists, judges, and those who filled other important roles. One thing they have in common is that none of them likely sought the recognition they received. They followed their hearts, did what they knew was right, and focused on making their community a better place. Some are with us tonight, others we cherish in our memories. By sharing their stories, we inspire the next generations to think about what they can do for others.”

Feb. 25, 2023, PETOSKEY, Mich. – Myron Brewer and Grace Lodes led the Grand Rapids Community College basketball teams to a season sweep over North Central Michigan College on Saturday. GRCC's women's team opened up the day by defeating the Timberwolves 72-24, and the men's basketball team cruised to a 99-69 victory. Coach David Glazier's women’s team jumped out to a 20-4 lead and never looked back, improving to 15-7 overall and holding on to second place in the conference with a 9-3 record. Sophomore Grace Lodes was nearly perfect from the field and finished with a team-high 23 points, 11 rebounds and four steals. Sally Merrill recorded a career-high six assists and added 13 points. GRCC assisted on 28 of their 32 total field goals made, while shooting 52.5 percent overall. GRCC's men's team maintained its third place ranking in the conference with the team’s fourth win in a row,  improving to 19-7 and 7-5 in the conference. "It was fun to go on the road and play a solid game today," head coach Joe Fox said. "Defensively the guys locked into the game plan and executed well.  Rico Wade has really emerged as a ball stopper defensively, and the team feeds off his energy.  Carter Thomas and Jajuan Walker made great defensive plays as well. I was impressed with Myron and Chris' play on the offensive end, and the roster of sophomores were very impactful as well. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate them on Tuesday nights home game verses Kirtland."  Myron Brewer became the eighth player to lead the Raiders in scoring this year, finishing with 21 points, including four three-pointers and three dunks.  It also was his first career double-double after a game-high 11 rebounds. Danyel Bibbs also had a double-double, finishing with 14 points, five rebounds and 10 assists.  Chris Coleman was two points short of his career-high with 20 points.  "Our team came out with a lot of effort and energy and picked it up early on the defensive rebound and finished good around the rim," Coleman said. Both teams return home on Feb. 28 to take on Kirtland Community College, where GRCC will honor all the sophomores before their respective games. This story was reported by Ben Brown.

Feb. 23, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Everyone attending the GIANT Awards 40th anniversary celebration on Saturday will enjoy a chocolate treat created by students and faculty from three Grand Rapids Community College programs, gaining in-demand skills. Since 1983, GRCC has hosted the annual awards recognizing African American leaders and organizations for their exceptional contributions in shaping the history and quality of life in West Michigan. The 40th anniversary celebration will highlight past GIANT honorees and present a special award, with recipients revealed at the event. The gala starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at DeVos Place’s Exhibit Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Details are at grcc.edu/GIANT40. Dr. Werner Absenger, program director for GRCC’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education, said he recognized the significance of the event, and connected with colleagues in the Manufacturing Department, the School of STEM Mechanical Design department, and the College Advancement team to work on a special project to enhance the celebration. Faculty and students created about 1,000 chocolate bars with the GIANT Awards 40th anniversary logo, which will be shared with all guests attending the Saturday gala. Students gained in-demand career skills while learning about the history of the GIANT Awards and how honorees shaped the community. “The learning experience here is that to mass produce a simple food item, such as a special occasion chocolate bar, we need to have an interdisciplinary approach,” Absenger said. “Mechanical designers conceptualized a mold for plastics engineering students to create, and be used by culinary artists to pour the chocolate into. Communication and planning were the keys to an awesome product.” Professor Michael Merchant, head of the Mechanical and Architectural Design Department, worked with students and state-of-the-art equipment in GRCC’s Makers Lab to craft the shape of the chocolate bar with the logo, then created a model using a 3D printer. Merchant then collaborated with professor Scott Lampe, who works with students in the Plastics-Polymer Engineering Technology Certificate program. Lampe used the 3D printed mold and a thermoformer, a machine that surrounds the model in heated plastic, vacuums out the air and creates a reverse image that can be used as a mold for the chocolate. After a test run, additional models were created to fabricate 66 molds to share with the culinary students in chef Wilfredo Barajas’ pastry class, who used dark chocolate couverture to melt and pour into the molds, then added a golden coating before packaging. “It’s not a special recipe, but what makes it special is that my CA 204 Pastry students get tons of practice tempering chocolate,” he said. “Working chocolate to have the right crystal formation is advanced pastry. Having 1,000 bars to make has given my students an opportunity to practice and master chocolate tempering. We finished the chocolate bars with edible food-grade gold powder by brushing and, in some instances, we used an air compressor and a spray gun.” The 40th anniversary logo and packaging was designed by Lisa Kirschner of the GRCC Communications Department.  

Feb. 22, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Jenna Ackerman’s creation looked like a fancy egg on toast, but it was actually something much sweeter. Ackerman is an advanced pastry student in Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education. The class recently showed off  its colorful array of treats in a pop-up sale in the Foodology Eatery and Café in the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center. “This pastry buffet is a five-star level; it compares to any hotel or restaurant in the area,” Chef Wilfredo Barajas proudly said of his students’ work. “It might take someone 10 years to learn pastry, but these students learn and master 30-50 techniques in seven weeks.” Through the Secchia Institute, GRCC students develop baking and pastry skills, and are mentored by instructors who have years of experience in the field and around the world. Barajas led the seven-week baking and pastry program and prepared his students to create desserts for the pop-up sale, their final project. “My students may come into this program knowing how to cook, but many of them start with no training or knowledge of pastry,” Barajas said. “When students come to me, I say ‘Let me control you for three to four weeks to build your foundation,’ and then after that they can expand and grow their skills.” Having trained with master chefs and college-level pastry programs around the country, Barajas said his goal is to prepare his students to go into any kitchen around the world with a well-rounded pastry knowledge and training. Barajas compared techniques for making pastry to tools in a tool box; if he can give his students all the right tools, he said, they will be well equipped to create desserts with tastes and textures. More than 2,000 patisseries were prepared by students for the popup and were plated and displayed on a three table-long buffet. Patrons could choose from chocolate marshmallows, jelly sweets, different flavors of macarons, tiny cream puffs and bonbons of every shape and color to fill their box. “It was a lot of work,” Ackermann said. “Our class was separated into different teams and each team made a different flavor of macaron and bonbon. That’s how we learned about coloring chocolate.”  She explained how students used existing recipes and selected their own flavors and colors to create patisseries for the event. “We learned a lot of new techniques, and it was a team effort to get it all done,” she said. In addition to their team’s assigned recipes, some students worked on personal projects, like Ackerman’s egg and toast. She created a mango and panna cotta “egg” atop a slice of pound cake to replicate toast. Even some of the decorations looked delicious. Weeks away from completing her final semester at GRCC, Kat De Vries completed two personal projects to put on display. “I made a crescent moon and flowers out of pulled sugar and it took two days to make,” she said. “The vase took longer, probably two weeks, and everything is made of fondant and chocolate. Except the flowers on top are gum paste.” De Vries said she had very little knowledge going into the project of the techniques she would use. “Now I’ve learned that I can make something like this,” she said. Previously a Kent Career Tech Center pastry student, De Vries plans to open an online bakery after completing her certification. This story was reported by Alexis Stark of School News Network.

Feb. 21, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For Shamarri Key, cooking is love. “I can vividly remember cooking with my family, all of us laughing and joking together,” said Key, a 27-year-old enrolled in Grand Rapids Community College’s culinary arts program. “I felt the overall presence of passion and perseverance that gave me the enthusiasm to thrive for a bigger purpose.” Thanks to GRCC’s award-winning Secchia Institute for Culinary Education , plenty of hard work, and financial aid from Michigan Reconnect , Key is bringing his childhood dream to life. The Grand Rapids native enrolled at GRCC after graduating in 2013 from Creston High School. While attending GRCC for two years, Key balanced two part-time jobs, carried nine credit hours, coached track at Ottawa Hills High School, and volunteered as a mentor for the DECA program at Innovation Central High School. Eventually it became overwhelming, and Key decided to put his education on hold to establish himself in the workforce as an adult. But after five years, Key felt he wasn’t getting the most out of life that he could. “My twin, Jamarri, had graduated from GRCC with his associate degree in science, and my mom graduated from GRCC; she has degrees in art and nursing. I said, ‘Hey, I need a degree, too. I can’t be left behind,’” he said. He returned to GRCC in August 2021, successfully repaying a balance from his first time at school using the college’s Debt Forgiveness Program . But Key still had a hill to climb: Despite taking out a student loan in early 2022 to continue his academic career, he was still short on tuition and uncertain where to turn. “Then I was in Student Life one day talking with the director, Lina Blair, and she told me about Michigan Reconnect,” Key said. Michigan Reconnect is a state program that covers the cost of in-district tuition for Michiganders 25 or older without a college degree. This program provides eligible students with access to pursue an associate degree or occupational certificate at their local community college. “The Reconnect program is a door-opener for people who have that financial barrier in front of them and think they don’t want to go to school if they have to pay it all themselves,” said Key, who qualified for the program in April 2022. With tuition covered by Reconnect and the help of his GRCC mentor, Dr. Andre Fields, Key decided to pursue a degree in the culinary arts. “The fondest and happiest moments in my life revolved around family dinners and cooking sessions as a child with my mother and grandmother,” he said. “The memory of my grandma making Southern spicy fried corn and letting me taste it … that’s what really brought me back to college — and the culinary arts,” he said. Now Key, who works part-time in GRCC’s student records office, is taking a smaller class load so he doesn’t get overwhelmed. And he loves his culinary arts classes — especially baking. “It’s fast, it’s exciting, it’s a lot of different information,” he said. “But it makes you want to thrive because the program and the people are all so passionate.” Once he earns his degree, Key has plans to become a personal chef, own a food truck, cater, teach cooking, and create cooking video tutorials. Key hopes other students find their passion and follow their dream. “Don’t let anything or anyone hold you back,” he said. This story was reported by Beth McKenna.

Feb. 20, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Dino Paganelli has risen to the pinnacle of the National Football League’s officiating ranks, including working the most recent Super Bowl as a back judge, his third Super Bowl assignment. And, he said, a lot of the credit for his officiating career – as well as his 25 years as a high school teacher and coach at Wyoming Public Schools – goes to GRCC. 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. Paganelli came to the college after his 1986 graduation from Wyoming Rogers High School, where he was a standout football, basketball and baseball player . In fact, it was baseball that brought him to GRCC as a scholarship student-athlete, playing his first year for Tom Hofmann and his second year for Doug Wabeke. Early on in his journey to an associate degree, he took a class with Hofmann called simply “Sports Officiating.” He recalled that class recently. “I had some officiating in my family, but it was that class with the no-longer-with-us-but-oh-so-legendary Tom Hofmann that really started me on my officiating journey,” Paganelli said. Indeed, that class led to two years of fall officiating for Paganelli at high schools across the area. “I’ll never forget picking up some games at Lowell High School,” he said. “That was my first game. My high school best friend and I went out on a Saturday and did games from eight in the morning until one o’clock in the afternoon. Been doing games ever since.” Paganelli’s most recent football officiating gig was a long way away from Lowell, Michigan. In Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12, 2023, he worked his third Super Bowl, and he said the experience never gets old. “It really is amazing,” he said this week as he looked back at Super Bowl LVII, won by the Kansas City Chiefs in a see-saw battle against the Philadelphia Eagles. “The NFL is a big business, and the Super Bowl is a big event. You’ve got the game obviously, the halftime show, there's a lot of moving parts.” The build-up to the game, he added, does make the Super Bowl a bit different than regular season games or even other playoff games. “By maybe Friday, Saturday you have to eliminate watching TV, ESPN and those sorts of things,” he said. “Because by then we’re so bombarded with information and it's like Super Bowl overload. By the time kickoff comes, every official is just ready to get the game started because of the hype.” At that point, Paganelli said, the game becomes like a normal game – for the officials and the players – and instincts kick in. “You do what you've been trained to do,” he said. Having retired from his career as a high school teacher, Paganelli now is looking forward to a little downtime before heading back to lots of work next season with the NFL. “It’s a long haul,” he said with a smile. “You know, we start with meetings in July and August is always a busy month. I think one August I was gone 21 or 22 days with training camps. And if you’re fortunate your season ends in February and you’re doing a championship or a Super Bowl.” Still, he was quick to add, he loves the work. There’s no mandatory retirement age for NFL officials and Paganelli, at the age of 55, said he devotes a lot of time to staying sharp physically and mentally. “I think you have to always do a self-reflection about your abilities,” he said. “More so than an age number, it's about ‘Am I still performing at a high level?’ I would like to think that if I continue to stay physically fit and my skill levels continue to remain the same or improve, I'd like to go 10 to 12 more years.” And even after his retirement from football officiating, Paganelli said, he plans to give back to the profession by being a supervisor and staying involved in officiating in some sort of teaching fashion at either the professional or college levels. In that regard, he said, he’d be following in the footsteps of his father, Carl Paganelli Sr., who was the supervisor of officiating for the Arena Football League and also had a long career as an on-field official at every level from high school to the USFL and the World League of American Football. Carl Paganelli also was respected for his willingness to give back to the world of officiating , and Dino Paganelli said at GRCC he found others who were willing to invest in him. “When I look back at my baseball experiences and my friendships as a student-athlete, it was still the best time of my life,” he said. “Playing baseball, meeting the friends that I did, the coaches and professors investing in you, growing academically, which I really needed, I have a really warm spot in my heart for GRCC. It was a perfect fit for me as it is for many.” After his graduation from GRCC, Paganelli went on to play baseball for and graduate from Aquinas College with a bachelor’s degree in history in Physical Education. He then worked for almost four years, but felt the pull toward K-12 education and returned to Aquinas to earn a master’s in education and launch his 25-year career in Wyoming Public Schools, from which he retired in June 2022. He also launched his officiating career, working high school and then the MIAA, GLIAC, MAC and Big Ten before getting the call from the NFL in 2006. “My brother Perry was an assistant principal and teacher at Rogers and had also begun his officiating career,” Dino Paganelli said. “Rogers was a great place and very supportive of Perry, so I was drawn back there for that and other reasons, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.” Dino Paganelli is quick to point out that both Perry and his brother Carl Jr. are also NFL officials and GRCC alumni. Both also were student-athletes at GRCC, competing in football and baseball, and all four Paganellis were inducted in 2018 into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame. GRCC in 2013 dedicated the foyer of the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse to the Paganelli family. The Paganelli Family Scholarship annually awards $1,000 to a GRCC student-athlete. “GRCC has been an important part of the lives of the whole Paganelli family,” Dino Paganelli said. “That's one of the reasons we provide scholarships today . It’s because of what Grand Rapids Community College has done for us. It’s had an amazing impact on our lives.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.

Feb. 18, 2023, ALPENA, Mich. – Danyel Bibbs hit a game-winning shot with one second remaining to help the Grand Rapids Community College men’s basketball team complete a season sweep over Alpena Community College on Saturday. GRCC's men's team defeated the Lumberjacks 81-79, and the women's basketball team upended the home team, 72-39. Davarion Mitchell, who finished with a game-high 32 points, put Alpena up 77-75 with 41 seconds to go. Chris Coleman tied it back up with 27.1 seconds to go. But after an unexpected Raider foul on the inbound, Alpena's Ianson Simpson went to the line to put his team back up two points. On the ensuing GRCC possession, Bashir Neely missed a layup, but Coleman was there to tip in the rebound with 21 seconds left, tying the game up for the ninth time. Alpena's Gavin Dukaji missed a three-point shot with eight seconds remaining but Brockton Kohler snagged the rebound and quickly passed it to Bibbs, who raced down the court for the game-winning layup. "What a fun way to get a road win," head coach Joe Fox said. "It was an absolute battle back and forth, and while we didn’t execute as well as we would’ve liked, we did play with effort all night long. Three games in four days is tough, but I thought our depth really helped us today. Our sophomores really helped carry us through today, especially Bibbs on that last bucket. Jordan Houser really helped turn the game with his energy defensively as well." Bibbs led six GRCC players who finished in double figures with 21 points and six rebounds.  Isaac Warning had the lone double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. After the Raiders third win in four days, the team improved to 18-7 overall and stayed in third place in the league with a 6-5 record. GRCC's women's team scored the first 20 points of its game and never looked back, claiming a dominating 72-39 victory. The win kept the Raiders in second place in the league with an 8-3 record.  They are also 14-7 overall, winners of six of their last seven. "Thought our effort and focus was great from the opening tip," head coach David Glazier said.  "Felt our kids once again showed real professionalism in how they handled a second straight weekend of being out of town a night before our game." Sally Merrill, the reigning national and conference player of the week, led all scorers with 20 points. Marlene Bussler added 17 points and four assists and Grace Lodes finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Both teams return home on Feb. 22 to take on Delta College.  The women tip off at 5:30 p.m.   This story was reported by Ben Brown.

Feb. 17, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- After a dozen years as an adjunct instructor at Grand Rapids Community College, Jonathan Marshall is in his first year as an assistant professor in the music department and the college’s Director of Guitar Studies. And he couldn’t be happier. “This is the best job in the world,” he said. “Our students are great, and the people I work with in the music department, just amazing, amazing people. I couldn’t ask for anything more.” In addition to his teaching and work as director, Marshall also heads up the  GRCC International Guitar Series and the  GRCC Community Guitar Ensemble/Society and is director of the  GRCC Virtual Youth Guitar Competition . “It’s busy,” he said with a chuckle. “But it’s a busy I wouldn’t trade for anything. I was a student here myself to be back in this capacity is a dream come true.” In fact, Marshall added, he and the college’s three other guitar teachers – Brian Morris (his predecessor as Director of Guitar Studies), Kyle Thompson and Jeremy Verwys – are all GRCC alumni, graduates of the guitar concentration that is part of the associate degree in music. “We all walked these halls as students,” he said. “Now we’re back to teach the next generation. And what’s even better is we all get along, we all work hard, and we all want to see our students succeed. It’s pretty cool.” What’s also pretty cool, he said, are the students he and his colleagues work with daily and the opportunities they have to succeed. “The students we work with value their education, and they want to get as much knowledge as they can while they are here,” he said. “And for us, we walked the path they are on now, so it’s really fulfilling to see them develop these skills that they can use the rest of their life. At the end of the day, you can either watch Netflix all day or you can practice guitar, right.” GRCC music students can be a guitar performance major and also have guitar as their applied instrument while pursuing a different music degree, including Instrumental Studies , Piano and Organ Studies , Recording Technology and Vocal . Marshall said there are typically 10-15 students enrolled in applied guitar lessons (one-on-one lessons), and the department also offers group guitar classes in classical guitar, beginning guitar and jazz guitar. And students who take applied lessons or guitar class often later enroll in the GRCC guitar ensemble. “It’s safe to say that there is a lot of guitar going on at GRCC music,” Marshall said. Marshall and his guitar colleagues all play professionally, and he said the thrill of performing never gets old. It’s also eye-opening for GRCC students to see their instructors in action. “When people hear something, and you see them happy because our fingers can do this, it’s satisfying,” he said. “And for our students, yeah, we’ll play, maybe as part of the (International Guitar) series, and it opens their eyes.” Marshall performs with Morris in the  Grand Rapids Guitar Duo , and they will perform at GRCC on April 13 as part of the International Guitar Series. Morris was his mentor when Marshall was a student at GRCC, before he went on to study classical guitar with Carlos De La Barrera at Grand Valley State University and complete his master's degree at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati under Professor Clare Callahan. As he looks back on his academic career though, his experience at GRCC, Marshall said, remains the most formative part of his higher education experience. “Being here was just an amazing experience,” he said. “I think sometimes when students leave GRCC, and this was true for me, maybe they are expecting something better and bigger. But that’s not always the case. And wherever they go or whatever they do, I know our students are well prepared for the next step.” Marshall added with a laugh that he initially came to GRCC because of the culinary program, but then realized there was a waitlist so figured he’d bide his time until there was an opening. Having studied music as a child, including guitar, he migrated to the music department, and it was love at first note. “I never left,” he said laughing. “GRCC Music is where I found my purpose.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.

Feb. 17, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Jessica Pierce had no idea the true impact she could have on someone's life when she came to GRCC.  Pierce is the program manager for the MTEC Champions Program. A program that fast tracks students to enter the workforce. MTEC Champions allows underserved young adults aged 18 to 24 the opportunity to receive free training in any MTEC program that is 12 months or less.  The program also offers services such as transportation assistance, mental health resources, and more.  “By alleviating these barriers to education we help students gain meaningful experiences and careers,” Pierce said.  Pierce loves seeing student’s success stories, and often gets to be a part of their story. She recalls one student who was unsure what they wanted to do with their career, or even how to go about it. Through the Champions program the student was able to receive free training, as well as support while having a baby, and searching for a job after graduation. The student was also able to purchase their first home and now is pursuing a degree in healthcare.  “It feels so good to know you helped make a difference in someone’s life, and that your work  is impacting the community,” Pierce said.  Pierce’s career journey allows her to connect with students.  Pierce entered the healthcare industry after graduating from St. Philip's College. It wasn’t until five years ago that she stepped into the world of higher education. “I realized I like to teach and to encourage learning, GRCC allowed me a space to merge my two passions together, healthcare and education,” Pierce said.  Pierce came to GRCC to teach courses on employability skills in the Certified Nurse Aide program. Over time she has taken on more responsibility and now gets to help students on their own career journeys.  Pierce encourages students to give themselves grace if they are unsure of their next steps. She pushes students to take advantage of all of the opportunities and resources available to them.  “GRCC provides tons of resources to help you reach your goals. Know that the staff are here to support you and want to see you succeed,” Pierce said.  More information about the M-TEC Champions Program is available here.  More information about workforce training is available here.