Nov. 10, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Marlene Bussler and Herman Brown led the Grand Rapids Community College basketball teams to a sweep over Lansing Community College on Thursday. The women's team picked up its first victory of the season with a 53-43 win, while the men stayed unbeaten, improving to 4-0, with a 106-99 victory.  Bussler carried GRCC for most of the night, connecting on 57 percent of her shots including three-of-seven from three-point range, while the rest of the team was just one-of-18 from behind the arc. "I thought we played much better tonight as compared to Monday night," head coach David Glazier said. "Defensively every player on the roster bought into the game plan with Grace (Lodes) playing a primary role in guarding one of their better scorers. Offensively I felt our balance and execution was improved. Marlene really put us on her shoulders at that end of the floor tonight." Sally Merrill and Allison Kellogg were the only other Raiders to score more than three points, with each of them picking up double-doubles in points and rebounds. Merrill with 14 and 10, and Kellogg with 12 and 13. The men's basketball team was on fire from three-point territory all night, helping it score more than 100 points for the fourth straight game.  The team ended up 15 for 30 compared to just seven-of-27 for Lansing. Brown set the tone early, making his first three three-pointers. He finished six-of-nine, totaling 22 points. He also added a game-high 14 points, for the game's lone double-double. Danyel Bibbs, who was just announced the MCCAA Northern Conference Player of the Week, also dropped in 22 points while dishing out a game-high seven assists. B.J. Neely and Jujuan Walker combined to go five-for-five with three-point shots, scoring 14 points each.

Nov. 10, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Obstacles such as food and housing insecurity can affect how a student does in class. A new partnership between Grand Rapids Community College and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services can help connect students with outside resources to help them be successful. This fall, GRCC became the only Michigan college to have a DHHS staff member assigned to it. Marjri Weller – a former GRCC student -- is on campus and working directly with students to connect them to both state and local resources for housing, food, child care and more. While Weller’s position is unique, she works to address student needs that are common, said Sandy Gregory in the office of the Dean of Student Success. “This is a vital service for our students,” she said. “GRCC has a strong interest in helping our students meet their basic needs so that they can be successful in their academic work. Our supports sometimes have limitations. Marjri, on the other hand, will be able to set students up with sustained support that they qualify for.” Weller agreed. “Working closely with the Student Success team, serving as the point of contact to provide information regarding MDHHS programs and community resources, serving as a referral source for students in need -- these are all things that can remove barriers to success for students,” she said. And, she added, she’s thrilled to be returning to her roots. “What caught my eye about this new partnership is being able to help students in whatever they need because I was once a student here at GRCC,” she said with a smile. “I have always wanted to give back, and this is the best way that I can.” A Creston High School graduate, Weller earned her associate degree at GRCC and then went on to Aquinas College, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in business, and Grand Valley State University for a master’s degree in communication. She returned to GRCC after four years as a family independent specialist/P2P success coach for MDHHS at César E. Chávez Elementary School in Grand Rapids. She is located on the third floor of GRCC’s Student Center, working a combination of in-person and remote hours, and she expects to have an ongoing caseload of approximately 150 to 200 cases. A 2020 Hope Center survey of about 1,000 GRCC students found that 48 percent experienced at least one form of basic needs insecurity, including 29 percent who faced food insecurity in the prior 30 days, 40 percent who experienced housing insecurity in the prior year and 11 percent who experienced homelessness in the prior year. Weller’s work joins that of many others on campus intended to change those startling statistics. And she’s already having an impact on GRCC’s students. “I recently shared the first of what I hope will be many success stories,” she said. “A fulltime GRCC student came to me and said her biggest barrier was transportation. We worked together, and we were able to find her employment on campus, and then we also solved her transportation challenge (using a state program).” Weller said this is just one example of the variety of ways her work with MDHHS can help, including assistance with food and medical needs, child development and care, state emergency relief, and even cash assistance. Eligibility criteria need to be met to get assistance, and helping students navigate the various systems will be a big part of her work.   “I am finding that students are coming to me for assistance, but I am also getting a lot of referrals from staff, and I am thankful for that,” she said. “What I would like to say to the students who don’t know about me and the services is that even if they do or don’t think they qualify for assistance, please apply at michigan.gov/mibridges and let’s find out.” Gregory noted that while GRCC has many in-house systems to support students, those systems sometimes have restrictions. “For example, a student can only receive financial support from the Emergency Grant once in a 12-month period,” she said. “Also, while students can visit the Student Food Pantry once a week, we are often limited on the items that we have available, based on the stock on hand at Feeding America. With Marjri on campus, we can offer students so much more.” Gregory said the current agreement with the state that brought Weller to GRCC is in place for two years, and she and others at the college entrusted with helping students succeed plan to make the most of the time together. “In partnership with GRCC staff, she will be an integral part of making sure we are able to connect students to all applicable supports so that they can ultimately meet their educational goals,” Gregory said. Tracey Fountain, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Kent County office, is all in on the state helping GRCC students succeed. She said in the early discussions between the state and the college, it was quickly apparent that a partnership could benefit both. “GRCC students benefit from having an assigned Family Independence specialist from MDHHS stationed on-site at the GRCC main campus to assist with barrier removal and application support to access the assistance programs,” she said. “And this partnership also further supports the vision of MDHHS, which is to develop and encourage measurable health, safety and self-sufficiency outcomes that reduce and prevent risks, promote equity, foster health habits and transform the health and human services system to improve the lives of Michigan families.” An added bonus, Fountain said, is “the opportunity to strengthen our recruitment of students and graduates who have an interest in serving in the human services field to further the mission of our agency.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.

Nov. 10, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Enrollment at the Grand Rapids Community College’s Lakeshore Campus is up by more than 20 percent after its first year, and a Saturday open house can help potential students with any questions about enrolling in the future. Potential students of all ages can learn more about how GRCC can help change their lives at the event, planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 12 at the campus, 12335 James St. in Holland. The event is open to all potential students and families, whether they are considering taking classes at the Lakeshore Campus, on GRCC’s Main Campus in Grand Rapids, or online. GRCC specialists and faculty can help open house participants navigate through admissions and financial aid processes and discuss eligibility for cost-saving programs such as Michigan Reconnect or scholarships through the GRCC Foundation. The event also will include tours of the 52,000-square-foot campus, which opened in August 2021 in the Shops at Westshore Mall. The facility has nine classrooms, four computer labs and five unique labs for biology, chemistry, electronics, automation, welding and machine tooling, housing programs for students working toward an associate degree or a career-focused certificate. Enrollment at the Lakeshore Campus has increased from 1,025 students in fall 2021 to 1,243 this fall. “The Lakeshore open house is a great opportunity for people interested in learning more about how a GRCC education can get them the skills, credits or degrees they need to transform their lives,” said Lori Cook, associate dean of Access and First Year Success. “Our new, consolidated GRCC Lakeshore Campus makes an affordable, quality GRCC education more accessible. We encourage people to come and visit whether they are planning to attend, or just want to know more about the new campus and how it benefits the Lakeshore communities.”  While walk-ins are welcome, students can reserve a spot by registering at grcc.edu/openhouse .    

Nov. 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Danyel Bibbs of the Grand Rapids Community College men's basketball team was named Michigan Community College Athletic Association Northern Conference player of the week. “I’m very excited for Danyel to receive this honor,” coach Joe Fox said. “His work ethic is relentless, and he brings energy and enthusiasm to practice every single day. He has persevered through a lot of adversity to get to this point, and I’m looking forward to watching him keep taking the next step forward in his academic and athletic career.” Bibbs, a Saginaw native who attended Union High in Grand Rapids, is coming off a season-high 28 points and 11 assists in Tuesday's game against the Great Lakes Christian College junior varsity team, helping his team to a 103-90 victory. Last week, the sophomore point guard helped guide the team to two more victories, scoring 27 points against Olivet College JV and 19 points against Cornerstone University JV.  He also totaled 10 assists with seven coming against Cornerstone, while shooting 15 of 26 from the field. The men's basketball team is off to a perfect 3-0 start to the season. The team's next game is Nov. 10 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse against Lansing Community College, a former Western Conference foe, at 7:30 p.m. or 20 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game.  

Nov. 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Thomas Gibson has been a teacher for the past 10 years, but decided he needed a change. “I left the field of teaching because I really wanted to do something more hands-on,” he said. “I was looking for something in high demand that has vertical growth opportunity. I was really missing the satisfaction of completing a product or project. I like being able to dig into a project complete the tasks and see that finished product.' Gibson was familiar with GRCC through his work in education. “As I did research, I found that the GRCC Construction Electrical program was the best fit for me,” he said. “This program is a great environment to learn the basics and because I was transitioning from one field to another, it provides a way to network with others in the field, including employers.” The GRCC Workforce Training Construction Electrical Job Training program provides the basic knowledge and skills required to be placed in an electrical apprenticeship program in just 18 weeks of training. “This is a really awesome teaching format,” Gibson said. “The combination of classroom learning and hands-on learning is perfect. The lab is set up with all the different simulations so we get practice for many different situations.” Students participate in job site, lab area, field trip and classroom settings. Learning is hands-on in all areas of electrical installation including employability skills, construction and electrical safety, hand and power tool safety, electrical math, electrical history, electrical theory, the National Electrical Code, electrical material identification, blue print reading, underground installations and residential and commercial wiring. As a former teacher, Gibson appreciates his instructor’s learning style. “Doug Wiersma is awesome and very supportive. He does a great job pushing us. I like the way he allows us a safe place to try and fail and actually encourages us to do that. You couldn’t do that on the jobsite.” He also enjoys his relationship with others in the program. “I like the students here,” he said. “We’ve really built a community. The smaller group allows us to get to know each other.” Gibson will graduate in December and is already applying for jobs. Once graduates of this program are hired, they may register with the State of Michigan as an Apprentice Electrician. The 18-week Job Training program covers the first year of training in the four-year apprenticeship. This type of life change takes courage and support for the whole family. Gibson is grateful for his wife’s support.  “When no one is in your corner when making a huge life choice like this it is quite easy to give up. I really enjoy this program. It is the best part of my day!” According to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, there will be 16 percent job growth annually in this field from 2012 to 2022. New sessions of GRCC Job Training programs begin throughout the year. The next session begins January 23, 2023. For more information go to grcc.edu/jobtraining .

Nov. 9, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich . — From her very first American Sign Language class in 2010 at Grand Rapids Community College, Justine Bryant knew she’d found the perfect career. “I instantly fell in love with interpreting and knew it was my calling,” said Bryant, now a nationally certified ASL interpreter and new affiliate assistant professor of sign language at GRCC. It’s a career that it’s in high demand not only in Michigan, but nationwide. According to the most recent study released in 2019 by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, 733,356 Michiganders — about 7.4% of the state population — identify as deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing. In West Michigan, 8% of residents identify as members of that community. “The need for interpreters is everywhere as people and businesses realize it’s crucial to include sign language interpretation with their message,” said Bryant, a Comstock Park High School graduate. “It’s becoming more mainstream, and the more people see it, the more people will want to pursue it as a career.” The demand for ASL interpreters is expected to increase by approximately 24% by 2030, according to GRCC estimates. That’s one of the reasons that in addition to teaching, Bryant is developing an education pathway for students seeking a career as interpreters for the deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and deaf-disabled. This path includes taking ASL and general education courses at GRCC and then transferring to Lansing Community College for its interpreter training program, said Mary Lucas, chair of GRCC’s Language and Thought Department. “Once we finalize it with LCC, this will be a great pathway for anyone here in West Michigan interested in becoming an interpreter to start their education,” Lucas said. Because Michigan has some of the strictest rules for ASL interpreter certification in the nation, it’s difficult to get into the profession without the proper education, Bryant said. Most ASL interpreter posts require a bachelor’s degree. Bryant, who earned associate degrees at GRCC and LCC, completed her bachelor’s degree in ASL interpreting and transliterating in 2015 at Siena Heights University in Adrian. She worked as an ASL interpreter for the Kent Intermediate School District until 2021, has freelanced in the community since 2015, and has owned her own company, Access to ASL, since 2019. She said she looks forward to developing the educational pathway between GRCC and LCC so more students can enter this growing field. “When you’re working as an interpreter, every day is different … which is what I love about it,” Bryant said. “It’s one of those fields that remains a challenge because there’s always more to learn — but it’s a very rewarding and fulfilling career.” This story was reported by Beth McKenna.

Nov. 8, 2022, LANSING, Mich. – Danyel Bibbs' 28 points and nine assists propelled the Grand Rapids Community College men's basketball team to a hard fought 103-90 victory Tuesday against the Great Lakes Christian College junior varsity team. The win kept the Raiders unbeaten, improving to 3-0 on the season. GRCC led by as many as 16 points and didn't trail after the opening minutes of the game. Brockton Kohler scored 19 points and added five rebounds, while Rico Wade chipped in 14 points, shooting six-of-nine from the field.  The two of them combined to go five-of-11 from three-point territory. Bashir Neely scored 10 points and Herman Brown led the defense with six steals and a game-high nine rebounds. The team's next game is Nov. 10 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse against Lansing Community College, a former Western Conference foe, at 7:30 p.m. or 20 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game.  

Nov. 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Audrey Torres and Eliza Thelen headline the list of eight Grand Rapids Community College volleyball players who received honors from the Michigan Community College Athletic Association on Tuesday. Torres and Thelen were named to the All-MCCAA, All-Region, and First Team All-Conference teams, while six additional GRCC student-athletes were named to the All-Conference Team. GRCC, currently ranked No. 13 in the nation, enjoyed its 11th conference title, finishing 9-1 in the MCCAA’s new Northern Conference. The team earned the MCCAA Championship – its sixth in the last seven years -- and on Saturday celebrated its 11th Region XII-District championship to advance to the NJCAA National Tournament. “GRCC is recognized as one of the top programs in the nation, a reflection of the excellent coaching staff and hard work from student-athletes,” Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. “It’s nice to see players recognized for their accomplishments. We’re looking forward to seeing the team compete in the national tournament.” Torres, a sophomore from Caledonia, was also named Most Valuable Player at the NJCAA Region XII Great Lakes A Tournament. She ranks first on the team in kills with 328, second in aces with 35 and fourth in digs with 176. Thelen, a sophomore from Grand Rapids, was second on the team with 269 kills while hitting an impressive .327, ranking her top-10 in the MCCAA. She also totaled 61 blocks and averaged 3.46 points per set. Kara Hecht, a third-year player from Zeeland, was named First Team All-Conference and was a member on the All-Tournament team at the regional tournament.  She started all 27 matches, averaging 2.89 points per set. She was second on the team with 210 digs and thirds with 211 kills. Karissa Ferry and Shannon Russell were named Second Team All-Conference as well as members on the All-Tournament team at the regional tournament.  Ferry, a sophomore right-side hitter from Chesaning, was fourth on the team with 192 kills and second with 64 blocks. Russell, a sophomore setter from Grand Rapids, led the team in assists with 872, was third in service aces with 33 and third on the team in digs with 206. Earning All-Conference honorable mention honors was Audrey Gower of Dimondale, Alena Visnovsky of Sparta and Vienna Koenigsknecht of Portage. Gower led the team in digs with 359 and Koenigsknecht added 161.  Visnovsky totaled 120 blocks, averaging 1.28 per set, ranking her number one among all MCCAA players and one of the best in the NJCAA Division II. Head coach Chip Will was named Conference Coach of the Year for the ninth time and MCCAA Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his 16 years at the helm.   GRCC awaits its first-round opponent at the NJCAA Division II tournament, taking place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Nov. 17 to the 19.

Nov. 8, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The GRCC Library and Learning Commons is equipped with everything students need to be academically successful: computers, printers, study space, textbook reserves and numerous book, journal and video collections.  It also has a hard-working third-shift custodian who doubles as an in-house artist, although Mark Fortuna laughs when he’s described that way. Still, in any given week, visitors to the building that he’s cleaned for a decade-plus now are likely to be greeted by a large whiteboard adorned with his latest artistic work, even as they walk on his carefully cleaned carpets and work in his lovingly cared-for building. And any conversation with Fortuna makes it clear that he takes painstaking pride in what he does as a custodian and an artist. A graduate of Union High School, Fortuna had a chance to attend Kendall College of Art and Design after graduation, but, as he says, life got in the way, and he went straight into the workforce instead. After a spell stocking shelves on the overnight shift at a local grocery store, he landed a job at GRCC. It took some doing, he said, despite the fact that both his mom, Lorraine, and his dad, Dave, were legendary GRCC employees, also working on the custodial side of things. “I think the college didn’t want to be accused of showing favoritism by hiring me,” he recalled with a smile of that interview process two decades ago now. “It took a little bit, and I really had to jump through some hoops. But I landed my first job here, and it’s been great to be part of the GRCC family.” Although his dad passed away soon after retiring from GRCC after a battle with pancreatic cancer, Fortuna said the lessons learned from him, and from his mom, have stuck with him and guide him daily in his work on campus. “From him and from my mom I got a real strong work ethic,” he said. “I saw them just do their jobs, go to work and do your job. Really, my dad worked two jobs for most of my life. My mom worked and was president of our union. I’ve always felt a responsibility to live up to the examples they set.” He approaches his art with a similar resolve. “I take it seriously,” he said. “The whiteboard drawings I do at GRCC mean a lot to me, and I love it when people enjoy them. It's also very relaxing to me. Almost therapeutic. If I have a day off, that's what I'm pretty much going to be doing. I'll just sit there and draw for hours. And it makes me happy to draw stuff and when people really get enjoyment out of it, that’s great, right?” Although Fortuna prefers to work with pencils and pens, he said he has enjoyed the challenge of having to use markers for his whiteboard drawings. His work on campus also has a lighter feel to it than some of his other work he said, most of which he posts on social media. “It's only been in the last few years that I've really shown my work,” he said. “I've been content to just do drawings for friends and family. You have to be ready when you put yourself out there.” Fortuna credits his colleagues in the Library and Learning Commons for encouraging him to put himself out there via the whiteboard exhibitions. “The people that work at the library are so great,” he said. “It’s just a great community of people that work there and make my job very enjoyable. When they gave me the opportunity to do some drawing on the whiteboard, I wasn’t sure, but they encouraged me, and I’m grateful they did.” The trust that his colleagues have in him is not something he takes lightly, and daily he does his best to make his colleagues’ workspace the best it can be. “In some ways, my custodial work is a bit like my art,” he said. “There’s details to it; you work hard at it, and when it’s done, you can look at it with satisfaction. I wouldn't trade it, that's for sure.” When he’s not cleaning and not making art, Fortuna stays busy with his family; his wife, Tonya, and children Mason, Shea and Brooklyn. His pride in his family is evident as he speaks about them. “Mason will be graduating from Grand Valley in business and finance; Shea is in her second year at Calvin for computer science, and Brooklyn is a sophomore at Byron Center High School,” he noted. “And Tonya works at Railside Assisted Living Center as a resident caregiver.” He also is proud of his brother Ben, the youngest in the family, who works in management in manufacturing, and his brother Dave, who is a custodian for GRCC at the Leslie Tassell MTEC. He laughs when asked about the fact that four of the five members of his Fortuna family found themselves working at GRCC. “It is a bit unusual I guess,” he said. “But GRCC is a great place to be, and, hopefully, we’ve all played a little part in making it even better.” This story was reported by Phil de Haan.    

Nov. 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grace Lodes scored a team-high 19 points, but the Grand Rapids Community College women's basketball team fell short is its season opener 57-45 against the Aquinas College junior varsity team. Lodes, a sophomore from Comstock Park, sank two free throws with 4:36 remaining in the game, bringing GRCC within two points. But Aquinas scored 12 of the final 14 points of the game to secure the victory. "We played well in spurts and I thought we did some nice things defensively and offensively to get back in the game," coach Dave Glazier said. "But overall we have to play like that consistently to be successful."  GRCC was just 15 of 57 from the field, including 2 of 18 from behind the arc.  Aquinas shot an impressive 41.2% from beyond the three-point line. Lodes also had a team-high nine rebounds and four steals. Marlene Bussler was the only other GRCC player scoring in double digits, finishing with 11 points including the team’s only three-point baskets. The team’s next game is 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 at the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse against former western conference foe Lansing Community College.