Three Upcoming Events Employees Should Know About

There are several important events coming our way the Communications Department thought you may be interested in knowing a bit more detail about:

• GRCC WEBSITE:   Our GRCC Website is being updated and the IT and Communication team would like your input on the top three items you feel our Web Site should do for your departments and our students. Stop in any time during the open brainstorming hours: Monday, Aug. 16 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and Thursday, Aug. 19, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Both will be held in the Student Center Multipurpose Room. Start thinking now of the top three things you need www.grcc.edu to do for you!
• ROB BLISS WATER SLIDE EVENT:  The next Rob Bliss event will be held on Lyon Street August 21 & 22. It is important to know that this event is coordinated and run by Rob Bliss Events. GRCC is not sponsoring the event and our campus facilities will be closed to the public during the event. Parking in the GRCC Bostwick Ramp will be open for event attendees. All other parking will be closed. Walkways crossing Lyon Street will be closed for public use. This event is solely owned and operated by Rob Bliss Events. All inquiries regarding the event itself should go directly to Rob Bliss Events: 616.780.2924 or robblissgr@aim.com. Details about the event can be found at: www.facebook.com/RobBlissEvents
• ARTPRIZE:  Where can you see a Porche Sports Car turned into a Cooking Grill, a Peresphone or spectacular student and faculty art? GRCC has over 30 artists this year showcasing their talents while vying for the top ArtPrize! We’ll be creating a map with the artist locations and information for you. Begin now formulating plans to infuse education with the event. Events dates are September 22 – October 10. If you create unique opportunities for learning let Communication know so we can share with our communities!

If there are other events/ activities you’d like more detail on please don’t hesitate to send Communications an email.    Feel free to contact Interim Executive Director Lynne Jarman-Johnson directly as well.

Photos: Congratulations to Delicia Upton

Congratulations to Delicia (Upton) Wilondja, TRiO Programs-Student Support Services/Upward Bound ESP and Tresor Wilondja on their recent marriage.

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Photo: Full ESL Classes From Appearance at St. Joseph the Worker Festival

GRCC has full classes scheduled for our English as a Second Language Classes at the GRCC West Side Learning Corner, in Partnership with Lake Michigan Credit Union.  Recently 20 students signed up at the St. Joseph the Worker Festival at Lamar Park.  If you know someone interested in these great classes contact the Learning Corner!

Young Nonprofit Professionals Call for Nominations

GRCC English Faculty member Mursalata Muhammad encourages GRCC employees to nominate their colleagues  for the 2010 Young Nonprofit Leadership Awards.  The deadline is September 2, 2010 and the award ceremony is October 28 at the GRAM.

The mission of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Greater Grand Rapids is to provide emerging nonprofit leaders with opportunities for professional development, education, and networking, while promoting a continuing dialogue among nonprofits in the Greater Grand Rapids region.  Awards will recognize 8 local nonprofit professionals for their contributions within the field. Categories include:

• Exemplary Executive
• Grantmaking Guru
• DoGooder Award
• Edison Award
• Advocate
• Good to Great
• Resource (Organization Nominee)
• Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year

Nominate as many qualified individuals as you would like here.

Restrictions:

• Individuals must reside and/or work in one of the following eight counties Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, or Ottawa
• Nominees cannot be a current member of the YNPN.GR Executive Board.
• There are no set age restrictions for this award; however nominations for young professionals up to age 40 are strongly
  encouraged.

Questions about nominations? Contact Barbara Anderson at banderso@hom.org.

Condolences to the Family,Friends & Colleagues of Emil Caprara

Emil Caprara, long-time GRCC employee and former Athletic Director passed away on Monday this week.  The Grand Rapids Press wrote a feature about Caprara’s many contributions (available here), and his obituary is available online here.

Details on the funeral and visitation are available here:

“The Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Caprara will be offered Saturday, August 14, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church, Rockford, with the Rev. Tony Russo presiding. Relatives and friends may meet with the family at the funeral home from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday. The family wishes in lieu of flowers to make contributions to the Emil Caprara Athletic Scholarship Fund c/o Grand Rapids Community College. Please make donations payable to GRCC Athletic Department, subject line, Caprara Scholarship Fund, 143 Bostwick Ave NE # 1, Grand Rapids, MI. The Pederson Funeral Home, Rockford.”

GRCC in the News: 8/13/10

Ex-GRCC athletic director Emil Caprara dead at 73
Published: Friday, August 13, 2010, 9:00 AM | Lukas Cimbal | The Grand Rapids Press

Emil Caprara was someone who could put a smile on your face no matter the situation, his longtime colleague Doug Wabeke said. Caprara, who worked at Grand Rapids Community College for 36 years, including the last 11 as athletic director before retiring in 2002, died Monday. He was 73.  (More)  (Obituary)

Tigers’ McDonald, Therriault still standing in spirited QB battle
Ross Dellenger | Clarion Ledger | August 13, 2010

A half-dozen quarterbacks began the battle to be Jackson State’s starter when fall camp kicked off. A week later, two remain in the race. Dedric McDonald, a redshirt sophomore who struggled in his first year on the field last season, and Casey Therriault, a transfer from a Michigan junior college, have separated themselves from the pack, coaches said following Thursday’s practice. […] Therriault’s stats at Grand Rapids Community College dwarf those of McDonald.  (More)

UI&U Welcomes Dan Lerner, Ph.D., the new Dean of the Vermont Academic Centers

MONTPELIER, VT – Union Institute & University (UI&U), a non-profit, private university with academic centers in Brattleboro and Montpelier that offers degree programs designed for the busy adult, is proud to announce that Daniel Lerner, Ph.D., has been hired as dean of the Vermont Academic Centers.  […] In 2006, Lerner became the associate dean of Arts & Sciences at Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, MI, a comprehensive community college that enrolls approximately 30,000 students.   (More)