Littlest Fundraiser With the Biggest Heart

Six-Year-Old Brayden donating to the GRCC Foundation with his mom Meghan

Erin Cisler from the GRCC Foundation sent in this inspiring story:

Six year old Brayden stopped by the Foundation Office with his mom Meghan, on the Wednesday just before Thanksgiving. He brought with him $55 in cash that he saved since his birthday in June.  He wanted to give this money to a Police Officer that was hurt. His money will go to the fund established in memory of Bobby Kozminski, GRPD Officer killed in the line of duty. Thank You, Brayden!

GRCC in the News: 11/24/10-11/30/10

Grand Rapids businessman, philanthropist Peter Cook dies at 96
Published: Monday, November 29, 2010, 8:00 AM | Pat Shellenbarger | The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS — Peter C. Cook, a child of the Great Depression who rose from near poverty to become a visionary businessman and generous philanthropist, died Sunday. Mr. Cook, 96, was admitted to the Meijer Heart Center at Spectrum Health downtown during the weekend and died early Sunday evening. […] Recipients of his generosity included such organizations as Spectrum Health, Grand Valley State University, Aquinas College, Hope College, Calvin College, Grand Rapids Community College and Davenport University, his alma mater.  (More)

College basketball roundup: GRCC 82, ALMA JV 68
Published: Saturday, November 27, 2010, 12:30 AM | The Grand Rapids Press

MEN GRCC 82, ALMA JV 68: Quinntrai Lampkins had 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Grand Rapids Community College to a win on the road. Jake Visser and Gabe Rivera added 11 points each for GRCC (2-2). Pete VanOosten led the Alma JV (0-2) with 19 points and 12 rebounds.  (More)

PHCC volleyball team wins national championship
By KLINT LOWRY | The Suncoast News | Published: November 26, 2010

NEW PORT RICHEY – National Junior College Athletics Association, you’ve been served – and set and spiked, too. On Nov. 20, the Pasco-Hernando Community College women’s volleyball team did something no other Florida college has ever done when they won the National Junior College Athletics Association Division II National Championship. […] Unlike many tournaments in which a team might have its easiest time in the first round, Whitney said, she knew their opening round might be their toughest. It was against Grand Rapids Community College, in Michigan, which was coming into the tournament with a record of 35-2. And the way the 16-team tournament is formatted, if a team loses its opening match, the best it can hope for from that point on is a ninth-place finish.  (More)

Community college part of national `green jobs’ initiative
By LIZ PACHECO | Capital News Service

LANSING – Green roofs, solar panels and a native plant garden are among the green initiatives Grand Rapids Community College and Wilbur Wright College in Chicago are taking to become more efficient and environmentally friendly. Related changes are happening in classrooms too, with curriculums redesigned to provide green job training.  (More)

Family mourns loss of man killed while trying to cross 28th Street
Published: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 7:34 PM | Kaitlin Shawgo | The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS – When he was 12 years old, Kevin Shumpert-McEwen, Jr. wrote his first novel – a horror story. His grandmother, Dorothy Rhodes, remembered the 21-year-old’s passion for writing and his love for scary tales. […] After graduating from Creston High School a few years ago, Shumpert-McEwen had been working and preparing to attend Grand Rapids Community College, Rhodes said.  (More)

Trustee: Don’t subsidize ‘evil things’
Community College Spotlight | Joanne Jacobs ON November 23, 2010

Grand Rapids Community College is under fire from a trustee for subsdizing “evil things,” such as funding a theater group that performed a play depicting Jesus as a gay man, reports the Grand Rapids Press. Trustee Richard Ryskamp also “objected to spending $30,000 for the Woodrick Diversity Learning Center and $15,000 for the Diversity Lecture Series, which last year included Angela Davis,” a former Black Panther and Communist Party candidate for vice president.  (More)

Grand Rapids Community Colleges bounces back with two wins at NJCAA D-II volleyball tourney
Published: Friday, November 19, 2010, 10:10 PM | Dean Holzwarth | The Grand Rapids Press

The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team recovered quite well from its first-round loss at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II tournament. The Raiders won two matches Friday to guarantee a top-10 finish in the 16-team event at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.  (More)

Photos: Annual Holiday Movie a Huge Success

GRCC Employee and their families — 260 to be exact — enjoyed the movie Tangled and pizza after the movie. Check out all these smiling faces.

The next WE Team family event is a Family Bowling Outing on Saturday, January 22, 2011. Watch GRCC Today for details after the Holiday Shutdown.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Angel Tree Toy Drive (Located by Student Life)

GRCC’s Campus Activities Angel Tree Toy Drive will be collecting toys until December 13. They still have plenty of tags left so please stop by Student Life to choose an Angel Tree tag, purchase a gift in accordance with the tag (gender and age) and bring the unwrapped toy back to Student Life with the tag securely fastened to the gift (feel free to add a personal note if you would like) no later than December 13. Toys will be distributed to children throughout West Michigan this holiday season. This year, the Angel Tree Toy Drive is hoping to collect toys that will be given to 30,000 children.