Congratulations to Officer Jesse Heard on Promotion to Police Sergeant

The Campus Police Department is pleased to announce the promotion of Officer Jesse Heard to the position of Police Sergeant. Sergeant Heard will be assigned to day shift for the first couple of months and then will be assigned to supervise the second shift. Sergeant Heard has been with GRCC since 2002 after spending 7 years with the Grand Rapids Public School’s Public Safety Department. Sgt. Heard has served as a high school football, wrestling and track coach, also as a GRCC football running back coach.

According to Sgt. Heard, “I have worked in the position as an officer at the college for 9 1/2 years, and am very much looking forward to the new opportunities provided by the position of SGT.”

Chief Whitman added, “I am very excited to have Sgt. Heard as a member of our command staff. He has a very positive attitude, is well respected among college employees, and is open to new ideas. I look forward to continuing to work with him in this new role.”

Please congratulate Jesse when you see him.

Condolences to Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft and Family

Condolences to Dawn Zuidgueest-Craft (Nursing Dept) and her family. Dawn’s father, George Hemleb, recently passed away. Full obituary is available here.

GRCC in the News – 1/6/12

Warm Weather Could Hamper Holland Collegiate Ice-Sculpting Contest
WHTC | Friday, January 06, 2012 5:49 a.m. EST

HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Warmer-than-normal temperatures predicted for the Tulip City this weekend could hamper six teams competing in the fourth annual Downtown Holland Ice Sculpting Competition. Grand Rapids Community College is the defending champion, and will be facing challenges from regional competitors Henry Ford Community College, Oakland Community College, the Columbus Culinary Institute, the University of Akron, and the University of Michigan. The first round is tonight, with additional rounds set for tomorrow.  (More)

Man found in Aquinas pond “ready for a family”
10:28 PM, Jan 5, 2012 | WZZM

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) – Based on his Facebook page, it appears the man who drowned in a pond at Aquinas College went to Grand Rapids Community College and worked as a caretaker for a closed head injury patient. 29 year old Nathaniel Pelkey was found floating in the pond Wednesday. He was fully dressed in winter clothing.  (More)

Reeths-Puffer hires Kyle Jewett as head varsity football coach
Mike Mattson | Muskegon Chronicle, January 05, 2012 6:31 p.m.

Kyle Jewett is hoping to ignite the Reeths-Puffer Rockets’ football program. Jewett recently was named the new varsity head coach at the Class A northside school. He takes over for Tim Odette, who led Puffer to a playoff spot in 2007 and resigned after last season. […] Jewett, who is a Social Studies teacher at the school, served as a running backs last season for the unbeaten Grand Rapids Community College football team.  (More)

Watch students carve ice masterpieces in Holland sculpture competition
Published: Thursday, January 05, 2012, 3:13 PM | Grand Rapids Press

HOLLAND — How do you transform an enormous block of ice into a glistening work of art? For Secchia Institute student Jessica Miller, seeing is believing. Miller will be one of four Grand Rapids Community College culinary students equipped with chainsaws, chisels and power drills at downtown Holland’s annual ice sculpting competition starting Friday.  (More)

Day 205: Sweet Cakes Design
Awesome Mitten | Posted on December 27, 2011

Tucked into a small shopping area of Comstock Park, down the street from the Fifth Third Ballpark in Grand Rapids lies a sweet bakery called, Sweet Cakes Design. […] Owner and operator, Barb Hoek, has started from the ground up in her bakery and shop career. Starting from the banking and credit union industry, Hoek realized how much she enjoyed cooking and the culinary profession. She returned to school in Grand Rapids Community College’s culinary program in 2001. After finishing the pastry certification, Hoek fell in love with the art of pastry and bakeries.  (More)