GRCC Hosts Team USA Tryouts for 2013 World Pastry Cup – Photos

Over the weekend, Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education hosted the tryouts for the team that will represent the United States in the most prestigious pastry competition in the world – La Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (the World Pastry Cup) held in Lyon, France.  The public was invited to attend, and hundreds showed up to watch these amazing artists craft works in chocolate, sugar, and ice.  Even better, GRCC culinary arts students personally assisted the competitors (talk about hands-on learning)!

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After hours of intense deliberations from the jury (which included World Pastry Cup winner Ewald Notter and Food Network Challenge’s Kerry Vincent), the team selected was:

• Andy Chlebana
• Christophe Feyt
• Stephen Durfee
• Roy Pell (Alternate)

A larger gallery of photos from the event is available here.  More information at grcc.edu/pastrycup

White Hall LEED-Certified – Photos

Recently GRCC’s Stewart Edward White Hall was certified for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).  A program for the announcement about the facility (which is over a century old) was held last week.

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Condolences to the Family and Colleagues of Bob Green Sr

Long-time GRCC employee in the Facilities Dept. Bob Green, Sr. passed away recently.  From his obituary:

Robert K. “Bob” Green, Sr., age 74, of Rodney, MI went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, April 18, 2012. Bob was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. We will miss his contagious smile and warm sense of humor. […] The Funeral Service will be held 1 PM Tuesday, April 24, at Stroo Funeral Home, with Pastor James Conn officiating. Interment in Wheatland Township Cemetery. Contributions in memory of Bob may be given to Sarcoidosis Foundation. The family will greet visitors prior to the service on Tuesday from 11 AM to 1 PM at: STROO FUNERAL HOME 1095 68TH ST. SE

Full obituary available here.

GRCC Ford Fieldhouse Schedule for Commencement

The Ford Fieldmouse will close at 2:00p.m. on Friday, April 27, 2012 as we prepare the facility for our Commencement program on Friday evening. Anyone planning to work out on Friday afternoon will need to make alternative plans. The Facility will reopen doors for the Commencement Program only at 4:15p.m. on Friday, April 27, 2012. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

Special Programming Schedule for GRCC TV – 4/23/12-5/8/12

The roster of new programming schedule for the College Channel that will run from April 23rd through May 8, 2012 is now available. Featured in this round is the GRCC Poetry Conference and the remainder of the Race and Ethnicity Conference.  Among the new offerings is this lecture, part of the Psychology Speakers Series “The Role of Technology in our Lives: the Good, the Bad, and the Scary” by Dr. J. Noland White:

The listings and streaming links can be found on The Media Technologies Dept’s webpage at http://cms.grcc.edu/channel28

GRCC in the News – 4/23/12

From Magic Johnson to Jason Hartman, Rockford official Lyle Berry has worked with many special athletes during his 52-year career
Steve Kaminski | skaminsk@mlive.com, April 23, 2012 8 a.m.

Lyle Berry of Rockford has a word or two of advice for anyone considering the idea of getting involved in area officiating. […] Berry, a graduate of Grand Rapids Central High School, Grand Rapids Community College and Central Michigan University, has officiated basketball in the past as well.  (More)

Watch behind the scenes video of World Pastry Cup at GRCC; Food Network’s Kerry Vincent interview
Published: Monday, April 23, 2012, 7:53 AM | Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Word must be getting out. Hundreds of people brought their cameras and families to the World Pastry Cup tryouts at the Secchia Institute (Grand Rapids Community College) on Saturday to see what most of us missed two years ago.  (More)

Check out sweet creations by nation’s top chefs in World Pastry Cup event at GRCC
Published: Saturday, April 21, 2012, 5:06 PM | Grand Rapids Press

Eight pastry chefs and instructors from across the country competed Saturday at Grand Rapids Community College’s Applied Technology Center for a chance to represent the United States in the 2013 Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (World Pastry Cup) in France.  (More)

Public invited to competition leading to World Pastry Cup
10:13 AM, Apr 21, 2012 | WZZM 13

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)- A pretty sweet competition is underway at Grand Rapids Community College. It’s the national tryouts to be part of the U.S. Pastry Team that will compete in the World Pastry Cup to be held in France.  (More)

International student population up at some community college
Posted on April 20, 2012 by CNS | By WEI YU | Capital News Service

LANSING – The number of international students at some community colleges – including those in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Wayne County – is increasing, according to the Michigan Community College Association. […] In contrast, Angela Zainea, international student advisor at Grand Rapids Community College, said more international students are applying for the fall semester.  (More)

See what Grand Rapids manufacturers are teaming up to recruit high school graduates and cover their college tuition
Published: Friday, April 20, 2012, 2:44 PM | Grand Rapids Press

CASCADE TOWNSHIP, MI — You won’t find any shortage of work at Paragon D&E, an advance manufacturer in Cascade Township. […] To help solve the problem, Paragon and three other advanced manufactures from the region are teaming up with Grand Rapids Community College and Ferris State University to help build a skilled workforce.  (More)

MutualAidGR.org launches Barter Board alternative to capitalism
Published: Friday, April 20, 2012, 9:20 AM | Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Need a French language tutor at no cost? Great, just offer to share something in return. A Web site promoting liberation from capitalism has launched Barter Board, an online listing of skills and resources to be exchanged without the use of money. The site’s creators also are organizing A People’s Assembly on Radical Sustainability in Grand Rapids. […] “The government’s response has been inadequate, so we want to create alternatives,” said Mandi Creveling, 24, a Sparta native studying biology at Grand Rapids Community College. “We think everyone has a skill they can offer.”  (More)

Learning Opportunities from Staff Development from Kathy Pryatt

Staff Development is pleased to introduce Kathy Pyatt as a new facilitator for our summer Leadership and Communication series. Kathy is a personal management coach and training facilitator working with individuals and teams to improve performance. She is experienced in helping individuals understand their natural gifts and identify their blind spots to improve work performance. She is also experienced in improving team dynamics by helping groups that work together understand and appreciate differences, and solve personality conflicts to make the team more productive. Kathy is particularly adept at working with teams in crisis, as well as with people from other cultures. Please reserve your seat for these sessions at http://cms.grcc.edu/currentlearning.

Feedback and Critical Conversation
Tues May 8, 2012 | 9-11:00 AM | 226 Main

What every manager wants to know – how to give effective feedback (even if it’s sensitive) and how to prepare and hold a conversation that is critical to performance. Step-by-step models will be taught that can be used right away. Learning Objectives: To solve many organizational and relationship issues by learning how to talk to anybody about anything; to become a more honest and confident communicator, and to reduce the stress that comes from what’s left unsaid.

Meeting Management
Wed June 13, 2012 | 1-2:00 PM | 207 Sneden Hall

If everyone complains about ineffective meetings, why are they still being held? It’s time to take control of this issue with skills around deciding whether to call a meeting, deciding whether to attend a meeting, deciding how to decide within the meeting, and effective facilitation skills. Learning Objectives: To reduce ‘meeting stress’ by learning skills around making the most of every meeting; to learn the logic around when a meeting is necessary, and to gain insight into decision-making.

The Engaging Leader
Thurs July 12, 2012 | 9-11:00 AM | 226 Main

This session emphasizes ‘engagement’ as coaching others, communicating, giving effective feedback, handling performance issues, and delegating. Through exercises and discussion, participants will leave with practical tools and tips to begin to be more effective leaders immediately. Learning Objectives: To learn how to obtain more/improved productivity from direct reports as well as how to motivate others in order to improve the overall work-life experience.

Building Accountability and Deciding How to Decide
Tues August 7, 2012 | 2-4:00 PM | 207 Sneden Hall

This session defines ‘accountability’ and through exercises and discussion, helps participants understand the problems around lack of accountability, as well as ways they can improve upon their skills of holding others more accountable. The second part of the course covers the importance of deciding how a decision will be made within a group (Command, Consult, Vote, and Consensus). Learning Objectives: To understand the importance of accountability at work, how to become more accountable individually, as well as how to choose and communicate the way a decision will be made.

Golden Raiders Retiree Reception 2012

Please stop by and reconnect with friends and colleagues at the annual GRCC Golden Raiders Retiree Reception being held on Wednesday, April 25 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in the Banquet Rooms of the Applied Technology Center (ATC). President Ender will start the program at 2:00 p.m. by giving an update of the college and recognizing the new retirees. All are welcome to attend.