Faculty Emeritus Award Winner – Velvie Green

Our Faculty Emeritus Award winner this year is a model of academic integrity and critical thinking. She lead by example throughout her more than 28 years at Grand Rapids Community college, giving a voice to students and faculty alike.

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Dr. Velvie Green is a soft voice, a quiet strength, and a force to be reckoned with. While at GRCC, Dr. Green served as chair of the business department, dean, provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs – all roles in which she asked her faculty for excellence…and modeled it every day. Congratulations, Dr. Green, and thank you for your service to our college and our students.

Workforce Training Scores New Rides Courtesy of Secretary of State’s Office

GRCC’s Workforce Training department received a gift of 21 brand new Yamaha motorcycles from the Michigan Secretary of State’s office. These cycles will be used for our Motorcycle Safety training. We start our 5th year of this program this week – thank you to all our Cycle Coaches for their hard work!

GRCC Journalism Student Creates Documentary Film

GRCC journalism student Dana Finkler has produced a 32-minute video documentary reporting the story of KingDamon Antoine. Antoine is a former GRCC football player who has turned to boxing and recently won the Michigan Golden Glove tournament as a novice fighter.

Finkler, who is an advanced journalism student at GRCC, produced the documentary for a journalism independent study this semester.

The film, in three parts, may be found at www.thecollegiatelive.com under the “Multi-media” – video tab.  Here’s Part 1:

Bridging the Communication Gap With Kelly Sheridan

Staff Development is pleased to introduce Kelly Sheridan, Gordon Food Service Marketplace HR Training & Development Manager, as a new facilitator for the two-part Communications session detailed below. Please register today at grcc.edu/currentlearning

Bridging the Communication Gap – Life Orientations with LIFO® Interpersonal Skills

• Part 1 of 2: Tues May 15, 2012 | 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM | 103 Sneden Hall
• Part 2 of 2: Tues May 29, 2012 | 12:30 – 4:30 PM | 103 Sneden Hall

‘Bridge the Communication Gap’ enables people to get through to others more easily, obtain agreement with less effort, and get things moving quickly. This workshop gives individuals and teams the skills they need to recognize what’s important to other people and to translate their requests, proposals, and instructions so that they will hear, understand, and act on them. This workshop helps teams set priorities and maximize the contributions of all team members. It encourages real problem-solving and real teamwork without creating hassles, hard feelings, or harsh confrontation. It creates long-lasting results by enabling participants to see situations from multiple points of view and take advantage of diversity — rather than resisting it. Learning Objectives: In this 2-part workshop, teams and individuals learn how to: Reduce resistance and increase acceptance by using communication strategies tailored to the needs of their audience; Create a non-defensive, open atmosphere in which information flows more freely, leading to more effective planning and decision making; Resolve differences in values, priorities, and interpretations of information for identifying mutually satisfying solutions; Recognize: Identify other people’s preferred ways of communicating by what they do, say, write, and ask; Translate: Adjust their requests, proposals, and presentations to match other people’s preferred ways of communicating; Answer: Address the key questions uppermost in other people’s minds that must be answered to win their support.

Raider Golf Team Takes Jackson CC Invitational

Congratulations to the GRCC Raider Golf Team on winning the Jackson CC Invitational yesterday. Also congratulations to Drew Reinke, a freshman from Forest Hills Eastern, who was the medalist at the tournament. This is the Raiders second tournament win in the past week.

Medalist Drew Rienke

GRCC in the News – 4/24/12

GRCC volunteers pounding the pavement to build support for $98.6 million bond proposal
Published: Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 7:30 AM | Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Supporters of Grand Rapids Community College’s $98.6 million bond proposal have plenty on their plate these days. With the May 8 election about two weeks away, they’ve spent the past few months knocking on doors, attending local school board and city council meetings, and hosting informational meetings with residents throughout the Grand Rapids area.  (More)

Some struggling to fill good-paying jobs
7:41 PM, Apr 23, 2012 | WZZM

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. (WZZM) – Todd Finley could hire seven more mold makers and machinists tomorrow – if he could find them. Finley is the president of Commercial Tool and Die, and companies like his across Michigan and the nation are struggling to find the help they need as domestic manufacturing continues rebounding. […] Paragon D & E, Autocam, Anderson Global and the Tooling Systems Group are partnering with Grand Rapids Community College and Ferris State University to create AMP – the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.  (More)

National Pastry Competition In GR All Day Today
Carl Gustin | FOX 17 Assignment Editor | 12:55 p.m. EDT, April 21, 2012

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.— Grand Rapids is playing host to a national cooking competition Saturday. The competition for Team USA members in the World Pastry Cup is taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Grand Rapids Community College. The competition is open for public viewing.  (More)

Golden Raiders Retiree Reception – 4/25/12

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.