Crane to arrive at College Park Plaza construction site in early 2013

A crane will be parked at the south end of College Park Plaza in late January or early February 2013 as renovations continue at College Park Plaza.

The entire building is being supplied with temporary heat because the boiler and pipes have been removed. A new boiler is scheduled to be installed in early spring. You will also see a temporary enclosure going up on the southeast corner for roof work.

What’s going on inside the building:

  • HVAC ductwork has been removed from the ramp mechanical room, the penthouse, and the second through sixth floors.
  • flooring demolition is complete on the second, fourth and fifth floors and the Mezzanine.
  • the wood paneling has been removed from the ceiling and walls of the fifth-floor lobby.
  • demolition of the ramp level concrete (for future fire pump room) is complete.

The sidewalk on the south side of Lyon Street, between Division and Winchester, will remained closed until mid-April.

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Information session on Medical Assistant program scheduled for January 2013

Grand Rapids Community College’s Medical Assistant program will prepare you to perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep health practitioner offices and clinics running smoothly. The course combines classroom lecture, group activity, simulation learning and a competency-based externship experience. You will be prepared to take the Medical Assistant national certification exam through American Medical Technologists.

The program begins February 4, 2013. Find out more during an information session from 5-6 p.m. January 7 in room 108 of Thompson M-TEC. To register, click here.

Newly revised Pharmacy Technician program starts February 2013

The need for certified Pharmacy Technicians is growing dramatically in the West Michigan area. Pharmacy Technicians who have achieved certification are in high demand and have great earning potential.

If you are interested in working in the medical field, or are currently working in a pharmacy but would like to be certified, GRCC’s Pharmacy Technician program will prepare you for the next step. This newly revised and updated 18-week pre-certification class will take you through everything you need to know to be ready to take the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Exam. Using textbooks from the American Pharmacists Association, this course will prepare you to be a pharmacy technician at the retail or hospital level. Course goals include completing an internship at a local pharmacy and taking the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.

The course runs 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting February 12, 2013. The cost is $1,580, and a payment plan is available. To register, click here.

Nominations sought for 2013 Milo M. Brown scholarships

At least two $1,000 scholarships are presented as perpetual memorials to Milo M. Brown during the Giants Banquet and Awards Celebration Program.

At least one male and one female African-American student will receive this award during the banquet on January 26, 2013. Please forward the scholarship application to your networks, faculty, students and community members.

Root Camp starts January 23, 2013

Root Camp is a four-session series that covers the basics to have you ready to garden by spring!

It meets monthly from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning January 23, 2013, and ending April 24. The sessions, led by local experts, focus on timely topics and are located at GRCC’s
Tassell M-TEC. Bring your dinner if you’d like!

The topics are:

  • January 23 —  Stuff Grows! – Soil Basics and Composting.
  • February 20 —  Cruising the Seed Catalog; What’s Good and What’s Easy.
  • March 20 —  Get Ready, Get Set: Where, What, How, and Start Some Seeds
  • April 24  — Go! – Plant, Prune, Protect, Pick.

Register for the four-part series for just $40, or attend individual sessions for $15 each. If you’re a West Michigan Co-op member, a discounted rate is
available. For more information, click here.

Cellist Eva Jenson joins Arts Outreach

Arts Outreach is excited to welcome cellist Eva Jenson to the faculty! Miss Jenson studied cello with her father, Grand Rapids Symphony director David Lockington, and currently enjoys performing with the Quatenus Quartet.

To inquire about cello lessons or for more information, click here or contact the coordinator, Dr. Yelena Wells, at grccao@gmail.com.

Arts Outreach Suzuki Strings musicians perform for Lab Preschool kids

Arts Outreach Suzuki Strings students performed a holiday concert for Lab Preschool kids on December 14, 2012.

Under the direction of instructors Cassandra Kroondyk and Annette Henry, the musicians performed holiday favorites such as” Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” classical compositions such as “Gavotte” from “Mignon” and study pieces such as Dr. Suzuki’s “Variations on ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'” Preschool students enjoyed singing along to famous tunes and ringing jingle bells to the grand finale of “Jingle Bells.”

Arts Outreach is a community music program offered through GRCC. Our highly qualified faculty uses Suzuki and traditional methods of training to provide exceptional individual and group instruction in violin, cello, guitar, piano and voice. The program serves all ages and levels, from the earliest beginners through adult.

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Learning Opportunities from Staff Development for January 2013

Staff Development has been working diligently to put together our schedule of course offerings for the 2013 winter semester. Once again, we are collaborating with GVSU and the Woodrick Diversity Learning Center to bring you timely and meaningful professional development opportunities. We have also invited a number of facilitators from the community back to present sessions in the area of their expertise. You may review all winter semester offerings and register at http://cms.grcc.edu/currentlearning.

Survey Do’s and Don’ts

Tue, Jan 8, 2013

10-11:00 AM

141 ATC

This course will enable people to create quality survey questions with confidence and ease. Facilitated by Denyse Bening.

 

Conquer Information Overload

Thu, Jan 10, 2013

10-11:30 AM

141 ATC

Email, internet, voicemail, snail mail, and the countless other sources of information in the work environment can lead to overload. Learning to set priorities, create structure, and more fully exploit the features of technology can help you conquer information overload. Facilitated by Kathy Pyatt.

 

Social Media for the Advanced User

Tue, Jan 15, 2013

8:30-11:30AM

Room 2263, Russel H. Kirkhof Center, GVSU Allendale Campus of GVSU

THIS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GRCC AND GVSU: Leah Twiley and Nate Hoekstra from the GVSU web team will review the latest social media guidelines and talk about the best practices for when, what and how to post updates to your social media accounts. They will also review the web team’s role with social media at the university and cover the following: Facebook: Advertising; Pages, Administrators, Insights and Settings; Wall Management; Profile Management; Tagging individuals & organizations in posts. Twitter: When to @reply, @mention and direct message; Hash tags; Related services & tools; Profile management; Twitter photos & geotagging.

 

Brown Bag Lunch – Except for Six

Wed, Jan 16, 2013

11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

120 ATC

Part of the ‘Successful Aging’ video series presented by the GRCC Older Learner Center. This documentary is intended for the children and caregivers of aging parents and family members. The documentary was made in 2007 by dedicated hospice volunteers who wanted a better way to discuss end-of-life care. The film is an effort to change how we view the end-of-life. Michigan documentarian Matt Burnell directed the film which tells the stories of three individuals and their families facing challenges at the end of life. The film captures the poignancy of the end-of-life experience and dignity of these unique individuals. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has said of the film, “This is a heart-felt and important film that takes a subject that most of us would rather ignore and humanizes it. From the dedicated doctors and caregivers to the heroic patients, this is the story of what will happen to all of us.” Facilitated by Mike Faber.

 

What Daddies Do Best

Thu, Jan 17, 2013

12-1:00 PM

Room 2264, Russel H. Kirkhof Center, GVSU Allendale Campus

THIS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GRCC AND GVSU: “Parents are often so busy with the physical rearing of children that they miss the glory of parenthood, just as the grandeur of the trees is lost when raking leaves.” Marcelene Cox.  Take a moment to meet with other GVSU and GRCC dads to talk about fatherhood and the challenges that parents face. Join us for a lively, engaging discussion and lunch twice a semester, to hear how other fathers are coping with parenthood; their greatest fears, and their greatest joys ~ their children! This group is for fathers with children of all ages.

 

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Group

Thu, Jan 17, 2013

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

GVSU Location TBD

THIS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GRCC AND GVSU: Whether you are caring for an aging loved one who can no longer live without your help or for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, GVSU recognizes the challenges that you are facing. Being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or someone who is unable to live independently, is known for placing a great burden on the caregiver. The pressures can be wide-ranging, and touch the social, psychological, physical and economic facets of the caregiver’s life. Get the support that you need by attending the GVSU Caregiver and Alzheimer’s Support Group. The group is facilitated by Cindy Beel-Bates, associate professor of nursing, and Sue Sloop, Work Life Connections consultant. Join us – You don’t have to go it alone!

 

Motivating Others

Tue, Jan 22, 2013

1-3:00 PM

103 Sneden

Participants will learn how to empower and engage others in order to reach shared goals. Specific tactics for setting goals, promoting expectations of success, reinforcing valued behaviors, and building trust and cooperation are explored. Styles of motivation are also discussed. Facilitated by Kathy Pyatt.

 

Writing for an Audience: Developing the ‘You” Attitude

Wed, Jan 23, 2013

9-11:00 AM

Room 2270 Russel H. Kirkhof Center, GVSU Allendale Campus

THIS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GRCC AND GVSU:   Complete title: “Writing for an Audience: Developing the ‘You’ Attitude.” This workshop will teach you strategies for writing from a reader-centered perspective and for composing documents that meet the needs of an audience in the workplace. Specifically, you will learn to: Identify the needs and expectations of your readers; Develop stylistic techniques for emphasizing what your readers want or need to know; Craft and revise correspondence documents (memos, e-mails, letters) that “talk” to the readers. This session to be presented by Laurence Jose and Amorak Huey, Assistant Professors of Writing at GVSU.

 

Institute for Healing Racism

DAY ONE:

Thu, Jan 24, 2013

8:45 AM – 5:00 PM

118 ATC

DAY TWO:

Fri, Jan 25, 2013

9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

118 ATC

THIS IS A TWO-DAY COURSE: PART 1 WILL BE PRESENTED THURSDAY FROM 8:45 AM – 5:00 PM AND PART 2 WILL BE PRESENTED FRIDAY FROM 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM. The Institute for Healing Racism is a powerful and thought provoking venue that brings together diverse groups of people to explore and address issues of race and racism. Participants have the opportunity to examine how the dis-ease of racism affects all people and develop skills to detect institutional racism in our daily environments (i.e. home, workplace, community, organization and business). Presented by Tamber Bustance of the Woodrick Diversity Learning Center.

 

Cancer Warriors Network

Mon, Jan 28, 2013

4-6:00 PM

Room 2270, Russel H. Kirkhof Center, GVSU Allendale Campus

THIS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GRCC AND GVSU: Nearly 14 million cancer survivors are celebrating birthdays this year. The statistic illustrates that growing numbers of people are surviving cancer. However, a cancer diagnosis is frightening and affects not only the person diagnosed with cancer, but caregivers and loved ones. If you’re facing a cancer diagnosis, have a loved one battling cancer, or you are through with treatment and on the road to recovery; connecting with others who have traveled this journey can be a source of comfort and hope. Join us on January 28th for the first meeting of the Cancer Warriors Network. This initial network meeting is an opportunity to bring together GVSU and GRCC families and friends, who have been impacted by cancer to gain information and support through speakers and cancer resources available on the site. Light refreshments will be served.

Lifestyle Productivity

Mon, Jan 28, 2013

1:30-4:30 PM

Room 340, Bike Factory, GVSU Allendale Campus

THIS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN GRCC AND GVSU: The goal of this seminar is to teach you how to increase your productivity at work and at home. You will learn simple techniques to help you identify your core values and goals. This will enable you to take control and get order in your life by learning to prioritize and be more organized. The result will be reduced stress and frustration and an increased sense of accomplishment. Workshop presented by Michael Walenta, General Manager, WGVU.

RJG Master Molder I Certification Series starts in April 2013

The RJG Master Molder I Certification Series is designed for the process technician, engineer or manager who needs to understand and demonstrate injection-molding skills at the machine. Anyone responsible for implementing a processing strategy in their plant or anyone held accountable for quality control issues are prime candidates for this 80 hours of training.

The January class is full, but the next session, taught by RJG Certified Master Molder Troy Walwood, starts April 3, 2013. Sign up now before it’s too late!

Course objectives are:

  • materials, molds and machines.
  • hydraulics and instrumentation.
  • polymer behavior.
  • process development using Decoupled Moldings techniques.
  • process documentation.
  • data interpretation.

To register, click here.

 

 

 

First Aid/CPR course targeted to construction trades industry

Prepare for and prevent medical emergencies in the construction trades industry with the First Aid/CPR Initial Certification course. This course covers primary assessment, heart problems, fractures, wounds and bandaging, stroke and shock management, eye injury, dislocation and splinting, obstructed airways, exposure to cold, control of bleeding, electrical injuries, back, head and neck injuries, epileptic seizures, and one-rescuer CPR. Sessions are scheduled for 6-10 p.m. January 21 and 28, 2013, at the Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC. The cost is $60. To register, click here.

After completion, you will be certified in First Aid/CPR and will receive an official card. Initial certification expires two years after completion. To maintain certification, you must then take a recertification class. The next session is set for 6-10 p.m. January 17 at Tassell M-TEC for $50. To register, click here.