On Thursday, March 14th, the Department of Experiential Learning along with Honors faculty, students and members from Enrollment/Admissions, Counseling, and Financial Aid facilitated a successful Honors Program Open House. Incoming students and their families attended multiple presentations showcasing honors courses and the overall benefits of the Honors Program.
Thank you to Leah Kicinski for her amazing coordination and for those who helped to make this a special event.
Condolences to Kim Miller, in Facilities, on the death of her father Sunday evening. His obituary may be viewed here.
Karen Devine, Ph.D., a longtime friend of the GRCC Irish Foreign Studies Program, is on campus this week as part of the Social Science Department’s Race, Ethnicity, and Identity Conference. For many years, Dr. Devine has given lectures to GRCC students during their summer program in Ireland, but this year, a prestigious Fulbright grant has taken her from Dublin City University to Columbia University in New York. Having been able to visit our campus and speak to the community as part of the 2010 GRCC Peace Studies Conference, she was pleased to be able to return to west Michigan again this year to help maintain the link between our campus and Ireland.
Dr. Devine’s keynote address will take place this Tuesday (March 26) from 7:00 to 8:30pm in room 108 of Sneden Hall. She will be presenting a portion of her recent research in a presentation titled, “Patriotism and its Effects on Public Opinion on Foreign Policy: Comparing the Cases of the USA and Ireland.” Like all the sessions in this year’s Race, Ethnicity and Identity Conference, her presentation is free and open to the public. All are welcome to attend.
Also while on campus this week, Dr. Devine will be attending a special reception to share information with students about America’s Fulbright Program and her continuing research, as well as providing a guest lecture to students enrolled in the college’s Irish History Class (HS240).
What color was Christ? Live chat Tuesday at noon with San Diego State professor Edward Blum
March 25, 2013; MLive
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — What color was Christ and does it matter?
That’s the question Edward Blum, a historian at San Diego State University, will tackle during his keynote address “The Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of Race in America” Thursday at Grand Rapids Community College’s Race, Ethnicity and Identity Conference.
Bill would temporarily restore military tuition assistance for West Michigan college students
March 25, 2013; MLive
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Tuition assistance for active-duty members of the National Guard and military temporarily suspended as part of the sequester would be restored through the end of September under a temporary spending bill approved last week by Congress.
… That’s welcome news for administrators at Grand Rapids Community College, where 25 students are currently receiving assistance through the program, said Janice Holton, veterans benefits coordinator at the college.
Students told her they were disappointed after the program discontinuation was announced.
“It was like ‘OK, now what am I going to do,'” said Holton, recalling the questions she received from students. “A couple of them made the comment that ‘This was the reason I signed up for the National Guard.'”
At GRCC, the average amount of aid full-time received per-semester under the program was $1,500. For the most part, it covered students’ entire tuition bill, Holton said.
DDA offering $20,000 challenge grant for Grand Rapids Jazz Festival
March 25, 2013; MLive
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority is offering the Grand Rapids Jazz Festival a $20,000 challenge grant for the second GRandJazzFest coming in August.
… Other sponsors and collaborators include the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Gilmore Collection, GR and Jazz, Ellis Parking, Fifth Third Bank, Hilger Hammond, IntentPR, Meijer, Mike July Web Design, San Chez Bistro and Café, The Wege Foundation, Saint Mary’s Health Care, Founders Bank & Trust, Grand Rapids Community College and Ferris State University.
Nearly 250 show up to hear critique of ‘fracking’ at Rockford High School
March 25, 2013; MLive
ROCKFORD, MI — Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, of oil and gas wells came under attack Monday, March 25, at a meeting attended by nearly 250 people at Rockford High School.
Presenter Maryann Lesert, an English and writing instructor at Grand Rapids Community College, led the 90-minute meeting sponsored by three West Michigan environmental groups.
Actor’s Theatre lightens the mood with ‘[title of show]’ musical comedy
March 25, 2013; MLive
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Actors Theatre Grand Rapids is more than halfway through its 2012-13 season, which has brought the world premiere of “Nadia”, Pulitzer Prize winner “Next to Normal”, deeply dramatic “A Steady Rain”.
Now, the mood lightens with the musical comedy “[title of show],” running two consecutive weekends in Spectrum Theatre, 160 Fountain Street NE, from March 28 through April 6. Evening performances begin at 8 p.m.
Federal employers met with GRCC students, high school students and members of the community during the federal career fair on March 19, 2013.
Jason Olson
Grand Rapids Community College student Jason Olson is the recipient of the prestigious Rees Foundation $2,000 scholarship award.
The purpose of the Clifford H. Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation is to assist with the recruitment and competency of future Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration technicians by awarding scholarships to qualified students who are enrolled, or plan to enroll, in an institutionally accredited school.
Congratulations, Jason!
In past years, GRCC has been closed for spring holiday, but this year, the college is open Friday, March 29, 2013, and employees should report to work like normal. If you are absent on this day, please be sure to record the absence on your time sheet.
This calendar change has taken place because, as of the 2012/2013 Fiscal Year, employees receive the day before Thanksgiving as a paid holiday instead of the spring holiday.
“Calculus 134: 3-21-13”
Misty McClure-Anderson, Myrna Granderson, Joan Berends and Carly Misech will be honored at the 15th annual Salute to Women reception, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 26, 2013, in the ATC Banquet Rooms. Please see flier for complete details.
Please join the Center for Teaching Excellence and Staff Development Tuesday, March 26 from 4:00 – 5:00 in 107 Cook for a session on Disability Etiquette. The session will cover some basic recommendations for interacting with students (and others) who have disabilities. Facilitators Jocelyn Dettloff and Trina Edmonson from Disability Advocates of Kent County will help participants learn appropriate language to use when communicating with people with disabilities and about disability, learn to be proactive to give your students the tools they need to succeed, and dispel common myths about disability and people with disabilities.
You can register for the session at www.grcc.edu/ctereg. If you have any questions, please contact the Center for Teaching Excellence at 234-2278 or teachexcellence@grcc.edu.
We hope to see you there!
The daily employee newsletter of Grand Rapids Community College 