Monthly Archives: February 2016

GRCC In the News, 2-24-16

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Morning News

Feb. 24, 2016; WZZM

Summer might seem like a long way off, but many of the employers appearing at a job fair in Grand Rapids today are looking for summer help. Grand Rapids Community College will be hosting the hiring event, which runs from 9 o’clock this morning until noon. That’s in room 234 of GRCC’s Student Community Center on Lyon Street.

Marco Rubio makes his case at rally in Kentwood: ‘I didn’t become a conservative a year and a half ago’

Feb. 23, 2016; The Holland Sentinel

Holland, Mich. — Leveling an attack at Republican rival Donald Trump, Sen. Marco Rubio said he would hold his conservative record up against any other candidate in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.

… Jordan Spaans, 20, is a student at Grand Rapids Community College. Undecided in the primary race, he said he’s considering all issues in the race as he discerns his candidate, highlighting economics in particular due the to slow economy.

“I want someone who can do business, I guess,” Spaans said. “But not Trump.”

As winter lingers, Michigan college teams head south

Feb. 23, 2016; Battle Creek Enquirer

The first pitch of the NCAA baseball and softball seasons were delivered on Feb. 16.

… The Kellogg Community College men’s basketball team is scheduled to wrap up its 2015-16 season on Saturday when the Bruins host Grand Rapids CC.

Cap and gown orders due Friday

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The GRCC Bookstore is taking orders for caps and gowns for staff and faculty through February 26th. If you are in need of any commencement regalia please stop in the bookstore and fill out the form to order yours today! Due to turnaround time and production needs, all orders and prepayments must be in by February 26, 2016 to be ready in time for the April GRCC Commencement ceremony.

IIPD Grants: Funding Opportunity

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The deadline for the submission of grant applications for the Instructional Improvement & Professional Development (IIPD) Grants program is 4:30 p.m., March 18, 2016. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications electronically. The IIPD application packet and IIPD Guidelines are available in the GRCC Internal Grants area of the Grants Office website at www.grcc.edu/grants.

Please note that applications must include a Supervisor’s Approval form, a budget form and budget documentation. If you have any questions about IIPD grants, please contact Judith Larsen, Director, Grants and Resource Development Department, at 234-3910 or jmlarsen@grcc.edu. Good luck!

Mathematics Seminar is today

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The Grand Rapids Community College Mathematics Department is pleased to announce that it will host its next Mathematics Seminar on Wednesday, February 24, 3:00-4:00 PM in 101 Cook.  Our speaker, former GRCC student and current adjunct faculty member Brian Hadley, will discuss the Galton Board and the Central Limit Theorem.  The title and abstract of his talk are below.

In addition to Brian’s talk being accessible to a wide range of students and faculty, it will feature a working Galton Board…you don’t want to miss that!  Those with a little background in Statistics are especially encouraged to attend, but, as always, all are welcome.

Pop and cookies will be served at 2:45 PM.

The Bean Machine, Sir Francis Galton, and the Central Limit Theorem in action!

English statistician Sir Francis Galton invented the Galton Board, also known as the Bean Machine, to demonstrate the Central Limit Theorem.  This mechanical device drops balls onto a series of pegs.  At each level, as the ball hits a peg, the ball must bounce left or right creating an exciting visual display.   This experiment in binomial probabilities gives us insight into how seemingly random events are actually tied to the normal distribution.

“Genocide Prevention” and “Kurdistan” Highlight World Affairs Council Great Decisions Lectures

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Gordan Vurusic deserves special praise for playing a critical role in arranging last night’s World Affairs Council Great Decisions lecture. Gordan’s former colleague at DePauw University, Dr. Brett O’Bannon, gave a talk that was considered by some to be the most important Great Decisions lecture delivered in Grand Rapids since the series began: Never Again: The UN’s Role in Genocide Prevention. If you were unable to attend the lecture, a filmed version will soon be broadcast on GRCC TV.

Next week, Dr. Jessie Clark, Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Nevada-Reno, will discuss: Our Allies in the Middle East: The Future of Kurdistan. Her talk will take place at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center at 6:00 pm on Monday, 29 February. All GRCC faculty and students are able to attend for free. Parking is also free.

GRCC In the News, 2-23-16

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Winners of 45th Annual George London Foundation Awards Competition Announced

Feb. 20, 2016; Broadway World

The winners of the 45th annual George London Foundation Awards Competition for young American and Canadian opera singers were announced at the conclusion of the competition’s final round this evening, which took place in a front of an audience at Gilder Lehrman Hall at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.

… GEORGE LONDON AWARDS ($10,000 each):

Antonina Chehovska, soprano (29, Ukrainian-born) – George London-Leonie Rysanek Award

(Article doesn’t mention it, but Antonina Chehovska is a GRCC alumna.)

LaughFest Central opens doors

Feb. 22, 2016; Grand Rapids Business Journal

LaughFest Central opens today inside the Grand Rapids Art Museum, ahead of the 10-day comedy festival next month.

… Seriously Funny Family Adventure Challenge is a fun-filled race open to teams of two or four that features a series of obstacles and challenges spanning across downtown Grand Rapids. This event is free, and pre-registration online is encouraged. The event will take place on March 20 at 1 p.m. at GRCC Ford Fieldhouse.

Raider Salute to Bayard Brooks, Becky Yoder

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Ann Sandberg, from the School of Workforce Development, has a Raider Salute to Bayard Brooks and Becky Yoder:

I would like to give a shout out to Bayard and Becky for all the times their professionalism and can-do attitude go the extra mile to help pull off our events, which is exactly what they did the morning of February 23. Thank you so much, Becky & Bayard! Appreciate it so much!

Mathematics Seminar set for February 24

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The Grand Rapids Community College Mathematics Department is pleased to announce that it will host its next Mathematics Seminar on Wednesday, February 24, 3:00-4:00 PM in 101 Cook.  Our speaker, former GRCC student and current adjunct faculty member Brian Hadley, will discuss the Galton Board and the Central Limit Theorem.  The title and abstract of his talk are below.

In addition to Brian’s talk being accessible to a wide range of students and faculty, it will feature a working Galton Board…you don’t want to miss that!  Those with a little background in Statistics are especially encouraged to attend, but, as always, all are welcome.

Pop and cookies will be served at 2:45 PM.

The Bean Machine, Sir Francis Galton, and the Central Limit Theorem in action!

English statistician Sir Francis Galton invented the Galton Board, also known as the Bean Machine, to demonstrate the Central Limit Theorem.  This mechanical device drops balls onto a series of pegs.  At each level, as the ball hits a peg, the ball must bounce left or right creating an exciting visual display.   This experiment in binomial probabilities gives us insight into how seemingly random events are actually tied to the normal distribution.

Save the Date for the 2016 GRCC Great Teachers Seminar

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Wednesday May, 4 – Friday May, 6

The Center for Teaching Excellence will begin accepting applications for the 2016 Grand Rapids Community College Great Teachers Seminar on Monday March 14, 2016. The seminar is a three-day retreat that brings together teachers from a variety of disciplines to learn from each other, exchange ideas around teaching, and build community.  The seminar is built on the belief that practicing teachers are the experts in teaching, and that they learn best from one another.  There are no keynote speakers or outside experts — you learn from your colleagues, and do so in a relaxed environment that fosters sharing and learning. This year’s event will be held at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings, MI.

Contact Deb Vilmont with any questions at dvilmont@grcc.edu or 616-234-4889.

Alumnus Salvador Lopez to speak on February 24

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The Latino Student Support Team will be hosting “La Platica” (The Talk) featuring GRCC alumnus Salvador Lopez. “La Platica” is a series on what it takes to be successful featuring positive leaders in the community

Please join us on Wednesday, February 24th, from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. at room 108 Sneden Hall as Salvador highlights important ways to develop student success and what it took for him to be successful.

Appetizers and beverages will be served.

For more information, please contact Rafael Pastrano at 616-234-3103 or Rolando Bocanegra 616-234-3162

We look forward to seeing you!

GRCC In the News, 2-22-16

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West Michigan community colleges ramp up manufacturing programing with grant dollars

Feb. 21, 2016; mibiz.com

Facing what they say is a dearth of qualified technical talent, manufacturers have been forced to get creative in developing their own internal training programs.

… To help combat this perception issue, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) has invested $88,000 from its $4.1 million Michigan Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing grant into a mobile manufacturing lab that it plans to showcase at high schools in West Michigan starting this spring.

Change Ups: Lobdell honored with service award

Feb. 19, 2016; Grand Rapids Business Journal

… GRANTS

… Grand Rapids Community College received a $449,862 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand its Pathways to Success program that brings educational and employment services to vulnerable families.

All-time greats: Legacy of underdog Don ‘The Animal’ Edwards lives on half-century later

Feb. 22, 2016; MLive

Don Edwards’ family is setting up an educational scholarship, and underdogs, especially in the Grand Rapids Public Schools, may want to listen up.

The Don Edwards Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to Grand Rapids Community College students who could use a little bit of help.

Longtime baseball coach Tim Johnson hired to coach Comstock Parks football team, too

Feb. 20, 2016; MLive

The fast-approaching baseball season will mark Tim Johnson’s 30th year of coaching Comstock Park’s varsity team.

… “I’m really thankful for the opportunity that Comstock Park has given me, and I’m excited to continue to be part of the program,” (Tim) Johnson said. “When Grand Rapids Community College shut its program down, I had an opportunity to come back to Comstock Park and was on Mark Chapman’s staff for the last four years.”

Kalamazoo Valley women claim conference crown with tense road win at Grand Rapids, 72-66

Feb. 20, 2016; MLive

The Cougars got off to another good start jumping out to a 7-2 lead barely 3 minutes into the game on the strength of a pair of buckets inside from jumping jack sophomore post Michaela DeKilder (Gobles) and a transition layup from freshman Ka-Leah Ryan(Battle Creek Central), but the Raiders fought back to tie the game at nine. With 5:58 left in the quarter, DeKilder picked up her second foul trying to step in and take a charge and went to the bench for the balance of the half.

Faculty, staff cap and gown orders due February 26

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The GRCC Bookstore is taking orders for caps and gowns for staff and faculty through February 26th. If you are in need of any commencement regalia please stop in the bookstore and fill out the form to order yours today! Due to turnaround time and production needs, all orders and prepayments must be in by February 26, 2016 to be ready in time for the April GRCC Commencement ceremony.