GRCC In the News, 4-28-16

Grand Rapids Community Foundation expands Challenge Scholars program to reach more students

April 27, 2016; mibiz.com

GRAND RAPIDS — Grand Rapids Community Foundation is expanding its Challenge Scholars program to include every graduating student at Union High School.

The program offers two years of tuition-free college at Grand Rapids Community College to students who attend Union for four years and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students are also offered support through professional development and career coordinators.

The comeback kids: How Grand Rapids Public Schools are making a dramatic turnaround

April 28, 2016; rapidgrowthmedia.com

When Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal took the stage to deliver her first State of Our Schools address at Ottawa Hills High School five years ago, the district was in serious disrepair.

… Neal’s emergence as GRPS’s rising star was a long time coming. One of nine children, she grew up with her siblings and parents in Grand Rapids, attending Madison Elementary School, South Middle School and Creston High School. At the age of 16, she began working at Creston High School her alma mater that she was forced to close as superintendent because of poor attendance and a myriad other problems and was so successful as a work study student that she was asked to start full time, prompting her to graduate early (which she had enough credits to do). She attended Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University, and, for the past 41 years she has worked in GRPS, including as a receptionist, secretary, compliance officer, assistant to the superintendent, and, now, superintendent.

Campbell inks six for 2016 Cornerstone recruiting class

April 27, 2016; victorysportsnetwork.com

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Head volleyball coach Ryan Campbell is pleased to announce the signings of five local and one out-of-state standouts to the 2016 recruiting class. The Golden Eagles will enter the 2016 campaign fresh off a 27-11 year in which they made it to the semifinals of the WHAC Tournament.

… ALEX POLAKOVICH Grand Rapids CC / Carpe Diem Volleyball Club

Congratulations to the Van & Marinus Swets 2016 Travel Award Winners

The Foundation received 30 creative travel plans from employees.  Due to the excellent response we decided to award 8 employees again this year.

The winning essays were interesting, creative, just as Marinus would have liked.

Congratulations to:

• 1st Place: Karin Gallagher- $400
• 2nd Place: Sandra Lancaster- $300
• 3rd Place: Simon Kittok- $200

Honorable Mention

• Sean McKay- $100
• Michelle Allen- $100
• Tom Boersma- $100
• Erica Brown- $100
• Kim Zinger- $100

Thank you to all who submitted essays.  We hope you all enjoy your vacations you have planned.  We look forward to hearing from the winners and seeing pictures from their travels.

Safe travels!  We hope to see even more entries next year.

Volunteers needed for GRCC Foundation event

Volunteers needed!

Are you available during the evening of Tuesday, May 17, 2016 from 5-8pm?  We are looking for volunteers to help at our event!

What we need:

• Parking Help
• Greeters
• Coat Check
• Registration

All volunteer positions will be assigned.

That evening, food will be provided to all volunteers in the volunteer break room.

Also, each volunteer will be asked to wear a white shirt with black pants.

We need at least 10 dedicated volunteers.

Contact Mary Reed at 3930 or mreed@grcc.edu  to sign up.

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