GRCC In the News, 11-14-16

Veteran turned GRCC professor: Thank us by caring about our country

Nov. 11, 2016; WOOD TV

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Grand Rapids Community College students and staff paid silent tribute to military members on Veterans Day.

Rees Scholarship Foundation Awards $63,000

Nov. 14, 2016; achrnews.com

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Clifford H. Ted Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and ACCA, recently awarded 37 scholarship awards totaling $63,000. Of the 37 recipients, four are veterans who are studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industries.

… The HVACR and water heating technician program recipients are … Pragnesh Patel, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan; …

Green Hornets’ Courtnee Nicholson to be a GRCC Raider

Nov. 13, 2016; The Daily News (Greenville)

STANTON — This spring will be the last time Courtnee Nicholson will play for the Central Montcalm softball team; however, her career won’t be finished just yet.

The Green Hornets senior signed a letter of intent to attend Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and play softball for the Raiders.

APSS, Campus Police seek donations for Grand Rapids Home for Veterans

The APSS employee group and Campus Police are now collecting donations for the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans for the holiday season.

Items needed:

• Gift cards or certificates to fast-food restaurants.
• Small lap blankets.
• 100-piece puzzles.
• Stationery sets.
• Personal toiletries, such as toothbrushes, soap, body wash, mouthwash, deodorant, cologne for men or women.

Donations will be accepted until Dec. 15 by:

• Lt. Robert Decker, ext. 3579 or at the Campus Police office.
• Kim Zinger, ext. 4253 or in the Math Department on the second floor of College Park Plaza.
• Colleen Copus, ext. 3119, or in the Math Tutorial Lab (room 105 in Cook).
• Tracy Payne, ext. 3673, or in room 313 of the Student Center.
• Janice Holton, ext. 4129, or in room 153 of the Main Building.
• Janis Qualls, ext. 4248, or in room 320 of Calkins.

The items collected will be delivered to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans on Dec. 16.  Please help us support our veterans.

Thank you for your support!

Biology faculty members host statewide conference

Grand Rapids Community College biology faculty hosted the annual fall conference of the Michigan Community College Biologists (MCCB) on October 14-15, 2016.

The conference began with a cadaver workshop facilitated by GRCC biology faculty member Dr. Gregory Forbes. The keynote speaker on Friday evening was Ashley Hannah Sanderlin, who gave a presentation concerning the relationship of obesity and neuropsychiatric symptoms in mild cognitive impairments. Afterwards, there was a social hour with local beer and cheese pairings.

On Saturday morning, Dean Michael Vargo gave a warm welcome to the membership.  Members then traveled to Blandford Nature Center where master naturalist Kristin Tindall provided a guided hike through the center while teaching about some of Michigan’s medicinal and edible plants. After lunch back at GRCC, three former GRCC biology students (Jamie Grit, Dave Klungle, and Nicole Thorwall) offered a panel discussion concerning their experiences taking biology courses at GRCC. Finally, Carol Hendershot, co-founder of Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness, gave attendees an introduction to mindfulness practices.

The conference organizers were Leigh Kleinert, Holly Christopher, Bob Leunk, and Tim Periard.

Michigan Community College Biologists (MCCB) provides a statewide forum for sharing instructional techniques and up-to-date information for teaching college-level biology. The organization fosters communication, friendship, and unity among the biologists of the 29 community colleges in the state of Michigan. Two statewide conferences are held annually.

Thanksgiving, exam week hours for Campus Dining

Important Info:

Thanksgiving Week Hours (11/21 – 11/25)

Raider Grille Closed all week

Quiet Café open Monday November 21st 7am-5pm with breakfast

Closed 11/22 through 11/25

Sneden Cafe Open Monday November 21st 7am to 5 pm.

Closed 11/22 through 11/25

Exam Week Dec. 12- Dec. 16

Raider Grille Closed all week

Monday 12th Quiet Café and Sneden Cafe Normal Hours

Tuesday 13th Quiet Café and Sneden Café 7am-4pm

Wednesday 14th Quiet Café 7am-1pm (Limited menu option)

Sneden Café Closed

Thursday 15th and Friday 16th All Retail operations Closed.

Re-opening on January 9th 2017

Mathematics Seminar features Alejandro Saldivar

The Grand Rapids Community College Mathematics Department is pleased to announce that it will host its next Mathematics Seminar on Tuesday, November 15, 3:00-4:00 PM in 102 Cook.  Our speaker, GRCC mathematics instructor Alejandro Saldivar, will explore geometric constructions in which only a compass is used.  The title and abstract are below.

For centuries, the classical approach to solving geometry problems required that solutions be demonstrated using only a compass and straightedge.  It was later discovered that the straightedge, while useful, was not really needed.  This talk will be accessible to anyone with an interest in geometry and an appreciation for understanding different ways of solving problems.  As always, everyone is welcome!

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

Compass-Only Geometric Constructions

In the geometry of straightedge and compass constructions, it turns out that the straightedge is not necessary.  This math seminar will cover the following:

• a bit of history involving compass-only geometry
• why a collapsible compass is sufficient
• some examples of constructions with just a compass
• at least one reason why the straightedge is superfluous in the geometry of straightedge and compass

GRCC presidential candidate interviews start today

Interviews with the presidential candidates start next week, with Bill Pink on Nov. 14, L. Joy Gates-Black on Nov. 15, and Amy Fugate on Nov. 16.

This is the schedule for the interview days:

• 7:45-8:30 a.m. — Breakfast gathering with board members in room 118 of the ATC.
• 8:45-9:30 a.m. — Cabinet in room 188 of the ATC.
• 9:45-10:30 a.m. — External community panel and diversity/inclusion team (public invited) in the ATC auditorium.
• 10:45-11:30 a.m. — Students in the ATC auditorium.
• 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Faculty meet and greet in the ATC auditorium.
• 12:45-2 p.m. — Lunch with Executive Leadership Team in room 118 of the ATC.
• 2:15-3:15 p.m. — Campus presentation (all faculty, administration, staff and public invited) in the ATC auditorium.
• 3:45-5 p.m. — Board panel interview (public invited) in the ATC auditorium.

Who is Alice?

Thirty-nine percent of households in Kent County are struggling to afford the basic necessities of housing, child care, food, health care and transportation.

ALICE, is a United Way acronym which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, represents the growing number of individuals and families who are working, but are unable to afford the basic necessities of housing, food, child care, health care, and transportation.