Annual Fire Inspections

Annual fire system inspections are scheduled to occur the week of May 2 for all buildings on campus that have a fire suppression system.

Dependable Fire Protection is the contractor that will conduct the inspections and Facilities will be present to assist with the inspections.

Below you will find a tentative list of the buildings that will be tested each day. 

5/3

Ford Fieldhouse

Ford Natatorium

Calkins Science Center

DeVos Campus 

Campus police/ facilities

5/4

RJF

College Park Plaza

Bostwick Office Suite

5/5

Student Center

LRC

Music Center

Preschool

5/6

Lakeshore

Ramp A

Ramp B

Ramp C

Please be aware that these tests will require the alarms to sound briefly at each building – strobes will sound, people will not need to evacuate.

Reach out to me with any questions.

Abbot Kastanek

Associate Director of Facilities Management

Facilities l Grand Rapids Community College

Office: 616-234-2183 l Email: akastanek@grcc.edu

Employee Appreciation Celebration photos

GRCC saluted retiring members of the family and highlighted those who earned tenure and grants during the annual employee appreciation celebration on Friday.

Andrew Schmidt was there to capture the memories.

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Are you ready for retirement?

Spots are still open for the upcoming Retirement Readiness session on Tuesday May 10. This learning opportunity will be offered virtually via Zoom from 10:00-11:30am. 

Whether retirement is a mere few years away or decades away, come learn how to best prepare for the phase of life after your career.

Join experts from our partners at Lake Michigan Credit Union to discuss best ways to save and prepare for retirement. Following the session, take advantage of the opportunity to meet one-on-one with an LMCU financial expert to have your individual questions answered.

Enroll via your Online Center today!

GRCC’s free summer Bridges to College – Raider Ready program helps recent high school grads prepare for college success

A free Grand Rapids Community College summer program for graduating high school seniors is aimed at boosting foundational math and reading skills, and preparing them for success.

Bridges to College – Raider Ready will be offered in two five-week sessions at both GRCC’s Main Campus in Grand Rapids and the Lakeshore Campus in Holland Township. Some parts of the program will be offered online, and students will have use of a laptop and Wi-Fi hotspot while they are in the program and enrolled at GRCC.

This is the program’s second year. Last year, nearly 80 percent of the 170 students who completed the program improved academically over the course of the summer and said they felt more confident in their abilities and more knowledgeable about support services available to continue helping them.

“It’s important for students to start college successfully, then continue building on that strong foundation,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “We’re continuing this program because it works. We want students to come here, thrive and finish what they started. Bridges to College – Raider Ready helps students prepare to do exactly that.”

Students in the program will work with college navigators to prepare for the higher education experience. They’ll meet with advisers, learn about financial aid opportunities, and gain career readiness skills.

The program is open to high school graduates of the class of 2021 or 2022 who plan to attend GRCC in the fall. The college provides learning materials, breakfast, bus passes for transportation to and from the campus, and several field trips.

“This program is an example of how GRCC serves our community,” Provost Brian Knetl said. “It’s an excellent opportunity for students to get a head start on their college education in terms of academics, but also getting to know all the resources on campus, and meet the people who are here to help.”

The first session runs from June 8 to July 6, and the second from July 11 to Aug. 12. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Sessions are held in the morning, leaving time for summer jobs and activities.

Information is available at grcc.edu/bridgestocollege, by email at bridgestocollege@grcc.edu and by calling (616) 234-3388.

GRCC baseball team sweeps Kalamazoo Valley to push win streak to 10 games

Ryan Dykstra’s walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh wrapped up a perfect series for the Grand Rapids Community College baseball team against Kalamazoo Valley Community College on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the men’s golf team earned a four-stroke victory at the Ancilla College Invitational earning it a share of the Michigan Community College Western Conference championship, and the team’s 13th consecutive title.

The baseball team dominated the first game, winning 11-2 while picking up three hits each from Dykstra and Caleb Engelsman. Xander Reisbig collected a game-high three RBI while going two-for-two from the plate.

Engelsman also picked up the victory after throwing a complete game with nine strikeouts and just one walk.

In the nightcap, the visitors of KVCC went ahead 3-0, with a run in the third inning and two more in the sixth. GRCC rallied to make it a 3-2 ballgame after RBIs from Dylan Chargo and Zacarias Salinas in the bottom of the sixth.

Relief pitcher Eliot Traver struck out all three batters he faced in the top of the seventh inning. GRCC started to rally with a leadoff walk by Max Varon. Camden Keatley sacrificed Brady Owen over to second base and one batter later, Jacob Gumieny lined a single through the middle to tie the game. Dykstra singled home the game winning run two batters later.

GRCC improved to 24-20-1, 16-8 in the conference, and are riding a 10-game winning streak. The team also is holding on to third place in the conference with four MCCAA-West games remaining.

The golf team won its 13th straight conference championship after posting a team score of 306 at the Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Ind.

Muskegon Community College finished in second place and tied GRCC for the conference title with both teams shooting a 1,538 in the five conference events.

Conner Oman was named medalist after posting a career-best 72.  Arie Jackman was second, shooting a 73.

Matt Denhartigh finished as the conference medalist with a five-round score of 372, six strokes better than the runner-up from Muskegon.

The golf team will be back in action on May 9 and 10 at the MCCAA/Region XII Championships played at the St. Clair Golf Club in St. Clair, Mich.

GRCC In the News 05/03/2022

GRPS works to create direct teacher pipeline

5/2/22 schoolnewsnetwork.org (Kent Intermediate School District)

Grand Rapids—In a lab at Davenport University, two scientists prepared to analyze a water sample from “Heroesville,” where residents have been complaining of abdominal, muscle and joint pain as well as fever and headaches. Lead poisoning is suspected, but scientific analysis of the water will yield concrete clues.

… That includes not just Teach Club but also a new program launching this fall that will send grads to GRCC, where tuition is free thanks to the Promise Zone scholarship program, and then from GRCC to Michigan State, including student teaching assignments in GRPS that would be supplemented by a stipend from the district.

Career fair exposes students to some 40 employers looking to hire

5/2/22 schoolnewsnetwork.org (Kent Intermediate School District)

Grandville — Jordan Swieringa is pretty confident about his secondary education plans and career interests, but he still learned a lot at this year’s senior career fair at Grandville High School. 

(One of the photos accompanying this article is of a student talking to a GRCC admissions staff member.)

Jayhawk golfer’s finish up the regular season at Ancilla Invitational

5/2/22 Local Sports Journal (Muskegon)

PLYMOUTH, IN—The Muskegon Community College men’s golf team wrapped the regular season on Monday afternoon down in Plymouth, Indiana as they finished four strokes behind Grand Rapids Community College at the Ancilla Invitational.

2022 Excellence in Education Award nominations due May 13

The GRCC family is full of amazing and outstanding people . . . people who care, people who go above and beyond, people who bring the very best of themselves to the work that they do.
 
True excellence is alive at GRCC. We are all fortunate to be a part of a community of educators who make GRCC shine both inside and out. There are special individuals who make learning at GRCC meaningful and impactful for our students and working at GRCC an honor and inspiration for fellow employees.

To recognize them, please take the time to nominate them for the annual GRCC Excellence in Education Award.

Recipients of the full-time faculty, adjunct and staff award each receive $1,000, and a $1,000 contribution to the GRCC Foundation is made in the recipient’s name.

Anyone can nominate! The deadline for nominations is May 13, 2022.

The application has gone online! This makes the entire process faster and easier.

Start HERE and select either Full Time Faculty, Adjunct, or Staff. 
Questions?
Faculty & Adjunct: Email the Provost Office at provost@grcc.edu
Staff: Email Angela Salinas at angelasalinas@grcctoday

Thank you for taking the time to nominate a deserving member of the GRCC family for these awards.