Teaching, Learning, and Distance Education News

GRCC Communications Wants to Tell Your Story (Cross-post from GRCC Today)

We’re proud of the people who serve our students and community at GRCC. Telling your stories helps show potential students the experience and expertise we have, and makes them aware of the resources and opportunities available to them.

Will you help us share your story? 

Every week a new faculty or staff story is shared in GRCC Today, on the GRCC homepage, and on GRCC social media. Faculty are highlighted in “Learn From the Best” stories, and staff are featured in “Here to Help” stories. 

Please fill out this form. We will reach out if we need additional information.

Thank you for your help!

Spots Still Available!  Winter Read: Learning Circle on Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks

As we reflect on our pedagogy, our teaching philosophies, and our methods to build engaging classes that serve our diverse student population, it becomes essential to learn from many voices and consider a wide range of perspectives. Gloria Jean Watkins, under the pen name bell hooks, spent decades transgressing unwritten societal defaults of how a classroom should run and sought freedom of learning for students. This transformative collection of essays offers bite-sized wisdom and pushes educators to be the best versions of themselves. This learning circle will focus on selected essays and the connections we can make to create a transformative pedagogy that encourages all voices to be heard in the classroom.

Lauren Woolsey will be hosting a Learning Circle through TLDE during February, March,and April. Order your book now. Space is limited to 20 participants. Contact CTE@grcc.edu or Toy McNeal (tmcneal@grcc.edu or 616-234-3205) to sign up and place your book order.

AI Articles & Resources
Here in TLDE, we’ve been having a lot of conversations about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT.  We’re continuing to update this Google document with articles and resources for those interested in learning more.  The Resources page of the Educational Technology Organization of Michigan also has helpful links.

Reminder – Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation: Stay Tuned for More Details!
In the coming weeks, you will hear more about Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation.  Stay tuned for more details via college-wide IT Notification emails.  We have also organized the learning opportunities noted below.

Featured Upcoming Workshops/Events/Information:

1. Information Session: Quality Matters Peer Reviews – Friday, February 3, 10 to 11 a.m., Virtual
2. Introducing Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation – Friday, February 24, 10 to 11 a.m. – and Tuesday, February 28, 2 to 3 p.m., Virtual
3. Understanding Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation – Tuesday, March 21, 10 to 11 a.m. and Wednesday, March 22, 2 to 3 p.m., Virtual
4. Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation Q&A – Wednesday, April 19, 10 to 11 a.m. and Thursday, May 4, 2 to 3 p.m., Virtual
5. Winter Semester TLDE Faculty Liaison Office Hours, Virtually: Tuesdays 1 to 3 p.m. (email dvilmont@grcc.edu to request a virtual appointment).  
6. TLDE Office Information: The TLDE office location is RJF 373.  TLDE staff are available Mondays – Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist you!  Please stop by the office, email cte@grcc.edu, or call 616-234-3205 and we will be happy to assist you!

Please visit the CTE’s Calendar and Programming webpage for the current listing of all Winter 2023 Professional Development opportunities being offered by TLDE!

HR is conducting a poll for interest in Weight Watchers at GRCC

HR is exploring the possibility of GRCC being a community WW site — providing space for a weigh in location and in person WW staff led workshops.

We’re curious how many GRCC employees would take advantage of this. This would be somewhat different than WW at work has been in the past. 

Please respond to this short poll to indicate your interest.

Thank you! We’ll keep you posted.

My Story Started at GRCC: New York attorney Steven Van Iwaarden says GRCC professors helped him gain confidence, focus

Steven Van Iwaarden lives in Manhattan with his wife and dog and works at a prestigious New York law firm. He has law degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of California-Irvine and helped launch a first-of-its-kind law journal. 

It all sounds like a dream come true, but Van Iwaarden didn’t believe it could happen to him – not at first.

“For various reasons, my high school career was less than stellar, and I did not attend college for years after graduating high school,” he said.

Start at GRCC and go anywhere. Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC gave them the education and opportunity to be successful.

When Van Iwaarden decided to finally get serious about his education, he enrolled at GRCC. He found knowledgeable and understanding professors and uses many of the skills he learned in those early classes – College Writing, Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, and Fundamentals of Public Speaking – in his career today.

“In my first semester at GRCC, I entered – and ended up winning – the ‘One Book, One College’ essay contest,” Van Iwaarden said. “The prize for this was getting to attend a dinner with the author of the book that was the subject of the contest, Josh Sundquist, and then getting a front-row seat to his keynote speech later that evening.

“Winning this contest really put wind behind my burgeoning academic sails. It was through this experience that I realized my talent for reading and writing could lead to great things, so long as I put the requisite effort into developing it.”

Another turning point: a GRCC-sponsored bus trip to Ann Arbor to tour the University of Michigan.

“That ended up being an important factor in me thinking I could actually attend that university after graduating from GRCC,” Van Iwaarden said.

After receiving his associate degree in 2016, he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics in 2019 from U of M, where he served as an ambassador to transfer students. He earned Juris Doctor degrees from the University of California and, most recently, Michigan.

He gained experience working on employment discrimination claims as a clerk to Administrative Judge Thomas Harward of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s hearings unit in Los Angeles. He also helped a group of law students and doctoral candidates launch the Michigan Journal of Law & Society, which brings the humanities and social sciences into legal scholarship.

Last year, Van Iwaarden, who passed the New York State Bar exam in July, accepted an offer from Latham & Watkins LLP to become a lawyer in its New York office.

Van Iwaarden credits the success he’s seen to the support of his family and friends, as well as his willingness to take advantage of opportunities offered to him, like the Ann Arbor bus trip. 

For him, GRCC means two things: hope and opportunity.

“I view GRCC as a place offering hope to prospective students who don’t fit the archetype of the over-achieving high schooler who goes straight to a four year university,” he said. “GRCC is an institution that serves an invaluable social goal: a gateway to prosperity for those who didn’t have it handed to them. 

“I would not be where I am today without GRCC.”

Start your GRCC story today here.

GRCC men’s and women’s basketball teams cruise to victory over Kirtland Community College

The Grand Rapids Community College men’s and women’s teams dominated in their games at Kirtland Community College on Saturday, both by more than 30 points.

The women’s team bounced back from a tough loss at Muskegon Community College on Wednesday, cruising to an 85-51 win while getting two career performances from players off the bench.

After scoring a season-low 35 points in their previous game, the Raiders offense lit it up for a season-high in points, including 30 in the second quarter.  The team also set season highs in overall field goal percentage, with 45.2 percent; and three-point field goal shooting, with 60 percent.

Alyssa Katerberg was on fire from behind the arc, totaling five threes for a career-high 15 points while adding five rebounds. Dual sport athlete Karissa Ferry scored a career-best 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive end.

Sally Merrill led GRCC with 20 points and Grace Lodes added 15 points, helping the team improve to 9-6 overall and 3-2 in MCCAA Northern Conference play.

The men’s team led by just seven points at the half, but erupted for 62 points in the second half on 65 percent shooting, to cruise to a 98-59 victory, the team’s 14^th of the season.

“Incredible effort from the guys in the second half,” head coach Joe Fox said. “We really locked into the scout and played with incredible energy. Brockton Kohler was a steadying force, and Jack Scrimshaw really helped us close the game out. Feels great to string a few wins together on the road.

After an 11-0 start, the team dropped four in a row. But now it is riding a three-game win streak to improve to 3-2 in the conference.

GRCC had a total of 12 players score on the night, led by Kohler who scored 16 points on 5-of-8 from the floor.

Just as it did in its previous game, GRCC led in every statistical category, including only turning the ball over 10 times against 23 for Kirtland, and blocking five more shots.

Danyel Bibbs scored 14 points and Chris Coleman, JaJuan Walker and Myron Brewer all added 10 points.

Both teams will be back on the road on Feb. 1, visiting Delta College.  The women will tip-off first at 5:30 p.m. 

GRCC In the News 01/30/2023

 Snapshots

1/27/23 Community College Daily (American Association of Community Colleges)

… In Michigan, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II visits Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) for a roundtable discussion with GRCC President Charles Lepper, students, administrators and faculty members about the successes of Michigan Reconnect, a program launched in 2021 that serves students 25 and older who have not yet earned a degree. 

GRCC Communications wants to tell your story

We’re proud of the people who serve our students and community at GRCC. Telling your stories helps show potential students the experience and expertise we have, and makes them aware of the resources and opportunities available to them.

Will you help us share your story? 

Every week a new faculty or staff story is shared in GRCC Today, on the GRCC homepage, and on GRCC social media. Faculty are highlighted in “Learn From the Best” stories, and staff are featured in “Here to Help” stories. 

Please fill out this form. We will reach out if we need additional information.

Thank you for your help! 

‘Darwin Never Saw This Coming’ lecture looks at population biology and more

As part of the national Darwin Day celebration, GRCC Biological Sciences will partner with the Michigan Humanists to offer a public lecture presented by GRCC professor Greg Forbes.

The lecture, “Darwin Never Saw This Coming; A Human Population Beyond 8 Billion!” will be a discussion of population biology, evolution and the future of Earth’s ecosystems.

The event is planned for 7-8 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the Calkins Science Center Auditorium, room 348. Doors open at 6:40 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

February 6, 2023 Economic Club of Grand Rapids opportunity for GRCC students

The Economic Club of Grand Rapids has gifted us with the opportunity to have GRCC students participate in an upcoming luncheon FOR FREE.

The next event is with Governor Gretchen Whitmer (“Building a Brighter Future”) on February 6. 

Limited seats are available so please complete this google form and get more information here: https://forms.gle/1ujRb4fxGwT2ExFT6

Help spread the word to GRCC students: Over $1,000,000 in scholarships available to them from the GRCC Foundation

Please encourage the students you teach and support to complete the GRCC Scholarship application.

They can fill out a single application to be considered for over three hundred scholarships!

These scholarships can provide them with free money to help cover 2023-24 GRCC tuition, books and fees. 

Students should apply for GRCC scholarships on our  Scholarships webpage.

The priority deadline is March 15, 2023. In order to maximize scholarship opportunities, students should also complete a 2023-24  FAFSA.