Bayard Brooks honored by West Michigan Works!

Congratulations to Bayard Brooks for being awarded a 2022 Essential Service Award from West Michigan Works!

As a conference services coordinator, Bayard is responsible for the details that give people a positive event experience when they visit GRCC.

Over the past 22 years, Bayard has consistently ensured that rooms are reserved, equipped with audio visual equipment, set up as planned, and confirmed with catering.

He leads tours of the facilities and is often a customer’s first point of contact.

Bayard can always be counted on to get the job done, even if that means showing up early or staying late.

We are so grateful Bayard is a part of our GRCC team and proud that his work is being recognized with this award, which was presented by West Michigan Works! Communications Director Malinda Powers.

2023 Excellence in Education Awards

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 12, 2023.

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

Go to the Excellence in Education Awards webpage 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@grcc.edu

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

Employee Wellness Survey

The Employee Wellness Team is seeking feedback from the GRCC employee family on Wellness. Share your insight via this short form.

In an effort to be responsive to employees and provide quality experiences to our campus community, we want to know your needs and interests for future wellness initiatives.

We appreciate your ideas and suggestions and the team will carefully review feedback. Although we cannot guarantee that every idea will be put into action, by completing this brief survey, you are communicating how we can best support you.

Thank you!

Tech Tip: Stars In Gmail

Do you have important emails you want to look back at? In Gmail, you may flag emails as essential by marking the star icon. This makes it easier for you to remember to look at them later. This is done on a computer, android, iphone and ipad device.

Stars in Gmail

For more information and helpful tips, please visit the IT Customer Support Portal or contact the IT Customer Support Desk at x4357.

If you have a suggestion or a Technology Tip you think can be useful, you can submit them by emailing techtips@grcc.edu 

First five members of inaugural GRCC women’s soccer team have track records of success playing in high school and on club teams

The Grand Rapids Community College women’s soccer team signed its first five players as it looks ahead to its inaugural season this fall.

“I am excited about the first five women’s soccer signings,” coach Lizzie Hornack said.  “They are all from the Grand Rapids area and will be a great fit for our program. There is so much talent in the Grand Rapids area for women’s soccer. There has already been so much interest in this program.”

The GRCC Athletic Department added soccer in response to a growing interest in the sport internationally and an increasing number of requests from potential student-athletes. The team is preparing for a fall season debut.

The men’s team signed its first four players of their inaugural class two weeks ago and recently signed several more.

Added to the women’s team is:

• Brooklyn Williams, a center back/center forward who attends Rockford High School and played on a club team at Michigan Futbol Academy and was State Cup champions in 2021.
• Allison Seevers, who plays outside midfielder/forward and was a four-year varsity player at Lowell High School. She played on a club team with SCOR-Meulensteen.
• Claira DeYoung, a forward/midfielder, was a two-year varsity player at Jenison High School and played with the Michigan Rangers.
• Belicia Cuevas, a forward/midfielder, attends GRCC student who played at Wyoming High School.
• Brooklyn Geerlings, a left winger, was a two-year varsity player at Zeeland West High School and played for the Michigan Rangers.

Men’s signees are:

• Daniel Beyers, from Thornapple-Kellogg High School, played for a club team at Thornapple Area Soccer Club before going to play for Midwest United. His team won the district tournament in 2019 and was the varsity captain during his junior and senior years. He received First Team All-Conference, All-District and All-Team academics honors. He is studying pre-engineering and is pursuing a career in product design.
• Cole Drozdowsk is a center back/defensive mid who attends East Kentwood High School and plays outdoors for Midwest United and MigosFC for futsal. His team won the district championship in high school in 2022 and won State Cup with MFA Revolution in 2022.
• Jonathan Garcia is a goalkeeper/fullback for Kelloggsville High School. He plays for Michigan Power and boasted a 82 percent save percentage in high school, helping his team win four penalty shootouts. He kept five clean sheets during senior year, earning him Second Team All-Conference honors.
• Allex Hernandez plays center mid and was a four-year varsity player at Dowagiac Union High School, a two-time district champion. He was a two-time First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State; three time All-District
• Jeremy Mazariegos plays center attacking mid at Union High School, where he was named freshman and junior varsity team most valuable player and plays for the Midwest United FC club team.
• Jordan Marquez – Striker – Northview High School where he was named All-Conference and All-District; plays club at Michigan Power (formerly named the Fire) and was the leading scorer for the team this past year

There are still opportunities for students looking to be a part of both teams.  Recruiting questionnaires are available here.

This story was reported by Ben Brown.

GRCC In the News 02/14/2023

College musicians to take the stage at high school

2/10/23 School News Network (Kent Intermediate School District)

Over 100 musicians will perform in the 75th annual Musical Moods concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11.

For 75 years, ensembles and soloists from both music and non-music majors at Grand Rapids Community College have come together for a performance held at a local high school. East Grand Rapids High School Performing Arts Center, 2111 Lake Drive SE, will host this year.

Rees Scholarship Foundation Awards $81,000 to Assist Aspiring HVACR Technicians

2/10/23 Engineered Systems Magazine

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), announced scholarship awards totaling $81,000 to 47 students, including three military veterans and 10 SkillsUSA awardees, studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industry.

… HVACR and Water Heating Technician Program Recipients:

… Jose Garza, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan;

… Duane Hall, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan;

… William Staples, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan;

Stay-home-mom of 18 years goes back to college with daughters, hits fundraising goal for new business

2/12/23 WZZM

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — A stay-at-home mom of 18 years in West Michigan always told her kids to go to college, but when she realized she wasn’t practicing what she preached, she knew something had to change.

… The Tiensivus are all students at Grand Rapids Community College. While Cassandra’s girls stress over their classes, she’s right there with them.

Western Michigan University to connect ‘education city’ through new partnerships

2/13/23 Grand Rapids Business Journal

A new educational partnership being piloted at two colleges this spring aims to place Kalamazoo-area students in the business community.

… Students involved in the new program will also participate in a docuseries, providing an insider’s view of the project and what they are learning from the process and each other. This is just the latest in West Michigan’s educational partnerships, as area educators build new bridges to connect students to local employers. Earlier this month, Grand Valley State University announced its partnership with Acrisure, Amway, Cascade Engineering, Corewell Health and Michigan Software Labs to keep students local post-degree. Davenport University announced a new addition to its urban educator program and a collaboration with Pine Rest in January, while it continues its $35 million campaign to adress local talent gaps. GRCC and University of Michigan Health-West have also partnered to combat the nursing shortage area health care providers are facing, the newest in several such education/health care partnerships in the region.

Reminder that nominations for the Salute to Women Awards are due Feb. 17

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) wants to send out a friendly reminder that the 25^th Annual Salute to Women Awards is right around the corner.

The deadline for all nomination submissions are due Friday, February 17, 2023.

The award celebrates the accomplishments of women and gender equity advocates who impact the GRCC community.

The award is open to all GRCC stakeholders regardless of gender or gender identity.

The nomination form is available on the ODEI Salute to Women website.

The awards recognition ceremony will take place Wednesday, March 29 from Noon to 1 p.m. in Sneden 108.

RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/2023STW