Medical assistant apprenticeship success catalyst for others in region
Dec. 29, 2017; MLive
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The success of West Michigan’s Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship Program has gotten national attention and is the catalyst for developing other healthcare apprenticeships.
… The Medical Assistant apprenticeship emerged after Mercy Health officials reached out to representatives of Grand Rapids Community College to discuss how to meet the high demand for workers.
Upping the Entry Degree
Jan. 2, 2018; Inside Higher Ed
Community colleges across the country are examining possible new requirements for occupational therapy assistants to get more education, which could result in the elimination of occupational therapy programs on their campuses.
… At Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan, where about 25 students enroll annually in the institution’s occupational therapy assistant program, officials are against increasing the education requirements.
Exec predicts two-year construction boom
Dec. 22, 2017; Grand Rapids Business Journal
The construction boom still has a couple years left on it, based on Ben Wickstrom’s predictions. The president of Erhardt Construction said his company has a steady supply of work going to 2018 and even 2019.
… Erhardt, in collaboration with ABC/WMC, has worked with Grand Rapids Community College to develop training programs for the skilled trades. The company also is starting to branch out into Grand Rapids Public Schools.
Kalamazoo Township to swear in new police chief on Jan. 5
Dec. 28, 2017; MLive
KALAMAZOO TOWNSHIP, MI — Lt. Bryan Ergang will be sworn in as chief of the Kalamazoo Township Police Department on Jan. 5.
… He has an associate’s degree from Grand Rapids Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Siena Heights College, and a master’s degree in public administration from Western Michigan University. He is also a recent graduate of the prestigious FBI Nation Academy.
Kendra DeJonge, GRCC volleyball player earns national recognition
Dec. 28, 2017; The Rockford Squire
A freshman player on Grand Rapids Community College’s volleyball team has received national recognition.
Lakeview’s Vellanti wins MHSFCA Assistant Coach of the Year Award
Dec. 29, 2017; The Daily News (Greenville)
LAKEVIEW — Assistant coaches don’t volunteer their time to win awards and accolades, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy them if and when they come about.
… A former Lakeview graduate, (Ryan) Vellanti went to college at Grand Rapids Community College and Aquinas College. He graduated college in 2000 and was promptly hired in 2001 at Lakeview as a teacher and a coach.
Liberty’s 4 newcomers add bulk to lines
Dec. 28, 2017; Salina Journal (Kan.)
The Salina Liberty beefed up the offensive and defensive lines with the signing of four newcomers for the 2018 season.
… (Dana) Harris, who’s 6-3, 318 pounds, is a Detroit native and played at Grand Rapids Community College (Mich.) and Youngstown State.
College honoring African-American leaders
Dec. 29, 2017; Grand Rapids Business Journal
A local college is honoring 12 African-American leaders for their “exceptional contributions” to the quality of life in Grand Rapids.
The Bob and Aleicia Woodrick Center for Equity and Inclusion at Grand Rapids Community College is hosting its 36th-annual Giants Awards and Banquet at 6 p.m. on Feb. 3 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, at 303 Monroe Ave. NW.
Neighborhoods: Grand Rapids
Dec. 19, 2017; pridesource.com
Named one of the Gayest Cities in America by The Advocate magazine in 2012, Grand Rapids became the 36th city in the state of Michigan to add protections for the LGBT community in its non-discrimination ordinance. This fair and equitable treatment has made Grand Rapids an even more inviting place for young, bright, creative-minded professionals.
… The city’s commitment to helping the LGBT community flourish is reflected in educational settings such as the Grand Rapids Community College which passed a transgender policy allowing students and staff to use the bathroom or locker room of the gender with which they identify. The inclusive Grand Valley State University was recently named one of the top 50 colleges or universities in the country when it comes to being LGBT-friendly.
Lance Werner: LJ’s 2018 Librarian of the Year
Jan. 2, 2018; Library Journal
If you ask Lance Werner, executive director of the Kent District Library (KDL), MI, what makes him a strong leader, an effective legislative advocate, and a champion of access for his patrons, his answer is simple: it’s all about forming relationships — with his staff, legislators, local business owners and CEOs, county commissioners, Michigan Library Association (MLA) administrators, LIS educators, patrons, and anyone else in a 100-mile radius. Ask him again, and he’ll bring up words such as kindness and empathy and that he loves his job.
… Local organizations, including the Literacy Center of West Michigan (LCWM), the Kent Intermediate School District, and Steelcase Corporation, have actively partnered with the library to help implement the program, as well as a collaboration between Grand Rapids Community College and KDL to provide all-ages STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics) programming.
Man sentenced in Hookah Lounge shooting that killed 22-year-old
Dec. 26, 2017; MLive
GRAND HAVEN, MI — The man convicted in the Sept. 2016 shooting death of 22-year-old Anthony Lamb will spend at least the next two decades in state prison.
… Lamb was a 2013 Holland V.R. Tech School graduate who went on to attend Grand Rapids Community College before getting a job at Port City Muskegon Casting, according to his obituary.
18 Grand Rapids Resolutions for 2018
Jan. 2, 2018; experiencegr.com (Grand Rapids Convention & Visitors Bureau website)
Happy New Year! As you think about the coming year and start vacation (or staycation) planning, Grand Rapids needs to be on your radar. With an endless calendar of events, live music all year long, and a dining scene that rivals cities twice our size, there’s something for everyone.
… 14. Savor local cuisine during Restaurant Week GR
The foodie sensation, Restaurant Week GR, is a city-wide celebration of local restaurants, innovative cuisine, and homegrown produce. It’s the perfect time to try a new restaurant or visit an old favorite. And, as Grand Rapids isn’t one to skimp on food, our celebrated week of dining is actually 12 days long. If you needed another reason to check out even more Restaurant Week GR venues, this 12-day food celebration is all for a good cause. A portion of sales from every meal goes toward the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education Student Scholarship Fund at Grand Rapids Community College.
Classes resume in West Michigan
Jan. 2, 2018; WOOD Radio
Back to school! Most students will return to class on Monday next week, but some Lakeshore districts start on Thursday to accommodate the likelihood of more snow days. A few colleges and high schools start the spring semester later in January, and offer a very short program of concentrated instruction.
… Grand Rapids Community College: Classes begin Monday, January 8.
Medical Mile: a vision for change in Grand Rapids
Dec. 29, 2017; Grand Rapids Business Journal
Thirty years ago, Grand Rapids stood at a crossroads after more than a century as a manufacturing hub for the furniture and the auto industries, the city’s job sectors were changing. Thousands of manufacturing jobs were in decline or moving elsewhere, taking a once vibrant and dynamic economy with them. Our lively, postwar downtown filled with restaurants, shops and small businesses slowly was becoming a ghost town. There simply was not enough business to keep them open. Like many industrial cities in the late 20th century, Grand Rapids was a city in need of creative thought leaders who didn’t adhere to the status quo. Some feared we didn’t have what it would take to turn things around. They were wrong.
… Following the building of the institute, philanthropists, nonprofit entities and private-sector enterprises began showing renewed interest in the Michigan Street corridor, building academic institutions, hospitals and businesses. Together with Grand Valley State University, Spectrum Health, Mercy Health, Ferris State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Michigan State University and many others, we have created a powerful source for economic growth, collaboration and continued development in the heart of Grand Rapids.
(This is a guest column written by David Van Andel, chairman and CEO of the Van Andel Institute.)
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