Grand Rapids Community College

Grand Rapids Community College
Type Public
Established 1914[1]
President Dr. Steven Ender[2]
Students 15,767[3]
Location Grand Rapids, Michigan
Campus Main campus, Grand Rapids
Lakeshore campus, Holland
Colors Maize and blue [4]
Mascot Raiders
Website www.grcc.edu

Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) is a community college located in the city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. state of Michigan. GRCC offers an associate degree, a variety of certification programs, occupational training, and other learning opportunities for the surrounding community. GRCC offers more than 5000 classes, seminars, programs and workshops every year.[5]

History

Grand Rapids Junior College was established on September 21, 1914, after University of Michigan faculty passed a resolution encouraging the establishment of junior colleges in Michigan. Grand Rapids Junior College was the first junior college in Michigan. The college operated out of Central High School, 421 Fountain St. NE, until 1924. The course offerings, based on University of Michigan offerings, were mathematics, history, rhetoric and composition, German, Latin, biology, and physics. All of them were focused on college transfer. The college's first graduating class numbered 49 students, who paid $60 per year for tuition. The following year, to encourage enrollment, tuition was reduced to $40 per year for Grand Rapids residents and $50 for nonresidents.[6] In 1918 Grand Rapids Junior College received its initial accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.[7]

In 1944 the college acquired the Main Building from Grand Rapids Public Schools. Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Arthur W. Krause closed Davis Technical High School to save costs and gave the building to Grand Rapids Junior College. It is still called the Main Building today.[8]

Campuses

Grand Rapids Community College has several campuses located throughout West Michigan.

GRCC's Main Campus in located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. GRCC’s downtown learning spaces include a Main Campus and DeVos Campus. These campuses are located adjacent to Grand Rapids Medical Mile and Heritage Hill Historic District.

Due to its location in Downtown Grand Rapids, GRCC is close to local festivals and art shows such as ArtPrize and Festival of the Arts. The downtown campuses are within walking distance to museums, fitness facilities, restaurants and shops.[9]

In addition to the main campus, Grand Rapids Community College has the Lakeshore campus in Holland, Michigan. The Lakeshore campus is composed of six different buildings (locations). Classes offered at the Lakeshore campus are taught at West Ottawa high school north building, Grand Valley State University's Meijer Campus, the Careerline Technical Center, the Midtown Center, Patrick A. Thompson M-TEC, and Winding Creek Golf Course.

Facilities

GRCC's eleven-block downtown campus includes several classroom buildings, a learning center and library, Spectrum Theater, the Applied Technology Center, a remodeled music building, a fieldhouse with natatorium, a student center (including the Diversity Learning Center), Bostwick Commons, and the state-of-the-art Calkins Science Center. An off-campus “Learning Corner” has been added to serve the East Hills and Eastown neighborhoods as well as the greater Grand Rapids Community.

Library and Learning Commons

The Library & Learning Commons (LLC) is located on a hillside in downtown Grand Rapids and offers learner-centered services with the goal of creating successful students capable of continuing their studies or joining the educated workforce of Michigan.

Many professors bring their classes to the LLC both for general research and classroom instruction. The library is supported by a staff of thirteen, half of whom hold professional library degrees. Study spaces are equipped with modern computer workstations, wireless technology, and flexible seating to facilitate collaboration.

Collections include extensive licensed electronic resources and are further enhanced through participation in MEL, the Michigan eLibrary.

Notable alumni

Athletics

Grand Rapids Community College's athletic teams compete as the Raiders in men's baseball, basketball, golf, and tennis, and in women's basketball, softball, tennis, and volleyball.[12] The college's teams participate in Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) competition with the exception of the independent men's tennis team. The school has won 70 MCCAA titles and been awarded the MCCAA All-sports Trophy 13 times.

GRCC is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and has won numerous NJCAA district and regional championships and has appeared in national tournaments several times. The baseball team has won five NJCAA tournaments and the school has been national runner-up five times in five different sports. In addition, the Raiders' football team was honored by the NJCAA as the non-scholarship team national champion in 2005 and 2009, has played in national championship games in 1956, 1988, and 2005, and has played in ten other bowl games.

The college does not participate in the MCCAA-sponsored sports of men's and women's cross country and men's soccer. Former GRCC varsity sports include men's cross country, swimming and diving, track and field, and wrestling, and women's swimming and diving.

In January 2012, GRCC discontinued its football team.[13]

GRCC national championships

GRCC national runners-up

Baseball

GRCC baseball - NJCAA Division II World Series appearances:

GRCC baseball - NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame:

GRCC baseball – Players in Major League Baseball:

Football

GRCC football - NJCAA Football Hall of Fame:

GRCC football - NJCAA Football Coaches - All-time Wins:

GRCC football - Players in National Football League:

GRCC football - NJCAA Football Coaches Association Final Poll (68 NJCAA football members in 2006):

GRCC football - Yearly records:

GRCC football - Bowl games:

1956 NJCAA Championship, Los Angeles, California

1968 Wool Bowl, Roswell, N.M.

1970 Wool Bowl, Roswell, N.M.

1986 Texas Junior College Shrine Bowl

1987 East Bowl

1988 Valley of the Sun Bowl, Glendale, Ariz. (National Championship Game)

1990 Mickinnon Travel Midwest Bowl

1992 Dixie Rotary Bowl, St. George, Utah

1996 Dixie Rotary Bowl, St. George, Utah

2002 Graphic Edge/Siglar Printing Bowl, Cedar Falls, Iowa

2004 Dixie Rotary Bowl, St. George, Utah

2005 Valley of the Sun Bowl, Glendale, Ariz. (National Championship Game)

2006 Graphic Edge/Siglar Printing Bowl, Cedar Falls, Iowa

2009 Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl, Salt Lake City, Utah

GRCC football - Conference Championships:

Other sports

GRCC swimming and diving - NJCAA Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame:

GRCC women's tennis - NJCAA Women's Tennis Hall of Fame:

GRCC wrestling - NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Fame:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "History of GRCC". Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Office of the President". GRCC.edu. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Winter 2014 Enrollment Report" (PDF). GRCC.edu. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Grand Rapids Community College - Sports Information". grccraiders.com. GRCC. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ "GRCC - About Us". GRCC.edu. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Search - Grand Rapids Community College". Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Search - Grand Rapids Community College". Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Search - Grand Rapids Community College". Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Maps - Grand Rapids Community College". Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  10. ↑ Metz, Nina (October 26, 2008). "'Project Runway' winner Daniel Vosovic's home is like a truly real reality show". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  11. ↑ Kaczmarczyk, Jeffrey (May 11, 2015). "'The Graduate' actress Elizabeth Wilson remembered for her love of theater and Grand Rapids". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  12. ↑ http://www.braintrack.com/college/u/grand-rapids-community-college
  13. ↑ "GRCC Announces Discontinuation of College's Football Program". GRCC.edu. Retrieved February 12, 2015.

External links

Coordinates: 42°57′59″N 85°40′00″W / 42.9665°N 85.6666°W / 42.9665; -85.6666

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