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.
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. In 1918 Grand Rapids Junior College received its initial accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
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.
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.
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
- Russell Christopher â€" Metropolitan Opera baritone singer
- Ed Cole â€" automotive executive for General Motors
- Edward Fenlon â€" Michigan Representative
- Lawrence J. Fuller â€" U.S. Army major general and deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
- Arnold Gingrich â€" co-founder of Esquire magazine
- John A. Hannah â€" president of Michigan State University and head of the United States Agency for International Development
- Scott S. Haraburda â€" U.S. Army colonel and president of the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers
- Bill Hardiman â€" Michigan Senator
- David Robert Mullen - Award-winning artist and photographer
- Steve Pestka - Michigan Representative
- Dave Rozema - major league baseball pitcher
- Michael Sak - Michigan Representative
- K. William Stinson - U.S Representative
- Rodney Vaccaro â€" Emmy award-winning screenwriter
- Daniel Vosovic â€" Fashion designer and contestant on Project Runway
- Elizabeth Wilson â€" Tony award-winning actress
- Lumen Martin Winter â€" American muralist, sculptor, painter and mosaic artist
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. 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.
GRCC national championships
- 1996 Baseball â€" NJCAA Division 2
- 1997 Baseball â€" NJCAA Division 2
- 2003 Baseball â€" NJCAA Division 2
- 2004 Baseball â€" NJCAA Division 2
- 2005 Baseball â€" NJCAA Division 2
- 2005 Football â€" NJCAA Non-Scholarship Team National Champion
- 2009 Football â€" NJCAA Non-Scholarship Team National Champion
- 2012 Volleyball â€" NJCAA Division 2
GRCC national runners-up
- 1956 Football - NJCAA National Championship Game
- 1974 Men's Swimming and Diving - NJCAA
- 1976 Wrestling - NJCAA
- 1988 Football - NJCAA National Championship Game
- 1992 Women's Swimming and Diving - NJCAA
- 1995 Men's Basketball - NJCAA Division 2
- 2005 Football - NJCAA National Championship Game
- 2006 Baseball - NJCAA Division 2
Baseball
GRCC baseball - NJCAA Division II World Series appearances:
- 1993
- 1996 - National Champion
- 1997 - National Champion
- 2001
- 2003 - National Champion
- 2004 - National Champion
- 2005 - National Champion
- 2006 - National Runner-up
- 2012 - 10th-place finish
- 2013 - 8th-place finish
GRCC baseball - NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame:
- Tom Hofmann, Coach
GRCC baseball â€" Players in Major League Baseball:
- Mickey Stanley, 1964â€"1978
- Rick Kreuger, 1975â€"1978
- Dave Rozema, 1977â€"1986
Football
GRCC football - NJCAA Football Hall of Fame:
- Gordon Hunsberger, Coach
- Fred Julian, Coach
GRCC football - NJCAA Football Coaches - All-time Wins:
- 16th - Fred Julian, Grand Rapids Community College - 18 seasons - 139-48-2
GRCC football - Players in National Football League:
- Bob Lurtsema, 1967â€"1977
- Carl Powell, 1997â€"2005
GRCC football - NJCAA Football Coaches Association Final Poll (68 NJCAA football members in 2006):
- 2002 â€" 8th
- 2004 - 10th
- 2005 - 4th - National Champion - Non-scholarship Team
- 2006 - 13th
- 2009 - 6th - National Champion - Non-scholarship Team
- 2011 - 4th
GRCC football - Yearly records:
- 1919 2â€"3â€"1
- 1926 3-1-1
- 1928 5-1
- 1940 7-0
- 1951 3-3
- 1957 7-0
- 1975 7-1-1
- 1976 4-5
- 1977 6-3
- 1978 6-3
- 1986 10-1
- 1987 8-3
- 1988 10-1
- 1989 7-3
- 1990 10-1
- 1992 10-1
- 1996 8-2
- 1998 10-1 (loss was due to forfeit)
- 2000 6-4 (2 losses due to forfeits)
- 2001 7-3
- 2002 8-2
- 2004 9-2
- 2005 9-2
- 2006 8-3
- 2009 9-2
- 2010 10-2
- 2011 11â€"0
- The football program has been discontinued as of January 2012.
GRCC football - Bowl games:
1956 NJCAA Championship, Los Angeles, California
- Coffeyville Community College 46, GRJC 6
1968 Wool Bowl, Roswell, N.M.
- GRJC 24, Henderson Junior College, Texas 0
1970 Wool Bowl, Roswell, N.M.
- Navarro College 21, GRJC 0
1986 Texas Junior College Shrine Bowl
- GRJC 23, Tyler Junior College 17
1987 East Bowl
- Lees-McRae College 20, GRJC 13
1988 Valley of the Sun Bowl, Glendale, Ariz. (National Championship Game)
- Glendale Community College, Ariz. 15, GRJC 2
1990 Mickinnon Travel Midwest Bowl
- GRJC 20, College of DuPage 0
1992 Dixie Rotary Bowl, St. George, Utah
- GRCC 42, Snow College 35
1996 Dixie Rotary Bowl, St. George, Utah
- Dixie State College of Utah 34, GRCC 16
2002 Graphic Edge/Siglar Printing Bowl, Cedar Falls, Iowa
- GRCC 12, Iowa Central Community College 6 (OT)
2004 Dixie Rotary Bowl, St. George, Utah
- Dixie State College of Utah 27, GRCC 20
2005 Valley of the Sun Bowl, Glendale, Ariz. (National Championship Game)
- Glendale Community College, Ariz. 50, GRCC 48
2006 Graphic Edge/Siglar Printing Bowl, Cedar Falls, Iowa
- GRCC 24, North Iowa Area Community College 6
- Defensive Player of the Game, Shawn Sullivan GRCC
2009 Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Snow College, Utah 41, GRCC 37
GRCC football - Conference Championships:
- 2000 - North Central Community College Conference
- 2009 - Midwest Football Conference - East
- 2011 - Midwest Football Conference - East
Other sports
GRCC swimming and diving - NJCAA Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame:
- Spyke Johnson
GRCC women's tennis - NJCAA Women's Tennis Hall of Fame:
- Sue Katerburg
- Skip Nelson
GRCC wrestling - NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Fame:
- Emile Caprara, Coach
- John Selmon
- Charles Wells
See also
- Central High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
References
External links
- Official website