GRCC considered a stepping stone
By Amanda Belanger
Collegiate Staff Writer

GRCC is a steppingstone for students who look to transfer to a four-year college or university.

Craig Gurr, a recent graduate of GRCC, decided to transfer to Grand Valley State University.

Gurr attended GRCC two years ago after one semester at Western Michigan University.
He said he left WMU because it was too crazy there and GRCC offered a cheap and convenient place to go to school while living at home.

“At Western, I really missed competitive sports, and transferring to GRCC gave me a great opportunity to play tennis like I did in high school,” Gurr said. “GRCC also gave me a scholarship to play, and it’s really cool that I can say I was a college athlete, because not many people get the chance to be.”

Gurr majored in education at GRCC and is now majoring in history education at GVSU. He said he has a passion for teaching and wants to be a high school history teacher.

“I want to influence young minds,” Gurr said. “I want to be able to help kids in and out of the classroom, and teaching is the best way to do so.”

Gurr said his favorite teacher at GRCC, Gary Kemp, was awesome because he had a love for teaching and made the classroom a fun atmosphere.

“I had him for Math 107. I went in hating the subject, and came out with it almost becoming my major,” Gurr said.

When Gurr transferred to GVSU, he didn’t feel like he was behind. He said he felt like he learned more in his GRCC classes than he does in some classes at GVSU. This is because GRCC has a more personal setting and the professors seem to really care about students.
Gurr said he would recommend GRCC to anyone.

“People are lucky to have an opportunity to attend GRCC. If I had to do it over, I would go to GRCC for the whole two years before transferring out,” he said. “GRCC is a very well-respected school and offers an affordable, yet high quality education.”

“I was challenged and learned more at GRCC than I ever did at WMU,” Gurr said. “GRCC offers so many opportunities that students may not find anywhere else.”

Scholarship in memory of his mother
By Andrew Gunnink
Collegiate Staff Writer

A scholarship for students created by an alumnus of GRCC also helps raise funds for research on multiple sclerosis (MS).

This scholarship for high school seniors is called the Mary J. Szczepanski "Never Give Up" scholarship. It provides eight high school seniors with $500 for raising the most funds for Accelerated Cure Project during the 2007-2008 school year.  

"Give from the heart," Rick Szczepanski said. He is the son of Mary J. Szczepanski, who was the founder of the Mary J. Szczepanski scholarship.

Szczepanski, a GRCC alum, back in 1972, works as a professional tutor for the M-TEC Center for working adults to start an education after accomplishing their GED.

Szczepanski is an educator, philanthropist, journalist, public speaker and visionary for a better future for people with MS.  He wanted them to do something good for a still incurable disease and help students get money for education.

Szczepanski said he "worked at a factory for 19 years and knows what it is like to be a working adult trying to get an education and that is why he wanted to continue in the education field."

"It supports a search for a cure, helps in memory of my mother, and helps students with college expenses," Szczepanski said.

MS is a disease that affects the nervous system, damaging the nerve coatings in people. They struggle with walking and have a hard time doing basic mobility functions.

Szczepanski said, "His mom was diagnosed when he was one year old and the disease was still a mystery back then."

He also said, "My wife also has the disease which helped him develop this scholarship even more."  His mom is now deceased but he hopes this scholarship will help many people who have MS, including his wife.

The student must raise at least $500 through volunteer work, which goes towards research for MS.

The student who raises the most in the state of Michigan will receive a medallion created by Szczepinski, a $500 scholarship, and a plaque for earning the most money.

The scholarship was first thought of by Szczepinski in 1997 and took a few years to get it off the ground, he said.

Szczepanski grew up on the west side of Grand Rapids and graduated from West Catholic High School. Because Szczepinski was a former student Catholic Central High School it was only fitting the scholarship was first set in place there. There is hope that other schools show interest, Szczepanski said.

 “As long as there is no cure for MS the scholarship will continue to be in effect,” he said.
Mary J. Szczepanski said, "Follow your dreams."

Many students will have the opportunity to use this scholarship, but select schools will have the biggest opportunity.  These schools are Catholic Central, Kenowa Hills, and Covenant Christian High Schools. It is for one male student and one female student. 

One scholarship will be available to students competing from all other Michigan High Schools.

Local Michigan residents and businesses donate funds for scholarships, and the funds raised by the students benefit Accelerated Cure Project's MS Repository program. 

The Mary J. Szczepanski offers awards to every school, and this scholarship can be used at any college in the nation.

Rick Szczepanski also works at the Kent County jail as a juvenile instructor. He works with 15-17 year olds who need help with life skills like finding jobs, and need help with basic reading, math, and writing skills. 

Registration just recently opened on Nov. 1, 2007 and the deadline is next Apr. 1, 2008. In Apr. of 2008, the winners of the scholarship will be notified. 

“In May 2008, funds will be released to academic institutions of scholarship recipients towards fall 2008 tuition,” the MS scholarship Web site said.

Team on campus offers wellness options
By Rebekah Young
Opinions Editor

GRCC’s Employee Wellness Team benefits staff members and students.

Although the team focuses on assisting employees in areas of health and exercise, Liz Timmer, the Coordinator of the Learning Academy, said they also have an indirect effect on student life.

“Anytime you have employees who are healthy, they’re happier and more productive. The healthier your employees, the better off the organization,” she said.

One initiative that could benefit the student body is the team’s recent endeavor to enforce stricter smoking policies on campus. They have also started looking into the possibility of making the campus non-smoking.

The team will be working with a larger group of GRCC employees to research the issue, check out the policies on other community college campuses, and survey students and staff. Then they will meet and review their findings.

“The official position of the team is that while we support this concept in general, it is a complex issue and needs much work,” Rick Vanderveen, the chairperson of the Wellness Team, said. “It will most likely take some time.”

Another project the team has begun is developing walking routes inside the college buildings. This will require measuring hallways and then posting various routes on the Wellness Team Web site. According to Timmer, the routes will provide a simple exercise activity for students and staff to use during winter weather.

The team’s calendar includes other events aimed at students and faculty, such as Ergonomics Awareness in February, and Alcohol Awareness in April. As with the Alcohol Awareness event, the team sometimes partners with the Student Life Office to reach out to students.

For employees, the team runs a yearlong program called Move It or Lose It, which encourages staff members to track their exercising progress.

“There is a direct and well-documented body of evidence that would suggest that when staff are more healthy, several things happen,” Vanderveen said. "Faculty who are in class more often, better prepared, and are more in tune with what is going on, are better for the student.”

This year, Timmer said the team is focusing on providing educational information for employees. They will offer sessions to employees on certain topics based on needs that have been identified, such as weight and stress management.

These subjects were identified when a group of 50 GRCC employees participated in a pilot program with the Kent County Health Department. The Michigan Surgeon General created the program, called Michigan Steps Up, which includes a health risk appraisal.

After the group took the assessment, the school received an aggregate report back from the state, and the team is using that to develop its program.

Timmer said the school has a strategic plan to “attract and attain quality faculty and staff.” The work of the team centers on this strategic goal, which is why education is a focus area.

Founder of Doctors Without Borders visits GRCC
By Yirssi Bergman
News Editor

Dr. Richard Heinzl visited GRCC as the second lecturer for this year's Diversity Lecture Series.

The name of the lecture was "Lessons from Abroad: The Opportunity of a Borderless World," and it was held  Nov. 14 in Fountain Street Church. Heinzl is the founder of the Canadian branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctor's Without Borders.

Heinzl spoke of his experiences as a member of DWB; experiences of human tragedy and the power that humans have to overcome.

He told the story of a Cambodian man who married young and became blind soon after. He had eight kids, but never got to see a single one. This didn't deter him; he had to work. His job was to deliver water to the homes in his town, so he would take one of his children with him when he went to work, and the child would act as his eyes.

"Don't think that people far away can't do extraordinary things," he said.

Heinzl presented a slideshow of personal pictures from his travels. GRCC student Alyssa Espinoza attended with her father Jose Espinoza, and said she enjoyed the lecture.

"I liked the clips and the slideshow," she said. "It was very informative. It gives you a different perspective on things."

GRCC student Melody Ordway said, "It was interesting, very graphic and realistic. I liked the realism.”

Through it all Heinzl emphasized the fact that as young people students can make a difference.

"Half the world's population is under 25," he said. "Believe in yourself, if you believe in yourself you'll have the courage to take risks."

Chris Arnold, Director of the Bob and Aleicia Woodrick Diversity Learning Center said,  "The stories he shared were really powerful. This was essentially for the youth. Don't be afraid to study abroad and use those opportunities. Know that you can go out there and make a difference."

"It is very inspiring to see somebody who gives so much of himself," she said.

Doctors Without Borders is a private nonprofit organization that helps people in more than 70 countries. When Heinzl was a senior in college he took a trip to Uganda as an elective, and met members of Doctors Without Borders.

This single trip in 1988 to the other side of the world changed his life forever. He became passionate about the idea of founding another branch of DWB. Representatives from headquarters in France opposed the idea, in fear that if there was a North American Medecins Sans Frontieres things would get out of control, but Heinzl persevered and three years later achieved his goal.

In his first trip with DWB he traveled to Camboadia for a year, assisting in the rehabilitation of a provincial hospital. Out of his experiences he wrote about his personal story in the upcoming book "Cambodia Calling,” due out in February.

This is the 13th year GRCC has hosted distinguished lecturers in the Diversity Lecture Series, such as the poet Nikki Giovanni, or the first African American female U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Joycelyn Elders.

The next lecture will be Feb. 6. Professor Robert D. Bullard, Ph.D., will speak on the topic "Environmental Justice/Environmental Racism."

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