Grand Rapids Community College has provided an affordable opportunity to many students looking to continue their education. With the help of state-funded programs such as the Community College Guarantee, Reconnect and scholarships such as the Promise Zone, some students have even been able to attend the college for free.
For students such as freshman Dylan Serie, a 19-year-old biochemistry major, GRCC has provided them an opportunity to continue their education.
“I didn’t do that well in high school, so it’s like redemption for me,” Serie said.
Serie enjoys the reading and learning that comes with their coursework and is hoping to pursue a career in ethical pharmaceuticals. They were initially drawn to the college because it was “a lot cheaper” than the four-year alternative.
Cost is a pull factor for many other students, including Natalie Delmotte, who wanted the college experience without the college debt that may follow. The 19-year-old realized that by living nearby in Allendale, home of Grand Valley State University, she could get the best of both worlds.
“I wanted the freedom of living on my own but didn’t want to pay that much for GVSU when I could be getting a free education 20 minutes away,” Delmotte said. She said that the opportunity for free community college really swayed her decision and that it has been good for her both financially and socially.
Hudsonville native 18-year-old Bryan Dulla was also influenced by free tuition, and said he attends GRCC “because it’s a free college.”
Students who graduated high school in 2023 and 2024 have the chance to get all tuition costs covered due to the Community College Guarantee. For those 21-years-old and older, free community college is offered through the MI Reconnect program.
Third year college student Sky Carpenter, 27, of Sturgis got her tuition covered by the Reconnect program and is following her dream to be an interior designer.
Cost and location influenced Carpenter’s decision to come to GRCC and she enjoys the city, saying, “even though we’re a community college it still has that big university feel.”
Students still in high school have the opportunity to get college education for free as well.
Dual enrollment student Sophia Geerling, 17, is “trying to experience college life and see the difference between that and high school” while she gets her tuition completely covered by her high school.
Other students, such as Giana DesJardins, 19, were eager to continue their education after high school, and DesJardins found herself at GRCC to feed her love of learning.
“I’m not one to sit still and I love to learn… I didn’t really see another option that would allow me to get an education that was as cheap and of good quality,” she said.
Through her time spent applying for grants and scholarships, DesJardins is able to attend the institution without racking up any debt. She was originally drawn to the school for its film study opportunities but now finds herself in GRCC’s Pre-English Literature Pathway Program. She explained that this way, she can still explore the art of filmmaking while leaving room for a more expansive range of other opportunities.
Evan Klein, 20, of Lowell, wanted to become a mechanical engineer or design a Corvette. After having some work experience as a residential tiler, he ultimately decided to explore the construction management opportunities at GRCC.
“I feel like in high school, they were always like, ‘Oh, you know, college is going (to) put you through the wringer,’” Klein said. “It was not that bad. As long as you are keeping up on your stuff, it’s pretty normal.”
For David Hodge, 19, of Wyoming, coming to GRCC was the next step after high school.
“It was a good, cheap price,” Hodge said.
Alaina Belleville, 18, of Oxford, is in her first year of college, and is undecided in her major and utilizing GRCC as a tool to explore what she would like to pursue. Belleville said the college was “the cheapest option for the first two years.”
Grand Rapids resident and Promise Zone Scholarship recipient 18-year-old Alexsandra Aguilar came to GRCC right after high school.
“My hopes are that GRCC helps me transition from college to a university to pursue my career and make some connections at GRCC,” she said.
Some students are returning to college after taking gap years. James Owen, 28-year-old resident and native of Wyoming, originally didn’t want to further his education after high school graduation. Instead, he wanted to make money so that he could buy a car and start some savings.
As the years passed, he said he realized that he had wasted much of his time seeking something with less return value, and instead decided to invest in the long-term opportunity of education. Now he is a full-time student seeking a degree in pre-criminal justice.
“I want to be a lawyer because I like justice,” he explained.
GRCC is also home to transfer students like Caden McCloskey, who enrolled at GRCC after attending Michigan Technological University. The 22-year-old Grand Rapids native made the decision to transfer to be closer to home and have a better work-life balance, as he wants to take a few classes and continue to work.
“I hope I’m passing all my classes,” he said.
Like McCloskey, Jessie Smith also wanted to be close to home. The 18-year-old is from Grand Rapids, and wanted to continue to spend time with her family.
“I love staying close to my family. It brings me joy and motivation to keep continuing my studies here,” Smith said.
Collegiate reporters Nic Longstreet, Grace Howard, Avery Lokers, Sydney Race, Thomas Irumva, Justin Stulpe, Micah Colby, Rosalia Jimenez, Bianca Bower, Brendan Duneghy, Sha’vontae Major, Rebeca Lopez-Vizcarra and contributed to this story.
