To welcome new and returning students, Grand Rapids Community College held Block Party, a tabling event highlighting what GRCC has to offer in terms of resources, clubs, and organizations in the Ford Fieldhouse Gym. The Collegiate participated in the event.
The Aug. 22 event offered tables for most everything on campus, including academic departments, GRCC Police, The Center for Counseling and Wellbeing, Student Government, Campus Activities Board (CAB) and many more. Each table had some form of complimentary items for students to take, ranging from pens and stickers to T-shirts and bags.
Students who interacted with the tables had the opportunity to better understand the group behind it, asking questions and interacting with current members and staff.
Some tables were promoting new aspects to campus, such as FLORISH, a peer learning system to better help faculty and students learn how to teach students in coalition with mental health.
Breakfast baked goods were served early in the event, and later, walking tacos were served for lunch.
Additionally, the school also offered complimentary tours of GRCC to new students every 15 minutes and had vouchers that could be grabbed at the Campus Board of Activities table for a free cone of shaved ice from a shaved ice truck parked outside the fieldhouse.
Evan Trudeau, 18, attended the event as an incoming freshman at GRCC looking to study physical fitness and play on GRCC’s basketball team, while hoping to be a professional athletic trainer.
“I just got here, but so far it’s is pretty cool,” Trudeau said about the welcome event. “it’s a good environment.”
Trudeau expressed his excitement for the basketball season to begin, stating that it was the biggest thing he was looking forward to for the fall semester.
Hannah Brown, 21, is another first-time student at GRCC who came mostly for the ability to remain at home with her family while furthering her studies in dental hygiene, with GRCC offering her the resources and accessibility to do so.
“I think they’re doing amazing,” she said about her interactions with GRCC staff. “They’re always sending out emails, asking if anyone needs help and reminding you about the bookstore and other resources here. I think they’ve done a pretty good job,” Brown said.
Events like this are not the only way that students can be involved with resources on campus, however. Info about nearly every aspect of GRCC can be found on the GRCC website.
