On Thursday, April 23, Grand Rapids Community College students and staff gathered for the first Rise Up & Achieve “Golden Royal End of Year Celebration” hosted in the Applied Technology Center’s Secchia Piazza.
The celebration, hosted by the Bob and Aleicia Woodrick Center for Inclusion & Multicultural Affairs, served as a recognition of the hard work that the 2025-2026 cohort completed. The Rise Up & Achieve program was designed to support historically underrepresented populations through community development and student leadership.
Jamillya Hardley, Director of the Woodrick Center, opened the ceremony by reflecting on the program’s growth.
“Our goal is simple,” Hardley said. “Every student who walks through our doors should feel seen, supported, and empowered to move forward. We are here to walk alongside you… as you continue toward your graduation and beyond.”
GRCC President Kathryn Rogalski also addressed the attendees.
“What you have done is hard,” Rogalski told the students. “Real life did not stop while you were in school, and you kept going anyway… You are proof of what is possible, and I hope that you leave here tonight knowing that this college will always be a part of your story.”
Dean of Students D’wayne Jenkins served as the keynote speaker for the event, highlighting the power of perspective. Jenkins urged students to look past statistics and preconceived assumptions that aim to define them.
“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you don’t belong in a space that you’ve earned,” Jenkins said. “I’ve learned more in (my) losses… those losses taught me more about my strength and my resiliency than a thousand easy victories could ever tell.”
Alyssa Gamez, associate director of the Woodrick Center, presented data highlighting the program’s success. Rise Up & Achieve exceeded its enrollment goals with 331 students, and an 80% retention rate which is double their initial goals. Gamez also noted that the program provided over $21,000 in financial assistance to students throughout the year with 12 students achieving perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
In addition to the dozens of students who earned certificates of completion and graduation stoles, the ceremony featured recognition for several standout leaders. Read more about Rise Up & Achieve’s award winners below:
Rise Up Engagement Award
- Brenda Alvarado-Segura
- Stephanie Brooks
Community Builder Award
- Nekia Evans
- Alexsandra Aguilar-Delgado
Soaring Higher Award
- Jakhari Carroll
- Lizbeth Olmos-Navarro
Mentor Impact Award
- Binti Abdi’Qadir
Once the awards were presented, student Alexsandra Aguilar-Delgado spoke on her achievement and the impact that Rise Up & Achieve has had on her academic career at GRCC.
“This award ceremony means that I have a whole community there for me… to help me succeed or just support me in any way that they can,” Aguilar-Delgado shared. “I really do believe a lot in building networks or just building as many connections as you can, and this helps me be able to connect with everyone at GRCC.”
