Read this story in Spanish in El Vocero.
More older students are starting — or restarting — their education at Grand Rapids Community College, with enrollment for ages 30 and older 14% above pre-pandemic levels, as adult learners take advantage of state tuition-free programs.
Enrollment for all students this semester is 1.1% above the Winter 2021 semester, with 11,442 people enrolled in credit-seeking programs at GRCC.
The growth is strongest among students ages 30 and older, up 22% from the Winter 2021 semester and 14% above the pre-pandemic Winter 2019 semester.
People enrolled in the state’s Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners programs account for nearly a quarter of the students enrolled at GRCC this semester.
Program made a difference
One of those students is Jodi Holland, who used the Michigan Reconnect program to attend GRCC with the goal of becoming a professional baker. The state scholarship program provides free in-district tuition for those ages 25 and older who don’t already have a college degree.
“Michigan Reconnect has definitely made a difference for me,” she says. “It’s given me confidence to keep going, and anything I can do to help people learn about it, I’m happy to do.”
Holland’s story was shared by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in her Jan. 26 State of the State Address.
“We eliminated the cost barrier for 170,000 Michiganders, who are getting skills and better-paying jobs through Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners. These programs boost our economy and empower our people,” Whitmer says in the address.
“People like Caroline, a former in-home care provider, and mom of two who got straight As her first semester at Mott Community College. And Jodi, a Reconnect recipient — the first of eight siblings to go to college — she’s on the dean’s list at Grand Rapids Community College. These programs have given them opportunities and opened new doors for their families. I want them to know we’re all rooting for them.”
During the Winter 2022 semester, 1,075 students at GRCC are enrolled through Michigan Reconnect, and 1,457 are attending through Future for Frontliners, which covers tuition for people who served in essential roles during the state’s COVID-19 shutdown.
‘A golden opportunity’
Holland, 59, says it never occurred to go to college when she was younger. Her parents didn’t discourage her, but it was not an expectation.
She enrolled at GRCC last summer and is working toward an associate degree in culinary arts with a baking and pastry arts certificate.
“Then earlier this year, a friend posted something on Facebook about the Michigan Reconnect program and I knew this was a golden opportunity for me to do something I should have done a long time ago: get a college degree,” she says.
“I’m so lucky not to be racking up a bunch of student loans at my age. I’ve paid for a few books, but that’s it. Reconnect has taken care of everything else,” says Holland, who’s worked her entire adult life, often earning just enough money to get by and raise her three children.
Hoping to inspire
But she’s not pursuing a college degree just for herself. She also hopes to inspire her 15-year-old grandson, Gavin Lietz.
“I think it’s one thing to talk to somebody and say, ‘You should do this.’ But if I can say, ‘I’ve done it. Let me walk along beside you and help you,’ that’s a lot different,” she says.
Holland says she’s grateful for the support in navigating the world of college, which can be very intimidating. Her husband, Fred, cheers her on, her oldest daughter taught her how to use Microsoft Word and her grandson taught her PowerPoint.
Because she had never been to GRCC’s campus, a young friend who’s a student showed her around, where to park, and how to find the culinary building.
“I feel like a pro now,” she says. “lt has definitely been a group effort all along.”
‘The most wonderful job’
Last spring, Holland started getting her feet wet in the culinary arts by working full time with her husband at an adult living facility in Spring Lake. She does all the baking and her husband, a retired chef, does all the cooking.
“We do everything from scratch, and I just love it. It’s the most wonderful job I’ve ever had,” says Holland, who also sells real estate.
Once she graduates, the Hollands dream of opening their own restaurant. And she’s thrilled Whitmer shared her story.
The governor says the programs are part of her “60 by 30” goal of having 60% of Michiganders obtaining a degree or career-focused credential by 2030.
Learn more about Reconnect at
grcc.edu/Reconnect, by emailing reconnect@grcc.edu, or by calling 616-234-3366.