March 26, 2024 (Volume 47, Number 15)
Article by
Michele Coffill
Pictured in the Mary Idema Pew Library are Facilties Services staff and YAS crew members and their instructors. Back row, from left, are Jake Marg, Ed Wierzbicki, Rebecca Ramos and Kelly O'Mara; middle row, from left, are Tracy Pearson and Janet Cross; and front row, from left, are Christopher Wilson, Katelyn Tobin and Ashley Mennes. YAS crew member John Jorgenson is not pictured.
Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
Four people who participate in the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District's Young Adult Services program are learning entry-level custodial skills thanks to a pilot program at Grand Valley.
Ed Wierzbicki, director of Facilities, Custodial and Operations, said the program started in January. Four people from the YAS program travel to campus twice weekly to help clean the Mary Idema Pew Library. YAS serves students ages 18-26 who are eligible for special education.
Facilities Services managers Jake Marg and Rebecca Ramos developed the framework for the YAS crew during their four-hour shifts and oversee the program. Crew responsibilities include cleaning the whiteboards, emptying trash cans and cleaning windows.
Sarah Sutherland, Tracy Pearson and Janet Cross, YAS instructors, said community work-based programs such as this one help YAS students learn to gain experience, work independently and practice their soft skills. The students and instructors then work collaboratively with Michigan Rehabilitation Services to match participants with jobs.
Wierzbicki said the program has gone well and may expand to other campus buildings in the future.
This article was last edited on March 21, 2024 at 11:8 a.m.
Aviation students can complete the Bachelor of Applied Science degree program in Traverse City, or online, and have tangible professional benefits within the industry.
Featured
June 16, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 18)
Article by
Kate VanDerKolk
A Detroit News article centered on university governance and a Brookings article called the Thompson Scholars program a model solution for increasing access for students from middle-income families.
June 16, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 18)
Now working in the Division of Enrollment Development and College Futures, Ngassa discusses how his background serves as a bridge between enrollment and academic affairs.
June 16, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 18)
