Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is the county seat of Kent County and is the second largest city in Michigan. It is located on the Grand River about thirty miles from Lake Michigan. It has a continental climate with hot summers and snowy winters. Grand Rapids was historically a major furniture manufacturing town, but it now has a much more diverse economic base. Grand Rapids has an active arts community and many museums and cultural facilities. Every year since 1970, downtown Grand Rapids has hosted the Festival of the Arts, and every year on the weekend after Labor Day the city hosts a Celebration on the Grand, with free outdoor concerts and other activities.

Educational and Career Opportunities in Grand Rapids

Colleges in Grand Rapids prepare students for careers in many fields in a diversified economy. Graduates of Grand Rapids colleges can seek employment in industries including furniture manufacture, aerospace products, shoe manufacturing, international shipping, healthcare, retail marketing and many others. Grand Rapids is still a major furniture manufacturing center, with companies like Steelcase and American Seating making it one of the world leaders in manufacture of office furniture. The city’s location on the Grand River and its proximity to Lake Michigan give its manufacturing businesses easy access to international shipping. In addition to furniture manufacturing, Grand Rapids has a widely diversified economy in many other industries. GE Aviation manufactures aerospace products there and several retail chains have their headquarters in the city. Grand Rapids is the home of Wolverine, the world famous maker of work boots, shoes and other clothing, and of Amway, the worldwide distributor of consumer products. The area surrounding Grand Rapids is also known for its fruit production. Colleges in Grand Rapids supply the educated work force necessary to keep the economy of Grand Rapids innovative and growing. Students who choose Grand Rapids colleges will get a fine education preparing them to enter the work force in many different industries.