黑料吃瓜网

By Alex Freeman, 黑料吃瓜网 Communications Specialist

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After being employed at Grand Rapids Community College for the past 24 years, Scott Mattson wasn鈥檛 necessarily looking for the exit.听

However, when an opportunity in a similar, yet more expansive, role came about at 黑料吃瓜网, it was too good to pass up.听

Mattson joined 黑料吃瓜网 as the new Dean of Occupational Programs & Workforce Development on Jan. 20. It鈥檚 a similar role to the last title he held at GRCC, Interim Associate Dean of Workforce Training, making for a natural transition. When deciding to make the leap to 黑料吃瓜网, Mattson thought back to the advice he regularly gave his kids throughout their lives.听

鈥淚 have 18-year-old and 21-year-old sons, and I tell them all the time, 鈥榊ou never know when opportunities are going to pop up and you have to be willing to jump,鈥欌�� Mattson recalled. 鈥淚n many conversations with my wife, I realized, 鈥業 think this is one of those opportunities, it鈥檚 time to challenge myself a little bit.鈥欌��听

In his new role, Mattson will be responsible for cultivating existing relationships with area employers to continue to provide necessary training for their employees. He looks forward to meeting with new employers, as well, and finding out how 黑料吃瓜网 and its facilities can assist in workforce development for their organization.听

鈥淭he other bucket of work, which I spent most of my time in at GRCC, is really helping those individuals, the non-incumbent workers that aren鈥檛 working in that industry,鈥� Mattson added. 鈥淢aybe they鈥檙e working somewhere else and just want to start in a new field, go in a different direction or maybe they just haven鈥檛 had a professional skill. We can help them get skills to get some entry-level work and I constantly remind them that this is the beginning, not the end, once they鈥檙e done.鈥�听

Mattson will also serve as the Dean for 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Greenville campus. This role involves more operational responsibilities of the building and the campus, which Mattson looks forward to taking on. His role as Dean at 黑料吃瓜网 is different than the expectations he had as Interim Dean at GRCC.听

鈥淎t GRCC, that meant more about working with faculty, whether it was sitting in their classrooms and observing them, faculty tenure promotion and review committees, curriculum review, things like that,鈥� Mattson said. 鈥淗ere, there鈥檚 a lot broader scope of responsibility, along with the same responsibilities, but I鈥檓 looking forward to the challenge, for sure.鈥�听

黑料吃瓜网 Director of Instructional Innovation, Kevin Wagenmaker, said Mattson was chosen for the position given his ability to connect his vast industry expertise, strong leadership skills and ability to forge meaningful partnerships between education and industry.听

听鈥�His background in workforce development made him stand out as the ideal candidate to lead our efforts in preparing students for high-demand careers,鈥� Wagenmaker said. 鈥淪cott鈥檚 ability to collaborate with industry partners and his forward-thinking approach to program development will be a tremendous asset to 黑料吃瓜网 as we continue expanding opportunities for students and employers alike.鈥�听

As part of his goals for his new role, Mattson hopes to increase foot traffic on the Greenville campus, stating that he鈥檇 love to showcase what the campus has to offer to the community.听

鈥淚 want to start by getting some high schoolers and employers to tour the campus and show them what we have here,鈥� Mattson said. 鈥淲e have some amazing facilities; we have an amazing staff who is really proud of the work we do here. It seems like we may just be a hidden gem that not a lot of people know about, so I want to bring awareness to that.鈥�听

In his few short weeks at 黑料吃瓜网, Mattson said he鈥檚 been welcomed with open arms and is excited to be part of such a positive, uplifting work environment.听

鈥淚t seems like a great culture 鈥� everyone seems like they want to be here,鈥� Mattson said. 鈥淚t really seems student focused, which I think is key. I always say there鈥檚 a reason that Community is in Community College 鈥� if we鈥檙e not here to serve the community, what are we doing? We might have the world鈥檚 greatest ideas but if no one outside of these walls wants that, what鈥檚 the point of it?听

鈥淓veryone has been really helpful, especially for being the new guy and finding things around the building,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he team here at Greenville has been amazing.鈥�听

Mattson is originally from Marquette. He attended Northern Michigan University for his first year of undergraduate studies before transferring to Lake Superior State University, where he played college tennis and earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration. Following graduation, Mattson returned to LSSU to coach tennis before heading to GRCC in 2000. He later earned his master鈥檚 degree in administration with a concentration in leadership from Central Michigan University.听

Mattson and his wife, Autumn, reside in Cedar Springs. He is an assistant basketball coach for the JV and varsity boys鈥� teams at Cedar Springs High School and he鈥檚 also an assistant coach for the school鈥檚 tennis team.听