Glen Oaks Community College

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Alumni Testimonials

Alyse Bannister

Alyse Bannister

“Education is life changing!”

Alyse Bannister benefited from a Glen Oaks Community College education as a student, now makes a difference in other students’ lives as a welding instructor.

While earning her bachelor’s degree at Western Michigan University, she took a Glen Oaks math class taught by Jerry Barkley.

Math had not been Bannister’s strong suit in high school—in fact, she hated it— but under Barkley’s tutelage, she began to enjoy the subject that is so essential in welding.

“He explained it to me where I could explain it to my students,” she said.

Through the class, they also developed a friendship, and recently, everything has come full-circle with Barkley learning to weld in Bannister’s class.

Glen Oaks tutor Allison Ring also really helped Bannister gain an understanding of math.

Bannister’s path to welding started with taking an automotive class at Kalamazoo Valley Community College—an effort to ensure that unscrupulous car repair technicians did not take advantage of her.

While there, she enrolled in a welding class, and the teacher told her she had natural talent.

“I was the first girl to graduate from KVCC with a welding certificate,” she said.

She worked for many years at Benteler Automotive, moving up the ranks, and when she left there after nearly two decades, intended to take a break.

But then, previous Glen Oaks welding instructor Jim Romain, also its longtime machining teacher, apprised her of the job opportunity at the college.

She checked it out and “fell in love with the students,” she said.

That was seven years ago.

“We have so much fun,” she said of her class. “The environment is positive. Different schools, even through they play football against each other, come together.”

Some of her students have overcome significant physical challenges, yet still work hard to learn to weld.

One of her students received a “Breaking Traditions” Award presented by the Michigan Department of Education to students who overcame obstacles and stereotypes to succeed in career and technical education (CTE) programs.

Bannister herself obtained her machining certificate while working at Glen Oaks through its open entry, open exit program—a feat she accomplished while also a single mother and a full-time teacher through the college and the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District.