GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grand Rapids Community College President Steven Ender, who will retire at the end of April, was awarded president emeritus status by the Board of Trustees in a unanimous vote on Monday, April 17.

Ender, who has guided the college with his vision and leadership since May 2009, has had a more than 40-year career working in higher education. He will be formally recognized during the April 28 graduation ceremony.

President Emeritus status is reserved to honor, in retirement, a college president who has provided outstanding and distinguished service and has served a significant portion of his or her career in higher education. The designation identifies the president as a continuing member of the college community.

"His time with us will be remembered as a time of skillful fiscal management, $60 million-plus of brick and mortal renovations and construction, and annual student scholarships crossing over the $1 million mark for the first time,'' Board Chair David Koetje told the audience at the board meeting.

"Steve, your mark on higher education has been significant. That mark has placed you in an elite group of respected leaders throughout higher education. The president emeritus award is the most prestigious award for any college president to receive.''

Koetje also outlined Ender's track-record of success at previous institutions. He said his journey started the University of Georgia where Ender implemented the university's first Developmental Studies Center.

Kansas State University, Indiana University and Westmoreland Community College all have programs today Ender had a hand in starting, Koetje said.

"I am quite grateful and thankful and humble, so thank you very much," Ender told the board.

While certainly humbled, he said it was difficult to describe all his emotions around the honor. He said you don't work on behalf of students for awards.

Over the years, board member Bert Bleke, said he has seen Ender do a lot of courageous things to improve the quality of GRCC by a tremendous amount.

"Here we are now in the spring 2017 with an institution that is poised to literally do exceptionally well in a very, very uncertain future. I would say the vast majority of community colleges are not in that position because they have not had the type of leadership we've been blessed with."

Bristol, a retired GRCC music instructor, said she has been able to see the effort Ender has put into making the college a phenomenal institution as an employee and trustee.

Ender, who announced his plans to retire in March 2016, was originally to step down June 30. However, it was moved up to after graduation once the college named his replacement in November.

Bill Pink, the college's vice president and dean of workforce development, will become its tenth president May 1.