Spotlights
Marc Plooster
A double major in Political Science and Public and Nonprofit Administration and a minor in Philosophy only whetted Marc Plooster’s appetite for education. After completing his B.S. in 2014, he immediately started in GVSU’s Master of Public Administration program while also working for the City of Grand Rapids, where he had been a John H. Logie Fellow as an undergraduate. The experience of implementing the city’s new Financial Management Software helped steer Marc into the M.S. in Accounting program, from which he graduated in 2017.
Marc worked for nearly three years at the Ottawa County Fiscal Services department, where he was the main Fiscal Services point of contact for multiple departments and worked closely on cost allocations for the county. Additionally, he oversaw accounts receivable and the financial reporting of cash and capital assets. Marc is currently the Accounting Supervisor for the Holland Public Schools.
When asked about his time at Grand Valley, Marc said, “I learned countless valuable lessons while an undergraduate, chief among them the development of critical thinking skills. Nearly every class at Grand Valley, and especially every Political Science class, challenged me to think about issues in new ways and to reflect on my preconceived notions, a skill that is easily transferable to the real world. GVSU does a great job at encouraging service learning and volunteering, and I continue to volunteer for and sit on committees for local nonprofits because the work gives extra meaning to my life. I would encourage current students not to be afraid to make connections with faculty and adjunct professors. Not only is it great practice for building professional relationships, you never know when or how those connections may lead to research
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