Parker Grzybowski

Student

Bay College sophomore and business major Parker Grzybowski eventually hopes to use his education to help keep his family’s business going.

Parker graduated from Gladstone Area High School in May 2019. However, his hometown is the village of Edgar, WI – he moved to the Upper Peninsula during his freshman year of high school.

“My parents opened the Gladstone Berry Farm here,” he said.

In addition to its namesake berries, the farm sells vegetables, jams, jellies, maple syrup, and other products.

Parker started taking college classes at Bay during the fall 2019 semester. He decided to study at Bay for a number of reasons, many of which were related to the location of its Escanaba campus.

“It was close to home, it was affordable, and it allowed me to still work on the farm,” he said.

So far, things have been going well for Parker at Bay College. He said he is on track to graduate from the school at the end of the winter 2021 semester.

“I’m on track to get my degree like I scheduled,” Parker said.

Like his decision to attend Bay in the first place, Parker’s choice of major is closely tied to the Gladstone Berry Farm.

“I want to take over the family farm, and then I also want to start my own companies and businesses,” he said.

He has been interested in this career path since high school.

“I started wanting to do it the summer of my junior year,” Parker said.

Parker said that taking classes at a small community college like Bay has proven to be a good fit for him.

“I like the small class environment, and then I also like how the teachers know you by name,” he said.

Other aspects of Bay that Parker has appreciated include its HUB space and the “atmosphere of success” the college focuses on cultivating.

“Having advisors is a big part – someone to talk to help schedule your classes if you don’t know what classes you want to take,” he said.

After earning his associate degree in business from Bay, Parker plans to transfer to Lake Superior State University to get his bachelor’s degree in business management. He will be able to do this by staying in the area, as he is looking to attend LSSU classes through Bay’s LSSU Regional Center. Parker hopes to start a business locally in the future, as well.