GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN
Grand Valley State University hosted its 12th annual Veteran’s Day Breakfast on Nov. 11 to highlight service veterans in the GVSU community and honor the sacrifices made by them and those close to them.
The event featured speakers including retired U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Sandra Stosz and GVSU’s Military and Veterans Resource Manager Jill HintonWolfe as well as a virtual address from veteran and U.S. Senator Gary Peters.
In her address to the room of administration officials, veterans and family members, Stosz sought to draw on her experiences in the military to encourage those in attendance to work to bridge ideological divides and come together as one American people.
GVSU President Philomena Mantella also spoke to the audience, expressing her gratitude to the university’s veterans for their service and officials’ collective commitment to providing a campus environment suitable for the unique needs of the nation’s veterans.
Nine months after the Russian Federation began its invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have withdrawn from a strategic city in the southeastern region of the country.
Kherson, liberated by Ukrainian forces last week, serves as a critical port city connected to the Black Sea and is a vital link between Western Ukraine and the area directly north of the Crimean Peninsula seized by Russia in 2014. The city had been subjugated to Russian occupation since the initial days of the invasion.
The city now faces a monumental task in attempting to rebuild and reconnect its residents to vital services including water and electricity.
With the liberation of Kherson, Ukraine will be in a more well-suited position to begin its foray into the country’s eastern reaches as it seeks to liberate the remainder of Russian-occupied areas.
Grand Valley State University has announced the introduction of a new online tool that would seek to aid campus community members in calculating how much it would cost to attend the university.
This new tool, dubbed the Cost Calculator, can be used to determine the fiscal impact of attendance by allowing students to enter in identifying questions into the online system.
According to GVNext, Vice President for Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach B. Donta Truss aimed to have the Cost Calculator show the university’s sincerity toward the matter of fiscal transparency.
Students’ answers to such questions will allow the system to take into account various factors surrounding each student’s financial, familial and academic situation to answer for the student how much they will pay for attendance.
In its Nov. 4 meeting, the Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to re-appoint university President Philomena Mantella to a second five-year term.
Mantella began her work as university president in 2019, following the retirement of former President Thomas J. Haas.
Mantella told the Lanthorn she is excited for where the future of the university is headed and feels a second term is necessary to continue with the plans she has.
“I love the Grand Valley community, I love the work we’ve laid out for ourselves and work that is as bold as our plan is will take longer than a five-year period impacted by a global pandemic,” Mantella said. “Now we have a whole community that’s activated around our three commitments, and we can pull the threads that are most impactful on behalf of our students in our community.”
While navigating through intermittent disruptions that came with an unprecedented health epidemic, President Mantella’s administration developed the Reach Higher 2025 initiative to tackle three learning principles that they believe will make GVSU a better institution for all.
The Reach Higher 2025 plan stands on three pillars: empowering learning,
lifetime learning and a culture of education equity within the university.
Empowering learning is focused around shifting traditional coursework to an active, hands-on learning model. This allows students to not only learn their area of study but also practice and explore it.
By enhancing the opportunities for experience across the university, students can walk away from their college experience feeling more prepared and more experienced within their field, also making them more ideal candidates entering the workforce.
Lifetime learning is an initiative to make GVSU accessible for non-traditional students.
President Mantella said it’s possible for adult learners involved in the fulltime workforce to get left behind or swept away in a traditional coursework setting.
She said lifetime learning is meant to make academic programs more accessible in ways that non-traditional students can interact with, whether there’s more coursework offered in digital settings with lower in-classroom residency, or classes are offered in time slots around the average workday.
The education equity component in the Reach Higher initiative pushes past adjustments to the academic curriculum and, rather, hones in on adjusting academic culture within the university as a whole.
GVSU stands in the top 5 largest universities in Michigan this year, with total enrollment at 22,406 students. GVNext reports a 3% increase in first-year students.
Mantella said she’s excited about the diversity of the entering class. In doing so, she said the need to continue focusing on building a sense of belonging for all diverse communities and making sure the administration is being an active listener.
“Grand Valley has always been a very student-centered institution, but lifting student voices is really, it’s what wakes me up every day,” Mantella said. “You know, it’s sort of exciting because students have such a perspective on education, not as we experienced it, but as they experienced it today.”
The Reach Higher plan is driven to create a pathway for student success upon entry to the university and throughout a student’s education while elevating diverse voices in every space.
The conversation of Mantella’s re-appointment had been discussed amongst the Board prior to the decision. A no-surprises dynamic between the Board and President Mantella meant that the unanimous vote did not come as a shock.
Vice Chair Beth Emmitt explained the board is pleased to extend Man-
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After the 2020 presidential election the ballot counting process became a point of controversy.
The spread of misinformation regarding absentee voting and poll workers fueled conspiracy theorists who continue to question the legitimacy of the voting process. This has continued into skepticism about poll workers and the recent midterm election – the results of which are still being counted and determined.
Working as an election intern for the Ottawa County Clerk’s Office, Grand Valley State University student Quentin Proctor said that questions of integrity behind the election were likely due to a variety of factors.
“If you don’t understand how the process would work, it would seem like, ‘Oh what’s going on here?’ But there is a reason behind everything we do,” Proctor said. “I think that more questions about election integrity started showing up in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic and all the mail-in votes, which have been happening for a long time across the country, but never in the volume that happened in the 2020 elections. I think there was just a misunderstanding because people haven’t seen the process firsthand.”
In his role, Proctor assists local precincts, mails out voter registration and answers questions about the election. He said the election
process is extremely transparent and secure to prevent voter fraud.
“To anyone that believes that there is election fraud, work my job and you would know that there isn’t,” Proctor said. “It would be super hard to rig an election because, one, so many people in this country would have to keep their mouths shut about it and, two, everything is triple checked.”
Proctor said the tedious process includes sealing everything with specific numbers and signatures from multiple different people. When the polls close, the election results are brought to the County Clerk’s Office, where they can report the results. If any seals were broken, election officials would then be able to identify any potential tampering. Following extensive examination, the Board of Canvassers comes in
and looks over the results.
While the voting process has many steps, poll workers help people make their votes count.
“We could not hold an election without poll workers,” Proctor said. “They need to check people in, make sure the voter is registered and at the correct voting location, help out with questions and can call the county, where we can help to provide the answers.”
The local clerks hire poll workers, and some poll workers are recruited. Once they’re hired, they must sit through multiple trainings that the county holds with the elections coordinator, as well as the county clerk.
College students across the country are counting down the days until Thanksgiving break.
Days off of school, getting together with friends and family,
eating delicious food - it’s a great time to take a mental health break from school and other activities. Professors, sadly, don’t tend to lay off the homework. These are some tips on how you can prepare to ensure a stressfree Thanksgiving break.
My first tip is to get organized. Write out all of your due dates, tests, projects, papers, assignments, etc. You can use an online planner tool like Notion to outline what is due, or you can use a physical planner/calendar.
BlackBoard has a new calendar tool, which allows you to see what is due day-by-day with all of your courses included. This is super helpful to keep track of
By Donovan LopezFollowing the results of the 2022 midterm elections, many found themselves both surprised and elated that candidates who had previously questioned or denied the results of the 2020 elections across the nation and in Michigan conceded after the results revealed their defeat.
in large numbers, elsewhere as well. Protest, Protest, Protest.”
BY SAM NOWOTNIK JUNIOR BUSINESS MANAGMENT EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COMEvery semester I dread having to look at what textbooks or access codes I need and their costs.
I feel like it's a never-ending cycle, and I'm always getting ripped off. I've had multiple classes where I have never used the books, and I've had times where the book wasn’t even necessary for the course. I'm positive the
majority of students feel the same way when it comes to this topic.
Students already have so many expenses, and textbooks are an extra, upfront cost that can present a significant financial burden.
The textbooks are available to students at a premium price with limited options to get them elsewhere. If students choose to return books to the GVSU store at the end of the year, in my experience, they're not accepted or the reward is only a couple of dollars. This is very frustrating when you have invested a lot of money - sometimes hundreds of dollars - in them.
Also, for some classes, an access code and a textbook are required. This is more convenient for some, but the access code gives no option to students to get any benefit after your class is done.
In addition, the majority of ac-
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what is due and when.
I find it easiest to color code things that are due by class. I make a key of all of the different colors and classes in my planner so that, if I ever forget what color means which class, I can see it all in front of me. This also helps your planner look less overwhelming, and you can easily group all of your coursework together.
My second tip is to work ahead of time.
You don’t want to be scrambling right before you go home for break to complete assignments.
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cess codes given to students are only for their homework assignments. I think there needs to be some sort of solution or different option when it comes to online access codes because students are already paying for the class, then have to pay to get the book and pay to do their homework.
It seems unfair that without these additional payments and websites a student can’t succeed or even participate in a course. There are never set rules or requirements either. Some professors don't require books while others stick to books found on campus and, in some instances, professors choose their own books they want to include in the course that aren’t even available on campus.
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Such concessions and peaceful transfers of power were commonplace in years past, but it seems to no longer be guaranteed as candidates such as former President Donald Trump, who made consistent and baseless assertions that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, are still inciting conspiracies surrounding the outcomes of the midterms.
“The Absentee Ballot situation in Detroit is REALLY BAD… People are showing up to Vote only to be told 'Sorry, you have already voted,’” Trump posted on his social platform, Truth Social. “This is happening
Further accusations went as far as to claim that ballots were altered due to voting machines being connected to certain WiFi networks, a Wisconsin poll worker illegally filling out ballots and claims of strategically designed wait times that obstructed predominantly right-leaning voters from casting their ballots in Arizona.
However, a widespread return this election cycle to both candidates conceding races and voters rejecting election-denying candidates could demonstrate a better future for the political climate in the U.S.
In one example, Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon initially refused to comment during her campaign about her belief in the validity of the 2020 Presidential election results.
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Amoxicillin, one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in the country, is in short supply. More specifically, suspension and chewable forms of the medication generally used for children are becoming increasingly hard to come by just in time for cold and flu season. As a result, many patients are leaving the pharmacy with variants of their prescribed strengths to accommodate for the empty shelves. This shortage is coupled with the current surge in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), as reported by pediatric healthcare practitioners. The Mayo Clinic suggests that RSV is not as great of a concern for adolescents and adults as it is for children under five. Symptoms appear similar to most respiratory colds and, in most individuals, resolve themselves without any healthcare-based mediation.
Provisional research suggests that as many as one-in-56 healthy infants will be hospitalized due to severe RSV symptoms within the first year of life. However, virtually all children will
contract a case of RSV by the time they reach their second birthday.
Both the shortage and the surge are enough to ring warning bells among healthcare professionals and parents alike. It should be noted that RSV is a virus, so, similar to the flu or COVID-19, amoxicillin-based treatments are not appropriate for eradication of the virus within the infected individual. This is because antibiotics are only effective in treating bacterial-based infections. However, the treatment is still vital, as the RSV decreases bacterial clearance and therefore leaves the child susceptible to opportunistic secondary infections such as bacterial pneumonia.
Jessica Hallenbeck, a registered nurse working throughout East Michigan, speculates that such shortages may force healthcare providers to not only be more creative with the medications being prescribed, but also more conservative with the amount of antibiotic prescriptions being written.
“As far as the shortage of things, they’re just going to have to get more creative,” Hallenbeck said. “Amoxicillin is probably one of the most common antibiotics used. A lot of times
it’s, ‘Sure we’ll give you some amoxicillin with that just in case,’ so I think they’re just going to have to scale back to, ‘Yes you have something diagnosable that amoxicillin can take care of.’”
Hallenbeck said for parents, this might mean limiting treatments for RSV to supportive care such as Tylenol, rest and fluids, which for many young par-
ents can come with feelings of insufficiency. Likewise, it remains important to disinfect hard surfaces, wash hands and stay home if one feels unwell.
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Grand Valley State University hosted its annual First-Generation College Day on Nov. 8.
First-Generation College Day is dedicated to the recognition of the group of students who have parents that did not complete a four-year college or university degree. Without having their parents as a resource, these students have learned to adapt to circumstances that can only be understood by personal experience.
The First-Generation College Day Celebration was a product of the TRIO Student Support Services, or TRIO SSS. Embedded in GVSU’s Career Center, TRIO SSS is based on “providing opportunities for academic development, assisting students with basic college requirements and serves to motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary education,” according to the program’s website.
TRIO SSS is a government-fund -
ed program based on student support. “We support first-generation or low-income students until they graduate,” said Director of TRIO SSS STEM and Health Sciences Linda Rettig.
GVSU has sought to make available multiple opportunities for low-income and first-generation students to come if they need aid in their college experience.
“(First-generation students) have no one to ask questions, they don’t know what they need until something hap-
pens so we provide holistic advising, we are there for them,” Rettig said.
The First-Generation College Day Celebration was a two-part event.
The first was “Treats with TRIO,” which was held in the lobby of the GVSU’s Kirkhof Center on its Allendale Campus.
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Multitudes of electoral polls in the runup to Nov. 8’s midterm elections signaled what was expected to be what many referred to as a “red wave” that would usher the Republican Party into wide margins of control on Capitol Hill and ensure comfortable victories in key races throughout the country. With a floundering national economy, dismal approval ratings for President Joe Biden and historical precedent that routinely spells danger for the party whose president is experiencing their first midterm elections in the White House, such large Republican gains were projected as all but certain.
However, the opposite proved to be true in the battleground state of Michigan, where Election Day saw Democrats sweep offices across the state.
A number of critical victories grant -
ed the Democratic Party control of not only the three statewide elected offices of governor, secretary of state and attorney general, but also majorities in both the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate.
This marked the first time in nearly four decades that the party has been able to claim both the governorship and the legislature simultaneously.
Incumbent Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer addressed supporters on election night following the first projections released in the race revealing her victory.
“We have come a long way, Michigan,” Whitmer said. “We are thrilled, thrilled at the unexpected high turnout. We are thrilled that the three ballot initiatives got passed.”
In laying claim to her second term, Whitmer emphasized a commitment to bipartisanship in her first term that she indicated she intended to carry into the next.
“The prospect of leading this state for four more years is something for which we are incredibly grateful and excited about,” Whitmer said. “Regardless of who is in office, we will al-
ways work with anyone who actually wants to solve a problem because there’s nothing more important than the people of this state to us –all of the people of this state.”
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, who polls had indicated were in a tight race against Republican challenger Matt DePerno for weeks ahead of the election, also won their races to continue in the positions for another four years.
In addition to the creation of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission that oversaw the state’s redistricting process mandated by the 2020 census and ensured fairer legislative districts, a higher-than-average turnout from young and college voters in the state has also since been credited for Democrats’ numerous victories.
At Grand Valley State University, hundreds of students utilized the university’s Allendale Satellite Clerk’s Office to vote and swing the precinct heavily in Democrats’ favor.
In Allendale Township’s Precinct 5, the vast majority of which is comprised of north and central areas of GVSU as well as off-campus apartments, Governor Whitmer decisively defeated Republican challenger Tudor Dixon with approximately 72% to Dixon’s 26% in what is otherwise a reliably Republican Ottawa County.
Similar margins of victory were enjoyed by those including Hillary Scholten, the Democratic candidate and now the Congresswoman-elect for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District, as well as for the passage of Proposal 3 that will now, following its passage, guarantee residents abortion rights in the Michigan Constitution reminiscent of those established under the U.S. Supreme
Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. Capitalizing on such potential support for Democratic nominees and initiatives among young voters was seen as a key strategy within the Whitmer campaign and Democrats statewide.
“College students and the youth vote are incredibly important,” Whitmer told the Lanthorn at her final rally ahead of Election Day on GVSU’s Pew Campus. “They have the longest stake in the outcome of this election – in the outcome of every election – and we’ve got a lot to fight for right now. Voting rights, reproductive rights, civil rights, the ability to live without discrimination, to get a degree without going into a life of debt, to combat climate change – all of these things are on this ballot and that’s why we wanted to be on a GVSU
campus with the amazing Hillary Scholten.”
Following their widespread victory, Democratic leadership in the legislature have signaled their intent to push forward with initiatives long stalled under the stewardship of Republican majorities. According to reporting from the Detroit Free Press, such legislative priorities are likely to include topics like right-to-work, gun reform, education reform, ethics reform expanding LGBTQ civil rights protections and ending the state’s retirement tax.
Moving quickly to establish an apparatus for when they take control, Democratic legislators have since named Sen. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) as the next Senate Majority Leader and Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit) as the next Speaker of the
Michigan House. Brinks and Tate will be the first female and the first Black man to hold their positions in the state’s history.
“I am honored to be elected by my peers to lead the first Democratic Majority in the Michigan Senate since 1983,” Brinks said in a statement released following her election to the role. “Along with Democratic leadership in the House and governor’s office, we are ready to lead a legislature that prioritizes people over politics.”
While judicial nominees now appear under a nonpartisan section of the ballot in Michigan, a victory for Democratic-nominated Justice Richard Bernstein also secured a continuing majority of Democratic-backed justices on the Michigan Supreme Court.
Beyond state boundaries national Democrats, to a lesser extent, were able to keep Republican gains in the U.S. Congress at bay. Instead, the party succeeded in keeping the GOP’s projected House majority to a very slim margin and securing control over the U.S. Senate for the next two years in what was expected to be an election mired in numerous key victories for Republicans.
Following the projected victory of Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) on Nov. 12, Democrats were assured continued control over the U.S. Senate with at least 50 Democratic senators and a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris in her capacity as Senate president.
While control of the House of Representatives had still not been finalized as of Nov. 13, Democrats had already begun signaling optimism and celebration over their victory in the Senate.
“This election is a victory – a victory and a vindication for Democrats, our agenda and the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.
Highlighting the centrality of a peaceful and respected elections process to a functioning democracy, the end of the contest for the Senate, Schumer said, demanded a similar end to the growing intimidation of election officials and others operating the ongoing counts in other states.
“We can disagree on so many issues,
that’s fair, but let’s not have this kind of divisive negativity,” Schumer said. “Let’s not have the condonation of viciousness and even violence against poll workers, against so many others. Let us try to come together.”
Despite souring views over the state of the national economy and the effectiveness of the Biden administration, voters across the country sided with Democratic candidates warning of a threat to the continuance of American democracy should Republicans rise to claim expansive powers both in Congress as well as in key swing states.
Many GOP candidates for influential offices had signaled hesitancy or out -
right refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election that saw Joe Biden ascend to the presidency. Many such candidates, including the Republican candidate for secretary of state in Michigan, Kristina Karamo, faced resounding defeats at the ballot box.
As ballots on the West Coast continue to be counted in the final races that will determine control of the House, such slim projected majorities will likely mean both parties are entering a new 118th Congress in which deal-making and compromise will be essential in ensuring any legislative progress over the next two years.
The Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies and Padnos College of Engineering and Computing will be introducing a new degree to their course catalog in the Fall of 2023, the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS). This program targets students who have attended community college for two years and earned a technical associate degree.
Among the many administrators for this program is Paul Plotkowski, dean of the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, and he explained how this program is distinct from the other degrees at GVSU.
“As opposed to most other programs students see, the new BAS flips the curriculum workload,” Plotkowski said. “The standard schedule for students at a community college and a university is to take general education credits in their first years and credits toward their major in the last years. With our new program, students will come in with their technical associate degree with credits aimed toward their major and then take their general education credits with us at GVSU.”
Plotkowski said students in this program could also take these credits simultaneously with the curricula for their major, though often, coursework
for the BAS primarily includes the individual’s general education credits with some of the degree requirements.
This program is unique not only in its layout, but also in its target audience. As Dean Mark Schaub of Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies said, this degree offers students who began at community colleges, or working professionals, different educational opportunities.
“Many of them might be at a ‘dead end,’ in terms of career advancement without a four-year degree, so this route provides them with a feasible and relevant set of options,” Schaub said. “We will help them integrate their education and help them articulate a coherent and compelling narrative of their lifetime of learning.”
Both Deans are eager to see this program up and running for the first time next fall, especially since the pandemic put a wrench in the plans a few years back.
“COVID, of course, delayed progress a bit as we focused on delivering our existing programs,” Schaub said.
With the university adjusting to the pandemic, Schaub and Plotkowski were able to design the BAS program, and they were not alone in doing so. Ellen Schendel in the Provost Office, who since has departed from GVSU, and Simone Jonaitis of the Center for Adult and Continuing Studies, con -
tributed immensely to the invention of the BAS program.
“They described a great pathway towards bachelor’s degree completion for a whole set of underserved students,” Schaub said. “We collectively thought we could put together some innovative and appealing programs for these students with 2-year degrees, technical expertise, work experience and a desire for a four-year degree to boost them in their careers.”
With all forces united, they developed this reasonable and timely program for those willing to take their
education and career to the next level. The program appears to be on track to be a great success, and Plotkowski could not be happier.
“I am extremely excited about launching these programs,” Plotkowski said. “Students will have the opportunity to enhance the technical associate degree they originally earned and have the backing of their employers and us at GVSU because we all want to see them succeed.”
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At their Nov. 10 general assembly, Grand Valley State University’s Student Senate welcomed university Vice President for Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach B. Donta Truss and Associate Vice President of Admissions and Recruitment Daniel C. Vélez to speak to senators.
Truss said this year GVSU brought in more student diversity than ever before. In aiming to provide equity in students’ opportunities and resources, GVSU has created a strategic enrollment management plan to help potential students in the admissions process.
“We are always looking for new, innovative approaches to recruiting students to GVSU and are open to suggestions,” Truss said.
Holistic admissions, the admissions method used by GVSU, was adopted by the university during the COVID-19 pandemic. This method
makes the process of admitting students more equitable by considering factors outside of a student’s academic performance in their application.
“Students who fall in a certain (grade point average) range can be reviewed, and their neighborhood and lived experiences are also considered in the admissions process,” Vélez said. “We look at more than just GPA and test scores.”
Vélez said GVSU also looks to drive enrollment through partnerships with various organizations and programs. This includes getting input from the Student Senate and pairing with over 80 charter schools throughout Michigan.
He said GVSU also provides international students with visitation programs and restructured admissions among other services. International students can submit applications for GVSU and join the large community of learners in West Michigan.
GVSU also takes transfer students into consideration when attempting
to attract applicants. Transferring schools can be intimidating, so the university wants to make the process possible and accessible for everyone.
“We are pushing to create access to different students interested in transferring to GVSU,” Truss said.
The Be a Laker, Bring a Laker program also helps recruit students of different interests and backgrounds to the university, in which alumni, parents, students and faculty members connect with prospective students and encourage them to apply to GVSU.
“We want to walk alongside those students and are working on collecting that data to help these communities,” Vélez said.
Truss and Vélez seemed to indicate in the meeting that GVSU will continue to attempt to find new ways to bring student diversity to GVSU and make admissions more considerate for students with different backgrounds and life experiences.
Helping Hands will be holding their November club bonding on Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the Kirkhof Center room 2263 from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
This month, the group is hosting a tie-dye event and will provide the dye. Those interested in going only need to bring an article of white clothing to tie-dye. A gallon ziplock bag or plastic bag to put the garment in afterward is not required, but is recommended.
On Wednesday, Nov. 16 the Campus Activities Board (CAB) will be hosting a coffeehouse event in the Thornapple room in Kirkhof Center from 7-9 p.m.
From 7-8 p.m. there will be student performances, and for the rest of the night the floor will be open for karaoke with a Taylor Swift-themed karaoke machine.
The coffee bar will be open while supplies last.
On Thursday, Nov. 17 Alpha Kappa Psi Co-Ed professional business fraternity will be partnering with the Counseling Center to help students manage their mental health.
The event is a workshop session from 6-7:30 p.m. The workshop is being held over Zoom, so participants will need to sign up in advance to receive the link.
The link is available via the Lakerlink events page.
The Vietnamese Cultural Association (VCA) will be hosting its annual pho night on Friday, Nov. 18.
Pho will be available from 6-8 p.m. in the Niemeyer Multipurpose room. This event is BYOB, or, “bring your own bowl.” VCA will be bringing some extra bowls, but supplies are limited.
This event is being held in part to help children in Vietnam, as a portion of the money made will be donated to Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. They will also be educating attendants on the foundation, so others can donate straight to the foundation if interested.
VCA will be offering bowls of pho for $8, pandan waffles for $5 and Vietnamese coffee for $2. They will be taking payment as Venmo or cash only.
There will also be a pho eating contest starting at 7:30 p.m. Competition bowls will be $12 because they are larger. Only 10 people will be able to compete in this and the winner will receive a prize. After the competition, there’ll be a karaoke machine.
This event is being sponsored by Kim Nhung Supermarket.
Grand Valley State University has taken the initiative to educate both students and faculty through the 10th annual Teach-In once more.
The theme this year was focusing on power, privilege and difficult dialogue. At a predominately white institution, it’s essential to create an environment where students of different backgrounds feel included and heard.
“A lot of students put initiative into speaking about topics that are linked to matters of diversity, inclusion, equity and to just create a debate space where people can be aware of other perspectives and discuss and come to healthy resolutions,” said Vice President of Diversity Affairs Larbi Al Moutaa.
Al Moutaa highlighted the fact that the Teach-In is original to the university and that there are no other universities with such an event. With 35 total sessions between the Allendale and Grand Rapids campuses, there is hope that these sessions will raise awareness, inform and facilitate discussion in the community.
The Teach-In kicked off early in the morning with an event titled “How White Feminism Harms Women of Color: An Allied and Intersectional Perspective,” presented by Rachel Dziabuda and Jenna
Thornton who both work in the Center For Women and Gender Equity.
The agenda for the event was to first discuss working definitions of what was going to be covered in the presentation followed by brief overviews of the history of feminism, the definition of white feminists and the definition of intersectional feminism.
The Teach-In is a huge learning opportunity for students to understand their peers in a way that they never thought of before.
“It served me as an eye opener to the issues that other communities are facing,
Each year, Grand Valley State University rallies together to celebrate Veteran’s Day and show support for student veterans on campus. GVSU prides itself on being a safe and inclusive place for veterans and active military members to continue their education after or during service.
This year the Campus Activities Board (CAB) held a banner signing event for students to help construct a banner thanking local veterans for their service. Donuts and cider were provided and students sat talking with one another. They shared their own stories or stories of family members in the service and celebrated the dedicated service veterans provide to the United States.
Later in the week, GVSU hosted Vice Admiral Sandra Stosz for their 12th annual Veteran’s Day Breakfast and a later scheduled keynote presentation.
“This Veterans Day, to pay tribute to all the men and women in uniform, past and present, the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, Grand Valley State University’s Office of the President and Grand Valley State University’s Peter Secchia Military and Veteran Resource Center are proud to welcome
which actually inspired me to run for student senate,” Al Moutaa said. “We cannot solve an issue without knowing it exists.”
The event concluded with a session about white ally-ship and the ways in which lived experiences for people of color are often invalidated.
At points, there were multiple sessions that students could choose between, including “Being Latin at GVSU” and “Conscious Uncovering: Creating Braves Spaces with Spicy Awareness.”
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retired Coast Guard Vice Admiral Sandra Stosz,” said Brent Holmes, Acting Director of The Hauenstein Center at Grand Valley State University.
On Veteran’s day, U.S. service members, veterans and veteran-affiliated guests were invited to GVSU’s 12th annual Veterans Day Breakfast. The breakfast was held at the alumni house and aimed to celebrate those in attendance and their service.
Stosz was the first woman to command an icebreaker ship on the Great Lakes and to lead a U.S. armed forces service academy. Stosz served 12 years at sea, commanded two ships and led a large Coast Guard organization during times of crisis. Ending her 40-year career, she was the first woman assigned deputy commandant for mission support. Newsweek’s The Daily Beast named Stosz on their “List of 150 Women who Shake the World” in 2012.
Stosz’s Keynote was held later in the day, at the Loosemore Auditorium. The speech moved the room as she recounted important events and accomplishments in her 40-year-long career in the service.
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GV rallies to support veterans on campus this Veteran’s Day
The GV Theatre program will be premiering its performance of “Gloria” on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre at the Haas Center for Performing Arts. Performances will run from Nov. 18 to Dec. 4.
Written by Branden JacobsJenkins, “Gloria” originally debuted off-Broadway and explores the ideas of working Americans and the workplace dynamics they interact with. This production was directed by visiting theatre professor Diane Machin.
Tickets can be purchased online and range from $7 to $17 dollars and can be purchased online.
The GVSU Visual Media Arts department will present an exhibition by BFA students titled “Designed State of Mind” on Nov. 14 in the GVSU Art Gallery located in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.
The works in the exhibit come from 12 graduating seniors who created projects that tackle various design aspects. Some of the projects include magazines, stained glass, apps, packaging and feature websites.
There will be a reception for the exhibit on Nov. 17 that will take place from 5-7 p.m.
Deos Contemporary Ballet presents “EPILOGUE Series 22” which will take place Nov. 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. at a photo studio in Grand Rapids.
Deos Contemporary Ballet was formed in 2018 and works to share dance with the Grand Rapids community and working dancers through performances and dance film projects. Within 2022-23 they will be partaking in blackbox and collaborative outreach performances.
The “EPILOGUE Series 22” performance will feature pieces including a world premiere of Deos Artistic Director Tess Sinke whose piece tackles grief, loss and light that comes with change. The repertory also consists of a piece choreographed by Seyong Kim that was performed by the company during the summer.
Tickets are $30 each. More details about the location can be found on the company’s website. The company is also working to screen dance projects that will be released during December.
As a part of the Grand Valley State University Arts Celebration, South Chicago Dance Theatre (SCDT), a professional dance company, performed their show titled “Energy | Power | Grace” at the Haas Center for Performing Arts.
In addition to her company’s performance, Executive Artistic Director of SCDT Kia Smith taught classes for the GVSU dance program students and hosted an audition for spots in her company.
Smith began her dance career at age 16, later than most professionals do. She said ever since she was a kid, she was drawn to dance and knew she wanted to have a dance company.
Smith pursued her dance journey and attended Western Michigan University where she obtained her BFA in dance. Later, Smith founded her dance company in 2017 while working towards her Master’s degree.
“I knew I wanted to call my company ‘South Chicago Dance Theatre’ for a long time because my company has a long history on the south side (of Chicago),” Smith said. “My family came to the south side of Chicago during the Great Migration, so my family has been here for a long time so I just feel very tied to
it.”
SCDT is in their 6th season as a company and Smith emphasizes that she has barely “scratched the surface” of where they hope to go and what the future holds for the company.
Smith said SCDT is very diverse and that she looks to find the best dancers she can get. She values each dancer’s professional artistic freedom rather than having all over her dancers look the same in both appearance and dance style.
SCDT’s work emphasizes community both within company and the surrounding area. The company aims to build relationships and uplift one anoth-
SPEECH
BY OMARI SEABERRY AND KATHERINE RAUHUT ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
On Nov. 9, Grand Valley State University hosted its 9th annual Civil Discourse Symposium. The symposium was titled “Sharing Our Stories: Moving from Division to Hope” and was part of the Talking Together series. This series is a dialogue initiative aimed at interrupting polarization and investing in the principles of civil discourse and respectful conversation.
This three-day event featured the work of John Noltner, an eminent photographer and storyteller, to showcase material from a multimedia project titled “Lessons on the Road to Peace” as well as conversations with the GVSU community.
er.
“We do work locally and internationally and I think it’s kind of the same thing,” Smith said. “We worked in different countries, and yes, we go there to dance, but we really go to build community with people and to get to know people and spend time with them and to just bring light wherever we go.”
SCDT brought 12 dancers to perform at GVSU on Monday, Nov. 7. The performance consisted of one contemporary ballet piece, one contemporary piece and two jazz pieces.
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the GVSU Talking Together series.
Provost and Executive Vice President for the Division of Academic Affairs, Fatma Mili started the event with opening remarks. Her speech pertained to the transformational aspects of civil discourse and the important roles of dialogue in our country stating that this form of communication “touches both our hearts and our minds.”
Mili expanded on this idea and paraphrased author Parker Palmer’s words from his book “Healing the Heart of a Democracy” which expressed the tensions that arise with disagreements and how best to address them.
PRESENTATION: Noltner said that through his freelance photography work he is able to find beauty in “unexpected places.” He travels across the US with his wife to interview people. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
Highlights of the symposium included a photography exhibit, a photography studio experience for GVSU community members and a studio workshop with Seeds of Promise, a community organization partner of the Center for this special event. The keynote address by Noltner held on Wednesday was the first Civil Discourse Symposium held in person since the COVID-19 shutdown, as well as the first to span multiple days, and the first in
“When we have tension between the beliefs of individuals, our instinct is to rush and relieve the tension rather than holding it and seeing it for what it is as a source of energy and creativity,” Mili said. “When we rush and eliminate those tensions, we lose the opportunity to learn something and the opportunity to stretch our capacity, hearts, and minds.”
Grand Valley State University defeated Davenport University 49-7 on the road to cap off an illustrious season thus far (11-0) and crown themselves as the 2022 GLIAC Champions.
Last Saturday’s first two quarters saw the Lakers execute their groundpass game plan to a tee as their first possession of the game ended in a touchdown - creating the snowball effect for the remainder of the game (six plays, 59 yards, touchdown by senior Jack Provencher).
GVSU’s second touchdown of the first quarter came off an explosive 55yard run by junior Tariq Reid, as the last score by the Lakers resulted from a field goal attempt by DU blocked by junior Seth Hoonhorst and a 45yard return by sophomore Grant Hart (21-0).
A bomb pass by junior quarterback Cade Peterson to sophomore Jaylon Tillman (88 yards), a blocked punt attempt by redshirt freshman Jimmy Downs and returned by junior Cole Patritto (10 yards) and a 17-yard rush by Peterson all resulted in three scores for GVSU and closed the first half score 42-0.
Although the second half saw a scoreless fourth quarter entirely, both sides of the ball managed to secure a touchdown: one-yard rush by the Panthers, 13-yard rush by Reid.
In total, GVSU racked up 417 yards on just 45 plays (263 rushing, 154 receiving). Leading the team in just about every game, Peterson logged 154 yards on eight of 13 pass attempts (two touchdowns), with Reid finishing with two scores on six rush attempts (90 yards).
The Laker defense allowed 309 total yards by DU while 16 Lakers added to the total 38 individual tackles (one recorded sack by Johnanthony Lowery for a loss of six yards).
Poised against a tough stretch for a potential championship, the Lakers are ranked No. 1 overall in the GLIAC and NCAA DII leaderboards. This top position also gives GVSU home-field advantage in the first round of the postseason.
GVSU received a first-round BYE in the the NCAA Playoffs as they begin their postseason run on Saturday, Nov. 26 at Lubbers Stadium.
With a 7-3 record in their regular matchups, the GVSU women’s soccer club managed to punch their ticket into the 2022 National Tournament.
The schedule has yet to be finalized as far as who the Lakers are facing in the first round, but the tournament will officially commence on Thursday, Nov. 17. Depending on how far the Lakers are able to advance, the second and final rounds will be played on the following two days (Nov. 18-19).
After two shutout performances and a tough championship match, Grand Valley State University women’s soccer are the 2022 GLIAC Champions.
As the No. 1 seed in the conference, GVSU hosted all three battles on their home pitch and used it to their advantage.
GVSU’s first match on Nov. 1 was against Purdue Northwest (70), an opponent they managed to also shutout in both regular-season matchups (8-0, 2-0).
Applying pressure early, the Lakers opened the match with a goal by senior forward Kennedy Bearden (her first of two) on an assist by senior defender Cate Brown (2:52).
Four missed shots by sophomore midfielder Emma Chudik, two by fifth-year forward Kennedy Metzger and senior defender Alexa Morello led up to PNW’s first shot attempt of the match (16:32) only to sail by the top right of the goal.
A few minutes later, Brown found an opening of her own as she sent
a shot that found the goal (20:14) and put the Lakers up 2-0. Bearden would follow this up with her second goal moments later from assists by Metzger and sophomore midfielder Ryann Fetty (22:48).
It continued to be all about GVSU’s brute efforts on offense and defense as they put up one more goal that came from freshman midfielder Abby Winn (34:27) that was assisted by freshman defender
Kacy Lauer - creating a 4-0 lead heading into the break.
PNW’s frustrations were evident within the first few minutes of the second as two foul calls led to the Lakers’ fifth goal by junior forward Taylor Reid (assisted by Metzger) at the 52:45 marker.
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The Grand Valley State University women’s volleyball team put up a strong effort in the GLIAC Tournament this past week as they were just one set away from finishing as conference champions. As the sixth seed in the conference, GVSU had to face all three opponents on the road; Davenport University (3-2), Northern Michigan (3-2) and Ferris State (2-3).
Set one against the Panthers saw the opponent jump out to a 4-11 advan-
tage over GVSU. However, the Lakers were able to pull back to within two points (12-14) but just couldn’t muster a strong enough comeback to get out in front as DU wouldn’t allow their lead to drop below three points going forward and ultimately took the first set, 22-25.
Dropping the first set in a match has been a common theme for the Lakers, but their ability to recover in the remainder of said matches has been a testament to their continuity.
A few unanswered points allowed GVSU to build a 7-3 lead early on in the second, but the Panthers were able to bring it back to within a point (1211) several rallies later.
At this point, the Lakers looked as if they might take control of the second set as they went on yet another scoring run (5-1), but DU wouldn’t let up as the set would create a backand-forth scoring battle all the way down to the wire - until the Lakers finally took the set win, 26-24.
DU’s 3-7 lead in set three didn’t faze the Lakers as they mounted a late scoring run (10-5) when the set was tied at 15 apiece, 25-20. Dropping two-straight sets at home was a mental boost for the Panthers as they recovered in a statement set four win that finished 12-25.
GVSU saw just two regular-sea -
son matches that went down to a winner take all situation (1-1). However, this time meant win or go home, and the Lakers proved they weren’t ready to finish the season.
It seemed as though the Panthers were ready to close the match for good as the huge momentum boost from the previous set created a 2-6 lead. The Lakers quickly turned it around, however, as they mounted a huge 13-6 scoring run to stun their opponent and advance to the second round, 15-12.
“Honestly, not a lot was working for us early in the match,” said head coach Jason Johnson. “(Freshman setter) Jordyn Gates really kept us afloat early in the match with her offense. As the match went on, I felt that our team settled in and it came down to the grittiness of our players.”
Gates, who was named to the GLIAC First-Team All-Conference, has been a catalyst for the Lakers all season long. Logging 20 kills, 23 assists and 22 digs in the quarterfinals victory, Gates said it was a humbling feeling to win in a familiar city alongside her teammates.
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GV volleyball falls one set short of GLIAC Championship
BY GABRIELA GARBEY SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University’s women’s basketball is now 2-0 after a successful twogame road trip against Missouri - St. Louis (81-55) and Maryville University (78-57).
Missouri would win the opening tip but fail to convert on their first field goal attempt, and GVSU wasted no time to respond to the miss with a three-pointer by senior guard Emily Spitzley as the offensive attack wouldn’t let up.
The first 10 minutes of action would see the Lakers create a 19-9 lead as a three-point attempt by senior forward Hannah Kulas just before the buzzer would miss the mark.
As the action continued in the second quarter, GVSU continued to separate themselves from the opponent no matter how hard the Tritons attempted to claw their way back.
The defensive presence by GVSU underneath the basket and around the perimeter would prove to be too much as the Lakers opened up their lead to 41-18 on 66.7% shooting (8-12) while holding the Tritons to a mere 27% (eight of 29) for the entire first half.
Turnovers were also a significant factor for the opponent as GVSU forced 12 overall in the first half alone which created more
fast break opportunities.
With a huge deficit to climb back from, Missouri was somewhat able to cut down the margin from 23 to 16 points, but a 30-second timeout by the Lakers would prove effective as an 11-2 run in the remaining four and a half minutes would close out the first three quarters with GVSU leading 66-38.
The fourth would be the only quarter the Tritons were able to outscore the Lakers (15-17), but the slight advantage was far from too late as GVSU would close out the game on an effective 5-10 shooting from the floor and a final score of 81-55.
Head coach Mike Williams is in his eighth year for the Lakers and said although the team played well, there needed to be more cohesiveness on defense in order to prevent easy baskets from happening.
“We had several players get their first collegiate minutes and we saw all of our players get minutes in the game,” Williams said. “We need to have more of a sense of urgency and awareness on the defensive end of the floor and be tighter with the basketball on the offensive end.”
All 15 players saw themselves on the hardwood as the final box score tallied three Lakers in double-digit scoring; Spitzley (12, five rebounds), redshirt sophomore center Joslyn Brennan (11)
and Kulas (10, four rebounds). Redshirt sophomore guard Ellie Droste (nine points, three assists), redshirt freshman guard Nicole Kamin (eight points, two steals) and sophomore guard Abrie Cabana (seven points, three steals) were also influential in the win. Overall the team shot 60% from the field (7-16 3PT) and will likely harp on converting their charity shots as they finished 14 of 20 overall from the free throw. 41 bench points, 44 points in the paint and 24 points off turnovers in total were
also huge numbers that put the game away sooner rather than later.
The following day (Nov. 12), the Lakers tipped off against the Maryville Saints in a game that began slowly, scoring back-to-back with the Maryville Saints throughout most of the first half of the quarter, until GVSU took charge and went on a scoring streak.
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Grand Valley State University’s men’s basketball traveled out of state last weekend as they lost to Southwest Baptist 82–85 and secured their first win of the season against Trevecca Nazarene, 82–55.
The Bearcats matchup seemed as though GVSU would start their regular season with a win on the road as they came out firing on all cylinders, converting at the charity stripe and finding good looks inside and out of the paint.
Although Southwest Baptist was able to keep the deficit to below 10 points for the first 14 minutes of the half, the Lakers boosted themselves after two successful free throws by senior guard Luke Toliver (33-23).
From that point, the Lakers created a 16-10 scoring run with just 50 seconds remaining in the first half, but the Bearcats were able to cut the 16-point deficit to just nine after scoring seven-unanswered points in a 38-second span.
The second half saw both sides adding to their scoring totals as the Bearcats were prevented from coming within four points all the way through the first 17 minutes (79-75, 2:44 remaining).
However, no lead is safe in college basketball, and a huge three-point conversion by the Bearcats coming out of a late timeout swung the momentum into their favor, as a costly turnover by GVSU led to the opponent getting a fast-break layup and taking the lead for the first time in the game and forcing a Laker timeout.
The regroup proved to be ineffective as the Bearcats would force another turnover and another fast-break opportunity was successfully converted to push their lead to 79-82.
On top of the back-to-back turnovers, GVSU’s three-minute, 21-second scoring drought could not have come at a worse time.
It was finally broken when a foul on the Bearcats sent the Lakers to the line in a bonus situation, but graduate student guard Daniel Kiely was only able to convert the first free throw and cut the deficit to 80-84 (two previous free throws by Bearcats).
Another foul on Southwest Baptist sent redshirt freshman guard Trevor Smith to the line, this time knocking down both attempts and bringing the scoreboard to 82-84 with nine seconds left in the game.
GVSU deliberately fouled the Bear-
cats and it seemed as if it would fall in favor of the Lakers as the first shot attempt was missed. However, GVSU failed to secure the defensive rebound and was forced to foul Southwest Baptist once again and scored the first free throw to make it a three-point game, 82-85.
Two seconds remained in the game, and the Lakers were forced to shoot a game-tying three that was missed by Smith and finished the game in disappointment for GVSU.
A hot scoring start for the Lakers in the first half (58.3% overall, 82.6% FT) dwindled to 39.3% overall while the Bearcats improved from 48.3% FG to 56.7% overall.
“We fought a tough game, and we had a couple lapses which led to us losing,” Smith said. “I hate that we got a loss but there’s a lesson in every loss.”
Toliver led the Lakers with 20 points on 5-7 shooting, while Kiely was the second-leading scorer with 13 points (6-7 FG). Both graduate student forward Chinedu Kingsley Okanu and junior forward Marius Grazulis added 12 points apiece in the loss.