Declining retention rates leads GV community to take steps for students of color
Grand
Rapids
named “Best Beer City” in the U.S.
Every moment counts: a GV creative writing professor’s journeyGRAND VALLEY LANTHORN
The 2024 lineup for Lollapalooza, a music festival that takes place from Aug. 1-4 in Chicago, has finally arrived. The list of performers was revealed on March 19 at 10 a.m. Central Time. Many festivalgoers were looking forward to the announcement, as the event will be celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Many students waited in anticipation for the announcement of the headliners this year: R&B singer SZA, rapper Tyler, the Creator, pop-punk band Blink-182, rock band The Killers, hip hop duo Future and Metro Boomin, blues/folk singer Hoozier, K-pop group Stray Kids, pop singer Melanie Martinez and dubstep DJ Skrillex.
As always, social media was divided
by the lineup. Many felt this was the best lineup since 2019, with supporting acts including alternative metal band Deftones, pop artists Tate McRae and Conan Gray, trap artist Sexxy Red, electro-pop act Kesha and even actressturned singer McKenna Grace, who has starred in the TV show “Young Sheldon” and the “Ghostbusters” franchise.
GVSU student Analie Tumminaro said she was excited about the event because of the headliners and some of the supporting performers.
“I like SZA, I like Tyler (the Creator) and I like Blink-182, not really the rap performers,” Tumminaro said. “But I also like the undercard because of Renee Rapp and Dominik Fike, so I’m going one or two days for sure.”
Student Aidan Loveday said the lineup had a lot of variety in their artists,
which would appeal to attendees.
“It’s pretty sick, there are a lot of popular names on there and it definitely seems like a little bit of something for everybody,” Loveday said.
GVSU student Landon Busch agreed with Loveday’s opinion.
Busch thinks that this year’s lineup is an improvement from last year’s. He stated there are many big and little artists that caught his attention on the lineup.
However, some students felt that the lineup isn’t worth the $413 four-day pass.
“I think SZA and Tyler, the Creator would be really cool to see, but other than that, I don’t really see that many people that I would really want to see and spend all that money,” said student Sarah Meyer. “I’ve never even heard some of these names on the undercard, so if I’m spending all this money I should recognize the names.”
GVSU student Will Walker felt that the lineup was really good, but wasn’t worth the investment as a student.
“I think the lineup is overall pretty good and there are a lot of artists that I would enjoy seeing myself like Tyler, Vince Staples, Killer Mike and Blink-182, but I can’t bring myself to
spend that kind of money,” Walker said.
Walker questioned if other students would be able to afford the festival as well.
Blake Ellis felt the overall price for four days was saving students money if they are fans of multiple artists in the lineup.
“I mean if you enjoy the event, why wouldn’t you go?” Ellis said. “If you can go, I think you should go cause the price is definitely worth it.”
Student Emily Wojciechowski felt the idea of the festival was good for students.
“Because you pay more or around the same for one artist and you could potentially see 60-70 artists in four days, so it’s definitely worth the money,” Wojciechowski said.
GVSU student Aisha Jones said the event will be worth it for the fun memories.
“I mean they got Sexyy Red on, do you know how expensive she is to get?” Jones said. “Same with Victoria Monet, and Labyrinth, all very expensive, so you are getting your money’s worth, so I think other students need to go.”
With buzz surrounding the festival, the road to Lollapalooza officially starts now. Many students say they are looking forward to attending.
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VOL. 58 NO. 15
DALLAS MATHEWS
REAGAN RUD MALIK IMMOOSMA
BY MASON CORDELL LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDUGrand Valley State University needs more on-campus housing, as evidenced by the overflow and crowding in residence halls throughout the 20232024 school year.
At the GVSU Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting last month, the Department of Housing and Residence Life released an updated 10-year master plan in response to housing problems from increased enrollment this past year. The plan consists of several construction and renovation goals, including new residence halls, apartments, a multiuse dining center and improvements to existing infrastructure. Although these facilities are needed to aid the state of on-campus resources, there is concern construction will disrupt the already complicated resident parking situation.
One project is constructing a new 600-bed residence hall on North Campus, “modeled programmatically after the GVSU, Holton-Hooker Living Center,” according to the master plan. It will consist primarily of double occupancy, traditional style resident rooms, cluster bathrooms with four students to every 1-bathroom fixture set and one single-occupancy resident assistant (RA) room to every 35-40 students.
The University wants this to be a point of focus for visitors and residents entering campus from the North
Gateway and suggests it be the first phase of new housing development.
Kyle Boone, Ph.D., Director of Housing and Residence Life, noted that the estimated cost of housing construction remains undetermined, as the cost hasn’t yet been assessed.
“The funding for any housing construction project comes from the auxiliary budget (i.e. the fees students pay for room and board),” Boone said.
The master plan includes a benchmark cost of $343 per square foot for traditional living units and $389 for apartments.
The problem with this building plan, though, lies in its construction over the existing D1 parking lot. The loss of parking spaces causes concern for many GVSU students, especially freshmen living in the nearby residence halls.
Shelby Stewart, a freshman with a car on campus, is sympathetic to next year’s freshman class.
“Although it won’t truly affect me next year, I know that it is already stressful trying to find a spot to park, so adding the new building would create more stress on the incoming students,” Stewart said.
With an increase in student enrollment, removing a parking lot may limit spaces, but Boone said the University will work to prevent any potential problems.
“Should the plan to build on the D1 parking lot progress, parking arrangements will be reassessed
accordingly,” Boone said. “We understand the need for parking and the need to mitigate issues related to development on land currently used for parking.”
Boone said the master plan includes options for expanding and relocating parking, and that specific plans will be designed once the decision is made to move forward with construction.
Residence lots are primarily located on the Allendale Campus’ north and south ends. This can create a long walk for students from their vehicles to campus buildings if they can’t find parking in their nearest lot.
“I believe that there should be an expansion in housing, but parking availability is more of an issue in my concern,” Stewart said. “I would suggest including resident parking to all of the parking lots for those who don’t want to walk all the way across campus every day for classes, or just for better convenience to those who don’t want to risk getting a ticket.”
The University is undecided about the construction process as they look for more feedback from the community, however, the process was still published in the 10-year plan. Parking and accommodations for student housing are highly dependent on the incoming freshmen class they will serve. Once enrollment and registration have concluded, there may be a clearer picture of the kinds of needs the University will need to address.
On Sunday, March 17, many Grand Rapids residents were alerted their tap water was no longer safe to drink and were instructed to boil their water before consuming it.
The City of Grand Rapids posted the alert on X, formerly known as Twitter, urging downtown residents to boil their water while crews worked to flush out the system. The cause of the boil water alert was a water main breakage in the area between Leonard Street and Union Avenue, which led to a drop in the system pressure.
As of now, it is unknown what may have caused the break in the water main. As a result of the water advisory, many businesses and schools were negatively impacted-- some were even forced to temporarily close.
“As someone who works in the field of water resources, I obviously have a deep appreciation and passion for this critical natural resource,” said Alan Steinman, a professor from Grand Valley State University’s Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute. “In Michigan, where we are touched by four of the five Great Lakes, we sometimes become complacent about water because it appears to be both abundant and limitless, but circumstances such as the water main breakage in Grand Rapids show this is not the case.”
When the pressure drops, harmful
bacteria can enter the water system. To kill off any bacteria, it is recommended to boil potentially contaminated water for at least two minutes. Boiled water can be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, cooking and cleaning. However, the advisory said flushing the toilet and showering does not require water to be boiled beforehand.
“The Grand Rapids Water Department does regular maintenance and upkeep across the entire system, but despite that, water main breaks occur from time to time in all water systems across the country. While no two situations are the same, normally these breaks cause little to no disruption in service,” said David Green, the City of Grand Rapids communications director. “In this instance, the type and location of the water line affected one of our pumping stations a little further down the line, which led to a more widespread disruption.”
City leaders informed WOOD-TV that the break had been fixed on Monday, March 18, though tests to confirm that the water was safe to drink were still ongoing. Throughout the week, bottled water supplied by SpartanNash, the City of Grand Rapids and some local businesses were distributed at 1635 Leonard Street. The line of people waiting for drinkable water extended all the way from the Leonard Street parking lot across the East Beltline. The main areas affected by the water contamination were East of US 131 and North of Hall Street.
The City of Grand Rapids provided a map of the affected areas and
updated residents online throughout the week. On Wednesday, the boil water advisory was lifted after the system had been flushed and the water was confirmed to be safe to drink.
“I don’t want to speak for our residents or customers, but I think it is safe to say it was certainly a disruption,” Green said. “While we were able to restore full water pressure, and all customers had access to running water within a few hours of the initial event, the boil water period that followed impacted the daily lives of schools, businesses and residents who needed to take additional precautions while we worked through the state and federal testing requirements to ensure the water was safe to consume.”
Restaurants and cafes that serve water or water-based products like coffee had to limit beverage items on their menus. Outside Coffee Company, a cafe partnered with Woosah Outfitters, made a Facebook post announcing that it would be closed until further notice due to the break in the water main. Some local businesses were financially impacted, having to buy large sums of bottled water or receiving fewer customers due to limited menu items.
According to MLive, the owner of Lantern Coffee Bar and Lounge, Jon Bailey, said in an interview that his business receives 50 to 70 orders on a typical Monday morning; however, due to the water contamination, he only received 12. Some of the downtown businesses that were affected include
Bagel Beanery, The Omelette Shoppe and Bakery, Grand Coney, Rockwell Republic, Sundance Bar & Grill and breakfast diner Real Food Cafe.
Many downtown schools also felt the impact of the water main break. All Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) were closed on Tuesday due to safety concerns for the students. The water advisory affected 22 GRPS buildings, including the district nutrition services headquarters, which serves lunch to over 14,000 students. According to an announcement from GRPS, bottled water was made available to the affected schools once they reopened. Until then, drinking fountains remained shut off and food was prepared using bottled water.
“Canceling school for any reason is always a challenging decision. The health, safety and well-being of our scholars must be at the forefront of our planning,” said GRPS Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby.
The boil water advisory highlights how Michigan’s natural resources could help in similar situations.
“Indeed, there are a number of regions within Michigan where groundwater withdrawals have resulted in shortages and conflicts,” Steinman said. “Hence, it is incumbent on all of us to treat water as a precious resource, which requires wise and sustainable use not only for today’s generation, but for future generations, as well.”
For the third consecutive year, USA Today has named Grand Rapids as the #1 city for beer in America.
Since first receiving the title of America’s best “beer city” in a nationwide poll in 2013, Grand Rapids has been on a winning streak, securing an array of ale accolades.
“This is a strong testament to our community’s breweries who consistently pour their passion and extraordinary craftsmanship into the work they do for our local community and visitors,” remarked Doug Small, the president and CEO of Experience Grand Rapids, in a press release celebrating the city’s award from USA Today.
With more than 40 craft breweries scattered within a 30-minute drive, the city offers beer enthusiasts a large selection of craft beers. Each brewery boasts a distinct lineup of brews and experiences.
But what is “craft” beer and what has led to Grand Rapids having so many craft breweries?
“We tend to think of craft beer as
smaller (in distribution), but also making unusual beers---something that does not taste like Bud Light or Miller Lite.” said Professor Mark Staves, who teaches CMB 350, Foundations of Brewing at Grand Valley State University. “The real definition is how much beer they produce.”
Grand Rapids’ strong concentration of breweries is complemented by an extensive calendar of festivals, events and promotions that pay homage to the city’s vibrant beer culture. Future events include the Cinco De Mayo Pub Crawl, the Spring Fling Bar Crawl or the August Ale Trail Pub Crawl.
“There are all kinds of beer festivals in town. The city has really grabbed onto that, and they market Grand Rapids as a destination for beer tasting,” Staves said. “The city is promoting it, and the people in West Michigan really like their beer.”
Integral to the city’s impressive accolades and promotional campaigns is Experience Grand Rapids, the premier Destination Marketing Organization for Grand Rapids. Experience Grand Rapids has a
collection of promotions dedicated to the area’s culinary delights.
Promotional campaigns from the organization include the documentary series “Beer City, USA,” and the Beer City Ale Trail, which maps the various must-try breweries throughout the city. The Ale Trail includes breweries, meaderies, wineries and cideries which collectively make Grand Rapids the craft beer capital of the USA.
Campaigns undertaken by Experience Grand Rapids appear to be having a significant effect on the city’s market for culinary tourism. Last year, Grand Rapids garnered recognition from WalletHub, a personal finance website, earning a notable position of No. 24 among the “Best Foodie Cities in America.”
The rise of the craft brewery industry in Grand Rapids is relatively recent. In 1996, there was not a single brewery in the Grand Rapids area. Beer tourism now accounts for a $38.5 million regional economic impact to the greater Grand Rapids area, supplies nearly 400 jobs and over 9 million dollars in earnings, according
to Experience Grand Rapids.
With over 40 breweries and bars, there is no limit to the experiences available to the plethora of college students, younger crowds and people visiting the city.
The city boasts a variety of atmospheres available at the various breweries, from club-style experiences to the more intimate and relaxed.
“There’s a lot of live music, most of (the bars) are ‘dance-floor-esque,’” said Alyse Cross, a senior student at Grand Valley State University.
With the Pew Campus in Grand Rapids and the Allendale Campus 20 minutes away, many of-age GVSU students partake in the city’s nightlife scene, making it a big part of many peoples’ college experience. Cross said the selection of bars, pubs, clubs and breweries in Grand Rapids has something for everyone.
BY MADDIE ZIMMERMAN LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Last week, Steve Madden, a footwear and accessories brand, launched a new campaign titled “Wear kitten heels, rescue a kitten.” The brand posted a TikTok, which featured rescue kittens surrounded by kitten heels, a style of shoe. Steve Madden partnered with Animal Haven, a NYCbased nonprofit animal rescue that finds homes for abandoned cats and dogs.
This campaign is one of the most creative I have seen in a while and it’s a burst of fun in the advertising industry.
No one would have thought to pair heels and cats together but here we are. The play on words of “kitten heels” and actual kittens was genius, and whoever came up with the idea deserves a raise ASAP.
As an advertising and public relations student, we are taught that emotional appeal is the strongest when trying to sell someone something. Using a concept that tugs on people’s heartstrings is a popular way of demonstrating this. Remember those depressing American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) commercials with shelter animals? That is the perfect example of emotional appeal. Likewise, Steve Madden including shelter kittens in their campaign was genius. The campaign is not only creative wording, but it also spotlights shelter kittens that need homes.
Animal shelters and other non-profit organizations do not nearly have as much promotional money at their disposal as businesses like Steve Madden. Some nonprofits are struggling to stay afloat, especially animal shelters. They don’t have the staffing, funding or time to create advertisements that will hopefully land their animals in homes. Steve Madden’s partnering with Animal Haven was an incredible way to
use their resources to introduce the animal shelter to new audiences.
Including kittens in the campaign has been a success because the photos with cats on Steve Madden’s Instagram have a few thousand more likes compared to photos of just models wearing heels. This shows that the emotional appeal of the shelter cats did work because they garnered more publicity than the traditional shoe promotions.
Even though one of the simple, lowcost promotional images includes only a brown backdrop, kitten and heels, it is a very effective advertisement. There are hundreds of comments saying things such as, “I don’t know what I like better, the cat or the heels.” Another comment, “liking for the kittens,” demonstrates that people loved the campaign because of its creativity. Some people are even commenting that they want to rescue a kitten. The campaign was a success in my eyes because of the public’s warm reaction to the product and shelter cats– exactly the goal of the advertisement.
In my opinion, it is an ongoing trend that consumers like simplicity, and this campaign has captured the concept perfectly. People don’t want to be overwhelmed by graphics and bright colors. When there is less distraction to the viewer’s eye, they take in what the
campaign is really about, and that is very important. In this case, it’s especially important when the focus is getting kittens into homes and having the animal shelter reach a new demographic of Steve Madden customers.
These are the types of creative decisions that need to be made more often in advertising campaigns. I truly believe “Wear kitten heels, rescue a kitten” was an innovative way to market both a product and a non-profit, catching the attention of fashion and pet lovers alike.
BY SAM NOWOTNIK LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the hiring process is becoming adopted by more companies around the world. Despite the benefits of eliminating bias and quickly, but efficiently going through resumes, the majority of people say they would not want to apply to a job where AI helps make hiring decisions.
When it comes to people’s careers and jobs, the stakes are higher and AI’s involvement raises concerns and distrust among many people. People are more likely to oppose than favor AI’s involvement in reviewing job applications– and for final hiring decisions. Adults decisively want human judgment, according to the Pew Research Center.
On the contrary, I favor the use of AI in the application process because of the benefits it has to offer. I also think its use in hiring won’t be going away anytime soon.
There are a few things that make AI extremely different from a human reviewing resumes and pushing applicants through the next round of the hiring process. One of the main benefits of AI is fairness. AI is better at treating all applicants the same and avoiding the human bias that could play a role in the process. Regardless of age, race and gender, applicants can feel assured their review is only based on their work and skills they have. Consistency in the way assessments are made day by day creates balance in the hiring process.
Bias and consistency are, and have been, issues with the human reviewing process. Pew Research Center came to the same conclusion. AI has benefits regarding bias. 47% of people say AI would do a better job than humans at treating all applicants the same way–about three times the share of those who say it would do worse (15%). The idea of eliminating bias is a huge component for me, as human bias could be the difference between a new career and getting denied a chance at an interview. No one deserves to get denied a chance at an interview because of bias.
AI is also a beneficial tool when there are hundreds of applications for a single job. I am in the middle
of a job search, and almost all of the jobs I apply for have hundreds of applicants for the same role. When this happens, the time each resume is analyzed and reviewed is shortened. Your resume might get a five to 10-second glance before getting set aside. It doesn’t allow for your resume to be viewed to its full potential. I don’t think a couple of seconds’ look at a resume is enough to decide if someone is a good job candidate. Using AI would allow for each word to be scanned and understood to see if your resume should be pushed through to the next round.
There are also instances where many resumes don’t even get looked at. Working to fix up your resume and submit a cover letter is time-consuming. Knowing that traditionally, it might never get seen is a major concern, but AI can quickly look through resumes, ensuring that doesn’t happen.
Considering these major benefits, I favor the use of AI for reviewing resumes in the initial round of hiring. However, there are still concerns with artificial intelligence such as its impersonality and lack of human judgment. While I think there is always room for improvement, such as refining key words that are scanned, the benefits artificial intelligence can provide right now are crucial changes that
have been needed in the recruitment process for a long time.
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With the upcoming Grand Valley State University Spring Concert on April 6, we are underwhelmed by the lineup of artists set to perform. Given previous concerts featured relevant and big-name artists like T-Pain, Yung Gravy, All-Time Low and Bo Burnham, this year’s lineup feels like a substantial step down in terms of quality and anticipation.
Headlined by former American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina, GVSU’s Campus Activities Board (CAB) is taking a decidedly pop-country approach to this year’s concert. Joined by Julia Cole and the already famous yodeling Walmart kid, Mason Ramsey, Alaina will have big shoes to fill following last spring’s concert.
We don’t deny that Ramsey is talented, but his appearance as an opener seems more like a gimmick due to his past as a meme, rather than a thought-out choice
on CAB’s part. At the same time, Alaina is arguably a less interesting choice. None of us on the Lanthorn Editorial Board actually knew of her prior to the spring concert announcement, and many other students vocalized their disappointment on CAB’s initial Instagram post.
According to CAB’s website, the concert is “geared towards a collegeaged audience,” but it seems like CAB really missed the mark on picking an artist who adequately represents the student body’s interest. Maybe we would be more interested if GVSU was located in Georgia or Tennessee.
We don’t deny that there are many college students that are fans of country music, especially in a smaller rural town like Allendale, Michigan. But at the same time, if CAB picked someone who was at least more popular in country music, or a less polarizing genre, then there may be a lot more interest.
Compared to this year’s spring concert at Michigan State University, GVSU’s is noticeably less exciting. MSU’s concert
will feature Hippo Campus and Detroit native Danny Brown, which we feel are much better options. While GVSU is considerably smaller than MSU in terms of student population, we still represent the fourth-largest student body in the state.
Having not only a mostly unknown headliner with two openers seems like a waste of money and time for students normally excited about the event. We would like to see artists like the Wallows or Djo because they fit the culture and identity of a college campus more than the current performers.
We would have preferred that CAB sought out students’ opinions on artists they would like to see. That way, they could have had a better understanding of artists students would be interested in paying to see on campus.
The GVSU Board of Trustees allocated $200,000 through the Student Life Fund and the school’s Reserve Account to CAB’s overall budget. The likelihood that it comes at least in part from tuition dollars, and out of our pockets, makes the spring concert
lineup that much more frustrating.
Surely the concert is taking a big bite out of that funding, and it feels like a bit of a waste.
Instead of paying for three artists to come to campus, we wonder why CAB didn’t use the money they spent on Alaina, Julia and Mason, and put it towards a more well-known artist that people are actually excited about. Michigan artists like Mike Posner, Big Sean and Greta Van Fleet may be a little pricey to draw, but would be well worth the price.
Tickets for the concert are already on sale, but nobody on the Lanthorn Editorial Board plans on spending their hard-earned cash for a likely disappointing set. With rising tuition, GVSU and CAB should be putting on a show that a majority of the student body is interested in.
We are anxiously awaiting the concert. It will be interesting to see if the student body really does show up for Lauren Alaina, or if CAB wasted their money and our time.
from GVSU databases, Green and King believe the evidence in their list of demands highlight the inequitable support for students of color at GVSU.
Braving the wind and frigid air, concerned students at Grand Valley State University took part in a march around campus on March 18 to protest issues they feel contribute to an inequitable and non-inclusive environment for students of color at GVSU, particularly Black students.
Starting at the Cook Carillon Tower, the march led students to Mackinac Hall and across the bridge to the steps of James H. Zumberge Hall. Here, marchers held a demonstration outside of GVSU’s Senior Leadership Team’s offices. Making their message clear through call-and-response chants, hand-drawn signs and head-to-toe black attire, students are concerned about GVSU’s declining retention rates for students of color and the lack of institutional support. These students are demanding that the Senior Leadership Team provide students of color with more resources to combat the plummeting retention rates, namely through an increase of faculty of color.
Alarmed by the 54.1% fall-to-fall retention rate of Black GVSU students in 2022, Antonio Green Jr. and Michael King, president and vice president of the Iota Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., said the time for conversation about diversity and retention is over. Feeling used as a marketing tool by GVSU’s Senior Leadership Team to increase diversity on campus, Green and King helped organize the diversity retention march with other leaders and GVSU student organizations to demonstrate solidarity for students of color who feel similarly neglected.
“As African Americans, we need the support of other demographics to amplify the voices of the muffled,” King said. “Frustrated students around Grand Valley organized this event strictly because, for years, we have been seeing a lack of support for students, especially students of color.”
Determined to spearhead meaningful changes for students of color at GVSU, Green and King crafted a list of demands and grievances to give to the Senior Leadership Team. Included in the list were relevant figures regarding retention rates for students of color, and proof of limited faculty diversity. Pulled directly
One of the key demands in the list given to GVSU’s Senior Leadership Team is for the increase in faculty of color. According to the most recent fall 2023 data, over 77% of GVSU’s benefiteligible regular faculty are white, equating to 648 of 839 eligible faculty members. Despite students of color representing over 28% of GVSU’s record-breaking fall 2023 class of first-time college students, Green said there is a severe shortage of professors and faculty who look like him.
“How am I supposed to know that I deserve to be here? How am I supposed to know that I can be successful?” Green said. “Seeing someone that looks like you, you know their struggle, and some of the stuff you share is very similar because of where you come from. That’s why it’s so important to see somebody that’s very successful because if you don’t, how do you know you can do it (too)?”
Furthermore, Green and King cite the low six-year graduation rate of Black students at GVSU as particularly concerning. With less than 50% of Black students in GVSU’s 2016 cohort obtaining their bachelor’s degree by Aug. 31, 2022, Green and King said this is proof that GVSU is not helping students of color succeed.
Additionally, Green and King said students of color are tired of being overly used in promotional material to highlight GVSU’s diversity and inclusion. Included in the list of demands, Green and King are calling for change regarding the disproportionate use of students of color in branding and promotional material.
“This is not an arcade. This is not Dave & Buster’s, we (students of color) are not your token,” King said.
Capitalizing on the success of the diversity and retention march, Green and
King helped organize a “Politics in Color” discussion panel on March 20. The panel brought minority speakers, including Michigan State Rep. Kristian Grant, Politicking CEO and cofounder Wenkuni Ceant, Benton Harbor Area Schools Board President Dashauna Robinson and Greater Grand Rapids NAACP Youth Council President Ja’Von Fields, to discuss issues affecting minorities. Specific issues included voter literacy, access to clean water, the importance of policy reform and student engagement in politics.
King said events like the diversity retention march and the discussion panel are invaluable resources in Iota Epsilon’s mission to create an equitable environment. By calling on students, faculty and members of the GVSU community to take action rather than rehashing the same conversations that lead nowhere, King said they are laying the foundation for future generations to have more opportunities to succeed. A significant component in this call to action, King said, is educating people on the importance of policy. With the upcoming primaries and general election, Green and King also recognize the importance of ensuring students of color are educated and ready to use their vote. Much of this education, Green said, pertains to making sure students know how and where to vote. “We can march and rally all day long, but to have the opportunity to be in the faces of state representatives, legislators, senators and house speakers is extremely important,” King said. “They are the ones making these laws. They are the ones who can change our lives.”
In collaboration with other student organizations and leaders at GVSU, Iota Epsilon will host a town hall at the Kirkhof Center in Room 2266 on April 2 at 6 p.m. Members of the GVSU community are encouraged to attend and hear from students and faculty who will be sharing their personal experiences of inequity on campus. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to see the list of demands and grievances sent to GVSU’s Senior Leadership Team.
Green and King said they fully expect GVSU’s Senior Leadership Team to attend and be receptive in working together to create a more inclusive and equitable campus for students of color.
Eleven students in Grand Valley State University’s ART 415- Graphic Design Senior Project class will have the opportunity to display their designs in the class’ group exhibition beginning April 17. Titled “Resolution,” the exhibition will feature creative solutions to modern challenges, such as climate change, social structure, community and selfimprovement.
For their project, students are required to incorporate various elements of graphic design to address issues of their choosing. Utilizing their knowledge of marketing, research, project management and presentation, the students create aesthetically pleasing hypothetical products that attempt to solve their chosen issues.
Carson Murphy, a senior graphic design student at GVSU, said her project aims to address growing problems within the fashion
industry, specifically fast fashion and sustainability. Titled “Earth Friendly,” Murphy said her project uses thrifted clothing with custom embroidery as an alternative to fast fashion. By reusing and repurposing old garments, Murphy said she can reduce her carbon footprint and create new, unique pieces.
“I chose to tackle fast fashion because every time I open social media there is a new ad for a new clothing company, such as Shein, Romwe, Temu, etc.,” Murphy said. “I have some previous knowledge about how fast fashion has negative impacts on the environment, and after doing more research, I learned that it (fast fashion) is a large problem that most people choose to ignore.”
Murphy said she was inspired by small businesses and other artists who were already exploring thrifted clothing in their work. Additionally, Murphy said her love for creating “wearable” and “functional art” was key in deciding the direction of her design.
“I know a lot of people in Gen Z love thrifting because it is more affordable, and (thrifting is) also just something fun to do with your friends,” Murphy said. “This (‘Earth Friendly’) is also helping the environment, by practicing sustainability and repurposing clothing and accessories in great condition without having to buy new every time. I thought, what better way to do this than to design unique clothing and help the planet at the same time?”
Another project in the exhibition, “Phose,” envisions a photography application that helps users with their self-confidence. Developed by Kiana Baker, a senior graphic design student at GVSU, the app attempts to boost the user’s self-confidence while taking photos by assisting them with posing and presentation.
Baker said she was inspired to create “Phose’’ after observing how apprehensive people are about having their photo taken. Much of the apprehension, Baker said,
comes from a lack of self-confidence that often stems from the unfair comparisons made to models and social media influencers. Baker said photography can help people achieve a positive self-image, which she believes is a valuable asset for people in their everyday lives.
“This (Baker’s app) enables them (users) to amass outstanding photographs for sharing and preserving memories while fostering a positive self-image,” Baker said. “My overall goal is for users to shed concerns regarding external judgment and recognize that they can exude the same level of confidence and aesthetic appeal as anyone else.”
“Resolution” will run from April 17-18 in the Haas Center for Performing Arts Gallery, then will return for a three-day run from April 22-24. A reception for the exhibition will be held in the gallery from 5-7 p.m. on April 18, which students and members of the GVSU community are encouraged to attend.
On March 19, Grand Valley State University’s Department of Modern Languages and Literatures hosted an inclusive multicultural gathering titled “Medley: A Celebration of Languages and the Arts” at the Cook-Dewitt Center.
The event brought students and faculty from various backgrounds together to experience the various cultures and languages present at GVSU. Musical performances, puppetry, poetry, film, dance, food and theatre were just some of the activities for attendees to take part in. English translations were provided for those who did not speak the language in the performances.
Students were encouraged to participate in activities specific to their culture and experience other cultures as well. With a variety of art and performances from English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Korean, Latin and Italian cultures represented at the event, the wide array of cultural performances provided students with a strengthened global perspective.
Among the performers at the event was Qays Yaser Almallah, a sophomore at GVSU who studies Arabic. Almallah said the event provided an excellent outlet for students to become involved with culturally diverse programs and activities. Additionally, Almallah said this was a great opportunity for students to share pieces of themselves through performing.
Almallah recited a poem by renowned Syrian poet Nazar Qabbani. Almallah said he chose one of Qabbani’s poems because of his desire to spread love and generosity at the celebration, which are central themes in Qabbani’s poetry. Simultaneously, Almallah said it’s equally important to dismantle harmful stereotypes surrounding Arabic culture.
“More often than not, Arab culture is depicted with negativity in Western media, but love and generosity are two of the most central themes that emerge in Arabic literature and poetry,” Almallah said. “I wanted to highlight the centrality of love that people celebrate in Arab culture, as it is something that is shared almost universally among cultures across the world.
Other students at the event, including sophomore Andy Hardgrave, who is minoring in French at GVSU, praised the various performances throughout the night, specifically the musical numbers. Hardgrave said culture-exposing events like “Medley” have been a crucial part of his education at GVSU.
“It’s a neat intersection for creativity and language, which makes for culture,” Hardgrave said. “It was also a really nice
and inclusive celebration of diversity, with more than a handful of different backgrounds given time on the stage.”
Hardgrave said the event encouraged all people, not just those studying foreign languages, to appreciate the melting pot of cultures.
“I was pleasantly surprised to see students from some of my other non-language classes at (the) foreign language event,” Hardgrave said.
Furthermore, Almallah emphasized the importance of events like Medley at predominately white institutions. Almallah said celebrations of languages and art help “broaden the horizons” of students who may not be exposed to cultures other than their own, which empowers them to embrace their differences.
“Being a minority at Grand Valley has been challenging at times, but having outlets to celebrate and embrace my culture, as well as other cultures, via events like Medley has been an incredible source of empowerment,” Almallah said. “The negativity and othering that culturally diverse students face is something we can combat by giving these students the opportunity to share and embrace the most beautiful aspects of their cultures.”
SSD KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Tuesday April 9: Imani Perry, National Book Award Winner, Lecture followed by reception 4:00 PM Pere Marquette Room, 2204 Kirkhof Center
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS:
Wednesday April 10: Poster presentations, oral presentation, and faculty-led sessions 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m Kirkhof Center (2nd floor and Grand River Room) and Henry Hall Atrium
EXHIBITIONS OF ART:
Thursday April 11 5:00 PM: Artist Reception, Calder Art Center Exhibition runs April 10-28, 2024
Grand Valley State University’s Car Enthusiast Club made its debut one year ago, offering students passionate about cars a place to gather every Friday.
The organization has grown and developed over the past year, creating opportunities for students to appreciate automobiles.
“It is a good way for car enthusiasts around Allendale and Grand Rapids to display and discuss automotive culture,” said Trevor Cordell, the Vice President of the Car Enthusiasts Club.
Members of the club either bring their own cars or admire other people’s cars, and have conversations with those who are passionate about the subject. The events also draw photographers who enjoy creating content, taking pictures and filming videos with cars as the subject.
“We wanted to bring together automotive enthusiasts from GVSU,
and the surrounding area and we saw that there wasn’t an existing club, so we filled that need,” Cordell said.
Sam George, the financial officer of the club, described the meets as “a way to get away from the weight of college.” He said the car meets are filled with music, as members go around looking at cars and share their passion with each other, further fostering a community.
George said one of his favorite memories of the club is his first memory with the organization.
“I remember that fondly because it was the first time I went to a car meetup,” George said. “It kicked off the car meeting experience for me and since then I’ve gone to car meet-ups outside of Grand Valley, so it was kind of like my introduction to car meet-ups.”
George said the club means a lot to him. The organization helped introduce him to the world of car meets and rekindle his passion for cars.
“I was really into cars as a kid.
Whenever I saw a nice car drive past, I would always make note of it. (The club) kind of brings back that emotion,” George said.
For George, a large part of being a part of the club is how it fosters a supportive and safe space for car enthusiasts. To maintain this, the club has certain rules for the meet-up to make it as respectful as possible for the people on campus, such as no revving and other loud engine noises.
“Having a safe car meeting area here in Grand Valley is really nice. Having a safe environment here at Grand Valley is very important to me,” George said.
Both George and Cordell mentioned that the organization is gaining more attention and meets are becoming more popular with students.
“It seems like a lot of fun for the people who attend our meets, (we have) grown to almost 300 followers on Instagram,” Cordell said. “I am pleased to say we have been pretty successful, and I hope we continue to
grow in the future.”
Aside from weekly meetings, the club also plans other excursions around automotive culture, including local, Grand Rapids-based meets. Members of the club also coordinate groups that go to auto shows across the state.
In the future, the club is planning a driving cruise. They plan to all meetup and drive the same route down to Grand Haven. Other tentative ideas include having a food truck attend the Friday meets. During the future winter semesters, the club plans to have car simulation games during the meetings to make up for the lack of consistent outdoor meets.
Cordell said weekly meetings throughout the semester help end his week on a good note, offering him a space to congregate with like-minded people, close to campus.
“To me this is a great way to end the week, bringing people together and talking about cars is a great way to enjoy a fall or spring evening,” Cordell said.
MARCH 25, 2024
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN
@GVLANTHORN
@GVLANTHORN
For 17 years, Grand Valley State University Professor Todd Kaneko has been a part of the Writing Department. A professor of poetry and creative writing, he first started teaching at GVSU in 2007 as an adjunct professor but soon turned to the tenure track in 2015.
Despite Kaneko’s role as a creative writing instructor, it’s far from what he originally thought he’d be doing with his life.
“I graduated high school and I flunked out of college because I didn’t wanna go, and I ended up playing music for 10 years,” Kaneko said. “My dad was a poet, a fiction writer and a playwright. I think I resisted going into the family business for years and years.”
Drawn to the creation of art, he redirected his path toward graphic design and illustration, staying in the field until he was told he wouldn’t be able to make any more money without having a degree. After truly capping out in that field, Kaneko shifted gears, deciding in the ‘90s to further his career by getting a bachelor’s degree in graphic design.
However, that’s where his whole
life trajectory changed.
“I had this really great English teacher who was my first-year composition teacher. First-year writing was a half intro to (literature), half writing class,” Kaneko said. “In that class, I rediscovered my love for the written word and I made my decision.”
Kaneko went on to attend Arizona State University for an MFA in Creative Writing specializing in narrative writing. He graduated from ASU in 2006, and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan soon after with his partner, Caitlin Horrocks, to teach together at GVSU.
“One of the cool things about being a writer is you don’t have to go to school to be a writer. But when you do go to school to be a writer, you end up meeting like-minded people, and you create that community for yourself,” Kaneko said. “Those people end up being the people that you write with and exchange work with.”
Kaneko said many of his longeststanding writer friends are from his days at ASU. Since then, he has met several people in creative spaces and added several accolades to his professional portfolio.
With three poetry books, one textbook and many publications in journals and magazines under his
belt, Kaneko is considered what many people would define as a “success” in the industry. However, he sees little point in defining accomplishment with how often one’s work is printed and bound.
“The thing that I want my students to understand is that their writing is about their art. They have to divorce that from any notion of a career or sales or success. As long as you’re writing, you’re a writer and success is what you determine it to be,” Kaneko said. “Some people are gonna say, ‘Well, I don’t have a book, so how can I be a success, right?’ But if that’s your measure of success, that’s a very limited measure of success, and a very difficult one to achieve. Most people in the world haven’t published a book.”
Something Kaneko strongly believes in is that “who you are as a person feeds into who you are as a writer.” Being a longtime creative and now a dad of three, he emulates this ideology on multiple levels.
“I have an eight-year-old and I have a pair of three-year-old twins. On one hand, they make me a terrible writer, because I don’t have time. I don’t have the brain space. When you’re a dad, you take all that brain space and put it into being a dad,” Kaneko said. “When I am writing, I’m a better writer, because
having three kids means I have three more points through which to live.”
Juggling teaching, parenting and writing has taught Kaneko to be smart with his time, and has contributed to a shift in his poetry. He said it’s “much easier to get in and out of the creative space” with the shorter form of creative writing.
“Poetry has given me more than sometimes I think I deserve, or that I’ve thought I was actually pursuing. I know a lot of people who haven’t been able to publish a book,” Kaneko said. “I feel very fortunate that the stages of my life have led me to where I am.”
These stages of life haven’t just led him to his current successes, though. They’ve also played a role in forming not only who he is, but, like most writers, informing the art that he creates.
“Sometimes someone will say, ‘How long did it take you to write that book, or that poem, or that story,’ and there’s two answers. ‘Well, it took me an hour, or it took me a day, or it took me four years,’ the real answer is my whole life,” Kaneko said. “Everything, every moment, every experience leads us to our art.”
The Grand Valley State University Lakers’ baseball team (10-8, 2-0) played a doubleheader series against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers (11-9, 0-2) on Saturday, March 23. After a snowstorm hit Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the games were moved to Chicago, Illinois at Saint Xavier University.
It was the first series of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference (GLIAC) play for the Lakers. After a sluggish start offensively, the GVSU bats heated up. They won both games dominantly, beating the Rangers 7-2 in the first game and 12-1 in the second. GVSU was led offensively by junior designated hitter Conner McCormack, who went 4-for-6 batting with three RBIs, while crossing the plate four times himself.
To start game one, Parkside took a quick 1-0 lead over GVSU with a run in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly that scored
the Rangers’ Peter Fusek, who had gotten on base to start the game after being walked. Then, both teams would go scoreless until the fourth inning, where GVSU would begin to take over the game.
In the fourth inning, Lakers’ right fielder Nathan Logan hit a single, then advanced to second on a throwing error. Logan tied the game on the next at-bat thanks to McCormack, who tripled home Logan, before catcher Brennan Guciardo hit a single that scored McCormack.
With a 2-1 lead, the momentum would continue in the Lakers’ favor in the fifth when shortstop Connor Schuman singled up the middle to start the inning. This was the beginning of a four-run onslaught, as Shuman was followed by outfielder Kyle Nott, who got walked after a long at bat. Nott and Shuman then advanced on a double steal and scored when GVSU third baseman Jonas Gulbrandsen singled to left field. This extended the Lakers lead to 4-1.
Logan would then ground out to
first base, allowing Gulbrandsen to advance to third. McCormack then hit a home run to take a 6-1 lead at the top of the 5th.
The Lakers and Rangers each traded a single run the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough to elicit a comeback as GVSU held on to their 7-2 victory. GVSU starting pitcher Nick Rutkowski threw for five full innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run. He was relieved by Logan Wynalda, who gave up one hit and one run in the final two innings of the first game.
GVSU head coach Jordan Keur praised Rutkowski.
“First off, I thought Nick Rutkowski gave us a really good start,” Keur said. “Anytime he’s on the mound, we know we’re gonna have a good start from him, so I would just say that he set the tone for the day.”
Rutkowski commented on and directed praise towards his team’s defense.
“I think it really makes it when you can just go in there and know
that you can throw strikes and your defense behind you will make plays,” Rutkowski said. “That’s the whole thing for me, is knowing that my defense is going to their job, so I trust them and that makes me better.”
The Lakers would then play their second game against Parkside, which would be an even bigger rout for GVSU as they would defeat the Rangers, 121. GVSU scored five runs in the top of the second and would then score six runs at the top of the sixth.
Logan, who had two hits and four RBIs on the day, felt that the doubleheader sweep was because of a well-rounded team performance.
“It was nice that everyone on the team contributed,” Logan said. “I think we did a really good job of attacking early and our approach and how we played good, clean, defense behind our pitchers. I thought our pitchers did really well.”
With both wins over Parkside, the Lakers improved their record to 10-8 and started their conference record with a 2-0 start.
