Issue 18, October 24, 2011 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

One Helluva Haunt: A haunted house Review

Laker Life I B4

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M O N D AY, O C TO B E R 24, 2011

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Minority role models scarce at GV

Students of color report lack of role models, higher harassment rates in recent campus climate survey By Chelsea Lane

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GVL Staff Writer

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ttending a predominantly white university can sometimes prove a psychologically isolating experience for students of color. In the recent myGVSU survey, 84 percent of Grand Valley State University respondents selfidentified as white, but more of the 16 percent who self-identified as people of color said they have more trouble finding on-campus role models than their white counterparts. The myGVSU survey asks students, staff and faculty a variety of questions to determine what it is like to live, work and learn at GVSU. During the first week of October, Sue Rankin, senior research associate at the Center for Higher Education, visited GVSU to deliver the survey’s results. The overall reported comfort and satisfaction rates at GVSU were lowest among people of color, with what Rankin called “significant” differences be-

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Setting the stage: Bobby Springer, associate director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, speaks to the crowd gathered for a past Intercultural Festival. Minority respondents to the myGVSU survey said they had fewer minority role models than white students.

tween whites and minorities. The survey also reported that some people of color “felt singled out” based on their race as resident authorities on a particular subject.

“Most students felt very valued by faculty at GVSU … and they felt that they do have role models, except for students of color,” Rankin said. “They felt they didn’t

have enough role models.” To gain a better understanding of the issue, Bobby Springer, as-

See Minority, A2

www.lanthorn.com/multimedia

Chasing the Sky

GV student dies in I-75 accident

Lanthorn columnist Kevin VanAntwerpen discusses his life as part of a moderately successful indie rock band.

By Samantha Butcher GVL Managing Editor

Kevin Vanantwerpen

GVL Columnist

www.lanthorn.com/blog

What’s Inside

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A2 News A4 Opinion A5 Your Space B1 Sports B4 Laker Life B5 Marketplace

Please Recycle

Courtesy Photo / royschmidt.org

More money: State Rep. Roy Schmidt (pictured), D-Grand Rapids, is fighting to get more funding for higher education in Michigan, specifically GVSU. The university has the lowest per-student appropriations in the state.

The fight for funding Conversation continues between GV, state to increase public funding for higher education By Lizzy Balboa GVL Staff Writer

Grand Valley State University now has more lawmakers on its side in the fight to increase the university’s public funding, which was cut by 22 percent in the last state-wide budget settlement. Although Rep. Amanda Price (R—Park Township) voted in favor of the cuts, Rep. Roy Schmidt (D—Grand Rapids) voted against them. Price was unavailable for comment, but Ed Kettle, Schmidt’s senior legislative aide, said Schmidt agrees with GVSU officials that the university needs more funding. Early in his term, Schmidt invited the entire Democratic caucus to come to Grand Rapids for a retreat. “We had the opportunity for people of Grand Valley to

come and speak to our group [so other representatives c o u l d hear] that Grand Va l l e y ’s McLOGAN one of the most high-achieving academic institutions in the state with the least amount of funding,” Kettle said. However, Schmidt and other Democratic representatives are having a difficult time accomplishing their goals in the House. “We’re not in the majority,” Kettle said. “Even though Roy [Schmidt] might come up with a very good bill for Grand Valley, it probably won’t go anywhere because he’s a Democrat. There’s very little we can do.”

GVSU is always very high on the agenda for the Kent Caucus, which assembles the many West Michigan representatives to discuss their main focuses for each year, Kettle said. Matt McLogan, vice president of university relations, and GVSU President Thomas J. Haas have fought to make sure that GVSU remains a priority. Both have testified before the state legislature and meet often with the West Michigan representatives to appeal for more appropriations. “I’ve discussed with every representative in West Michigan our long-held concern that GVSU students are not being treated fairly in state funding,” McLogan said. “We take great pains every year to make sure they understand what the

See Funding, A2

Oakland University officials confirmed Sunday that Grand Valley State University sophomore Rachel Ring, 19, died Saturday afternoon in a car accident on southbound I-75. Police said a 60 something-yearold driver was at fault, but the cause of the accident was unclear. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor. According to a report from Michigan state police, the accident involved four vehicles and 10 people. Ring, who had recently transferred to GVSU, had previously attended Oakland. She and an Oakland student were riding in the back of a compact car when the accident occurred at about 2:58 p.m. Both of the passengers died; the car’s driver, a second Oakland University student, was removed from the vehicle with the jaws of life and sent to the hospital with injuries. No one else was injured. The women were on their way to the John K. King Bookstore in Detroit when the multi-vehicle crash occurred. “Any death among the Oakland University family diminishes us all, and the sudden death of two young, vibrant students is a particularly devastating blow,” wrote Oakland President Gary Russi in a campus-wide letter. “It is almost beyond our ability to comprehend such a tragedy.” GVSU officials were unavailable for comment. managingeditor@lanthorn.com

A2 NEWS

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

“But at the end of the day, it’s a

Minority continued from A1

-sociate director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, encouraged white students to imagine what it would be like if they were to “flip the script.” “Imagine you being at an all-black school and you’re the only white student there and everybody else was African American,” he said. “If you went to class to class to class and then even your instructor was African American … that plays a big role all by itself. I’m not saying that whites can’t be role models, because they can, because we have a number of majority faculty and staff that reach out to students of color to make them feel welcome here at the university. But at the end of the day, it’s a plus for everybody when you can look across and see a reflection of yourself.” Springer recalled his own moment of empowerment when, as a graduate student, he entered his first class and discovered the professor was also a black male. “It gave me so much energy, zest, whatever you want to call that, that made me feel like I belong,” he said. “There’s somebody else who has accomplished this who looks like me. That gave me hope. Just seeing yourself, it does a lot for one’s soul.” While he acknowledged the experience of being a person of color at a mostly white institution can “get lonely” for both faculty and students, Springer said the OMA plans many events to

Funding

plus for everybody when you can look across and see a reflection of yourself.

”

Bobby Springer Associate director of the OMA

help make people of color feel welcome at GVSU, including a mixer at the start of the school year attended by students, faculty and staff. The OMA also brings guest speakers, documentary screenings and other events to the campus to coincide with various cultural celebrations, including Cesar Chavez Week, Black History Month, Native American Heritage Month and Hispanic Heritage Month. Springer said these events are meant to act as a “double whammy” for both students of color and majority students. A larger proportion of people of color also reported both witnessing and personally experiencing exclusionary, offensive, intimidating or harassing behavior. Thirty-nine percent of respondents of color said the harassment was based on their race, while three percent of white respondents voiced the same sentiment. People of color were also more likely to feel left out when working in groups. For all student respondents, regardless of race, the most common place perceived harassment or exclusion took place was in the classroom and the most commonly alleged harasser was a faculty or staff member. Dean of Students Bart Merkle said it is not uncommon for students of different races, backgrounds, cultures and sexual orientations to feel isolated or singled out.

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Volume 46, Number 18

“The fact of the matter is, there are some insensitive people out there,” he said. “Sometimes those people are faculty. Sometimes those people are students … As a university, it’s important for us to continue to reach out to people of different backgrounds and try to make Grand Valley the best, most welcoming place it can possibly be.” Merkle said when investigating a student’s or faculty member’s initial complaint, some perceived harassment has been deliberately hurtful, but other incidents have been the result of simple misunderstandings or miscommunications. Merkle, who also teaches classes, stressed the importance of maintaining a classroom and campus environment where faculty and students alike feel comfortable, welcomed and valued. “If we don’t ask the difficult questions that potentially might make some people uncomfortable, then we’re not doing our jobs [as educators],” he said. “But it’s important to take a step back and explain, ‘When I said this, this is what I meant or this is what my intentions were.’” Both Merkle and Springer emphasized the value of joining a student organization or club in order for students of all races and cultures to feel more included and connected with the GVSU community. Merkle added that if a student feels their interests or identities are not represented by a current student organization, they are always welcome to start a student group of their own. “There are over 300 student groups on campus and all of those started from someone saying, ‘Hey, let’s focus on this,’” he said. “If you are interested in something, chances are someone else out there is too.” clane@lanthorn.com

continued from A1

funding is that we’ve received and how it counts per student, and we always give them a copy of the president’s accountability report.” The report, prepared by the president each year, compares GVSU’s growth, academic achievement and government funding with those of other state schools. GVSU consistently ranks in the top four for academic achievement in the state. It had the sixthlargest student body population in the state last year and the third-largest undergraduate headcount. However, state appropriations per student have remained well below that of all other state universities. “The reason for this is not because the legislature necessarily believes we deserve less, but rather because GVSU grew at a time when the state simply didn’t have money to fund additional student enrollment,” McLogan said. GVSU’s 10-year percent change in enrollment, from Fall 2000 to Fall 2010, was an increase of 53.9 percent,

“Grand Valley

has put the brakes on themselves because they don’t want to move to the next level. If they moved to a doctorate university and a research university, it will bring them to the new level.

”

Ed Kettle Senior legislative aide to Rep. Roy Schmidt

the highest in the state by more than 10 percent. Kettle posited another reason for the gap. “Grand Valley has put the brakes on themselves because they don’t want to move to the next level,” he said. “If they moved to a doctorate university and a research university, it will bring them to the new level.” The GVSU Student Senate will initiate a letterwriting campaign and appeal to the representatives in Lansing for more higher education funding later this year. “Grand Valley deserves much more funding than we receive,” said Trevor Tenbrink, vice president of political affairs for Student Senate. Tenbrink has testified before the House and Senate subcommittees that deal with higher education funding. He and the Student Senate are currently organizing a political forum at GVSU so that all students can interact with their state representatives. Meanwhile, McLogan said the university has hope for more funding appropriations in the next budget. “For next year, there has been discussion between both the governor and the House of Representatives that they want to see if there is a funding model for the universities that might be more driven by formula than it presently is,” he said. At this time, the budget for higher education does not rely on any set formula, but Kettle said students really need to voice their concerns and vote to change things. Tenbrink agreed. “We can have lobbyists, presidents and board members all try to prove why we deserve more respect, but the loudest voice will come from the students,” he said. Students can contact their home representatives to discuss their concerns or call Schmidt at 517-3730822. Students can reach Price at 517-373-0838. ebalboa@lanthorn.com

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NEWS BRIEFS GV Holland campus is now zero-waste

By reducing the trash bin count to a total of two, the Grand Valley State University Meijer Holland Campus is now more sustainable. The effort focused on eliminating trash bins from offices and classrooms and placing two centralized bins at the entrance of the building. The Holland campus also organized a dumpster dive to educate the campus community on current disposal methods. For more information on the sustainability efforts at the Meijer Holland Campus log onto www. gvsu.edu/holland.

Casual dress to support breast cancer research

By dressing casually this Wednesday, Grand Valley State University faculty and staff will support breast cancer research by donating $5 to the Susan G. Koman Foundation. Donations to the foundation can be brought to the Women’s Center at 1201 Kirkhof Center. Donations can also be brought to several representatives throughout campus. A list of the representatives is available at the Women’s Center. The Women’s Center is sponsoring Casual Wednesday as Colleges Against Cancer and Work Life Connections.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICARTIONS Jesse Powers was mistakenly referred to as a woman in the Oct. 20 article, “Rare flamenco ballet to be performed Monday.” Mary Lohman will also not be performing in the ballet.

BUSINESS STAFF

Editor-in-Chief EMANUEL JOHNSON

Laker Life Editor HALEY OTMAN

Layout Editor VALERIE WALDBAUER

Advertising Manager KEVIN HAUSFELD

Business Manager ALEX HOUSEMAN

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published twice-weekly by Grand Valley State University students 62 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, please contact our business offices. POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to Grand Valley Lanthorn, 0051 Kirkhof, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, 49401

Managing Editor SAMANTHA BUTCHER

A & E Editor BRIANA DOOLAN

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News Editor ANYA ZENTMEYER

Image Editor ERIC COULTER

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Receptionists SHANTI COLLINS ANGILEENA GIBSON

Assistant News Editor DAN SPADAFORA

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The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published under the authorization of the GVSU Newspaper Advisory Board.

Sports Editor BRADY FREDERICKSEN

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Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

NEWS EDITOR ANYA ZENTMEYER news@lanthorn.com

Composting initiatives spread to dorms

Student Senate asks for input during Student Voice Week By Anya Zentmeyer GVL News Editor

GVL / Rane Martin

Limiting the landfill: A Grand Valley State University composts her dishes in Kirkhof. The university’s compost efforts are expanding into the residential areas with two separate composting programs being piloted in the Frederik Meijer Honors College. One will collect compostable materials that students living in Niemeyer Living Center separate from their trash, while a second will focus on collecting pizza boxes campus-wide.

see LANTHORN.COM to read the story >> COMPOSTING

Alumni relations announces Halloween theme for 2011 Homecoming events

GVL Archive

Crowning glory: A past Homecoming court poses after the ceremony during halftime of the football game. Various Homecoming events will be offered this week, culminating in Saturday’s game against Michigan Tech.

‘Thrilling’ flash mob, 5k run and costume contest to bring scary theme to life this week By Anya Zentmeyer

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GVL News Editor

omecoming week is upon students, faculty, staff and alumni of Grand Valley State University, and with Halloween right around the corner, the 2011 homecoming theme is “GVSU, you put a spell on me.” This year’s homecoming is packed full of events that aim at bringing GVSU community members from all walks of life – current students, alumni, faculty, staff and family members – together to celebrate Laker pride. Events like the Thrilling Flash Mob, 5K Walk/Run and costume competition, pancake breakfast and a performance by Mike Posner, sponsored by Spotlight Productions, will take place throughout the week. The week of activities will all culminate on Saturday night at Lubbers Stadium when the Laker football team goes head-to-head with Michigan Technological University. Alumni relations will also bring back the Reunion Row event, where various tents will be set up along the North Turf Building Grounds and the East Football Practice Field for attendees to mingle with former classmates, teammates, campus organizations, academic units, alumni chapters, fraternity brothers and sisters and former student organizationmembers.Among those groups attending the event are the GVSU Family Association, GVSU Softball, HTM alumni and students and many organizations in the Greek community including Sigma Kappa, Sigma Pi, Delta Zeta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Delta Sigma Phi and Alpha Sigma Alpha.

“One great thing about Homecoming is that it brings together all the Lakers … It’s all about being a Laker for a lifetime.

”

Natalie Cleary Student Senate president

GVSU’s Student Senate will be in the Kirkhof Center lobby from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. all week hosting the annual T-Shirt Swap, where students can bring in old high school t-shirts and exchange them for GVSU gear. “I know that Student Senate is excited to be holding the T-Shirt Swap again,” said Natalie Cleary, Student Senate president. “It’s been really successful in the past and we’re looking forward to distributing more Laker apparel.” For more information on how to get involved with 2011 homecoming events, visit

www.gvsu.edu/studentlife/ homecoming. “There’s this universitywide committee called the Student Philanthropy Committee and it’s really been focused on creating traditions at Grand Valley and promoting the traditions we already have,” Cleary said. “One thing that’s great about homecoming is that it brings together all the Lakers. You get to see people that already graduated, people that are a still here, and celebrate our experiences at Grand Valley. It’s all about being a Laker for a lifetime.” news@lanthorn.com

Grand Valley State University’s Student Senate will be tabling in the Kirkhof Center on Allendale Campus and the DeVos Center on Pew Campus to survey students in a week-long event called Student Voice Week. “Student Voice Week greatly affects the relevancy of Student Sen- RYDER ate,” said Nick Ryder, vice president of public relations for Student Senate. “We solely work off the voice of the students, so SVW is the largest time that we receive student input. The surveys that students fill out give us statistics and gauge interest in project ideas to work on for the rest of the semester.” In the past, the survey has produced initiatives like advocating for the construction of a sidewalk on Pierce Street, listing majors on diplomas and instituting mid-semester evaluations. Ryder said many times when student senators meet with administrators, they are not entirely certain of how highly students would rank projects in the works on their list of things they want to change about GVSU. “The data from the surveys give us this ranking and this input,” Ryder said. “Students should take the time to fill out the surveys because Student Senate wants their input, it’s our campus and we have the power to change it, we just need to know what to change.” Though the exact number of surveys typically taken during Student Voice Week is unknown, Ryder said the Senate still hopes for an increase with every passing year. “I can tell you that we wish it was higher because we can never have too much input,” he said. news@lanthorn.com

A4 OPINION LANTHORN OPINION ONLINE

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Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011

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VALLEY VOTE

Grading the Lakers Back To School By Brady Fredericksen By Ed Holman

Is it the right time to take American troops out of Iraq?

GVL Sports Editor

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Vote online at lanthorn.com

Last issue’s question: Should President Obama’s jobs bill become law?

YES 33% NO 67%

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON I BY DAN SILLS

EDITORIAL

Award winners

Several members of the Grand Valley Lanthorn were recently awarded national and statewide awards from the American Collegiate Press and the Michigan Press Association.

T

he Grand Valley Lanthorn was recently recognized with a handful of awards from the American Collegiate Press and Michigan Press Association. In the ACP competitions, cartoonist Dan Sills earned a top-five finalist spot for Editorial Cartoon of the Year for the below cartoon in which he poked fun at a proposed censorship of Huck Finn novels that would replace the “N-word” with the word “slave.” The cartoon’s overall placement within the top five will be announced at the National College Media Convention in Orlando later this week. Also in the ACP, Image Editor Eric Coulter won an honorable mention in Spot News Picture for a photo he shot when a biker was hit by a car outside of the Kirkhof Center last year, and the Lanthorn advertising staff won an honorable mention in Ad Campaign for one of last year’s Copper Beech advertisements. In the statewide MPA competition, the Lanthorn brought home six awards, including two first-place honors. Editor-in-Chief Emanuel Johnson won first place in Editorial Writing for “History Denied,” an editorial in which he ridiculed the move to censor Huck Finn novels as historically inaccurate and offensive to African-Americans. Former Layout Editor Alana Holland won first place in Feature Page Design for last year’s feature package covering the Stand Up Eight circus. She also won a second-place award for News Page Design. Former staff writer Garrett Pelican won second place in Column, Review or Blog, News or Sports for “Many years of therapy later,” a sports column in which he pointed out his own struggles when trying to compete in an open golf tournament last year. The Lanthorn also won two statewide advertising awards. Former ad designer Valentina Valdes won second place in Black and White Ads for a Save Energy ad put together for Facilities Services in the Jan. 13 edition, and the entire ad department won third place in Special Advertising Section for the “We Built Grand Valley” edition from the fall semester of last year.

GVL Cartoon / Dan Sills

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EDITORIAL PAGE BOARD EMANUEL JOHNSON SAMANTHA BUTCHER ANYA ZENTMEYER KEVIN HAUSFELD

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Advertising Manager

dsills@lanthorn.com

Q: Are there enough minority role models at GVSU?

“No, because most of my professors are American. Those professors I have had that were of a minority were ... of much help, however there are not enough at GVSU.”

“Because I want to be a teacher, I find a lot of [foreign professors’] teaching techniques interesting and would like to use them as a future teacher.”

“I have had a great experience in the mathematics department with professors of a minority being people I can go to with questions and for advice.”

“I think it depends on your major. Some departments have a large number of minority role models, but most still seem to be predominately white.”

“I think that Grand Valley is good at making minorities feel comfortable and accepted on campus. I feel that there are enough minority role models.”

Alyssa Fournier Sophomore Nursing Shelby Twp., Mich.

Alissa Zalewski Sophomore Math, education Brighton, Mich.

Steven Scholten Junior Math Cedar Springs, Mich.

Paige Darbyshire Senior Math, education Troy, Mich.

Kelsey Smith Junior Psychology, business Grand Rapids, Mich.

Dating in college, part 6: Better together? By Chris Slattery GVL Columnist

Do you want a big congratulations, huh? Are you looking for a pat on the back? A parade? So you finally found someone who’s not embarrassed to be “Facebook official” with you? Big whoop. Being single sucks, but relationships are no cakewalk either. There’s pressure and restrictions and drama, without a particularly bright future on the horizon; if 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, that doesn’t exactly bode well for the dating world. PRESSURE: Uh-oh, you took the leap! You’re connecting with someone and saying, “Hey, I want to spend a lot of time with this person.” The problem is that we’re all very busy. How

ing out with any of your guy friends anymore. Girlfriends know what you guys talk about, and they don’t want your “boys” filling your head with bad ideas. And God help you if you get stuck with a female group partner! DRAMA: I graduated from high school five years ago (shut up), but it amazes me how much “high school drama” has followed to the college level. When I say “drama,” I don’t mean the theater kind (unless both parties involved follow the stage direction of ACT ILLOGICAL), or any reference to the TV show “Entourage,” but rather the seemingly necessary act of causing emotional and psychological distress on your partner. It seems completely backwards for lovers to behave this way, yet it happens on a depressingly regular basis. Having watched “The O.C.” enough times (every time), I know that drama is enticing. Perhaps, subcon-

sciously, we believe that we need drama in our relationships, just like what we see on television, because drama attracts good-looking people. Unfortunately, real-life drama doesn’t mimic television — you both continue to look the same, and therefore no one wins. Just because you’re not randomly hooking up with people and taking the Walk of Shame doesn’t mean you’re taking the Walk of Cake either (see above “cakewalk” reference). Relationships have their own set of problems without the option of a guilt-free exit. Before taking the plunge, make sure you have a damn good safety net. Otherwise, please refer to my previous column before you go SPLAT! Next time, we’ll talk about what we’ve learned from all this, and how to move forward. If this sounds similar to a “We should talk…” conversation, it’s purely coincidence… cslattery@lanthorn.com

Why I hate (but still don’t really hate) religion

GVL OPINION POLICY

The ultimate goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn opinion page is to stimulate discussion and action on topics of interest to the Grand Valley Community. Student opinions do not reflect those of the Grand Valley Lanthorn. The Grand Valley Lanthorn welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three vehicles of expression for reader opinions: letters to the editor, guest columns and phone responses. Letters must include the author’s name and be accompanied by current picture identification if dropped off in person. Letters will be checked by an employee of the Grand Valley Lanthorn. Letters appear as space permits each issue. The limit for letter length is one page, single spaced. The editor reserves the right to edit and condense letters and columns for length restrictions and clarity. All letters must be typed. The Grand Valley Lanthorn will not be held responsible for errors that appear in print as a result of transcribing handwritten letters or e-mail typographic errors. The name of the author may be withheld for compelling reasons. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by nor necessarily represent those of the university, its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty and staff.

can you be expected to finish a term paper due the next day when your boyfriend is texting you for a booty-call (or rather, a booty-text)? Your girlfriend might say that you never spend any time together, but it’s difficult when you have sports practice on top of work, classes and any other extra-curricular activities you may have (like a second girlfriend). Can’t a guy catch a break? RESTRICTIONS: We’re all prone to jealousy, especially when it comes to our boyfriend or girlfriend. In a way, by pledging your love to someone else, you submit to some sort of mutual ownership where you control each other’s social lives. Girls, you can’t be hanging out with any of your guy friends anymore, because every boyfriend knows that the minute you do, your tongue is going down another dude’s throat. Guys, you can’t be hang-

Kevin Vanantwerpen GVL Columnist

Recent statements by the Holland City Council are a perfect example of why I hate religion. Now let me clarify — I don’t hate religion. I respect the notion of an individual holding beliefs in a higher power, whether they call it Yaweh, Allah, Buddah or “the spirit in all of us.” I grew up in the typical West Michigan, Christianity-based house-

hold. Through my childhood, most of the adults I respected (and still do respect) were devout believers in Jesus Christ. Many of these people were (and still are) remarkable men and women whom I have witnessed performing completely selfless, noble and honorable acts for the sake of those around them — exactly what religion should inspire. But, when voting about making LGBT discrimination illegal along with other already-illegal forms of discrimination in local housing and employment laws, the Holland City Council voted 5-4 in favor of keeping the laws the same and not adding a section against LGBT discrimination.

Ralph Houston, a pastor in attendance when the decision was made this summer, told The Grand Rapids Press that amending the law was “a way to get acceptance to immoral acts by approval through law.” According to a recent article in The Rapidian by Erin Wilson, City Council members spoke out to say that they needed proof discrimination actually occurs before they could amend the law. It’s just like the way every government in the world has needed proof that murder, extortion, bribery, rape and theft actually occur before passing a law to prevent it. It makes logical sense, right? Essentially, what the

Holland City Council has decided is that because the LGBT community partakes in a lifestyle their religion deems “immoral,” that community is no longer deserving of the same protection any other citizen would receive. So let me clarify: I believe religion is good. That is, until you start putting your own religious beliefs and standards before the basic rights of other human beings. As the old saying goes, “if you don’t believe in freedom of expression for the viewpoint you despise most, you don’t believe in freedom of expression at all.” kvanantwerpen @lanthorn.com

A5 your space

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

Illustration of the Issue

Jordan Armstrong Senior graphic design major

Faculty Column

Navigating the technologized campus environment By Peter Zhang GVSU professor, School of Communications

It’s unthinkable nowadays to function as a college student without a laptop computer. The technological environment of the university presupposes that we are equipped with certain gadgets. And for God’s sake, we do end up having them. We pay a price for being linked up with the World Wide Web. Everybody is deeply involved in and constantly distracted by everybody else’s business. The smart phone only aggravates the situation. “I haven’t checked my email” is no longer a good excuse. The cell phone seems to make the wristwatch obsolescent. Yet some have discovered that after buying a watch, they no longer need to look at the cell phone as much. The watch seems to be coming back, partly to address our nostalgia for the disciplinary society of old when we are living in a control society. “Those were the days,” as the song goes. The idea of a universal human fate is a fallacy. The more we venture out of campus, the more we realize that there’s much technological diversity in society. As a highly technologized enclave, the campus keeps us from imagining other habits, other daily routines. In a way, we college students are lame ducks in the eye of gadget marketers. We already buy into a particular picture of the good life before we buy specific gadgets. An interesting way of using texting is to have a sideline conversation with one of the group members while doing group work. How many of us have realized that Twitter can be appropriated for a poetic use. It’s good for composing haiku, for crafting aphorisms. Has there been a rise in aphorisms and aphorists in the culture, though? Maybe there’s no aphorist in the culture anymore because everybody is one. We will have to see about that. Each time the gadget buzzes, we are at its service. McLuhan calls media extensions of man. It’s now time to reverse the formulation: contemporary man is the extension of media, a servomechanism, a happy wreck. To be hooked on video games is to be enslaved by electronic codes. There’s no point forcing the rhythms of our flesh and blood to contest with artificial rhythms, regardless of the fact that play and game keep us human and sane. When TV came to the scene, people’s taste for clothing went from “visual” to “tactile.” The TV medium

was also the formal cause of pointillism in painting. Nowadays, people are interactionaverse because, almost by default, communication means mediated communication. It’s already platitudinous to talk about the typical living room scenario during the Thanksgiving break: everybody is on something. In case you don’t believe literary invention takes time and needs to be a process of slow cooking, simply listen to today’s lyrics (take the Kesha song “Tick Tock”). They are getting increasingly literal. Literalness is a disease, a cultural syndrome. The No Child Left Behind Act didn’t seem to have helped much. SAT scores have hit a historical low. People seem to find literacy to be artificial and out of place in their right-hemisphere world. They can’t read prose. They can’t read poetry, either. I am sure somewhere someone has written an essay entitled “Digital Natives Come to College.” The time is ripe for such a piece to be written. Social media is so addictive and paralyzing that some have found it necessary to ask a friend to change their passwords for them so they can’t log in. A friend in need is a friend indeed. A power outage gets us to see what we normally wouldn’t see. Try and get unplugged for a day and see what happens. The everyday is invisible and incorrigible. On the other hand, it’s also the wellspring of new possibilities of life. Kenneth Burke advocates “planned incongruity.” We need “planned inconvenience.” We need to be protected from ourselves. When we speak of technology, we tend to think of the latest communications gadgets. How many of us think of the spoken word – humanity’s very first technology, the birth of which coincided with the birth of humanity itself? Language is a technology that separates us permanently from nature. Humanity as such has never had an unmediated encounter with nature. What we experience is our interpretation. Language at once enables and cripples, enlightens and blinds. We are hopelessly figureoriented when we think of technology, focusing on the equipment installed in a classroom instead of the classroom itself. Insofar as it still has a layout, the classroom itself constitutes a technology, the logic of which is not unlike that of the courtroom. The rituals of usage give some parties relative power over other parties. Prior to anybody actually entering the space, the logic is already embedded within the spatial layout. A classroom without a front,

or without desks, is a radical departure from what we are used to. McLuhan talks about classrooms without walls in the TV era. Nowadays, the classroom has become saturated with built-in and unbuilt-in devices for telereality and teleaction, to use Paul Virilio’s terminology. Although the gadget as a figure is visible and tangible, the ground it creates is not. It’s in the latter sense that McLuhan talks about media, and media literacy – an awareness of the psychic and social consequences of the hidden ground. This hidden ground is the formal cause of many things, including what we choose to do and the way we do it. Oriental people traditionally tend to

be more ground-aware: not eating livers in the springtime for the sake of homeostasis in accordance with the principles of yin and yang. Westerners prefer to turn their habitat into an artifice, a figure detached from its ground. How often do we see sprinklers working when it’s raining and pouring! This figure orientation is uneconomical and unsustainable. Much can be said about the schedule as a technology, the planner as a technology, the grade book as a technology, and the list goes on. Yet by far the most virulent technologies are software programs. Software is not “soft” at all. It’s full of teeth, and subjugates us this way and that. It positions us as its captives and

instruments. It’s true software may make our day more efficient, but how many thinking people want to be made more efficient? Jeremy Rifkin’s “Times Wars” is a must-read. Each time a new “system” is installed in our environment in the name of Progress, we are faced with a new ethical situation, ethics being the pursuit of the good life. It is the task of thinking people to invent new weapons of resistance, as Gilles Deleuze poignantly points out. Media literacy on the part of the demos will make “the power that be” and corporate interests fear and tremble. I’m talking about media literacy in a mediumistic sense here. Not every scholar or student of media is aware that there are

two traditions in media studies: content orientation and medium orientation. I have the latter in mind when I say “mediumistic.” One metamessage the movie “Inception” enacts is weightlessness. In our optoelectronic and electroacoustic age, the significance of gravity is being displaced. The movie precisely addresses the anxiety that has resulted. Another way to put it: “Inception” takes “The Matrix” to a more intense level. In case we don’t see our somnambulism, the movie lays it bare for us. As we sit in the movie theater, we are sutured into layers upon layers of dreams. Is there still a “real”? Yes, it is called paralysis.

A6

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

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B SPORTS

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

SPORTS EDITOR BRADY FREDERICKSEN sports@lanthorn.com

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

SHORTS

WHAT Rivalry?

BRIEFS swimming & Diving Swimming notches pair of wins

Coming off losses to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee last weekend, the Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams rebounded in their first home meet on Friday, defeating Lewis University. The women dominated Lewis throughout the day, winning every event and finishing with a 198-37 victory. Senior Carly Bush led the way with wins in the 1,000-yard freestyle (10 minutes, 25.98 seconds), 100-yard butterfly (59.61) and 500-yard freestyle (5:14.31). Not to be outdone, the men’s team put together a strong showing of their own, winning 11 of the 13 events against Lewis. Aaron Beebe and Bush were named GLIAC Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Athletes of the Week.

Offense, defense lead Lakers to 11th-straight win over Ferris State

GLIAC STANDINGS Football

GLIAC North Indianapolis Saginaw Valley Ferris State gvsu Michigan Tech GLIAC South Wayne State Ashland Findlay Hillsdale ODU

GVL / Eric Coulter

5-2 5-2 4-3 4-3 4-3

No competition: Sophomore defensive back Charles Hill pumps up the crowd during Saturday’s game against Ferris State University. The Lakers crushed the Bulldogs 57-10.

6-1 5-2 5-2 5-2 3-4

13-1 10-3 9-5 8-5 8-6 4-9 14-1 8-5 6-7 5-9 4-8 4-9

SOCCER

GLIAC North GVSU Ferris State Northern Mich. Saginaw Valley Michigan Tech Northwood GLIAC South ODU Tiffin Ashland Findlay

A

GVL Sports Editor

volleyball

GLIAC North Ferris State Saginaw Valley Northern Mich. Northwood GVSU Lake Superior GLIAC South Hillsdale Ashland Wayne State Findlay Tiffin ODU

“It feels good, I

By Brady Fredericksen

14-0 7-4-3 7-5-2 5-7-2 5-8-1 4-10 6-4-2 6-4-2 5-4-3 5-6-1

s they raised the AnchorBone Trophy at midfield following a 57-10 victory on Saturday, members of the Grand Valley State University football team reminded fans that despite their uncharacteristic start to the season, they are still capable of winning in dominating fashion. The team’s 47-point victory over rival Ferris State University (5-3, 4-3 GLIAC) was the biggest win in the annual game since Bulldogs defeated the Lakers (5-3, 4-3 GLIAC) 57-0 in 1971, the inaugural game of the series. “Us losing the three games early was nothing to do with team chemistry issues, we just weren’t playing great football,” said GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell, who has led the team to four consecutive wins. “This is an interesting crew to coach. You see them perform like this and sometimes I tell them, ‘I love ‘em sometimes, but I hate ‘em.’ They’re fun to coach.” Aside from a 15-yard trick-play touchdown pass from wide receiver Mike Ryan to quarterback Tom Schneider in the second quarter, the Lakers’ defense completely bottled up the GLIAC’s top total offense, limiting Ferris State to just 10 points. Three sacks and stern tackling helped the Lakers, who struggled defensively a week ago at Lake Erie College, shut down the fast-paced Ferris State offense. Despite accumulating 369 yards of total offense, the Bulldogs only averaged 5.1 yards

IMPACT

PLAYERS

mean winning is a tradition around here, and it’s a great accomplishment. We haven’t lost to Ferris since, what, 1999?

”

Andre Thomas Senior defensive lineman

GVL / Eric Coulter

Victorious again: The seniors pose for a photo with the Anchor-Bone Trophy after Saturday’s win against Ferris State University. The Lakers have held the trophy since 1999.

per play, and a lost fumble late in the first quarter resulted in GVSU’s third touchdown of the quarter, blowing the game wide open. “The key to the whole thing was getting the lead, we knew that, when we have the lead, you force Tom Schneider to drop back and throw, and that is really not what he’s great at,” said Mitchell, who is now 2-0 against Ferris State. “It allowed our D-line to really pin our ears back and put some pressure on the quarterback ... There were times where we were getting pressure with three-man rushes.” While the defense did its job, the offense put together one of its best performances of the season and of the GVSU-Ferris State rivalry. Led by quarterback Heath Parling’s six touchdown passes, the Lakers rolled up 38 points in the first half en-route to a 57-point night, the most

points the Lakers have scored in the rivalry since 2001’s 63-point output. The sophomore signal caller connected twice with receivers Charles Johnson and Greg Gay in the game. Johnson continued his successful season, catching six passes for 144 yards, while Gay played his best game of the season, recording three catches for 34 yards. Parling’s six touchdown passes were a career high and the most by a GVSU quarterback since Cullen Finnerty threw six against Northern Michigan University in 2006. “I think we had a really good game plan going in. We love playing Ferris and it’s always a fun game to play in, but I just think we were in the right looks and we executed,” said Parling, who now has an 18-1 touchdown-tointerception ratio during the Lakers’ four-game winning streak. “When

we’re playing anyone and we’re executing, we can be pretty dangerous.” Despite the recent lopsided victories in the series, the Lakers still value the Anchor-Bone Trophy, and the win against a GLIAC rival. “It feels good, I mean winning is a tradition around here, and it’s a great accomplishment,” said senior defensive lineman Andre Thomas, who recorded his seventh sack of the season. “We haven’t lost to Ferris since, what, 1999? It’s a very good accomplishment for me and the team.” The Lakers have now won 11 straight games in the series and will retain possession of the Anchor-Bone Trophy for another year. GVSU will return to the field at 7 p.m. Saturday for a homecoming matchup with Michigan Technological University next week. sports@lanthorn.com

SCORING

SUMMARY

Heath Parling Quarterback

The sophomore is improving at a torrid pace. After starting the season slow, Parling has played almost mistake-free in the team’s four-game winning streak, throwing 18 touchdowns and only one interception. His six touchdown passes were a career high on Saturday. Andre Thomas Defensive line

His seven sacks lead the GLIAC, and he’s been a staple as the only senior on the GVSU defensive line. He recorded four tackles, one for loss, in the victory over the Bulldogs. His play was a big reason for the pressure on Ferris quarterback Tom Schneider.

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

12:06 GV Charles Johnson 11-yard pass from Heath Parling (Ryan Stokes kick)

14:12 Jovonne Augustus 9-yard pass from Parling (Stokes kick)

11:08 Gay 1-yard pass from Parling (Stokes kick failed)

12:34 Victor Bodrie 30-yard field goal

04:27 Johnson 19-yard pass from Parling (Stokes kick)

05:31 Stokes 35-yard field goal

02:57 Israel Woolfork 9-yard pass from Parling (Stokes kick blocked)

01:19 Ben Hutchins 1-yard run (Stokes kick)

01:57 Hersey Jackson 2-yard run (Stokes kick) 2nd

01:37 FSU Tom Schneider 15-yard pass from Mike Ryan (Victor Bodrie kick) 00:38 Greg Gay 18-yard pass from Parling (Stokes kick)

B2 SPORTS

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

W. TENNIS

Lakers fall in final round of GLIAC tourney By Stephanie Deible

D

GVL Intern

uring the regular season, Northwood University and Wayne State University finished as the top two tennis teams in the GLIAC and may have expected to face each other in the conference tournament championship this weekend. However, the Grand Valley State University women’s tennis team had different plans. The Lakers (13-2, 10-2 GLIAC) started the weekend with dominating performances against Lake Superior State University, sweeping doubles action from their first round opponent in route to a 5-0 victory. GVSU head coach John Black commended seniors Tara Hayes and Alyssa Lucas, who were competing in their last conference tournament, for setting the tone early by defeating their doubles counterparts 8-3. “Tara and Alyssa have been doing a great job,” he said. “They’ve been playing first doubles together and this is the first year they’ve been together so they’ve had to make some adjustments, but they’ve gotten better each match, and they’ve done a great job of pushing the team.” Black added that the Lakers put together arguably their best match of the season on Saturday, upset-

ting second-seeded Wayne State (13-2, 11-1 GLIAC) to advance the to the tournament championship match. “It took us a little while to get there, but we started playing really well at the end of the year,” he said. “I would much rather has a strong finish than a strong start.” With the 5-1 win, the Lakers were able to avenge an early-season 5-4 loss to Wayne State while also making their way to the conference championship match. The Lakers were led by sophomore Lexi Rice and junior Allison Fecko, who were victorious in both singles and doubles play, accounting for all but one of GVSU’s points in the match “Lexi and Allison both played really well,” Hayes said. “They both knew they had to give it all they had in singles, but I think the most important thing is they didn’t play under pressure. We had a bad match last time we played Wayne, but they were confident [Saturday].” After two wins in two days the Lakers moved to the GLIAC Tournament Championship match Sunday against Northwood University (15-0, 12-0 GLIAC), a team that defeated GVSU during 5-4 during regular season play. The Timberwolves were victorious against the Lakers, winning all three doubles matches and winning the tournament title 5-2.

“It took us a while

to get there, but we started playing really well at the end of the year. I would much rather have a strong finish than a strong start.

”

John Black GVSU head coach

Freshman Leah Dancz and sophomore Anne Marie Morin picked up the only victories during the championship match, defeating their opponents 6-3, 7- 5 and 3-6, 6-0, 6-0 respectively. Despite the loss Sophomore Niki Shipman said she thinks everyone played tough this weekend and will continue to practice to be prepared for a possible trip to nationals, in May. “I think everyone has made improvements this season,” she said. “I think we have a good chance at going to nationals and hopefully having some good results at nationals.” sports@lanthorn.com

W. GOLF

GVL / Rane Martin

End of the road: Senior Tara Hayes returns a volley during a past match. The Lakers lost the GLIAC Tournament in the final round against Northwood University, who beat GVSU 5-2.

GV finishes strong at Laker Fall Classic By Jon Van Zytveld GVL Staff Writer

After last week’s fifth-place finish in a season where first place has been the norm, the Grand Valley State University women’s golf team returned home for its last fall event and first home tournament of the season. At the Laker Fall Classic, the team placed first over 15 notable teams from all over the country, including California University of Pennsylvania, Ashland University and University of Indianapolis. “It was great to end the fall season with a victory at our own tournament,” said GVSU head coach Rebecca Mailloux. “We put together a good round today. The Meadows is one of the harder courses we’ve played all year, so to post a 308 in the final round under the pressure of being only five ahead was tough, but we’re really happy about the result.” The Lakers successfully defended their home turf, winning by four strokes overall with senior Sarah Hoffman playing a 69 in the first round and a 76 in the final to finish at 145 (+1) and capture her thirdstraight individual title. Hoffman, who played the tournament’s only round in the 60s during the first round, said that the season’s end was bittersweet for her. “My senior year is flying by, but there’s plenty of golf left to play in the spring,” she said. “I’m just glad we could end the season on such a high note.” When asked about her third consecutive first place ranking, Hoffman said she’s always happier when her winnings coincide with the teams. “Even though we may play as individuals, golf is still a team sport, so it’s always better when the team wins too,” Hoffman said. “Our home course is tough, but we’re expected to do better there, so it was even more special to get a win, especially because we have all the fans and parents supporting us.” Freshman Kelly Hartigan and sophomore Veronica Ryan both had strong weekends at the par-72 course, tying for

GVL / Dylan Graham

Strong start: Freshman Kelly Hartigan makes a strong swing during the Laker Fall Classic that took place this past weekend. The Lakers placed first.

ninth place in the individual standings with a 157 (+13). “We definitely did better than yesterday, and we were happy to pull off a win at our home course,” Hartigan said. “We have a good mentality and we’re excited for the spring season.” The Lakers gained a narrow lead in the first round of the competition, which took place on Saturday, and managed to maintain it until the end. This win is merely the eight and last in a long string of first place rankings during this season. “Yesterday, they weren’t on top of their game,” Mailloux said. “It was similar to the final round in Dallas, Texas. The reason the scores were elevated there was because the forty mile per hour winds we had to deal with there, but we ended up not playing well. Today, they were much more confident. They went out and played some good golf and didn’t over-think it. It was a

“We have a

good mentality and we’re excited for the spring season.

”

Kelly Hartigan GVSU freshman

much better overall performance. With their fall season finished, the Lakers will take a much-needed break from golf, but plan to stay in practice during the offseason. “We’ve got to work on some fundamentals first,” Mailloux said. “But the goal for the spring is obviously to make it to Nationals and see what we can do.” jvanzytveld@lanthorn.com

SPORTS B3

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

CROSS COUNTRY

Lakers run away with 10th, 11th GLIAC Championships By Melanie Huhn GVL Staff Writer

M

uddy waters could not stop the Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s cross country teams from dominating the competition and winning GLIAC titles at the GLIAC Championships meet Saturday in Ashland, Ohio at the Brookside Golf Course. The men ran an 8K course, placing first with a score of 17 points while barely missing out on a complete “sweep” after finishing four runners in the top five. Senior Anthony Witt ran to an individual title with a time of 25 minutes and 24.34 seconds, which earned him the honor of GLIAC Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year. “It’s very humbling because I’m surrounded by teammates that are just as deserving,” Witt said. “We will be quick to leave honors from this meet behind while moving on to the next step.” The GVSU women finished with seven runners in

the top 10 for a notable 21 points, bettering second place Ferris State University’s score of 57 points. Freshman Rachel Clark earned a second place finish with a 6K time of 21:38.89. Despite the sloppy course, both GVSU teams were prepared for tough competition and adverse conditions. “Both squads were able to get out and establish good position early on in the race,” said GVSU head coach Jerry Baltes. “We were in control pretty much the entire race but it was not easy. The course was very soft and muddy which made it a challenge. Our athletes were tough and competed well together to get the job done.” On Saturday, the women captured an 11th-consecutive championship while the men captured a 10th-consecutive with both teams ousting nationally-ranked Ferris State University for the titles. “We ran with great focus and intensity and we all know how great of an accomplishment it is to win the GLIACs,” said senior Rebecca Win-

chester. “We are all just honored to be a part of the string of championships.” Winchester finished fifth with a time of 22:08.22. While winning is what every coach wants, Baltes is proud of the team’s tenacity and willing to compete amongst great competition. “What I am really proud of is how we came and competed,” Baltes said. “Our ladies really did a great job of racing with intensity and focus and that carried over to the men’s race and the open races. We will need to have that in our next two races to accomplish the goals we set out for at the beginning of the year.” The Lakers will have two weeks of preparation before they race in the NCAA Midwest Regional, which will be hosted in Big Rapids, Mich., Nov. 5. “We just need to stay focused on getting a little better these next few weeks and be ready to compete at a high level when the gun goes off on at Regionals,” Baltes said. sports@lanthorn.com

Courtesy Photo / gvsulakers.com

Decade of domination: The men’s cross country team races towards the finish during the GLIAC Championships in Ashland, Ohio on Saturday. The men’s and women’s teams won their 10th- and 11thconsecutive victories, respectively, over the weekend despite a challenging muddy course.

VOLLEYBALL

W. SOCCER

D-II record, Senior Day help Lakers snap losing streak By Zach Sepanik GVL Staff Writer

GVL / Allison Young

Home stretch: Sophomore defender Autumn Jacobs beats her opponent to the ball during the game against Tiffin University Friday. The Lakers beat the University of Findlay 2-0 Sunday in the season’s final home game.

Soccer cruises, prepares for regular season finale By Joe Maher-Edgin GVL Staff Writer

After clinching a seventh-consecutive GLIAC Championship last week at Michigan Technological University, the Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team outmatched the Universtiy of Findlay 2-0 in the team’s final home match of the regular season Sunday. The Lakers entered the game coming off a 4-0 victory over Tiffin University on Friday and are ranked No. 3 in this week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire Top 25 poll. GVSU tallied its first goal in the first half when senior Erin Mruz found midfield teammate Maria Brown in space just inside the goalkeeper’s technical area. The GVSU junior curled the ball towards the left post and found the side netting. Mruz’s assist to Brown marked her 42nd in her career and broke GVSU’s record for career assists. “It’s pretty exciting, but I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” Mruz said. Mruz didn’t stop at 42. Five minutes in to the second half, Mruz set up GVSU’s second goal to freshman forward Charlie Socia, who tapped the ball into net while lurking on the far post just off the goal line. The Mruz-Brown combination was responsible for two of the four goals scored Friday night against Tiffin. Brown headed in a welldriven corner from Mruz in the first half before Mruz

sent a pass from the right side of the penalty box to the left. Brown had no trouble finding the net after receiving the pass and her second half goal sealed the 4-0 victory for GVSU. “Erin is a very special player,” Brown said. “Shes always able to see people and get good passes to them. It’s easy to work with her … I think she’s just able to find me a lot; I feel like we have that connection and we’re always looking out for one another.” Mruz had similar compliments to offer of her teammate. “She’s unbelievable in the air,” Mruz said in describing Brown’s ability. “She makes a lot of great runs and she is great in the air, on corners, I can put the ball up there and she’s able to get on it.” Junior forward Kayla Addison was also credited with the assist in Brown’s second goal against Tiffin and scored the first goal of the game. Junior forward Ashley Botts picked out Addison in the middle of the penalty box to give her a shooting chance to the low left corner of the net. It beat Tiffin goalkeeper Lindsey Gallagher and put GVSU up 1-0 just 10 minutes into the game. With the post season close at hand, head coach Dave Dilanni placed emphasis on finishing and goal-scoring production even though he has been pleased with his forwards. “Our forwards are playing really well right now...

Ashley Botts, Kayla Addison, Maria Brown is playing well...Erin Mruz is playing like the All-American that she is,” Dilanni said. “We’re going to focus this week on finishing the chances we’re creating. Finishing is very cyclical...you struggle at times and you have to get back to basics of finishing in goal in the corners and the technique of it. Hopefully that will show when we play Ferris on Saturday.” The Lakers will travel to Ferris State University on Saturday to finish off their regular season. jmaheredgin@lanthorn.com

see LANTHORN.COM

to view an online slideshow >> SOCCER

Senior day, an NCAA Division-II record and a little frustration all contributed to the Grand Valley State University volleyball team taking out Michigan Technological University in straight sets on Friday and Northern Michigan University 3-1 on Saturday. GVSU swept Michigan Tech 26-24, 2515, 25-17 to start off the solid weekend Friday night and end a three-game skid. In the match, sophomore middle blocker Abby Ebels tied a 14-year-old Division II record for most kills in a match with a perfect hitting percentage. She finished with 13 kills in 13 attempts, equaling the record set by Kim Merrill of University of South Carolina-Aiken. There have been only two better performances in the history of NCAA volleyball across all divisions. “You don’t usually walk into the gym thinking you’re going to set an NCAA record,” Ebels said. “It was everybody. The passing was there and Clair [Ruhenkamp] was doing a great job setting so I was able to do my job. I didn’t really think about it while we were playing but as soon as I came off and everybody started screaming ‘one-thousand’ it set in a little bit.” The Lakers finished with a .398 hitting percentage, their best all season, and limited errors their errors to just seven. Eight service aces were also a season-high. “I think we played really well and I think we are coming together,” said senior middle blocker Nicole Whiddon. “Given the adversity that we’ve had to deal with this whole season, it is nice to see what we can do even with injuries and all the stuff that is trying to weigh us down.” Saturday was Senior Day, and the Lakers used the emotion to defeat Northern Michigan University 25-17, 25-22, 16-25, 25-20. The GVSU home crowd said goodbye to three seniors: Whiddon and fellow middle blocker Allyssa DeHaan, as well as outside hitter Courtney McCotter. While five games remain in the regular season, home play has concluded for their careers. “I kind of really haven’t thought about it much because the season has gone by so fast,” she said. GVSU head coach Deanne Scanlon

GVL / Rachel Iturralde

Snap: Freshman Clair Ruhenkamp sets the ball for her teammate during Saturday’s match against NMU.

recognized not only what the group has meant to her, but also to the entire team. “It is bittersweet,” she said. “It is good to see our underclassmen playing hard for this group. It says a lot that they want to help them continue their season.” The Lakers played solid the entire match against Northern Michigan, a team they lost to in a five-set heartbreaker earlier in the year. Sophomore right side hitter Megan Schroeder notched a career-high 13 kills in the match and Ebels tallied 11 kills and a match-best seven blocked shots. For the weekend, Ebels hit .733 with 24 kills and only two errors. “It reminds me of what Grand Valley is all about,” Whiddon said. “We are expected to win and now I think we have that confidence where before we were kind of unsure of what we should be doing and how to finish games.” The Lakers now own an 11-10 overall record and are 8-6 in conference play. With the fate of their playoff hopes still to be determined, the march toward postseason play starts with a stop against Saginaw Valley State University on Wednesday. zsepanik@lanthorn.com

lakerlife

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

B4

LAKER LIFE EDITOR HALEY OTMAN lakerlife@lanthorn.com

GVL Illustration / Val Waldbauer

By Kendall Gilbert

I

GVL Special Contributor

t is rumored that The Haunt, one of West Michigan’s most esteemed venues for fear-frenzied action, had its humble beginnings operating out of a trailer truck. Since then, The Haunt has expanded to include four sprawling attractions, playing on the theme of phobias for each chilling turn you take. Even if you went last year, don’t expect to see the same show twice. Included in this compound of fear are the indoor attractions The Haunt, Trapped and Clown Alley 3D. They also offer an outdoor attraction, the Dark Maze, for visitors who aren’t bothered by the cold. If you live in the greater Grand Rapids area, The Haunt is not only the premier venue for haunted houses, but it also has the benefit of a convenient location. Parking is $2.00 across from the venue; however if you’re the frugal fear fanatic, drive past the

gates to the attraction while heading north on Waldorf and look for a drive that leads to a parking lot on the right. Park back there and enjoy the free lot and the autumn walk. The Haunt begins its hair-raising assault on your senses almost immediately upon entering the grounds. You can expect to run into a host of gruesome-looking figures as you wait to buy your tickets and wait in line. Expect to feel a bit like cattle being corralled into a pen for the better part of your visit considering you will shuffle around up to an hour before you enter The Haunt. On select nights you can enjoy a ghostly dance performance while you wait. The Haunt has some of the most impressive scenery and props, making you feel like they could do a fine job of staging an impromptu Broadway horror show. Don’t expect to be scared if you’ve got an eyes wide open approach to haunted houses. The Haunt is better at delivering quick thrills and sudden surprises than giving you a

prolonged pant wetting experience. With a ‘no grabbing no touching policy’ and well lit corridors, how can you expect to enjoy yourself without the aid of awesome scenery and visual stimulation of fears brought to life? No vampires, witches or werewolves to be found here. The Haunt would rather you be grossed out than scared. You will enjoy the dead bodies that beat against your back when you walk through the morgue that actually smells like rotting flesh, the woods with sick psychos lurking behind realistic trees, and the little girl dolls that run amuck with tiny, screeching voices. SPOILER ALERT! Expect the end to be the best thrill of them all, when your group will be separated so that you can complete the final leg of the journey solo through a dark maze followed by men with chainsaws. The Haunt will be open nightly from Tuesday through Halloween. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday through

Monday The Haunt is open from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., with extended hours offered Friday and Saturday. There are several ticket price options for visitors. General admission to the indoor Haunt is $15.00. Trapped and Clown Alley are each an additional $1.00 if you buy the general admission pass. A speed pass will cost you $19.00, which puts you at the front of what is expected to be a crowded week. The Haunt and Dark Maze combo is $21.00, and you can purchase a Monster Combo which includes admission to The Haunt, the Dark Forest, Trapped and Clown Alley in 3D for $26.00. The Haunt’s website offers a coupon for $26.00 off when you buy two Monster Combo passes online. Tickets can be purchased online or on site, and they accept cash and credit purchases. For more information, visit the-haunt. com or call 616-791-9818. kgilbert@lanthorn.com

Local orchard overcomes hailstorm, continues strong summer By Haley Otman GVL Laker Life Editor

The Grand Valley State University community has just a month left to take advantage of fresh produce at Motman’s greenhouses and orchards, located three miles from the Allendale Campus. Motman’s is run by Beth and Mike Motman, son and daughter-in-law of founders Bob and Martha. Beth not only met her husband of 31 years at work, but she now manages the retail portion of Motman’s thanks to her many years of learning the business. “I’ve worked here since I was 13,” Beth said. She started by picking strawberries, beans and tomatoes and eventually moved

to selling the fruit and vegetables instead of picking them. Beth can spend her workdays alongside her growing family, including her daughter-in-law Sara Motman, who has worked with the family business for about three years. “It’s nice to stay active and not be in a chair all day,” Sara said. She spends much time behind the counter, assisting customers and working the cash register. Sara and the rest of Motman’s employees had no trouble staying active during the summer of 2011, when a hailstorm hit the area and damaged a large amount of their growing produce to

varying degrees. “This was a bad one, just about every apple got hit,” Beth said. She said Motman’s has only been affected by hail twice in the last 10 years, but that this year’s storm was the worst she has seen for their apples. They ended up deciding to drop the price almost in half for the more-affected apples, and then selling the lessaffected apples separately at the regular price. “It’s a little more extra work with sorting them, so we can have a higher grade,” Beth said. Customers know they will encounter Beth or another Motman family member whenever they shop at the fall farmer’s market or spring greenhouses, and the Motmans know they will recognize a good portion of the people who enter their shop each day from past visits. Beth said people from all around the Grand Rapids area return to Motman’s each spring for the greenhouses, while fall traffic for the farmer’s market is more limited to local customers. Gail Roelofs of Allendale went to Motman’s on Thursday, where she purchased GVL / Haley Otman

Honeycrisp and Macintosh apples for her family. Roelofs said she has been a customer of Motman’s for more than 20 years. “(I come) at least a halfdozen times a year, a few in the spring and a few in the fall,” Roelofs said. She said she was not deterred by the hail-grade apples at all. Customers hoping to try the Honeycrisp and Macintosh apples, or one of the other seven varieties at Motman’s, have until the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the day Motman’s closes for the winter each year. This year, the closing date will fall on Nov. 19. In addition to apples, Motman’s grows tomatoes, squash, pie pumpkins, gourds, peppers and beans in the fall. They only grow small pumpkins, but locally purchase and resell larger pumpkins that can be carved into jack-o-lanterns. “We sell a lot of pumpkins to the college kids,” Beth said. She said members of the GVSU community are frequent customers of Motman’s, perhaps because of the 10 percent discount. “We see a lot of them (GVSU students) come back in,” Sara said. To learn more about Motman’s, visit www.motmansgreenhouses.com. lakerlife@lanthorn.com

GVL / Haley Otman

On the orchard: (Above) Beth Motman sorts apples for sale in Motman’s Orchard, located on Lake Michigan Drive (pictured below). The family-owned market offers GVSU students a 10 percent discount with college ID.

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Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

Announcements

Employment

Celebrate ethnic diversity with free ethnic breakfast at GVSU Downtown Toastmasters Club! Open house October 27 7:30am to 8:30am in DEV 107C email puisisj@mail.gvsu.edu

Boy Scouts of America Job Title: Lead Teacher Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary Level: $15/hr. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs

Come check out Boardwalk Subs in Standale and bring in your buy one get one free coupon from this issue to receive a FREE sub! Nothing beats a 15” free sub! Located at 4154 Lake Michigan Dr. Standale, MI 49504 Living on-campus? GVSU Facilities Service asks you to please do your part to help conserve water and electricity. Help us keep costs low! Looking for a good deal on GREAT pizza’s downtown? Check out Vinny’s Pizza and Sub Shop located at 1220 W. Fulton (next to JohnBall Park-Zoo). Bring in the coupon from this issue for a 14” pizza for only $7.42! Call (616) 235-7255 for more information. Recognize outstanding achievement, nominate an administrative/professional staff member for an AP Award. Visit www.gvsu.edu/ap/awards. to nominate.

Services Harvest Health Foods, your locally owned natural and organic grocery store. 3 locations in Hudsonville area. Visit www.harvesthealthfoods.com for more information. Legal help for college students. We represent students with MIP and all other criminal charges. Renovo Law, PLLC. (616) 209-8770. Striders, West Michigan’s premier running store. 4015 Chicago Dr., Downtown Grandville. Second location coming December 2011! (616) 261-9706

Course Hero, Inc. Job Title: Business Marketing Student Leader Location: Allendale, MI Salary Level: $10/hr. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/

Full-time Resident Consultant, IPA Management, LLC is searching for team members to join the 48west team at our student housing apartment community in Allendale. For more information and to apply, please visit ipaliving.com/careers Group Tour Media Job Title: Associate Writer Location: Holland, MI For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Job Title: Family Services Coordinator Location: Kalamazoo, MI Salary Level: TBD Hours: 40 hrs. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Kent County Job Title: Caseworker Assistant Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary Level: $17.62 Hours: 40 hrs. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/

Peter Basso Associates, Inc. Job Title: Electrical Engineer Co-op & Mechanical Engineer Co-op Location: Troy, MI Salary Level: Paid Hours: 40 hrs. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Full-time Maintenance Technician I IPA Management, LLC is searching for team members to join the 48west team at our student housing apartment community in Allendale. For more information and to apply, please visit ipaliving.com/careers

Housing 1 Subleaser wanted for January-March. Campus View Apt. 3 roommates. For more information contact Gwen by Facebook, email: gelllg@mail.gvsu.edu, or by phone: 248-505-2477. Female subleaser wanted. Furnished Style A apartment in 48 West. $395/month plus utilities. Give you a parking pass and guest pass for free. If interested, email gilliesa@mail.gvsu.edu Looking for a female sub-leaser for a Meadows Crossing 4 bedroom/4.5 bathroom town home. If interested contact me at stoffell@mail.gvsu.edu for more information. Looking for a subleaser for Campus View Townhouses. Own bedroom, nice place near campus. Only $396/month. Contact Laura Granlund @ granlundl@mail.gvsu.edu 269-303-3686 for more info.

Internships

Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center Corey, Murphy, & Harber, PC Job Title: Academic Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI Job Title: Tax Intern For more information visit Location: Grand Rapids, MI http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerHours: 30-40 hrs. jobs/ For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Aerotek Job Title: New Product Development Internship Location: Grand Haven, MI Salary Level: Unpaid For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/

Grand Rapids Building Services, Inc. Job Title: HR Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary Level: Unpaid For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Inforum Job Title: Operations Intern Location: Grand Rapids, MI Hours: 10 hrs. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ MGM Resorts International Job Title: Internship Program Location: Las Vegas, NV Salary Level: Paid Hours: 40 hrs. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/ Advantage Health Physician Network Job Title: Acting Internship Location: Grand Rapids, MI Salary Level: Unpaid Hours: 10-20 hrs. For more information visit http://www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/

College Pro Job Title: Summer 2012 Management Internship:Franchise Manager Location:Grand Rapids,MI Salary: Paid Internship Email David at dleveque@collegepro.com or visit www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs/

Miscellaneous Get Caught Promotion. Rules and Restrictions. Only one student or faculty is a winner per issue. Readers will be chosen at random throughout the week on campus. The prize awarded is to-be-determined at random but may include gift cards, t-shirts, etc. Winners are requested to have their picture taken and answer some questions to be published in the Lanthorn. SATURDAY, October 29th, come on out to Sixx Night Club for Devil’s Playground Costume Contest! There is a chance to win a week in LAS VEGAS! Must be 18+, call 6 16-235-7666 for more detail.

Opportunities Bartending. High income potential. Training courses and equipment available. Call 1-800-965-6520 ext. 226 Got an idea for a business? Need $5000? Solution: GVSU Business Plan Competition March 29, 2012. Register at www.gvsu.edu/cei on November 21st by 4 p.m.

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lakerlife

Grand Valley Lanthorn MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

Visit www.lanthorn.com/multimedia to view the online slideshow: Fast-a-thon challenges students to fast for one day

Dance Marathon raises $4,500 for charity By Kendal Pektas GVL Staff Writer

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rand Valley State University students raised more than $4,500 for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital at the third annual Dance Marathon. On Oct. 15, participants celebrated the third annual GVSU marathon, put on by sorority Phi Mu. They danced at the Kirkhof Center for eight hours, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Although the marathon was based around dancing, there were more activities to keep all attendees active. “There were different activities going on all throughout the night,” said Sarah Poniewierski, director of the event. “There was music playing the whole time, an inflatable bounce house and a comedian. There were also games going on throughout the night.” It cost $5 to register as part of a team and $10 as an individual, and donations were open to the public. Many local businesses also pitched in. Funds from all entrance fees and donations went toward Helen DeVos Chidren’s Hospital. “Dance Marathon would not have been possible without Tom Coy,” Brincat said. “Without his help, there was no way we would

GVL / Amalia Heichelbech

Shake your groove thing: GVSU students dance the night away at the Oct. 15 Dance Marathon, which raised money for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Participants danced from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

have had such a successful night. We also cannot thank DJ Monahan Mobile enough, and all of the other businesses that donated their time and money to help us make Dance Marathon

such a success.” The overall goal was to keep attendees standing and/or dancing for a full eight hours as they embarked in activities throughout the

course of the night. By the end of it, the hope was to educate the campus and community about the important cause while having fun. “Many of these children go through pain that many of us will never be able to comprehend,” said Megan Brincat, the morale committee chair. “Spending eight hours on our feet was just a small way for us to show our support for these children.” More than 300 students attended this year’s gathering, along with a handful of children with their families. “One miracle family came and spoke,” Poniewierski said. “We were also joined by two women who work at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, in the foundation center. I think that the best part of the whole night was knowing about the cause we were all supporting.” The marathon is GVSU’s largest studentrun philanthropy event. At this year’s marathon, the organization was able to raise more than $4,500. “Dance Marathon was a huge success,” said Kelsey Williams, Phi Mu’s assistant philanthropy chair. “We could have not been so successful without the help of Laker Weekends and all of our donors.” kpektas@lanthorn.com

Take Back the Night: a lesson in human sympathy By Bryan Cebulski GVL STAFF WRITER

I’ll be honest: I was not super excited to attend Take Back the Night, an event about sexual assault awareness. I thought it would be so serious that if I dared accidentally chuckle at any point, I might get removed from the area. I began by talking with the

two co-chairs of the event, Jordan Cross and Amanda Johnson, and I started to change my mind about Take Back the Night. They neither pressed me about acknowledging my gender’s crimes against women, nor immediately sprayed me with Mace. Instead, they happily told me about what they hoped to accomplish with this event. “Sexual assault isn’t something people talk about,” Cross said. “We want there to be no shame in its discussion. We want people to be as actively involved against sexual assault as they are against issues like breast cancer.”

Johnson chimed in. “Information is key,” she said. “It’s all about informing the audience.” The audience held a variety of races, genders and ages. I didn’t feel out of water like I thought I would as I sat down. The group next to me was a predominantly male group whose resident assistant, Kristi Johnson, had made them come. She told me she thought it would be helpful to her “hooligans,” most of whom were cracking jokes to each other when I first sat down. But as the event began, they kept respectably quiet and got as much out of it as I did. The evening began with a woman sharing the story of how she was raped. Her voice was small and fragile as she described episodes of infrequently consensual sex between her and her thenboyfriend. I’ve been desensitized to a lot of violent stories thanks to various forms of media, but there’s something different about hearing such accounts firsthand. The guys next to me seemed to feel the same way. The audience applauded the girl’s bravery, and Marta

L. Sanchez, the keynote speaker, began soon after. Somehow she managed to take the dreary mood and set it somewhere more conversational, while using humor to tackle the topic of sexual assault in a more easily digestible way. The evening consisted, in part, of Sanchez sharing personal anecdotes, reading more of her poetry and advocating the awareness of sexual assault, as well as the recovery process. In the background throughout the whole performance was a PowerPoint presentation telling her story and sharing her artwork. The art covered themes including sexuality, oppression, Zen and innocence, and used motifs like planets, moons and femininity. After the event ended, I asked others for their opinions. One woman, Yolanda Cornejo, who had shared a small story earlier, told me something that really brought the point of Take Back the Night home. “I think it was very powerful,” she said. “It’s a much needed outlet for people who have been sexually assaulted. A comfort. Sometimes something so small like this can

THE FACTS

67 percent of domestic violence cases involve

children under age 12. 85 percent of domestic violence victims are women. 29 percent of female homicide victims are murdered by an intimate partner. 50 percent of all homeless women and children in this country are fleeing domestic violence. 1 in 5 women at GVSU have been victims of sexual assault (Nationally, 1 in 6) 1 in 10 men at GVSU have been victims of sexual assault (Nationally, 1 in 33) 1 in 4 adolescents are verbally, physically, emotionally, or sexually abused each year. Information from the Domestic Violence Resource Center, Future Without Violence and Eyes Wide Open. make a great impact.” And I think there’s something to that. I was told that this year’s goal was to incorporate more males into the advocating business and it seems like there are. It’s about awareness, and even

dumb white males like me can be made aware of things. Human sympathy gets increasingly harder to come by as we age. It’s good to be reminded of it every once in a while. lakerlife@lanthorn.com

Homecoming academics Alumni return to speak to GVSU undergraduates By Rachel Melke GVL Staff Writer

In the midst of the competitions, tailgating, the football game and many other homecoming festivities, the Seidman College of Business has chosen to bring academics into the celebration of Homecoming week. Forty-five Grand Valley State University alumni speakers will visit 35 class sections on Wednesday and Thursday to share their post-college experiences with current students and faculty. After participating in homecoming activities such as tailgating for years, the Seidman College of Business decided last year to bring their part of homecoming celebration into the classroom. “We thought it would be more productive to create a homecoming activity that would connect the classroom and alumni,” said Vonnie Herrera, director of external relations and communication for the Seidman dean’s office. Students will get to speak with 2008 GVSU graduates such as Ryan Slusarzyk and Jordan Hefferan. “I plan on speaking about my past, my experience at GVSU, what I currently do and have done, and what my community involvements are,” Slusarzyk said. Sluzarzyk will speak in his former

professor Monica Allen’s team building course. “He does a great job not only speaking about (his experiences) … but also giving the students examples on what steps he took while still at Seidman to prepare himself for the workplace and find the position that he has,” Allen said. Slusarzyk graduated with a marketing degree with emphasis in sales, a management degree and a minor in sociology. He currently is the marketing program manager at the Amway Hotel Corporation. He has spoken at GVSU many times and hopes to continue. Hefferan will be speaking to students in professor Gregg Dimkoff’s Risk and Insurance course to help the students prepare to be competitive in the job market. He will also emphasize that is not only important to be a good student but also to be well-rounded. Alumni and faculty both said they see this sharing of experiences essential for undergraduate students. “If they don’t have someone giving them this advice now, they won’t be able to get to the point where they need to be,” Hefferan said. Students who seek these alumni connections out will be the ones who succeed, Hefferan said. “I didn’t have the opportunity to listen to any alumni during my undergraduate days, so when I graduated, there were lots of surprises,” Dimkoff said. “The College of Business is doing a good thing by having alumni come in to share their experiences, ex-

Courtesy Photo / Ryan Slusarzyk Alumni speak: GVSU alumna Ryan Slusarzyk (pictured) will speak to Seidman College of Business students about life and work after graduation as part of Homecoming Week.

plain what a business career is like and answer student questions.” State Rep. Frank Foster (R—Petoskey) is also a recent GVSU graduate who will speak to business students. “Your GVSU alumni are one of the greatest [connections] you have as a graduating student or recent alumni seeking a job,” Foster said. “You have a common bond through a quality Grand Valley education, and they can help guide you to potential job opportunities and give you advice that you will carry with you for the rest of your career.” rmelke@lanthorn.com