Issue 22, November 6th 2017 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

GRAND VALLEY

SOCCER GLIAC CHAMPIONSHIP

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ST U D E N T- R U N P U B L I C A T I O N S // P R I N T · O N L I N E · M O B I L E // L A N T H O R N . C O M

Academic calendar still unlikely to change for next year

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fter hearing about the possibility of a fall break at Grand Valley State University, students may be wondering if any action has been taken and whether they can look forward to a fall breather next academic year. Student senate gathered for its general assembly Thursday, Nov. 2, to discuss whether or not the university should make room for a fall break in the calendar, how long the break would last and when it might go into effect.

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M O N D A Y, N OV E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 7 // VO L . 52 N O. 2 2

Student senate votes in favor of fall break proposal

BY ANNE MARIE SMIT NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

XC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

A L L E N D A L E & G R A N D R A P I DS , M I C H I G A N

Jonathan Bowman, president “This is something that stuof student senate, proposed the dent senate has been working amendment for a fall break. Bow- on for a few years now because man displayed his there is no break proposed amendbetween Labor Day ment to the fall calen- “This is something and Thanksgiving, dar with fall break ocand that is a very that student curring the week after long time period midterms, giving stufor students,” Bowsenate has been dents a Thursday and man said. “It’s just working on for a Friday breather. Bowa draining time pefew years now...” man pointed out that riod. It’s long and this change would exhausting, and JONATHAN BOWMAN require the fall semental health is very mester to begin two important to us.”

GVSU STUDENT SENATE school days earlier on The addition of PRESIDENT a Thursday instead of a fall break to the a Monday. calendar would af-

fect several aspects of campus life, Bowman noted. Transitions, freshman move-in, convocation, new faculty training and resident assistant training would all have to be moved if a fall break were added to the calendar. Under this calendar change, freshman move-in would likely be Friday through Sunday instead of Monday through Tuesday.

“It might be better because parents wouldn’t have to take off work if move-in is on the weekend,” Bowman said.

SEE SENATE | A2

PROJECT: GVSU student senate meets Thursday, Sept. 14. At the Thursday, Nov. 2, general assembly, the senate voted to pass a proposal that would give GVSU a fall break during the school year. However, the proposal still has to be reviewed by the University Academic Senate and other administrators. GVL | MATT READ

HISTORY

GV to host Holocaust expert to read play on genocide

BY MEGAN WEBSTER MWEBSTER@LANTHORN.COM

The Department of English at Grand Valley State University will host Robert Skloot Wednesday, Nov. 8, as he participates in and directs a staged reading of his play “If the Whole Body Dies: Raphael Lemkin and the Treaty Against Genocide.”

The staged reading, which will take place at 3 p.m. in the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons, will demonstrate that one person truly can make a difference, no matter how big the issue.

Skloot is a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is an expert in theater and the Holocaust. His play combines his two areas of expertise to tell a story about Raphael Lemkin and his political journey as an advocate in eliminating genocide.

Richard Hiskes, a political science and human rights professor at GVSU, said the focus of the play, Lemkin, was personally affected by the Nazi regime during World War II. He was essential in the prevention and punishment of those who practiced genocide.

“Raphael Lemkin was working for the Carnegie Foundation during WWII,” Hiskes said. “He was a Polish lawyer whose parents had been killed by Nazis. He coined the word ‘genocide’ to describe, as Winston Churchill had said early in the war, ‘the crime the Nazis are committing for which there is no name.’

“He also worked to draft what became the UN ‘Convention (on the) Prevention and the Punishment of (the Crime of ) Genocide,’ adopted in 1948 on the day before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. The ‘Genocide Convention’ would have never happened without him, in my view.”

Professor Rob Franciosi, an English professor at GVSU and the organizer for Skloot’s visit, said Lemkin did just this through persistence and determination.

“Raphael Lemkin did not hold any official position, nor did he have major institutional backing, yet he persisted in his quest for the international community to recognize that some crimes are the business of all nations,” Franciosi said.

This is not the first time GVSU has hosted an event that has to do with the SEE GENOCIDE | A2

GUEST SPEAKER

Gary ‘Litefoot’ Davis to give lecture at GV Former rapper, entrepreneur to focus on empowerment

BY THERESA MUELLER TMUELLER@LANTHORN.COM

In celebration of Grand Valley State University’s Native American Heritage Month, Gary “Litefoot” Davis, member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and business entrepreneur, will be discussing ways to empower oneself and the community Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 5 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Grand River Room.

Davis’ talk is a part of the GVSU Office of Multicultural Affairs’ (OMA) Professionals of Color Lecture Series. The series aims to help students of color feel comfortable and welcome while receiving inspiration. Additionally, OMA officials hope Davis’ talk will create awareness across campus and allow students to become more educated about Native American culture and traditions. “(Davis) is identified as a leader in the community,” said Tonisha

Begay, OMA program assistant, staff adviser for the Native American Student Association (NASA) and member of the Native American Advisory Board (NAAB) at GVSU. “For Native students, (Davis’ lecture) gives them an opportunity to see somebody who comes from a culture similar to theirs and may have similar experiences as a Native-identifying person.”

Levi Rickert, publisher/editor of Native News Online and member of the NAAB at GVSU, believes Davis’ presence on campus is critical for GVSU’s effort to create a positive cultural exchange.

“It’s good to have a voice at the university level so we can help influence, in a positive way, American-Indian students and non-Native students,” Rickert said.

Davis made his name as a Native American rapper and has also played SEE DAVIS | A2

LEADER: Gary ‘Litefoot’ Davis will be speaking at GVSU Wednesday, Nov. 5. Davis’ lecture is a part of the GVSU Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Professionals of Color Lecture Series. COURTESY | INDIGENOUSCOLLEGESTUDENT.WORDPRESS.COM

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A2 | NEWS

SENATE

NEWS BRIEFS

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GV TO PARTICIPATE IN EARTH SCIENCE WEEK WITH LECTURE SERIES

Grand Valley State University will host a lecture series in recognition of international Earth Science Week that will feature alumni presenters. From Monday, Nov. 6, to Friday, Nov. 10, there will be presentations on topics related to earth science in Manitou Hall.

The presentations are sponsored by the Department of Geology. The full schedule of presentations can be found at www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/2017/gvsu-earth-science-week-lecture-series-to-feature-10227.htm.

GV TEAM AGAINST BIAS TO HOLD BIAS REPORTING WORKSHOP The Grand Valley State University Team Against Bias will hold a bias incident reporting training workshop Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 3:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Room 2259. The event is open to the public and is designed to educate attendees on the mechanisms GVSU has in place to report instances of bias on campus.

The training includes discussion on ensuring that participants are conscious of their right to free expression on campus while maintaining an understanding of bias incidents and their effect on the community.

In response to this, the vice president of student senate, Dan Ziegenfelder, voiced that certain vendors and events have already been booked for the 2018-19 year and that adding a fall break to the calendar for next year might cause an uproar among those people.

In addition, several senators mentioned that students might not be aware of the process of making a fall break a reality. First, it must be voted on by the student senate, and then it must pass through several departments before it can go into effect. The university might agree to a fall break, but the proposed break as set by the senate might not be accepted. The process may not be

as smooth or quick as some students expect.

“It might not be possible for it to happen next year,” Bowman said. “If it does make it through the University Academic Senate and is approved by the provost, that is going to take a lot of time, and it most likely won’t be approved for next fall.”

At the general assembly, the changes the fall break would make to the academic calendar were discussed, and other amendments to the calendar were proposed by numerous senators. One suggestion was to remove a day from Labor Day break and add it to Thanksgiving break, giving students more time with their families.

The assembly voted to postpone the Labor Day and Thanksgiving break discussion and to vote on only the fall break calen-

dar change that day. From there, the majority voted in favor of a fall break, and the meeting adjourned.

Other highlights from the meeting included guest speaker Jodi Chycinski, director of admissions at GVSU, who spoke about the university’s efforts to recruit students during September, October and November.

Through the expansion of the admissions office at the Student Services building, admissions staff hopes to broaden its recruitment efforts. Currently, the admissions staff piques student interest in GVSU through college fairs, onsite admissions and visiting underrepresented high schools and cities within a five-hour radius.

Chycinski said the most effective way to recruit students is by word of mouth.

“Our strongest efforts really rely on word of mouth—you, the students, going home and talking about your incredible time here,” she said.

Guest speaker Rob Kimball, associate vice president for charter schools, also addressed the student senate.

He mentioned that GVSU currently charters 74 schools across Michigan, with 26 centering in the Detroit area.

At the general assembly, the senate also welcomed four new senators, making the student senate a full body.

Thomas Quaine, John Lurie, Amanda Crawford and Sydney Washington were all welcomed by the senate.

Student senate meets every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Pere Marquette Room.

‘DOLPHIN TANK’ ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMPETITION TO TAKE PLACE AT GV Grand Valley State University will host the “Dolphin Tank” entrepreneurship competition Thursday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m. in the L. William Seidman Center on the Pew Campus. The event is co-sponsored by the Michigan Women’s Foundation and Springboard Enterprises and is a variation of the TV show “Shark Tank.”

The event allows participants to plan and pitch business ideas to a panel of judges. Winners can receive a grand prize up to $10,000.

OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES SEARCHING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR ‘ZERO WASTE FOOTBALL GAME’

The Grand Valley State University Office of Sustainability Practices is in need of volunteers for its “Zero Waste” event taking place at the GVSU football game versus Tiffin University Saturday, Nov. 11, at noon.

The Zero Waste initiative is designed to ensure that trash items are disposed of correctly (recycling, compost, etc.).

Volunteers are expected to speak with visitors and make sure that correct waste procedures are being followed. Volunteer hours can be tracked in Service Tracker, and the event is LIB 100- and 201-approved.

Those interested in volunteering should email sustainability@gvsu.edu.

COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS TO HOLD PROGRAMS SHOWCASE

The Grand Valley State University College of Health Professions will hold a majors and programs showcase Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 6 p.m. in the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences Hager Auditorium. The event gives students interested in the fields of medical practices the opportunity to explore various programs in the college. Both undergraduate and graduate programs will be featured.

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NO. 22

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DISCUSSION: GVSU student senate meets Thursday, Sept. 14. The proposal to implement a fall break at GVSU was submitted by Jonathan Bowman, GVSU student senate president. Recruitment and GVSU charter schools were also discussed Thursday, Nov. 2. GVL | MATT READ

GENOCIDE CONTINUED FROM A1

Holocaust. Franciosi said this staged reading not only keeps on trend with that pattern, but it also coincides with the human rights minor, something that has only been recently established as a minor option at GVSU. “Presenting ‘If the Whole Body Dies’ not only is consistent with that practice but also fits well with the new human rights minor that has been established,” Franciosi said. “More importantly, the shadow of genocide, what Samantha Power (former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations) called ‘a problem from hell,’ looms over too many places in the world, as recent reports from Myanmar prove.”

Franciosi and a group of students will join Skloot in the staged reading. With no

DAVIS

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multiple roles in various films. Through his music, Davis spoke about civil rights and tribal rights. Today, Davis’ success lies in business and finance while he continues to stay rooted in his culture and raise awareness of inequalities and inequities Native Americans face.

Begay believes it is important for all students to see different depictions of who Native Americans are.

“We’re all human,” Begay said. “It’s good to see the diversity of skilled assets. Although (Davis) is in

costumes or acting gestures, it is up to the readers to portray the characters to the best of their ability.

The Joseph Stevens Freedom Endowment, which was founded in 1990 by GVSU, is funding Robert Skloot’s visit, as well as other lectures of this type, to make this sort of learning opportunity possible for students, faculty and staff.

“To honor its namesake, who for years shared with Grand Valley students his experiences during World War II, the endowment funds lectures to promote the understanding of issues related to human freedom, including a special focus on the history and consequences of the Holocaust,” Franciosi said.

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2zzAMCQ FOR MORE INFORMATION

finance and business, not every Native American is.”

For non-Native students, Davis’ presentation is an opportunity to see someone who is Nativeidentifying and doing good work, Begay said.

“That positive role model wasn’t implemented to those of us who grew up on reservations,” said Joe Cadreau, GVSU student senator and member of NASA. “(Davis) provides the structure, the history and insight for avenues we can explore to be impactful.”

Less than one percent of GVSU students identify as Native American. Cadreau noted the struggles of iden-

PROFILE: Robert Skloot, professor at UW-Madison. COURTESY |

MICHAEL FORSTER ROTHBART / UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

tity and shame that many Natives face not just at GVSU but in the U.S. as a whole.

“Our census may say we only have 88 or 89 (Native American) students, but that’s because this dominant society has made it where these students are ashamed to identify as Native Americans,” Cadreau said.

Cadreau addressed many concepts that contribute to feelings of shame, including misconceptions held by the general public.

“We didn’t have freedom until 1978,” he said. “We’re more than feathers or some painting on the wall. We’re still fighting to survive.”

Additionally, Begay said,

“In America, we see Native Americans as one people group, but we are hundreds of different cultures.”

Cadreau believes Davis to be a prominent representation of holding pride in one’s heritage, an example of being “loud and proud.” “(Davis’ talk) is a really good opportunity for (GVSU) to create that cultural exchange, which I think is really so important as we progress as a society, especially with that climate that’s in the United States now,” Rickert said. “There seems to be a covert hatred among races.”

The lecture is LIB 100- and 201-approved.

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A3

MEDICINE

Student Nurses’ Association finds success with mentorship program

BY KARINA LLOYD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

The curriculum of Grand Valley State University’s nursing program, as with many majors, demands a lot of hard work and dedication. To help combat the stress of nursing school, the GVSU Student Nurses’ Association (SNA) has been participating in the Transitions Mentorship Program

for the past three semesters.

The SNA is a student-run organization that immerses GVSU nursing students into the medical world through presentations, group meetings and hands-on activities.

The organization works hard to empower those within the association through their student activities and programs, including the Transitions Mentorship Program.

“The idea behind the program is to empower our new student nurses,” said Jamie Platt, president of the GVSU SNA chapter. “SNA believes that creating a strong environment through positive peer-student relationships during the beginning of nursing school will allow new ... students to feel confident during a vulnerable time in the (nursing) program.”

TRAINING: GVSU nursing student Megan Buchman practices giving a shot to a test dummy in the CookDeVos Center for Health Sciences on the Grand Rapids Pew Campus Sept. 26, 2016. GVL | LUKE HOLMES

The transitions program pairs lower-level nursing students with upper-level students so they can meet and discuss topics within the major and receive tips for studying for nursing exams. It also offers students someone to lean on while studying in the intensive program.

This program has been incorporated into many SNA organizations, and the GVSU chapter decided to incorporate it last year based on student feedback.

“It was something we took into consideration (after) hearing other nursing students talk about their struggles and how looking back, when they were older nursing students, what they wished they had known to help them in the program,” Platt said.

The nursing program at GVSU spans two and a half years, and the mentorship coincides with this.

“Within our program, there are five semesters,” Platt said.

“So, if you are in your first or second semester, you will get paired with someone in their third, fourth or fifth semester.”

The students in the mentorship program are required to meet five times per semester and are encouraged to meet biweekly. After the meetings, the mentors report what they discussed with the mentees during their one-onone meetings. One of the topics that Chloe Dansereau, SNA curriculum director, has seen a lot of conversation generated about is clinical work.

In nursing school, each semester is half clinical and half classroom-based, meaning half of students’ time is spent in an actual class and the other half is spent in a medical setting. Students are able to practice the skills they have learned in the classroom and also explore different aspects of nursing.

“A lot of students have questions about what their schedule will be like, the expectation for the next round of clinical and things like that,” Dansereau said.

To help improve the program this school year, Dansereau, who helps arrange the mentorship program, plans to host informational sessions

with the new mentors so they can learn ways to break the ice with their new mentees and gain new ideas for what to discuss with them.

“Next semester, I (want to) do a little more of an (introductory) training session for the mentors and share with them ideas they can talk about and how to build that relationship (with their mentees),” Dansereau said. “I think it’s really hard to sit down with somebody, and they might not always know what they want to talk about and vice versa, ... so to be able to start those kinds of conversations is really important.”

Both Platt and Dansereau have noticed the positive impact this program has had on the nursing students.

“It makes (the nursing students) feel more confident and less apprehensive about continuing to the next semester,” Dansereau said.

“I’ve seen a lot of great relationships come out of it.

A lot of people request the same mentor again, and I think it’s very impactful.”

DIALOGUE

Kaufman Interfaith Institute to host academic consortium

BY SARAH HOLLIS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

“Can Religions Collaborate for the Common Good?” That question is the theme behind the 2017 Academic Consortium Conference, sponsored

by Grand Valley State University’s Kaufman Interfaith Institute. The event will feature global religion expert R. Scott Appleby, dean of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs, as the keynote speaker, as well as a panel of four experts.

The event will take place at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with lectures taking place in the afternoon and evening.

The panel discussion will take place after the afternoon lecture and will be focused on reflecting upon the points Appleby made earlier.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to attend one of four breakout sessions, each one discussing a different aspect of interfaith

understanding and empathy.

Kyle Kooyers, program manager for the Kaufman Interfaith Institute and coordinator for the Academic Consortium Conference, said one breakout session would examine “the legacy of the Reformation,” while another would discuss “the importance of empathy in the 21st century” and another would be called “Dangerously Uninformed.”

“The last breakout group is actually a collection of our interfaith interns from the four campuses on which we have those interns, which is Hope (College), Grand Valley, Calvin (College) and Aquinas,” Kooyers said.

“That will be in conjunction with our GVSU graduate assistant. They’re going to be talking about what does interfaith and engagement look like on college campuses and why is it important that it occurs there.”

Kooyers believes it’s important for people of differ-

ent faiths to come together and embrace the similarities in their beliefs instead of focusing on their differences.

“Extremism and violence happen where there is a lack of empathy and understanding,” he said. “So, when a group feels unheard or unseen, they lash out in such a way that they become heard and seen. So, the idea is that if we are to proactively reduce that violence and

hatred in our world, in our culture, in our community, we need to be making sure that we’re providing space for all peoples’ voices, for all peoples’ experiences.”

This event could even lead to attendees making friends they might not have previously. According to Kooyers, there are myths out there that people with a certain religious background will look a certain

way, which he doesn’t find to be true. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and befriend people with religious beliefs different from their own.

“There are more things that we can do together favorably than by separating and sort of going to our own corners,” said Douglas Kindschi, founding director of the Kaufman Interfaith Institute and coor-

dinator for the Academic Consortium Conference.

This event is free to the public, although those who wish to receive meals during the event must register online for a fee of $30. Attendees may also choose to attend only the events that interest them, and they do not have to stay for the full duration of the event.

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2yxQK0n FOR MORE INFORMATION

COLLABORATION: The 2017 Academic Consortium Conference will discuss achieving coexistence among different religions. The event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Aquinas College’s Donnelly Center in Grand Rapids. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

LECTURE

Author to speak at GV on Puerto Rican revolution

BY ALEX SIXT NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Sixty-seven years ago, a revolution occurred that went overlooked for many years. For a long time, Puerto Rico struggled against the U.S., resulting in violence that plagued the island.

Grand Valley State University students will have the opportunity to learn about this untold story of politics, U.S. intervention and Puerto Rico from Nelson A. Denis, author of “War on All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America’s Colony.” The event is sponsored by Latin American and Latino/a studies at GVSU and will take place Tuesday, Nov. 7, in the Kirkhof Center Pere Marquette Room from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Denis has worked as the editorial director of El Diario, one of the biggest Spanish-language newspapers in New York City, and is a recipient of the Best Editorial Writing Award from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. He has also written for various other newspapers and has directed a film shown in the Tribeca Film Festival. This event will be his first time speaking at GVSU. “It’s a story a lot of people don’t know about,” said David Stark, GVSU professor of history and coordinator of Latin American and Latino/a studies. He said the ultimate goal of the program is to draw awareness to the current and past situations in Puerto Rico “to help people understand what’s going on in Puerto

REVOLUTION: The title of Nelson Denis’ book on the Puerto Rican revolution, which he will discuss at GVSU. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

Rico and why things are the way that they are.”

With the recent tragedies of the hurricanes and debt crisis, Stark thinks now is a perfect time for people to learn more about Puerto Rico’s past and present. Stark said the struggles of Puerto Rico are important to learn about regardless of when they happened. The Puerto Rican revolution is a topic that is typically not discussed often in the U.S. “There’s a story there that hasn’t been told,” Stark said.

This program will give the chance for all who are interested to become informed on this chaotic part of Puerto Rico’s past.

Renzo Garzo Motta, an international student and part of Laker Familia, said he was not aware of the past revolution in Puerto Rico and has rarely learned about any history of the territory.

“No one ever talks about it,” he said. “They’re so far away from the mainland, … and it’s just so hard to keep a connection.”

Garzo Motta brought up the point that now is a good time to learn about Puerto Rico’s history, especially concerning the recent struggles they are facing.

Throughout the lecture, Denis will divulge the stories of

tumult the revolution sparked and speak about his book, which has generated a lot of controversy due to his view of U.S. occupation and involve-

ment with Puerto Rico. He will outline the important figures who led Puerto Rico through the long revolution as well as the ones who fought to stop it.

Anyone interested in attending is welcome to come.

The event is LIB 100- and 201-approved, and there is no cost to attend.

How can GVSU students help reduce energy and water consumption?

If you have a hot or cold temperature issue contact Customer Service and submit a work order at the GVSU facilities services website customer service section

DO YOUR PART! To Conserve Energy Facilities Services Energy Department

A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

By Wren Miller

Mentorship programs at GV set students up for success

F

or any college freshman, adjusting to the undergraduate life can be a challenge. In addition to the change of environment, the newfound freedom and the inevitable lifestyle adjustments, there is also the challenging curriculum students have to learn how to tackle, both in the general education program and within specific majors. Learning how to be a productive, successful student is enough to make any new freshman feel stressed and overwhelmed.

That’s why at Grand Valley State University there are mentorship programs in place to connect underclassmen with upperclassmen to learn the ropes of how to navigate collegelevel challenges. For example, in the Frederik Meijer Honors College, incoming freshman students are automatically paired with an already-established honors student the summer before school starts so they can connect and learn more about the program and the university in general prior to moving on campus.

Having someone present to provide advice and guidance to new students even before they enter the university environment is noteworthy and an important initiative on GVSU’s part— especially when that advice and guidance is coming from a peer. Many students enter college unsure of what lies ahead, and despite the numerous staff advisers who reassure them they’re going to be okay, hearing those words from someone in a similar position can be much more comforting. Older students also tend to know more about the nitty-gritty ins and outs of life at GVSU from hands-on experience they can share with students.

There are other programs at GVSU that also use mentoring to help their students transition. The Student Nurses’ Association (SNA), for example, has been participating in the Transitions Mentorship Program for the past three semesters. Similar to that of the Honors College, this program pairs lower-level nursing students

with upper-level students.

This allows for incoming student nurses to feel a sense of confidence entering the program, and it also encourages peer-student relationships.

Another important purpose of this mentorship program and others at GVSU is to make sure students in a particular curriculum or department don’t graduate wishing they had known more about their respective majors or life at GVSU. Still, this is not a problem exclusive to students in SNA or honors. All students could benefit from having a mentor. Hearing from more experienced individuals, whether in the form of advice or tutoring, is worthwhile. Many students may even find that talking to their mentors, who are dealing with similar circumstances, provides a healthy outlet to commiserate and problem solve.

In preparation to enter the professional world, GVSU also offers mentorship programs to help students with career preparation. One example of this is the Brooks Mentor Program through GVSU’s Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, which pairs interested students in the college with a mentor to help prepare them for life after college. The program is not meant to serve as a direct job connection but rather as an opportunity to provide and receive helpful guidance and improve upon a variety of skills.

Mentors in this program include Brooks alumni as well as community professionals in different career fields, which makes it slightly different than the aforementioned student-tostudent mentorships. But the same theory applies: Individuals who are knowledgeable in a certain field pass on their wisdom and know-how to new students to set them up for success.

In that vein, freshman students should seriously consider taking part in mentorship programs at GVSU if they are not automatically enrolled, and upperclassmen should “pay it forward” and pass on their wisdom to keep the positive cycle going.

11/6/17

editorial@lanthorn.com

A ‘fresh’ take on healthy, vegetarian living

BY SHAE SLAUGHTER SENIOR ENGLISH MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

In the U.S., we are overwhelmed with the idea of choice. We have so many options in front of us all of the time that it is hard to say no.

This holds true for the food available to us, too. We have Chinese food, Italian food, Polish food and so much more. We have extra-large fries and half-pound burgers around every corner. While at face value these choices seem to be beneficial, I think the stereotypical American diet

Editor-in-Chief Associate editor News editor Sports editor Laker Life editor

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new diet is simply easier to digest. After all, meat takes about two days to digest, while vegetables can take less than a day, according to Healthline.

We went shopping and removed all of the meat and unhealthy items from my fridge. We picked veggies and quinoa over steak and mashed potatoes. We made vegetarian burrito bowls instead of chicken fajitas.

Despite popular belief, it wasn’t hard and it wasn’t expensive. In fact, I spent less money at the store. I felt the change within a few days.

It’s amazing to think that such a simple fix could make such a big difference. I don’t think that removing meat from our diet was the only cause of this change; I think that it was a general consensus to be more conscious of what we are consuming. Instead of just grabbing a burger, we have to consider what meals we can concoct that contain all of the necessary nutrients.

When I mention these

dietary choices to people, they seem to be shocked that I would choose to give up meat. I’ve been asked more than once if I’m still keeping up with that “vegetarian thing.” To me, it’s not just a choice: It’s a decision to change the way I live.

“Countless studies have shown that a well-planned, nutritious, plant-based diet is associated with a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and stroke, as well as with longer life expectancy,” according to The Huffington Post. I would encourage any and everyone to experiment with their diet because I don’t think that eating is “one size fits all.”

Maybe being a vegetarian won’t last forever. My boyfriend and I are both open to dietary changes, after all.

Maybe I’ll sneak some turkey on Thanksgiving; maybe I won’t. I just know that I have found a different way of living that suits me and my stomach perfectly.

From the treadmill to the squat rack

GV L E DITO R IAL BOA RD EMILY DORAN JENNA FRACASSI ARPAN LOBO ROBBIE TRIANO TY KONELL

does more harm than good.

As Americans, we are raised to finish all of the food on our plates, eat hearty steaks and grab some fast food if we need a quick meal. It’s hard to know any different because it is simply a societal norm.

I worked at a steakhouse for two years, so I knew this mindset firsthand. Our food was made from scratch and filled with unhealthy ingredients. People loved it. I did, too.

However, over the last few months, I have noticed that my stomach had started bugging me regularly. If I wasn’t feeling stomach pains, I still felt uncomfortable and puffy.

My boyfriend felt similar symptoms. We never ate that poorly, but we knew we could do better. My boyfriend suggested trying to go vegetarian, and I was excited by the idea.

So that’s what we did. The two of us have been vegetarian for about three-and-a-half weeks. Of course, this is just a drop in the bucket, but we both feel worlds better. Our

BY AMY MCNEEL SOPHOMORE COMM. & WRITING MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Ladies, it’s time to step off the cardio machine and into the weight room. When I go to the gym, I see so many girls confining themselves to cardio machines and floor mats, and while these workouts have their time and place, neglecting weight training is a big “no-no” for reaching fitness goals.

I think there are a lot of reasons so many women stick to the treadmill, and let me tell you, I was once like that, too.

I never used to lift weights because I was scared, intimidated and lacked a lot of weighttraining knowledge. However, as I slowly integrated lifting into my workouts, I found that the weight room was not as scary as it seemed, and neither were the people who spent time in it. Additionally, I noticed a lot of benefits to lifting and saw huge progress in my level of fitness.

Growing up, I was taught a common myth: Weight training makes women bulky.

But that’s just a myth. On the contrary, lifting actually has the opposite effect; instead of making women bulky, it helps build lean muscle that in turn makes women more toned. So no, you will not be more masculine by simply lifting some weights.

Furthermore, weight training can actually be more efficient in reaching fitness goals than cardio. Most women stick to treadmills and elliptical

machines because they believe that is what will help them burn the maximum amount of fat. However, it has been proven that lifting essentially burns more fat than cardio.

This is because weight training allows for excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) to take place. According to Muscle and Fitness magazine, EPOC “refers to how long your metabolism is elevated after exercise, enabling you to burn fat long after finishing your workout.” Weight training stretches and tears the muscles, and the body needs more energy to recover and repair them, allowing EPOC to take place, which can increase the metabolism and burn fat for hours after a workout.

Likewise, more calories are burned by muscle tissue than fat tissue. According to Livestrong.com, “Research shows that 1 pound of muscle burns seven to 10 calories per day, while

1 pound of fat burns only 2 to 3 calories.” Therefore, by building muscle, weight lifters also increase their resting metabolic rate and in turn burn more calories.

A couple of years ago, I found myself stuck in the same routine of cardio and core workouts, and I wasn’t seeing or feeling many results.

The shift to weight training was an extremely positive experience for me; I found that I enjoyed weight training more than cardio and that the results were much more progressive. Knowing this, I want to urge more women to make their way into the weight room. It can be scary and challenging, but more than that, it can be worth it.

Remember, everyone had to start somewhere; no one knew exactly what they were doing the first time they entered a weight room. So, go after it and allow your fitness goals to become your reality.

VALLEY VOTE

THIS ISSUE’S QUESTION

QUOTE

Are you planning to vote in the local elections this Tuesday?

Have you participated in a mentorship program at GVSU?

Yes No

LOG ON & VOTE www.lanthorn.com

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.

Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.

11% 89%

QUESTION OF THE ISSUE

- Martin Luther King Jr.

HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM AT GVSU?

EMILY KETOLA

RILEY COOPER

“No. Well, not yet.”

“I have not.”

YEAR: Junior MAJOR: English HOMETOWN: Grand Ledge, Michigan

YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Nursing HOMETOWN: Muskegon, Michigan

ANI VARDANIAN

LOGAN CONNER

“Nope.”

“No, but I should.”

YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Special education HOMETOWN: Milford, Michigan

YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Biomedical sciences HOMETOWN: Rockford, Michigan

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A5

ENCOURAGEMENT

The Letter Project gives women opportunity to empower with words sibling, classmate, coworker, parent or child to receive a surprise stack of letters Words have the ability addressed directly to their to empower. To spread this mailbox.

Whitney Saxon, founder empowerment, a nonprofit organization called The of The Letter Project, was Letter Project connects inspired through her own writers with struggling in- experiences and struggles dividuals to send uplifting to start this organization.

Saxon was born in Indiana letters around the globe.

Simply put, The Letter and raised in the Midwest Project consists of wom- and then spent the good part en writing letters to girls of her 20s in Atlanta doing around the world who need business communications for extra inspiration. They be- a large corporation. But this lieve that no problem is too season of her life wasn’t easy.

“My 20s were harder big or too small to receive than I expected a little bit of them to be,” handwritten Saxon said. encourage“I’m not going to “And I looked ment.

The at my friends Letter Project say I’m changing and realized is currently lives, but the we were all searching for impact that these in the same a courier on Grand Valley letters are having boat of trying to figure out State Univeris undeniable.” what we want sity’s campuses to do. Dating is to spread these messy, moving positive mesWHITNEY SAXON to new cities sages.

FOUNDER, THE LETTER and trying to PROJECT Through an get our bearonline form, ings. ... I just requests are made for letters of encour- felt really passionate about agement and support. Any- helping women navigate one can fill out a form for their 20s.”

This recognition that bethemselves, explaining their struggles and asking for ing 20 is difficult motivated personal encouragement, or Saxon to start a blog where they can nominate a friend, she wrote pieces of encourBY TYLEE BUSH TBUSH@LANTHORN.COM

agement with honesty on being a 20-year-old and exploring the challenges and opportunities that come at that age. This desire to uplift other struggling 20-somethings grew from just a blog to a life-coaching business for young women and finally led to the inspiration for The Letter Project.

Any girl age 5 to 30 can receive letters, and any circumstance or struggle is worthy of a submission.

Problems could be a breakup or divorce, unemployment or difficulty choosing a college major, or simply needing to connect with someone in a friendly way.

Upon receiving the submission, a team of voluntary writers is assigned to that girl, and they are given one week to write her a personalized, handwritten, decorated note. These letters are then sent to headquarters where they are sorted, approved and delivered in one bundle to the recipient.

The Letter Project grew faster than Saxon could have anticipated. Over the course of a few years, it expanded into a network of more than 1,200 writers sending letters to girls globally, with four different continents represented.

The Letter Project is now a 501(c)(3) organization, and Saxon quit her job to commit

INSPIRATION: The Letter Project sends words of encouragement to women across the U.S. The project was started by Whitney Saxon and has more than 1,200 writers. COURTESY | TOLOVEOURSELVES.COM

her full attention to the cause.

“The fact that The Letter Project is growing and at capacity doesn’t say anything about me or the organization itself,” she said. “It just goes to show how much of a desire and a need there is for this. I’m not going to say I’m changing lives, but the impact that these letters are having is undeniable.”

Aside from the receivers,

Saxon also created the organization to give women who aren’t struggling an opportunity to lift up others. The Letter Project is just as much for the writers as it is for the receivers, and they are always accepting more volunteers.

Women interested in joining this team of letter-writing influencers should visit www. toloveourselves.com to apply and find more information.

Additionally, in an effort to increase the outreach to college communities, The Letter Project has campus couriers who represent the organization at their university by hosting group write nights and spreading awareness for the cause.

GVSU is still in need of a campus courier, and anyone interested in taking on this opportunity should contact Saxon at whitney@toloveourselves.com.

GRAND RAPIDS

Author, Meijer CEO holds book release at GV

BY DREW SCHERTZER DSCHERTZER@LANTHORN.COM

Arthur Vandenberg was a Republican senator from Grand Rapids who worked through differences in views to help create the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other important pieces of foreign policy legislation.

To offer more perspective on this, Hank Meijer, cochairman and CEO of Meijer, wrote a biography about the life and career of Vandenberg. Meijer was recently at Grand Valley State University to speak about the book.

The book release took place Thursday, Nov. 2, at the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium. The room was packed with more than 200 attendees who had gathered to hear Meijer’s rendition of Vandenberg’s life.

Meijer started from the beginning of Vandenberg’s life and walked the crowd through his important achievements.

The GVSU Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies’ Common Ground Initiative partnered with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, Library

and Museum to host the book release. Scott St. Louis, the program manager for the Common Ground Initiative, said a lot can be learned from Vandenberg.

“It’s an important thing, looking to the past for role models willing to work across lines for the common good,” St. Louis said. “Vandenberg is influential, and there’s always new things to learn with how infinitely broad history is.”

Meijer quoted Vandenberg, saying, “This is not our war” in regard to World War II. Vandenberg was an isolationist who did not want to intervene in a war he thought Americans should stay out of. Vandenberg even tried to fight then President Franklin D. Roosevelt on sending arms to help the U.S.’ future allies. However, after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, this changed rapidly. Vandenberg understood that he must believe in the greater goal of the U.S., Meijer said.

According to Meijer, Vandenberg was a potential dark horse candidate for the Republican presidential candidacy in 1940. This fell through, but Meijer said it

still shows the immense trust and respect Vandenberg’s colleagues had for him.

Years later, Vandenberg was appointed the voice on foreign policy before Roosevelt died. From there, he had to set aside some of his predilections for the betterment of the country. Vandenberg went on to participate in the creation of the Marshall Plan, United Nations and NATO. St. Louis said Vandenberg had to change his views to best represent the U.S. and that Vandenberg worked with Democrats to help bring different prominent programs into place.

The Common Ground Initiative is designed to welcome leading scholars to discuss political challenges we face, according to St. Louis. The initiative hosts a multitude of public programs, panels and conferences that promote learning from good debate.

St. Louis believes it is easy to learn about your own views but hard to learn the views of others, and he thinks Vandenberg was able to do this so that he could lead the way for new policies to take place.

WHERE

FRESH & FAST MEET

™

WE DELIVER! VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU LAUNCH: Hank Meijer and Gleaves Whitney speak together at the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium Thursday, Nov. 2. Meijer just released a book he wrote about a local politican. GVL | DYLAN MCINTYRE

A6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

THEATER

ARTS AT A GLANCE MOMENTUM DANCE CONCERT FRIDAY, NOV. 10

The Grand Valley State University Momentum dance organization is set to host a dance concert at 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 10, in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.

The event is open to the public and is free to attend, although donations are welcome.

The organization allows GVSU students to showcase their choreography and dance skills, and the concert is student produced. The performers are using the excitement of live dance performance as a platform for raising funds. Proceeds raised from the performance will go toward a charity of the performing students’ choice.

For more information, contact Mackenzie Matyn at matynm@mail.gvsu.edu.

COMPANY INFORMATION SESSION WITH VERA BRADLEY

The Enterprise Systems Student Union (ESSU) will be hosting an informational company meeting for its members with Vera Bradley from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, in the Forum of Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.

The event was arranged by Vera Bradley, as the company has shown interest in ESSU. Vera Bradley company members will use the time to get to know students and share information on their company.

The dress code is business casual, and internships and/or jobs may arise from the event, so participants are strongly advised to bring resumes.

For more information, contact the Seidman College of Business at 616-331-7380.

FIRESIDE CHAT TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8 The Grand Valley State University Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity will be hosting a “Fireside Chat” at noon Wednesday, Nov. 8, inside of the center located in the Kirkhof Center.

The CWGE’s Fireside Chats serve as a safe space for diverse women across GVSU’s campus to meet one another, form relationships and engage in critical conversations about gender-related topics.

For more information, visit the CWGE’s website at www.gvsu.edu/cwge.

P.E.P. TALK BEING HELD TUESDAY, NOV. 7

Grand Valley State University’s Peer Education and Prevention (P.E.P.) will be holding a P.E.P. Talk Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Room 2215/2216. P.E.P. Talks are a bystander intervention program that take an interactive approach with the curriculum it teaches.

The 90-minute program will give attending students skills they may be able to use to intervene in situations in which there is a possibility that sexual assault and/ or harassment may take place. Topics included in the talks include rape culture, empathy building, bystanders and more, and concludes with a pledge to be an active bystander.

For more information, contact Krystal Diel at dielkrys@gvsu.edu.

Bard to Go brings Shakespeare to life in DeVos Center performance

BY NICK MORAN LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

While many students may be introduced to the works of William Shakespeare in an English class, Grand Valley State University’s student organization Bard to Go is aiming to share Shakespeare the way they think it should be: on the stage. The group performed “The Wonder of Will: This Is Your Afterlife!” at the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium Saturday, Nov. 4, as part of GVSU’s Shakespeare Festival.

“The Wonder of Will” is considered a Shakespeare sampler, according to director Karen Libman. While featuring scenes from seven different Shakespeare plays, the show explores a wide variety of scenes all tied together by a modern conceit: a reality TV show in which Shakespeare is brought back to life.

“We start with one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays and end with one of the latest ones, so we go in chronological order,” Martineau said.

“We try to bring back Shakespeare’s memory about it. At first, the only thing he can say are lines from his plays because that’s all that’s retained in his memory, so sometimes that brings up a scene.”

Bard to Go mainly performs for other students with the goal of exposing them to Shakespeare’s plays in person instead of on paper. With students as the primary audience, the show was built to fit into a 50-minute period, which also allows the actors to grasp the show more quickly.

“We’re all really comfortable with the show at this point,” Martineau said. “Because it’s

ACTORS: The cast of GVSU student organization Bard To Go perform ‘The Wonder of Will: This Is Your Afterlife!’ at the Loosemore Auditorium in the DeVos Center Saturday, Nov. 4. GVL | DYLAN MCINTYRE

such a short show, if we had a five-hour rehearsal, we could get through it a couple of times, so we’re all very familiar with it—even with each other’s lines because we’ve done it so much.”

The comfort allows the actors to customize each show, making no two performances alike, according to junior actress Christa Wright. With the high level of memorization and closeness of the cast, Wright credits a lot of the spontaneous humor to the obligation to keep scenes moving smoothly as a team.

“We’re a very creative group, so we just try new things almost every time we do the show,” Wright said. “We do this scene from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ and Parker and Jacob (who also take part in the organization) change that scene up constantly. I’m backstage a lot of the time, and I’m dying laughing because hearing it, I can tell that it’s different.”

While Bard to Go had also

performed as an entry at ArtPrize Nine, the group’s performance at the Loosemore Auditorium was particularly different due to the change to an adult audience. According to Libman, because the language in Shakespeare’s scenes is not altered at all, making it pure Shakespeare, the group’s job is to help the audience digest the complexities of his plays.

“For many adults, Shakespeare is really a foreign language,” Libman said. “It’s really hard to understand sometimes, so what we try to do is make it super physical and super understandable. We include a lot of audience participation and a lot of comedy so that the audience gets really into it.”

A key aspect in helping the audience grasp the content, Wright said, is utilizing audience participation. The show included opportunities for audience members to get up on stage and interact with

the cast in a scene, a method that spectators and cast members alike always enjoy.

“In ‘The Merchant of Venice’ scene, we’re talking about the suitors who are coming to woo Portia, and she’s not having any of it because she doesn’t want to get married,” Wright said. “But we have to pick people from the audience to be the suitors, so we make them stand up and kind of make fun of them in a really good-natured way.”

Despite the type of audience that sees Bard to Go’s shows, Libman thinks the goal is the same: to expose adults and students alike to Shakespeare in an engaging manner.

“We hope (the audience) has a good time,” Libman said. “What we really love is when people say, ‘I never really enjoyed Shakespeare; I never really understood Shakespeare, and I got it. I understood it, and it makes me want to read more.’”

CONCERT

Annual Lamp Light Music Festival held in Grand Rapids

BY TASMAN MATTOX TMATTOX@LANTHORN.COM

Music reverberated through the living room of the Sage House, a Grand Rapids location for house

concerts, for the annual Lamp Light Music Festival.

Packed with people, the space buzzed with an intimate, friendly energy.

The sixth annual festival was held this weekend from

PERFORM: Lamp Light Music Festival consists of local house concerts, shown above. COURTESY | ANTHONY NORKUS PHOTOGRAPHY

Friday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 5. Held in the Eastown area of Grand Rapids, the house concert festival offered artists a unique space to perform. The annual event invites a multitude of performers to share their art with the Grand Rapids community.

“For us, the inspiration comes out of the listening experience; you can be close and brush shoulders with the artists,” said Zachary Tomaszewski, a Lamp Light Music Festival organizer and cocreator. “We really like the intimate experience of art. To be able to hold a space that feels safe to further the intimacy of art is really important.”

Tomaszewski helped create the event with friend John Hanson. They have enjoyed house shows together on a regular basis.

“We thought, ‘What if we did our own festival, but it was all house concerts?’” Tomaszewski said. “Over the course of a few weeks, we got excited about the idea, talked about it, and it morphed into something that was totally possible.”

One of this year’s performers got involved with Lamp Light through meeting Hanson at a different festival.

“We worked together at Pickathon Music Festival in Oregon,” said Patricia Wheeler, a storyteller with The Moth Radio Hour. “He asked me to participate. I want to thank John and all the organizers for such a unique festival in Grand Rapids.”

Wheeler orchestrated a story hour, the first of its kind at Lamp Light. She and three other Midwesterners shared personal experienc-

es with the audience.

“We all have stories to tell,” she said. “The connection to the human is what makes us more rich.”

Tomaszewski said he hopes to continue breaking new ground as the festival grows.

“Every year, we sit down and ask, ‘How do we represent a diverse range of voices and backgrounds?’” he said. “We have a couple more jazz ensembles and avant-garde electronic stuff, some singer-songwriters, indie, psychedelic, garage, hip-hop and so on. We also try and incorporate workshops or panel discussions, too, to build social capital.”

The festival took place in three different houses on the southeast side of Grand Rapids all within walking distance of each other. A fourth house held a market with local goods and

the work of the performers.

Tomaszewski said house concerts are often more costeffective, adding to the appeal.

“We’re trying to keep the prices affordable but trying to pay bands more each year,” Tomaszewski said. “We want to be more thoughtful about how we’re doing things each.

How do we be considerate to our neighbors, considerate to the local music community?

How do we make these spaces comfortable and safe?”

Making sure these questions were answered allowed for a vibrant weekend where artistic expression could take center stage.

“It’s warm, it’s personal, it’s sweater weather; we really want to keep that intimate experience that makes you feel connected to the music,” Tomaszewski said.

MUSIC

GV piano professor to perform on campus

BY TAYLOR CROWLEY LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

Sookkyung Cho, Grand Valley State University assistant professor of piano, is an expressive pianist who has traveled around the globe to showcase her talent. Cho will be performing solo repertoire Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.

Cho graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music from The Juilliard School in New York and her master’s degree in music from The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

She received her doctor of musical arts from Juilliard as well.

Cho has performed in places such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Cultural Center,

Sarasota Opera House and the Baltimore Museum of Art, and in countries such as Canada, France and China.

Cho is a Korean-born pianist who is known for taking the audience’s opinion into consideration during her performances. She is thoughtful in her music choices and tends to connect fully with her pieces that she spends the most time practicing.

Although Cho recalled loving piano all throughout her life, she said she did not expect to do it professionally.

“I’ve been playing for 25 years or more,” Cho said. “I liked playing the piano when I was young, but I didn’t think I was going to be a professor or a professional performer. I just grew to really like it.”

Cho’s passion for piano stemmed from a teacher she had in high school.

“My high school teacher that I had through 11th and 12th grade really taught me how to love music,” she said.

“He taught me how to read carefully through the scores and also how to be imaginative, like making the music that I’m playing my own. He made me grow to love music and enjoy my time of practicing. I still think about him in my work.”

One of the pieces Cho will be performing is “The Serpent’s Kiss” from “The Garden of Eden” by William Bolcom. Cho described this piece as jazzy, which is not typically her style. She said she chose this piece for the audience because she thought it would be something they would like.

Moreover, Cho said she likes to play music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert.

“I’m not a flashy type of

performer,” she said. “I try to be wise in my playing.”

Even still, people who have seen Cho play say that audiences can expect a moving performance.

“The audience should expect a dynamic performance,” said Brian De Young, a part-time GVSU music professor and colleague of Cho. “She is very expressive but also very dramatic in her playing. She has a range of expression and emotion that communicates to the audience directly in a very effective way.”

About the pieces she performs, Cho said even if a connection to the song is not immediate, it develops over time.

“Even if you don’t like your pieces at first or you don’t feel connected to that piece, you learn to connect because you spend so

much time with it,” Cho said. “The Schumann is a very new piece. It’s around 35 minutes, and it’s the first

time I feel kind of scared but also excited.

“It seems like there’s a whole universe in that 35 minutes.”

PORTRAIT: Professor Sookkyung Cho poses for a photo. Cho is set to perform piano repertoire Tuesday, Nov. 7. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

SPORTS | A7

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

QUICK HITS

SOCCER

GV MEN’S BASKETBALL DROPS EXHIBITION AGAINST UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

For a Division II program, facing one of the most storied athletic programs in Division I history may seem like a task larger than life.

However, the Grand Valley State Lakers held their own in an exhibition match against the University of Michigan Wolverines Friday, Nov. 3, at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Although the Wolverines captured a 82-50 victory, the Lakers showed glimpses of their true potential against a program that made it to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA March Madness Tournament last spring.

Redshirt sophomore and recent Central Michigan transfer Hunter Hale led GVSU in scoring with 8 points all coming in the second half. Senior guard Chris Dorsey had a team-high six rebounds while also adding 6 points.

The strongest facet of the Lakers’ performance was their rebounding. GVSU pulled down 37 rebounds off the glass, compared to the 43 by a much bigger Wolverine squad.

The Lakers will begin regular season play Friday, Nov. 10, against the University of Missouri-St. Louis in Big Rapids, Michigan, in the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover Series. The Lakers’ first home game is Tuesday, Nov. 14, against Olivet in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.

GV MEN’S GOLF COACH RECOGNIZED BY GOLF DIGEST MAGAZINE

Grand Valley State men’s golf head coach Gary Bissell, who just complete his third season as coach, found his name in headlines after turning around the program to one of the best in the state of Michigan.

The Golf Digest magazine noticed Bissell’s work, naming him one of the top golf teachers in the state of Michigan. More specifically, Bissell was ranked as the sixth best coach in the state while being just one of three college coaches to earn the honor.

During the team’s fall season, the Lakers experienced a higher level of success than in previous years. The team competed in four competitions and never finished lower than third place.

The fall season was highlighted by their performance at the Al Watrous Invitational, where they took home first place after shooting a 16-under as a team.

The score broke the program’s record for best team performance by seven strokes.

Although their season is now over until the spring, GVSU currently ranks 10th in Division II, per the weekly rankings by Golfstat, the largest provider of intercollegiate golf statistics.

Alex Scott, one of the leaders on GVSU’s team, currently ranks as the fourth best golfer in Division II after posting an average score of 70.11.

ALL THEY DO IS WIN: Members of the GVSU women’s soccer team and coaching staff pose in celebration together with their trophy and medals after defeating the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals by a 3-0 shutout score in the GLIAC Tournament Championship final on their home turf Sunday, Nov. 5. GVL | EMILY FRYE

GLIAC champs

GV soccer wins 11th straight GLIAC Tournament Championship

BY ROBBIE TRIANO SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

S

ince 2005, there has only been one women’s soccer program that has been crowned the GLIAC champion.

That program is the Grand Valley State women’s soccer team, which was once again crowned champion of the GLIAC Tournament after a physical 3-0 victory over Saginaw Valley State at home Sunday, Nov. 5.

With his team having won the past 11 GLIAC Tournament Championships while also competing in the past four NCAA National Championship finals, there’s one word head coach Jeff Hosler uses to define how his program has been so successful during that stretch of time.

“Culture,” Hosler said. “Throughout the different coaches we’ve had, a lot of the same fundamental concepts have worked. It’s about establishing culture at the forefront and not sacrificing short-term results.

“It also helps to have great kids.”

Seeded No. 1 in the tournament, the Lakers (18-3, 9-0 GLIAC) faced the No. 6-seeded Cardinals (10-72, 4-4-1 GLIAC), who surprisingly upset No. 3 Ferris State 2-1 Tuesday, Oct. 31, and No. 2 Ashland University Friday, Nov. 3.

The Lakers had a seemingly easy trip to the championship con-

test, defeating the No. 8-seeded Michigan Technological University Tuesday, Oct. 31, and blowing out the No. 4-seeded Tiffin University Dragons 8-0 Friday, Nov. 3.

Although GVSU came into the contest outscoring GLIAC Tournament opponents 13-0, SVSU surprised the Lakers with early physicality and stingy defense after the opening whistle. The Cardinals found themselves maintaining the possession for a greater part of the first half—a rarity against the Lakers’ strong defensive line this season.

But with less than two minutes remaining in the first, freshman Ava Cook dribbled around the box to make an open crossing pass to senior Sara Stevens in front of the net, who buried the shot to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead.

Both teams posted seven shots in the first half, but luckily for GVSU, senior goalkeeper Jennifer Steinaway was there to shut out the Cardinals. Steinaway finished the contest with eight total saves, but she gave credit to her defense for her personal success in the net.

“I think for us, we did really well combining passes and working off the ball for each other,” Steinaway said. “It feels good to have a team that will have everyone’s back.”

Heading into the halftime break, the Lakers focused on improving their passing game against the phys-

ically minded Cardinals. Instead of short passes into a crowded SVSU defense, GVSU opened the second half with longer passes downfield to create separation.

At the 54 minute mark, senior forward Tracey McCoy gave the Lakers a 2-0 advantage after passes by Gabriella Mencotti and Cook led McCoy to an open left-footed crossing shot for the goal. The goal was McCoy’s fifth of the season. McCoy believes the halftime adjustments were the major turning points for a successful finish. “(Coach) Jeff warned us about their physicality, but he just wanted us to play our game,” McCoy said.

“Our game is more about passing the ball. The more we passed, the less of a chance they had to hit us.”

Although SVSU continued to fight their way for offensive opportunities, the Lakers’ defense, led by senior Dani Johnson, freshman Cecilia Steinwascher and senior defender Shannon Quinn, denied the Cardinals a legitimate chance to score.

In the 77th minute, Mencotti tacked on her 26th goal of the season in fashion. The senior, who is currently second in goals in Division II, took control of the ball inside the box and kicked it over her head for a “rainbow” finish.

The goal was the final score of the game, giving the Lakers the final 3-0 victory score to earn the GLIAC Tour-

nament Championship trophy. After the final whistle, the GVSU bench joyously ran onto the field to swarm the players in celebration.

For a team that added 12 incoming freshmen, the pre-season expectations for the Lakers didn’t seem too high.

But as the season progressed, the senior class, including McCoy, realized the newcomers had much more potential than expected.

“Having such a big freshman class, this win showed that we did a good job teaching them what winning mentality is all about,” McCoy said. “This is just the first step for them, and it feels amazing.”

The road is far from over for the Lakers, as the NCAA playoffs are just around the corner. The Lakers are ranked first in the Midwest Region and will find out their final seeding Monday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. If GVSU is selected as a toptwo seed, they will serve as host sites for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, starting Friday, Nov. 10. The tournament is in single elimination format.

Although the possibility for another Laker National Championship is still there, the team is only focused on one thing moving forward.

“We just have to win our next game,” McCoy said. “At this point, we have to take each game one step at a time.”

GV ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES VETERANS DAY PROMOTIONS With Veterans Day being Saturday, Nov. 11, Grand Valley State Athletics will be focusing its many sporting events that day around the national holiday.

The Laker football team will be hosting regular-season opponent Tiffin University at 1 p.m. at Lubbers Stadium, while the women’s volleyball team will host Davenport University at 4 p.m. in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena that Saturday.

The Laker football team will honor their veterans by wearing a special “Dress White” uniform inspired by the U.S. Navy. Along with the uniforms, the coaching staff will honor our armed service veterans by wearing specially designed game gear.

For volleyball, the GVSU team will be wearing “frog man” uniforms to honor those in the U.S. Navy Seals. Before the game, the Grand Rapids Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol will be presenting the colors prior to the game.

The first 500 volleyball fans will receive a GVSU Veterans Day hat, courtesy of Campus View.

1 ON 1: GVSU senior forward Gabriella Mencotti looks to bury a shot past the Saginaw Valley State goalkeeper during the team’s 3-0 victory over the Cardinals Sunday, Nov. 5, at home. GVL | EMILY FRYE

ONE TEAM: Members of the GVSU soccer team celebrate after scoring their third goal Sunday, Nov. 5. GVL | EMILY FRYE

BATTLE FOR THE BALL: GVSU soccer freshman forward Ava Cook (4) jumps over a herd of Saginaw Valley State defenders to head the ball to her teammates Sunday, Nov. 5, in Allendale. GVL | EMILY FRYE

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A8 | SPORTS FOOTBALL

LAKER DIEHARD FANS: Members of the GVSU football fan and student section, who traveled all the way to Big Rapids, Michigan, to watch the Lakers play, made sure the referees heard a piece of their mind after a controversial missed penalty call during the Lakers’ heartbreaking 28-27 loss against the archrival Ferris State Bulldogs Saturday, Oct. 28, at FSU’s home turf, Top Taggart Field. GVL | EMILY FRYE

BACKFIELD WEAPON: GVSU running back Bryce Young-Walls receives a handoff from quarterback Bart Williams while running down the field during the Lakers’ 45-27 victory over Wayne State Saturday, Oct. 7, in Detroit, Michigan. Young-Walls, who filled in for injured running back Marty Carter, scored three touchdowns during GVSU’s 34-31 loss to GLIAC-leading Ashland Saturday, Nov. 4, in Ohio. GVL | EMILY FRYE

Heartbreaker

BY BRADY MCATAMNEY

BMCATAMNEY@LANTHORN.COM

The No. 19 Grand Valley State Lakers dropped their pivotal week-10 road matchup with the No. 11 Ashland University Eagles Saturday, Nov. 4, by a final score of 3431. Ashland ended the game with a 29-yard field goal as time expired in the contest.

The loss lowers the Lakers’ record to 7-3 overall, 6-2 GLIAC. All three of their losses have been by a combined total of eight points. For head coach Matt Mitchell, these tightly contested losses are worrisome for him and the coaching staff. “(This game) is similar to the Ferris State loss (FSU won 28-27),” Mitchell said. “Our guys showed a lot of fight, and it says a lot about the character of the team, but we made too many mistakes. You can’t beat good teams like when you make those mistakes.”

The Lakers started the contest off cold after quarterback Bart Williams threw an interception on the first series of the game. While the turnover would not result in an Ashland score, the Eagles did get on the board first with a 6-yard touchdown with 6:29 left in the quarter.

GVSU would respond when starting running back Bryce Young-Walls scored from 3 yards out to tie the game at the 2:04 mark.

However, Ashland would own the rest of the half as they tacked on a 53-yard touchdown run and a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter, while the Lakers wouldn’t score for the rest of the half.

Taking an early 17-7 lead and the ball out of halftime, the Eagles marched down the field with authority in 10 plays, going for 75 yards to take a commanding 24-7 advantage with 10 minutes left in the third.

The Lakers refused to go down without a fight. They answered Ashland’s long drive with one of their own, capitalized upon by Young-Walls again to cut the lead to 10.

Early in the fourth quarter, kicker J.J. McGrath nailed a 26-yard field goal. Three minutes later, Williams found tight end Nick Keizer for a 10-yard touchdown, tying the game at 24 to get the comeback underway with 10:48 left.

After having been held off the board for over a quarter, the Eagles reclaimed the lead with a 2-yard touchdown.

With fight still in their spirits, GVSU would have to march down the field and score another touchdown.

The drive started well, but they eventually were faced with fourth-and-seven from the Ashland 49. Despite converting a handful of fourth downs already in the game, they sent out the punt unit,

except they pulled some tricks out of their sleeve. The snap went to linebacker Collin Schlosser who tossed a pass to defensive back Brendan McMahon who then reeled it in for a 28-yard catch. The trick play would lead to payoff as Young-Walls found the end zone for his third touchdown of the night a few plays later.

With 3:14 remaining in the contest, the Eagles charged down the field and into the red zone with the benefit of a 13-yard face-mask penalty.

Shortly after, Ashland hit the game-winning field goal as the clock struck zero.

“The biggest key defensively was we were out there way too many plays,” Mitchell said. “We were short some people because of injuries, but that’s not an excuse. We were missing tackles, and we failed to convert some third downs on both sides. They wore us down from being out there too long.”

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GV falls to Ashland on final play 34-31, shedding doubt on playoff chances Young-Walls was the star of the show on offense for the Lakers, taking 21 carries for 145 yards and three touchdowns. Recently injured star Marty Carter was only able to take five carries for 11.

Williams completed 13 of 31 passes for 140 yards with one touchdown while also throwing one interception. Williams found seven different targets throughout the game.

On the other end, linebacker Garrett Pougnet was all over the turf, collecting a game-high 16 tackles—twice as many as the next most—as well as two tackles for loss and one sack.

Two major factors contributing to the defeat were penalties and an inability to convert third-down chances.

The Lakers committed six penalties for 72 yards and converted only three of 12 third-down attempts.

With this serving as the third loss of the season for GVSU, their chances of landing in the playoffs are in doubt.

Coming into Saturday, they sat in sixth place in Super Region Three. Both the two-loss

teams behind them won their weekend games, meaning the Lakers will likely drop to the eighth spot or even lower. The top seven teams in the region are granted playoff berth.

For Mitchell, the hopes for a playoff position contain more doubt than hope.

“It doesn’t look good,” Mitchell said. “There’s going to have to be a lot of other things happening. For a three-loss team, we have a good resume, but there are too many oneand two-loss teams ahead of us. It’s not optimistic.”

If the Lakers are to lean on anything, it’s this: All three of their losses have come on the road to the second-, thirdand fourth-ranked teams in their region by a combined eight points. Their seven victories have come by a combined total of 238 points.

GVSU will wrap up their regular season with a home bout against the Tiffin University Dragons (6-4, 5-3 GLIAC) Saturday, Nov. 11. The finale is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m at Lubbers Stadium.

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NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SPORTS | A9

VOLLEYBALL

BATTLE CRY: GVSU volleyball junior outside hitter Shannon Winicki (18) lets out her excitment after delivering a spike kill, giving the Lakers the lead during a match against the Wayne State Warriors Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. With the win over Wayne State Saturday, Nov. 3, the Lakers now take the lead in the GLIAC South Division with two regular season matches remaining. GVL | EMILY FRYE

Battle for the division GV volleyball sits atop GLIAC South after fifth-set victory over Wayne State

BY BRIANA LEWIS BLEWIS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State women’s volleyball team earned themselves another win after competing against the Warriors at Wayne State Saturday, Nov. 4.

GVSU played strong in a tough match that ultimately drove the Lakers to securing the victory with a final score of 3-2.

The well-deserved win earned the Lakers’ first place in the GLIAC South Division and moved their overall record to 15-10, while their GLIAC conference record was moved to a successful 10-4. The team’s re-

cent success has brought a new sense of energy to the Lakers.

“It’s very exciting,” said junior standout Staci Brower.

“It puts us in a better place for regional rankings and being able to handle postseason. It was a huge win for us tonight, and so now we’re the No. 4 seat in the south, and we’re feeling very pumped up.”

It was a slow start to the match for the Lakers; the Warriors swept the first set (25-27).

Thanks to a power kill from junior Shannon Winicki at the start of the second set, though, the Lakers got the upper hand they needed to end the second set (25-18).

GVSU kept their momen-

tum alive into the third set to grab a 25-18 victory, taking an early 2-1 lead in the match.

But the Lakers couldn’t pull away with the win just yet as the Warriors put up a fight in the fourth set, pushing the GVSU defense to its limits.

GVSU came up short in the set, making it a 2-2 tie heading into the decisive fifth set.

The pressure was high for the Lakers at the start of the fifth set as the winner of the set would ultimately win the match 15-10. The Lakers came together as team to close out the final set. Kills from Jillian Butsavich and Winicki secured the fifth-set victory and the 3-2 victory in the match.

All around, the Lakers were just happy that their efforts resulted in another “W” in the win column.

“It was a good match,” said Deanne Scanlon, GVSU head coach. “It was like every day isn’t easy cause it was a battle for first place, and so nobody ran away with it. It was kind of a slug fest all night, but I thought our kids just really battled.”

For the players, they knew the win would place them in good positioning in the postseason, and they delivered.

“Everyone did their job in order to get us that win,” Winicki said. “A good team effort altogether cause we knew that had to come out with a win to

put us in that good place for regional rankings.”

Brower led the squad with five blocks while also collecting 11 kills of her own. The junior middle blocker also picked up four digs and an ace. Brower believed the team’s success on the service line led to the victory over the GLIAC rival.

“I think we started serving a lot harder, which made it difficult for their offense to be in system, so it was a lot easier for our defense to be able to play around once we got them out of system,” Brower said.

With playoffs just around the corner, GVSU volleyball is switching gears in preparation for the GLIAC Tournament.

Along with the championship in the back of their mind, the Lakers are focused on going into playoffs with a top lead.

“We want to go in with the highest seat that we possibly can,” Scanlon said. “So that means we got two home games next weekend that we got to take care of those and position ourselves in the best positions that we can going into conference tournament.”

The Lakers will be back at the courts to close out the regular season at their home court Saturday, Nov. 10, against Purdue University Northwest and Sunday, Nov. 11, against Davenport University.

W. BASKETBALL

Head start

GV women’s basketball wins scrimmage vs. Olivet, expects successful season

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

After their previous loss in an exhibition matchup against the University of Michigan Wolverines, the Grand Valley State women’s basketball team bounced back beautifully in their scrimmage win over Olivet College Sunday, Nov. 5.

The Lakers beat the Comets 106-19.

GVSU got off to a solid start in the contest from the scoring and hustle of their starters.

Junior guard Natalie Koenig and redshirt sophomore guard Victoria Hedemark dominated on the boards and on the offensive side of the court all game. That constant hustle caused GVSU to start the game on a 17-0 run, setting the tone from the get-go.

Lakers’ head coach Mike Williams was impressed with his team’s improvements from Thursday’s exhibition loss, focusing on how the Lakers were improving on all the little things.

“Our decision-making offensively was much better,” Williams said. “And defensively, we did a great job of keeping in front of Olivet’s players.”

That defensive improvement is ultimately what won GVSU the game, as their smothering defense never allowed Olivet to get into any sort of rhythm offensively.

The stifling defensive coverage from the Lakers allowed

them to enter the second quarter with a 23-1 lead.

The second quarter was more of the same, as GVSU’s all-around effort exceeded the Comets’. The Lakers continued to dominate, getting multiple steals on defense and lots of second-chance opportunities, thanks to the offensive rebounding of centers Korynn Hincka and Cassidy Boensch.

As for the offensive side, the guard play from GVSU shined through in the throttling. The great shooting and solid facilitation from Koenig allowed the Laker offense to hit an offensive stride all game, hitting almost every open shot they took.

When the starters weren’t on the floor, Williams was impressed with the play of freshman guards Emma Wright and Mackenzie Harbort.

“Our backup guards really played well in today’s game,” Williams said. “They didn’t get as much of chance to play against Michigan last week, but they did well in their decision-making today.”

GVSU entered the second half of the game with a 59-13 lead and proceeded to coast through the third period. The Lakers started the half on a five-minute 19-2 run, including four uncontested threepointers in a row for GVSU. Despite the continued dominance, Williams was not satisfied with how his team played in the second half, as they appeared to take their foot off the gas pedal.

“We can’t relax at any point in these games,” Williams said.

“We need to stay focused for the entirety of the game.”

GVSU did a much better job of staying focused in the fourth quarter. They continued to dominate every facet of the game, collecting second-chance buckets at will and getting easy layups whenever they wanted to.

A 26-2 fourth quarter led the Lakers to a win in which they scored more than 100 points and held Olivet to single digits every quarter.

Simply put, GVSU’s defense found success shutting down the Olivet offensive attack all game long.

GVSU will need to continue this recent domination on all facets in order to get their season started off on the right foot. Williams said the season’s expectations depend on the players and how much they want to win.

“Our fate this season is up to our kids, and they’re starting to understand it,” Williams said. “If they continue to want it, we got a chance (of contending).”

GVSU will get the season started with a weekend road trip to St. Louis. They face off against Maryville College Friday, Nov. 10, and then travel to the University of Missouri-St. Louis Saturday, Nov. 11, for a matchup with the Tritons. Friday’s tipoff is at 3 p.m. and Saturday’s tipoff is at 5 p.m.

ELEVATING: GVSU women’s basketball senior center Korynn Hinicka jumps in attempt to finish a driving layup during the Lakers scrimmage victory over Olivet College Sunday, Nov. 5. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

NOVEMBER 6, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A10 | SPORTS CROSS COUNTRY

Running to nationals GV cross country teams win NCAA Regional Championships

BY D’ANGELO STARKS DSTARKS@LANTHORN.COM

Following their dominant performances in the GLIAC Tournament Saturday, Oct. 28, the Grand Valley State men’s and women’s cross country teams each went on to capture the NCAA Regional Championship Saturday, Nov. 4, in Cedarville, Ohio. They will now advance to the NCAA National Championship.

Weather and the course location can be huge factors in the outcome of the event.

Luckily, it was a nice day to run in Cedarville, and Coach Jerry Baltes was pleased that outside factors did not affect the course conditions.

“The course is a good cross country course, all grass,” Baltes said. “Some good footing, a little soft because they got a fair amount of rain the last week or so. Slight uphills and downhills, but nothing too brutal. I think we handled it fine and competed well.”

The men’s team finished first with a total score of 58, while the second-place team, Southern Indiana University, finished with score of 72.

The top GVSU finisher on the men’s side was senior Wuoi Mach, who finished fifth overall with a time of 31:33.5. Zach Panning finished right behind Mach, placing sixth overall with a time of 31:33.7, just 0.2 seconds behind Mach. Finishing the Laker leaderboard was Sean Fontana, who completed the race in 11th place with a time of 31:42.2.

The times came from an 8-kilometer race format.

Being regional champions carries the Lakers into the National Championship run, and Fontana feels good about where his team currently ranks.

“It feels really good,” he said. “In terms of how we feel about running regionals, we feel like we took a big step forward towards achieving our goals in two weeks, but we aren’t going to get complacent or overwhelmed because we know

it’s just a stepping stone towards the national meet.”

The Lakers’ men’s team put forth a strong effort across the board, finishing the day with seven of the top 25 runners.

The women’s team also left Ohio as regional champions. The Lakers finished with a team score of 46, while the second-place team, Hillsdale College, finished with a score of 81. All five of the top-five runners on the women’s team finished in the top 15, and six of the top-seven runners finished in the top 25.

The top finisher for the women’s team was Kelly Haubert, who finished fourth with a time of 21:39.5. Another top-15 finisher were Gina Patterson, who finished seventh with a time of 21:50.1. Directly behind Patterson was Allie Ludge with a time of 21:52.4, while Stacey Metzger finished 12th with a time of 21:57.4. The final top15 runner for the Lakers was Megan Caltagirone, finishing 15th with a time of 21:59.5.

Baltes talked about the team’s approach to this race and how they tried to put themselves in a good position going into nationals.

“Our goal and focus was simply to run a race that will move us on to NCAA Championships,” Baltes said. “So, we did not go to the well. We ran what I would say was 94to 96-percent effort and left some gas in the tank so we could come off of it healthy and ready to train the second half of this week to get ready for Evansville in two weeks.”

This regional was not simply just another win for the Lakers. This weekend marked another championship for two teams that have had historic runs in this tournament. The win marked the 17th straight time the women’s cross country team has won the Regional Championship, and it was also the 16th straight Regional Championship for the men’s team.

The Lakers look to continue their dominance in the NCAA National Championship in Evansville, Indiana, Saturday, Nov. 18.

WINNING POSE: Members of the GVSU women’s cross country team stand with the NCAA Regional Championship trophy after winning the championship race Saturday, Nov. 4, in Cedarville, Ohio. The team advanced to the NCAA National Championship. COURTESY | AL STEIBLE

BAND OF BROTHERS: Members of the GVSU men’s cross country team stand with the NCAA Regional Championship trophy after their win Saturday, Nov. 4, in Cedarville, Ohio. With the win, the team advances onward to the NCAA National Championship. COURTESY | AL STEIBLE

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