Issue 24

SWIM & DIVE

GREATER GOAL

Soccer for Sudan offers opportunity to aid refugees in greater Grand Rapids >> See Page B6

Courtesy Graphic / Matthew Scheer

Teams raise money for disease despite loss to Michigan State >> See Page B3

GRAND VALLEY’S STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER

Grand Valley Lanthorn

see LANTHORN.COM

coverage of >>The Michigan Film Festival

WWW.LANTHORN.COM

M o n d ay , N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 0

SVSU win BOTV by record-high

INSIDE Sports:

Playoff bound B1

Online Nerd Fighters

$27,588 margin

Tormented superhero love Event preview for Dr. Horrible sing-a-long

Courtesy Photo / Fanpop.com

POLICE BLOTTER Route 50 driver responds to accident

A Rapid bus driver responded quickly to a threecar accident on Friday night.

At 6:20 p.m., a car on Lake Michigan Drive collided with another car going westbound. After the first collision, the driver lost control of the car, collided with a second vehicle and almost hit the bus before coming to a stop on the curb. The cause of the first accident was unclear.

Driver Jim Berkenpas, a retired firefighter, called 9-1-1.

He went to the cars involved in the accident to assess injuries and help uninjured people out of their vehicles.

“I wanted to make sure there were no head injuries and to make sure that if there were, those people weren’t moved before the ambulances arrived,” Berkenpas said.

Less than 15 passengers were on the bus at the time of the accident.

“It puts your life in perspective as far as what’s really important,” said Stephanie Nies, a Grand Valley State University junior who witnessed the accident from her seat. “It emphasizes the point of why GV has such a good bus system – so stuff like this doesn’t happen.” sbutcher@lanthorn.com

INDEX News Downtown Opinion GR Night life Sports Laker Life Marketplace

A B A3 A4 A5 A6 B1 B4 B5

$12,500

$47,278

GVL Graphic/ Alana Holland

Lack of participation holds GVSU BOTV effort to $12,500 gross, $3,000 donation

By Emanuel Johnson GVL Managing Editor

The Grand Valley State University Student Senate announced Saturday it collected $12,500 in this year’s Battle of the Valleys competition.

However, only $3,000 of the money will be donated to the Student Advancement Foundation of Grand Rapids, which will use it to purchase physical education and art supplies for more than 30 public el-

ementary, middle and high schools in Grand Rapids.

Natalie Cleary, Student Senate vice president of public relations, said the senate needed to use the remaining $9,500 to cover the expenses mostly from unsold T-shirts.

“Student Senate was able to raise approximately $12,500, however that is the total revenue number and some of that goes back to paying for expenses, namely the cost of Tshirts,” Cleary said. “After covering the cost of expenses, all the money

“Saginaw may have raised more money this year, but the Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation will receive $3,000 because of Grand Valley efforts.

”

-Natalie Cleary Student Senate VP of Public Relations

earned, approximately $3,000, will go to charity.”

GVSU’s $12,500 in raised funds

was not nearly enough to defeat cross-state rival Saginaw Valley State University, which raised $40,088 for the Salvation Army of Saginaw. At $27,588, SVSU’s margin of victory was the largest in the competition’s seven-year history and gave the Cardinals a victory for the third consecutive year. SVSU’s $40,088 was the second-largest BOTV effort in competition history – in 2008, the Cardinals raised

See Battle, A2

GV dedicates week to nontraditional students Students 24 and older constitute 14 percent of student body

By Anya Zentmeyer

GVL Assistant News Editor

Courtesy Photo / gvsu.edu

Veteran support: GVSU officials discuss the Wounded Warriors project at a Nov. 9 news event.

University partners with free veteran rehabilitation program

By Chelsea Lane GVL News Editor

For injured veterans, the journey does not end once they return home as the road to recovery can be a long and challenging one.

In order to help the recovery process along, a new rehabilitation program is aiming to bring health and support services to Grand Rapids’ wounded soldiers.

Last week, Grand Valley State University and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital announced their partnership in the Wounded Warriors Traumatic Brain Injury Project. WWTBIP offers

standard physical and psychological care and community support to veterans who have sustained brain injuries in either Afghanistan or Iraq. All services will be provided to the veterans free of charge through a $1.28 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.

MFBRH Chief Psychologist Dr. Jacques Donders said the program’s main goal is to help wounded veterans gain greater hope as they transition back into the community.

“This program is fully customized to meet the unique challenges facing our soldiers who sustained a traumatic brain

See Veterans, A2

Primarily defined by age – 24 years or older – nontraditional students make up 14 percent of Grand Valley State University’s undergraduate population, or 3,034 students total. During the past five days, Nontraditional Student Recognition Week has brought these students into the spotlight.

“Nontraditional Student Recognition Week banners were hung on every Grand Valley Campus and expectations of the Nontraditional Student Committee were high,” said Senior Academic Adviser Jan Robinson of the CLAS Academic Advising Center. “We had more sponsors across campus which enabled us to plan differently this year.”

Undergraduate students ages 24 and older received emails about the week’s events geared toward nontraditional students, including two Grab-n-

go Brunches in the Kirkhof Center and three Meetand-Greet events hosted by the Women’s Center, Holland Mei- LITHERLAND jer Campus and GVSU’s Muskegon campus.

The number of nontraditional students has remained fairly consistent for five years, but Marty Litherland, director of the Traverse City Campus and leader of the Nontraditional Student Committee at GVSU, said the nontraditional male to female ratio has reached a 50:50 equilibrium, whereas in past years about 65 percent of students were female.

In addition, more nontraditional students have switched from part-time to full-time status – 75 percent dropped to only 50 percent part-time students.

“We believe that more men attending and more full-time students could be a result of weak economic times,” Lither

See Nontraditional, A2

A2

NEWS

Monday, November 15, 2010

Battle

continued from page A1

$47,278 for Habitat for Humanity.

GVSU’s $12,500 effort was the lowest Laker effort since raising $7,327 for the Make a Wish foundation in 2005.

Student Senate President Jarrett Martus said he was disappointed with the relatively low dollar amount, but he was even more disappointed with the lack of participation among GVSU students.

“It’s a different time of year typically when we do this event — that might have had something to do with the low participation we had this year,” he said. “We didn’t sell as many T-shirts as we had in the past – we had a lot left. It seemed like a lot of students were out of debit dollars already, or they didn’t have the money this year.”

Student Senate will compile information on leftover supplies and total participation today.

Martus said one of the biggest reasons for SVSU’s large victory is it has the community support and business sponsorships that GVSU has

Veterans

continued from page A1

injury in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars,” Donders said in a press release. “Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital will provide outpatient rehabilitation services to wounded warriors with traumatic brain injuries addressing their physical, cognitive and psychosocial needs.”

GVSU Vice Provost for Health Jean Nagelkerk will serve as principal investigator for the project. She will oversee research, facilitate development of the educational modules and conduct the evaluation component of the research with co-investigator Donders, who will coordinate the rehabilitation program for the wounded warriors.

Nagelkerk said the program began in response to community inquiries about veteran care.

“Community members who had sons and daughters in the military contacted us to see if there were rehabilitation services available to wounded warriors in the Grand Rapids area,” she said.

“Grand Valley State University contacted Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital to work as partners on the Wounded Warrior Traumatic Brain Injury Project. … GVSU partnered with MFBRH because of their long standing reputation and quality of rehabilitation services.”

With the partnership in place, the university then enlisted Rep. Vern Ehlers, R-Mich., to help secure federal grant funding for the project.

not been able to garner. The Student Senate sends out packets with charity information and opportunities for businesses to get their logos printed on the BOTV shirts, but Campus View Apartments served as the only sponsor for GVSU this year.

“That’s a big thing for Saginaw is that they have total support from businesses in the community and sponsorships,” he said. “We’ve tried (to get sponsorships) in the last few years, but it just hasn’t worked out. I thought this year’s charity alone would help to garner support from the business because it was the greater Grand Rapids area that it was affecting. It didn’t seem to pull businesses in, so it’s something we have to look at as we figure out what to do next year.”

Cleary said although the Cardinals came away with the victory in the competition, the biggest winners are the two organizations that will benefit from the money raised.

“The important thing to remember about the ‘battle’ is that both charities picked by the universities win,” she said. “Saginaw may have raised

GVSU’s main role in the partnership will be to help develop an educational program to enhance the knowledge base and clinical understanding of the MFBRH staff members that will be in direct contact with the veterans.

“The modules are six weeks in length and include content on physiological symptom control and inter-professional team, cognitive and behavioral health and case management and community reintegration,” Nagelkerk explained. “Next, military health experts will review the education modules to validate the relevance to the treatment of wounded warriors. During the six-week module implementation and until the end of the study, the faculty members will participate in an online discussion board with the MFBRH health professionals to discuss the latest information on these topic areas. MFB health care providers will also participate in high-fidelity simulation courses at GVSU Cook Health Studies building as designed by the module developers.”

Nagelkerk said the program is currently recruiting 17 injured veterans. To be eligible for care, the veterans must have been injured in Iraq or Afghanistan within the past two years. For more information or to enroll, call 888-736-0208, send an e-mail to woundedwarriors@maryfreebed. com or visit the program’s website at www.maryfreebed.com/ woundedwarriors. news@lanthorn.com

Grand Valley Lanthorn

GVL Archive/ Lindsey Waggoner

Valley rally: Students (from left to right) Ryan Workman, Autum Trombka, Miah Koeph and Tom Zoppa try to raise support in a previous year for Battle of the Valleys. Students fell short of their goal this year.

more money this year, but the Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation will receive $3,000 because of Grand Valley’s efforts.”

Nontraditional continued from page A1

land said. “It could also be influenced by the increase in veterans attending GVSU.” Litherland said nontraditional students have such day jobs as employees, spouses, parents, caretak-

SVSU now leads GVSU 5-3 in all-time BOTV competition. managingeditor@lanthorn.com

ers and community leaders with the role of college student sometimes taking a secondary role in their lives.

“They don’t always have time to experience all of the opportunities available to them across campus as they are generally very focused

on their academic experience,” she said.

Litherland added the nontraditional student website, http://www. gvsu.edu/nontraditional, details more special events and services for non-traditional students. assistantnews@lanthorn.com

Attention all graduates!

GradFest to offer cap, gown, tickets Anyone set to graduate in December has likely started to count down the days until the end of the semester. Wednesday and Thursday will bring the next step in that process with GradFest.

GradFest takes place every semester and serves as a time for seniors to pay for their caps and gowns, pick up their tickets to Commencement and receive information about ordering graduation announcements and class rings. GradFest takes place over two days on either campus of Grand Valley State University.

It will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Room 2204 of the Kirkhof Center on the Allendale Campus.

GradFest moves to the Pew Campus from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday in the Loosemore Exhibition

Hall of the DeVos Center.

Students can stop by anytime during those hours.

New to this year’s GradFest is an increased attention on sustainability.

The gowns are sustainable, mailings have been cut, and real flowers will be used at commencement, said Mindy Earley, assist director of Alumni Relations. Earley said the “green” practices have saved money.

Caps and gowns cost $30.90 for undergraduates and $51.89 for graduate students.

Prices will increase after GradFest, so students should do their best to make it to the event this week.

More information about GradFest and Commencement is available at www.gvsu. edu/commencement. editorial@lanthorn.

GVL Archive/ Brittany Jacques

Diploma Time: Danell Wilkerson, Josh Knap, and Jamie Harrington, check out the different booths set up during a past GradFest.

GVL Archive / Brittany Jacques

Gradfest: Leta Gurzynski picks up a cap and gown at a past GradFest.

Grand Valley Lanthorn Volume 45, Number 24 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

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor in Chief LAUREN FITCH Managing Editor EMANUEL JOHNSON News Editor CHELSEA LANE Assistant News Editor ANYA ZENTMEYER Sports Editor CODY EDING

Arts and Entertainment Editor ELIJAH BRUMBACK Laker Life Editor HALEY OTMAN Photography Editor ERIC COULTER Copy Editors CARLA LANDHUIS SUSIE SKOWRONEk COREY FINKBEINER

Layout Editor ALANA HOLLAND

BUSINESS STAFF

ADVERTISING STAFF

Layout Staff Advertising Manager KELLY GRANBACKA DANIEL DELAMIELLEURE KENDALL GILBERT Advertising Reps VALERIE WALDBAUER CHRIS ROWELL KAYLA KOENIGSKNECHT DANIEL TOMOVSKI KEVIN HAUSFELD Multimedia Editor AMANDA VILLARREAL KARA DONALDSON Advertising Designers Web Team MATT TYNDALL JON ROOST VALENTINA VALDES CJ RAFTERY JOSH KOVACH

Business Manager ERIC LEE Assistant Business Manager BRANDON MERCADO Distribution ADAM RASHID JEFF DIMITRIEVSKI MICHAEL VASILOVSKI Receptionists KIM SANDER CARIAN WHITE Faculty Adviser LAWRENCE BEERY

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

Corrections

At the Lanthorn we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible.

If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. If you find any errors of fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling (616) 331-2464 or by e-mailing editorial@lanthorn.com.

NEWS

Chelsea Lane, News Editor news@lanthorn.com

BRIEFS! 1

GV NEWS

Diversity Brownbag session on stereotypes Staff members from the Office of Multicultural Affairs will host a Diversity Brownbag session Thursday.

“Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts” will begin at noon in Room 1240 of the Kirkhof Center. Participants can bring their lunches. Clips from the film of the same title will be shown and discussion will explore the impact of biases and stereotypes and will offer techniques for speaking up against bias without guilt.

For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/ oma or call the Office of Multicultural Affairs at 616331-2177.

2

MAREC lunch features Haworth manager Bill Gurn, Haworth’s Zero Landfill Waste Program’s manager of facilities, will discuss how Haworth Office Furniture has changed facilities and manufacturing processes to eliminate waste at the Lunch and Learn Series.

The event will take place at noon today at Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center located at 200 Viridian Dr. in Muskegon. The event is free and open to the public, but it does require an RSVP. MAREC’s Lunch and Learn Series is monthly and aims to provide education about sustainable living practices.

For more information about the series, contact Kim Walton, education coordinator at MAREC, at 616-331-6907 or visit www. gvsu.edu/marec.

3

ASGEO presents National Geography Awareness Week The Association of Student Geographers has organized National Geography Awareness Week, with a theme this year of fresh water.

Monday: Geography and Planning Department Senior Student Capstone Presentations, all day, Kirkhof Room 2210 Tuesday: Documentary and discussion with the Soil and Water Conservation Society and Student Environmental Coalition, 6 p.m.

Wednesday: Geograpahic Information Systems day, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Room 113 Henry Hall, students from C.A. Frost Elementary School and Allendale Christian School will have a full day of GIS activities Thursday: Association of Student Geographers bake sale, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m, Kirkhof Friday: Association of Student Geographers bake sale, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Kirkhof; Geography and Planning Department faculty and student potluck, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wesley House Saturday: Geocaching in Aman Park, noon to 5 p.m.

Grand Valley Lanthorn Monday, November 15, 2010

A3

GVSU to sign music credit articulation with GRCC

By Jake Moerdyke GVL Intern

Grand Valley State University will sign an agreement with Grand Rapids Community College to allow music majors to transfer credits seamlessly between the two universities.

The agreement, referred to as an articulation, will give students who have graduated from GRCC with an associate’s degree in music the chance to easily transition into junior-level music courses at GVSU. “This is designed to allow for a seamless transition,” said Kevin Dobreff, head of GRCC’s music and performing arts department. “It will make (GVSU) more attractive to our transfer students.”

Before the articulation was designed, students transferring from GRCC had to undergo a battery of tests to identify if they fit the GVSU criteria.

Danny Phipps, chair of the GVSU music department, said because both schools have accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music, a placement exam seemed unnecessary.

The articulation only applies to students who have completed an associate’s degree at GRCC. Those who want to transfer before they have earned their degree will have to take the placement exams.

Phipps said music courses run in a four-semester succession. The succession often differs between institutions, and the placement exam determined where the student placed in the sequence at GVSU. “It not a matter that you don’t know it or you can’t do it,” Phipps said. “It’s a matter of how it’s taught.”

Phipps said he knows different teachers have different ways of teaching, and he believes this is why courses between universities do not necessarily line up with each other.

Courtesy Photo/ AP

Andrew Shirvell

LGBT community reacts to firing of Andrew Shirvell

By Lauren Fitch GVL Editor in Chief

GVL Archive

Sweet sound: A GVSU orchestra performs. Now it will be easier for GRCC music students to transfer to GVSU thanks to the new articulation.

“You can’t expect instructors at take place at 11:30 a.m. Monday in GRCC to teach like they would for the the Heritage Restaurant, located in music department at Grand Valley,” the GRCC Wisner-Bottrall Applied Phipps said.

Technology Center at 151 Fountain St. Students coming into the GVSU NE. music program from GRCC will still “This is in recognition of the terrific have to audition for their instruments. programs at GRCC ... in recognition “Musicians are used to taking of the dedication of their faculty, to auditions on their instrument,” Phipps craft a program that meets national said. “That’s what we do.” accreditation standards,” Phipps said. “I Dobreff said the process of setting think that it’s a very positive benefit for up the articulation started two years ago both universities.” with meetings between the two heads He added this signature marks the of the institutions’ departments. He and first transfer agreement of this nature Phipps made sure both schools had the between the two universities. same expectations of what the students Dobreff said he hopes this articulation should learn. will act as a springboard toward other Once all the preliminary meetings cooperative efforts between the two were set, and they agreed the courses universities and with other schools in were comparable, Phipps handed the West Michigan. rest of the process over to Kevin Tutt, the “We are all in the business of assistant chair of the music department. educating students,” Phipps said. “We Tutt made sure the articulation went are all in the business of trying to through the proper channels. After the create programs that prepare talented, initial meetings, the process of writing bright young folks for careers in music. the articulation and establishing the Anything that we can do to not hinder rules took two months to complete. that is critical.”

The signing of the agreement will news@lanthorn.com

Nursing receives federal grant for minorities

By Chelsea Stoskopf GVL Staff Writer

Grand Valley State University’s Kirkhof College of Nursing received a $773,837 grant at the end of September from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase the diversity of nurses in the college.

According to GVSU’s Institutional Analysis Office, 6.8 percent of students in the nursing program were of minority background in 2009.

Elain Van Doren, associate dean of undergraduate programs, said GVSU should acknowledge the need to increase representation of diverse cultural groups in the nursing profession.

The college looks to increase nurses not only of minority status, but also those of lower economic status.

“The purpose of this proposed program is to increase the diversity of registered nurses in the West Michigan area … ” Van Doren said. “To effectively serve the health care needs of this increasingly diverse population of Americans and address health disparities among the representation of these various

groups, the registered nurse workforce must be expanded.”

GVSU is working in collaboration with Grand Rapids Community College and Muskegon Community College to provide a program funded by the grant. The program awards scholarships and stipends to students returning to school for baccalaureate degrees.

Muskegon Community nursing program Director Pamela Brown said their college, which admits 100 students per year, has not received scholarship funding due to budget cuts by the state.

“None of the schools in the state any longer receive the Michigan nursing scholarships,” Brown said. “MCC (was) to receive between $80,000 and $100,000 a year (which) we give in scholarships, but that was cut when the high school scholarships were cut. We no longer have that money, so scholarship opportunities for our graduates are very limited.”

Van Doren said there are not as many nurses with a bachelor’s degree compared to those with an associate degree, and the collaboration program between the colleges will help give students the opportunity to

Workshop to discuss abuse prevention Internationally-recognized educator, author and filmmaker Dr. Jackson Katz will lead a workshop on Tuesday in the Kirkhof Center. The event, “Men, Masculinity and the Media,” will bring men and women together to discuss techniques for preventing abusive relationships.

The workshop, which will last from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., has a $30 registration fee and includes lunch. Seven student scholarships are available upon request. Students who wish to attend using one of the scholarships should call the Women’s Center at 616-331-2748. Participants must register by Nov. 14 at www.gvsu.edu/women_cen.

see LANTHORN.COM complete story about Dr. Katz and the workshop

KATZ

receive a higher degree.

With the new health care legislation, Van Doren said there will be a greater demand for nurses, and the program developing between the three West Michigan nursing colleges will help

meet the demand.

“The new health care legislation is going to open up different opportunities for people to get health care and so the need for nurses will be even greater,” she said cstoskopf@lanthorn.com

GVL Archive/ Katie Mitchell

Nursing know-how: Professor Deborah Bambini shows Collin Bowles and Rob Froh injection areas.

Assistant attorney general Andrew Shirvell was recently fired for using state resources to maintain a blog that harassed University of Michigan student body president Chris Armstrong for being gay.

Michigan attorney general Mike Cox fired Shirvell on Nov. 8, citing “behavior unbecoming of a state employee, borderline stalking behavior and inappropriately using state resources” as the reasons behind the termination.

Cox told the Detroit Free Press he would not fire anyone for exercising his or her First Amendment rights, no matter how popular or unpopular the opinion is.

Shirvell maintained a blog for several months attacking Armstrong by calling him “a radical homosexual, a Nazi, Satan’s representative on the assembly” and other insults. Shirvell defended his actions as part of free speech.

The Washtenaw County prosecutor said Shirvell’s actions did not meet the state’s definition of harassment.

Colette Seguin Beighley, director of the LGBT Resource Center at Grand Valley State University, said Shirvell deserved to be fired. She said the context of Shirvell’s actions is important and can have an impact on the entire LGBT community.

“As assistant attorney general, Andrew Shirvell had a position of power within our state which gave his words and actions greater meaning,” Seguin Beighley said. “In a little over a month, there have been over a dozen suicides of LGBT students around the country. Antigay rhetoric from the assistant attorney general of the state of Michigan is not only inappropriate, that kind of language also puts our youth at an even greater risk of harm.”

Seguing Beighley said the state can do more to prevent harassment and a similar situation from arising again by extending equal rights to the LGBT community.

Violence and hate crimes continue to be a problem facing the LGBT community. According to the FBI, 17.6 percent of the victims of all hate crimes in 2008 were singled out because of their sexual orientation.

“As long as equality is not afforded to our LGBT citizens, they will continue to experience discrimination, harassment and violence,” Seguin Beighley said.

“Our state needs to act now to provide equal protection and treat all our citizens with respect and dignity.”

The GVSU Student Senate initially issued a statement supporting Armstrong when the blog first began receiving more attention.

“The Grand Valley State University Student Senate is committed to inclusion, diversity and tolerance,” the release stated. “In alignment with these values, and on behalf of the student body, the Student Senate wishes to extend sincere support for Mr. Armstrong.”

The Student Senate had no further comment regarding the firing of Shirvell. editorial@lanthorn.com

A4

Monday, November 15, 2010

DOWNTOWN

Grand Valley Lanthorn Courtesy Graphic / Restaurant Week GR

Restaurant Week showcases Grand Rapids’ REVIEW

finest cuisine at affordable price 10-day event receives ‘fantastic feedback,’ benefits student scholarship for culinary program at GRCC

A

By Lauren Fitch GVL Editor in Chief

fter 10 days of threecourse specials, more college students and other area residents can say they have sampled some of the finest cuisine Grand Rapids has to offer, which was exactly the point of Restaurant Week.

Restaurant Week 2010 ran from Nov. 4-13 and involved more than 50 local restaurants. The past week marked Grand Rapids’ first attempt at such an event, and project manager Sally Zarafonetis said it was a success.

“We’ve gotten fantastic feedback,” Zarafonetis said. “All the restaurants are delighted with it.”

Participating restaurants selected three-course meals for the set price of $20.10. The purpose was to encourage people to eat out, try different restaurants they might not ordinarily visit and showcase the expertise of local chefs.

“A lot of people are going out, some multiple times each week,” Zarafonetis said. “It produced a lot of business for (the restaurants).”

The concept of Restaurant Week began in New York City and has spread to other major cities across the nation with each location putting a unique spin on the event. Unique to Grand Rapids, restaurants will donate a dollar from every special meal sold to a scholarship for the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College.

Restaurant Week 2010 was underwritten by Experience Grand Rapids and the Downtown Development Authority. Other local organizations also helped sponsor different aspects of the event.

Doug Small, president of Experience Grand Rapids, originally proposed implementing the idea in Grand Rapids, and he served as a catalyst for starting the event, Zarafonetis said.

Planning for Restaurant Week began last year, and all area restaurants received an open invitation to participate with 57 agreeing to join. Official numbers are not yet collected, but Zarafonetis said some restaurants have reported reaching capacity on some nights.

“I presume this will be an annual event with the amount of positive feedback we’ve received,” she said, adding nothing is certain yet.

The Landing, located riverside in

GVL Editor in Chief

“We’ve had a

tremendous response.

It brought in quite a few guests that probably normally wouldn’t have visited us.

”

-Clark Frank The Landing Executive Chef

Courtesy Photo / ohiobeerguide.com

Cool cat: HopCat bar joined in Restaurant Week. Their first course was a beer.

The Landing provides quality meals, riverside dining Lauren Fitch

the Radisson Hotel, participated in Restaurant Week and reported a positive experience.

“We’ve had a tremendous response,” said Clark Frank, the executive chef at the Landing. “It brought in quite a few guests that probably normally wouldn’t have visited us.”

Frank said he has seen more of the college-aged crowd dining out.

“It creates a good dating or social atmosphere where we can work with people who maybe are on a budget,” Frank said.

He estimated the Landing would be contributing about $500 to the scholar-

ship fund by the end of the 10-day period.

The Landing and other participating restaurants were listed on the event’s website, www.restaurantweekgr.com.

The site included a brief description of the menu items available with the threecourse special as well as information about each restaurant.

The restaurants involved ranged from upscale dining to bars, pizza parlors to ethnic eateries and everything in between. editorial@lanthorn.com

The Landing

Courtesy Photo / Google Images

Courtesy Photo / Amway Grand Plaza

French luxury: The 1913 Room offers upscale dining in the Amway Hotel.

The goal of Restaurant Week was to get people to go to restaurants they might not normally try. For me, it accomplished this goal.

After reporting on Restaurant Week, I decided I wanted to get in on the action and picked out a restaurant to try Saturday night, the last night of Restaurant Week.

With more than 50 restaurants participating, choosing just one was a difficult task, but I finally settled on The Landing at the Radisson Hotel Grand Rapids Riverfront.

The online listing promised three different options for each course that all sounded good, so my date and I optimistically made our reservation.

The restaurant was about half-filled when we got there at 8 p.m. The atmosphere was comfortable and a bit more casual than we were expecting. Attire ranged from jeans to business casual. We were seated at a table with a river view, one of the restaurant’s promised features.

The service was prompt, and the waiters friendly. Dinner started off with bread and our first-course appetizer. I chose the lobster bisque, and my boyfriend had the grilled honey shrimp skewer, which featured three decent-sized shrimp. One of the things that attracted us to the Landing was the surf-andturf combination, and we both agreed the “surf” appetizers were definitely up to par.

As we waited for the next course, the sounds of the live band performing in the adjoining bar floated into the dining room. It conflicted with the intended atmosphere of the room, but sparked our interest enough to lead us over to the bar after our meal.

The second course arrived with a petit filet for me and pepper-crusted salmon for my boyfriend. The tender steak was topped with mushrooms and came with garlic mashed potatoes, all covered with a complementary gravy. The portion size was sufficient and the food tasty.

My date was not so satisfied with his meal, however. The salmon came with herbed rice pilaf and was covered in a roasted red pepper sauce. The sauce had a spicy tinge, which was not what he had expected for his salmon.

Dessert was good, though rather small. We both chose the chambord mousse in a chocolate cup for our final course.

The two chocolate cups we each got were about an inch in diameter, though they were artfully arranged on the plate with spirals of whipped cream and swirls of raspberry liqueur.

Beyond the three-courses included in the $20.10 special, the drinks were moderately priced from $4-$8 with a good selection of wines, specialty beers and martinis. The Restuarant Week special fell in the middle price range of the menu.

Overall, the Landing provided a very pleasant dining experience with high-quality food and reasonable prices.

For more information on the Landing, their menu or how to make reservations, visit www. ontherivergr.com. editorial@lanthorn.com

OPINION

editorial@lanthorn.com

Grand Valley Lanthorn Monday, November 15, 2010

A5

EDITORIAL CARTOON

EDITORIAL

Weak effort Grand Valley State University’s loss in Battle of the Valleys shows disturbing apathy for school pride as well as lack of support for charity funding education.

I

n this year’s Battle of the Valleys rivalry against Saginaw Valley State University, Grand Valley State University proved itself superior in football.

And that’s where the praise stops.

The other half of BOTV is an annual fundraising competition where each school spends a week trying to raise as much money as possible for a local charity of their choice. This year, GVSU mustered a whole $12,500 compared to SVSU’s $40,088. This marks the lowest amount GVSU has raised since 2005, and only $3,000 will actually make it to Student Advancement Foundation to buy more art and physical education supplies for Grand Rapids Public Schools.

The Student Senate set its sights high this year with a record-high goal of raising $35,000. The student body fell far short of that goal, and most of the funds we did raise will go to cover the Student Senate’s costs in executing different events throughout last week.

Though their student body stands at less than half the size of ours, SVSU managed to raise $27,588 more than GVSU. This averages out to each Laker contributing about 51 cents and each Cardinal giving $3.82. Even considering the poor college student’s budget, it doesn’t seem too much to expect GVSU students to give a bit more than 50 cents to a charity supporting local schools.

There’s not much else to do after this embarrassing attempt at fundraising and competition except use it to fuel our drive to redeem ourselves next year. GVSU needs to take some initiative and show interest in the more worthwhile charity aspect of BOTV instead of only caring about the football game. There’s nothing wrong with having pride in our good football team, but it would be nice if there was more to celebrate in BOTV than just that.

The other possibility to amending the lack of support for the SAF would be to continue our fundraising efforts until we meet the Student Senate’s $35,000 goal, regardless of how long it takes. But that would take some new initiative and more participation from the student body as a whole to keep round two from becoming another failed attempt.

The student-run newspaper of Grand Valley State University

Editorial Page Board Lauren Fitch Eric Lee Emanuel Johnson Chelsea Lane

Editor in Chief Business Manager Managing Editor News Editor

Valley Vote Should contraceptives be insured as a part of feminine health care?

Yes: 72% This week’s question: In Andrew Shrivell’s recent firing warranted?

No: 28% Vote online at Lanthorn.com

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.

GVL / Jacob Bowen

YOUR INSIGHTS

What’s your favorite thing to do in downtown Grand Rapids?

I went down there for a Dane Cook show, but I haven’t been downtown except for that.

I like just walking around downtown.

It seems like it changes all the time and there’s always cool stuff going on.

I usually go down there to watch operas or eat.

Try new restaurants- I like the Green Well, Electric Cheetah and Mangiamo’s

Attend the seasonal events and go out to eat.

I live downtown, which I would say is good too.

Josh Bloomquist Sophomore Undecided Muskegon, Mich.

Jen Harlett Sophomore Elementary Education Jenison, Mich.

Andrea Fleming Junior Music, Mathematics Holt, Mich.

Shaun MacDonald Senior Music Grand Rapids, Mich.

Claire Harrison Master’s student Public Administration, Urban Planning Grosse Ile, Mich.

GVL STUDENT OPINION

Facebook stalker: a cautionary tale Kevin VanAntwerpen

GVL Columnist

Facebook. It’s one of the most revolutionary inventions our generation has seen. It changed the way America conducts its social business. But there’s one category of people who can appreciate it even more than social butterflies, and that’s crazy people.

Let me clarify - by crazy people, I don’t mean those guys who stand in the free speech zone and tell you to repent of lust, alcoholism, drugs and literature (I don’t think they believe in Facebook). Nor do I mean those of you who lurk around online for hours, browsing through pictures of people you barely know.

Let’s face it - everyone does that at least once in their lives.

I’m talking about your ex-

girlfriend or boyfriend who misses you terribly, whose bedroom walls aren’t visible thanks to a wallpaper coating of your photographs and whose love letters you will never receive. I mean the people who are so enamored by your wonderfulness that they’d do just about anything to be in your presence. The ones who like to drive past your house in the middle of the night and watch you through your window from across the street.

Think for just a moment about all the information you share on Facebook, whether through status updates, photographs, information tabs, liked activities or comments.

Each one of those bits of information are pieces to a greater puzzle – it’s not hard for someone to find out a startling amount about you in just a few clicks.

As technology increases, so does your stalker’s ability to watch you.

A relatively new application called Foursquare networks with your cell phone and announces when you “check in” at a location. So if you decide to head to the nearby

Starbucks for a triple grande caramel macchiato soy latte, it will be announced on your Facebook and your stalker friend can conveniently “run into you” at the counter.

I’m not condemning Facebook by any means. As a musician, I understand its benefits equally as much as crazy people (then again, us musicians always tend to be our own brand of crazy). Facebook is a useful tool. But similar to anything useful such as a scalpel, a gun or the spoken word, it can also be dangerous if used carelessly.

Having a Facebook page loaded with too much information about your personal life is the digital equivalent of allowing anyone to press their palms against your bedroom window. If you don’t want your boss finding out about how you spent the weekend partying with his daughter, make sure you untag those pictures quickly.

I’m not saying that if you use Facebook, the bogey man is going to get you, but if you’re not careful, your crazy ex just might. editorial@lanthorn.com

Female contraceptives should be covered, for men’s sake Chris Slattery

GVL Columnist

Should The Pill be on the bill?

Absolutely. While I understand dissenting viewpoints, I still think it’s silly that this is up for debate. Similar to the Equal Rights Movement back in the ‘60s, this issue shouldn’t be black and white any more.

The question is whether female contraceptives should be covered under the new health care bill. The long-faced naysayers claim birth control is more of a lifestyle choice as opposed to a health concern.

Maybe, but infants are not.

No sane woman would call her pregnancy a “lifestyle choice,” and anyone who does (outside of Octomom) should probably look into finding her “li’l bundle of social commentary” a new mommy.

“Well,” many of you may be saying, “instead of birth control, people could just try abstinence.”

And to that, all I can do

is close my eyes and laugh obnoxiously.

Sure, for a lot of women, birth control is a lifestyle choice, but it is more than that for others. I know some girls (let me finish the sentence before you start laughing, jerk) who only got on The Pill in the first place because the monthly thing-that-must-notbe-named was too unbearable without some form of medication.

Are these girls wusses? I can’t say for sure because as far as you know, I’ve never been a girl myself. But I do know that if that Inner Voldemort Time (IVT) was bad for them, the second-hand wrath I would experience would be 10 times worse. Second-hand smoke may kill, but these waters are murky, too.

So, if anything, birth control should be free for my health, because death is not a lifestyle choice either, unless you and your friends wear matching sneakers and drink the magic Kool-Aid. Will this availability in easy contraception raise female promiscuity? Probably, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take because this is about the women! They don’t have the same opportunities that men do, such as stealing

condoms from their older brother’s left-middle desk drawer.

You never hear about girls stealing birth control pills from their older sister (largely due to the fact that the sister makes sure the body is never found) because, according to the sister, “You touch my pills, I kill you.”

In fact, it’s interesting that male contraceptives aren’t mentioned in this bill debate.

Surely we can recognize the ridiculousness of free condoms available through health care.

Many a man’s days of prowling high school health and wellness classes to score free Trojans would be over!

As you can see, this proposed amendment really isn’t hurting anyone. Call me a feminist if you want (or, based on my fandom of Marshall Mathers, an Emineminist), but I am all about helping women out. It shouldn’t take any title or label for me to want to do this. ... But a date or two wouldn’t hurt.

I’m not paying, though. I’m working on giving you free birthcontrol, so quit whining. Not paying is a lifestyle choice. cslattery@lanthorn.com

A6

Monday, November 15, 2010

GR NIGHT LIFE

GVL / Eric Coulter

Grand view: The Grand Rapids skyline oversees a plethora of entertainment opportunities in the city.

Downtown GR offers

entertainment for any interest

By Emanuel Johnson GVL Managing Editor

With winter rolling in and final exams just around the corner, many students at Grand Valley State University feel bogged down by the pressure of finishing homework, completing projects and preparing for tests.

But for those moments when students need to relieve pressure, downtown Grand Rapids serves as a hotspot for entertainment even as the days grow colder.

The Lost Boys An evening relaxing before a stage of dedicated actors is just the thing to get your mind off of impending final exams. The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will run a month-long showing of “Peter Pan.” Opening night is set for Friday, and the show will run through Dec. 19. Ticket prices vary by showtime, group size and membership status.

According to the play’s post on the Experience Grand Rapids website, Tinker Bell, Peter, the Lost Boys and even the crocodile will make appearances in the play.

For more information, visit the GRCT website at www.grct.org.

Ice skating Ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle will begin Dec. 3, weather permitting.

Skating hours are 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, noon to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays and noon to 10 p.m. for Fridays and Saturdays.

Admission to the rink, located in the middle of downtown Grand Rapids, is $1 and skate rental is free with a driver’s license.

Santa’s coming to town If you’re looking for a family-friendly and inexpensive outing, Grand Rapids will feature two Christmas-related events to ring in the holiday season.

The Gerald R. Ford Museum will hold its annual outdoor tree-lighting at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The event will feature a sing-along, refreshments and free admission to the museum following the ceremony.

The museum is located at 303 Pearl St. NW in Grand Rapids.

Two days later, Jaycees will hold its 42nd annual Santa Parade on Saturday in downtown Grand Rapids.

The parade will begin at the intersection of Monroe Avenue and Michigan Street and will move south-southeast along Monroe Center, south along North Division Avenue, west along West Fulton Street and southwest along Marked Avenue.

According to the parade’s website, the parade is an annual tradition that kicks off the holiday season in West Michigan. It is always held on the Saturday morning prior to Thanksgiving.

Adult entertainment For those seeking a more adult-like atmosphere Parkway Tropics, a gentlemen’s club located at 814 Lake Michigan Drive in Grand Rapids, offers an opportunity for students to enjoy food, drinks and exotic entertainment. The club includes a full bar with a variety of bottled beers and premium liquor, and admission is free before 7 p.m. every day of the week.

For more information, visit the club’s website at www.parkwaytropics.org.

A complete listing of upcoming events in Grand Rapids can be found at grnow.com. managingeditor@lanthorn.com

Grand Valley Lanthorn

SPORTS

Cody Eding, Sports Editor sports@lanthorn.com

BRIEFS! GV SPORTS

1

Basketball team inks two recruits The Grand Valley State University men’s basketball team announced the signing of Ben Lanning and Ryan Sabin as the first two recruits of the year.

Lanning, a 6-foot-8 forward from Grandville, Mich., and Sabin, a 6-foot3 guard from Byron Center, Mich., will join the team for the 2011-12 season.

“We are very excited to have these two young men join our program,” said GVSU head coach Ric Wesley in a release on the GVSU Athletics website.

Lanning averaged 12 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a junior last season and will serve as a team captain for Grandville High School in the 2010-11 season.

“Ben Lanning is someone who made great improvement over the past year,” Wesley said. “His ability to run the floor and shoot will be a great asset to our program. He is a high energy player with a great competitive spirit.”

Sabin put up 19 points, five rebounds and four assists per game for Byron Center High School last year. He is a two-time O-K Green AllConference selection.

“Ryan Sabin is someone we have been following for the past couple years,” Wesley said. “He is a very skilled perimeter player who can score in a lot of ways. He is a both a shooter and scorer, which is hard to find.”

Grand Valley Lanthorn Monday, November 15, 2010

B

Lakers cruise to third round of NCAA tournament with 3-0 win

By Greg Monahan GVL Senior Reporter

No matter the team and no matter the weather, opponents of the Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team simply have not been able to score on the Lakers at home.

As temperatures dipped into the high 30s Sunday with consistent wind gusts, the Lakers locked up their 13th home shutout this season in as many games. GVSU clung to an early Kayla Addison goal before tallying two late goals for a 3-0 win over Quincy University in the second round of the NCAA Regional tournament.

“This was just two teams trying to keep their season going,” said GVSU head coach Dave DiIanni.

“Quincy is very athletic. I thought they played really well and had a good game plan, but we missed some chances to make this game easier on ourselves.

Games will get tight like this as we move on, and I think it’s going to be important for us to finish our chances and make the games easier on us.”

The Lakers struck first less than 15 minutes into the game as sophomore forward Ashley Botts sent a long pass that found Addison, a senior, streaking down the left side as she picked the bottom right corner of the net to put the Lakers up 1-0.

“I saw a gap, and the goalie was all the way over, so I trusted myself to hit it with my left foot,” said Addison, who leads the Lakers with 18 goals on the

GVL / Rachel Dwyer

Goose egg: Forward Maria Brown (left) tries to keep the ball away from a Quincy player. The Lakers shut out Quincy.

season. “I’m really not comfortable with my left foot, but my coaches keep telling me to use it. As the shot was going, I thought it was going to hit the post and bounce out, so it was complete relief after

it bounced off and went in.”

The game remained at 1-0 until the 80th minute when senior forward Jaleen Dingledine scored to seal the win for GVSU, and Botts added her third playoff goal five minutes later for insurance.

The Lakers wrapped up their 13th shutout in as many chances at home but spent the majority of the first half defending in their own zone.

The two halves were separated mainly by the wind with Addison’s goal just one of two first half shots on target for GVSU. The Lakers were on defense in the first half as they played into the 30 mph gusts, but their offense and defense opened up with the wind at their back in the second.

“We had to play the short ball in the back because you can’t play the long ball into the wind,” said goalkeeper Chelsea Parise. “Our defense had really good vision of looking for the diagonal ball to the forwards. That was really important, to keep connected, play the short ball and make good passes.”

GVSU will take on the winner of the Northern Kentucky University-Wisconsin-Parkside University match that was played later on Sunday. The Lakers will be at home on Friday.

“It doesn’t matter really who we play,” he said.

“At this point, we’re moving on. We’re excited play another weekend, and we’re a little closer to a regional title.” gmonahan@lanthorn.com

Lakers nab 7th straight Battle of the Valleys football win

2

Four named to All-GLIAC volleyball team Four Grand Valley State University volleyball players were named to the All-GLIAC team Saturday, as voted by the league’s head coaches.

Senior middle blocker Rebeccah Rapin and senior outside hitter Krysta Kornack both took home first-team honors, while freshman outside hitter Stacey Catalano earned second-team accolades.

Senior setter Meghan Scanlon was given honorable mention.

Rapin was named to the firstteam for the third straight season, becoming only the second player in GVSU history to be named to the All-GLIAC team three separate times. Entering Saturday, Rapin ranked third in the GLIAC in hitting percentage (.353) and fourth in blocks (1.11).

Kornack, who earned her first allconference award, ranks third on the team in kills (226), hitting percentage (.245), points (3.03), total blocks (67) and solo blocks (11).

Catalano, one of the GVSU’s two starting freshmen, ranks second on the team in kills (266) and third in digs (253) and finished second behind Northern Michigan University’s Ana Lopes for the GLIAC Freshman of the Year.

Scanlon, also earning her first all-conference award, leads the team with 560 assists. She has compiled 1,232 assists as a two-year starter for the Lakers, good for 10th all-time in GVSU history.

GLIAC STANDINGS FOOTBALL

1. GVSU (9-1, 10-1) 2. Hillsdale (8-2, 9-2) 3. Wayne State (8-2, 9-2) 4. Michigan Tech. (8-2, 9-2) 5. Ashland (7-3, 8-3) 6. Indianapolis (5-5, 6-5) 7. Ferris State (5-5, 5-6) 8. Northern Mich. (5-5, 5-6) 9. Northwood (5-5, 5-6) 10. Saginaw Valley (4-6, 4-7)

GVL / Cody Eding

Ground war: GVSU quarterback Kyle McMahon runs up the middle against Saginaw Valley. McMahon was a part of a three-headed rushing attack that totaled 252 yards and two touchdowns.

By Cody Eding GVL Sports Editor

The 2010 season was dubbed a new era for the Grand Valley State University football team, but the results were reminiscent of the past.

With an outright GLIAC Championship and a guaranteed postseason appearance on the line, the No. 6 Lakers delivered a 28-7 victory in Saturday’s annual Battle of the Valleys matchup against Saginaw Valley State University.

In an emotionally charged game – the teams exchanged words and needed to be separated during warm ups – the Lakers (10-1, 9-1 GLIAC) never lost their cool or control en route to becoming the first team in GLIAC history to win six consecutive league titles.

“That’s awesome – that’s awesome,” said senior running back Justin Sherrod. “That’s why you come to Grand Valley – to win. With the tradition that we have winning year in and year out, there’s some people who have never won a championship, and we’re winning it like every year.

That’s a good feeling.”

Sherrod spearheaded a threeheaded running attack that took full advantage of Saginaw Valley’s poor tackling ability. He carried 13 times for 88 yards and a touchdown while senior quarterback Kyle McMahon rushed 16 times for 83 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore running back Norman Shuford had 74 yards on 10

KEY PERFORMERS

carries to round out the ground assault.

The Lakers rushed for 252 yards as a team in the seventh eclipse of the 200-yard mark this season.

“Our offensive line, two weeks in a row, just dominated the front,” Sherrod said. “We’re getting to the second level and they’re just flying all over the place, throwing your body at you.

We kind of knew that they didn’t wrap up. As running backs we kept telling ourselves, ‘Don’t go down easy. Their not really going to wrap up.’ It was just the o-line that was blowing the holes.”

McMahon posted another strong performance, and a great play call by offensive coordinator Eric Koehler led to a 46-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to junior tight end Andrew Lorman.

“I’m the person that (Sherrod) is talking about,” McMahon said. “I’ve never won. I came from a school that wasn’t fortunate enough to be in this position, and coming in and being with this group of guys has been great.

Winning this GLIAC Championship the first year is great.”

The offense, however, was by no means perfect. GVSU committed 90 yards in penalties, turned the ball over three times, made bad snaps and dropped touchdown passes.

But the Lakers forced three Saginaw Valley turnovers and, with exception to the opening drive of the second half, never allowed the Cardinals to look overly comfortable on offense despite a multitude of players

fighting minor injuries. Senior linebacker Justin Victor had a career-high 14 tackles, sophomore safety Jarrod Cox had a career-high 11 tackles and redshirt freshman linebacker Luther Ware added a sack.

“It feels good, you know, to get (the GLIAC title) outright,” Victor said. “It was an emotional game before the game started. It was a lot going on. Both team’s were getting real hyped. It was hard-hitting action out there, and it’s good to get the win against them.”

GVSU also received strong play out of the special teams. Sophomore cornerback Myron Puryear recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown while redshirt freshman kicker Ryan Stokes converted all of his extra points and also handled punting duties.

The victory gave GVSU its 10th consecutive playoff berth. GVSU is the only team in Division II to make the playoffs in each of the last 10 seasons.

After refusing to talk about the playoffs in the days preceding the game, GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell said he was proud of his team.

“I’m excited,” said Mitchell, who became the first head coach in school history to win 10 games in his first season. “This is the 10th year in a row we’ve been to the playoffs.

That’s pretty good for a decade, this program. That stretches back to Brian Kelly and runs through Chuck Martin and, obviously, to myself. sports@lanthorn.com

SCORING SUMMARY

Justin Sherrod Running back

Myron Puryear cornerback

Sherrod, a senior, carried 13 times for 88 yards and a touchdown.

The sophomore recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown.

Grand Valley State 28 Saginaw Valley State 7

1st 2n 3r 4th Final GVSU 7 7 7 7 28 SVSU 0 0 7 0 7

First Quarter 3:49 GVSU – Kyle McMahon 7 yd run (Ryan Stokes kick) Second Quarter 2:54 GVSU – Justin Sherrod 3 yd run (Stokes kick)

Football team learns playoff fate

The road back to the Division II National Championship game for the Grand Valley State University football team will start with a first-round contest at home Saturday against the Colorado School of Mines. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Lubbers Stadium.

GVSU remained the No. 3 seed in NCAA Super Region 3 in the final playoff pairings, which were announced Sunday afternoon.

“I don’t know much about Colorado School of Mines,” said GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell. “I just basically looked up some of their statistics last night. They won their last conference game 5553 in triple overtime and only rushed for 44 yards. So it sounds like a team that’s probably going to be throwing it around.”

The Orediggers finished the regular season 9-2 overall but will face a GVSU team that has been historically great at home in the playoffs. The Lakers are 17-1 in home playoff games since 2001.

“We’ll have to get the tape and get on them,” Mitchell said. “We really don’t have much prior experience with Mines.”

The University of Minnesota-Duluth and Augustana (S.D.) College remained on top of the Super Region and earned first-round playoff byes.

If the Lakers win Saturday, they will face Augustana on Nov. 27.

Third Quarter 12:38 SVSU – Andrew Beaver 17 yd pass from Jason Jennings (Tom Goodroe kick) 6:17 GVSU – Myron Puryear 0 yd blocked punt return (Stokes kick) Fourth Quarter 4:53 GVSU – Andrew Lorman 46 yd pass from McMahon (Stokes kick)

B2

Monday, November 15, 2010

SPORTS

Grand Valley Lanthorn

GV dominates Marygrove in season opener Lakers blast Mustangs 109-55 to begin 2010 campaign

By Brady Fredericksen GVL Staff Writer

GVL / Nicole Lamson

Up, up and away: Freshman center Asauhn Tatum flies in for a dunk against Marygrove College. Tatum tallied eight points and five rebounds as the Lakers cruised to an easy 109-55 victory.

For a team whose past calling card has been defense and low-scoring affairs, Grand Valley State University’s 109-55 home win over Marygrove College Saturday proved the Lakers’ current No. 5 national ranking well deserved.

GVSU scored its highest point total since 2008 and topped its season highs in assists (27) and three-pointers made (11) from 2009-10.

“This year I think we have more scoring options, and we really focus on transition and pushing the ball - that‘s big for us this year,” said sophomore guard Breland Hogan, who had 10 points and five assists. “We‘re not real big this year, so we‘ve got a lot of fast guys who can get out on the break and get easy baskets.”

In the first half, the Lakers showed an improved offensive game compared to last season fueled by the team’s ability to offensively rebound and force turnovers. Seven offensive rebounds led to scoring opportunities while 14 Marygrove turnovers resulted in 24 GVSU points.

“Overall we did a pretty good job, but I think we gave up a lot of penetration,” Wesley said. “We worked hard. We were excited, had a nice crowd, and the students were great. It was a fun night, and it was great to get a lot of guys into the game.”

Twelve Lakers saw action as six players scored in double fig-

ures in a balanced offensive attack led by senior forward Justin Ringler’s 16 points.

Ringler struggled in the first half, shooting 3-of-9 from the field with only seven points, while the team put 53 points on the board.

“We know that every game someone new is going to step up,”

“

This year I think we have more scoring options, and we really focus on transition and pushing the ball ... We’ve got a lot of fast guys who can get out on the break and get easy buckets.

”

-Ric Wesley GVSU head coach

said Ringler, who had a team-high six rebounds. “I couldn’t get anything to fall in the first, but everyone else was playing good, so we were just going through them. We try to be as balanced as possible and not go through just one guy.”

While the GVSU offense put an emphatic stamp on the game, the defense - specifically the fullcourt press - proved suffocating throughout.

“We always try to extend our defense whenever it presents itself, and we play a lot of guys to keep the energy up, so eventually it takes its toll (on the opponent),” said GVSU head coach Ric Wesley. “We’re not real big, so I think

we need to be good at our fullcourt pressure as well as shooting and handling the ball. Those are things small teams have to be good at. ” The Lakers continued to score into the second half, surpassing the 75-point “Free Taco Bell” mark midway through. Contributions from guard Wes Trammel (11 points, six assists), Tony Peters (12 points) and James Thomas (15 points) gave the team a much-needed shooting touch from outside.

Aside from tough defense and crisp offensive execution, the three-point outburst was the biggest surprise of the day. The Lakers shot only 29 percent from beyond the arc last season, but Saturday’s output of 11 for 20 from deep was a welcome addition.

“I think we’re definitely a better shooting team, whether or not we make as many as we did tonight remains to be seen,” Wesley said. “James (Thomas) is an excellent shooter and a great addition. Wes (Trammel) was a tremendous shooter in his freshman year, but he had an off year last season, so we expect him to bounce back. Those guys pretty much hit shots every day, and with Tony Peters, Nick Cerrari and K’Len Morris coming back, I think we’re going to shoot much better this year.”

GVSU will be back on the court Tuesday against Spring Arbor University in a non-conference match in Allendale. bfredericksen@lanthorn.com

Lakers fall in GLIAC Championship game Top-seeded Hillsdale downs Lakers 3-2 in five-set thriller

By Curtis Kalleward GVL Senior Reporter

The No. 13 Grand Valley State University volleyball team came up one win shy of its preseason goal Sunday by losing 3-2 to No. 8 Hillsdale College in the GLIAC Tournament finals.

Down 2-1 in the fourth set, the Lakers pushed through to force a fifth set before dropping it 15-12, crowning Hillsdale as the 2010 GLIAC Champions.

But making it to the final game was an accomplishment in itself. After downing Northwood University 3-1 Thursday night in the tournament’s quarterfinal matchup, the Lakers encored with a 3-1 effort against No. 21 Northern Michigan University Saturday in the semifinals.

“Northwood came out really strong in the first game,” said senior Rebeccah Rapin. “Our blocking and our defense were not so hot early, and it gave them the confidence that they could swing away. When they get that confidence, there’s no stopping them.”

Despite quickly toppling

Northwood 3-0 on Nov. 5, GVSU knew that the Timberwolves would come back to Allendale with a meaner look.

Northwood’s three seniors helped keep their team close.

“I wasn’t surprised at how strong Northwood was,” said GVSU head coach Deanne Scanlon. “When we played them at their place earlier in the year, this was the type of team and effort that we got from them. We knew they were going to come in with the mentality of if they lose, their season’s done.

Their only way of going on to postseason play was to win the GLIAC tournament. (Their seniors) played like it’s their last game. They played with intensity.”

Not helping the intensity of the match against Northwood were several calls that each team’s head coach did not hesitate to question. Ironically, when the two teams met for the first time this season on Sept.

17, the officiating was also suspect at times. But Scanlon said Thursday’s protests were more the result of the situation than anything else.

GVL / Eric Coulter

Here’s the plan: (From left to right) Leslie Curtis, Nicole Whiddon and Rebeccah Rapin discuss defensive strategy against Northwood Friday. The Lakers came wihtin one set of winning the GLIAC Championship.

“When you get to postseason, everything gets magnified a little bit,” she said. “You’re hoping for some type of consistency, and it wasn’t consistent tonight, but everybody has a bad night … players, coaches, even officials.”

Rapin, who finished the

three-day stretch with 43 kills and 20 blocks, said she knew each foe would challenge the Lakers during the tournament.

“Northern is a great team,” she said Thursday. “We split with them (during the season).

It should be competitive and fun, and that’s exactly what we

(thought we were) going to get.

Our keys are our block and our serve. We have to keep (opponents) off the net.”

GVSU faced Ashlee Crowder, Hillsdale University’s GLIAC Player of the Year, Sunday. Before Sunday’s loss, Rapin said she knew the match would be tough.

“Against Hillsdale, I feel it’s going to be a very tough game,” Rapin said Thursday. “It’s going to take a lot of our mental and physical state, but I know that we can do that. We’ve only been able to play them once, at the beginning of the season, and we’ve improved so much since then. As long as we know what’s coming at us, I think we’ll be fine. When we play at our game, there’s nobody that can stop us.”

Freshman outside hitter Stacey Catalano said the team has seen much change in performance this season.

“I think our defense has really changed,” she said. “Last year, the defense was a little shaky, but it’s really improved this year, and our hitting has improved enormously. We’re all coming together at the right time.”

Pushing the conference loss behind them, the Lakers will look to make their initial push at a National Championship in this weekend’s Midwest Regional Tournament. The quarterfinal round will begin Thursday against an opponent to be determined. ckalleward@lanthorn.com

SPORTS

Grand Valley Lanthorn

Monday, November 15, 2010

B3

Second-half turnaround leads to GVSU victory Lakers overcome 14-point first half deficit, outscore Urbana by 20 points in second half en route to 73-67 victory in season opener

“The greatest part is to

By Greg Monahan GVL Senior Reporter

As in the exhibition game against Michigan State University, things did not look good for the Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team in the first half of their season opener against Urbana University.

But the Lakers one-upped their performance from East Lansing not only by turning in a solid second half, but by coming back to win 73-67 on the road after facing an early 14-point deficit Friday in Urbana, Ohio.

The Lakers trailed 43-29 three minutes into the second half before outscoring the Blue Knights by 20 points from that point on to capture their first win.

“I thought we were really gutsy, and I thought we stayed together,” said GVSU head coach Janel Burgess. “I thought our chemistry was extremely good, and to see us come back from that deficit in the second half – that shows a lot of character and where this team can go.”

Sophomore center Alex Stelfox led the Lakers with 22 points and 14 rebounds for the second double-double of her career. Her 14 points in the first half kept the Lakers from falling behind further than they already had.

“I felt great after the game,” said Stelfox, the reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year.

“I struggled a bit with MSU because of my back, but it was a lot better (Friday) during the game. That definitely helped me play like my normal self, and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates passing me the ball in the post and finding me for the shots that I took.”

Just as the Lakers fell in a big hole early in last week’s exhibition game against Michigan State, the team shot poorly in the first 20 minutes before turning their offense around in the second half. GVSU outscored Michigan State in the second half and kept the trend going by outscoring Urbana 46-33 in the final half.

“Obviously we want to continue to learn how to start games much quicker,” Burgess said. “I just think it’s part of our maturity. It’s part of our growth as a unit. The greatest part

watch our gutsiness, and when we came back in the game, the looks on the kids’ faces were relentless and very together.

”

-Janel Burgess GVSU head coach

GVL Archive / Eric Coulter

When it most matters: Sophomore forward Jessica Trambley drives past an opponent for a layup attempt against Michigan State University. The Lakers overcame a 14-point first-half deficit to defeat Urbana University Friday.

is to watch our gutsiness, and when we came back in the game, the looks on the kids’ faces were relentless and very together. The girls were very selfless in those last 15 minutes to be able to pull out the game.”

After allowing the Blue Knights to shoot at 54.4 percent in the first half, the Lakers locked down on defense after the turn, holding Urbana to just 35.7 percent in the second. The team also improved significantly from the 23 turnovers they committed against Michigan State, allowing only 11 and forcing 20.

“We knew what we had to do after the first, and we knew we’re a better team than how we were playing,” Stelfox said. “Coach always has great halftime talks, and she really all pumped us up for the second half. Halftime allowed us to all communicate on what we should do and how we can change so we can win the game.”

After the game, Burgess said it was important for her team to steal its first win in dramatic fashion.

“To be able to walk away with a victory and to be able to do it with the composure down the stretch, along with the cohesiveness of the team, made a very good statement for ourselves as to what we can accomplish and how we’re going to be able to get better each and every day,” she said.

The Lakers will play their home opener against St. Joseph’s University (Ind.) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Fieldhouse Arena. gmonahan@lanthorn.com

GVL Archive / Eric Coulter

Sink or swim: A GVSU swimmer pushes through the water during the butterfly event of a past meet. The men’s team lost 149-87 and the women lost 155-82 against Michigan State University at Jenison High School Friday.

‘Broken down’ swim, dive teams fall to MSU

By Kevin VanAntwerpen GVL Staff Writer

The Grand Valley State University swimming and diving teams took on two opponents at Jenison High School Friday, though not in the typical sense.

First they swam against Michigan State University. Second, they set up fundraisers that not only helped them defend the East-West Showdown trophy against Wayne State University, but also helped battle cystic fibrosis, a cause that has become personal for the team.

In terms of the competition in the pool, GVSU assistant coach Roger Karn said the meet was rough. A night of hard-fought races ended with both the men (149-87) and women (155-82) dropping decisions in favor of Michigan State.

“It went about how we expected it to go,” Karn said.

He added the team is still in preparation for upcoming competitions at Ball State University and the Calvin College invitationals.

“They’re real tired,” he said.

“They’re right in that part of training before we rest them up for our mid-season meets.

They’re going to be sore, tired and broken down a little bit.”

Despite the overall loss, GVSU swimmers managed wins in several events.

Junior Raphael Santos cut through the water far ahead of the competition in the men’s 200 backstroke and finished with a time of 1 minute 52.07 seconds, a full 5.27 seconds ahead of Michigan State’s fastest swimmer.

Santos said he was happy with both his own performance and the way his team handled the challenge of a Division I team.

“We never had a recovery day,” he said. “But I think overall, we did all right. It’s always good to swim against Big Ten programs. Overall we didn’t win many races, but I’m still pleased.”

GVSU head coach Andy Boyce agreed.

“This is our third time going up against State (at Jenison),” he said. “It really pushes our swimmers and divers to step it up, going against a Big Ten school.”

Another highlight for GVSU was Antonia Musto’s performance in the women’s 200 breaststroke. She finished with a time of 2:18.54, only 1.45 seconds away from the current school record.

The meet also provided the first, and possibly only, plat-

form for fundraising this year for the East-West Showdown, a three-part competition between GVSU and Wayne State. The schools compete to raise the most money toward a charity of their choice, and the men’s and women’s swim meets on Jan. 8.

The team that wins at least two of the three competitions takes home the trophy.

At Friday’s meet, the observation deck was loaded with tables where volunteers, mostly parents of swimmers, helped sell baked goods and promote participation in a tennis ball toss game, all in support of the rivalry.

Karn said the team chose Friday night for the fundraiser because the Michigan State meets always draw the largest crowds.

This year’s competition will support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Recently, Karn’s 1-year-old grandson, Ethan, was diagnosed with the disease. The decision to support CFF came from the team’s senior captains with Karn in mind.

“I was really honored, really touched that they chose something so close to my family,” Karn said. kvanantwerpen@lanthorn.com

B4

Grand Valley Lanthorn Monday, November 15, 2010

LAKER LIFE

Haley Otman, Laker Life Editor lakerlife@lanthorn.com

Film, book shatter stereotype of

Native Americans Courtesy Photo / dbc.ca

Native view: Neil Diamond, director of “Reel Injun,” is pictured. The documentary, which examines Native American stereotypes in film, was screened at Grand Valley State University as part of Native American Heritage Month.

Tewa-Navajo’s book aims to ‘wipe the war paint off the lens’

By Brittney Mestdagh GVL Staff Writer

Beverly Singer, a Tewa-Navajo and professor at the University of New Mexico, addressed Native-American stereotypes in multiple facets of media at a lecture last Monday.

After seeing a Hollywood film crew near her home in Santa Clara Pueblo, N.M., when she was young, Singer developed an interest in documentary film. Her book, “Wiping the War Paint off the Lens,” traces native depictions in film and constructs parallels between film representation and the struggle for cultural sovereignty.

Singer said media repeats the basic narrative of a Native American not fitting in with society and stressed the effects these representations have on culture.

“We are now moving toward a different view of ourselves,” she said. “This is what technology brings.”

Few media outlets offer realistic representations of Native Americans. Canada and New Zealand have native television stations, but the United States does not, Singer said. Non-native filmmakers make native movies, and radio is rarely used as an outlet to preserve native language.

In her lecture, Singer examined three prototypes in media representations of natives: romanticized, revolutionary and reviled. Filmmakers romanticize mystical connections with land and all living things. Certain characters are reviled as they await a change. Often this leads to a revolution to counteract these changes, Singer said.

Native children on reservations watch these false representations of their heritage and begin to believe it is true, Singer said. They are taught about their heritage in schools as if they are extinct.

Old notions of what outsiders regard as heritage are skewed, she concluded in the lecture.

Filmmakers tend to disregard the individual for the collective, she said. Filmmakers assume all tribes have common practices like living in teepees or wearing headdresses. In these movies, there are no multi-cultural natives. Singer is Tewa-Navajo, but in films she would just be Navajo.

The source of these misconceptions is a lack of knowledge and communication as makers of media present ideas without evidence. They report on what they do not know, Singer said.

A five-person panel discussion following the lecture included two panelists who were members of the media and two panelists who were leaders in a native community. The panelists discussed how to bridge the information gap locally through news sources.

Panelists expressed a duty to attain and give information through their various stations in the community. David Murray, a reporter for the Grand Rapids Press, said the best way to fill in this lack of knowledge is to ask someone knowledgeable.

“A story written about We do not tell a community short stories. We without including that comhave a duty to munity is not capsulate our worth much,” message into an he said.

While reeasily digestible porters have a form. duty to research and present the -Glenn Zaring facts, members Little River Band of of the comOttawa Indians munity have a duty to provide the facts, said the native panelists.

Too many years have passed where native people let others talk for them, said Matthew Wesaw, tribal chair of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi in Dowagiac, Mich. He emphasized action on the part of native people, who cannot expect a reporter to ask all the right questions.

Glenn Zaring, tribal public affairs director of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians in Manistee, Mich., recognized the short amount of time media conglomerates give reporters to get the story. A reporter searching for a simplified message may feel overburdened with information.

“We do not tell short stories,” Zaring said.

In his office, there are chains of communication set up so a reporter can make one phone call or send one e-mail to get an answer.

“We have a duty to capsulate our message into an easily digestible form,” Zaring said. bmestdagh@lanthorn.com

“

”

GVL / Eric Coulter

Speaking out: Tewa-Navajo Beverly Singer addresses an audience on Native-American stereotypes in multiple facets of American media.

GVL / Eric Coulter

Opening Act: Native performers open up the screening of “The Reel Injun” with traditional drums and chant.

‘Reel Injun’ attacks stereotypes with actor interviews, movie clips

By Lyanna R. Hampton GVL Intern

Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond takes a look at stereotypes of Native Americans through the history of cinema with his documentary “Reel Injun.”

Grand Valley State University showed the film on Wednesday as part of American Indian Heritage Month along with a panel discussion about cinema and Native Americans. More than 80 students, faculty and staff were in attendance to see the film.

According to the film’s website, there have been more than 4,000 films made about Native Americans that have defined how they are seen by the world.

In “Reel Injun,” Diamond travels across America and looks at how the myth of “the Injun” has influenced the understanding and misunderstanding of Native Americans. There are candid interviews with directors, writers, actors and activists.

The film uses clips from classic and recent films, including “Stagecoach,” “Little Big Man,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Atanarjuat the Fast Runner.”

“We’ll never be able to change the fantasy of who and what Indians are,” said actor Adam Beach in the film. “That fantasy will always be there, we will always be on the cover of

novels saying ‘Cheyenne Warrior.’”

During the post-film discussion, panelists talked about their views of the film and answered questions about Native Americans and the future.

Shannon Martin, an Ojibwe and Potawatomi Indian and director of the Ziibwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways, Dr. Julia Mason, a professor of women and gender studies at GVSU, Levi Rickert, a Potawatomi and president of Wamimi Inc., and Dr. Toni Perrine, a film and video professor at GVSU, each served as panelists for discussion.

All four agreed the film was a great addition to the culture and helps to get the Native American voice out into society.

“I’m happy the movie was made,” Rickert said. “It brings attention to the Indian people. I think that it’s long overdue.”

Even with the general consensus that the film was great, Martin and Mason both said they felt there were some things missing from it.

Martin said they did not include “Blazing Saddles,” which starred Mel Brooks as a Native American, or “Soldier Blue,” which contains graphic scenes of Native American genocide. “(‘Soldier Blue’) really traumatized me just as much as ‘The Little Big Man’ movie,” she said.

Mason thought the film took on a big task to cover the repre-

sentation of Native Americans through film and giving context of that history.

“I think they could’ve done more with the representation on American Indian women, but I think the complexity of what they are talking about is really important,” Mason said.

Perrine said she enjoyed the positive message in the end with Native Americans taking a stand for their heritage.

They also discussed the root of the word “injun,” the idea of more Native Americans on television and whether audiences would accept Native Americans on television as “normal” people.

“I think there’s probably a majority of people who still appreciate the romanticized version of Indian people,” Martin said. “It’s a version that is safe.

Personally, what indigenous people want to see are more films like ‘The Whale Rider.’

We want to see more documentaries that are truth-telling and cinematic storytelling.”

Rickert said it is important for Native Americans to step up and take responsibility for their voice in society.

“In a sense we have no voice,” said Rickert. “Quite frankly, I’m glad GVSU is having this program because it’s allowing us to have a voice. We have to tell our stories.” lakerlife@lanthorn.com

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Grand Valley Lanthorn

Student organization plans downtown worship event with MSU, U-M, other choirs

By Haley Otman GVL Laker Life Editor

A group of students will join with their community to worship in a different way.

Restoration, a faithbased and musical student organization, will unite Saturday in downtown Grand Rapids to worship through music in Unplugged to Get Plugged. The title refers to disconnecting oneself from worldly worries and connecting to God, according to Restoration’s website.

The event will take place from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Saturday at the Fountain Street Church, located at 24 Fountain St. NE. Admission is free, and donations will go to the Baxter

Community Center.

Music Committee Chairman Mark Pierce said Restoration members want to gather 1,600 people from the Grand Valley State University community and other university choirs.

Last year drew a crowd of 200.

“It seemed like an opportunity to explore my faith and religion through a different means of worship that I wasn’t raised on,” Pierce said. “The GVSU student body should attend to see that there are many forms of worship to experience when one is a follower of Christ. This will give a chance… to come out and experience his love for us through different forms of worship, prayer and music.”

Courtesy Photo / GVSU Restoration

Group dynamic: Restoration members enjoy Steak and Shake.

Courtesy Photo / GVSU Restoration

Choir collaboration: Restoration will perform Saturday.

Pierce will play the collaboration of the choirs will bass guitar Saturday, and create a unique environment the music will be both a for unity and freedom. cappella and instrumental “The ultimate goal is with Christian contemporary to cross the invisible line music accompanied by guitar, between college students and piano and drum. Restoration community members,” she will incorporate dance and said. other forms of art into their She said she hopes all performance as well. members of the GVSU Restoration will join choirs community will attend the from GVSU, the University event because though it is of Michigan, Michigan a religious event, the group State University, Ferris State welcomes people of all University, Western Michigan religions and those with none.

University and others.

“You get to meet diverse “The members of all of students from other institutions the college choirs that are in Michigan, view the beautiful participating will be following facility of Fountain Street and leading everybody through Church, attend a cultural worship and prayer,” Pierce event that most, if any, GVSU said. “Also, we will be hanging organizations don’t provide, with our fellow brothers and and finally, it’s a great chance sisters in Christ to just love and to be the real you,” she said. serve God as one big family.”

“Fountain Street Church has Analeisia Morgan, beautiful acoustics, and we Restoration’s secretary, said the want to bring that out,” Morgan

Courtesy Photo / GVSU Restoration

Musical message: Robert McFletcher directs the choir. added.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Baxter Community Center, which has a mission to act a Christian response to human needs.

“Some of us have interned

and volunteered there, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Baxter seeks to respond to ‘human needs with a Christian response,’” Morgan said. lakerlife@lanthorn.com

Soccer tournament to raise money for local refugees Students will play against Darfurian refugee teams.

By Susie Skowronek GVL Senior Reporter

On Friday nights at Davenport University, a group of international students gather to play soccer. The dean of business administration at Davenport kicks the ball up the field.

Junior Emily Larson heard about refugee soccer teams – in particular the group at Davenport University – and incorporated the idea of fundraising with an activity that college students and local refugees might enjoy together.

Soccer for Sudan, a soccer tournament comprised of pool play and a bracket tournament, will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday in the Laker Turf Building. Refugee teams both from the Grand Rapids area and the Lansing area will participate in the event.

Proceeds will benefit refugees in the Grand Rapids area through two organizations, the Michigan Darfur Coalition and the African Community Center, both of which help refugees acclimate to Michigan life.

Last year, Larson volunteered with MDC and tutored refugees from Sudan.

She taught mother Nadifa and daughter ZamZam English language skills.

“I was relatively unaware of the issues in Grand Rapids until last year,” Larson said.

“But after meeting more refugees in West Michigan, I feel like I can’t just sit by and not do anything.”

Nadifa and ZamZam arrived in Grand Rapids in the summer of 2009 after they left a refugee camp in Kenya ahead of Nadifa’s husband Ismail and his other wife, who could not travel due to pregnancy.

Now, Ismail, two of his wives and six of his children live in two apartments in the city. They struggle to pay rent on government assistance and have a hard time finding employment.

Former coordinator for the MDC Chuck Breen died in May this year, and his mother started a foundation in his memory.

“Chuck always said one of the most important things is education,” said MDC volunteer Sarah Staples. “If we can fund a foundation to help refugees who are here now, that is one of the most important things we can do.

We want to see them have

their own independence.”

Staples said finding suitable employment for the refugees will assist not only the family members in Grand Rapids but also those still in Africa.

“A lot of men send money back to families to help education,” she said. “It’s a blessing that they’re here to make a living and help family members there who are still suffering.”

Dr. Kojo Quartey, dean of business administration at Davenport, was born in Ghana and first came to the U.S. at age 10 when his father, a diplomat, transferred to Washington D.C. Now, he chairs the board of the African Community Center in Grand Rapids, the only West Michigan community center that works with refugees.

Quartey said he sees refugees from the Congo and Sierra Leone conflicts come into the center.

“There are only

two kinds of people - there are those who have and those who have not.

”

-Dr. Kojo Quartey Davenport dean of Business Administration “Somebody’s got to do something,” he said. “We as human beings are indebted to those who are less fortunate than we are.”

Due to a lack of financing, however, the center has shifted vicinities several times before settling into its current location at the African Community Church at 1204 Eastern Ave. SE. The center raises funds on a day-to-day basis for tax assistance and helps refugees find jobs.

The African Community Center has started a food bank and, when the organization had more money at its disposal, offered educational programs to teach language and computer skills.

Quartey said organizers of the center hope to instate a similar educational program in Kentwood Public Schools where students speak more than 66 different languages.

“There are only two kinds

of people – there are those who have and those who have not,” he said. “Think of those who have not. Think of refugees and those who are indigent.”

Participants in Soccer for Sudan can register teams of five to 10 members with donations of $5 per player.

Spectators can purchase tickets in advance for $2 or at the door for $4, and the Soccer for Sudan committee will sell T-shirts for $10.

To sign up teams or purchase advance tickets and T-shirts, visit the Soccer for Sudan table in the Kirkhof Center lobby from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Additional registration can be submitted to larson.emilye@gmail.com. sskowronek@lanthorn.com

GVL / Haley Otman

Soccer showdown: Becca Nixon, Emily Larson and Ingrid Scheer promote the soccer game at a table in Kirkhof. The tournament will take place on Saturday in the Turf Building.