Grand Valley Lanthorn vol. 56 no. 8

G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N

Stressed students look forward to fall break Lakers evaluate mental health as midterm pass

The Pyramid Scheme celebrates, reflects on a decade of success ANNIVERSARY | A13

GV Football battles hard in the Anchor-Bone Classic, falling to rival Ferris

M O N D A Y , O C TO B E R 1 8 , 2 02 1 // VO L . 5 6 N O. 9

FOOTBALL | A14

@ GV L A N T H O R N

LANTHORN.COM

A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS GV COVID-19 CAMPUS DATA UPDATE

The GVSU community has had a cumulative total of 3,900 cases since Aug. 1, 2020. The university’s update for this brief was from Friday, Oct. 15.

Through testing results this past week, GVSU’s Virus Action team have so far reported 110 current active cases including four faculty members, 10 staff members, 11 on-campus students, 41 “off-campus Ottawa” students, 33 “off-campus Kent” students and seven “off-campus other” students with active COVID-19 cases.

“Current active cases” is the count of positive cases reported to the Virus Action Team over the past ten days.

This is an estimate of those currently in isolation, assuming a ten-day symptomatic period following the reporting of a positive test result. Actual periods of isolation are specific to the individual and determined by the county health department.

Testing and Incidence: GVSU’s own testing program has performed 100,867 tests overall since August 1, 2020, for a cumulative positivity rate of 1.39% from the latest update as of last week. A total of 1,501 tests were performed over the last seven days.

“GV Surveillance” includes the GV/ Spectrum administered programs of randomized testing, regular testing of high-risk groups, and invited testing of individuals connected to potential clusters. A calendar is available. “GV Total” includes surveillance testing plus all symptomatic/exposure tests administered by Spectrum.

Vaccination: GVSU encourages all students, faculty and staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. All students, faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated by Sept.30, barring a medical or religious exemption or postponement. According to the COVID-19 data dashboard, 80% vaccination rate in the GVSU community is required to reach herd immunity and minimal virus transmission.

Currently, approximately 79% of students report being fully vaccinated, while approximately 82% of faculty and staff reports being fully vaccinated.

GRAND RAPIDS RENAMES STREETS

The City of Grand Rapids announced it will be renaming two streets in honor of civil rights activists. Franklin Street will be renamed Martin Luther King Jr Street, and Grandville Avenue will be renamed César E. Chavez Avenue.

The name change comes following a petition from the Moving Ahead for Remarkable Civil Rights Heroes (MARCH) Committee, as well as 35 letters of support to the city commission from local individuals and organizations, including former Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell.

Under the proposal, the new street names will appear on postal addresses and maps as well as street signs. The original street names will remain as commemorative names.

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

SAFETY

GVPD launches fingerprinting, prescription drop-off services

BY HANNA HALSTEAD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State University Police Department is offering fingerprinting services are offered by appointment only, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments must be made at least a day in advance.

The fee for getting fingerprinted is $55, which can be paid by credit card, or through your account for GVSU students.

Students must bring a government-issued photo ID showing date of birth, a Michigan State Police RI-030 form, with sections 1 and 2 completed, and a receipt showing proof of pre-payment for services and a completed GVSU self-assessment.

“We knew that certain schools required their students to be fingerprinted for a variety of reasons,” GVPD Captain Kourosh Khotir said. “Those students were going elsewhere to get that done. Nursing students, education majors, and even business majors, were going into internships and jobs that required them to get that done, but they were going to local police departments and community colleges.”

GVPD said they aim to make the process as convenient as possible for GVSU students.

GVPD has started another new program to do the same. Prescription drop-off boxes are now available on campus for those who need to dis-

DROP-OFF: Prescription drug drop-off boxes on both the Allendale and Grand Rapids GVSU campuses are now open for students to safely and conveniently dispose of old medications. GVL | ARCHIVES

pose of their prescribed medications in a safe and convenient way.

There is one drop-off box at both the Allendale and Grand Rapids campus. In Allendale, the box is located in the lobby of the Police Department in the Service building near the Allendale Campus. Downtown, the other is located in the lobby of the Police Department at 609 Watson St SW near the Pew Campus.

Before bringing your prescriptions, GVPD captain Jeffery Stoll said to ensure that they are in the original containers and remove or blot out any personal or identifying information.

“We offer this service so that members of

the Grand Valley community can safely dispose of their prescription drugs,” Stoll said.

“We want to ensure that these drugs are properly handled so they don’t end up contaminating the water supply.”

In addition to the drop-boxes, the DEA is having The National Prescription Drug TakeBack Day on Oct 23. from 10 am-2 pm. The nearest drop-off location for GVSU students is the Ottawa County Sheriff ’s Office.

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COVID-19

GV looks to the future as vaccine mandate deadline passes

BY LAUREN FORMOSA NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Students, faculty and staff attending or employed at Grand Valley State University are now required to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination, hold a postponement or exemption in order to be in compliance with the

DEADLINE: The Virus Action Team hopes to avoid disrupting learning and employment at GVSU during the fall semester. GVL | ARCHIVES

university’s vaccine mandate. As of Oct. 15, the university will begin contacting those who are not in compliance.

As of Thursday, Oct. 14, 82% of all faculty and staff as well as 78% of students have been reported on their daily self-assessment that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In total, about 93% of the campus community is in compliance with the vaccine mandate.

Some students, staff, and faculty have been granted exemptions or postponements from getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Of the roughly 10% of the GVSU community who were reported exempt, according to the GVSU Virus Action Team, 90% of recipients received a religious exemption.

According to the Virus Action Team’s most recent email, outreach to the remaining 8% of students, staff and faculty who are not in compliance with the vaccine mandate ended on Friday, October 15.

Following that deadline, students and employees will be contacted by the Registrar’s Office and Human Resources respectively, however, it is the Virus Action Team’s goal

to not “disrupt learning or employment during fall semester.”

Data on the GVSU COVID-19 Data Dashboard, which is regularly updated by the Virus Action Team, shows that there are currently 110 active COVID-19 cases in the campus community. This number factors in cases reported by faculty staff, on-campus students, and off-campus students in Ottawa, Kent, and other surrounding counties.

The Virus Action Team continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19 in and around GVSU’s campus. Rapid testing will still be offered on campus and students, staff, and faculty are expected to complete their daily self-assessments to help with contact tracing.GVSU also has two more scheduled COVID-19 vaccine clinic dates on Allendale campus: Wednesday, Oct. 20, and Thursday, Oct. 21.

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OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS SAFTEY EDITORIAL OPINIONS

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TECH POLITICS SPREAD PHILANTHROPY

A2 A4 A5 A6

| A7 | A8&9 | A10

SEASONAL

| A11 | A12

COMEDY ANNIVERSARY RIVALRY

| A13 | A14

FOOTBALL

| A15

GOLF

| A16

VOL. 56

NO. 9

Lan thorn Layout Editor VIVIANA RUBIO

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief ZACK GOODROW Associate Editor MARY RACETTE

Layout Designer KHOI TRAN PROMOTIONS

Associate Editor XAVIER GOLDEN

Promotions Manager ALEX DAGOSTINO

News Editor ADVERTISING STAFF AUDREY WHITAKEN Advertising Manager Sports Editor JOSH HENTGREN HOLLY BIHLMAN Laker Life Editor BUSINESS STAFF SABRINA EDWARDS Business Manager A&E Editor RACHEL MCDOWELL MARY DUPUIS Image Editor MEGHAN LANGREN

Asst. Business Manager DAYTON HAMMON

Multimedia Editor HAILEIGH HUBER

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 in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com.

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published weekly by Grand Valley State University students 31 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member

The Lanthorn is published on recycled paper and is printed with soy bean ink. This means that our newspaper is entirely compostable. Help us do our part to be kind to the environment by recycling or composting this newspaper after you enjoy reading it.

POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to: Grand Valley Lanthorn 0051 Kirkhof Center Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI 49401

A3 | NEWS COVID-19

Student researchers tackle the pandemic

BY YSABELA GOLDEN LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of education and professional life, including academic research. This summer, three undergraduate students at Grand Valley State University directed their own research to understand and examine the pandemic through the lens of their three very different disciplines.

Payton Miloser, a statistics major, tracked the spread of infection through Michigan counties; Ashten Duncan, a marketing major, developed propositions for Design Thinking strategies to help small businesses cope with disruptions like COVID-19; and Seth Ockerman, a computer science major, created and trained a Convolutional Neural Network to track masking rates through images posted to social media.

“Our idea was to see how we could train a model and deploy it on a city, to evaluate the interaction between face mask usage and daily COVID cases,” Ockerman said. “We were using Twitter, so, for example, it would count the number of images with masks in them in all the tweets that were made in Detroit in a given day.”

In order to learn something like how to identify a mask in a photo, a Convolutional Neural Network needs a dataset on which to train. In addition to engineering the ConvNet itself, Ockerman wrote a script that pulled images of people off Twitter.

Those images were sent to paid survey takers through the Amazon Mechanical Turk service, a crowdsourcing marketplace, who identified whether or not the people were wearing masks. The resulting dataset can be used by any ConvNet, not just Ockerman’s, to recognize face masks in photos.

“After COVID hit, there were a ton of people who were looking for how to use that broad field of computer vision to help fight the pandemic,” Ockerman said. “It became a collective effort to come up with a large, diverse dataset of people wearing medical masks. The images in datasets tend to be very close-up shots of the face with ideal settings and lighting, and often not that much diversity, which can introduce bias. But our idea was to evaluate mask usage based on the actual pictures being posted to social media, so we wanted data that more accurately mimicked real life.”

To test whether or not their dataset effectively met their use case, Ockerman and his faculty mentor Professor Erin Carrier found other datasets that had been created to train mask recognition and used them to train ConvNets that had been optimized to the best possible fairness. But that dataset they’d created themselves proved to be the most effective teacher for identifying images of masks on social media.

STUDIES: Three undergraduate GVSU students have taken a new and experimental approach to study COVID-19. The study looks at mask use and COVID-19 in the area. COURTESY | SETH OCKERMAN

“Now that we have a neural network that’s been trained to detect masks in images on social media, we’ve been deploying it on cities to compare their masking rates with COVID cases,” Ockerman said. “Both the professor and I are excited by the possibility of looking into this, because it does look like there’s something there. We’re also in the process of publishing the dataset itself, so that it can be used by other researchers.”

Ockerman’s study will likely be published in an undergraduate Computer Science journal. His peer Duncan, however, is looking to submit her research to a more practical publication.

“It’s getting exciting, because it feels like something that can be published in a journal that helps small businesses with marketing,” Duncan said. “In writing the paper, we have to have empathy for these businesses and their struggles, to think about the steps they had to take, while simultaneously leading them into thinking through the Design Thinking mindset.”

The broad framework of Duncan’s paper is the “EDIPT’’ Design Thinking model created at Stanford University. To her, the five stages— Empathize, Define the Problem, Ideate, Prototype and Test— encapsulates all the different strategies they discuss, representing how a business could successfully respond to a problem like COVID-19.

“At the time I was thinking of putting together a research proposal, I was doing social media marketing for my sister-in-law’s small business,” Duncan said. “She told me about how when she was getting supplies for the business, she ended up connecting with a bunch of other small business owners in town, and they were sharing complaints with each other like ‘oh man, post-COVID

prices are like double and triple what they were before.’ Especially in the food industry. And I thought, how do we explore why these things happened, while also focusing on what our clients need and stay open?”

From this starting point, Duncan and her mentors, Professor Kevin Lehnert and Seidman Associate State Director Hollie Blagg, examined the literature on how Design Thinking could be used to help people like her sister-in-law. As her research deepened, her paper evolved into more of a framework on how small business owners can implement those strategies to get through disruptions, using COVID as an example. In order to represent this in her Student Scholars Day poster presentation, she used an activity.

“We used sticky notes to walk people through that EDIPT model,” Duncan said.

“I asked things like, ‘say you had a bakery.

Now your brick-and-mortar store is closed in-person, and you can only sell online.

The only way you can continue to sell your product is if you know what your customer wants.’ So I was having people present back to me what their ideas were, and it helped influence my research. What we noticed is that people are very good at thinking of a solution to a problem, but not so good at fully thinking through the ‘why.’ Sometimes we skip immediately to a potential answer and miss out on a lot of ideas that could better suit our needs, if we examined them more carefully.”

While Duncan’s research examined overcoming the economic hurdles of the pandemic, Miloser studied the COVID-19 spread across the state of Michigan.

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A4 | OPINIONS GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

By Athena Jasman

EDITORIAL

GVSU community’s COVID-19 vigilance slipping, warns Lanthorn Editorial Board

C

10/18/21

editorial@lanthorn.com

Going back to normal might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done

BY AUDREY WHITAKER JUNIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

I am 20 years old, in my third year of college, I’ve never changed my major and this is my second year living in an apartment about three hours from where I grew up.

I am incredibly homesick.

I have never been homesick before.

For years, I was itching to move away from home. I never got sad at summer camp. I complained about being home all of Christmas break, summer and last spring. But now, I just want to go home.

My mom said that it felt like my freshman year move in all over again, but during freshman year, I was so happy to be away from home. It hit me as soon as I moved in, but I blamed it on being the first cold I had in two years. On the second day of laying in bed, surrounded by unpacked boxes and dirty dishes, I realized I was feeling more than just a cold; I was sad.

During the first week, I repeated “I’m just so happy to be back in-person” to everyone I talked to, like it was an affirmation; like I could convince myself that I was fine with going “back to normal.”

But going back to normal has been one of the hardest things I have

ever done.

I really am thrilled to be getting back to in-person classes. This fall is the first time I’ve had them since March of 2020. Last fall, all of my professors decided to move to online-only formats. When the winter semester was shaping up to be the same, I decided to head back to Detroit and nanny while I took classes online. It was a very isolating and lonely year and a half. Eventually, though, I got used to it.

I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling that the pandemic came at the least convenient time--when I was finally getting to enjoy independence and could begin to formulate a trajectory for my life. The pandemic laid waste to everything I expected from my next four years, forced me to wreck every plan I had for myself and try to set my expectations for the day-to-day while everything remained up in the air.

I can’t help but wonder if I would feel the same way if it hadn’t been for the pandemic. Is the burnout I’m experiencing normal, or pandemic-induced?

I recognize that I am 20 years old, this is my third year of college and I should know what I’m doing. These classes haven’t magically gotten harder than they were two years ago and it’s not like I expect professors’ expectations to magically change. I know that my malaise is not the responsibility of my professors or GVSU. But it’s this apparent expectation that we can just jump back into normalcy when so much has changed that still hasn’t settled in.

I’m not ready to sit in a room with 25 other people or go to in-person office hours. Above all, I’m not ready to act like everything is back on track and I’m feeling totally capable of keeping up with it- cause I’m not.

I don’t think that I--or we as a community--have had ample time to mourn what we lost in the last two years. Be it graduation, an internship, a freshman dorm or an idea of what we thought college would be like. I’ve been putting on a brave face to avoid being called a cry-baby, but I’m sad and homesick, and it’s proving to make this school year hell for me. Yes, we are lucky to be here getting an education, but we are allowed to recognize that this has changed the course of our lives in ways we didn’t want it to.

While the pandemic has turned our focus to the importance of mental health and connecting with others, recognition for the massive loss of life due to COVID-19 seems hard to come by. Neither GVSU nor my hometown community has organized to recognize the loss of life our nation has seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Coming together as a community has always been a source of strength and healing, and I think it’s something that would help a lot of students feel less alone as we continue to move forward this semester. That’s what I hope this column can do for anyone who reads it.

I want to recognize the resources GVSU does offer- information on the Lakers Together website keeps our community informed. The university counseling center offers so many resources to struggling students and faculty and staff have been compassionate and understanding time and time again.

There is nothing we can do to turn back the clock to life before COVID-19. The new normal isn’t great, but it’s what we have to work with. As a community, coming together to grieve lives lost and the lives we had before COVID-19 can help us move forward.

OVID-conscious faculty, staff and students have been noticing worrisome trends inside and outside of the classroom over the past few weeks. While they’re usually little things, like seeing people wear masks below their noses (rendering them pointless) or overhearing someone talk about attending a super-spreader event, these things combined constitute a relaxing attitude towards the enforcement of health and safety guidelines meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

At the time of publication, we’re more than two weeks past Grand Valley State University’s Sept. 30 vaccine mandate deadline. According to an Oct. 14 email from the Virus Action Team, 7% of the community is not in compliance with university policy and around 9% of the GVSU community received religious exemptions. While these exemptions are in compliance with university policy, they are unvaccinated.

Getting vaccinated mitigates the damage of COVID-19 and seeing that so many people in the GVSU community are still unvaccinated is beyond disappointing. For those who are actually taking the ongoing

global pandemic seriously, it borders on infuriating and displays disrespect and apathy towards the health and safety of others.

A potential consequence of vaccine hesitancy, minimal testing and halfhearted enforcement of policy, cases of COVID-19 on campus are routinely sloping upwards, briefly declining, and trending upwards once again. As of Friday, Oct. 15, the GVSU community had 110 documented current active cases; including 8 faculty, 10 staff and 11 on-campus students. In comparison, Michigan State University had 72 cases in the week of Oct. 4, with 90% of students, faculty and staff reporting being vaccinated.

Following the pattern, it’s likely that GVSU’s numbers will get worse in the coming days, and weeks. Over 17,000 people attended Saturday’s football game, with GVSU Athletics explicitly aiming to break the attendance record, bringing in thousands of students, parents and friends from communities that might not be taking the pandemic seriously.

GVL OPINION POLICY

Letter to the editor should include the author’s full name, relevant title and a headshot, along with a valid email address and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500-650 words in length, and they are not edited by the Lanthorn staff except to fix technical errors or to clarify. Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits.

To make a submission, email editorial@lanthorn.com or drop your submission off in person at:

The goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s opinion page is to act as a forum for public discussion, comment and criticism in the Grand Valley State University community. Student and columnist opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity.

The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions orbeliefs.

The content, information and views expressed are not approved by-nor do they necessarily represent those of-the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff.

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OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A5 | OPINIONS

Why is it so dang hot in October?

BY ZACK GOODROW SENIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EDITORIALASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

A shocking and outright disgusting event happened last week at Grand Valley State University. Throughout my three years so far attending this university, nothing compares to this outrageous and repugnant tragedy that took place. This horrific and objectively obscene incident has been building up for some time. This week, on Oct. 11, the tempera-

ture outside-- during the fall-- in Michigan-reached 80 degrees.

I’m no meteorologist and a basic Google search informed me that temperatures like these in October aren’t all that uncommon in Michigan. I’m also not a scientist, so whenever I read that these high temperatures are caused by “polar jet streams”, I immediately become bored and confused. Perhaps my interest in the weather can be explained by growing older and generally needing more small talk topics. Lately however, my contempt with the temperature is due to how it negatively affects my life.

To start, what happened to sweater season?

Some people may begin to see the leaves on the trees turn a variety of colors and think about the beauty of their surroundings. I, along with many GVSU students, get excited to strut our fall fits. The thick sweaters, jeans and khakis have been sitting in our closets for months. October was the time to finally take our long-forgotten clothes out and let them breathe.

I made this rookie mistake two weeks ago.

I was walking to class, hustling from the Lot J parking lot to the Calder Art Center for my

capstone class. I made the mistake of wearing a cozy sweater and jeans. The weather soon spiked exponentially from the chill breeze that had been flowing since before noon. By the time I made it to my class, the beating sun had left me drenched. It didn’t help that my professor was 10 minutes late and I rushed for no reason, but the damage had been done.

It’s not even just walking to class that makes the weather unbearable. I live on the third floor in my building and it’s borderline an Easy-Bake Oven. My cat sometimes takes naps under my bed since it’s the coolest area in my room. I go to bed hot. I wake up hot. There’s rarely been a circumstance where I’m comfortable in my own home because of this heat.

Some of you may be thinking, ‘why doesn’t this guy just wear shorts and summer attire’?

This is a catch-22 situation. Any time I go to class dressed for the outside weather, I immediately go into the classroom and become chilly.

I beg to the almighty powers at GVSU that I pay with my tuition money, please assimilate the temperature inside buildings with the temperature outside of them. If

it’s hot outside, the air conditioning will be blasting inside the building. I’m not dressed for that. I’m dressed for the shockingly hot weather in October, not a walk-in freezer.

This situation is worse in the winter.

Me, along with every human in Michigan, always bundle open when we take a stroll outside with the frigid temperatures. By the time I reach class, I’m soaked underneath my three layers of clothes, even though my exterior is chilly. When I walk into class, however, the building is extremely hot due to the cold weather.

This idea is treacherous. I’m not dressed for these in-class temperatures. I understand that people want to be warm in class, but no one is dressed for that kind of heat in the winter.

I’m not a fan of Michigan winters. I don’t enjoy the blizzards, slush and mountains of snow. However, my scorn for these heated October afternoons is worse. For the first time in my life, I’m looking forward to the freezing Michigan-weather.

The good, the bad and the powerful of ArtPrize 2021 it that I thoroughly enjoyed. While the aspect of a scavenger hunt style art showcase isn’t my preferred viewing experience, it did offer some great surprises. From a gallery style showcase that loops around a dining area where you can see a chef preparing a meal and a waitress filling a cup with diet cola, to a step inside the monstrous history of our nation, ArtPrize wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be.

THE GOOD

BY SIMON WAGNER SENIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

As I stepped out of my car on a gray Saturday on the final weekend of ArtPrize, the streets of downtown Grand Rapids pulsated with commercialism. What should have been a showcase of amateur art that furthered the discussion of culture and society, ended up revealing itself as a means of maximizing profits for local businesses. And while that support for local businesses in a time of needed revenue is important, it shouldn’t have taken away from the art itself.

The entire event was a scavenger hunt.

While you knew where art pieces were located by means of a simple, “ArtPrize Venue” label outside of buildings, you didn’t know what you were going to get.

Some places offered entire showcases that reminisced of downtown art galleries, while others had between one to five pieces of art.

It was clear that the places who offered the least amount of art were more focused on attracting people to their own business.

And while I know that this seems like I’m being tough on ArtPrize, I want people to understand that there were moments of

One of the best experiences I had at ArtPrize was walking around local restaurant and nightclub, The B.O.B., and actually taking in some meaningful artwork. This location has become a popular landing spot for ArtPrize consumers because of its outdoor centerpiece: a 10-foot sculpture of a gorilla, sitting by and protecting his secret chest of treasure, looking out to the people as if telling them, “I’m the king of this shit.”

Now I’ll touch on this sculpture later on as I address the negatives of ArtPrize, but what I think this piece actually does cleverly is bring in people to the establishment to view the actual art on display.

When you walk in one of the first things you’re met with is an American flag themed piece that puts a menacing face of a spirit at the center of the work. You are instructed to move around while standing in front of the piece so that everything moves while you move. One of the most interesting aspects of this piece is that when you kneel down in front of the spirit, the straight-lipped face turns into a demonizing smile that feels like a message of America looking down on its people as it establishes its power.

Now I’m no art critic, so I won’t ramble on about the metaphors it may or may not stand for, but I will say that its effect left a

great impression on me, which is what art should do.

As you continue to walk around and look at the art hung on the walls or displayed on tables, and in one instance, on a rotating platform, you get to hear the artists talk about their work.

You get to overhear a husband and father of one describe how he used the measurements and characteristics of his wife’s body and daughter’s personality to assemble and create a wood carved statue of an African warrior.

You get to hear an artist talk about a canvas made entirely from tree bark and how the porcupine on the outer region of the canvas was the hardest to make because of the many layers of shaved bark she had to piece together in order for her little friend to actually feel like its physical self.

Hearing the artists talk about their work added another element that I wasn’t expecting. You hear the passion and the love that they put into what they create and you can’t help but smile. This aspect of ArtPrize where the artists are physically standing by their work, offering commentary on how they created what they did, is one of the best because you’re not only learning about the process of art, but you’re also learning about the visionaries who carefully craft their artwork.

THE BAD Now as I mentioned before, one of the signature attractions of ArtPrize this year seemed to be the gorilla statue outside of The B.O.B. I say attraction because that’s what it is. It feels like something that belongs outside of an amusement park with the name “Big Ape’s Fun Place.”

There’s another such attraction just a

couple of blocks over from The B.O.B that stands at a towering height of what seems like 30-feet tall. This would be a mechanical robot who shoots fire out of its hands, face and shoulders, and whose chest is glowing red with a man inside controlling this metallic behemoth.

While these attractions are a visual treat, what is there to actually gain beyond the wowing factor one might feel? What ArtPrize does well is bring in eyeballs, but when your eyeballs are doing all the work and your mind is taking a smoke break, it may be time to move on and find the actual art hidden in a dark corner by the bathroom.

While these theme park attractions have their faults, nothing is worse than the hip, outdoors store promoting itself as an “ArtPrize Venue” who’s actually displaying just one painting above the entrance doors in order to reel in potential customers.

Nothing says art like a painting surrounded by over priced North Face and Patagonia jackets.

Oh, and of course, I can’t forget about the four dimensional pieces of art strung together with different neon colored pieces of thread that look like a tiny light show hung under a set of stairs in the downtown market between the fresh sushi stand and the artisanal cheeses.

What I’m trying to say is that even though some of these local businesses contain real pieces of art, what they’re promoting isn’t the art at all, but rather what they offer as a business. When commercialism is put before art during an event literally titled “ArtPrize,” you may need to rethink your branding going forward.

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OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A6 | NEWS TECH

IT Department gathering student feedback for future tech upgrades

BY JACOB DEWEERD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State University Information Technology department is gathering student feedback on the state of technology at GVSU. Feedback provided by students will help the IT department formulate a plan for future technology upgrades.

The IT department gained valuable insight on which technology is satisfying students, and which technology could use some improvements following an event they hosted on Sept. 27. as well as a survey sent out to GVSU students.

Associate Vice President for IT Emil Delgado said the event was a success, and that valuable feedback was received from almost 200 student attendees. Many of the issues brought up were related to what the IT department is already working on.

“There were some pain points that we already knew existed and that we could address - printing locations, some things with mobile apps and cleaning up some of that experience,” Delgado said. “And there was Blackboard. We put out a feeler to see what you would like to see in the next learning

management system.”

Delgado said certain areas of frustration, including problems with printing, are being examined more closely to find out exactly what could be improved.

“The issue with printing was more location-based,” Delgado said. “Where is the right place? Is it resident halls they’re looking for, or just something closer? Or is it the labs that are just not available during the times when people want to print?”

Feedback was not strictly related to areas of frustration. Students spoke highly about the technology available in on-campus labs and the convenience of having a single username and password to log into labs and the many online services offered by GVSU. One idea for future technology at GVSU is the potential for a centralized mobile information experience that contains myriad resources, some of which could be specific to the student using it, Delgado said. Currently, GVSU offers several mobile apps like myGV, GVSU Laker Mobile, and myBlueLaker that all have different purposes.

“The feedback was that there are too many mobile apps,” Delgado said.

Delgado hypothesized about what a more tailored mobile information experience

might look like. The potential for an app or website that contains information specific to students’ majors, living centers, or extracurricular activities is real and could make it much easier for students to quickly find information relative to their daily needs.

“GVSU is a larger space with multiple campuses and centers, but what if the experience could be customized to you?” Delgado said. “If you’re in Seidman, maybe the background information is things that are happening in Allendale or another section of campus, but your primary information is where you get the most important stuff.

That’d be nice, wouldn’t it?”

While no more in-person events are planned, the IT department is going to continue in its collection of student feedback related to the technology at GVSU. That feedback will allow the department to identify areas of improvement, track problems, and find new ways to satisfy students’ technological needs.

“We need your feedback, and we are looking for more opportunities for students to provide it,” Delgado said. “That may be a place where you can freely go and let us know. We also just put out a new service portal at services.gvsu. edu where you can submit tickets, see a service

INSIGHT: The Information Technology Department at GVSU collects student feedback on campus technology and apps. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

catalog, and let us know about some of those challenges that students mentioned.”

On a personal level, Delgado wants to see upgrades in the ways students are using technology in their daily lives. He emphasized the convenience of using technology already in students’ possession in new and more useful ways.

LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

ADVOCACY

Retired GV professor returns to promote book on children’s rights

BY EMMA ARMIJO NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University welcomed former political science professor Richard Hiskes to campus to promote his new book “Suffer The Children: A Theoretical Foundation for the Human Rights of the Child,” on Oct. 14.

Hiskes, the founder of the Human Rights minor at GVSU, used the event as a platform to educate attendees about what can be done

about global human rights issues, and how children’s human rights are directly affected. His book calls attention to topics such as child enslavement and child poverty as evidence of society ignoring the human rights of children, despite nearly every nation in the world having legal documentation as to what those rights are.

During the event, Hiskes presented his argument for the acknowledgment of the human rights of children, and how such an acknowledgment can drastically improve

LITERATURE: Former GV faculty member Richard Hiskes came to campus to promote the recent release of his new book which addresses the human rights of children internationally. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

the lives of children internationally. He reminded attendees that though the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was ratified by nearly every nation, there are still 10 million children currently enslaved around the world and that human rights should get the attention it deserves so that those countries can be held accountable.

Political Science Professor and Director of the Human Rights Minor at GVSU, Karen Zivi, said Hiskes book talk challenged attendees’ perceptions of children’s rights, and the impact acknowledging them could have. “(Hiskes) challenged us to think about whether rationality should be the basis upon which we grant human rights to individuals,” Zivi said. “Why shouldn’t they be able to vote or have rights? He’s also suggesting to us that if we recognize children’s human rights, that might put some pressure on policymakers to address the climate crisis.”

Zivi said the book talk was a great opportunity for students to get to know what is going on in the world and to inspire students to take initiative to try to figure out how to address those things.

“One of the things that Professor Hiskes reminds us is that there’s a connection between children’s rights and environmental rights because young people will

be inheriting a climate crisis,” Zivi said.

“So part of what he was trying to get our students to think about is, what they can do to have an impact.”

The Human Rights minor, the program that Professor Richard Hiskes founded at GVSU, is an interdisciplinary minor with 19 credits housed in Brooks College allowing students to address both national and global human rights issues. Alumni of the program go on to complete Masters’ in human rights, law school, social work, and public health professions. Zivi said there is great work being done wherever they are.

“The Human Rights minor is wonderful because it allows people to think philosophically about an issue,” Zivi said. “It helps us understand the contemporary politics that we’re dealing with, like the rights of protestors, women and girls human rights, free speech rights, and these are global issues as well.”

“Suffer the Children: A Theoretical Foundation for the Human Rights of The Child” by Richard Hiskes is available in multiple bookstores, Barnes and Noble, and on Amazon.

The “Suffer the Children” event was held thanks to the generosity of the Joseph Stevens Freedom Endowment.

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A7 | NEWS POLITICS

DIVERSITY: Allendale County Commissioner Ryan Kelley commented on the international flags raised on the GVSU Pew Campus and some community members spoke out against and in favor of these claims. Kelley falsely accused GVSU in a Facebook and Tik Tok post of flying “Chinese Communist Party” flags and incorrectly cited the university’s improper positioning of the flags. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

GV responds to post from gubernatorial candidate

BY ELIZABETH SCHANZ NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Ryan Kelley, Allendale County Commissioner and candidate for Michigan governor, posted on Facebook and Tik Tok attacking the display of international flags on Grand Valley State University’s Downtown Pew campus, and falsely accusing the university of flying “Chinese Communist party” flags and incorrectly stating that the American flag must be in a higher position than the surrounding country’s flags.

The flag Kelley attacked was the People’s Republic on China’s flag and all flags were flown in accordance with the U.S. Flag code.

“GVSU Downtown Grand Rapids is flying a CCP (Chinese Communist Party) flag,” Kelly’s post said. “First, TAKE IT DOWN! It represents communism, dictatorship and oppression. Second, why would ANY of these flags be flying at the same height as the American flag? Raise the Stars and Stripes to be flown the highest!”

GVSU displays the flag of the United States of America, the State of Michigan and the GVSU flag as well as the countries of origin of international students. These flags are representative of the university’s goal of collaboration and inclusivity.

“Flags also represent active relationships with GVSU’s Van Andel Global Trade Center and with sister-city partnerships established by the City of Grand Rapids,” GVSU said in a statement. “The flag display is a visible sign of the university’s commitment to international relations and the welcoming of international students and visitors to our campuses.”

These international flags are also flown in accordance with the United States of America flag code which determines at what height flags are displayed. The many nations displayed on Pew Campus are in accordance with these guidelines.

Section 7G of the flag code states that when flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.

Nevertheless, Kelley’s post sparked outrage amongst people who took his word for both the meaning of the flag and the way in which the flags are displayed. Many of those who commented on Kelley’s Facebook and Tik Tok posts call out to others to remove the flag themselves, states that the education system and colleges are brainwashing students, or call to defund GVSU and contact the university about removing the flag.

Some students reacted to the posts both in support and against Ryan Kelley’s statements.

“I don’t want someone degrading our university like that, for something that is so polarizing and radical to believe,” Emily Kewel, a junior at GVSU said. “So I was honestly shocked but I also laughed because I could not understand how someone running for governor could believe that.”

Kewel said she has noticed GVSU’s continued effort to combat misinformation on campus through educating students on how to properly do research and seek more in-depth information about what they see

REPRESENTATION: GVSU responded to Ryan Kelley’s false claims about the flags with a statement outlining their commitment to welcoming the international students on campus. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

in the world around them. She also stood in support of the message of the flags and GVSU’s decision to display them.

“There is nothing wrong with being prideful in where you come from,” Kewel said. “Especially because America was founded on immigration.”

One of the individuals who initially believed Kelley’s statements about the height of the flags as improper was GVSU sophomore Noah Russell who, through his own research, discovered the flag code. Even with this correction, Russell still resonated with some of Kelley’s comments regarding other countries flying alongside the

American flag, regardless of the background.

“Most of me wants to say, ‘No we shouldn’t have their flag up there,’” Russell said. “I think there is probably a different way we could represent the people from those countries than having their flags flying at the same level as our flag.”

Russel said he supports Kelley and his standpoint regardless of this information and this support would “absolutely not” change regardless of whether or not Kelley redacts his comment of misinformation, saying “It’s just politics.”

A8&9 | NEWS

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

BURNOUT: Students notice a difference in stress levels as they adjust to the shift from online to in-person learning. Some students have admit that online learning has made them more lazy. GVL | LAUREN SEYMOUR

Midterms present new challenges as students return to in-person exams

BY KAY KELLER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Most college students will be able to tell people that burnout hits very hard by the time that midterms start. Everyone is exhausted, stressed and worried about their grades.

Responses to a Lanthorn survey showed that over half of the Grand Valley State University students who responded feel more confident going into midterms in their in-person classes than they felt online in previous semesters.

However, the way that students study has changed significantly since the transition to online learning and again from the move back to the physical classroom. Students are having to relearn how to study for in-person learning.

Students struggled a lot with the completely online classes in previous semesters. While most

appreciate the return to in-person learning, the change has not been easy.

“The online format over the last two years has instilled a new form of laziness in me,” GVSU student Anna Compton said. “I’ve discovered that I can scrape by not paying attention to professors and not being diligent because I could barely understand zoom lectures anyways.”

Online classes allowed students to zone out during lectures, rewatch segments that they had missed, and use their notes on quizzes and tests. Without the use of recorded lectures, students are having to rely on their memories and note-taking abilities to succeed in their classes, and may have forgotten how to.

“I haven’t had an in-person exam in two years, and during that time had the ability to rely on my notes,” GVSU student Kiara Wheeler said. “So going into an exam, now I have to

change the way that I study and memorize a lot more information.”

Many students find that they are able to focus more easily when they are outside of their home environment. The change of scenery and just the presence of other people being productive is helpful to the mindset of studying.

“I sleep and watch Netflix in my bedroom, play games and socialize in my apartment living room,” said GVSU student Natalie Price.

“I have associated the space with having fun.

When I change my scenery, I enter a space with no associations. It gives me a fresh start and allows me to focus because I don’t associate it with being distracted.”

Other students mentioned that they frequent the library for their study time. The more serious, school-centered environment makes it easier for students to focus just on their work. Being out of their apartments or dorms also forces stu-

dents to be out of their pajamas and away from at-home distractions.

In the survey, students also shared the methods of studying that worked best for them. Most students reported that rewriting their notes and making note cards or quizlets have been the most effective for them.

“In class, I take fast messy notes and try to translate the material to my own words,” said GVSU student Katie Rain Auberle. “I then later take those notes and rewrite them using pretty markers and pens and highlighters. I do this because it helps me look over the material again while having to get the essence of it in order to organize everything properly in my new notes.”

After two years of online learning, students and professors alike are struggling with being back in person. The workload is heavy, and while being in person makes learning less challenging, it does not necessarily make it easier.

MENTAL HEALTH: Students are skeptical of some GVSU professors’ approach to this fall break. Some have reported that their professors are assigning extra work during this short break. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON

Fall break returns after COVID-19 cancellation

BY GRACE SMITH NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Following the absence of last year’s fall break due to COVID-19, Grand Valley State University students have been looking forward to having a chance to spend time with their family and friends, and catch up on some much-needed rest and relaxation.

Spanning Sunday, Oct 24 through Tuesday, Oct. 26, students will be granted time to travel home to their families, catch up on assignments and decompress from the previous week’s midterms.

For many, this year’s fall break is being welcomed back with open arms in comparison to last year’s mental health days in place of mid-semester breaks. For students, issues

quickly arose when professors viewed these days as time to spend catching up on classwork and studying.

“Last year my professors viewed those days as days to do homework and would assign a heavier workload during those weeks which was frustrating,” said GVSU student Amara Klisch.. “This year my professors are saying we will have no homework due Saturday to Wednesday of that week which gives us a true break.”

Although GVSU stated that these days were intended to provide students with a much-needed break during the nearly nonstop semester, with no one to regulate, they became misconstrued as a time to catch up on assignments. Some students, like Mikaela Brzuchowski, said they worry the same will

happen to fall break.

“I’ve had a couple professors say that this fall break is meant for catching up on assignments and school which is kind of discouraging,” Brzuchowski said. “This is a lot of students’ first time back on campus in one and a half plus years. It’s been a big adjustment and is mentally exhausting.”

For many, the return of a full fall break is a welcome alternative to last year’s mental health days, as there are more opportunities to spend homework-free time with family and friends.

One of their suggestions towards helping with feelings of distress is using effective studying techniques, where you study for an amount of time and then take a short break.

Part of what makes fall break an important

part of the academic calendar is the largescale mirroring of this technique. GVSU student Jerzy Muscat said the break can be very helpful for students’ mental health if it is really treated as a break.

“It may not seem like a lot but having the break gives students a chance to relax,” Muscat said. “Having the break will be more beneficial than the mental health days if professors do not view the break as a way to catch up like the mental health days were last year.”

Students like Muscat are taking time over break to visit their families. Break being scheduled following a weekend, rather than in the middle of the week, gives students a chance to travel if they chose to.

A10 | LAKER LIFE LAKER LIFE

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

PHILANTHROPY

PARTICIPATE IN OPEN MIC NIGHT

On Monday Oct. 18 from 8 to 9:30 students can participate in open mic night at the Cook Dewitt Center. This event is free to attend and students can RSVP on LakerLink.

This event will be hosted by GV Stand Up in partnership with Anchored in Poetry and In The Margins Poetry Club. Students who are interested in attending can share anything they bring whether that be comedy, poetry, music or anything else.

STUDENTS GET YOUR GEAR FIXED

Twice a year there is a two-hour session where students can bring their broken items into the repair clinic to get them fixed. On Oct. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. students can visit the multipurpose room of Holton Hooker Living Center to take advantage of the repairs.

This event is being hosted by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. There will be faculty and volunteer staff there to fix items. They can fix missing buttons, jammed zippers, broken glasses, backpack straps and much more. These services are free to any Grand Valley State University student. During the clinic staff try to fix as much stuff as they can in the allotted time period.

In total, they have completed about 370 different services. There will be knitting instructions on site with yarn and knitting needles that those who are learning can keep. There will be snacks and small giveaways available as well for those who attend.

Students who attend can also speak with on hand advisors about any academic or scheduling questions.

DOES BIG TECH EQUAL BIG TROUBLE?

On Oct. 21 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. there will be a guest speaker talking about the possible issues with big technology. This event will take place at the DeVos E Loosmore Auditorium. The Hauenstein Center and the Acton Institute are inviting Carl Szabo, Vice President and general console at NetChoice, and Josh Hammer counsel and policy advisor at the Internet Accountability Project. These speakers will be reflecting on a new bills introduced by Congress, there have been five different bipartisan bills aimed to reign in big technology corporations. Politico is claiming this is Silicon Valley’s “most aggressive lobbying presence in Washington.” They are going to have a discussion on the implications of America’s tech sector.

DONATE BLOOD TO HELP SAVE LIVES On Thursday Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. students can visit the Kirkhof Center in room 2263 to donate blood. This will be in partnership with Versiti Blood Center of Michigan.

The blood that is donated will help benefit people in West Michigan. This event is being hosted by the Community Service Learning Center. There will be other opportunities for students to donate blood on Nov. 2 and Nov. 16. For those who are interested, RSVP on LakerLink.

PHILANTHROPY: Students decorate bras in preparation for Sigma Lambda Gamma’s Rocking Bras for Breast Cancer event. The fraternity’s national philanthropy is breast cancer awareness, raising money, spreading information about the disease and how to check for it yourself. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

Decorating bras for a cause

BY KAYLA WORTHY, LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many on-campus groups at Grand Valley State University are taking that opportunity to raise awareness and money for charities that work to fight for a cure.

All around GVSU there are signs to bring awareness about breast cancer and reminders for students and staff to check themselves during this month. All genders should regularly check themselves for lumps due to everyone having breast tissue, breast cancer isn’t only a woman’s issue.

This month students can participate in events that sponsor breast cancer awareness foundations. These groups work towards finding a cure for breast cancer, but they also help with prevention, diagnosing and treatment. One of GVSU’s sororities is working to raise awareness for the disease.

Sigma Lambda Gamma’s National Philanthropy is raising awareness for breast cancer.

During this month they annually host a bra decorating event in which their members and anyone else who attends can decorate bras with jewels, gems, feathers and more. All materials are provided by their organization.

“The bras that are decorated are used for our end-of-the-month event called ‘Rocking Bras for Breast Cancer,’” said Mia Guzman, president of the organization. “With this event, we will use the bras by having fraternities wear them and collect monetary donations in Kirkhof. We hold signs up with breast cancer facts and hand out pamphlets on how to check yourself for signs and symptoms for breast cancer.”

FRATERNITIES: Members of Sigma Lambda Gamma and other GVSU fraternities will wear the decorated bras to raise money for West Michigan organizations fighting breast cancer. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

All of the proceeds for this will be donated to help organizations in West Michigan that are working to fight against breast cancer.

Many fraternities on-campus are also willing to lend a helping hand in raising awareness by pairing up with Sigma Lambda Gamma.

“Most frats understand the importance of spreading awareness about breast cancer and that’s enough for them to get over their pride,” Guzman said. “It’s to raise money and it’s for a good cause. If their masculinity isn’t secure enough for the event though, that’s alright. There are many fraternities that will.”

Many of the people in attendance of the bra decorating event have loved ones who have been or are currently being affected by breast cancer. According to The American Cancer Society, in 2021 alone there will be 281,550 new cases of invasive

breast cancer in women.

“My mom just recently had surgery for breast cancer prevention since she had a high risk,” said Raven Worthy, a GVSU student.

Besides decorating bras, Sigma Lambda Gamma also sold stickers to raise money to fight breast cancer. They have also asked students to wear pink on certain days on their social media pages to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

By hosting these events, Sigma Lambda Gamma is hoping to raise awareness and lower the stigma around breast cancer.

Having these open conversations about the disease normalizes the issue. Students who attend these events can learn about the warning signs and symptoms associated with breast cancer.

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

A11 | LAKER LIFE

SEASONAL SPIRIT

Student get spooked at the Arboretum

BY STEVEN LAWRENCE LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

With Halloween approaching, many students on campus are getting into the spirit by going to haunted attractions. One of the biggest events that is returning to Grand Valley State University’s campus this year is the Haunted Arboretum, and it’s promised to be scarier than ever.

The Haunted Arboretum is a two-day event in which the arboretum gets turned into a scary walk-through trail. This event is usually put on by multiple different organizations and groups all across campus working together to make it the best it has ever been.

This year the Campus Activities Board and STAGE are working in collaboration.

This will be the Haunted Arboretum’s second annual year running. The event was originally created as a way to have Halloween activities with the ability to social distance during COVID-19. Due to the success CAB has decided to put on the event this year as well and they are hoping for many more.

CAB’s goal for the event, according to Director of Special Events Hannah Shafer, is to try to promote and get as many students as possible to come so the event can keep on growing.

Whereas STAGE’s goal for the event, according

HALLOWEEN HIJINKS: STAGE and Grand Valley’s Campus Activities Board partner up to give students a free fright during their Haunted Arboretum this fall season. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON

to Georgia Hessel the Public Relations Officer of STAGE, is focused more on acting and actually scaring those in attendance as well as developing their technology skills.

“Many of our club members will be in costume for the evening spooking participants, using both improv and scripted

plans,” Hessel said. “STAGE’s president, Nate Vedders, is stage managing for the show, accompanied by other E-Board and STAGE members in running lights, sound and keeping the show running smoothly.”

The ultimate goal is to scare attendees around every corner. There is so much time and

planning that goes into this event, and that can be seen in every tiny detail that there is.

“This event has stepped up a notch from last year and has so many more elements to it,” Shafer said. “The planning team has done a phenomenal job with making sure that it gets better and better each time.”

Many of the events CAB puts on are free for students to attend, this was no different.

Due to everything being on-campus and ran by students, the cost of production was cut down significantly than if it were an off-campus event. Events like this also gives STAGE members an opportunity to test their skills in a different setting than a theatre.

“It’s something I’ve never done before.

I love theatre, film, and producing collaborative art, but I’m usually in a behind-thescenes role,” Hessel said. “Being a scarer myself, I’m excited to try something new with my friends and scare the living daylights out of people. Last year I walked through the Haunted Arboretum as a participant- getting the opportunity to work on the other side of things will be an interesting change and an awesome learning and teamwork experience.

LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

ADVISING

Psychology department debuts new mentoring program CLEMENCE DANIERE LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

On Oct. 14 2021, the Grand Valley State University psychology department launched a new program called Psych Friends. The aim of this peer-to-peer mentorship program is to help students who are studying psychology and behavioral neuroscience at the undergraduate level.

After noticing a higher-than-before demand for help within the psychology department, the Psychology Retention Committee sent out a survey to many applicable students. They were then able to gauge how much help current students truly needed in addition to what specific areas they were struggling in the most. The psychology department hopes that this program will help students enhance their academic success through amplified time management skills and overall study skills.

As of right now, 11 mentors are volunteering their time to help students who seek them out. All mentors are GVSU students at either a junior or senior standing and will provide 20 hours per week on average of their time to the program and their fellow peers. This means that around 20 students will be able to get mentorship per week through this program.

Although fairly new, the members of the

program are hopeful that this opportunity will not only provide students with academic skills, but also build a tight-knit community within the psychology department for years to come.

“The overall goal is to build community within the psychology department,” said Allison Cox, a School of Psychology graduate student involved in the formation of the program.

She goes on to explain that students have explained hardships they have faced during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak and how that has negatively affected the social aspect of their schooling. This program aims to counteract this and provide students with a higher sense of well-being.

In order to help form this newfound community, the retention committee as well as a board of dedicated faculty members have planned engaging activities for the students.

As of now, these include a Family Feud style game night and a pizza party during which students can interact with faculty and peers on a deeper level. This will benefit the students by forming interpersonal relationships with their professors that are based on more than just academic responsibilities.

Cox, who helped create this program through the graduate assistant position noticed students asking for help in the psychology department and remembered how

she herself was able to overcome struggles with a mentorship program. This was the start of what is now Psych Friends.

“The retention committee and I started brainstorming ideas for a new program and kind of built it from the ground up,” Cox said.

Her experience in the field and passion for the subject were two traits that ignited the start of this program.

Students who are interested in this program will be able to refine their skills during their undergraduate experience as well as get help applying for graduate programs. Furthermore, mentors are hoping to help students figure out their path in life beyond graduate school and in a more career-focused way.

In order to join the mentorship program as a mentee, students must log onto their navigate portal and select the mentorship program. This process is similar to the signup for tutoring lessons at GVSU. Available time slots have officially been released Oct. 14 and will be available until full.

This mentorship program is offered in-person in the Au Sable Hall psychology tutoring room as well as online if needed.

For more information visit @gvsu.psychfriends on Instagram and @gvsupsychfriends on Facebook.

PEER-TO-PEER: The psychology department is launching a peer lead mentorship. GVL | GVSU

A12 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM ANNOUNCES HERITAGE FESTIVAL The Grand Rapids Public Museum has announced that their Ethnic Heritage Festival will return in late fall.

On Saturday, Nov. 13 guests of all ages are welcome to come and enjoy live dancing, musical performances, engaging presentations, and interactive table displays.

There will also be two new exhibitions to highlight the diversity and culture of the Native population in West Michigan. They will be called, “Anishinabek: The People of this Place” and “Newcomers: The People of this Place.”

The museum cafe will also have a variety of foods from various cultures available for purchase.

Festival events will be included with general admission to the museum.

JOHN BALL ZOO HOSTS SPOOKY WEEKENDS The John Ball Zoo will be hosting one more weekend full of their “Zoo Goes Boo” children events presented by Meijer.

On Oct. 22-24 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the zoo will once again be transformed with Halloween decorations, costumes and candy.

This year their spooky treat stations have returned and will serve as trick-or-treating locations throughout the zoo.

According to the zoo’s website, strolling entertainment will be present, and some villains will be stopping in from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays.

As the events are for children, the zoo asks that no masks cover faces and adults in costumes dress appropriately.

In an attempt to be more environmentally conscious, the zoo asks guests to bring a reusable treat bag, or purchase one from their gift shop.

They also recommend that families make mindful choices when shopping for Halloween candy. Those interested in how to do so can find a quick reference to certified Halloween candy on the zoo’s website.

The zoo suggests buying from companies that are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil or chocolate products that are certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

GV MUSIC, THEATRE, DANCE DEPARTMENT HOSTS SECOND PERFORMER FROM GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY The Grand Valley State University Music, Theatre and Dance Department is hosting their second performer from the Grand Rapids Symphony, Alexander Miller, for Oboe Master Classes.

On Oct. 18 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Miller will host classes in the Sherman van Solkema Recital Hall in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.

Miller joined the Grand Rapids Symphony as its Assistant Principal Oboe in 1992.

Beforehand, he completed his Master’s degree at The Juilliard School while he was a substitute and stage band oboist with the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Miller is currently a member of Ensemble Montage, a chamber group that dedicates themselves to performing unusual works from the past century. Over the summer he plays with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California.

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

COMEDY

GV’s Subject to Change is back with spooks and smiles

BY ALLISON RAFFERTY ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s comedy improv group, Subject to Change, hosted their first show of the Fall 2021 semester.

“Improv of Fright,” was held on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center on the university’s Allendale campus. The show marked the first show of the group’s ninth season, and it was a Halloween-themed performance. Tickets could be reserved through GVSU’s website, and GVSU community members could attend the show free of charge.

Improv of Fright also marked the group’s first in-person show with no capacity limit since the beginning of the pandemic. Audience members could sit safely together, in contrast to the original post-pandemic set up of attendees sitting four rows and two seats apart.

President of Subject to Change and biomedical sciences major, Mason Kolanowski, said the group was amped and ready for their first show after being removed from normalcy for so long.

“I am so excited to be back,” Kolanowski said. “I haven’t had a real, normal performance in so long, so it is nice to be finally getting closer to normal.”

Per their usual performances, Improv of Fright lasted about an hour and consisted of

IMPROV: Subject to Change held a Halloween themed show for their first performance of the season. For the first time since the pandemic began there was no capacity limit. GVL | AUBREE WAGNER

many audience interactions and suggestions.

There were seven Subject to Change members who participated in the performance. A few members of GVSU student theatre organization STAGE also helped with technological elements for the show.

Kolanowski said he has a lot of goals set for Subject to Change this season.

“I want to grow our audience for one,” Ko-

lanowski said. “I think everyone should come out and laugh with us. It is so therapeutic.

Also, I want us all to get to be better improvisers. Improv is a life skill, so growing the talent is more than just beneficial for being funny, but also in real life.”

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ORGANIZATION

Student illustrators share and create new work on campus

BY MARY RACETTE ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

A passion for illustration is shared within the Student Interest Group for Illustrators (SIGIL) on Grand Valley State University’s campus. This organization has provided a community for people of all different backgrounds to unite in expressing themselves through art.

Assistant Director of Illustration and Foundations Guin Thompson has been one of the faculty advisors for SIGIL since the group was formed in 2014. The organization was created to meet the campus’ needs of having a group centered around illustration.

“We wanted to have more opportunities for students to exhibit their work and connect with the industry,” Thompson said.

Students who are a part of SIGIL are offered opportunities to show their work in a gallery. They are known to show their

work in the Calder Arts Center student gallery and around Downtown Grand Rapids. This gives students a chance to create work that they may potentially include in a portfolio.

While most people in SIGIL are art students, the events are open to the whole GVSU community. Students from various different art disciplines are involved in the group. Disciplines such as graphic design, film and video, printmaking, painting and photography.

Students new to the illustration program or curious about the career path of illustration can benefit from this club through the various skill-building experiences.

SIGIL holds workshops and invites guest speakers to events. These opportunities help broaden students’ skill sets in illustration and art.

“It is a great way for people to learn about what the major actually is and what

DRAW: Student illustrators with a passion for the craft come together. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON

illustrators do,” Thompson said. “It helps us connect with other areas that sort of intersect with illustration like animation and film and video.”

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OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

A13 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ANNIVERSARY

The Pyramid Scheme celebrates, reflects on a decade of success

BY MARY DUPUIS ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Pyramid Scheme is a bar, a music venue, and a pinball arcade rolled into one hot spot in the Heartside Neighbourhood in downtown Grand Rapids.

As The Pyramid Scheme was unable to celebrate its 10 year anniversary in April 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, the venue will now be raising a glass during their sold-out show on Oct. 20 featuring performances from The Menzingers, The Dirty Nil, and Worriers.

With their cheers to 10 years has come some time for reflection for co-owner Tami VandenBerg.

She and her brother, Jeff VandenBerg, had originally opened a neighborhood pub called The Meanwhile on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids.

The two were very interested in live music, but Tami VandenBerg said the pub was a bit too small, and the neighbors were not very enthusiastic about the idea.

She said as soon as the pub turned over a profit, they bought their current residence and the idea for The Pyramid Scheme was launched into action.

However, the building wasn’t as ready for the brother and sister duo as they were for it.

Before the two fixed it up in 2011, the building had housed a dance club in the 90s and early 2000s. It had been vacant for many years and

CELEBRATE: The Pyramid Scheme combines a bar, 24 pinball machines, and a concert venue all into one place. They host shows, tournaments, political events, and local artwork. GVL | RACHEL SLOMBA

was full of mold. Numerous times, the city had wanted to tear it down.

“We had to get very serious people in here to get rid of all of that,” Tami VandenBerg said.

“It was in really, really horrendous condition.

I understood why people wanted to knock it down, but the bones were good. It was all brick and cement so we took it down to the bone and rebuilt it how we wanted it.”

Despite this, the building’s long history before the dance club and The Pyramid Scheme is actually what led to it being perfect for the VandenBerg’s.

In 1926 the building was a car dealership and cars were parked on top of the building to be showcased.

“What’s great about that is they reinforced the roof so intensely that we don’t have any

giant poles or barriers,” VandenBerg said. “To find a building this size where there aren’t support beams throughout it that would obstruct peoples’ views is virtually impossible, so the fact that that’s what it is is very beneficial to our business.”

Now, the venue is open every day from 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

The front bar is only open to those ages 21 and older. However, the concert venue is open depending on the artist’s preference for the show. Most shows are 21+, but some are 18+ or all ages.

VandenBerg said the venue doesn’t focus on a specific musical genre. They pull artists from the regional and local scenes.

“It’s a fascinating sort of chain,” VandenBerg said. “We’re trying to get the bigger acts...Anyone we think might be interested in playing we’ll pursue. Then while we’re pursuing them, smaller acts, particularly local acts but also tours from all over the country, are pursuing us.

So it’s a bit of a dance.”

The Pyramid Scheme not only hosts musical artists, but also comedy shows, private parties, DJs, dance parties, and political events.

VandenBerg said for six or seven years, the venue has hosted “LadyFest,” a festival focused on people that identify as women.

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AUTHOR

GV holds second installment of Writers Series

BY AYRON RUTAN ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State University Writers Series held their second installment of the series, welcoming award-winning author Sejal Shah, to read from her work and hold a Q&A session with audience members.

In order to combat the COVID-19 pandem-

WRITING: The second event featured renowned author, Sejal Shahis, on Zoom. COURTESY | GVSU

ic, the event was held virtually on Oct. 14 over Zoom by the GVSU Department of Writing.

Sejal Shahis is the daughter of Gujarati parents who immigrated to the United States from India and Kenya. Her work is dedicated to exploring race, place, belonging, and South Asian American history.

Her debut memoir, “This Is One Way to Dance,” has won awards and her stories and essays have appeared on numerous platforms online and in print, including “Brevity” and “Guernica.”

This collection of essays draws on Shah’s ongoing interests in ethnicity and place. More specifically, she uses it to explore the geographic and cultural distances between people, both real and imagined.

Shahis is the recipient of a 2018 New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fellowship in Fiction and residencies or fellowships from Blue Mountain Center, Kundiman, The Millay Colony, and the Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshop.

She received her BA in English from Welles-

ley College and her MFA in fiction from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Shah is currently at work on a memoir about mental health and academia. She also teaches creative writing in community-based workshops, as well as privately. GVSU Associate Professor of Writing, Amorak Huey, said he was extremely excited to have Shah be a part of the Writer’s Series, as he has taught her work to his classes before.

“I’ve taught Sejal Shah’s essays on nonfiction and introduction to creative writing courses for a long time,” Huey said. “She is a thoughtful essayist whose work takes on difficult, important questions about race and identity in 21st-century America — and she does so with such beauty in her language.”

Huey said he believes that her reading and work have a nice correlation with the curriculum being taught to all writing students.

“When we put together the Writer’s Series, we’re always looking for a range of voices, for writers working in a variety of genres,” Huey said. “We knew we wanted a nonfiction author,

and this reading takes place at the same time as our nonfiction class. It’s about finding a writer whose work complements our curriculum.”

He said the event also held a certain amount of significance and offered a number of benefits to the Laker community. He said that it gave students an opportunity to come into contact with professional writing outside of school, and to see what is behind that writing.

“The Writers Series offers Grand Valley students a chance to connect with accomplished, nationally known authors,” Huey said. “These events are a chance to encounter writing outside of the classroom and to see the real people behind the words. We are really lucky to be able to bring in writers of such high caliber — I think our lineup of writers is as good as any university writers series in the country.”

The Writer’s Series will host their third installment on Friday, Nov. 12 with a poetry reading from award-winning poets Nandi Comer and Sumtia Chakraborty from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom.

A14 | SPORTS QUICK HITS GV CROSS COUNTRY TAKES FIRST AT JAYHAWK INVITATIONAL The men’s cross country team traveled to Norton Shores, MI for the Jayhawk Invitational, ending the meet with three Lakers in the top ten finishers. Coming in first place on Saturday, Oct. 16 was redshirt freshman Scott Spaanstra with a time of 25.48.92, followed by redshirt freshman Justin Hill in second with 26.15.00.

Freshman Foster Thorburn, rounded out the top ten finishers in fifth with a time of 26.35.44. The Lakers had another three runners in the race, totaling out to 36 points with Lansing and St. Clair County Community behind them in the top three spots.

The women’s team had a few personal bests on Saturday, starting with junior Jeannee Hill coming in fifth with a PB of 19.18.62. Redshirt freshman Paige McLoon also ran her PB with a time of 19.29.64 for seventh place, followed

by Kaylee Thompson in tenth and Cameron Cleveland in fifteenth. The women did not have a team score, but this weekend marks the beginning of the cross country GLIAC Championships, starting Saturday, Oct. 23 against Saginaw Valley State University.

GV SWIMMING AND DIVING SWEEPS LEWIS IN HOME POOL As the Grand Valley State University swimming and diving teams begin their winter season, both the men’s and women’s teams took down Lewis University on Saturday, Oct. 16 for their second competition so far. On the women’s team, the overall score was 180-47, taking first place in all of the 13 events. The Lakers stole the first three places in the 1,000 free, the 200 free, the 200 IM, the 1-meter diving, the 100 fly, the 100 free and the 100 backstroke, while both of the relay teams took first in the 200 free and the 200 medley.

The men’s team had just as much luck on Saturday, scoring 151-75 with first place spots in 10 of the 13 events. The 1,000 free, 200 free, 50 free, 1-meter diving, 100 fly, 100 back, 500 free and 3-meter diving all had first place individual finishers, with both relay teams securing first as well. This weekend, the GVSU swimming and diving teams will compete against Saginaw Valley State University on Friday, Oct. 22, and Calvin University Saturday, Oct. 23.

GV WOMEN’S SOCCER CONTINUES WIN STREAK WITH NUMBER 12 OF THE SEASON For their twelfth game overall and their eighth game in the GLIAC, the Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team took down Northern Michigan University (6-7) on Sunday, Oct. 17. The no. 1 ranked Lakers competed on the home field for Alumni Day and a 4-3 win.

An early goal in the first half by NMU was answered by DeLoach with a goal just before the halftime break to tie up the score 1-1. As the second half began, NMU put another goal in the net, followed by another goal by DeLoach to tie the score up once again, but senior forward Catie Baron put hers in the net to put the Lakers in the lead 3-2. One more goal from NMU was quickly diffused by DeLoach’s second hat trick of the season for the final goal of the game.

GVSU’s next game will take place on Friday, Oct. 22 against Michigan Tech University on the home field.

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

RIVALRY

GV Football battles hard in the AnchorBone Classic, falling to rival Ferris

BY ZACK GOODROW AND HOLLY BIHLMAN SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

For the fifth year in a row, the no. 6 Grand Valley State University (5-1) football team lost the annual face-off against no. 3 Ferris State University (6-0) in a devastating final result. GVSU had lost the past four matchups against FSU, this time being defeated with a final score of 35-28.

On the first drive of the game, GVSU sophomore quarterback Cade Peterson capped off an impressive nine-play, 70-yard drive with a 33-yard rushing touchdown.

FSU quickly answered back on their next drive. Receiver Tyrese Hunt-Thopmson ran past GVSU senior cornerback Allante Leapheart to catch a touchdown pass from FSU QB Jared Bernhardt.

Tied at 7-7, the Lakers offense was hot.

Their running game couldn’t be slowed down led by Peterson and senior back Bryce YoungWalls. Peterson was impressive all game using his legs to avoid FSU pass rushers and to move the chains. On the end of their second drive however, Peterson was picked off after throwing a pass into a crowded FSU secondary.

Reeling from their first turnover of the game, the Lakers were helped out by the record breaking crowd in Lubbers Stadium.

17,007 fans helped distract FSU’s offense when they were flagged an unbelievable four times in a row due to false starts.

HEART BREAKER: The no. 6 ranked Lakers fell to the no. 3 ranked Bulldogs in their sixth game of the season, leaving GVSU with their first loss and breaking their undefeated record. GVL | TYLER MORRIS

Unfortunately for the Lakers, FSU was able to gain a new set of downs after chipping away at their 1st and 30 starting position. In the first half, GVSU’s defense struggled with tackling and stopping FSU on third downs. Ferris State’s receivers were also able to find holes in the Lakers secondary. Bernhardt was especially effective in the play action game as well as scrambling for first downs. FSU’s second drive of the game

ended with a touchdown to take a 14-7 lead.

FSU’s next drive in the second quarter ended differently for GVSU. Junior DB Jon’Tavous Webb had an impressive interception to give the ball back to Peterson and the offense, and the chance to tie the game before the half ended.

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VOLLEYBALL

GV Volleyball has near perfect weekend at Midwest Region Crossover

BY JUSTICE STEINER SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State University (127) womens’ volleyball team traveled to Hammond, Indiana this past weekend to compete in the annual Midwest Region Crossover tournament.

The tournament featured all schools from three separate conferences: the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, the GLIAC,

SWEEP: The GVSU volleyball team swept one of their three match ups for the win. GVL | ARCHIVES

and the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The teams only play against schools from the two opposing conferences.

GVSU came into the tournament looking to bounce back from two consecutive losses, as they fell to Saginaw Valley State University (12-7) and Wayne State University (15-5) the previous weekend.

“Honestly, we kept our training short this week,” said coach Jason Johnson. “We had kids out due to illness and with a short week after playing on Sunday (Oct. 10), we didn’t make any big changes.”

Their first match of the tournament came Friday, Oct. 15, as the Lakers took on Ohio Dominican University. The Panthers came into the match 11-7 overall on the season, while the Lakers were sitting at a similar 9-7 record. Both teams came into the match looking to snap a two-match losing streak.

The first set started in a back-and-forth fashion, neither team separating themselves early on. With the score at 19-15 in favor of the Lakers, senior middle blocker, Jayla Wesley, had a key block to begin a 6-1 run for the Lakers to close out the set, giving GVSU a 1-0 lead over

the Panthers.

That momentum carried forward into set two, as the Lakers got out to a quick 8-1 lead. GVSU continued that dominance throughout the rest of the second set, defeating the Panther 25-13.

Set three was a continuation of the previous set as the Panthers struggled to keep up with the Lakers. Another quick start for GVSU got them out to a commanding 15-4 lead. The Lakers never looked back, winning set three 25-12 and sweeping the Panthers 3-0. “(Prior to the match) we talked with our kids about focusing on themselves, bringing an intentional focus to the gym every day, whether competing or training,” Johnson said.

Following the sweep, the second and final match of the day for the Lakers came against the University of Indianapolis. The Lakers found themselves in a similar situation at the end of the first set, leading 18-16 and looking to pull away from the Greyhounds.

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OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A15 | SPORTS

Column

FOOTBALL

Give Matthew Stafford the credit he deserves

BY BRIAN BLOOM SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

When you hear the word “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) in a conversation about football, who do you think of? The first names that come to the majority of fans’ minds are quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, or perhaps even Aaron Rodgers. All three have had tremendous success over the last couple years, all winning the award in one of the past three seasons.

When I think of MVP, former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford comes to my mind. On Sunday Oct. 24, fans will get to witness the reunion of Stafford and the Lions; the team that deprived him of a plethora of accolades and career accomplishments. Vastly underrated throughout his illustrious career, it’s time to start giving him the credit and recognition that he deserves.

Stafford has been overlooked his entire career for numerous reasons. He has seen a

lack of team success, his best seasons have been overshadowed by another player who barely outplays him, and he is just now getting the opportunity to display his talents on a playoff team.

Stafford has been the victim of an ill-fated organization for his entire career. In 12 seasons with Detroit, he has only been a part of four winning teams, three of which made the playoffs and lost in the wildcard round. The organization has made no conscious effort to build a true playoff contender. They failed to satisfy Calvin Johnson, one of the greatest receivers of this generation, they didn’t build a reliable running game, and the defense for the vast majority of his tenure in Detroit was nothing short of disappointing.

This lack of success, especially in the playoffs, has largely been attributed to the reasoning as to why Stafford isn’t associated with the all-time great quarterbacks. Jason Ross, a journalist for Sports Illustrated says that Stafford owns the record for the most wins by a quarterback in Lions’ history, but

QUARTERBACK: Matthew Stafford was traded by the Detroit Lions this year and has joined the Los Angeles Rams, facing off against his old team on Sunday, Oct. 24. COURTESY | LA TIMES

the lack of playoff success puts a divide between him and all-time great quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Rodgers.

This irreverence towards Stafford shouldn’t be attributed to his individual play; the organization didn’t do enough to help him succeed. In 165 games played in Detroit, he was sacked an absurd 385 times, which is almost three sacks per game. In

five games with the Rams, he has only been sacked four times. The Lions have made a lackadaisical effort to protect Stafford throughout his service with the team.

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WOMEN’S SOCCER

GV Women’s Soccer takes eleventh win of the season in the Battle of the Valleys

BY JOSH CARLSON SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

WINNING TEAM: The no. 1 GVSU women’s soccer team is now 8-0-1 in the GLIAC. GVL | ARCHIVES

The no. 1 Grand Valley State University (11-0-1) women’s soccer team fought until the very end of the match against Saginaw Valley State University (6-2-2) on Friday Oct. 15 to pull out their eleventh win of the season in the Battle of the Valleys.

Coach Jim Conlon was proud of his girls for battling through some trials that this match brought and knows this match will be one that helps his team come time for postseason play.

“It was a really high-quality soccer match,” Conlon said. “Field conditions were a little squishy for both teams, and I think that impacted the play of both teams to get into their rhythm. But again, just proud of our resolve and response to the situation at hand.”

Although the Lakers pulled out a win, it didn’t come easy for them as they uncharacteristically headed into the second half down 1-0. Conlon told the girls in the halftime meeting to stay calm and search for a way to stick to Laker soccer.

“The message was to find a way to play

our style regardless of the conditions,” Conlon said. “While both teams are trying to find their feet, so to speak, with the style of play that the day was dictating; we just tried to stick to the style of play that we were capable of doing. Execute our style of soccer, and it led to three second-half goals.”

Heading into that second half, the Lakers got a spark from the GLIAC’s leading goal-scorer, junior forward, Greta DeLoach just a minute into play tying the game 1-1. DeLoach has found her rhythm and place on the team and has been a huge contributor to the Laker offense.

“I think we have got a great group of women that all have different gifts to them,” Conlon said. “And trying to put the best unit on the field regardless of what various talents they bring in. So just really excited for her, along with all of her teammates to give what they have to the team for the best team success.”

After the DeLoach goal, sophomore forward Kennedy Bearden joined the action with a goal at the 62-minute mark from an assist by senior defender Cecilia Steinwascher. SVSU wouldn’t go away

easily after tying the game once again in a late-game 83-minute goal from Reegan Kingpavong, making the score 2-2.

Then, with only minutes remaining in regulation, freshman forward Taylor Reid followed a deflection and scored her second game-winning goal of the season to get the Lakers the 3-2 win and push the no.1 Lakers to 11-0-1 on the season.

Conlon has talked this season about learning from practice and games to get better every time the Lakers suit up to go on the field. Conlon said this match had a great thing to take on for the rest of the season.

“Obviously we found ourselves down one, and then tied late in two different times in the game, and they just stick together and find a way to get a way to get that result,” Conlon said. “I think that’s a really important piece. Making sure that even though the situation has our backs against the wall, that we find a way to be there for each other and not against each other.”

The Lakers will play their seventh home game this Friday, Oct. 22 against Michigan Tech University (8-4).

OCTOBER 18, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A16 | SPORTS MEN’S GOLF

GV Men’s Golf competes in their final tournament of the fall season

BY JAMES HERRICK SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

On Sunday, Oct. 10, and Monday, Oct. 11 the Grand Valley State University men’s golf team competed at their final tournament of the 2021 fall season at the Motor City Invitational in Dearborn, Michigan. The Lakers finished in seventh out of the 15 teams in the field.

The highlight for GVSU was redshirt freshman Charlie DeLong. DeLong finished the 36-hole tournament with a score of 9-under par (135). This score was good enough for him to walk away with an individual win, beating out the second-place finisher Simon Estrada from Georgia Southwestern three strokes. This is DeLong’s second individual win of the season as he also won the Arendsen Invitational on Sept. 5.

As a team, the Lakers finished in seventh place netting a total score of 13-over par (589). Alongside DeLong, redshirt freshman Nick Krueger finished tied for 22nd with a score of one-

DEFEAT: The men’s golf team wrapped up their fall season at the Motor City Invitational, scoring seventh in a disappointing end to a promising season with one golfer in the top three. GVL | ARCHIVES

over par (145), redshirt freshman Drew Coble finished the tournament eleven-over par, Junior Eric Nunn carded a twelve-over par (156), and sophomore Alex Jordan finished 15-over par (159).

The tournament was won by Georgia Southwestern who finished with a team score of 12-under par (564).

Coach Gary Bissell expressed that this performance was not what the Lakers were hoping for heading into the event. While their first few events were successful, they fell apart heading into the end.

“Well, it went pretty poorly,” Bissell said. “We did not get much out of most

of our lineup. Charlie (DeLong) played great but one guy can’t give you an event. It was just disappointing.”

For DeLong, it is always a great feeling to play well and get an individual win; however, winning as a team is always nice as well.

“It was definitely a great way to end the season and go into the offseason,” DeLong said. “Winning is always fun--it is what we are trying to do every week, so it was good to get the job done. I would have liked to have a better team finish but we will get to work on that winter.”

Despite not meeting expectations towards the end of the fall season, GVSU men’s golf can still look back on the season with some positives. The Ardensen Invitational put them in a really good spot right at the beginning of the season, beating Findlay by 14 points and Indianapolis University by 22.

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CLUB

GV Club Pompon returns to the Griffins for season opener

BY HOLLY BIHLMAN SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

For the first time in over a year, the Grand Valley State University club pompon team took over the Jumbotron at Van Andel arena after the first period

of the Griffins’ season opener game to perform in front of a packed house this past Friday, Oct. 15.

The sport of pompon is a blended version of cheer, dance and stunt work, and the GVSU team recruits

BACK IN ACTION: The Club Pompon team took to the ice for the first time in over a year to perform one of their routines after the first period of the Griffins game. COURTESY | GV POMPON FACEBOOK

from all of these angles for incoming freshman, transforming them into what pompon is all about.

“It’s a very particular kind of sport,” said coach Keirsten Lone. “Our primary things are using the colors of our poms to be aesthetically pleasing to the audience, so we do a lot of things with two different colors to make it interesting. We do a kick line, we do the normal jumps that you’d see in cheer, and a little bit of stunting.”

On Friday, the team was sporting blue and white poms with a routine that included all of the impressive elements that make for a fantastic visual show.

With only two seniors on the team, no juniors and a significant number of underclassmen, the show was a first for the majority of the team.

Last year, the team had the opportu-

nity unlike a lot of other sports teams to compete in all the same events that they usually do, but virtually. The Mid American High Kick Championships that take place in the fall, the Mid American Pompon State Championships in the winter, and the Dance Team Union competition were all events that allowed virtual submissions during COVID-19. For the Lakers’ first time competing in the Dance Team Union Championships last year, they brought home first place.

“This is our first performance back in front of a live crowd, and I know for me at least it was really nerve-wracking,” said senior President Sarah McBain.

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