Grand Valley Lanthorn vol. 56 no. 11

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

Campus Dining Concerns Continue UFC assembles to find solutions

Managing student loans: GV students weigh in

LOANS | A5

Makenna Schoolman’s triumphant return to the field SOCCER | A12

M O N D A Y, N OV E M B E R 1 , 2 02 1 // VO L . 5 6 N O. 1 1

@ GV L A N T H O R N

LANTHORN.COM

A2 | NEWS

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS BRIEFS

TEXTBOOKS

GV COVID-19 CAMPUS DATA UPDATE

Student Senate continues data collection, education on OER

The GVSU community has had a cumulative total of 4,001 cases since Aug. 1, 2020.

The university’s update for this brief was from Friday, Oct. 22.

Through testing results this past week, GVSU’s Virus Action team have so far reported 81 current active cases including six faculty members, three staff members, 15 on-campus students, 22 “off-campus Ottawa” students, 25 “off-campus Kent” students and 10 “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.

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, 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 81% of students report being fully vaccinated, while approximately 83% of faculty and staff reports being fully vaccinated.

There are currently 2,095 students and 141 faculty/staff with approved vaccination exemptions.

Testing and Incidence: GVSU’s own testing program has performed 103,061 tests overall since Aug. 1, 2020, for a cumulative positivity rate of 1.9% 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.

GV NAMED GREEN COLLEGE IN PRINCETON REVIEW

The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2022 Edition named Grand Valley State University on a list of 420 colleges.

This is the 12th year that GVSU has been included in the guide.

The list is based on a review of 840 colleges. According to the Princeton Review website, the ranking was based on school-reported data and student opinion, collected via survey. The guide includes schools that demonstrate a high quality of life for students that is both healthy and sustainable, prepare students for citizenship and employment in sustainability and has environmentally responsible policies.

BY JOSH ALBURTUS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

With International Open Access Week spurring new efforts from Grand Valley State University student government, lower textbook costs may be coming to the university.

Working with University Libraries representatives, the Educational Affairs Committee of GVSU’s Student Senate has already begun work on data collection and education efforts surrounding open educational resources (OER) in hopes of working with the university to drive down textbook costs. This week, the committee took their outreach efforts one step further, offering a workshop for the full Student Senate to connect to the needs of their constituents and contemplate how more access to OER could resonate with and satisfy the needs of students.

“As student senators, you have the ability to sit on most of the committees if not all of the committees that make things happen at the university and almost all of those committees have some way that you could bring up the conversation around OER in them,” said GVSU’s Scholarly Communications Outreach

COMMITTEE: To drive down the cost of textbooks, GVSU’s Student Senate is teaming up with the Educational Affairs Committee during the International Open Access Week. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

Coordinator Matt Ruen.

Coordinating with Ruen, Senator Chrystina Ochsankehl led the workshop to prompt constituent-oriented discussion and talk more about the benefits of OER outside its reduction of student textbook costs.

“I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m looking for books for my classes,

I wait for weeks to get them because they’re not in stock,” Ochsankehl said. “Comparatively, for OER, you get access to your textbooks immediately.”

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POLICE

Muskegon Police Department continues investigation into death of GV student

BY AUDREY WHITAKER & HANNA HALSTEAD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Muskegon Police Department is continuing to investigate the death of Taleah Lowe, an 18-year-old GVSU student who drowned near Pere Marquette beach in Muskegon on Oct. 14.

TRAGEDY: The Muskegon Police Department continues their investigation into the death of Taleah Lowe two weeks ago. GVL | ARCHIVES

In a press release on Oct. 15, the Muskegon Police department said the Medical Examiners office had ordered an autopsy be performed following recovery of the body. Muskegon Police Department Captain Shawn Bride said that investigators are still awaiting post-mortem results from a pathologist.

“This is an open and ongoing investigation, with post mortem results pending,” Bride said. “I’ll have more details after the pathologist gives us a final report.”

GVPD shared on social media on Oct. 19 that the Muskegon Police Department report said there was nothing to indicate foul play.

“One of Lowe’s classmates with her at the beach called 911 at 10:46 pm on Oct. 14 reporting a water emergency with a missing swimmer, and Muskegon Fire Department Divers recovered Ms. Lowe’s body at approximately 1:26 am on Oct. 15 in the water,” Bride said.

Bride said strong rip currents were re-

ported in the area where Lowe was last known to be located, an area bordered just to the north by an over 2,600-foot long channel break wall.

GVPD Assistant Director of Public Safety Captain Jeff Stoll said the Muskegon Police Department has not contacted GVPD for further information regarding the investigation.

“GVPD has not been contacted by the Muskegon Police Department to do any follow-up or to help them with anything,” Stoll said.

Since the incident occurred in Muskegon, over 35 miles from GVSU, GVPD said it does not fall within their jurisdiction to investigate. However, Stoll said GVPD have not identified any threat of safety for GVSU students or the campus as a whole.

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A3 | NEWS

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS

APARTMENTS

TEXTBOOKS

| A2

GV students explore housing options

EDITORIAL

| A4

BY EMMA ARMIJO NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

FINANCE

| A5 | A6-7

SPREAD DISCUSSION

| A8

LAKER LIFE

| A9

ARTWORK

| A10

FOOTBALL

| A11

SOCCER

| A12 VOL. 5 6

NO. 11

Lanthorn EDITORIAL STAFF

Layout Editor VIVIANA RUBIO

Editor-in-Chief ZACK GOODROW Associate Editor MARY RACETTE

Layout Designer KHOI TRAN PROMOTIONS

Associate Editor XAVIER GOLDEN News Editor AUDREY WHITAKER

Promotions Manager ALEX DAGOSTINO ADVERTISING STAFF

Sports Editor HOLLY BIHLMAN Laker Life Editor SABRINA EDWARDS

Advertising Manager JOSH HENGTGEN BUSINESS STAFF

A&E Editor MARY DUPUIS Image Editor MEGHAN LANDGREEN

Business Manager RACHEL MCDOWELL 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.

Grand Valley State University students are beginning to explore where they’re going to live next year, while local apartment and housing complexes start their 2022 sign-on campaigns. Apartment complexes around the Allendale area are offering sign-on bonuses and other discounts to those who sign their leasing agreements early.

Many students begin searching for future housing options in the fall. There are many benefits to starting the housing search early, rather than waiting until the springtime.

Many local housing complexes operate on something resembling a tiered leasing system; as time gets closer to the start of the fall 2022 semester, lease rates increase. If students are able to act fast and get signed early, they can avoid having to pay higher rent fees.

Canvas Townhomes in Allendale is one of the apartment complexes using the tier system. Leasing Agent Holly Sayre said there is a system behind the process at Canvas.

“We have a set number of leases that can be signed at the base price,” Sayre said. “So as leases continue to get signed, we move up in tier and that price does increase.”

Canvas Townhomes are not the only complex to use this technique. At Campus West Apartments, the best deals are promoted at the beginning of the leasing season, Campus West Marketing Manager Bryan Vanburen said.

“I know we have our best deals at the very beginning of the year, and as the year goes on the promotions get less and less,” Vanburen said. “So, if you’re signing earlier you’re guaranteed to save the most money.”

The approaching months are the busiest times in the leasing season, with spikes generally right before the holidays. Apartment complexes around GVSU said that they fill up quickly, and availability factors into higher rates. For Campus View Apartments and Townhomes, some of the most popular units

such as the cottages, singles and one-bedroom apartments are already getting low in inventory. Property Manager Ben Jansen said that the earlier students are able to find where they want to live the better chances they have in getting the units they want.

“The highest demand units are usually taken before too long,” Jansen said. “If you come in and lease early, you are going to get the chance for those units that you really want.”

One of the most prominent opinions of GVSU students in their housing search is that the price is everything. Many would rather live somewhere lower quality and not have to pay as much versus living somewhere that is higher end with higher rent.

GVSU student Brandon Miner said the biggest factor in deciding where he lives currently was the cost of the rent. In the GVSU Housing, Sublets, & Roommates Facebook Group, Miner said that his main concern is being in the least amount of debt possible.

“At the end of the day, I’d rather save money and have to deal with poor conditions than be any more in debt,” Miner said.

Besides the cost, GVSU students said that factors like management and an environment where they feel safe are important when looking for off-campus housing options. Factors such as nearby parking, neighbors, and location are some of the areas that upperclassmen students recommend keeping in mind.

GVSU student Danielle Ellis said in the GVSU Housing, Sublets, & Roommates Facebook Group that accessibility and safety are some of the most important aspects of a living space.

“I consider location above all else,” Ellis said. “It’s very important to me that my friends are able to be independent and safe when coming over.”

Beyond the physical aspects of off-campus housing, the experience that students have with their roommates can make or break their off-campus living experience. It’s equally as important to click with the individuals

that will also live in the same apartment as it is to find an apartment that has everything you’re looking for.

GVSU student Megan Vernier said that roommates will alter the overall experience that students have with their housing situation.

“My biggest tip is to live with people who make you happy,” Vernier said. “Even if you’re living somewhere not ideal, good roommates will make it fun and happy for you.”

Vernier said she has had overall positive experiences with off-campus housing, but students can’t expect perfection everywhere.

Jansen said students should be aware of “hidden fees” and charges that might not be talked about upfront and advises students to pay attention to additional costs such as cleaning fees, parking fees and utilities.

“Look at all of the fees that are associated, and make sure that you understand what any given apartment complex might be charging you,” Jansen said. “Utilities can be kind of a wildcard, so make sure you understand how those are built and how it works.”

GVSU also offers advice for students exploring off-campus housing options, at www. gvsu.edu/housing under the “Upperclassmen” tab.

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LEASES: Housing and apartment complexes are already enticing students to sign their leases. Prices for housing increases as the start of the fall 2022 semester approaches next year. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

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A4 | OPINIONS GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

By Xavier Golden

EDITORIAL

Large-scale discussions of climate solutions spark concern, local summit inspires hope

S

11/01/21

editorial@lanthorn.com

Animal Crossing revives game with new features

BY SABRINA EDWARDS JUNIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

After spending the majority of quarantine toiling over my island, placing and replacing my buildings multiple times, I, like many other players, grew bored with Animal Crossing New Horizon.

I took my ACNH hiatus around July 2020 after exhausting everything there was to do in the game.

I’d moved my island around multiple times, worked on completing my museum and even mastered the turnip exchange. At that point, there wasn’t much left except to check in daily. After putting 500 hours into the game, you run out of things to do.

However, this slump wasn’t something I experienced in Animal Crossings New Leaf. I personally think that game had more longevity

than ACNH, until recently.

As many people know, the Nintendo Direct 2021 livestream happened in late September, and with it came a ton of new content.

This event single-handedly revived half of the ACNH players. I know so many people who have recently logged back into their islands just to get ready for the upcoming release.

Nintendo Direct 2021 announced brand-new features for the game and the return of a few fan-favorites. If you’ve ever played Animal Crossing you know about the elusive froggy chair, an item that wasn’t included in the game at launch is now being added. This item alone has fans redecorating their entire homes in order to include it on their islands.

They’ve also brought back some well-liked non-player characters such as Brewster and Kapp’n. With this, they’re reintroducing the coffee shop, which is now located in the upper part of the museum, and Kapp’n’s boat rides which can help unlock new plant life. Harv’s island has some changes as well, players can now play to unlock shops on his island. Before, I never found a reason to visit his island, seeing as it was only a photography studio with no other features. This addition has made his island usable for me.

Nintendo has had updates in the past that have brought back players, but none this big. The update that brought in the swimming mechanic was alright-- it brought me out of

my ACNH slump for a little while-but it wasn’t interesting enough to keep me playing. It was another one of those once-you-completeall-the-tasks-there’s-nothing-elseto-do updates.

This update is different and that’s why a lot of people are excited about it, myself included.

They’ve made it easier to customize objects that previously weren’t customizable at all, which will prompt users to play to change their island around. They’ve also allowed us to have more customization with our houses and characters by bringing in new designs.

Nintendo is adding plenty more new features, like cooking.

We can now plant vegetables and learn new recipes to cook on our islands. However, the feature I’m most excited about is the pro decorating license which will allow us to have even more customization when it comes to decorating our interior homes.

While ACNH was super fun when it first came out, island living does get repetitive once you’ve gone through everything. These updates are merging everything users loved about ACNL with ACNH and hopefully making it better than before.

The update will officially be out Nov. 4 and it’s free to download if you already have ACNH. So it’s time to dust off that switch, stomp your cockroaches and deweed your island in preparation for the new content.

unday Oct. 31 marks the beginning of the 12-day 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (abbreviated to COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. The participating nations will be talking about promises made in the past, setting new goals for the future and discussing ongoing anxieties and concerns. These topics are relevant to literally everyone on the planet, but as members of the generation that’s inheriting the Earth, students in the Grand Valley State University community need to be keyed into the conversations happening in Glasgow, right now.

Climate change was also a part of this year’s G20 summit, which concluded on Sunday. As explained by the New York Times’ Somini Sengupta, leaders attending COP26 have been given a straightforward goal: halve greenhouse gas emissions in eight years. But things appear to be off to a lackluster start, as leaders from some of the biggest polluters-- Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping-- will not be attending in person.

However, the powerhouse, industrialized nations that will show up to COP26

GVL OPINION POLICY

The goal of the Grabd ValleyLanthorn’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.

have their hands full with other, prior commitments, like paying poorer countries the $1 trillion they were promised back in 2010. The full amount was meant to be paid by 2020, but won’t be for three more years. Reparations for damage already done by climate change, according to Sengupta, are also being discussed.

However, there are plenty of climate change strategies being talked about on the domestic front; the White House’s Oct. 28 Build Back Better framework, which primarily focuses on centering the needs of the middle class, will be pitched to Congress and ostensibly used as a guide to inform future legislation.

Amidst the jargon, the framework includes a section on climate change solutions; Build Back Better promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions by one gigaton by 2030 and invest $555 billion in the “clean energy economy,” which involves revamping infrastructure to make room for clean power, investing in smart agriculture, and repairing infrastructure damaged by climate change.

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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: 0051 KIRKHOF CENTER GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ALLENDALE, MI 49401 616-826-8276

A5 | NEWS

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

FINANCE

GV students receive Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding

BY ELIZABETH SCHANZ NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

On Tuesday, Oct. 26 many Grand Valley State University students opened their emails to find that they had been granted money by the financial aid office. These funds are part of the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding (HEERF) that is intended to give aid to students in the wake of COVID-19 financial hardships by contributing supplemental funds to students.

The HEERF is made up of two bills passed by Congress: the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The CRRSSA provided student emergency grants in the amount that matched the original Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) funds, commonly referred to as HEERF II. Similarly, the ARP allocated additional funds to higher education institutions, which includes another portion for student emergency grants, referred to as HEERF III. The original CARES Act granted GVSU $9.1 million which was given to students who demonstrated the greatest immediate financial need, in accordance with federal regulations. One of the ways need is deter-

mined is through FAFSA, which determines how much a family will be able to pay for college based on different aspects like income and household size. Students can complete the Special Circumstances Form which allows the financial aid office to make changes to the current year FAFSA based on new documentation of need.

Unlike the original CARES grants, the HEERF bills can be granted to any current GVSU student who has demonstrated need.

“When HEERF II was passed, we immediately reached out to students who had applied for Federal CARES Act funds and were not eligible, and granted them HEERF II funds,” said Associate Director of Financial Aid at GVSU Anna Johnson.

The GVSU financial aid office issued block grants from HEERF II and III to students who have filed their FAFSA demonstrating interest in financial assistance.

Johnson said that 17,597 students have been assisted with HEERF II and III funds.

GVSU students are encouraged to set up direct deposit to receive this money but are also able to have the money in the form of a check. This money can be used in any way that students see fit during this time.

“I was really surprised because I had not heard anything about this money previously,”said sophomore Ava Girmscheid. “I was

MONEY: The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 along with American Rescue Plan fueled HEERF to give back money to college students. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

very happy though and very relieved because I knew it would provide financial stability for a while.”

Although these emergency funds provide additional aid for students, they are not set to be permanent resources. The HEERF II and HEERF III emergency grants must be spent

by May 2022 and these types of grants are not anticipated to extend beyond that point.

The GVSU financial aid office offers additional permanent resources in order for students to continue to receive their education and meet their needs through their time at the university. These resources include the

federal aid application through FAFSA, the myScholarships page which allows students to fill out a general application and then filter through scholarships that apply to them and the GVSU Financial Hardship Grant Request Form.

“It has been our privilege to walk alongside our GVSU students in these difficult times,” Johnson said.

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AID

Managing student loans: GV students weigh in

BY JAMIE WILSON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

FUNDS: GVSU students find it difficult to pay back student loans while also financing rent, food, and their social lives. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

Student loans are a weight that many students carry through both undergraduate and graduate school. Students have individual approaches to their loans, but Grand Valley State University offers advice and guidance to help students manage their financial situation.

Some students, like Joshua Maynards, carry this weight independently. Maynards is an advertisement and public relations major at GVSU. While in college, Maynards said he puts any money he isn’t using for basics like food and housing towards paying off his loans. His goal is to pay them off within five years.

“I pay and keep track of payments on my own,” Maynards said. “I’m confident that in the future I’ll be able to pay them off.”

Other students do not feel as confident. Lindsay Marcil, a junior studying social work, plans to get her master’s degree through GVSU. Marcil said that student loans have already impacted her life and she worries about the debt that will come following her bachelor’s degree.

“It’s difficult because I’m trying not to

worry about it now, but at the same time I’m going for my master’s, so I’m going to have a lot of debt and that stresses me out,” Marcil said. “Student loans help me, but they also hurt my future because it is going to get harder and harder to pay them off sooner.”

Marcil said her mom helps manage her student loans by organizing her money into different accounts, which helps Marcil keep her daily expenses separate from her tuition and school spending.

“I’m going to pay off anything I can now and not use loans when I don’t have to because I’ve heard debt after college is horrible and it can follow you until death,” Marcil said.

While organizing her money helps keep track of where and how it is being spent, Marcil said that sometimes she cannot afford to pay for rent or groceries on her own and has to use her designated student loan account to stay afloat. While some students, like Maynards, find loans easier to manage and stay hopeful that it won’t hinder their future success, many other students find Marcil’s experiences relatable.

“I hate how expensive universities are,” Marcil said. “Sometimes it feels impossible to (imagine living) a happy and successful life because I am constantly worried about

money.”

For those who are worried about money or looking for more information and support as they navigate student loans, GVSU has programs to help students feel secure and organized in their financial situations.

MoneySmart Lakers is a program that runs through the financial aid office to help students become independently aware of their own financial situations.

“You don’t have to take a class on budgeting and investing,” Ben Rhodes, the Associate Director of MoneySmart Lakers said.

“MoneySmart Lakers is an independent, free program to help students become aware of these topics.”

Rhodes said that the most common topic MoneySmart Lakers covers with students is “exit counseling.” Through exit counseling, students are taught methods on how to repay their student loans post-graduation.

Another resource this program provides is budget counseling. Students can sit down one-on-one with one of the program counselors and create an excel sheet to come up with a weekly or monthly budgeting plan.

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A6&7 | NEWS

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

ORGANIZE: The University Food Committee has formed amid campus dining concerns. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

CONSEQUENCE: Long lines and store closures are among the many student concerns. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

BY JACOB DEWEERD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

RA is the free meal plan and dining dollars,” Gineman said.

Utilizing a group activity, the committee identified three main themes to talk about at future meetings. Each member wrote down a topic they would like to focus on and stuck a sticky note on the wall for other members to see. After each member placed their notes, the three most popular topics were chosen. The staffing shortage was the first theme, but the other two are just as important, Haight said.

“We talked about access to food,” Haight said. “That topic revolved around food security and insecurity, like how we can make sure that students have food to eat and what that looks like.”

Due to many campus dining locations being closed, long lines are plaguing the remaining open locations. Students who do not have time to wait in line for food are finding it difficult to fit time to eat into their already-busy schedules. While some living centers allow students access to refrigerators to store their own food, most do not.

University Food Committee prepares to address campus dining issues Grand Valley State University’s University Food Committee (UFC) met for the first time on Friday Oct. 29, 2021. The committee, which consists of both students and faculty members, was created to identify problems and find solutions for campus dining-related issues.

The UFC meeting was held in the Kirkhof Center and covered several of the most pressing issues with GVSU’s campus dining options. These topics include the shortage of student employees, location closures due to these shortages, and accommodating dietary restrictions and preferences.

Student Senate Vice President of Diversity Affairs Kyle Gineman is one of the co-Chairs of the UFC, as is Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Aaron Haight.

Haight said the first meeting was focused on developing a focus for the committee this year and was closed to the public.

CONCERNS: The lack of accommodations for dietary needs is a major issues for GV students. UFC is working towards finding solutions for campus dining to provide more options for these needs. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

“We shared the Senate proposal from last year because this committee is a result of the Senate asking for more involvement,” Haight said. “Then, we just spent some time brainstorming and thinking of what we want to talk about this year.”

Gineman said he expected the campus dining employee shortage to be the most dominant topic.

“That is an issue that a lot of people have been bringing to the Senate’s attention and it’s an issue a lot of people are going to be very passionate about,” Gineman said.

One lesser-known consequence of the campus dining problem is how student resident assistants are being compensated for their work. A major job perk afforded to RAs is the included meal plan, but many RAs are finding it nearly impossible to make use of their plans because of closures and long lines at on-campus dining locations.

“There are so many places shut down on campus, so maybe a reimbursement is necessary because part of the salary of being an

“The third area was about options,” Haight said. “What options are available if you have specific dietary needs, or cultural or religious needs? What options are available depending on your location on campus, like if you’re downtown.”

GVSU’s lack of accommodations for dietary restrictions has been a common complaint point among students in years past.

Gineman said the UFC is aware of the feedback and is making it a priority to find ways for campus dining locations to offer more varied vegan, vegetarian and allergy-safe options.

Haight said that future UFC meetings are expected to cover who the university contracts food service out to and how to find new ways for students to make their campus dining feedback heard.

Meeting minutes and future UFC meeting dates can be found online at www.gvsu. edu/studentaffairs/university-food-committee-52.htm.

INCONVENIENCE: Due to the long lines at campus dining locations, busy students find it hard to make time to eat. RA’s find it hard to use their meal plan which is a perk of their campus position. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

A8 | NEWS

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS DISCUSSION

Fireside Chat explores the value of the unknown in education

BY SARA COLLINS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Dr. Aithan Shapira spoke to the Grand Valley State University community on Oct. 27.

Welcomed by President Philomena Mantella and Interim Provost Chris Plouff as a presenter for a Fireside Chat, Shapira’s presentation and discussion was fifth in a series dedicated to designing education for the future.

Shapira is an acclaimed artist, an expert at the intersection of creativity, culture and transformation. Along with those roles, Shapira is a lecturer at MIT Sloan and founder of Tilt, a firm that focuses on the artful transformation of leaders and cultures.

The conversation focused on the value of the unknown in education and how it can open new doors of creativity, a topic Shapira has explored throughout his career.

Shapira said that while students prioritize knowing, it’s not knowing that leads to learning.

“We prioritize knowing over not knowing,” Shapira said. What you can do is practice the not knowing part.”

Shapira said that learning happens when things are changing, but that you must be willing to let go of preconceived ideas and plans.

Shapira connected this point to the COVID-19 pandemic on the topic of change and adaptability as important learning tools.

“We are built in a system where the system tells me ‘I need to know and I have data out there so there has to be a TED Talk, maybe some kind of article I can read’,” Shapira said. “The factor is, there isn’t a TED Talk about what to do in a pandemic.”

Shapira said that as you become an expert at anything, you begin to practice some things and lose the ability to relate to other things. The goal then becomes to work and learn across disciplines, to cross-pollinate and cross-connect.

“What do I bring back and forth between people?” Shapirs said. “One of the things I do is translate and meet the person, the community where they all are and then ask a bunch of questions when I can. The idea is to mirror each other, to reflect back what we see, and there are no problems to fix, it’s just to become aware of what I’m doing.”

Plouff said that Shapira’s attitude towards learning and change aligns with GVSU’s values as well as future goals for the university.

“Here at Grand Valley, we value inquiry, community and innovation,” Plouff said. “We are rooted in the liberal education tradition, but

KNOWLEDGE: Shapira said that while people value being “experts” on a topic, they can loose sight of other skills. Shapira said it is important to seek new skills. COURTESY | TWITTER (@PHILLYGVPRES)

we are also blending it with our professional skill-building and I see and hear the things that you’re doing and it really resonates with me in terms of what we are trying to accomplish here at Grand Valley.”

Shapira said that the liberal arts approach is

a natural fit, as it aims to explore the connections between multiple disciplines and subjects.

“The way we lead each other is a lot about how you relate to yourself and how you relate to others, and that’s what liberal arts are all about,” Shapira said.

CLIMATE

West Michigan high school teacher hunger strikes for climate action

BY AUDREY WHITAKER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Three years ago, Kalamazoo Central High School physics teacher Josh Gottlieb read “The Uninhabitable Earth” by David Wallace-Wells.

Last week, he went on a hunger strike in protest of cutting the Clean Energy Performance Program in President Biden’s Build Back Better bill.

The program, which would reward polluting utilities for shifting to clean energy sources, has been called into question by Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia.

STRIKE: Kalamazoo Central teacher took a seven day hunger strike for climate COURTESY | WMUK

Manchin has called the program a waste of taxpayer money. However, critics say Manchin is working against the program for personal gain.

The New York Times reported that Manchin has made over $500,000 in dividends from a coal brokerage in the last year.

“This one little man is going to take a trillion dollars of climate change mitigation out of this bill,” Gottlieb said.

As a scientist, teacher, father and American citizen, Gottlieb said he’s disappointed in our nation’s leadership due to their inaction surrounding the climate crisis. Instead, he has taken inspiration from youth movements fighting for action against climate change, like the Sunrise Movement and Greta Thunburg.

“I’m actually following young people because I really thought of doing this after reading about the young people from Sunrise Movement, who are hunger striking right now, outside of the White House,” Gottlieb said.

Gottlieb says he has drawn inspiration from youth protests since he first became involved in the movement. As a high school teacher, he often turns to his students for inspiration and to motivate them to take action. During the 2019-20 school year, Gottlieb organized school strikes every Friday with his students.

“We formed partnerships in the com-

munity, and as a group, we started holding Fridays for Future events every Friday for that whole year,” Gottlieb said. “My students organized several of those events and we hosted them at the high school. Others were held at Western Michigan University or college, or the nature center.”

Before the pandemic sent Kalamazoo students home for online classes, Gottlieb and his students partnered with US Green Building Council and Consumers Energy to reduce the district’s carbon footprint. Gottlieb said that students are the key in not only fighting for better climate policy but in motivating others and inspiring change.

“When I was sitting up there this week by myself in a chair, cold and hungry and somewhat miserable I would get a supportive honk maybe every five minutes,” Gottlieb said.

“When the students came out, it must have been more than half the cars and trucks honked their support. They were honking their support, not for the issue, but for the students and their right to speak their mind.”

Gottlieb said it’s important for him to protest and go as far as a hunger strike because he has a duty to the next generation.

He said that while his efforts may not have a big impact or ultimately be more symbol-

ic, he has to try to do something.

“I will not be able to look my students in the face, or my children in the face 20 years from now when they look at me and they say ‘Why didn’t you do something? You knew and now it’s too late,’” Gottlieb said. “So I have to do something, even if I’m flailing in the wind.”

As President Biden enters the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) on Oct. 31, Gottlieb said his faith in the administration is shaken.

“It would have been huge to go in in a position of strength and leadership with this newly passed bill, and instead he’s going in on his knees with our tail between our legs,” Gottlieb said. “I mean, at least we believe the science now, but we’re not doing anything about it.”

Gottlieb ended his hunger strike on Oct. 31, after he was joined by the local Sunrise Movement chapter at his station outside of Kalamazoo Central High school. While he’s unsure of what the future will hold for climate science, Gottlieb said he knows youth will be at the center of the movement.

“A young person speaking truth to stupid is is unusual, it’s newsworthy in itself,” Gottlieb said. “When those students, those young people happen to be brilliant, then they can be very impactful.”

A9 | LAKER LIFE

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

LAKER LIFE LEARN ABOUT STUDYING ABROAD

Starting Monday Nov. 1 the Padnos International Center will be hosting their Study Abroad Fair. The kickoff event is Nov. 1, but the fair will last until Nov. 12. Students who are interested in studying abroad can attend this to meet with advisors, look at programs and start making important decisions regarding going abroad. There will also be opportunities for students who need passport photos free of charge. These events will help students get their questions answered, whether that be about funding, programs or academics.

There will be a series of virtual and in-person events available to attend. Students will be able to hear from faculty directors and others who have taken part in studying abroad to hear about their experiences with their programs. This will be taking place from noon to 4 p.m. in the Grand River Room.

However, for students who aren’t able to attend the kickoff, there will be multiple outreach tables available during the week in the Kirkhof lobby.

HELP DONATE TO REPLENISH

Student Senate will be tabling every day from Nov. 1 through Nov. 4 from noon to 3 p.m. to gather items to donate to Replenish.

Replenish is the on-campus food bank where students can go who are in need of items, whether that be food or sanitary items, while they’re in stock. Student Senate will be accepting both perishables and nonperishable items. There will be refrigeration available for items such as meat, eggs or any dairy products donated.

They’re also asking for sanitary items such as shampoo and conditioner, oral care items and toilet paper. Items can be donated outside of their tabling hours to the Student Senate office or to Replenish themselves.

Students can check LakerLink for the full list of items.

GIVE BACK BY DONATING BLOOD

Versiti, in partnership with the Community Service Learning Center, is hosting another blood drive Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This event will be in the Kirkhof Center room 2263. Students who are able to donate can sign up via LakerLink to RSVP or sign up in person. All donations will go to helping those in need in the Grand Rapids area.

YIKES! HOSTING STUDENT-LED SHORT PLAYS

YIKES! is a collection of short plays produced by members of STAGE! GVSU’s on-campus student-run acting group. They will be hosting two events showcasing the shorts they’ve been working on this year.

These will be put on for Friday Nov. 5 and Saturday Nov. 6 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Grand River Room. All of these plays are written, directed and produced by GVSU students. The events are free to attend and those who are able to can donate to STAGE!, however, donations are not necessary. Before the plays there will also be a special guest, Subject To Change, their group will be opening the night with improv. Students who are interested in theatre, humor or entertainment are welcome to attend.

EDUCATE: GVSU offers resources for undergrads to do research through the Office of Undergraduate Scholarships. The university encourages its students to pursue research to expand their academic experience and knowledge during their studies on campus. COURTESY | OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Why undergrads should pursue research

BY YSABELA GOLDEN LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

At most universities, far more time, tools, and funding is put into research experience for graduate students than there is for their undergraduate peers. Grand Valley State University, however, has a wealth of resources available to students through the Office of Undergraduate Scholarship: undergrads can apply for summer research programs, get funding to present at academic conferences, become research assistants for faculty, and find many other opportunities that are more traditionally reserved for graduate students. But why might taking advantage of these resources be a good idea for an undergrad?

“Research can be a life-changing experience,” said Dr. Jennifer Moore, a Faculty Fellow at OURS. “It can really alter your perspective and introduce you to new interests. Sometimes it can even show you a new track for yourself: I have colleagues who started out in cancer research and ended up in wildlife biology research. Whatever you find, you’re still learning about the process of research, which is valuable wherever you go. And if you start out with something that you’re passionate about, even if it’s not the experience you thought you were going to have, you’ll still get something out of it.”

On Thursday, Oct. 28, Moore presented a webinar for GVSU students on why and how to get involved in undergraduate research.

“If you’re naturally a person who’s curious about the field that you’re in, and asking the kind of questions that you can really dig into, then absolutely research is something for you,” Moore said. “We often think about research as the STEM fields, and some humanities students might not think research is something that they can pursue. But the faculties in those fields are doing research too. Having that conversation with faculty and asking them what their research looks like can be eye-opening.”

Outside of getting first-hand experience in the mechanics of your field— whether that’s working in a lab, programming a neural network, conducting interviews or exploring historical archives— research can also be great for interpersonal goals, like learning more about future employment and graduate school, and

LEARN: Faculty Fellow at OURS Dr. Jennifer Moore presented a webinar to GVSU students about the many research opportunities available on campus. COURTESY | OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

developing relationships for letters of recommendation. Much of that comes from a student’s faculty mentor.

For students thinking about applying for a summer research program (like GVSU Library Scholars, Student Summer Scholars, or GVSU McNair Scholars), now is the time for the first step: thinking about what faculty members would be a good fit for your subject of interest.

“What I always tell people is that now’s the time to hone in on what you’re excited about,” Moore said. “Where do you want to go with your research? Identify faculty who are working in that area. That might mean sending them an email, it might be stopping by office hours. Regardless of how the question comes about, whether the student comes up with the research direction or the faculty, I think you as a student still need to find a faculty mentor who’s willing to guide you through that process.”

Once a student has an idea and a mentor, they can focus their interest on outlining the specifics of a project.

“What the application reviewers are looking for is, is it a good question you’re asking?”

Moore said. “Is the project feasible within the time frame that you have? Even the summer research projects are a short amount of time in the grander scheme of research. The reviewers are looking for how you articulate the question, and whether it’s possible to answer it in the time that you have, with the resources that you have.

Your mentor can guide you about what’s pos-

sible and what’s feasible, and the details of how a question like yours would be investigated in your field.”

Mentors aren’t the only way to find information about potential research projects.

Students can also contact OURS directly (through their phone, 616-331-8100, or their email, ours@gvsu.edu), in order to set up a research advising appointment, where they can talk to Director Susan Mendoza or a Faculty Fellow in order to plan their path forward.

Those interested in the perspective of a student who’s gone through the process successfully can also arrange a conversation with the OURS Student Ambassadors, senior Noemy Parra-Cano and junior Lauren Proctor.

“I’ve had a number of undergraduate researchers over the years, in various programs and even just working with me for independent study credits during the school year,” Moore said. “I love working with undergrads.

I’ve mentored a few different Student Summer Scholars, a modified 6-week Summer Scholar, a McNair Scholar, and a Beckman Scholar.

Many have then gone on to grad school and gotten jobs in the field, and to me, that’s one of the most rewarding things, is to know that I helped them with an experience that launched them into that career. It’s really interesting to see where they end up— our students are doing some really cool projects, collecting interesting data, and publishing papers. It’s amazing to see what they do with their research.”

A10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM HOSTS EVENT FOR CURRENT EXHIBITION, WELCOMES FUTURE EXHIBITION

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) will be holding an Adult Workshop for their current exhibition, “An Art of Changes,” featuring the work of printmaker Jasper Johns.

On Nov. 4, the workshop will walk participants through different mark-making and contouring techniques so that they can make their own drypoint prints. Those who wish to attend can reserve their spot through the museum’s website.

In addition to expanding on their current exhibition, the museum also announced “The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited” coming to GRAM in the fall of 2022. The exhibition will feature Henson’s artifacts and imagery from The Muppet Show, The Dark Crystal, Sesame Street, Labyrinth, and more.

GV FRENCH CLUB TO HOST A NIGHT OF SONG

The Grand Valley State University French Club and Modern Languages and Literatures Department will be hosting the evening event, “Mélodies,” to immerse students and faculty in French culture.

The night will consist of French song, music and poetry to be performed by students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Those who do not wish to perform are still welcome to come and enjoy the French festivities.

“Mélodies” will take place on Nov. 3 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Cook-Dewitt Center on the Allendale campus.

GV SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PRESENTS ‘BARD TO GO’

This fall the Grand Valley State University Shakespeare Festival will offer performances of “Bard to Go: What Mighty Magic,” a touring Shakespeare production that visits schools across West Michigan and more.

The performance will be held on Nov. 6 from 2-3 p.m. in the Grand River Room in Kirkhof. The 50 minute performance is free and audiences will be taken on a tour of some of Shakespeare’s most magical scenes, involving supernatural creatures and statues come to life.

The production entails scenes from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Macbeth,” “The Winter’s Tale,” “Hamlet,” and “The Tempest” and acts as an introduction to Shakespeare’s language and stagecraft.

To adhere to COVID-10 protocols, all performers and audience members are required to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

In addition, those in attendance are required to complete a COVID-19 self-assessment.

ARTWORK

Grand Valley Art Gallery holds educational conversation series

BY ALLISON RAFFERTY ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

All Grand Valley State University students and staff are welcome to join in on the latest event in the GVSU Art Gallery’s event series titled, “Unpacking the Exhibition Conversations.”

The series entails virtual discussions in which art professionals talk about the themes and ideas behind the artwork being displayed in the GVSU Art Gallery’s fall 2021 exhibition titled, “Honest and Refined: Art Outside the Academy.”

Art Gallery User Experience and Learning Manager, Amanda Carmer Rainey, said that the idea for the series came about from a discussion she was having with her colleagues in the art gallery department.

“I wanted to connect our audiences to some of the bigger ideas present in the exhibition and a multi-event series felt like the best way to cover the most topics,” Rainey said.

The “Honest and Refined: Art Outside the Academy” exhibition is a collection of artwork by self-taught artists. All of the artists featured in the exhibition tell personal and moving stories, give commentary on social and political injustices, or simply celebrate the joy of making objects and images.

“All the work pushes at the boundaries of what’s acceptable and aesthetically pleasing in traditional fine art,” Rainey said.

EXHIBITION: The Grand Valley Art Gallery is holding a new conversation series titled “Unpacking the Exhibition Conversations” to explore deeper meanings behind the featured pieces. GVL | ARCHIVES

The first “Unpacking the Exhibition Conversation” on Friday, Oct. 22 was about art and healing, and the power of creativity in the process of healing.

GVSU faculty member in the recreational therapy program, Sarah Bradley, presented at this event. She spoke about how she used creative art with her patients during her career as a recreational therapist in behavioral health settings.

“During my portion of the presentation, I provided examples of therapeutic activities I would complete during group therapy sessions, the process of making art with the patients, and the relationship to their treatment goals,” Bradley said.

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MUSIC

GV features unique saxophone performance AYRON RUTAN ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s Music, Theater and Dance Department recently hosted saxophonist and composer Derek Brown at the Louis Armstrong Theatre in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.

Brown is known for playing the saxophone in a rather unconventional way. At his performances, it’s not uncommon to see him hit, kick, or even throw his saxophone.

GV MUSIC DEPARTMENT TO HOLD CONCERT

The Grand Valley State University Wind, Symphony, and Concert Band will be holding a performance in the Louis Armstrong Theatre in the Haas Center for Performing Arts. On Friday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. the performance will be free and open to the public.

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

PERFORMANCE: Saxophonist, composer Derek Brown performed at GV. GVL | AUBREE WAGNER

“My biggest inspiration is actually not a saxophonist, but a vocalist by the name of Bobby McFerrin,” Brown said. “He’s known for doing solo shows where he bounces around between singing bass lines, melodies, doing percussion on his body and interacting with the audience.

He is such a creative and inspiring musician and seeing him do that with his voice made me want to try and do that with saxophone.”

The concert was coordinated by GVSU Professor and MTD Department Director, Bill Ryan. Ryan said he was extremely impressed with Brown’s originality, and his unorthodox approach to the instrument.

“What Derek does with his saxophone is truly original. In addition to traditional playing, the extended techniques he utilizes elevates non-pitched rhythm to an equal level,” Ryan said. “It’s almost like he is playing a drum-set, but it’s actually the saxophone.”

Ryan also credited Brown’s ability to sing during his performances, as well as praised his ability to engage with the while playing his instrument.

“When he adds his voice to it all, you just wonder how he does it all without collapsing,”

Ryan said. “In addition to the high level of his performance skills, he also engages the audience with his stories and humor. His performance was a terrific model for our music majors and a very entertaining evening for everyone.”

Before deciding to perform at the university, Brown actually contacted Ryan to discuss composing, as Brown wanted to broaden his horizons.

“Derek reached out to me initially, and was interested in talking about music composition and different career paths,” Ryan said. “After that initial meeting, and after I looked through his press materials and performance videos, I was very impressed and invited him to perform at GVSU.” Brown’s GVSU performance on Oct. 27 featured innovative sounds from his solo BEATBoX SAX project.

“I’ve been improvising a little more in my concerts,” Brown said. “I came out with my sax still in its case on my back and I just started beating against it like a drum.

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A11 | SPORTS

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

QUICK HITS GV SOCCER DEFEATS PARKSIDE 6-0 FOR 12TH SHUTOUT GAME

The Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team traveled to Kenosha, WI to play the Parkside Rangers on Friday, Oct. 29, bringing home their fifteenth win of the season and third shutout in a row.

The Lakers remain practically undefeated with an overall record of 15-0-1, heading into the GLIAC Conference Tournament in just two more games.

Junior forward Greta DeLoach scored for her ninth consecutive game in a row on Friday with the only goal of the first half at the 34-minute mark. The Lakers dominated the field with a total of 20 shots on goal and only two saves for the entirety of the game, compared to Parkside’s four shots and five saves.

Sophomore forward Kennedy Bearden scored two goals in a row at the start of the second half, followed by three more goals from freshman midfield Mackenzie Jones, freshman midfield Stephanie Sturgeon, and senior forward Caitie Baron.

GVSU will host the Northwood Timberwolves on Friday, Nov. 5 before their final matchup of the regular season at rival school Ferris State University on Sunday, Nov. 7 before they enter the GLIAC Tournament.

GV FOOTBALL CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF THE PROGRAM WITH LAKER LEGENDS

The Grand Valley State University Athletics Department honored the football program’s history with 100 Laker legends for the homecoming game.

Jim Harkema (1973-82) accomplished an overall record of 69-29, accumulating three GLIAC Championship titles. Harkema also coached four players who would go on to play in the NFL including wide receiver Jeff Chadwick and offensive line Ron Essink.

Tom Beck (1985-90) progressed the team to a 50-18 overall record and two league titles in 89’ and 90’. His winning percentage was .735 and still stands as the best winning percentage in Laker history. His team went undefeated 11-0 in the 1989 season, and he held the school record of a 22-game winning streak over three seasons.

Brian Kelly (1991-2003) spent 12 seasons with the Lakers and accomplished an overall record of 118-35-2 with five GLIAC titles and six NCAA appearances. Kelly graduated 60 All-Americans, holding the single-season record in 2002 with 11 All-American players.

Kelly was also named GLIAC Coach of the Year and the American Football Coaches Association Division II National Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2003.

Chuck Martin (2004-09) was the most recent head coach of the program before current coach Matt Mitchell, and was a member of the coaching staff for two seasons with Kelly before he took on the role of head coach. He was a part of four DII National Championship wins in 02’, 03’, 05’, and 06’ with an overall record of 74-7 and a .914 winning percentage. Martin also holds the unbelievable record of 40 consecutive wins between 2005-2007 and was named the AFCA National Coach of the Year twice.

FOOTBALL

GV Football secures 14-9 win over Michigan Tech University

BY SHAWN ROBINSON SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The no. 7 ranked Grand Valley State University (7-1) football team defeated Michigan Tech University (4-4) 14-9 on Saturday, Oct. 30 at Lubbers Stadium for their homecoming game. This was the second matchup between the two teams with the first also resulting in a GVSU 44-21 victory.

The game stood as the 300th win of alltime GLIAC play, advancing the Lakers’ record in the GLIAC to 4-1.

The first quarter started slowly as both teams went three-and-out on their opening offensive drives. With 9:08 left, the Lakers looked to get on the board as they started on their own 32-yard line. On second and one, sophomore quarterback Cade Peterson found junior wide out Hunter Rison for a 10-yard completion, putting the team near the red zone. Two plays later, Peterson aired the ball out to junior tight-end Scott Cooper for a 30-yard touchdown that gave the Lakers an early 7-0 lead.

“It’s a unique situation,” Peterson said to GVSU Athletics. “Because from our perspective scoring 44 points rushing the ball, there’s a fine line between what you want to keep and what you want to switch. They’re going to make a lot of adjustments and the thing that’s hard is that it’s a lot of game-time-feel decisions.”

Early in the second, GVSU was deter-

REMATCH: The GVSU football team took down Michigan Tech for the second time this season, this time in a lower scoring game of 14-9 compared to the previous 44-21 win. GVL | LAUREN SEYMOUR

mined to add another score and take a commanding lead. As the offense came out on the field and started at their own 44-yard line, the Lakers drove down to the goal line on a 10-play, 56-yard drive that resulted in a Peterson completion to junior wide receiver Jacob Miller three yards out for the second touchdown of the game, putting the team up 14-0 with 8:34 remaining.

After having played the Huskies previously in the season, the team knew what to

expect coming in and was able to use that to their advantage.

“Our coaches prepared us knowing they (MTU) were coming in throwing everything they had at us, you know trick plays, reverses, things like that,” said senior cornerback Allante Leapheart.

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WOMEN’S GOLF

GV Women’s Golf brings home win from Dennis Rose tournament in Hawaii

BY BRIAN BLOOM SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State University women’s golf team won the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate Tournament at the Hapuna Golf Course in Kohaha Coast, Hawaii. The team scored a total of 889 points, narrowly edging out Biola University who finished with 894 points.

“This has been a semester-long process,” said coach Rebecca Mailloux. “The girls were able to play more aggressively and freely. We got more birdies in this tournament; we had 50 in the top five. We had a lot of big numbers and doubles (bogeys), but when you make a lot of birdies, it makes up for it.”

On the first day of the tournament, the team found themselves in second place with 297 points, sandwiched between Biola University and the University of Texas at Tyler. They bounced back in a big way on day two. They outscored Biola University 298-304 giving them a two-point lead heading into day three.

The team once again outscored BU, this time by three points, securing the tournament victory.

Individually, GVSU saw four golfers place in the top 20. Freshman Olivia Stoll paced the Lakers, finishing fourth overall and scoring 220 points and finishing four strokes above par. She tied for first with 71 points on day three.

“As a team, to win four of six tournaments was awesome,” Stoll said. “Being able to contribute to those tournament wins was awesome. I know that if I play a bad game, someone else is playing well and is able to pick me up.”

Freshman Megan Miron was just behind Stoll, finishing the tournament in fifth place and scoring 221 and five strokes above par. “(Winning the tournament) means a lot,” Miron said. “The goal is always to win, but being able to pull it off in Hawaii was very special.

Winning the tournament was a great way to end the trip to Hawaii.”

The other two GVSU golfers in the top 20 were freshman Julia Sanchez, who tied for ninth place with 225 points and nine strokes above par, and freshman Paula Badino, who tied for 11th place with 226 points and 10 strokes above par.

WINNING TEAM: The Lakers brought home a first place finish from Hawaii. GVL | ARCHIVES

While the team has played many tournaments this season, Miron says that the atmosphere of playing in Hawaii was different.

“The overall vibe of Hawaii is more relaxed,” Miron said.

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A12 | SPORTS

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SOCCER

Makenna Schoolman’s triumphant return to the field BYJOSH CARLSON SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Following Grand Valley State University women’s soccer’s 2019 season championship, senior defender Makenna Schoolman was on cloud nine. There was nothing in her way from going into her senior season in 2020 and trying for a repeat win with her team. It wasn’t until the disastrous COVID-19 pandemic and a career-threatening injury that her hope for another stellar season began to fade.

When she was sent home due to COVID-19, Schoolman and her teammates consequently spent a long summer off-season doing individual workouts from home, still trying to stay in shape for what they hoped to be another season. After the hard work spent in those long months, the team was informed that the 2020 fall soccer season was canceled.

“To have to work out by ourselves for a very long summer and put in all that work, then be told you’re not going to even get a season, that was hard,” Schoolman said. “To know it was my senior season was even harder.”

After having to skip the fall season, the GLIAC decided to do a shortened spring season in March of 2021. But, in the leading practices to prepare for the short season, Schoolman went down with a season--and potentially career-ending injury.

“I had had a tibial plateau fracture,” Schoolman said. “Which is something that would MEN’S BASKETBALL

usually happen in a car accident. One of my teammates and I went in for a tackle and didn’t really see each other. I kind of blacked out, the only thing I remember is my coach coming up to me and having to carry me off the field, and I had to have surgery a week later.”

With the injury, Schoolman’s hopes for a chance to play in a Laker uniform again were low, until the NCAA granted an extra year of COVID-19 eligibility, allowing seniors who missed out on their season to return. Schoolman was all for it.

“I had put in all of that work (that summer),” Schoolman said. “And especially after the result we had in 2019, I couldn’t just walk away from something when I knew I could have that feeling again. I wanted to stay because I wanted to have that feeling again and be a part of this program a little bit longer.”

Schoolman went to work rehabbing her injury, determined to persevere and join her teammates back on the field in the fall of 2021.

“I was told right when I broke it that I would never play soccer again,” Schoolman said. “Much less play this year and this fall. It was my goal to, my friends and I have joked, prove science wrong. I worked really hard through the summer to make sure I was on top of my injury and on top of the rehab.

So, it’s just awesome to step back out on the field and have a role on this team not just as an encourager but as a player on the field.”

Coach Jim Conlon is a former collegiate

PERSEVERANCE: Makenna Schoolman takes to the field against all odds. COURTESY | JAKE LEVY

Now that Schoolman is back in action on the field this season, it’s all she has hoped for. Schoolman and the Lakers are ranked no. 1 overall in Division II with a 15-0-1 record on pace to win the regular-season GLIAC title, and a chance to repeat the Lakers 2019 results.

“It’s awesome; I’m definitely happy with my decision,” Schoolman said. “Especially to be able to be on the field and helping. I couldn’t have asked for a better beginning to the season, but we still have a lot of growth to do, and hopefully a lot longer of a season.”

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GV Men’s Basketball returns with an elite veteran-heavy roster for 2021-22 season

BY HOLLY BIHLMAN SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

ONE MORE TIME: Five seniors are returning to GVSU for their extra year and two more transfered in for theirs. GVL | LAUREN SEYMOUR

soccer player and is in his first year at the helm of the Lakers. Conlon witnessed Schoolman rearrange her life to add an extra year to her schooling in hopes of returning to the field, and after getting to know her, he did not doubt that she would achieve her goal.

“Makenna is a great player and a special person,” Conlon said. “When you decide to come back for a fifth year, you are making a lot of personal sacrifices and increasing that investment level to yourself, your family, everyone around you. Makenna has obviously given a lot of personal time, energy, and effort to continue to be a part of this amazing program. Candidly that’s why this program is the way it is, is because of women like her.”

After seeing her dedication to the love of the game, Conlon watched Schoolman fight back to make an impact on the field.

Not only as a player but a leader to the team. As a first-year coach coming in and inheriting players who have been a part of the program for four years, Conlon says Schoolman is the type of player and person that every first-year coach wishes for.

“In coaching, you hear words like culture, and words like attitude, and ‘buy-in,’” Conlon said. “Those are hard things to do; they take a very long time to instill when you are trying to build something the right way. And you have players like Makenna who make this program exactly those things. Culture isn’t a word, it’s a lifestyle to her.”

Last season, the Grand Valley State University men’s basketball team finished out their season in empty courts with a few lonely cutouts in the stands and crowd noise audio playing through the speakers. The Lakers made it to the GLIAC Conference Tournament where they faced Michigan Tech University in the semifinals, but didn’t receive the bid for the NCAA Tournament leaving them with runner-up for the second year in a row.

This season, GVSU is welcoming back an incredibly motivated group of seniors who are using their extra year of COVID-19 eligibility to make up a veteran-driven roster. Seven seniors on the team, including Conference Player of the Year and All-GLIAC player Jake Van Tubbergen and All-GLIAC transfer Christian Negron, along with four of their fellow senior teammates from last year are coming back for their final year together.

“Obviously when you’ve got a bunch of

old guys and a bunch of new guys coming in, you’re going to tease them a little bit, have your fun,” Van Tubbergen said. “But at the end of the day we’re all here trying to accomplish the same goal, so we all get along and we all have a common vision.”

Without having any experience playing together in real-time games, the team has yet to get the full feel for each other’s playing style and what they’re best at. Their first exhibition game on Nov. 4 kicks off the season at Michigan State University where the Division II Lakers will face the Division I Spartans for their first exhibition game, followed by their second and final exhibition game against the Division III Alma College at home on Nov. 6.

After these first two games to warm up the players for their season, every game is just as important as the next in their journey to the NCAA Tournament.

“We get into the season right away,” said coach Ric Wesley. “We have a tough game at University of Indiana; it’s a crossover

game, it’s an interregional rival, so we’ve got some really tough non-conference games. And then Southern Indiana, Cedarville, those are all really big games that go a long way toward building that resume, should you not win the automatic bid. You just go through the whole schedule and every game is a dog fight.”

Coming in for his 18th year as head coach for the Lakers, Coach Wesley foresees a highly motivated and experienced group of guys coming out to play this year.

“We’ve got a veteran group,” Wesley said.

“We’ve had two really solid years back-to-back; we’d like to have a third, better year.”

Last season, the Lakers were ranked no.

6 in the Midwest region of the NCAA, and they’re competition looks to be bringing back a good number of their own veteran players as well from the COVID-19 eligibility.

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