Grand Valley Lanthorn vol. 56 no. 25

Former Security Council Official Sheds Light

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

Fiona Hill discusses Russia-Ukraine conflict

GV School of Communications hosts Dr. Eva Berger for annual Mayberry Lecture TECHNOLOGY| A9

Women’s Basketball’s recordbreaking win streak ends in GLIAC BASKETBALL | A11

Finals

GVSU Student Senate Elections Voting is week of

March 28 - April 3

M O N D A Y, M A R C H 1 4 , 2 02 2 // VO L . 5 6 N O. 2 5

@ GV L A N T H O R N

Vote Online at

gvsu.edu/studentsenate/vote On March 28th, Meet the Candidates in Kirkof Lobby 6-8pm

LANTHORN.COM

A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS GV COVID-19 CAMPUS DATA UPDATE The Grand Valley State University community has had a cumulative total of 7,279 cases since Aug. 1, 2020. The university’s update for this brief was from Thursday, March 10.

Through testing results this past week, GVSU’s Virus Action team have so far reported 18 current active cases including one faculty member, four staff members, two on-campus students, three “off-campus Ottawa” students, eight “off-campus Kent” students and zero “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 10 days. This is an estimate of those currently in isolation, assuming a 10-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, an 80% vaccination rate in the GVSU community is required to reach herd immunity and minimal virus transmission.

Currently, approximately 87% of students report being fully vaccinated, while approximately 94% of faculty and staff reports being fully vaccinated.

There are currently 2,214 students and 139 faculty/staff with approved vaccination exemptions.

Testing and Incidence: GVSU’s own testing program has performed 128,369 tests overall since Aug. 1, 2020, for a cumulative positivity rate of 0.64% from the latest update as of last week. A total of 470 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.

POLICY

GV moves to COVID-19 alert level one, students voice their concerns

BY LAUREN FORMOSA NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Under the guidance of local health departments and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Grand Valley State University has revised its COVID-19 guidelines.

In an email sent out on March 2, the GVSU Virus Action Team (VAT) announced that the university would be moving to alert level one and revising the face mask policy.

The decision was made by monitoring campus and regional health metrics or “indicators,” VAT Director Greg Sanial said.

The indicators listed on the Lakers Together website suggest that the university is currently at low risk for COVID-19 outbreaks and the factors have lessened, regardless of the university starting spring break a few days later.

“The timing of moving to level one was driven by a drop in the indicators such as fewer cases and fewer people in quarantine, not so much the calendar,” Sanial said.

The VAT determined that while most current guidelines could remain in effect, it was safe to revise the face mask policy.

As outlined in the new policy, masks are still required in classrooms and other academic settings. However, masks are no longer required in the recreation and

MANDATE: Grand Valley State University's Virus Action Team recently announced the university was moving to alert level one, removing the mask mandate in some campus locations. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

wellness center, Kirkhof Center and other common areas around campus.

After the announcement was shared via email and on social media, it sparked confusion and concern from the campus community.

Over 200 people commented on GVSU’s Facebook post about the new alert level and revised mask policy.

Much of the confusion from students

came from a “lack of clarity” in the new mask policy. Many students were questioning the university as to where on campus masks are and aren't required, such as in hallways or in elevators.

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

COMMUNITY

GV faculty draft letter of support for Ukrainian and Russian community

BY ANTHONY CLARK JR. NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

GV TO HOST RESUME AND COVER LETTER WORKSHOP Grand Valley State University’s CECI undergraduate advising center and career center are joining together to offer students tips and tricks for creating a solid resume and cover letter.

On March 16 from noon to 2 p.m. in room 303C in the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids campus, students are invited to bring copies of their current resumes and cover letters to receive personalized feedback and suggestions for improvement.

The event is free for students to attend and snacks will be provided. Students are encouraged to RSVP prior to the event.

For those unable to attend this in person workshop, GVSU's career center offers on-demand resume reviews in person and online at the CareerLab weekly.

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

ETHICS: GVSU's IRIS Department used a letter to voice their support of bravery shown by community members. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON

Recently Grand Valley State University’s Integrative, Religious and Intercultural Studies Department (IRIS) created a letter of support that recognizes the Russian invasion of Ukraine and community members affected by the events.

“As a community of scholars, we hold ourselves accountable to certain ethical standards as faculty and staff,” said Dan Cope, affiliate faculty of the IRIS. “We expect our students to do the same, which is why we teach them important skills like ethical reasoning.”

Cope teaches integrative studies, which is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students going into diverse fields to be ethical, engaged and compassionate community members.

This program looks to provide capacities for individuals who want to reach out and assist those in need, Cope said.

“There are many both in and outside our community who felt compelled to say ‘this is not just’ when witnessing the movement

of the Russian military into Ukraine,” Cope said. “Lakers are doing this individually and collectively by reaching out to our Ukrainian and Russian students, faculty and staff to provide them support and resources.”

Although an educator, Cope believes the value held for basic human rights should not be differentiated when wearing the shoes of a scholar versus a civilian.

“As such, GVSU should be an example of the society we want to create and inhabit,” Cope said. “Due to this, I see no division between how I behave as an academic and how I behave as a citizen.

If I fail to uphold or see behavior that violates these ethical principles, I'm bothered, and I should be. We all should.”

Cope believes that fighting for these rights are more than a mainstream phenomenon whenever tragedy strikes, but instead, an everyday fight in order to maintain respect.

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

A3 | NEWS

MRCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS POLICY

| A2

OPINION

| A4

TECHNIQUE

| A5

DISCUSSION

| A6&7

CAREER

| A8

TUITION

| A9

RESPONSE

| A10

BASKETBALL

| A11

TRACK

| A12 VOL. 5 6

NO. 25

Lanthorn Videographer KATE KIRBY

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief ZACK GOODROW

Layout Editor KHOI TRAN

Associate Editor AUDREY WHITAKER Associate Editor XAVIER GOLDEN

Layout Designer DONOVAN LOPEZ PROMOTIONS

News Editor MARY DUPUIS Sports Editor HOLLY BIHLMAN Laker Life Editor JACOB DEWEERD A&E Editor

Promotions Manager GRACE O’BRIEN ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager JORDAN GREEN

MONEY

State lawmakers seek solutions as high gas prices hit areas surrounding GV

BY JOSHUA ALBURTUS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Michigan lawmakers in Lansing have begun considering possible solutions as Grand Valley State University residents have started to experience part of the economic fallout from tumultuous world events.

Propelled by international and corporate sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, prices at the gas pump began to rise as countries and businesses cut ties with Russia’s vast oil supply.

The impact has been apparent in areas surrounding GVSU, with some pumps in West Michigan seeing increases of up to 40 cents in less than 48 hours.

In Allendale, GVSU students already under typical collegiate financial pressures have begun to feel the added strain as prices at surrounding gas stations rose to $4.25 per gallon late last week.

Living an hour and a half from campus, GVSU junior Makenna Fall said the new cost of getting to school is already beginning to add up.

“The increase of gas (prices) is making it harder for me to be able to make the trip up to (Grand Rapids) and back,” Fall said. “I work a job, where I get paid every other week and currently I’ve been struggling to get gas because what used to only be 15 or 20 bucks to

BUSINESS STAFF

SABRINA EDWARDS

Image Editor MEGHAN LANGREN Multimedia EditorHAILIEGH HUBER

fill up my tank is now 25 or 30 dollars.”

The situation has caused state lawmakers to consider what can be done to lower gas and energy prices statewide until the global market regains its balance.

Joining multiple governors and lawmakers across the nation, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has begun calling for a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax that constitutes about 18 cents of the pump price.

“Today, I joined with some fellow governors and called on our congressional leaders to suspend the 18.4-cent per

gallon gas tax through the end of this year,” Whitmer said in a video released on March 8. “Suspending the federal gas tax could save Michiganders hundreds of dollars at the pump through 2022 and help us pay bills and put food on our tables.”

But as the state legislature moves to halt Michigan’s own 27-cent gas tax, the governor has struck a different tone.

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

CAMPUS

Business Manager MORGAN JOHNSTON

GV Recration Center expects spike in attendance with removal of mask mandate

Asst. Business Manager LUKE KREGER Distribution Manager

BY ELIZABETH SCHANZ NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

DAYTON HAMMON

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 of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

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

RISING: Lawmakers in Lansing have are exploring possible solutions to the steady increase in gas prices as Michigan residents, including GVSU students, struggle with the cost. GVL | JOSH ALBURTUS

INCREASE: GVSU recreation center employees are expecting the removal of the mask mandate to attract more students. GVL | RACHEL SLOMBA

With COVID-19 restrictions easing across the nation, many institutions, including Grand Valley State University, are making changes to their policies.

Prior to spring break, the GVSU Virus Action Team (VAT) announced through email that the university was now at a COVID-19 alert level one, resulting in a revised mask policy.

This change in alert level allows individuals to go without masks in some parts of campus, one of these locations being the GVSU recreation and wellness center (rec center), both at individual workout stations and in group workout classes.

Before the removal of the mask mandate at the rec center many students and staff noticed that attendees often didn’t properly follow the mask mandate.

GVSU sophomore Kylie McCaskill, a student employee in the rec-well division said she thinks this change may draw in students who had previously been deterred by

the rule and the enforcement of it.

“There’s definitely going to be more people coming,” McCaskill said. “More people were going to outside gyms than before (the mask mandate was implemented).”

After two years of living with the pandemic and wearing their masks, many students said they’re feeling hopeful due to the recent changes to the COVID-19 policies.

Sophomore Melisa Deneweth said she has yet to attend campus buildings without masks and appreciates the option to not wear a mask in the rec center.

“Personally (the new policy) would make me want to go (to the rec center) because not having to wear a mask while working out is way better and a lot of us haven’t had that in two years now,” Deneweth said.

While some individuals may be uncomfortable without a mandate in certain locations, others are excited for the possibility of the complete removal of the policy.

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

A4 | OPINIONS

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

By Xavier Golden

EDITORIAL

The highs and lows of public and private responses to Women’s History Month

M 03/14/22

editorial@lanthorn.com

Letter to the Editor 25 February 2022 In this moment of international crisis, we the undersigned are compelled to respond to Russian military movement into the independent nation-state of Ukraine. As scholars at Grand Valley State University, we pursue educational achievement because we understand that knowledge profoundly enables us to be effective individuals and community members. We believe the call to scholarly pursuit is likewise a call to care. Institutions of higher learning are places where people convene to engage in shared

goals, which makes us responsible for one another’s well-being.

As a community of scholars, we are committed to liberal principles of intellectual freedom, autonomy, and constructive dialogue.

Our reputation as a university of academic excellence, intellectual integrity, and impassioned citizenship has drawn scholars from across the state of Michigan, the United States, and the world.

Grand Valley State University is the educational home of 400 international students. This is in addition to the numerous faculty, staff, and first-generation American

students who hail from nations around the world. Language recently adopted in our Reach Higher Initiative commits us to “think and act on a global basis.”

This holds us accountable for promoting our institutional values globally. The actions of the governing body of the Russian Federation are antithetical to the values we espouse at our institution. As such, we are compelled to denounce these actions upon the independent nation-state of Ukraine.

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

Do Pets Really Improve College Student’s Mental Health?

BY MADDIE ZIMMERMAN JUNIOR BUSINESS EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Before I moved away to college, I never really realized how many college students had pets.

I thought, ‘Surely, everyone was too over their heads in schoolwork to be able to have time for a pet.’ This was before I ended up getting several betta fish, a hamster and a rescue cat. At first, I started out with a betta fish that my roommate and I shared.

My roommate and I had so much fun picking out what would go in the bowl; colorful rocks, plants and accessories for the fish. In and of itself, the fish was fun to look at, and gave me a sense of purpose. Something depended on me.

Fish are also simple and affordable.

If you want an easy pet to brighten your day, I highly recommend a betta fish. Just make sure that you research it, like any pet, beforehand.

This year my boyfriend and I wanted something to hold, so we got a hamster. Now, I was super excited for a cute little hamster to be mine, but it turns out that Hammie (his name is “Hammie”) doesn’t like people very much. I can still pet him, but he nibbles sometimes.

Despite Hammie being a not-sonice hamster, he still makes me smile.

Hamsters are adorable, even just to look at. Whenever I’m upset about something, stressed or overwhelmed with homework I just sit with my

hamster. He ends up doing something funny, or even just looking cute ,and it changes my mood.

A few months after I got my hamster, my boyfriend brought up the idea of getting a cat. At first I was nervous about the idea; cats are a huge commitment and they’re a lot of work.

After researching and looking for a cat we rescued Manon. Our approximately seven-year-old Point Lynx Siamese cat has changed my life.

I may sound dramatic, but I promise having a cat helped me. I used to think that emotional support animals were kind of bogus. Cats can help with depression? Dogs can help with anxiety? Well, as a person who has both of those mental illnesses I can assure you that my cat has helped me with both.

Manon makes me excited to get out of bed in the morning.

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

arch is Women’s History Month, with International Women’s Day having been this past week on March 8. This month has seen public comments from universities, celebrities and large corporate entities.

But frequently, public support for Women’s History Month from giant companies is overshadowed by gender bias at a managerial level and company-wide discrepancies in pay.

Throughout February, March and June, organizations often show their support on social media, filling their feed with the Black Lives Matter logo, inspiring quotes from female entrepreneurs and rainbow logo redesigns.

While these online displays of support have become something of an expectation in our social media-dominated world, they often come across as disingenuous, cheap plays to boost a brand’s image. Many spectators are left to wonder whether or not the posts are genuine, or if the support is just delivered to make sure the user is viewed as “woke.”

This International Women’s day, a UK-based twitter bot, @PayGapApp,

responded to public statements made by UK companies with information on their pay gap between men and women, thus exposing the companies for their shallow support.

Is the purpose of Women’s History Month to support women, raise awareness of issues like the gender pay gap, advocate for change or celebrate the accomplishments of women?

Ideally, we think, women’s history should go far beyond a social media post to include all of these things. Despite some empty bouts of support, there is still hope that can be found in other organizations using their platforms for empowerment or advocacy.

We commend the opportunities GVSU has created to learn about, celebrate and support women, people of color and members of the LGBT community not just during their respective months, but throughout the year. Student organizations, campus events and resources show a concerted effort to encourage learning and action in the GVSU community.

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

GVL OPINION POLICY

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 or beliefs.

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.

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

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS TECHNIQUE

GV faculty members adopt brand new teaching methods for student success

BY GILLIAN HANTON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Some Grand Valley State University faculty members are implementing a new way of grading students’ work.

Faculty are moving away from letter grades and towards a practice known as “ungrading,” to keep students focused on learning instead of worrying about the grade they may receive.

Although students are still expected to complete the necessary coursework and participate in class, teachers who use ungrading choose not to grade their students using letters.

Instead, students are encouraged to devote their attention to the material discussed in class instead of worrying about their GPA. Before letter grades, professors at Yale University in 1785 unknowingly used a system where students would be ranked in four categories based on the quality of work: optimi, second optimi, inferiores and perjores.

This concept then evolved at several institutions until Mount Holyoke University adopted the letter system of grading in 1897.

Grades were generated by percentage increments from zero to 100 and students were given a corresponding title of excellent (A), good (B), fair (C), passed (D) and (E), failed – a system similar to the one used today.

Over a century later, the grading system is starting to evolve once again.

David Eick, a GVSU Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center Fellow, said he uses “ungrading” regularly and has observed the

benefits of the practice firsthand.

“The vibe in class is less tense,” Eick said. “Students and I have a better relationship, they know that I trust them.

There’s no longer any incentive to cheat or plagiarize. The rigor of my courses is strictly intellectual, not evaluative.”

In addition to this, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many students and faculty to question the effectiveness of our current style of teaching and grading. After using Zoom and other alternative learning methods for over a year, many professors believe that it’s time for change in the collegiate sphere.

“There’s lots of research suggesting that grades actually hinder learning for many reasons,” Eick said. “Grades cause anxiety which impairs cognition and they’re subjective, varying from instructor to instructor, even from section to section of the same course.”

Even though “ungrading” is a solution to preventing high stress levels, there are still some setbacks to this style of teaching.

After using the method in his classes for nearly two years, Eick said he has noticed that some students have used the leniency of “ungrading” to avoid completing their classwork.

“A handful of students have taken advantage and taken it easy,” Eick said. “A strong student recently remarked that it’s unfair if she works hard while her classmate doesn’t but still gets a good grade.”

Despite these challenges, feedback from faculty and students alike has been overwhelmingly positive.

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

APPROACH: Some Grand Valley State University faculty members are choosing to take a new approach to grade their students. Leaving letter grades behind, they grade students based on their performance and participation in the course, an approach called “ungrading.” GVL | LAUREN SEYMOUR

A6&7 | LAKER LIFE

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

BY JACOB DEWEERD LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

On March 1, Grand Valley State University welcomed former U.S. National Security Council official and current Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Dr. Fiona Hill to participate in a discussion about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Throughout the hour-long chat between Hill and Professor Polly Diven, topics like Hill’s experience as a graduate student in the Soviet Union, Vladimir Putin’s rationale for invading Ukraine and the likelihood of direct U.S involvement in the conflict were covered.

With the Pere Marquette room full of attendees, Hill began the discussion by recounting the experiences that lead to her receiving a full-ride scholarship to Harvard University. Born in northeast England, Hill is the daughter of a coal miner and was the first person in her family to attend college.

While she was completing high school and college, Hill lived through the Euromissile Crisis, which was a nuclear standoff between the Soviet Union and several Western nations.

“We actually thought there was a real risk of a miscalculation, and in November of 1983, we came very close to nuclear war because the Soviets, at the time, misread a series of U.S. exercises,” Hill said. “They thought the exercises were preparation for an offensive, maybe even the first strike against the Soviet Union.”

This experience, as well as other world events related to the threat of nuclear war and U.S. and Russian conflicts, inspired Hill to study Russian and modern history at Harvard. She eventually became a foreign exchange student and chose to study in Moscow, where she witnessed former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev and former U.S. president Ronald Reagan sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

That treaty effectively ended the Euromissile Crisis, but the standoffish attitude between Russia and the U.S. persisted.

After finishing the story of her educational journey, Hill spoke about similarities between the tense atmosphere of those years compared to today.

“We’ve come full circle and those circles keep expanding out,” Hill said. “The same things I was worried about back in

BEGINNINGS: Dr. Fiona Hill recounted her experiences growing up in Europe worried about a potential conflict between the U.S and Russia. GVL | JACOB DEWEERD

TIMING: The discussion between Dr. Fiona Hill and Professor Polly Diven was planned months before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. GVL | JACOB DEWEERD

Background credit: Washington Post

1984 are the same things that we’re all worried about now.”

On the subject of the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, Hill echoed sentiments from other Russian experts and said a full-scale invasion was the worst case scenario. She said there were plenty of other ways Russia could have escalated the situation that wouldn’t have involved invading Ukraine.

“Like other people, I was hoping that this wouldn’t be the option that Vladimir Putin chose,” Hill said. “Putin had created for himself a whole range of options to choose from.”

Although Putin had prepared for many different militaristic situations, Hill said, he didn’t expect such a massive support system to rise up behind Ukraine.

“That was a massive miscalculation in many respects because he thought, going back to 2014 and what happened in Crimea, that Russian speakers in Ukraine would be sympathetic towards Russia and would rise up,” Hill said.

Although he probably foresaw fierce resistance from Ukrainians and their military, worldwide condemnation and massive sanctions on Russia’s economy from most of its trade partners were something Putin didn’t see coming. Because of this mistake, Ukraine and the rest of the world appears to be putting up much fiercer resistance than Putin and the Russian army expected.

“Did he expect people like you to be signing letters of support, or people sending goods and supplies to Ukraine?” Hill said. “He wouldn’t have expected that, and I certainly didn’t expect the German government to turn around and put 2% of their GDP into support for NATO into their budget or to stop the Nordstream 2 pipeline.”

Hill moved on to Putin’s rationale for invading Ukraine, which comes down to his belief that the country is rightfully still part of Russia. She also said NATO expansion played a part in Putin’s decision to invade at this point in time.

Countries like Ukraine and Georgia, which both border Russia, were on track to join the pact in the near future and Putin is not fond of having a powerful Western alliance so close to Russia.

Aside from those reasons, Hill said Putin has one other reason for justifying the invasion: he believes Russia al-

ways has a target on its back.

“This is basically the idea that Russia is always under assault,” Hill said.

“If you look at all of his speeches, they go back to the 17th century Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth that got all the way to Moscow, the Russian National Day is actually the day of basically pushing the Poles out of Moscow.”

Hill explained that Putin sees any expansion of NATO, or really anything that looks like a military entity, closer to Russia as a huge red flag and a threat to the country. In Putin’s mind, Ukraine and Georgia deciding they wanted to join NATO was about as big of a red flag as there could be.

“We thought very much that then the Russians would launch some kind of preemptive action against this, and we saw that in Georgia in 2008 when the Russians went full-in on it,” Hill said. “We thought that they’d do it in Ukraine too but the Ukrainians pulled back from NATO.” At the end of the event, Hill took questions from the audience. The first question Hill received from a student was about the differences between this conflict and the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

“I’m sure Vladimir Putin is wondering the same thing,” Hill said.

She went on to explain that Crimea is full of native Russian speakers, plenty of which were sympathetic to the idea of being under Russian rule for various reasons. As a result, Putin and Russia moved in and took control of the area with relative ease. Those who supported Russia’s justification stayed in Crimea and most of those who opposed moved to other parts of Ukraine.

“The Russian government thought that they could pull this off again in the Donbass region and maybe all the way down to Odessa,” Hill said. “They thought that all of these Russian-speaking cities around the coast would rise up as well, but that didn’t happen, and in fact, people pushed back.”

Another student asked about the U.S.’s response so far and if President Biden’s opposition to sending in American troops was the right approach.

“Putin is absolutely paranoid about NATO intervention, that’s why he’s put his nuclear forces on high alert, to scare off NATO because believe me, he’d figure out

some way of using some kind of nuclear weapon,” Hill said. “The whole idea is to scare the hell out of all of us, get us to back off so that he can continue.”

As Hill covered earlier in the discussion, Putin still believes Ukraine rightfully belongs to Russia, so the last question of the event asked if he’d have invaded Ukraine even without the possibility of the country joining NATO. Hill’s answer touched on the fact that Russian citizens are encased in a propaganda barrage that accuses Ukraine of being infiltrated by neo-nazi nationalists and other outsiders. In Russia, Putin is using those blatantly false accusations as justification for the invasion and spreading that message across as many media channels as possible.

“People in Russia only thought some action was justified because they thought this was about the United States trying to take over Ukraine or NATO trying to take over Ukraine,” Hill said.

“Only Vladimir Putin made that decision to invade and only he and the people around him knew that he was going to launch a full-scale invasion.”

A few days after the event, Diven shared her favorite parts of the event.

“I loved the fact that students and faculty had a chance to ask many good questions,” Diven said. “I was also happy to hear Dr. Hill discuss her modest beginnings and emphasize how students at GVSU can go on to do great things too.”

She also highlighted the incredible timing of the event. The planning process began in the fall 2021 semester, so it was completely coincidental that Hill ended up speaking during the middle of the conflict.

“The timing could not have been better, Dr. Hill helped us all make more sense of the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine,” Diven said. “She has met with Putin on several occasions and helped us understand his mindset. She also clearly differentiated between blaming Putin and his cronies while not blaming the ordinary citizens of Russia.”

More information about Hill and her experiences with Russia and Ukraine can be found in her new book, “There is Nothing for You Here”.

A8 | NEWS

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CAREER

GV encourages students to attend job fair, discover new opportunities

BY JAMIE WILSON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s student employment office is preparing to host the annual summer job fair for students looking for new opportunities.

On Thursday, March 17 from 1 to 4:00 p.m. the Grand River Room in the Kirkhof Center will be filled with internships and paid employment opportunities for students.

While many of the jobs will offer valuable experiences in potential areas of interest, the summer job fair isn’t limited to students in any particular major.

“We have a huge range of employers attending and within that range are paid and unpaid internships, as well as traditional employment that can be seasonal, shortterm work or can continue on into the next academic year,” said student employment office employee Katelyn Johnson.

The attending employers vary from summer camp opportunities where students may be paid through housing and food to help lead the program, local department stores and the Kentwood Police Department.

“The Summer Job Fair is geared toward students who may want experience in their

field of interest but are not ready to graduate, or students who want to put something on their resume that will benefit them in the future,” Johnson said.

While not necessarily the goal of the event, Johnson said that it’s not uncommon for summer jobs to develop into long-term positions for students.

“Having a job while in school gives students a big boost for when they graduate,” Johnson said. “They will gain hands-on experience and can use those employers as professional references.”

She also said there are many benefits for students looking to work on GVSU’s campus.

“The employers on campus know that students are students first,” Johnson said.

“They aren’t going to schedule students during class times, they’re going to give students leniency during exam weeks and they end up being really good references for students once they do graduate.”

Students who’re eager and serious about gaining summer work experience are encouraged to bring an updated resume to give to employers at the summer job fair.

GVSU’s career center supports students in both creating and updating their resumes.

SUMMER JOBS: Many students rely on summer employment as a source of income, however, summer jobs also help students gain experience and make connections before graduation. GVL | SYDNEY LIM

Students can schedule a resume appointment or stop by the Allendale or Pew campus “career lab” between 1 and 4:00 p.m. every Monday through Friday.

The career center also offers a virtual career lab from 4 to 7:00 p.m. every Monday through Thursday.

All students are also encouraged to visit the career center for assistance in every step of their job preparation and search process.

“The career center offers support to students who are seeking any kind of employment,” said assistant director of the career center, Megan Riksen. “Students and alumni can join a career community, utilize Handshake and attend any of the various events we have throughout the year.”

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

TECHNOLOGY

GV adds Gartner Research to its database

BY GRACE SMITH NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

DATABASE: GVSU students now have access to Gertner Research, a research database focused on emerging technology and the tech industry.

Access to this database puts students ahead of the curve upon graduation. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

Grand Valley State University’s department of information technology announced on March 1 that university affiliates will now have access to Gartner Research via GVSU’s library database.

Per their mission statement, Gartner Research defines itself as the world’s leading research and advisory company.

The organization states that their goal is to “equip business leaders with indispensable insights, advice and tools to achieve their mission-critical priorities today and build the successful organizations of tomorrow.”

Access to this technology can be beneficial for faculty, staff and students.

Alongside the obvious uses, such as research papers or presentations, Gartner Research’s unique database supplies GVSU community members with unique academic advancement opportunities.

Via the database, users are able to view credible research regarding emerging technologies, industry trends and new educational technologies.

“Let’s say you’re looking for the latest on

any type of technology,” said Emil Delgado, GVSU’s Associate Vice President of information technology. “You can go in here and research what’s going on, such as who’re the top competitors. Gartner is known for its ‘Magic Quadrant’ and being able to be an unbiased source of research.”

The Magic Quadrant is a notable feature of the Gartner Research database and provides users with a unique visual of various markets’ long term players based on a cumulation of market specific research gathered from throughout the database.

To accomplish this, Gartner applies a graphical treatment and a uniform assessment of criteria to determine how well technology based businesses are executing their expressed goals in comparison to Gartner’s market view data collected from other companies within the database.

In turn, Gartner Research determines the x-axis of the Magic Quadrant to be completeness of vision and the y-axis as the ability to execute vision. From there, the graph is divided into four quadrants, niche players, visionaries, challengers and leaders.

Here, users can easily see the charac-

teristics of market leaders and followers in comparison to the technology providers of interest via its interactive features.

“The vendors or companies go to them (Gartner) and tell them what’s going on and they aggregate everything and put it into ‘here’s what’s good’ and ‘here’s what’s bad,’” Delgado said. “If you’re working on something and doing your research ... you can come in here and get that instead of having to google and do multiple searches, and decide what’s misinformation and what’s not.”

Gartner Research also offers over 1,900 global technology analysts, allowing the database to engage students in all fields of study.

With an increasingly tech-dependent society, understanding which technologies dominate the field may put students ahead of the curve upon graduation.

Keeping up to date on tech industries via objective information is a new arsenal of information available to the GVSU community.

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

A9 | LAKER LIFE

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

A LOOK AT LIFESTYLE EXPLORE CAREERS WITH THE CAREER CENTER

The Career Center is hosting a two-session workshop called Career Exploration Bootcamp that will help students choose a career path and accompanying major. The first session, which is being held on March 14, will cover career indecision and an introduction to PathwayU. The second session on March 21 will discuss results for PathwayU and the next steps in the career search process. Students who sign up for Session 1 will need to sign up for Session 2 as well. Both events can be viewed on Handshake.

SIGN UP FOR THE RECWELL MARCH MADNESS BRACKET CHALLENGE

Students can participate in a March Madness bracket competition courtesy of RecWell. The department is hosting the challenge for the 2022 March Madness men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Whoever has the highest-scoring bracket in each challenge will win an intramural sports champion shirt. Students can sign up on the RecWell website.

LEARN HOW TO CONSTRUCT A RESEARCH POSTER On Monday, March 14, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Graduate Assistant Teegan Galdeen is putting on a workshop that will teach students the elements of a successful research poster. Galdeen will discuss formats, templates and how to present research using posters as a mode of communication. This event is open to all students and will be held virtually.

TUITION

GV faculty and students deliberate over college affordability and rising costs

BY CLEMENCE DANIERE LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and Grand Valley State University’s Diversity Affairs Committee of the Student Senate held a virtual discussion focused on college affordability on Feb. 28. Students, staff and faculty came together to discuss the rising costs of college and learn about the factors impacting students’ tuition bills.

This event brought together students and faculty who share concerns about the affordability and accessibility of college. Students were encouraged to ask any questions that faculty could help answer, which led to discussion of solutions and help that are readily available for GVSU students.

Professor Denise Goerisch, an assistant professor of integrative, religious and intercultural studies, opened the virtual event by sharing stories from students she interviewed for her research on how the rising cost of college impacts students’ educational experiences.

Goerisch’s fieldwork showed that students needing to balance a job while putting meaningful effort into their studies often leads to burnout and disengagement in the classroom. This produces advantages for students who don’t have to work or take out loans to pay for school and can focus more on their studies.

Following Goerisch, professor Michelle

Miller-Adams from the Political Science Department explored the subject of free and accessible college. GVSU tuition has been steadily rising for the past several years due to issues such as declining state support, rising administrative costs and rising amenity costs. Calls for cheaper and more accessible prices have accompanied these rises in tuition costs.

“This is a conversation that has been going on since the early days of the Obama administration,” Miller-Adams said.

Declining state support was identified by faculty as one of the highest contributors to the rising cost of college. Currently, 17% of

GVSU’s budget comes from the state, making it the second lowest-funded university in the state of Michigan. Joel Stillerman, professor of sociology and President of GVSU’s AAUP Chapter, added his concerns about the allocation and use of those funds and questioned whether the university should be investing more in the education of GVSU students instead of new buildings and amenities.

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

TECHNOLOGY

CONNECT WITH EMPLOYERS AT THE HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE PANEL

GV School of Communications hosts Dr. Eva Berger for annual Mayberry Lecture

The Career Center is hosting a panel of employers that will speak about paid, volunteer, and job shadowing opportunities at local healthcare providers.

This event, taking place on Tuesday, March 15, will give students the chance to connect with employers in a casual virtual environment. Panelists will include employees from Helix Scribe Solutions, Trinity Health and others. Students and staff are welcome to attend and can RSVP on Handshake.

BY MELIA WILLIAMS LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

START GRAD SCHOOL APPLICATIONS AT THE GRADUATE APPLICATION WORKSHOP

The GVSU Graduate Admissions team is back with another Graduate Application Workshop where students can start or work on their graduate school applications. These workshops are hour-long sessions available for students who may have questions or just need to put aside some time to work on their applications.

BALANCE: Goerisch’s fieldwork found that in recent years, students have been forced to work more hours to support themselves as the costs of attending college have risen. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

DEPENDENT: Berger says people are becoming more contextually insensitive due to their reliance on technology. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

On Mar. 2, Grand Valley State University hosted its annual Robert Mayberry Lecture.

This year, the lecture was given by Dr. Eva Berger as she discussed her book “Context Blindness: Digital Technology and the Next Stage of Human Evolution.”

Berger’s book is about the modern human dependency on certain technologies such as GPS and social media and, by extension, how those tools make people context blind to the things that are right in front of them. She brought up the current trend of students attending online classes and how it’s considered abnormal to have cameras on for the entire duration of the class; this is an example of what Berger calls context blindness.

“There is evidence that we have slipped into an unprecedented reality,” Berger said. “Digital technology has made us

context blind.”

In this case, Berger’s definition of context is centered around a set of conditions that help people predict others’ behavior.

While discussing context related to current technological tools, Berger provided insight on what the pandemic lifestyle of Zoom calls and looking at faceless black squares on a screen all day has done to people, especially students. “(Context) helps us concentrate on what’s relevant and when we’re context blind, we can’t do this.” Berger said, “There’s an artificial silence that takes getting used to. It’s a new context that reveals how contextually insensitive we are.”

After defining context blindness, Berger discussed the phenomenon’s relation to the digitization of important life events.

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

A10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE CELEBRATE POETRY NIGHT AT GVSU On Monday, March 14, award-winning poet Danez Smith will be joining two local poets, Ericka Thompson and Marcel Price, to celebrate poetry night at Grand Valley State University. Thompson is the current Grand Rapids Poet Laureate and Price was the former laureate. This event is virtual and will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Registration is available at gvsu. edu/gvarts. GVSU’s poetry night has been a two-decade-long tradition. GVSU’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is hosting the event, which promises to be dynamic, challenging and moving.

WOMEN’S WAY MURAL TOUR In honor of Women’s History Month, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc is hosting a mural tour to learn about the success of many historical women figures on March 15. The tour is free and goes from 6 to 7:30 pm. The tour is led by Caroline Cook of Grand Rapids Running Tours and starts at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. The goal of this tour is to bring awareness to historical local women as well as bringing creativity to often unlooked areas of Grand Rapids with the murals.

MOVIE NIGHT AT GVSU

On March 18 there will be two separate opportunities for students to watch movies on campus.

The first screening is being hosted by Fostering Laker Success which is apart of the Center for Women and Gender Equity. This movie will start at 4:00 and run until 6 p.m. The movie that will be screened hasn’t been announced yet but it’s being picked by the members of FLS via survey. This will take place in Kirkhof 1201 and is opening to members of FLS or those that meet the criteria. FLS is a group for students who have experienced foster care or other out-of-home placement. For more information on the group, contact the Center for Women and Gender Equity.

That same evening, the Campus Activities Board will be screening “Dune.” The movie will be starting at 7 p.m. and running until 9:45 p.m. This film will be screened on the big screen theatre in Kirkhof.

They will be screening the 2021 version of the movie which features Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac and more.

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

RESPONSE

Former GV Professor Publishes New Book

BY AYRON RUTAN & SABRINA EDWARDS ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Renowned poet, literary critic and former Grand Valley State University professor Janet Ruth Heller has published her fourth collection of poems entitled “Nature’s Olympics,” which takes a look at the natural world from Heller’s perspective as a Jewish Feminist from the Midwest.

Heller has a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago and has taught a variety of topics at eight colleges and universities including Michigan State University, Northern Illinois University, Nazareth College, Western Michigan University, Albion College, GVSU, Olivet College and the University of Chicago. She’s also a former president of the Society for the Study of Midwestern Literature and is currently the President of the Michigan College English Association. “’Nature’s Olympics’ is a book of concise poems about plants, trees, animals and birds in wilderness areas and in cities,” Heller said. “It focuses on the flora and fauna of the Midwest. ‘Nature’s Olympics’ has four sections dedicated to the different seasons. Poetic forms include haiku, tanka, sonnets and free verse. “Nature’s Olympics” has an accessible style and approach to poetry. I want everyone to be able to read my work, not just people with doctoral degrees in literature.”

Nature has played an important part in Heller’s life. She was influenced by nature early on in life, and that is still one of the major influences in her poetry.

“My father used to take me and my sib-

lings for long walks in our neighborhood and in parks,” Heller said. “He taught us the names of trees, birds, animals and star constellations. Dad passed his love of the natural world on to me. Because of my fascination with our environment, I’ve written nature poems since I was in fourth grade.”

These poems were started in 1969 and then finished in 2021. However, the pieces were constantly being reviewed by Heller and the group she was a part of. She was always prepared to write, just in case inspiration struck at any moment.

“Everywhere I go, I take a pen and some paper in case I get an idea for prose or poetry,” Heller said. “Once, one of my doctors was running very late. While I waited over an hour, I wrote a long poem that I later revised and published.”

Heller’s poems cover a wide range of content. Whether that be animals and birds in her backyard, political issues, Supreme Court decisions, bullying, discrimination, feminist issues, sports, education issues, movies, television shows and literature.

“I write best when I feel strongly about a situation,” Heller said. “For example, some classmates bullied me badly when I was a new student in elementary school. “Because I suffered from bullying and discrimination, I have a lot of sympathy for other people who get treated unfairly, and I often write about how we can improve our society and its institutions.”

Heller worked at GVSU from 1990 to 1997 in the English department. She taught creative writing, poetry writing, Shakespeare, linguistics, composition, classical literature and literature for children. While

at GVSU Heller was able to find inspiration from meeting other authors and putting together lesson plans. Constantly rereading and analyzing poetry helped Heller with her own works.

AUTHOR: Former Grand Valley State University english professor Janet Ruth Heller is publishing her fourth collection of poetry books, “Nature’s Olympics.” COURTESY | JANET RUTH HELLER

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

NATURE

Butterflies bloom at Frederik Meijer Gardens

BY COLLEEN GARCIA ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park has opened their annual Fred and Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. The exhibition draws in nearly 1,000 visitors each week, with guests coming to watch the butterflies’ transformation. “(Attendees can) enjoy thousands of butterflies as they fly freely in the Lena Meijer

METAMORPHOSIS: Thousands of butterflies are hatching once again at Fredrick Meijer Gardens Sculpture Park. COURTESY | GVL ARCHIVES

Tropical Conservatory and learn about the positive and powerful impact flowers have on the world,” said John Vanderhaagen, media representative for the park.

The garden now homes more than 7,000 tropical butterflies, which started hatching on March 1. The butterfly habitat in the West Michigan garden is the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the nation.

There are now 60 species coming from regions all over the world, including Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines and Kenya. The exhibition will host the animals in a heated conservatory, built specifically for the event. The conservatory will also feature a variety of colorful flowers including plume flower and blue porterweed, as butterflies are attracted to brightly-colored flowers.

The goal of this year’s project is to highlight flowers’ ecological impact.

“We’re highlighting the power of flowers this year more than ever,” said Steve LaWarre, Vice President of Horticulture. “Our goal is to bring an awareness of the important relationships butterflies and humans

have with flowers and to show the positive and powerful impact flowers have on butterflies, people and the world.”

The Caterpillar room in the Grace Jaeki Seasonal display greenhouse is home to the monarch caterpillars. This greenhouse will be used as an observatory for guests to learn and see how flowers are used in the life cycle of butterflies as they transform from caterpillar to butterfly.

The young monarch caterpillar will feed on milkweed host plants mixed with flowering spring plants within the seasonal display greenhouse. However, the monarch won’t be the only species of caterpillar in Grace Jaeki greenhouse.

“Species of butterflies expected to arrive include the blue common morpho, whose iridescence impresses in flight, as well as brushfoot varieties such as the clearwing, lacewing and zebra mosaic,” Vanderhaagen said.

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

A11 | SPORTS

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

QUICK HITS SWIM AND DIVE TEAMS COMPETED IN NCAA DII NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS While the women’s swim and dive team came out of the national championships in 21st and the men’s in 10th, junior diver Gracyn Segard stole the show with her national title in the women’s 1 meter dive. As their season comes to an end, the teams returned back to Grand Valley State University from Greensboro, N.C. after the week (March 9-12) concluded.

The men’s team saw two Lakers in the top 10 finalists on day one starting with sophomore Eric Hieber placing sixth in the 1000m free with 9:08.57 and sophomore Cyrus Irwin in seventh for the 1m dive with 422.90. On day two, senior Keegan Hawkins earned AllAmerican honors with his sixth-place finish in the 400 IM with a 3:51.10.

The women’s team saw Segard’s third overall All-American honor with her fourthplace finish of 450.25 in the 3m dive while the men’s 800 free relay team (freshman Matt Bosch, Hieber, junior Roger Miret Sala and Hawkins) finished fourth with 6:29.99, breaking the GLIAC and GVSU record.

On the last day, Segard earned her championship with a score of 433.15, now having won back-to-back championships in the event for a total of three diving national championships in just two years.

CHRISTIAN NEGRON DRAFTED TO GRISES DE HUMACAO

Senior forward Christian Negron on the Grand Valley State University men’s basketball team has used up all of his years of extra eligibility and is now taking strides to further his basketball career. As a 2023 12th round draft pick for the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) league in Puerto Rico, Negron will play for the Grises de Humacao.

Negron finished high school at Larkin in Chicago with second team All-State honors, moving up to play for Loyola University Chicago for two seasons, reaching the NCAA Final Four in 2018. When he transferred to GVSU in 2019 he earned second team All-GLIAC with the third-highest block total in GVSU history. He started in all 30 games, averaging 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

His senior year, which did not count towards eligibility in 2020, he started all 19 games and ended the season with First team All-GLIAC and All-Defense, leading the team with 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

This season, Negron has continued improving his skills as one of the senior leaders on the team.

BASKETBALL

Men’s Basketball coach Ric Wesley steps down

BY HOLLY BIHLMAN SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

After 18 seasons as the head coach of the Grand Valley State University men’s basketball team, Ric Wesley released a statement on March 7 announcing the end of his coaching career at GVSU. As the Lakers wrapped up this season with a loss against Saginaw Valley State University 58-70 in the quarterfinals of the GLIAC Tournament on March 2, Wesley’s last season ended with an overall record of 17-11.

“It’s always hard to leave places you love but now seems like the right time for new energy and enthusiasm to direct our program,” Wesley said in his statement.

As assistant coach Taylor Johnson steps in as interim head coach for the time being, Wesley’s career has left an incredible mark on the history of GVSU basketball, starting with an overall career record of 356-170 — the second-best in program history.

Notching three GLIAC regular-season championships, three GLIAC conference wins and five GLIAC championships, Wesley brought a great deal of success to the program after his 23-year stint as a DI assistant coach.

Starting out at Central Michigan University for his first coaching job, Wesley served as a student assistant coach for his four years at CMU, followed by coaching positions at Iowa State, Lamar University and Missouri State. When Wesley arrived to GVSU in 2004, it was his first head coach title.

During his years here, he managed a program-best 36-1 record in 2007-08, that being

just one of six seasons in which the Lakers won 20 plus games per season. Between 2005-10, Wesley led his teams to 135 wins for the best five-year stretch in program history, adding up to six total NCAA Tournament appearances.

“It’s difficult to express the love, respect and gratitude I feel toward the many players, student-assistants and coaches who have been on this journey with me,” Wesley said. “The many young men that have come through our program have represented our university in a first-class manner. Their efforts while here and the contributions they’re now making as husbands, fathers and leaders in their communities gives me a great sense of pride.”

Taking 37 student-athletes to All-GLIAC honors, 18 to All-GLIAC First Team, and three All-American players, what remains of Wesley’s tenure at GVSU lives on in the many Lakers that he coached. Callistus Eziukwu, Jason Jamerson and current senior Jake Van Tubbergen were all All-American Lakers, two of which had been inducted into the GVSU Hall of Fame not including Van Tubbergen.

“Under his leadership, I watched him share a deep love for his players beyond the game of basketball,” said Director of Athletics Keri Becker in a press release. “He was a great teacher of the game, committed to making them better at the skills of basketball, while also ensuring they had a great student-athlete experience and ultimately graduated.

He built a culture around relationships and family and created connections with his stu-

dent-athletes that will last a lifetime.”

All in all, Wesley’s impact on not only the program, but the lives of each player that had the chance to work with him leaves big shoes to fill for the next head coach of the men’s basketball program.

While Becker and the rest of the GVSU Athletics Department look to do just that, Wesley’s plans for the next chapter in his life have begun as he bids farewell to the Lakers.

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

W. BASKETBALL

Women’s Basketball’s record-breaking win streak ends in GLIAC Finals

BY JUSTICE STEINER SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

After a school record of 22 consecutive wins, the no. 2 Grand Valley State University (26-2) women’s basketball team suffered its second loss this past weekend, March 6, to Ferris State University (22-9) in the GLIAC Tournament Championship game.

“I think Ferris is a really good team and (in) any one game, like today, anybody can beat anybody and they beat us,”

said coach Mike Williams. “They were the better team today.”

Following a tightly contested, low-scoring first half, which included 15 total turnovers in the first quarter alone, the Lakers held a slim 21-20 advantage over the Bulldogs heading into the break. However, FSU came out of the locker room with their foot on the gas, gaining their largest lead of the contest with 7:36 remaining in the 4th quarter, 36-34.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL’S MIKE WILLIAMS EARNS COACH OF THE YEAR Seven-season head coach of the women’s basketball team Mike Williams concluded this season with a record 22-game win streak and the GLIAC Coach of the Year award.

During his time here at GVSU, Williams has tallied an overall record of 176-38 including this season so far, winning at least one game in the NCAA National Championships six out of the seven seasons that he’s been the head coach of the program.

MOVING ON: Head coach Ric Wesley has decided to head in a different direction after 18 years with GVSU as a Laker. GVL | LAUREN SEYMOUR

GVSU countered with a run of its own as senior guard Emily Spitzley scored seven consecutive points for the Lakers, getting the team within four points with 40 seconds left in the game and possession of the ball following the called timeout.

Out of the timeout, the Lakers attempted to go inside for the quick two-point basket with sophomore center Josylyn Brennan who had only played 12 minutes in the game, electing to not get the ball in the hands of Spitzley or sophomore guard Ellie Droste the two leading scorers on the season for GVSU. “That was the play call (it wasn’t a broken play) — get a quick two down by two then try to get a stop, call a timeout and get another crack at a two,” Williams said. “If we had to foul we had to foul, but with 43 or 44 seconds to go we had plenty of time.”

Brennan missed the contested layup and the Bulldogs went on to win the game by a score of 59-51, securing its first GLIAC Tournament Championship in program history.

LOG ON TO:

DEFEND: The women’s basketball team wraps up the GLIAC Finals on Monday after improving their overall record this season to 29-2 —the best yet in program history. GVL | DOMINIC STANKIEWICZ

www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

MARCH 14, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A12 | SPORTS TRACK

Men’s track and field team brings home NCAA National Championship

BY BRIAN BLOOM SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s track and field teams traveled to Pittsburg, Kansas to compete in the NCAA Indoor Track National Championships March 11-12. The men’s team won their first indoor title in school history, scoring 66 total points — 17 more points than every other team.

“It feels good to check off the final box,” coach Jerry Baltes said. “I’m happy for both the athletes and the staff. The men have now won three straight national championships dating back to before COVID-19, so I’m thrilled for them.”

The women’s team fell just short of being named champions, as they placed second with 51 points, just seven points behind Minnesota State University. “(The women’s team) competed at a very high level, just came up a little short,” Baltes said. “I’m proud of how they pushed through and competed hard.”

In terms of individual performances, both teams fielded a plethora of top five finishes in the country, two of which had their

efforts awarded with individual championships. On the men’s side, freshman Brandon Miller captured a national championship in the 200m with a time of 21.02, in the mile, freshman Caleb Futter finished third in the country, running a time of 4:08.99, in the 3000m and senior Isaac Harding and junior Tanner Chada finished second and third with times of 7:57.64 and 8:00.15.

Harding added a third place finish in the 5000m, crossing the finish line with a time of 13:47.67. “(I feel) a little disappointed; winning was the goal,” Harding said. “I did good, not great. I didn’t have good finishing or turnover, but I scored points for the team. I’m a bit disappointed, but content with finishing in the top three.”

As for the field events, freshmen Eli Kosiba and Jonathan Rankins-James placed second and fifth in the high jump with jumps of 2.14m and 2.11m. In the shot put, freshman Myles Kerner placed fifth, throwing a distance of 18.23m and in the weight throw, senior Hunter Harding had a career day, finishing fourth and throwing a personal best 20.47m.

“I felt overwhelmed and excited, Hard-

FIRST: For the first time in GVSU program history, the men’s track and field team brought home the NCAA DII National Championship, with the women finishing runner-up. GVL | LAUREN SEYMOUR

ing said. “It felt like it finally clicked; it was beautiful to watch that happen. I came in as a preferred walk-on and spent a lot of time with the upperclassmen. Failure prepared me for this; getting a PR at the national championship was amazing.”

On the women’s side, sophomore Klaudia O’Malley placed second in the mile, running a time of 4:55.17. In the 800m,

freshman Taryn Chapko finished with a time of 2:07.81, good for fifth place. Finally, senior Jessica Gockley finished fourth in the 3000m, crossing the finish line with a time of 9:22.37.

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

SOFTBALL

GV Softball starts spring season strong

BY JOSH CARLSON SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

WIND UP: GV softball is off to a great start this season with all-star pitcher Hannah Beatus already throwing a no-hitter. GVL | ARCHIVES

The Grand Valley State University women’s softball team has gotten off to a good start with their trips to Illinois and Florida, beginning the season 12-1 overall, beating teams by an average of 6.5 runs per game.

Coach Dana Callihan had some questions that needed to be answered this season with the loss of some key contributors on the team. Their trip to Florida was especially helpful in showing Callihan where they’re strengthening as a team.

“We have a lot of options and depth in a few positions,” Callihan said. “It’s just going to be a matter of who’s going to demonstrate the consistency that we need. It gives me options for things like pinch running as well, and those are the things that we really just want to iron out a little bit. Now it’s just seeing who’s going to be that consistent player that’s going to mold our current lineup.”

Leading the offense for the Lakers over the first 13 games has been juniors Lydia Goble (19 hits, .500 average, 2 HR), Joanna Cirrincione (20 hits, .426 average), and Morgan

Wagner (12 hits, .333 average, 2 HR), setting the tone for the Lakers’ offense this season.

The Lakers have now scored 101 runs so far this season — 27 more than a season prior — which Callihan credits to the team’s speed and work on baserunning in the offseason.

“We knew speed was going to be an advantage for us,” Callihan said. “And we knew we didn’t have the big power bat in Nikoma Holmen like last year. So, we wanted to make sure that we really focus on that. And in practice, we have focused on good baserunning and making good reads, and knowing when to go and when not to. The players have really embraced that, and I think that has made a difference with us being able to generate a few more runs. They’ve been able to swipe some bases that the defense wasn’t expecting us to take.”

The Lakers have shown dominance from the pitching circle as well. They’re second in the nation with a 1.25 ERA and only 12 runs allowed led by junior Hannah Beatus who has already tallied a no-hitter this season.

As a pitching staff, the Lakers have seen several healthy contributors aside from their ace, Beatus. Sophomore Genesis Eggart (4-

1, 2.03 ERA), and junior Hannah Dieck (20, .00 ERA) have also rounded out the staff.

“The biggest thing for us is ensuring that — as a staff — we’re one of the best DII staffs that there is,” Beatus said. “That’s kind of our goal is to make sure that we can each be called upon in any situation, against any team in any given moment. Especially when our goal as a team is that chase for the national championship, making sure that you are not just relying on that one arm, it can be extremely beneficial to have a bunch of parts that you can play and different pitchers that you can throw out there.”

Now that the Lakers are traveling home with conference matchups in sight, Beatus says their goal is to play like the team that was unanimously picked to win the GLIAC. “Dominating and attacking the way that we know we can,” Beatus said. “That’s another thing that we (learned on our trip) — trying to get that consistency piece there.

I think especially heading into the GLIAC, it’s just not trying to do too much and not overthinking it and keeping those high expectations that we have for ourselves; not worrying about the outside noise of it all.”