Grand Valley Lanthorn vol. 56 no. 29

Dynamic Doubles Sister duo dishes out devastation G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N

GV student Bailey Staff prepares to compete in national pageant LEADERSHIP | A3

Cornell Mann welcomed as new men’s basketball coach BASKETBALL | A11

M O N D A Y, A P R I L 1 1 , 2 02 2 // VO L . 5 6 N O. 2 9

@ GV L A N T H O R N

LANTHORN.COM

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

The Grand Valley State University community has had a cumulative total of 7,380 cases since Aug. 1, 2020. The university’s update for this brief was from Friday, April 8.

Through testing results this past week, GVSU’s Virus Action team have so far reported 31 current active cases including three faculty members, four staff members, six on-campus students, 12 “off-campus Ottawa” students, five “off-campus Kent” students and one “off-campus other” student 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 93% 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 131,317 tests overall since Aug. 1, 2020, for a cumulative positivity rate of 2.49% from the latest update as of last week. A total of 562 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.

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

ELECTION

GV students could have an impact on midterm elections

BY JOSHUA ALBURTUS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

As the summer of 2022 approaches, so do the primary elections that will determine who'll represent major political parties on the ballot in the November midterm elections.

With these decisions fast approaching for voters across the state, Grand Valley State University occupies a unique position in Michigan elections as a hub for the emerging power of a growing constituency: the youth voters of Generation Z. Consisting of voters aged 18-25, Gen Z's political power is rapidly increasing.

At GVSU, data from Tufts University’s National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLVE) found that the voting rate among students increased just over 21% between 2014 and 2018.

Landon Myers, the Michigan State Coordinator for the Campus Vote Project, said that encouraging efforts to facilitate this rise is key in ensuring that students’ opinions are registered in the policymaking process.

“Making sure that college students and young people are voting means that they are forcing their way to that table and they’re being to get their voices a little bit more heard, a little bit more represented,” Myers said.

The increase in voter engagement is one that continues to intensify in youth populations throughout the country.

Data from the Center for Information

and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University shows 54% of Michigan voters ages 1829 cast their ballots in 2020. This was a 12-point increase from the last general election in 2016 and only 11 points behind the Midwest leader, Minnesota.

On the ground, those numbers represent thousands of GVSU students who've voted to have their voices heard. One of those students, Jack Caron, volunteered as a campaign surrogate for a 2020 presidential campaign.

“I was basically just coordinating with other students who wanted to volunteer,” Caron said. “And it was sitting on campus – not pushing a lot to students – but just asking them if they’re registered to vote and offering free stickers to them and just getting them informed.”

Majoring in journalism with a minor in political science, Caron is a voter who feels a responsibility to actively participate in politics.

“I’ve kind of always been interested in politics, I just think it’s really important,” Caron said. “I hate hearing the complaints of someone in a city or an area or whatever it is and (that person) not voting and not doing something about it, not supporting, not looking it up and figuring out who’s supporting what.”

While GVSU students like Caron have been voting in larger numbers over the past decade, many in the campus community remain without an inclination to vote.

The same NSLVE data that recorded a large jump in student voting at GVSU still revealed that the overall campus voting rate stood at just 35.7% in 2018 – 3.4% behind the national average for collegiate institutions.

“The biggest thing that I learned myself is that so many people my age – I’m talking 18-22 range – are just not registered,” Caron said. “They just don’t vote because they don’t care.”

To help encourage turnout, Caron said he found an effective tactic was citing how little time it would take for students to vote given the satellite polling location in the basement of Kirkhof Center.

“You go in there and you register to vote," Caron said. "They give you a ballot and you fill it out right in the lobby of Kirkhof. Then you give it back to them and you just voted."

Along with time, individual academic interests and proclivities are elements that Myers said he believes are important to consider when getting students to vote.

“I know that’s definitely a specific area that we focus on and a lot of campuses focus on," Myers said. "Trying and working on those voting rates for majors that don’t vote at the same rate as others."

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ROBOTICS STUDENTS AWARDED GV SCHOLARSHIPS

Grand Valley State University President Philomena Mantella recently announced that Vice President for University Relations and Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Matthew E. McLogan, will retire this June.

McLogan was initially hired in 1987 as the vice president by previous President Arend D. Lubbers, making him the longest continuously serving executive officer in GVSU’s history.

McLogan led a career in broadcast journalism throughout the 1970s and was the Michigan Public Service Commissioner in the 1980s.

In the beginning of his career at GVSU, McLogan oversaw government relations, university development and alumni relations. He also looked over the communications team and GVSU’s public radio and television statements.

McLogan currently leads Institutional Marketing, government relations, university communications and WGVU Public Media. He has also been the secretary to the Board of Trustees since 2019.

McLogan’s successor will be announced in the week of April 11 and his last day will be June 30.

MIDTERMS: As the primary elections approach, GV students can vote to determine which candidates are on the midterm ballots. GVL | JOSHUA ALBURTUS

A3 | NEWS

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS ELECTION

| A2

OPINION

| A4

ACTIVISM

| A5

TENNIS

| A6&7

POLICE

| A8

DIVERSITY

| A9

PLAY

| A10

BASKETBALL

| A11

VOL. 56

LEADERSHIP

GV student Bailey Staff prepares to compete in national pageant

BY JAMIE WILSON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

NO. 29

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 BUSINESS STAFF

SABRINA EDWARDS

Image Editor MEGHAN LANGREN Multimedia EditorHAILIEGH HUBER

Business Manager MORGAN JOHNSTON Asst. Business Manager LUKE KREGER Distribution Manager 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.

PAGEANTRY: Bailey Staff is a junior at GVSU and recently won the Miss Michigan Collegiate America Pageant. This summer Staff will be competing on the national level in the Miss Collegiate America Pageant. COURTESY | RICK MARTINEZ

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GRADUATION

GV prepares to host commencements at Van Andel Arena

BY GRACE SMITH NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic sent Grand Valley State University students home in March of 2020, GVSU’s commencement ceremonies will take place at the Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids.

Following GVSU’s in-person commencement ceremonies for the fall 2021 semester and the reduction in the university’s COVID-19 numbers, officials have deemed it safe to return to full-size commencement ceremonies.

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

Bailey Staff, a Grand Valley State University junior and winner of the Miss Michigan Collegiate America Pageant, will be representing Michigan on the national level at the Miss Collegiate America Pageant this June in Little Rock, Arkansas.

One young woman from every state in the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and Canada will compete in the pageant. The winner of the competition will receive a $10,000 educational scholarship.

“The competitions are more than just about beauty,” Staff said. “It’s about your intelligence and your community service.”

Following her graduation from high school, Staff said she decided to pursue modeling when she came across an application for a beauty pageant on Instagram.

“I grew up watching the Miss USA competitions with my nana,” Staff said. “We watched them every year since I was a little girl and I loved it. I would put on my mom’s high heels and grab some fake flowers and prance around the house pretending I won.”

The first pageant Staff signed up for was Miss Michigan Teen USA, the preliminary competition for Miss Teen USA. “I thought the competition would be more like modeling,” Staff said. “I

thought it would be like a runway walk with no smiling or expressing emotions. I didn’t smile one time during my first pageant and my whole wardrobe was wrong.

It was horrible. Afterward, I told myself I’d never do another pageant.”

Staff said in reality pageantry is like a show, requiring participants to walk with a certain attitude and smile the entire time.

While her first experience was negative, Staff said she stayed in contact with women from the competition and ended up becoming best friends with one of them. This led her to try pageantry once more.

“I realized I had met so many cool people at the competition that I felt like I could try again,” Staff said. “I also really enjoyed the work that went into it.”

Staff said preparing for a pageant is like preparing for any other competition. It requires exercising, finding sponsors, self-promoting and attending events.

Previously, Staff had trained on her own for pageants, but she decided to hire a coach in preparation for the Miss Michigan Collegiate America Pageant.

CEREMONY: GVSU will be holding commencements for the winter 2022 semester at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. GVL | MAX RITCHIE

Carlee Pepera, a member of the class of 2022, said she acknowledges the privilege of walking in-person at the Van Andel Arena after so much turmoil has plagued graduation ceremonies across the country.

“I’m honestly just so excited that we get to walk,” Pepera said. “I was worried, with how this year started, that we may not get to and began preparing myself (for the possibility) that I may not actually have a ceremony at all.”

Pepera said she appreciates finishing her college experience with a return to normalcy.

“I had friends who graduated during COVID and they didn’t get to walk and I felt terrible that those graduates missed the experience,” Pepera said. “So, I am beyond excited that we will be able to have a sense of normality as we finish college and are able to have this memorable experience.”

However, some graduating students also have conflicted feelings about having a ceremony without additional social distancing and mask requirements.

Mikaela Brzuchowski said that as these protocols have been a large portion of her college experience, it may feel odd

that the culminating experience of her time at GVSU will look so different from her time spent at the university.

“For me, aside from GVSU being a pretty big school, most of the people I’m graduating with I’ve only known in classrooms that were socially distant and everyone is or was masked,” Brzuchowski said. “It’s just a weird feeling that the lack of a mask requirement is corresponding to (my) feelings that I’m not connected with the people I’m graduating with.”

Regardless, many students are excited to celebrate all of their hard work in the upcoming ceremony.

“I’ve had a fun four years and I’m glad to be starting a new chapter of my life.” said senior Matthew Wielgolpolski. “It will be nice that my friends and family will be able to be there to celebrate with me.”

Commencement for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will take place on Friday, April 29 at 7 p.m.

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A4 | OPINIONS GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN

By Xavier Golden

EDITORIAL

Uncertainty plagues discussion around student debt crisis

T

04/04/22

editorial@lanthorn.com

Column: There is no such thing as being too ready for finals

BY MADISON ZIMMERMAN FRESHMAN JOURNALISM EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

We are getting to the end of the school year and ready to go into the warm-summer months. Along with the amazing feeling of school ending soon, there are sadly finals.

If you don’t have finals, I imagine you have some sort of big project to make up for the dreaded tests.

You can never start studying too

early when it comes to finals.

Finals are overwhelming, scary and time consuming. To help with those factors, starting to study early can never hurt. I recommend doing a little each day. Instead of cramming for hours the night before, go to the library or find a quiet place to study for an hour a day. If an hour is too much, study for a half hour. Breaking the time down not only helps you concentrate but also makes obtaining the information easier and less overwhelming.

If you need a quiet place to study I personally love booking a study room at the library on campus. If you live in an apartment building near campus most of them have a place to sit down and study. If you don’t need it to be silent as you study you can go to a cute coffee shop or sit inside one of the halls on campus.

I’ve noticed that they’re are a lot of study spots within lecture halls that I

didn’t even know about.

When it comes down to studying, I like to use a planner to keep my classes and plans organized. I color coded mine so that I can easily look at my monthly layout and recognize which dates I have things due on and for what class. This helps me visualize what is due. This also helps me not forget any important due dates.

BlackBoard can make it hard to find due dates sometimes so by using a planner and planning your schedule ahead of time, you can hopefully stop possibly forgetting due dates.

Lastly, to motivate yourself, give yourself a reward. Maybe every time you study for a few hours you go buy yourself a coffee. Maybe after you get a good grade on your finals you buy the pair of shoes you’ve been wanting.

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Column: Scoring my life with hyperspecific Spotify playlists

BY AUDREY WHITAKER JUNIOR JOURNALISM WEB@LANTHORN.COM

I recently put together one of my best Spotify playlists ever. I won’t shut up about it. I’ve put it on my story, I’ve tweeted about it and I walk around campus hoping someone will ask me what I’m listening to just so I can talk more about it.

The playlist has four likes.

I’ll call that a big win. One of my friends told me it’s really good. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it literally made my day, and maybe even my week, to hear that.

It’s funny, considering that I played no part in creating the music, I just picked the songs and put them together. Yet, each playlist takes on a deeply personal meaning and comes to define that period of my life.

I have a friend that has journaled every day for the past five years. She can pull up a journal entry from any given date and tell you exactly what she did and how she felt that day. That’s kind of how I look at making a playlist.

I typically start up a new playlist when something changes. That could mean the weather, a new semester or some significant event. I’ll find a new song I like and start a new playlist. I’ll

think for a long time about the title that holds significance only to me and make changes as songs are added and removed.

Over the next few weeks, I collect music that fits the feeling I’m currently experiencing or trying to express. If you see me at a dead stop in the middle of the sidewalk staring at my phone, I probably found a song that was the perfect fit and I had to add it right then.

The playlist then goes on to define that period of my life. I’ve had playlists span as few as a couple weeks, and as long as several years.

I’ve changed playlist titles and added descriptions months after initially creating a playlist.

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he pause on student loan payments – which began in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic – was extended this past week to Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022 by the Department of Education.

There’s also a plan in the works to reset borrowers’ accounts. Borrowers who defaulted on their payments before the pandemic, meaning they failed to make payments on the initial terms, will re-enter payment in good standing.

The student loan debt crisis is expansive enough that it likely affects students, faculty and staff in the Grand Valley State University community. Recent or long-term GVSU graduates have had a brief break from making payments and accruing interest, but by the end of the summer, they may be in the same – or marginally better – place they were before the pandemic.

Student loan forgiveness— or at least, a very restrained form of it— was part of President Joe Biden’s 2020 platform, but he hasn’t made much progress towards meeting those goals.

The Dept. of Education has

been preoccupied with pandemic recovery and hasn’t made much progress on campaign promises – like reducing community college tuition. (Throwing in the towel on that front was one of the compromises made in pursuit of the Build Back Better plan.)

Student debt cancellation has become a regular talking point among progressives and calls for policy reform are frequently refuted by moderates and conservatives.

As the debate continues – seemingly without end – there isn’t a consensus among young voters on what’s reasonable to ask for in terms of student loan forgiveness.

Voters don’t know what elected officials are able to do for them; demands to cancel student debt are met by concerns that cite budgetary restrictions, which in turn are met with demands to reform U.S. tax policy.

Bi d e n’s Bu i l d B a ck Better plan – which contained many elements t hat we re supp o s e d ly nonpartisan – was torn apart in negotiations by Democratic and Republican congressional leaders.

GVL OPINION POLICY

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

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

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

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

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A5 | NEWS

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS ACTIVISM

GV alumna, Ukraine native volunteers to support country’s civilians

BY LAUREN FORMOSA NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Upon her graduation from Grand Valley State University in 2018, alumna Iryna Bilan moved to her current home in Kyiv, Ukraine. There, she began working as the Grants and Donor Relations Manager for the Mystetskyi Arsenal -- the country’s art and culture center -- to secure funding for their many programs.

“We did museum exhibitions,” Bilan said. “We did the Book Arsenal Festival, which is the major book fair in Kyiv where we host different writers from all over the world and we even received the award as the Best Literature Festival of Europe. We would also do different hybrid programs on the intersection of literature, music and visual arts.”

On the day of the Russian invasion, Bilan said she woke up around 5:30 a.m. to the sound of windows shaking. She said she remained calm and waited to hear from the institution about their next plan of action, which had been discussed months prior to the invasion.

After spending the day following the news, checking in with friends and colleagues and working on the Arsenal’s official statement, Bilan said she didn’t move to the bomb shelter for the night.

“I did not really want to go, so I moved

to the corridor where there was no windows and anything else and I made my bed in the corridor,” Bilan said. “It was probably the most unusual night that I’ve had. I was trying to charge my phone and at the same time, I was sleeping and I was trying to listen whether there will be the warning that something is being bombed and I have to leave. I think I slept in that way until three in the morning.”

Bilan made the decision to leave the city and go to her parents in Lviv two days after the invasion started.

Now, Bilan volunteers her time to support the Territorial Defense Force, which provides medical and personal protection equipment to civilians volunteering with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Her days are spent balancing her volunteer work and her obligations to her colleagues at the Mystetskyi Arsenal.

“My life looks like a nonstop action film,” Bilan said. “I feel like I don’t have time to chat with my friends or to meet with family members because they have more important things to accomplish.”

Once the equipment has been purchased and delivered, it’s sorted and sent to areas where it is most needed. Bilan helps to facilitate this process.

“They don’t have enough equipment and it’s not possible to buy here in Ukraine

HELP: GV alumna Iryna Bilan currently lives in Kyiv, Ukraine where she volunteers to support the Territorial Defense Force to equip civilians with medical and personal protection. COURTESY | GVNEXT

and it’s even now almost impossible to buy in Poland or neighboring countries,” Bilan said. “Our main goal is to deliver this protection equipment where it’s needed the most and then the rest will receive it when we have it. Unfortunately, we have 10 or 20 times more requests than we can support at the moment but I do hope that both financial resources and then options where we can purchase the equipment will be expanded.”

Through the chaos of this past month, Bilan said she has tried to find a sense of normalcy and keep hope that the Russian occupation of Ukraine will end soon. She said small things like gathering to celebrate a friend’s birthday have become a relief from the reality of war.

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SHOWCASE

GV Graduate School prepares to honor graduating students

BY GILLIAN HANTON NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

EVENTS: GVSU’s Graduate School is going to host the Graduate Showcase and Citations for Academic Excellence. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

Grand Valley State University’s Graduate School is preparing to host the Graduate Showcase and the Citations for Academic Excellence.

These events serve to recognize and honor the achievements of graduate-level seniors who have produced outstanding academic work in their area of study.

For over 10 years, the Graduate School and Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence have hosted the Graduate Showcase, an event where graduate students get the chance to share the knowledge they have accumulated over their time in the program.

Nominated students are asked to prepare a poster detailing their area of interest and present it to graduate faculty and other students.

Irene Fountain, the Administrative Assistant to the Associate Vice-Provost for the Graduate School, said being selected for the showcase is a high honor.

“Capstone projects, scholarly research, internships, graduate theses and disserta-

tions, professional publications and conference presentations are some of the areas on which students present their experiences,” Fountain said. “These experiences represent the breadth, variety and rigor of graduate study at GVSU.” In addition to the Graduate Showcase, the Graduate School and the Graduate Student Association are holding the Citations for Academic Excellence.

Since 2006, Citations have served as an opportunity to recognize exceptional students who have demonstrated diligence while completing their studies, and dedicated faculty who have helped students complete graduate school.

However, Fountain said there are several additional categories to consider as well.

“Graduate students are recognized for excellence in their degree programs, for their research and scholarly activity, in service to their communities and professions, in service to GVSU and for promoting diversity and inclusion or sustainability,” Fountain said. “Graduate faculty are recognized as mentors to their graduate students, for outstanding teaching and for their commitment to inclusion.”

Winners of the citation awards are selected from a pool of nominees by the Associate Vice Provost for the Graduate School and other graduate faculty.

The event itself will include a preliminary reception and an awards ceremony where selected students will receive a certificate of recognition and an honor cord to wear during commencement.

Although being invited to these events is a high mark of distinction, many students consider graduating with a master’s degree to be the best award of all.

The Graduate School has produced a variety of successful alumni across all disciplines, preparing them for high-level careers and educational pathways.

“GVSU graduate alumni are well-prepared to enter or continue their professions,” Fountain said. “Mid-career graduates are equipped with the knowledge needed for advancement to leadership positions in their chosen careers, while other alumni continue their education in Ph.D. programs.”

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A6&7 | SPORTS

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

BY ANTHONY CLARK JR. SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

TEAMING UP: The Griva sisters have been competing together their whole lives as their dad has been their coach and mentor in tennis for as long as they can remember. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS

UNDEFEATED: The Griva sisters are 5-0 in their doubles action so far this season for GLIAC play and Vasileia is also 5-0 in her singles as well. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS

GRADUATING: With Vera’s senior season coming to an end this year, Vasileia will continue to compete as a Laker for the next two years. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS

OVERSEAS: Unable to decide between going pro or going to school, the sisters decided to attend university abroad to continue playing and get their degrees together. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS

When it comes to Vera and Vasileia Griva, two stars for Grand Valley State University’s women’s tennis team, competing at a high level comes naturally — especially since they’ve had the advantage of playing together since childhood.

Originally from Athens, Greece, the Griva sisters were just as much of a force on the court back home before they decided to take their talents overseas and study abroad in West Michigan.

Currently in her senior year at GVSU, Vera has dominated long before her collegiate journey, as she was ranked as high as No. 3 in the Greek National Rankings and is a member of the Greek National Team.

However, Greek tennis players must either end their careers entirely to further their education in college or go straight to professional tennis.

Knowing they wanted to pursue both, Vera and Vasileia decided to look into options overseas.

“I started emailing multiple coaches around the U.S. and after communicating with many of them I decided to come to GVSU,” Vera said. “I loved the campus, the quality of athletics and the fact that my best friend (Vasileia) would be with me.”

Vera didn’t skip a beat during her freshman year of college. She was named GLIAC Freshman of the Year, named to GLIAC First Team honors and had a singles record of 21-6 overall.

Since then, Vera was named the GLIAC Player of the Year and posted a singles record of 18-2 at the No. 1 playing position (20-4 overall) her sophomore year, while being named to the GLIAC All-Aca-

demic Excellence team. She also received First Team All-GLIAC honors in her junior year.

The younger of the two, Vasileia, has shined on the court in her sophomore season this year. As a freshman, Vasileia was 12-3 overall in singles and was 11-4 overall in doubles. This season is a continuance of the previous ones, as she is currently 10-4 in singles and 11-3 in doubles (5-0 in conference for each category) while also riding a five-game winning streak in each category.

Vasileia credits the success of this season to staying mentally prepared for what is to come on the other side of the net.

“Staying focused and determined on your goals while trusting the process (is the key to success),” Vasileia said. “I go for the extra mile even on days that seem impossible.”

Coach Samantha Schall said she knows elite talent when she sees it and that it’s been an honor to have two players like the Griva sisters to add more versatility to a diverse team.

“They are both extremely talented tennis players,” Schall said. “They both compete very well and even when they get nervous it doesn’t affect their play much at all. They both seem to have a winning instinct in the most important moments.”

The Griva’s have proven their sisterhood connection to be effective when competing together in doubles as they currently hold an 8-3 record, are undefeated in conference (5-0), and riding a five-game winning streak.

“Being sisters helps a lot, but this is not the first time that we are playing together,” Vasileia said. “There were several tournaments back

home that we played together and we were successful as well.”

Although the duo works well together on the courts, they still have all the typical sibling quarrels and banter from time to time.

“It is great that I get to play with my sister my last year here,” Vera said. “However, sometimes it can get frustrating because as most people with siblings know, your sister or brother can drive you crazy in just seconds. We do have some small arguments from time to time, but we both know that if we want to be successful and win, we have to put these arguments behind us.”

With the regular season coming to an end and the team leading the GLIAC (10-4), both sisters recognize the tough matches ahead that could prevent the possibility of the team securing the GLIAC championship and making a potential run in the regional and national tournaments.

“It is very important that we remain focused as GLIAC is not over,” Vasileia said. “In order to get there, we need to remain humble and play as we have been playing so far.”

As Vera’s last season playing for GVSU comes to a close this year, the pair are motivated to send their seniors out this season with a national championship win.

“I am confident that this team can do great things,” Vera said.

“We need to go out there and compete at our highest level because making it to nationals is our ultimate goal and we all know what it takes to get there.”

Winning a tournament at any level is one thing, but only having eight athletes on the roster makes it that much harder. However, the

Griva sisters believe the roster size allows for more continuity.

“We put the extra work inside and outside the court and I think this shows,” Vera said. “I believe what is fueling the momentum right now is the bond we have created with the girls. Obviously, we are a very small team, just eight girls, so we see each other as a family.”

Though finishing the current season on a high note is the main priority, Vasileia hopes her third year at GVSU will bring success on the court and academically.

“My priority being both an athlete and a student is to be healthy,” Vasileia said. “I would like to maintain a high GPA (and) also like to make it to nationals. I am very proud of the team we have created and I believe that we might be able to do it.”

Knowing this season will be her last with the Lakers, Vera reflected on the success she achieved individually and as a team. She dedicates it all to her father, who she says was a huge influence on the sisters not only as a parent, but as a teacher, coach and mentor for the game they love most.

“It has been four amazing years at GVSU,” Vera said. “This experience has shaped me into the person I am today. It was an honor representing GVSU on the tennis courts and I am very happy that I have helped my team achieve all these great successes. It is a bittersweet feeling that this journey is coming to an end, but I will always have all these memories with me anywhere I go and I will keep supporting and representing GVSU in every way I can. After all, I am a Laker for life.”

A8 | NEWS

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

POLICE

GVPD, Center for Women and Gender Equity raise sexual assault awareness

BY EMMA ARMIJO NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

April is National Sexual Assualt Awareness Month, and multiple offices around Grand Valley State University are showing their support to those who have experienced sexual assault.

Different events will be happening throughout the month to show university-wide support and bring awareness to the need for a culture shift.

As for GVSU’s Police Department, all officers and patrol vehicles are sporting purple and teal ribbons, the national colors for domestic violence and sexual assault awareness.

GVPD Captain Jeffery Stoll said when it comes to sexual assault cases, it’s important to allow the survivor full agency in deciding how to proceed.

“We aren’t going to tell the victims what they should do -- we tell the victims what they have the option to do and let them dictate what they want,” Stoll said. “That’s one of the things that our department has

learned through research training; collaboration is really letting the victim drive the situation and for us to be a resource and a partner more than an adversary.”

If someone who has experienced sexual assault is seeking legal action, time can be of the essence.

While it is possible to seek legal action long after an incident has occurred, it becomes more difficult to build a case utilizing physical evidence.

Stoll said if the time frame of the case is recent, GVPD will try to identify and retain physical evidence such as clothing, bedding, pictures, or text messages to create stronger details for the case.

“Our goal is to create the most complete, detailed and thorough review of what happened related to that (assault) incident from everyone’s perspective,” Stoll said. “We talk a lot about painting the picture from a police report component. We want the jury to be able to picture what it is that happened so they have a very full understanding, so that requires us to provide as much insight as we

AWARENESS: GVSU is holding multiple events during Sexual Assault Awareness Month to show support for those in the campus community. COURTESY | NATIONAL SEXUAL VIOLENCE RESOURCE CENTER

can from the people who were involved.”

In regards to the sexual assault incidents that have happened involving the campus student body, Stoll said that more often than not, the assailant is someone that the victim recognizes. Stoll said there are rarely situa-

tions of assault on or around campus involving a stranger.

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PROGRAM

GV encourages collaboration through scholarship

BY PAYTON BRAZZIL NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

According to U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Grand Valley State University now ranks among the nation’s leaders in producing Fulbright scholars.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program, which

encourages academic collaborations between U.S. faculty and international schools.

The program offers U.S. citizens -- and those of other countries -- grants for university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools.

Professors Cáel Keegan and Bopi Biddanda are currently working with universities in Canada and Spain.

SCHOLARS: Grand Valley State University is one of the nation’s leaders in producing Fulbright Scholars with Cáel Keegan and Bopi Biddanda. Keegan is currently a professor at Canada’s Carleton University.

Biddanda is a GVSU professor at teaching in Spain. COURTESY | PROFESSOR CÁEL M. KEEGAN & GVSU

According to Fulbright’s website, the program is named after Sen. J. William Fulbright, who believed that through educational exchange, people would have a better understanding of the cultures of others, promoting peace and friendship among nations.

In a GVNext Article Robert Smart, Executive Director for the Center of Scholarly and Creative Excellence said this was a great accomplishment for the university.

“To be recognized as an institution that exemplifies the mission of Fulbright and the quality of education at GVSU deserves to be celebrated,” Smart said. “This acknowledgment highlights the outstanding quality of our faculty in regards to their teaching and research expertise.”

Fulbright scholars are selected in part for their demonstrated leadership potential.

Both Keegan and Biddanda are working towards intellectual and cultural pursuits in an environment of academic freedom and collaboration.

Keegan, an assistant professor of women, gender and sexuality studies and liberal studies, is working with faculty and students on transgender studies at Canada’s Carleton University.

Biddanda, a professor at GVSU’s Annis

Water Resources Institute, researches the ecosystems of lakes in Spain and the Great Lakes in order to work on local, regional and global environmental change.

“My Fulbright project here is to explore lakes, streams and rivers of Spain and the North American Great Lakes basin,” Biddanda said. “Progress in this area not only informs us of the effect of climate change on these critical ecosystems but also helps devise better strategies to protect our freshwater resources.”

At the University of Granada in Spain, Biddanda is involved with hands-on-research in the high-mountain lakes of Sierra Nevada and works with the K-12 stage through their “Rios de Vida,” or Rivers of Life, programs.

Biddanda said being a successful Fulbright scholar involves learning about the host country and sharing knowledge about the U.S. with students, colleagues and friends in their host country.

Biddanda said that when he returns to the U.S., he hopes to share his findings and experiences with the GVSU community.

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A9 | LAKER LIFE

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

A LOOK AT LIFESTYLE LEARN TO BUDGET AT MONEYSMART WEEK

From April 11 to 15, GVSU’s MoneySmart Lakers program is celebrating National Money Smart Week.

Throughout the week, MoneySmart Lakers is hosting events focused on budgeting, credit management and paying back student loans. Each presentation will be interactive and will guide attendees through the various topics being highlighted.

PREP FOR FINAL EXAMS WITH THE STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER

The SACC is hosting virtual Study Strategies workshops for students looking to get a head start on their exam preparation. The workshops will cover study strategies, how to be prepared for virtual exams and teach attendees effective ways to organize their study schedule during the hectic final weeks of the semester. All students are welcome to attend.

VIEW GRAD STUDENT PROJECTS AT GRADUATE SHOWCASE The Graduate School and the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence are partnering to highlight the exceptional work done by GVSU graduate students this year. Student presenters are nominated by their graduate program directors, and their poster projects featured at the April 12 Graduate Showcase will include: • • • •

Capstone projects Research projects Graduate theses Publications

DIVERSITY

Filipinx American Student Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha among winners at GV Student Life Awards

BY JACOB DEWEERD LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s Office of Student Life hosted the Student Life Awards, an awards ceremony dedicated to showcasing the best student organizations on campus. Representatives from dozens of on-campus organizations were in attendance and 23 awards were given out over the course of the evening. Winners included sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), which won the Community Impact and Outstanding Educational Program awards and the Filipinx American Student Association (FASA), which won the Best New Organization Award.

As students gathered in the Grand River Room of Kirkhof Center, excitement filled the air as they eagerly awaited the unveiling of each winner. Attendees said seeing so many student representatives from all kinds of organizations contributed to the upbeat atmosphere.

“Overall, it was just a fun environment where everybody’s excited to see everyone and get recognized, depending on what organizations they’re a part of,” said Ashley Pangan, Director of Public Relations for FASA. Receiving a Student Life Award is one of the highest honors an on-campus organization can receive at GVSU. It signals that the organization is setting itself apart from the rest, while also providing a valuable and enriching experience for its members.

A perfect example of that effect can be

RECOGNITION: Nearly two dozen student organizations received awards at last week’s Student Life Awards ceremony, which took place in the Kirkhof Center’s Grand River Room. GVL | BRI CONWAY

seen in the award for Outstanding Educational Program. This year’s award -- which was given to AKA -- was for their educational event “Real Deal with the Doulas.” The purpose of the event was to teach Black women about doulas, which are trained professionals who help mothers during childbirth.

“All of our programs have some type of educational background to them,” said AKA member Ashley Fordham. “We picked ‘Real Deal with the Doulas’ because we thought it was a very unique event and it was something that touches on a topic that a lot of people don’t have any information about, especially women of color.”

Student Life Awards are also a way to

spread the word about excellent student organizations at GVSU. While this year’s ceremony was listed as invite-only, organizations that receive awards will be able use the recognition to entice students to join.

“I think that (the award) solidifies us because I feel like it stands for all of us to say that when we achieved that award and it kind of felt like a breath of fresh air,” said FASA President Kelsey Marquez. “All that time that we put into our organization showed with the award that we were given.”

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RESEARCH

GV student scholarship showcased at upcoming Student Scholars Day

DISCUSS CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES WITH REPS FROM STEELCASE AND GRAND RAPIDS On April 15, the Seidman College of Business is hosting a webinar on how climate change is changing our lives. The panelists include Alison Sutter, Sustainability and Performance Management Officer at the City of Grand Rapids and Mary Ellen Mika, Director of Sustainability at Steelcase. The discussion will cover how two of Michigan’s most influential climate change voices are dealing with the issue, and how they plan to bring about systemic, institutional and behavioral changes.

BY CLEMENCE DANIERE LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

DESTRESS WITH BINGO AND TEA BEFORE EXAMS

The French Club is inviting students to take a break from exam cram and destress with tea, bingo, and potentially small prizes. This event will take place on April 12 in Kirkhof 2264 and is open to all students.

TEACHING: Students taking part in Student Scholars Day will use posters to teach attendees about their research. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

Grand Valley State University will host its 26th annual Student Scholars Day (SSD) on April 13. This event, which will run for an entire week, will showcase scholarship and creative work from GVSU students. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend and view the work of participating students.

SSD aims to provide a space for students to present their accomplishments in their respective fields. Students will present their projects, artwork and performances, with poster presentations and collaborative sessions of three to five students sharing their work with faculty.

This event was held online for the past two years -- leaving little room for the GVSU community to be immersed in the scholarship of their peers. Some students who’re in their first years at GVSU may be unaware of SSD. “You can see it with your own eyes this

year, instead of it just existing online,” said Susan Mendoza, Director of the Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement.

“There’s something nice about that interaction of student and faculty talking about their research and seeing their research.”

Mendoza’s work on SSD revolved around working on a committee to design and implement the appearance of the event. Some of these events will be held in person in the Kirkhof Center and Henry Hall, while others will be held online in order to accommodate as many visitors as possible.

This year, the event will showcase almost 250 presentations by nearly 400 student presenters in various fields of study. This number is down from pre-pandemic years which saw between 700 and 800 students share their work. Students who’re not presenting are encouraged to attend.

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A10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE CORPSE FLOWER TO BLOOM AT GV The Grand Valley State University Greenhouse corpse flower is blooming this week. The flower was donated by Tim Strickler, professor emeritus of biomedical sciences, around the same time the Kindschi Hall of Science first opened in 2015. The corpse flower, Amorphophallus titanum, only blooms every seven to 10 years. When the flower blooms, it emits a distinctive smell of rotting flesh, the smell is supposed to attract flies that pollinate the plant. This will be the first time the plant has blossomed since it was donated almost seven years ago. Once the plant becomes more established it could bloom faster. The flower is a spectacle for many, because of its peculiar smell and deep burgundy shade. As long as the flower is blooming the greenhouse will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..

GV TO HOST GRAPHIC DESIGN BFA SHOW Following the past weeks of displays, GVSU Graphic Design students will continue to showcase their works.

The shows started on March 28 with “A Midwestern Mystery,” which featured works by Margie Griggs.

The week of April 4 featured “The Plot Thickens,” which showed works from Cody Theil, Damian White, Tyler Degraaf, Chris McConnell and Joey Strutz.

This week’s showcase, “Refocus,” starts on April 11. “Refocus” features work by Sadie Brown, Lilly Campbell, Emily Dubinsky, Joseph Feldpausch, Desiree Maitner, Isabella Tartoni, Elizabeth TeSlaa, Khoi Tran and Zane Warner. The reception for this gallery is on Thursday, April 14 from 5-7 p.m.

The week of Monday, April 18 there will be two different exhibits, “Monomania” and “Enhance.”

“Monomania” opens April 18 in the Padnos Gallery CAC and will feature work from Abby Spencer, Grace Close and Lizzie Husted. The reception for “Monomania” will be on Thursday, April 21 at the CAC Padnos Student Art Gallery. The last show will run from April 19 through April 25. “Enhance” showcases work by Victoria Buscemi Kaitlyn Busler Nao Hasegawa, Hannah Howery, Clarisa MacDonald, Daniel Pacheo, Joycelle Shoemaker, Brooke Stout and Nhi Tran. This exhibit will be in the Haas Center for Performing Arts. The reception will be on April 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

PLAY

GV Theatre inspired by ‘The Simpsons’ episode with new spring production

BY AYRON RUTAN ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

From April 1-10, Grand Valley State University Theatre has hosted “Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play,” a musical that recreates an episode from the popular show “The Simpsons” with student actors and crew members.

Originally written by Anne Washburn, Mr. Burns was the brainchild of a meeting between Washburn and a group of actors.

They had a conversation trying to remember a particular episode of “The Simpsons” and it turned into a play about how art transforms with time and its significance to humanity during tough times.

GVSU Theatre selected the play because of its relevant thematic elements. Sarah Spencer is a senior writing major and theatre6 minor at GVSU and acted in the play. She said she connected with the play’s themes and their importance to the Laker community.

“There’s not been a sense of normal in so long, and a play about surviving the end of the world as we know it and clinging to art is definitely something that so many of us have experienced in the last few years,” Spencer said. “I got involved in the production because of how relevant the show seems and I had to jump at the opportunity to work with our amazing director Diane Machin before I graduate. Plus, it’s an amazing script with

MUSICAL: Grand Valley’s theatre department hosted “Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play” this past week, taking some inspiration from “The Simpsons” for this theatre production. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON

such strong writing that even reading it drew me in.”

Spencer was tasked with two roles: Colleen and Lisa Simpson. She said she was excited to try and execute these unique roles, and was excited to sing and dance on stage again.

“My character has no lines in the first act of the play, so it was a really interesting process trying to figure out how to bring Colleen to life without saying a word,” Spencer

said. “It’s such a fun role, I get to act with such a stellar cast and I get to dust off my singing and dancing skills as well.”

The concept of recreating a “The Simpsons” episode within a play was also something that excited Spencer.

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EDUCATION

GV hosts poet Hanif Abdurraqib for Art Celebration lecture series

BY COLLEEN GARCIA ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences hosted poet and author Hanif Abdurraqib on April 6 along with a special feature from Louis Moore, an associate professor of history at GVSU.

KNOWLEDGE: Hanif Abdurraqib was hosted for the College of Art’s and Science virtual Art Celebration lecture series. GVL | RACHEL SLOMBA

The Art Celebration lecture is a 20-yearold tradition at GVSU. The lecture provides free, meaningful art-related programs for the GVSU community and was hosted virtually this year.

Amorak Huey is a professor of writing at GVSU. Huey opened the art celebration lecture event. “(Abdurraqib has a) keen eye for the structures and details that make up American culture,” Huey said. “And a keen ear for the language articulates how those structures work, and what they say about us.”

Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio. He’s been published in many journals including “Muzzle,” “PEN America” and “Vinyl.” Abdurraqib has published essays and music criticism in “The New York Times” along with published poetry collections. He released his book titled “A Little Devil In America with Random House” earlier this year.

Abdurraqib read a piece about the fears that come with losing hair and graying hair.

He used Michael Jordan’s hair loss and explored how it broke the stigma around los-

ing hair.

“It (was part of Michael Jordan’s) promise,” Abdurraqib said. “There’s a way to be cool on the other side of what befalls your scalp.”

Abdurraqib spoke about the enjoyment he finds through collecting. He spoke about how he collects various things from bobbleheads to Black magazines. Although he mainly spoke about collecting records.

“There is something about the search that is fulfilling,” Abdurraqib said. “I cherish things more when I can do the seeking.”

The Brooklyn Academy of music has allowed Abdurraqib to work with artists while having creative freedom over his work.

Abdurraqib expressed interest in one day working in Columbus, Ohio.

“I wanted to see what would happen if you told an artist, ‘Here’s a block of time and space and you can do what you want,’” Abdurraqib said. “I wanted to see what would happen with that creative freedom.”

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A11 | SPORTS

APRIL 11, 2022 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

QUICK HITS TRACK AND FIELD TEAMS BRING HOME MULTIPLE FIRST PLACE WINS During the weekend, the men’s and women’s track and field teams split up to send competitors to three meets, coming away with several first place finishers and qualifying provisionals.

At the Pacesetter Sports Invitational in Terre Haute, IN, junior Jackson Blanchard won the men’s 110m and 400m hurdles with a season best 14.54 in the 110m and 51.29 in the 400m. This puts Blanchard in third place nationally for DII in the 400m hurdles.

Freshman teammate Brandon Miller took first in the 200m with another season best of 21.23, followed up by freshman Brook Barkocky’s first place finish in the 400m hurdles with a personal best of 1:02.98, just one second away from qualifying.

Sophomore Jenna Doyle won the women’s high jump with a height of 1.65m to finish out the Pacesetter Invite for GVSU. At the Golden Grizzlies Invite in Rochester, MI, senior Carley Livingston and junior James Nutt both brought home first place wins in the pole vault, with Livingston’s coming in at 3.81m and Nutt’s at 4.53m.

Three Lakers have come out of the Flames Invitational with qualifying marks from Cleveland, TN including sophomore Emma Everhart-Deckard and senior Michelle Koetjein the women’s 10,000m and sophomore Sam Martens for the men’s 10,000m.

GV BASEBALL TRAVELS TO NORTHWOOD, SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER

The no. 20 ranked Grand Valley State University baseball team continued their four-game series against the Northwood University Timberwolves on April 9-10.

Day one’s doubleheader was split, starting with the Timberwolves’ 2-1 win in game one which the Lakers responded to with a 4-1 win in game two.

The Timberwolves started strong in game one, leading 2-0 from back to back RBI doubles, leaving the Lakers with only one run from senior Christian Faust’s RBI allowing sophomore Kyle Nott to score. Sophomore pitcher Austin Brown threw six innings, allowing two hits off four runs, striking out five batters.

In game two, the Lakers came back fast with three runs in the first inning.

Northwood’s only run was made in the fifth inning to complete the game. Sophomore pitcher Nick Rutkowski went eight innings, allowing one run and striking out five.

On April 10, the Lakers lost a closer game 4-3 against the Timberwolves as redshirt freshman pitcher Colby Phipps threw four innings allowing four runs off four hits which was relieved by sophomore pitcher Logan Wynalda’s two scoreless innings.

Coming back successfully in game two, the Lakers started up scoring in the second inning with seven runs over the course of five innings before Northwood got on the board at the bottom of the fifth. The Lakers ended the game 10-4, advancing their overall record to 19-9 on the season.

The Lakers will host Purdue-Northwest University on April 12 to continue GLIAC play.

BASKETBALL

Cornell Mann welcomed as new men’s basketball coach

BY SHAWN ROBINSON SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

A new era is beginning for the Grand Valley State University men’s basketball team after 18-season head coach Ric Wesley stepped down earlier this month. GVSU welcomed Cornell Mann with a press conference on April 7, recognizing him as the new leader of the men’s basketball program. He will also serve as the first African American head coach in GVSU Athletics history.

“First of all, I appreciate being a coach here, (but) the fact that I’m the first Black head coach here is even more awesome,” Mann said. “I think it’s a great start, it’s a credit to President Mantella and Athletic Director Becker and her staff.”

Mann, hailing from Royal Oak Township, has an outstanding resume prior to coming to GVSU, with multiple DI assistant coaching roles. His career began at two Michigan University -- Central Michigan University (2001-03) and Western Michigan University (2003-08) -- where he helped lead both to an NCAA Tournament appearance during his tenure. He then moved to the University of Dayton from 2008-11 and then Iowa State University from 2011-15, where he helped recruit NBA guard Monte Morris and helped the Cyclones to four NCAA Tournament appearances. Mann then spent one season at

Oakland University (2016-17) before moving on to his most recent job prior to the University of Missouri from 2017-22.

Making the transition from DI to DII isn’t the only thing Mann will be adapting to at GVSU, as he’s also starting his first head coaching position.

“It’s all basketball,” Mann said. “When I set out to become a coach, my idea of coaching was to help young people (...) I coached high school, AAU, DIII, junior college, high level and my aim is to impact young people and make the court my congregation.”

During his introductory press conference, Mann laid out his plans for how the team will impact the GVSU community -- as well as the state of Michigan -- with basketball and community outreach.

“I think it’s big for the home state and I think it’s really big for my community,” Mann said. “Royal Oak Township gets to have me more. I get to share myself with them more. I get to impact my home community more and for me, that’s paramount. That’s really important because I want to help young people and why not help young people from where I’m from?”

When asked about his recruitment and using the transfer portal, Mann said the transfer portal may play a role for his team.

“The transfer portal will be an asset to all programs, including this one,” Mann said.

FRESH START: Cornell Mann has worked at several schools before, but GVSU will be his first head coaching position. GVL | RACHEL SLOMBA

“But I wouldn’t say I’m going to live in the transfer portal. When I was talking to the school I said, ‘It will not be Grand Valley Portal State University.’ We’ll work with whatever nudges we need to get the proper players in the right place.”

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LACROSSE

GV Lacrosse pushes their win streak to 11

BY JAMES HERRICK SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The no. 11 Grand Valley State University women’s lacrosse team (13-1) continued their current road stretch against conference foe Upper Iowa University (0-7) on April 8. The Lakers earned a 22-3 victory that extended their current win streak to 11.

This was the Lakers’ second game against Upper Iowa this season. In their first matchup on March 27, GVSU won 24-0.

Early on in their latest matchup, it was clear the Lakers were looking for a simi-

ATTACK: The women’s lacrosse team advanced their overall record this season to 13-1 after taking down Upper Iowa University 19-3 in another lopsided win. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON

lar outcome. GVSU scored nine goals in the first quarter while holding Upper Iowa scoreless. In total, seven different Lakers found the back of the net in the first quarter.

This was led by fifth-year attacker Sophie Conroy, who scored three goals in this quarter alone.

GVSU’s success continued into the second quarter. Offensively, the Lakers put up six more goals to bring their total to 15.

Junior attacker Kate DeYoung scored two of these goals while Conroy added one as well. After Upper Iowa was able to score two goals this quarter, the Lakers went into halftime up 15-2.

With a large lead heading into the second half the Lakers were able to go deeper into their bench and work on sets that they normally wouldn’t use.

“It’s really great being able to go deeper into our bench and work on some new concepts that we’re trying to work on going into our second round of GLIAC play,” said senior defender Leigha Johnson.

The Lakers continued to perform well as they worked on these concepts in the second half. In the third quarter, Conroy and DeYoung each scored again. Fifth-year

midfielder Olivia Esposito and sophomore midfielder Sydney Stone also added to the Lakers’ total. With only one goal from Upper Iowa, GVSU led 19-3 heading into the final quarter.

GVSU extended their lead with goals from freshmen midfielder Ashleigh Rothe, senior attacker Caitlin Burnett and freshmen midfielder Zoe Ziegler in the last quarter of the game. This pushed the Lakers to a 22-3 win.

The Lakers were led by Conroy who finished with five goals. This put Conroy’s season goal total at 44 which eclipsed her 2021 season where she scored 43 goals.

“It feels really good (to perform at a high level),” Conroy said. “I have to give it all to my teammates; to the defense that pushes us in practice, to my fellow attackers who are assisting me with the ball and helping me out with the plays, to everyone who has been a consistent player on the offense.

Getting that flow of the offense has really helped me step up as a leader and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SSD SPEAKER SERIES: April 11: Leveling Up: Making the Most of Your Transition to Grad School, Panel Discussion 5:00 PM: Register for ZOOM Link

April 12: Soul work: Find Your "Why" Through Scholarship, Dr. Jakia Marie 5:00 PM: Allendale Campus Library, Multi-purpose Room

April 13: KEYNOTE - Shaping Inclusive Communities Through Being Human in STEM, Dr. Sheila Jaswal & Sam Young 5:00 PM: Register for ZOOM Link

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS: April 11 - April 25: Recorded oral presentations April 13: In-person poster presentations and faculty-led sessions & live via ZOOM sessions 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM: Henry Hall Atrium, Kirkhof Center GRR

EXHIBITIONS OF ART: April 14, 5:00 PM: Artist Reception, Calder Art Center April 5 - August 1: in the Mary Idema Pew Library Exhibition Space & Calder Art Center