GRAND VALLEY
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M O N D A Y, A U G U ST 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 // VO L . 52 N O. 3
POLITICS
UNIVERSITY
GV student runs for governor of Michigan
GV tuition increases for 201718 academic year BY DYLAN GROSSER ASSISTANTNEWS@LANTHORN.COM
BY JENNA FRACASSI ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM
Evan Space, a student at Grand Valley State University, is currently one of the registered Republican gubernatorial candidates for governor of Michigan in 2018. Space, who served in the Michigan Army National Guard for eight years and was deployed to Afghanistan for a tour, has been a Michigan resident for 37 years. He credits his military experience as being a “very large factor” that got him into politics. In the future, he plans to push for a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program through GVSU. “I’m not what you would call a politician, but I’m pretty much what you would call a self-employed, blue-collar U.S. military veteran that ended up with an education and is now seeking to pursue bigger goals in life,” Space said. Some of the main elements of his political platform include protecting the education system, making environmental improvements, legalizing recreational marijuana, rebuilding Detroit, re-establishing permanent jobs, improving correctional facilities and more. Space is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at GVSU with an emphasis in film and video production. He noted that his time on GVSU’s student senate piqued his political interest, saying it “gave (him) a better understanding of what the campus was more about and what the students were like.” “I have taken my education with Grand Valley with a grain of salt, and I understood that this was a good time for me to actually try and make a positive development and a good impact for Michigan and all Michiganders,” Space said. He said most of his political background comes from “education and experience through the military.” Aside from his military experience, he believes his moderate standing sets him apart from other candidates, specifically his perspective on the legalizaSEE GOVERNOR | A2
NEW ADDITIONS: People walk by the freshly renovated performing arts center Sunday, Aug. 27. The center was named after President Thomas Haas and his wife, Marcia Haas, to honor their donations. GVL | EMILY FRYE
Ready for acting GV celebrates dedication of expanded performing arts center BY JOSHUA VISSERS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
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rand Valley State University’s newly renovated performing arts center was officially dedicated and named after university President Thomas Haas and his wife, Marcia Haas, at a ceremony Friday, Aug. 25. The renovations, which began last year, include new rehearsal space, refinished dance floors, three new ensemble rooms, a new conference room, an enlarged lobby and reception area, and a state-of-the-art black box theater. Pioneer Construction finished the work on time and within the $20 million budget, according to Vice President for University Relations Matt McLogan.
Danny Phipps, chair of the music, theatre and dance department, was the first to make his remarks in front of donors, administrators and alumni in the Louis Armstrong Theatre. “Providing desperately needed production and performance space, this new facility will allow our growing programs to expand their positive impact on students,” Phipps said. The black box theater, which will be dedicated in October, is a flexible and reconfigurable performance space, equipped with a hybrid tungsten-LED lighting system, digital audio mixing equipment, and both wired and wireless networks. It seats a maximum of 150 people. Seth Burton, a senior in both the theatre and communications
programs, was acting as an usher at Friday’s ceremony in full costume for the upcoming production “The Tempest.” “Words cannot describe my excitement,” he said. Burton and other theatre majors will have rehearsals as often as six days a week in the new spaces. “This building never sleeps; there’s always something going on,” he said. The new ensemble rooms— one each for jazz, contemporary and classical music—are each equipped with a suite of classroom technology and are also specialized for music with high ceilings, better speakers and adjustable sound damping on the walls. “The whole complex is goSEE PAC | A2
Grand Valley State University will be increasing its annual undergraduate tuition across the board for the 2017-18 school year. The cost of tuition for in-state, lower-division students—students who have earned 54 credits or fewer—is $11,994 for 2017-18, while it was $11,520 for 2016-17. This is an increase of $474 for the academic year, or an increase of approximately 4.11 percent. In-state, upper-division students— students who have earned 55 credits or more—now pay $12,618 per year, compared to $12,144 last academic year. This is likewise a $474 increase for the year, or an approximately 3.9 percent increase. Lower-division nonMichigan residents pay $17,064 per year, compared to $16,392 last year, and upper-division non-Michigan residents pay $17,688 per year, compared to $17,010 last year. The bid to increase tuition was approved by the Board of Trustees in order to accommodate the 2017-18 budget, which is $349 million (with financial aid subtracted), whereas the 2016-17 budget was $340 million. Matt McLogan, the vice president for university relations at GVSU, said the increasing tuition prices at GVSU are due to a lack of funding for higher education by the state of Michigan. Appropriations by the state are handed out to colleges on a per-student basis. GVSU received $3,040 per student in 2016-17, placing secondto-last out of all other colleges in Michigan, only higher than Oakland University, which received $2,868 per student. The 2016-17 GVSU accountability report shows the state average for funding for Michigan colleges is $5,345 per student. The state of Michigan does hand out a portion of funding based on university performance. For the coming academic year, GVSU received the highest amount of appropriations for performance in the state, $1.8 million, that is tied to retention rate, graduaSEE TUITION | A2
CONVOCATION
Class of 2021 joins Laker student body BY THERESA MUELLER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
It’s official: The class of 2021 is here. After a few days of transition-
al events, approximately 4,000 new students were formally welcomed by Grand Valley State University’s faculty, staff, students, alumni and president at the Convocation cer-
WELCOMING CHANGE: Student senate president Jonathan Bowman talks during the ceremony. The event urged new students to branch out. COURTESY | GVNOW
emony Friday, Aug. 25. The Convocation was held in the Fieldhouse Arena to accommodate the large mass of students, faculty, staff, alumni and family members. The ceremony consisted of motivational music, a video presentation and welcoming remarks from various speakers. Those speaking at the event included Stephen Glass, acting vice provost for student affairs and dean of students; Maria Cimitile, provost and executive vice president for academic and students affairs; Felix Ngassa, chair of the University Academic Senate; GVSU alumni Briauna and Brittany Taylor; Jonathan Bowman, student senate president; and GVSU President Thomas Haas. At the ceremony, Glass provided opening remarks with an opportunity for reflection. He asked students to think about the journey of accomplishments that had led them to GVSU. “Time at GVSU is simply another opportunity for accomplishments, but not without challenges,” he said. “It is natural when we are challenged. The accomplishment and struggle is what changes you. ... You are part of
the Laker family now. We struggle and strive together.” Ngassa and Haas both touched on the reality of individual differences within the GVSU community, as well as how this reality must be met with respect. “GVSU values (the) integrity of each person,” Haas said. “Respect others voicing opinions. ... We value civility and respect.” Ngassa encouraged students to engage with peers who hold similar and dissimilar views for the purpose of building relationships and connections. “Welcome to the journey of building relationships and making connections, aka the ‘Laker effect,’” he said. Briauna and Brittany Taylor offered complementary advice by encouraging students to seek conversation outside their comfort zones. They urged students to use their time at GVSU to broaden—not narrow— their perspectives, believing this would set students up for success. The speakers at the ceremony also discussed some of the many resources readily available to students during their academic studies at GVSU, including tutoring
and advising sessions, the university libraries, and professors. “You are the reason we (professors) are here,” Ngassa said. “Make an effort to connect with professors, get to know (them) and give (them) an opportunity to know you.” Establishing relationships with professors and using additional academic resources can help catalyze the pursuit of knowledge within the GVSU community. Cimitile touched on the importance of liberal education in the 21st century, as it can serve to equip students with important critical thinking skills. “Liberal education is not something given to you, but earned,” Cimitile said. Haas also touched on the topic of student growth. “If you continue (to learn), you’ll never cease to grow,” Haas said. “Passion and growth are abundant at Grand Valley.” Haas reminded new students that learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom and requires hard work. Haas assured students that, in addition to their hard work, there would plenty of opportunities for fun.
AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
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GV STUDENTS HELP SEND BEAN BAG CHAIR INTO SPACE
Grand Valley State University students Matt MacGregor and Zach Darmofal teamed up with three other Michigan college students and Comfort Research to send a 2.27-pound “Big Joe� bean bag chair into space. The students developed a plan to launch the chair using a weather balloon. Also attached to the rig were GPS trackers, a parachute and a radar drone. The chair reached 105,000 feet until the weather balloon popped and the chair began plummeting to the earth. The chair survived traveling 70 mph and temperatures of negative 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Using the GPS tracking devices attached to the chair, the students were able to locate where it landed in the middle of a cornfield in Ionia County. The summer interns sought to find a way to send the chair developed by Comfort Research into space to show how college students can be in charge of ambitious and innovative activities.
VOTE ON GRAND RAPIDS DRONE PROGRAM SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER
Use of a drone program for the Grand Rapids Fire Department will be voted on by the Grand Rapids City Commission Tuesday, Sept. 12. If approved, Grand Rapids would be the third fire department in Michigan to adopt a drone program. The other fire departments with drone programs are Big Rapids and Oakland. The drone would be used for detecting “hot spots� in a fire and investigating the causes of fires. Ultimately, the use of the drone would be to help put fewer firefighters at risk.
GV PRESIDENT SERVES ICE CREAM, TAKES PICTURES WITH FRESHMAN STUDENTS DURING MOVE-IN
Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas and his wife, Marcia Haas, served ice cream and took pictures with new students and their families during freshman move-in Wednesday, Aug. 23. The president was sporting a GVSU “staff� T-shirt outside Kleiner Commons, handing out ice cream bars in the 66-degree weather from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The event was livestreamed on Facebook and was commented on by many online who called the president “down-to-earth� and “a cool guy.�
GRAND HAVEN MUSICAL FOUNTAIN GETS UPGRADED BY GV STUDENTS Grand Valley State University engineering students have opted to spend their summer upgrading the Grand Haven Musical Fountain for their senior projects. The fountain now features new water formations that have not been added since the fountain was built in 1962. The fountain is a historic landmark that features synchronized water, light and musical shows daily at dusk from Memorial Day through Labor Day, as well as Fridays and Saturdays in May and September. William Morris Booth, a local engineer, designed the fountain and was inspired by a Przystawic musical fountain show in Germany. According to the Grand Haven Musical Fountain website, this fountain was the largest musical fountain in the world until 1998, when the Bellagio Fountains were built in Las Vegas.
PRINCETON REVIEW NAMES GV A 2018 ‘BEST REGIONAL COLLEGE’
The New York-based education company, the Princeton Review, has named Grand Valley State University a “best regional college� among 382 universities in the U.S. GVSU has received honors from the Princeton Review many times in the past, including being one of the “best in the Midwest� colleges and being named a “green college� by the company for seven straight years in a row. The Princeton Review puts out a yearly list of “best� colleges in the U.S. based on statistical data and student opinions of the colleges. VO L . 52
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Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief EMILY DORAN Associate Editor JENNA FRACASSI Sports Editor ROBBIE TRIANO
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IAN BORTHWICK
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tion of marijuana. “I’m the only standing candidate in the Republican ticket right now that’s actually looking to make marijuana legal and make the marijuana industry self-producing,� Space said. He said he believes the legalization of marijuana would be “one of our largest impacting contributions to making our state stronger.� Regarding how this change would be handled, he said, “(It would be fine), as long as we treat the outlook of it (marijuana) like controlling it as alcohol and we enforce the laws behind that.� One thing Space would like to see make a comeback is Michigan’s film industry. In 2015, Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation that ended Michigan’s film incentive program, which had attracted Hollywood directors and stars to come to the state to make movies. “I really saw great improvement with our economy being rebuilt by having Hollywood come in,� Space said. He believes bringing back Michigan’s film incentives will consequently boost the economy by encouraging big corporations like Hollywood to come in and help contribute to the
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ing to inspire students,� said Tim Froncek, affiliate music professor and director of jazz ensembles. Froncek has worked at GVSU for 12 years and has never had a dedicated room for jazz before. “I’m elated,� he said. According to Nate Bliton, the equipment and stage manager, the old dance studios now have brand new Marley flooring, which is more forgiving for a dancer’s feet and joints. The new rehearsal space also has the same footprint as the black box theater to allow
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tion rate, the number of degrees handed out in STEM fields, etc. McLogan said the amount only accounts for three-tenths of one percent of the university’s total budget. “We appreciate the affirmation of our higher-quality operation and our great students, but it doesn’t produce a lot of money,� he said. In 1977, 66.9 percent of the cost to attend GVSU was provided by the state of Michigan, while only 33.1 percent of the cost was placed on students. In 2016, the state of Michigan paid 17.9 percent of the cost to attend GVSU, while the other 82.1 percent was paid for by students. The state of Michigan funds K-12 education and community colleges based on enrollment; however, enrollment is not a factor in determining funding for higher education. McLogan said the number of appropriations the state hands out per student is based on historical models that are outdated and do not reflect the progress GVSU has made in the last 30 years, especially in enrollment. “The legislature doesn’t consider to any great degree program mix or changes in enrollment,� he said. “We do get a little tip of the hat because Grand Valley produces so many STEM graduates, but while that’s a priority for the state, they’ve not put much money behind it.� McLogan said GVSU receives many compliments from the legislature for the way the university is run but still no large upticks in funding. Brian Copeland, associate vice president for business and finance at GVSU, said if the legislature were to fund GVSU at the state average of $5,345 per student, tuition would go down. “If we were funded at that level, we would not be increasing tuition,� Copeland said. “That would be an additional $50 million in revenue for the university.� When Gov. Rick Snyder was elected in 2011, in order to cut
rebuilding of the state. Another one of his top priorities as governor would be to address the Flint water crisis and focus on taking immediate action to help the citizens of the city. “I’ve heard in passing rumor that it (could take) anywhere up to 15 years for them to fully recover and fix it, but I think this is a now and mustbe-dealt-with situation,� Space said. “We need to find a way to take and fix the water sources coming into Flint; we need to fix the binding issues with the residents. They’ve been paying too much money for taxes on their water bills and are coming into a financial situation because they were getting such bad water in the first place.� He also suggested giving tax credit or relief to “others across the United States who want to come in and give their time and efforts to being able to fix the water piping issue in the city.� Another focus of Space’s campaign is protecting Michigan’s environment. Discussing this area, he referenced the cuts to the national budget for Michigan’s environmental protection, which threatens the Great Lakes. He also addressed the pervasiveness of Asian carp, one of the largest invasive species in the U.S. “We need to address that Asian carp are coming in, and
if we don’t do something about it, they will devastate our ecosystem throughout the Great Lakes,� Space said. Space also emphasized his support of the LGBTQ community, specifically in a college setting. He said he stands behind them and “believes they should have full rights just like any other student,� adding that “we need to accept them no matter what their orientation may be.�
As a self-described “Laker through-and-through,� Space said, “I think that I would be an outstanding candidate. I don’t come from high amounts of money; I’m just a worker like everybody else. (I’ve) been able to make a better person out of myself by living life here in Michigan and being able to understand what people need and how to help improve our problems and issues that we have standing in front of us.�
for more accurate rehearsing. The reception area will be a social and study space for students when not in use for production receptions. “We’re finally hitting the point where it’s all coming together,� Bliton said. According to him, the building had previously been so busy that students couldn’t find the space to rehearse in it and professors sometimes struggled to find teaching space. After being introduced, Haas and his wife approached the podium to the sound of a brass quintet playing in the background. Marcia Haas made her remarks first. “We know that for a student
to take their education and turn it into a meaningful career in the performing arts, they need to be in a competitive environment where their talent is fully developed,� she said. As she thanked her family, some of whom had traveled across the country to attend, for their support, her voice started to crack and she pulled her husband close for support. Once she finished, Haas took her place. After praising and thanking students, the university president also recognized Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning James Moyer for his part in the planning and execution of the renovation of the new facility, but he didn’t get too
wrapped up in the structure. “We do have the bricks and sticks here, but what happens inside is magical,� he said. “The arts are so important to all of us. They lift us up, they make us think, they give us hope.� After his remarks, the heavy, official ribbon was spread across the stage and scissors were passed out to the Haas family; Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Maria Cimitile; music, theatre and dance department staff; and others. As the brass quintet played, the ribbon was cut, the building officially opened and the guests excused to the lobby for refreshments.
costs in the state budget, he cut funding for higher education by 15 percent across the board. While the state has been steadily increasing funding for higher education since then, Michigan still ranks at a low 45 out of 49 reporting states in the U.S. for funding of higher education. A majority of the Michigan budget is spent on maintaining roads and prisons. Taylor Thompson was a fifth-year student at GVSU when she learned she could no longer attend GVSU because of financial reasons. She said her financial aid this year will not pay for the full amount of her tuition, and she theorized that the rising costs are to blame for it. She said her parents do not make a lot of money and she does not have enough credit to apply for a loan by herself. Thompson said she was not told of any remaining balances on her student account until a week before the money was due. She said she is frustrated by the financial aid system at GVSU, as well as the rising prices of higher education. “I understand that they have their reasons for (raising tuition), but at the same time, it’s stopping me from finishing what I’ve already started and what I’ve already paid so much money to do,� Thompson said. Thompson said she is relying on financial aid for her housing as well, and without being able to attend GVSU full time, she said she is potentially facing homelessness. “It’s kind of hard to understand where they’re coming from when it feels like they don’t understand where we’re coming from with not being able to afford it, and it’s already so expensive no matter what we do,� Thompson said. Nati Worku is a junior at GVSU and is also frustrated with rising tuition prices. He said corporations like Amazon. com are given state grants and tax breaks, yet the cost for attending higher education keeps going up. “I think it’s ludicrous,� he said. “The state needs to reevaluate its priorities because education should come first, and if we continue down this path, the outcome will be disastrous.�
Kim LaSata is a Michigan state representative who sits on the Higher Education Appropriations Committee. LaSata said she is an advocate for the need to make higher education more affordable, yet also said there is only “so much money in the pot.� “The universities that we have, they’re great universities; they’re a big benefit to our state,� she said. “If we don’t fund them, there are going to be more kids who cannot afford to go to college.� She said increasing funding might be an issue of getting more Republicans in the legislature to take a second look at higher education. She said one of the biggest issues she is concerned about is the apparent suppression of conservative student voices in higher education institutions. She said if colleges like
GVSU show they are trying to be inclusive of all opinions, other conservatives in the legislature might take a closer look at them. “I think if the universities were to go down that path and start showing that they are trying to work towards a campus that’s basically all-inclusive and open to all ideas and that they’re trying to get their faculty to do the same, I think (other Republicans) would maybe look at them differently,� LaSata said. GVSU is not the only college in Michigan to be increasing its tuition. Western Michigan University is increasing its tuition by the same dollar amount as GVSU, Michigan State University is increasing its annual tuition by $407 and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is increasing its annual tuition by $424.
NEW TIMES: GVSU student Evan Space campaigns for govenor of Michigan. Elections will occur Nov. 6, 2018. COURTESY | ERIC SEALS
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AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
NEWS | A3
RESEARCH
GV faculty conduct study on classroom structure, student engagement BY TYLEE BUSH TBUSH@LANTHORN.COM
When you think of a classroom, the image that comes to mind most likely includes straight rows of desks; standard, immobile chairs; and a spot for the teacher to stand front-and-center. This traditional classroom setup may have worked for past centuries of education, but current educators are finding that it is no longer benefiting students. John Kilbourne, professor of movement science at
Grand Valley State University, and Laura Kapitula, associate professor of statistics at GVSU, collaborated and studied over the past three years how “activity-permissible, evidencebased” classroom designs can increase student engagement and content retention. “My background is in dance performance and education,” Kilbourne said. “Most of my college and university education was movement-based. Moving while learning has always been important to me.” Kilbourne received a
grant from GVSU’s Faculty Teaching and Learning Center to retrofit a classroom with exercise stability balls. He performed research on the classroom and the effect of enabling students to move on the exercise balls while learning, and this research went viral. Hundreds of newspapers, NPR, ABC News and other media outlets generated free publicity for the university and further sparked Kilbourne’s passion for active learning. For the 2014-15 academic
AN ACTIVE APPROACH: John Kilbourne tries out Brian Trager’s football game Feb. 19, 2016, as part of the GVSU Cardboard Challenge. Students worked on their projects in Mackinac Hall. GVL | LUKE HOLMES
year, the researchers experimented with and collected data from a fourth-grade classroom at Mary A. White Elementary School in Grand Haven, Michigan. Kilbourne and Kapitula worked with Lennie Scott-Webber, former director of Education Environments Globally for Steelcase Education, to renovate and refurbish the room. Steelcase and Custer office furniture was used to equip the classroom with node chairs, buoy chairs, moveable tables, stools, chairs with personal desks attached and whiteboards with the funds from a $10,000 Grand Haven Area Community Foundation grant. The researchs followed the 28 students and their teacher, Andrew Ratke, for the year. Regular measures were taken to gauge student involvement, student focus, student material retention and overall student success. “The study used a mixed approach with both observational and quantitative evaluations,” Kapitula said. “The data was collected through many hours of classroom observation, teacher interviews and through student surveys.” More than 250 different
behaviors were observed, and the results they found from placing students in a mobile, activity-permissible classroom were pivotal. “Both the quantitative and the qualitative piece indicated the activity-permissible classroom supported many types of collaboration and student engagement,” Kapitula said. “Ninety-six percent of responding students reported greater support for group work in the new classroom as compared to a traditional style classroom, and about 85 percent reported greater ability to engage with the subject matter and receive feedback from the teacher.” The full findings from this study have recently been published in “Children, Youth and Environments” in the article “An Activity-Permissible Classroom: Impacts of an Evidence-Based Design Solution on Student Engagement and Movement in an Elementary School Classroom.” After these findings, Kapitula and Kilbourne are both advocates for learning with movement in activity-permissible classrooms, and they believe there are practical ways for
any teacher to incorporate these strategies into their educational approach. “Given my involvement in this work, I have been much more aware of how classroom design impacts my own teaching,” Kapitula said. “Do not be afraid to have students turn towards each other and work together. In my classes, I strive for there to be a mix of individual student-to-student, studentto-professor and professor-towhole-class interactions.” Kilbourne said he preferred activity-permissible classrooms to their traditional counterparts. “I am so much more comfortable in an activitypermissible classroom, and the students are far more engaged with other students and the content,” he said. “Begin as I did with a small grant and purchase exercise balls. Then, anytime there is opportunity to purchase new classroom chairs and desks, look to the research and lobby hard for activity-permissible classroom options.” GO TO: steelcaseeducation.com FOR MORE INFORMATION
RESOURCES
Center for Women in Transition obtains federal grant for new men’s program BY DREW SCHERTZER DSCHERTZER@LANTHORN.COM
One in three women and one in four men will experience physical violence, sexual assault or stalking from a sexual partner in their lifetime, according to a statistic provided by Beth Larsen, executive director of the Center for Women in Transition (CWIT). Larsen and her team recently received a three-year grant of $281,465 from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. Larsen oversaw the use of this money to hire a men’s Call to Action Project team leader. This leader will start an advisory council to help young men.
“Promoting healthy masculinity is about engaging men and boys as leaders and empowered bystanders who can positively influence their peers,” Larsen said. “Modeling respect and healthy relationships as the norm is how we embed this message in the fabric of society.” The CWIT’s goals are to reduce and help the victims of domestic and sexual violence, said Lesley Coghill, CWIT prevention coordinator. Coghill said the organization has many options to help victims. These include case management, therapy, 24-hour service lines and more. She has high hopes for the Call to Action Project advisory council. “We are committed to the growth and launch of this
program, and we will do everything we can to sustain it,” Coghill said. “We would love to see it (the program) become permanent with community schools to engage young men.” The advisory council will aim to engage men as leaders and positive role models in the lives of young men, Larsen said. The goal of the program is to engage men as allies in preventing domestic violence, dating violence and sexual assault, Larsen said. She believes this program will give the CWIT an opportunity to increase its prevention efforts. Currently, the CWIT serves Ottawa and Allegan counties in West Michigan. Coghill said the center works closely with high schools and elementary schools. In ad-
dition, she said the CWIT communicates with a lot of other organizations to make sure they are doing their best. Some of these include law enforcement agencies, as well as other service providers, like Kent County’s YWCA. “We offer resources and support for all people,” Coghill said. “Every person can feel a sense of empowerment within after a successful step.” Coghill said it is important
that victims don’t feel like they are alone. She said people often think they are the only ones going through or experiencing something, but many people are in similar situations, and the CWIT has support groups and 24-hour service lines to help victims, Coghill said. Larsen thinks engaging children at a younger age will help reduce domestic and sexual violence in the future. She said the more positive
role models children have, the more likely that behavior will become the norm. The Call to Action Project team leader has recently been chosen. Within the next few weeks, the advisory council will begin to take place, and Larsen hopes the new program will show children what respect looks like, as well as how to have good relationships so they may better society.
POSITIVE ADVANCES: Center for Women in Transition received a federal grant of $281,465. The money is being used to fund a new men’s program. COURTESY | CENTER FOR WOMEN IN TRANSITION MICHIGAN
INNOVATION
Craft brewing heads to college campuses GV has yet to join the trend, create its own program BY CELIA HARMELINK CHARMELINK@LANTHORN.COM
A new trend has been brewing on college campuses around Michigan, and that trend is craft brewing. Craft brewing is a billion-dollar industry that is still on the rise. With more than 220 breweries, Michigan is ranked sixth in the country for having the most brew pubs, according to the Brewers Association. Craft brewing entails small, independent breweries that have a passion for the craft and
often have strong ties to the community. As this industry grows, so does the need for skilled individuals, resulting in a huge job market. Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, Ferris State University and Grand Rapids Community College are just a few examples of colleges in Michigan that offer a craft brewing program. GRCC is one college in particular that has experienced an outpouring of support from the community and that has had a very successful program since it began in 2015.
Amy Koning, the dean of workforce development at GRCC, said one of the reasons they started the program was because of the need for individuals who understand all of the different steps that are involved with brewing beer, including pairing it with food, knowing how the brewing process works, managing, marketing and knowing how to run the front of the house. “In terms of our work in workforce development, it’s really our job to have our ear
to the ground and to listen to what our community needs are,” Koning said. “We are the community’s college, and it is our responsibility to be responsive to those needs in terms of developing a challenged workforce that will then go out and stay around West Michigan.” Koning said students enrolled in this program at GRCC can expect to learn all of the facets of craft brewing and come out with industryrecognized certifications and internship experience, making it easy for them to quickly ob-
tain full-time employment. “That’s what’s really unique about our program,” she said. “We call it kind of the perfect marriage: You get the back of the house knowledge and the front of the house knowledge, as well as several industryrecognized certifications that they’re coming out of our program with.” Grand Valley State University has yet to get on board with the craft brewing trend. Ellen Schendel, the assistant vice president for academic
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BEER CITY: Craft brewing programs are growing in popularity at colleges across the state of Michigan. COURTESY | WGVUNEWS
affairs at GVSU, said the university has yet to really consider creating this program. “Whatever program it is, whether it’s craft brewing or anything else, whatever programs we offer to students really have to sit with Grand Valley’s mission,” she said. Schendel said GVSU strives to offer programs that are distinct and special for the students. “We wouldn’t want to replicate something that another university is doing,” she said. “We would want to make sure we are doing it in the way that suits Grand Valley’s mission and really serves our students in the best way possible. So what that would look like for a craft brewing program, I’m not exactly sure, but those would be the parameters that faculty would be working with.” So although GVSU hasn’t considered it yet, maybe the growing craft brewing industry will persuade the university to join in on the trend in the future.
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A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL
AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON
By Mia Petoskey
Why millenials need to get politically engaged
G
etting politically engaged as a college student is extremely important. When it comes to elections, millennials hold a lot of influence, as we saw this past election season. According to The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), an estimated 24 million young people (defined as adults under the age of 29) voted in the 2016 presidential election, and the majority of these individuals voted against our current commander in chief, Donald Trump. In fact, per CNN exit polls, 55 percent of this age demographic voted for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party nominee. According to CIRCLE’s website, “young voters ... (made) up one-fifth of the electorate, and almost twothirds of them rejected Donald Trump’s candidacy for president.” Millennials continue to be dissatisfied with Trump’s presidency, and it should make us wonder what would have happened if eligible young voters had turned out in even greater numbers to cast their ballots this past November. Collectively, our generation’s voice differs greatly from those of the generations before us. By becoming politically engaged, millennials and college students can contribute to the shaping of our country’s political landscape and make their voices heard. Voting, which should be preceded by educating oneself on the issues at stake, is a simple and powerful way for young people to get engaged in the political process and have a say in the future of their governments. Millennials should think beyond routinely casting their ballots, too, and consider other ways to make an impact, including running for political office. Many students are reluctant to get involved with politics for a variety of reasons, some of which may be more legitimate than others
(laziness is not a good excuse to stay at home during elections). Political decisions being debated and made right now, though, have the potential to make a lasting impact on millions of American lives, including those of college students and millennials (think the current health care debate). This is why colleges should educate students about political engagement so young people are equipped to get involved and make informed decisions. College campuses, are, after all, ideal spaces for learning and grappling with difficult issues on the road to adopting fullblown adult responsibility. Grand Valley State University offers students plenty of opportunities to become politically involved, both on and off campus. One of these opportunities is student senate. Though student senate is not a political organization, per say, students still have the chance to become a more active part of GVSU’s community. Senators and cabinet members are tasked with acting on behalf of their peers to make a real difference on campus. Evan Space, a political science major at GVSU, will be running for governor of Michigan in 2018, a perfect example of an individual taking his involvement in the political process to the next level to shape the future of issues he cares about. Space, who has no political background, credits being involved in student senate as piquing his political interest. He is a selfdescribed “self-employed, blue-collar U.S. military veteran that ended up with an education and is now seeking to pursue bigger goals in life.” This should be an encouraging sentiment for millennials who are on the fence about running for political office. You may think you lack the necessary experience for a particular position, but you have to start somewhere.
8/27/17 editorial@lanthorn.com
The disoriented moral compass of President Donald Trump
BY HUNTER KAAP RENCIS EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM
On Tuesday, Aug. 22, President Donald Trump’s criticism of his fellow Republicans was just one of the cruxes that dribbled off of his chin in a combative press conference he gave from Trump Tower. After only six minutes, while he stood alongside several Cabinet members, the president’s scripted remarks on infrastructure promptly concluded, at which point his message took an immediate Uturn in a heated exchange with press officials that would last more than 45 minutes. Among the onslaught of questions reporters hurled toward the podium were those regarding his failure to cohesively denounce acts of violence that took place during a white supremacist rally in Charlottes-
Editor-in-Chief Associate editor Sports editor Laker Life editor BY CALEB BAIRD EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM
WHAT IS A LANTHORN?
*0ƫđƫ$+.*Čƫƫn. [old English] Lanthorn is two syllables, pronounced Lant-horn. It is a lantern that was used in midto-late 16th century Europe. It was constructed of leather and a
single lens made of a thin piece of ox or steer horn. It was used for illumination and as a beacon. The Grand Valley Lanthorn slogan is: “Give light and the people will find their own way.”
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 opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity. The Grand Valley Lanthorn aims to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. The Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but will not discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by nor necessarily represent those of the university, its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff. Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits, and are reserved for letters to the editor only,
all other reader-generated content can be submitted to the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s YourSpace page by emailing community@lanthorn.com. Letters to the editor should include the author’s full name and relevant title along with a valid email and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500-650 words in length, and are not edited by the staff of the Grand Valley Lanthorn outside of technical errors for clarity. To make a submission, email at editorial@lanthorn. com or by dropping off your submission in person at:
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sages and Twitter tirades have laid an impossible path toward common ground within the Republican Party on legislation either repealing or replacing the Affordable Care Act, let alone tax reform. With the threat of an impending government shutdown looming and the dismal track record of lawmakers on Capitol Hill this term, the field of play is starting to take shape for Congress in its upcoming 2018 mid-term elections. Seven months after taking office, Trump has had little-to-no positive impact on his party’s (in)ability to move the ball forward on key aspects of its legislative agenda. Even with a Republican president in the White House, and despite sitting atop a majority of the seats in both the House and Senate, Republicans have failed to uphold the promises many of them campaigned on during their last elections. As a result, conservative lawmakers, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have been met with a barrage of disparagement not only from voters, but also from their commander in chief. Even the leaders of some of the top Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. have sought out
distance from the president in light of his recent shortcomings regarding his messaging and public relations. In fact, this week, according to the Washington Post, so many CEOs withdrew from the president’s Business Advisory Council that the administration thought it better to disband the board of advisers altogether rather than try to withstand the steady leak of resignations from its members. With so many self-inflicted injuries sustained by Trump, many are losing patience. In the latest battleground poll taken this week by George Washington University, 71 percent of voters agreed Trump’s behavior is “not what (they’d) expect from a president.” But perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is whether or not this type of leadership is something we’d expect from any person in a position of power, let alone the president of the U.S. If there’s one thing voters can take away from the president’s mixed messages this week, it should be the vigor with which he defended his tolerance toward hate and the lack of respect he shows for keeping our states united.
Why students should grade their teachers
GV L ED ITORIA L B OA R D EMILY DORAN JENNA FRACASSI ROBBIE TRIANO TY KONELL
ville, Virginia, about which he had initially claimed off-thecuff that there was “hatred ... on many sides.” The president sat at the front lines of his war on the media Tuesday while reporters got a rare chance to field his true personality at point-blank range. Those who watched the remainder of his welcomed showdown with the press last week were given a glimpse behind the veil of our 45th president as he flamboyantly paraded his short-range incapability as a leader. Unencumbered by pesky press secretaries and “fake” news organizations, as he likes to call them, the president prefers communicating his message straight to the public. But so far throughout his young presidency, his message has done nothing to produce any legislation as he continues to burn bridges with his Republican colleagues in Congress. While making distinguished efforts to separate himself from the apparent dysfunction, Trump has also fanned the flames amongst members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. With so much in-fighting going on between Republicans on issues like health care, it should come as no surprise that the president’s mixed mes-
Have you ever been enrolled in a class where you feel lost in a sea of information? You often sit zoned-out, frustrated and confused, wishing that any other professor was in front of the room teaching. It’s hard to know what you are getting into, and before you know it, the drop deadline passes by like a flash. Sometimes we resort to checking websites such as “Rate My Professors,” but even that’s not entirely accurate. The professor might not even
be listed, or there might be little feedback about their teaching style and personality. There is not enough information available to students when it comes to seeking out our professors. So, what if we had a grading scale, just as our professors keep on us? That way, we would know what we are signing up for before it is too late. Imagine if every class that was offered for enrollment had a detailed account of the prospective professor attached. It could be broken down into categories such as organization, willingness to help, clarity, teaching approach, exam formats, attendance policy and other topics. This way, students would have the opportunity to make educated decisions on which course best suits their learning needs. After all, we are the ones who sit in their class all semester. We would be able to approach the class with a better understanding of what is
expected of us even before registering, and it would greatly benefit us in the long run. The vast majority of professors are well-versed in the subjects they teach and are great at understanding that all students learn very differently. However, there is always an occasional professor with whom you just don’t vibe, to whom you have a difficult time adapting or who is unwilling to provide any extra assistance. In addition, I believe professors have little accountability when it comes to their ethics and teaching techniques. And no one would have a better perspective on this than previous students who have experienced that environment firsthand. The challenge is, we feel too intimidated to speak up or report anything. If the process were done entirely online and anonymously, we would be much more likely to share our thoughts, especially if we could help out our fellow students. Student evaluations, which are
done at the end of the semester, give us a chance to express our opinions, but we never get to see the results ourselves. A grading scale would be incredibly useful when used ahead of time to give students the opportunity to choose the best fit for them. I’m not saying that we should have pages upon pages smearing a professor’s name; they don’t grade us that way, and it would be counterintuitive to the overall educational process. But a detailed and organized outline on the professor and class could prove to be really useful. We deserve the chance to take a more thorough approach to class selections, as we are paying a ton of money to be at the university to begin with. It can take students a decade or more to pay off their student loans, and some students work three jobs just to put themselves through school. I think it’s only fair that we are picky when it comes to who is teaching us.
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53% 47%
QUESTION OF THE ISSUE
WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER RUNNING FOR POLITICAL OFFICE?
ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ
AUDREY JORDAN
“To be honest, not really because I’m not very much of a leader. I’ll do what I’m told, but I think of the government as corrupt, and it seems like a lot of pressure on me.”
“Honestly? Yeah. I’d rather be involved from a policy position because it’s what my education is geared towards, but I wouldn’t mind running for office.”
YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Computer science HOMETOWN: Chigago, Illinois
YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Economics HOMETOWN: Hudsonville, Michigan
DALTON KING
VERONICA VISSCHER
“No. I don’t have too much interest, and it seems too complicated. Nothing is black and white.”
“No. I just don’t think it’s right for me.”
YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Biomedical sciences HOMETOWN: Grand Ledge, Michigan
YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Hospitality and tourism management HOMETOWN: Holland, Michigan
A6 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE ALUMNI HAPPY HOUR TO TAKE PLACE TUESDAY, AUG. 29 The Grand Valley State University Padnos International Center will host its “Global Laker Alumni Happy Hour” Tuesday, Aug. 29, at Monarch’s Club in Grand Rapids. Study abroad alumni who choose to attend will be introduced to new friends or reunited with past ones, both from former study abroad trips and from international locations. A cash bar will be available, and all alumni are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Alissa Lane at laneali@ gvsu.edu.
CAMPUS RECREATION TO HOST BACKYARD GAMES WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, Campus Recreation will be hosting a backyard games event in the Kleiner Courtyard. Grand Valley State University students who attend will be shown what Campus Recreation has available for them while playing games with their peers. There will be bowling, a balloon toss, golf putting and more during the event, which is open to all students. For more information, contact gvintra@gvsu.edu.
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES OFFERS WALK-IN ADVISING
Students who are part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) at Grand Valley State University will be able to receive walk-in advising this week from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. in the CLAS Academic Advising Center, located in Mackinac Hall C-1-140. The CLAS advisers will be able to help students with major choice, class schedules, post-grad options and general academic advising information. Walk-ins begin Monday, Aug. 28, and run through Friday, Sept. 1, with the next available walk-in date listed as Sunday, Sept. 17. To find out more, call (616) 331-8585.
CAMPUS PRAISE RALLY TO BE HELD MONDAY, AUG. 28
Grand Valley State University’s Campus Ministry is set to host a campus praise rally Monday, Aug. 28, from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The rally will be held in the Kirkhof Center Grand River Room. The campus praise rally will be an event centering around Christian worship. The music will be a combination of the genre’s latest releases and worship classics. Between set lists, there will be a brief teaching given by a GVSU minister. For more information on the open-to-all event, contact Campus Ministry at campusministrygv.com.
MUSICIAN: Lee Copenhaver, who is performing cello at GVSU Tuesday, Aug. 29, smiles for his faculty photo. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU
AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS
EVENTS
Spotlight productions collaborates with comedian Barry Brewer to create stand-up show BY SIDNEY SELVIG ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University is collaborating with comedian Barry Brewer to present a stand-up comedy show to entertain the GVSU community and showcase Brewer’s rising career and unique talent. The comedy event will take place Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m. on the East Lawn of Kirkhof. Spotlight Productions is GVSU’s only student-run programming board. The organization has been responsible for on-campus events and programming since 1983 and is in charge of providing a diverse array of both educational and entertaining programs for the GVSU community. Spotlight Productions started planning this event back in March, believing that having a comedian do a stand-up show at GVSU would bring plenty of laughs to kick off the new school year. “It has been amazing to see my comedy chair and executive
board put this event together,” said Andrew Travis, graduate assistant for Spotlight Productions. “Spotlight has been working very hard on this, and we hope the campus community comes out for it.” Barry Brewer was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and began his comedic career in 2001. He has since traveled the country— and abroad—performing at colleges and the nation’s top comedy clubs. As a stand-up comedian, Barry has performed on several high-profile platforms, including national television networks such as Comedy Central, BET and TV One. Brewer also expanded his talent into the area of film in “The Parking Lot” and most recently “The Perfekt Plan,” which he wrote, executiveproduced and starred in. “Barry Brewer is different than other events at Grand Valley because his career is in the building process,” said Aurora Reese, comedy chair for Spotlight Productions. “He is on his way up, and I’m really excited to be a stone in the fur-
thering of a really great comedian’s career. I think it’s really cool when you see an act who wasn’t really big yet have a really successful event at Grand Valley, and then their career shoots up from there.” This event will serve as an opportunity for returning students and incoming freshmen to have some fun and relieve stress before the semester kicks into high gear.
“I think it’s important for Grand Valley to have this event because the first week of the academic year will be starting up,” Reese said. “And I think it’ll be a much-needed laugh for students who are already beginning to feel stressed about what the year has to hold, and if they’re not stressed, it’s a great place for students to have something to do while their schedule isn’t too hectic.”
LAUGHTER: Comedian Barry Brewer poses for a photo. The comic will perform at GVSU Tuesday, Aug. 29. COURTESY | GROUPON
ENTERTAINMENT
GV professor to perform in cello recital BY TASMAN MATTOX ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
To kick off a new school year at Grand Valley State University with some music, Lee Copenhaver, a cellist and associate professor of music theory at GVSU, will be performing Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cook-Dewitt Center. “I’m doing this as a personal enrichment thing,” Copenhaver said. “I hope to be a good musician for my students.” During his recital, Copenhaver will play pieces from a variety of genres. “There will be something for everyone in this recital, from Baroque to jazz to new music,” said Caitlin Cusack, the publicity and recruitment coordinator for GVSU’s department of music, theatre and dance.
The musical selections for the recital vary from dance-style music from Catalonia, a region in Spain (“Suite for Solo Cello” by Gaspar Cassadó), to a piece written for baritone saxophone with a boombox accompaniment and narration (“Pimpin’” by Jacob Ter Veldhuis). “There’s a huge world of difference between the Bach Adagio and the piece called ‘Pimpin’’; I chose three pieces that are not originally written for the cello under the notion that good music is good music and if you steal it from another instrument, it is still good music,” Copenhaver said. Cusack thinks this recital will provide a unique opportunity for Copenhaver’s students to see him outside of the classroom and for non-
music students in general to have a chance to see a performance that will enhance their liberal arts education. “This will be an exciting opportunity for students to see the beloved ‘Dr. C’ onstage and in action,” Cusack said. “He is most often found by students in a classroom or office. ... It will be a great opportunity for students who study subjects outside of music to broaden their horizons, appropriately reflecting the spirit of GVSU’s liberal arts education.” This fall marks Copenhaver’s 33rd year working at GVSU. He said working with students in these spaces is one of the best parts of his job as a professor. “He’s got a bit of a dream team composed for this re-
cital,” Cusack said. Copenhaver will be accompanied by three guests. One is Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, a pianist, artist-inresidence and carillonneur at GVSU, who will be performing with Copenhaver. “In this recital, you get to see her playing keys on a piano rather than our carillon,” Cusack said. Also performing are Copenhaver’s sons, Steffan and Sean Copenhaver, on drums and bass. “Of course, we’ve got a long history,” Copenhaver said. “It’s a fun dynamic. We have some old jokes that go way back, and they’re very fast musicians. We have new jokes as well. We’re building on that background without having to get acquainted.”
MOTION PICTURE
GV students shoot documentary in Alpena, Michigan Filmmakers produce aquatic footage, drone clips BY AUTUMN BABAS ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
Exploring new places, recording with drones and filming people on kayaks. These are all activities that six of Grand Valley State University’s film students had the opportunity to do when they traveled to Alpena, Michigan, with their professor to make a documentary. “Our goal was to gather footage from the Alpena area and to make short, story-driven documentaries highlighting the beauty, history and community of Alpena,” said film student Elizabeth Herrud. The film students and professor went on this trip the week of Monday, June 12, collecting many different angled and scenic shots for their inter-
active film. The group went to Alpena because a GVSU film and video alumnus, who now works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), had done work at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in the past. “We had connections there, and they were willing to help us create video content about the shipwrecks and maritime history up in Alpena,” said former film student Erika Collin. One of the main focuses for professor John Schmit when it comes to helping improve his students’ learning is coming up with creative topics that make it more engaging for them. The quality of their work matters, too, so to help ensure that their shots stand out, he has his students review their film.
“Each day started with meetings to go over the locations, activities and shooting plan,” Schmit said. “We piled into our van and headed out to film all day, sometimes driving to several locations throughout the day. In the evening, we gathered together and watched our footage to see how it came out.” Students were able to film in ways they never had before. The shots they took were close up and in action. They filmed the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, interviews with the sanctuary employees and visitors climbing the lighthouse, and people on paddle boards and in canoes and kayaks. “Filming in all different environments can be chal-
lenging, but learning from experiences is always best for me,” Herrud said. To help students capture these astonishing shots, Alpena Community College media instruction development technician Gary Hollingsworth used a drone. With the help of ACC allowing them to use these drones for their film projects, the GVSU students were able to capture aerial footage that included better quality shots than ones from the normal camera. This way, they could get shots over lighthouses, as well as views you wouldn’t typically see in every film. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
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SPORTS | A7
AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
QUICK HITS
FOOTBALL
GV SOCCER ADDS NEW ASSISTANT COACH TO STAFF
After winning three of the past four national championships, the Grand Valley State women’s soccer team has earned the right to cement itself as one of the best overall teams in Division II. The team took another step in the right direction, adding former Davenport University coach James Gilpin to the coaching staff Tuesday, Aug. 22. During his four years at Davenport, Gilpin’s former team had an overall record of 53-19-6 while playing in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). During the 2013 season, the Panthers advanced as far as the NAIA National Tournament Elite 8. A native from Newcastle, England, Gilpin was a member of Celtic FC, a football club in the Scottish Premier League, from 2005 until 2007. After that, Gilpin also played goalkeeper for the Davenport men’s soccer team in 2009.
GV ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES ‘WATCH PARTY’ FOR FIRST FOOTBALL GAME
Sadly for Grand Valley State football fans, the team will be opening its first game of the season on the road against Indianapolis Thursday, Aug. 31. Luckily for passionate Laker fans, GVSU Athletics will host a “GVSU Football Watch Party” for students who want to see the No. 2 ranked football team in Division II in action. The gates will open at 6 p.m., just one hour before the 7 p.m. kickoff. Admission is free to the public, and the first 1,000 GVSU students to show up will receive a free promotional “616” T-shirt. The game will be projected on the largest video board in NCAA Division II athletics and the third largest in the state of Michigan. Attendees will have the opportunity to sit on the home turf or in the stands. No outside food or drink is allowed on the field, but the concession stands will be open for students to purchase refreshments. If you plan to watch the game on the field, be sure to bring a blanket or towel.
GV football all smiles at Media Day WELCOME TO THE LAKER SHOW: The Grand Valley State football recruitment class of 2013 poses for photographers during the 2017 Laker football Media Day. The event allowed the press to interview the players about this season, while giving the chance for players to showcase their “lighter side” off the field. GVL | EMILY FRYE BY BRADY MCATAMNEY
BMCATAMNEY@LANTHORN.COM
I
t may be hard to remember at times, but football is a game, and games were created to be fun. One annual event that can always be counted on to be fun for Grand Valley State football players, coaches and journalists alike is Media Day, which was held Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Lubbers Stadium. The day began with the entire team grouping up in the stands at Lubbers for their annual team picture. With the sun in their eyes and hardly a cloud in sight, the group was all smiles as photographers snapped the highly touted Laker squad. Following the full-team picture, the seniors, dressed
in road white jerseys while the rest of the players wore their black tops, gathered on the field to take their yearly senior class picture. However, the class of 2017 went a different route than any other group in preceding years. Equipped with tables, ladders and chairs, the players arranged themselves in a professional wrestling-style setup, and the antics did not disappoint from an entertainment standpoint. Head coach Matt Mitchell had just a hunch on who came up with the idea. “I think maybe (wide receiver) Brandon Bean because there’s been some stuff coming out of team breakdowns where he and one of the defensive backs have been doing some of the pro wrestling ma-
neuvers,” Mitchell said of the comical photoshoot. “I don’t know where the genesis of all that is. It’s just like, ‘All right, you guys ready to practice? Let’s go.’” Mitchell was right: Bean and one of his defensive counterparts, who have spent the summer imitating wrestlers, put the idea into motion. “I’ve got to be real—I can’t take all the credit for it,” Bean said. “Every day before we break down to get into team pads, me and (defensive back) Thad Little reenact some famous finishers. We got the Stone Cold Stunner, Randy Orton RKO and John Cena Attitude Adjustment. All the moves you can think of, we reenact them just to get us going. My favorite wrestler has always been Shawn Michaels.”
Wrestling was not the only hotly discussed game on Media Day, though. Under new NCAA rules, the team was granted a sizable chunk of downtime during the summer in-between practices, and with the entire team living in the freshly built (and conveniently air conditioned) Holton-Hooker Learning and Living Center, the boys had plenty of time to play ping pong, pool, shuffleboard and (most important to many players) euchre. Hot takes and big words were exchanged between quarterback Bart Williams and defensive lineman Dylan Carroll about the classic Michigander card game. “The worst at euchre … (is) probably (quarterback) Cole Kotopka,” Williams
said. “He’ll call it up on 10. I’m the best. If I could play with myself (as a partner), I’d probably do that. (Quarterback) Matt Crable’s a good partner. He lost us a game against the specialists yesterday, though. (Co-defensive coordinator) Nick Postma is fun to play with, too, and (quarterback) coach (Matt) Vitzthum. Those are probably my top three partners if I had to pick: Crable, Postma and Vitzthum.” Carroll did not agree with Williams’ hot take in the slightest, citing himself as the true best player on the team. In fact, Carroll even went as far as to say that Kotopka— whom Williams noted as the worst—was better than WilSEE FOOTBALL | A8
CLUB SPORTS
GV CLUB SAILOR EARNS SPOT ON COLLEGIATE SAILING ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
The Grand Valley State club sailing team’s vice-commodore Nicholas Smart was awarded for his excellence in the classroom and on the water with a selection to the 2016-17 Collegiate Sailing All-Academic Team. The award recognizes collegiate sailors around the country who have achieved excellence in national and international competition, in addition to excelling at the highest academic level. Smart, a senior majoring in criminal justice, initially came to GVSU to play baseball but found out that his true passion resided on the water. Smart ended up joining the team during the fall of 2014. The club sailing team sails a certain boat called a 420, a vessel that requires a twoperson crew. His skipper (the person who steers the boat), Elliot Lee, gives high praise to his crewman. “It’s great to have a guy like him around,” Lee said. “He’s a natural athlete and improves every time he hits the water.”
VARSITY SCHEDULE FOOTBALL Thursday 7:00 p.m. at Indianapolis
PAYDAY: Grand Valley State club sports, which offers more than 55 competitive and recreational programs, has earned itself the reputation of being one of the best in the country. This year, the GVSU student senate annouced that they would be increasing the club sports funding by $29,000. GVL | EMILY FRYE & KEVIN SIELAFF
GV club sports receives $29K increase in funding from student senate BY ARPAN LOBO SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
With more than 55 competitive and recreational programs, Grand Valley State University has one of the largest club sports programs in the country. When the GVSU student senate announced the Student Life Fund for the 2017-18 academic year, the program received a sizable increase in allocated money to continue its growth. Club sports received an increase of $29,000, moving from $396,000 in 2016-17 to $425,000 for 2017-18. It’s an increase that Eric Garvelink, assistant director of competitive sports, believes will help club student athletes at GVSU. “Every program benefited from the increase,” Garvelink said. “The students benefited
from the increase. What we were able to do was divvy up that money and allocate it to our groups based on their tier. They all got an increase in their eligible amount of funds that they’re able to receive.” There are three tiers of programs in club sports. These tiers range from competitive to recreational groups on campus. Each tier was given an increase based on its needs and the size of the dues that participating students have to pay. “We also use some of that money to fully fund the leases of some off-campus reservations,” Garvelink said. Due to the number of programs within club sports, some groups have to find facilities away from the Allendale Campus. Roller and ice hockey and water polo compete in nearby cities like Grandville and Hudsonville.
“At the end of the year, they would have to owe (club sports) thousands of dollars for what we weren’t funding for them,” Garvelink said. “We fully funded that lease so they don’t have to pay us back.” Garvelink added that increasing the funding toward certain leases reduces part of the dues students must pay to play. He envisions this as encouragement for more students to participate in club sports. “The goal with the funding increase was to increase the amount of money that we contribute to the programs so that they pay less in dues and money becomes less of a barrier for (students) to participate in some of our sports,” he said. Student senate echoed this sentiment as well. “The goal has always been
to decrease the amount of money that students have to pay to be involved with club sports on campus,” said Jonathan Bowman, student senate president. “A lot of our club sports cost a tremendous amount of money (for) the students. Our goal was to remove that burden so more students could participate.” When the Student Life Fund budget was released in April, several other oncampus funds, such as the cultural and performing arts funds, received less allocated money compared to what they received in 201617. But Bowman said this had to do with the amount of leftover funds that were still available to be used. “The finance committee does a tremendous job every year creating our proposed budget,” Bowman said. “They really get to see where the
needs are. We have $1.2 million in the Student Life Fund, and at the end of the year, we want that to be gone.” Bowman cited the example of the cultural fund, which received an increase of $10,000 for the 2016-17 academic year. At the end of the year, not all of the money had been spent, creating a surplus in the budget. Student senate’s response was to move the funds, in this case removing the $10,000, and placing them where they could be used in entirety. “At the end of the day, we want students to be using the dollars coming from their tuition,” Bowman said. “Club sports is growing, and there are a ton of students that are involved, and even for the smaller (programs), we want the fees to be as low as possible so more can participate.”
AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
A8 | SPORTS
SAY CHEESE: From the freshman class to the Laker veterans, the entire football team stands and poses for their team photo Tuesday, Aug. 22. GVL | EMILY FRYE
MACHO, MACHO MEN: The GVSU football senior class incorporates a “WWE” theme, creatively organized by wide reciever Brandon Bean and defensive back Thad Little, to showcase the group’s field mentality Tuesday, Aug. 22. GVL | EMILY FRYE
KICKIN’ BACK: Several members of the Laker team await their time to interact with the press. GVL | EMILY FRYE
FOOTBALL CONTINUED FROM A7
liams himself. In between all the wrestling charades, euchre trash talk, Katt Williams impressions (done impressively well by Jon-Marc Anderson) and practical jokes on Media Day, though, there was, in fact, some football talk. With the Lakers ranked No. 2 in the nation in the AFCA coaches poll, many people on a national stage are intrigued by what the GVSU offense is capable of with almost all of its 2016 production returning this season. “Expect everything,” Bean said. “Pick your poison. I mean, what are you going to do? Do you want to try and stop Bart Williams and Urston Smith and Nick Dodson? Okay, fine, give the ball to (running back) Marty Carter, the leading rusher in Division II. Do you want to try and load the box to stop Marty? Alright, then just put the ball in Bart’s hands. I just sit and watch and practice and say, ‘My goodness.’ How do we have such a talented and deep roster? It’s scary. Once again, pick your poison.” The key piece to take away from that excerpt from the senior receiver is to “expect everything.” Mitchell echoed
COACH MITCH: Grand Valley State football head coach talks business with the Lanthorn sports staff. GVL | EMILY FRYE
Bean’s statement, saying the copious amounts of experience on their offense gives them the flexibility and opportunity to try players in different places. “Last year for (Carter), that was only his first year,” Mitchell said. “We only put him pretty much in the backfield. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s emptied out some. (Nick) Keizer, it’s his senior year, you’re going to see him out as a tight end in different spots and positions. You’re going to see different guys in different spots and different roles because (they’ve) really mastered their craft at one position, and we can do some other things with them.” That kind of comfort level has not been achieved on the defense quite yet, as they do not have the luxury of returning a handful of their leaders from last season. Though some big names like Carroll and linebacker Collin Schlosser will likely continue to lead the way for the Lakers, there are several holes that still need to be plugged in the defense. The Laker coaching staff, after thinking hard about ways to make their corps as formidable as possible, believe they have found some ways to right the ship. “We’ve tried to do it three ways,” Mitchell said. “Garrett
Pougnet has played safety his entire existence, and we put him at inside linebacker. Take Mike Pettis who played linebacker his entire career, put him as a five technique. We take some transfers, we got (defensive tackle) Demetrius Farmer from Ohio Dominican, (defensive back) Darius Conaway, who I think is going to be a really good player who will stay for a couple years. You take that and then some younger guys who can really step up like Isaiah Nkansah who’s a linebacker. You take a guy like (defensive back) Thad Little who hasn’t played much and is back there. You have transfers, new guys, position changes and put them in spots. It takes time.” There will be new faces and old faces in new places. That will be the theme for the Laker defense in 2017, and they are not afraid to take shots early on in the season in order to improve themselves in the long haul. It is fair to expect a different Laker defense in later weeks of the year compared to the one that will be on display against Indianapolis in week one. “Getting the transfers acclimated to how we do and run things here at GV, it’s all about team chemistry and getting everyone to play together,” Carroll said. “Our defensive philosophy is 11 as
PSH, OKAY: GVSU defensive lineman Dylan Carroll laughs Tuesday, Aug. 22, when quarterback Bart Williams says he’s much better at euchre. GVL | EMILY FRYE
one, and it’s about sticking together and doing your job. We can’t have individuals out there doing their own thing.” The relentless pursuit, or “11 as one,” as Carroll described it, has been a common theme for GVSU throughout the years. If this new crew can
replicate the success former squads have had, especially with all the talent on their side of the ball, it will likely not come as a shock to most of those coaches and writers that put the Lakers on a pedestal as the number two team. With camp finishing up and
game prep beginning for the Lakers’ season opener on the road against the Indianapolis Greyhounds Thursday, Aug. 31, it is finally time for GVSU football players to strap on their helmets, lace their cleats and prepare for the 2017 grind.
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AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
SPORTS | A9
FOOTBALL
GV football’s Marty Carter making the best of his ‘second chance’ BY BRADY MCATAMNEY
BMCATAMNEY@LANTHORN.COM
“Be yourself.” It’s the ageold advice that everybody has heard one time or another from a parent, friend, teacher or coach. Still, it can be hard to follow when you’d rather blend into the crowd. Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter came from Chicago to Grand Valley State University, as many do, looking to blend in. Coming out of East Chicago, Carter, commonly referred to as “Marty,” simply tried to blend in at GVSU. He was not sure how his new teammates would react to his personality, though that uncertainty was promptly dispelled.
“Be yourself,” he said. “You don’t always have to be a quiet guy. You can be an outside guy. Be yourself. You can be about business and show your other side. (Former GVSU running back Kirk Spencer) was a comedian like me, but I didn’t want to show too much of that, but once I saw that people can take jokes, I learned I can be myself. At Grand Valley, they accept you for who you are.” Carter was not always GVSU-bound, though. As an elite performer on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, he had multiple offers from Division I schools to play ball for them. Unfortunately, those disappeared due to adversity and life situations, Carter said.
His football career could have very well been over at that point, but that’s where Laker head coach Matt Mitchell and GVSU came in. “Grand Valley was a second chance at life for me,” Carter said. “Coach Mitch gave me a second opportunity at life, and Grand Valley was a great choice for me. It was all in God’s plan.” So far, it is fair to say that Carter has more than cashed in on his opportunity at redemption. In 2015, he racked up 889 yards and seven touchdowns on 135 carries, in addition to catching passes and serving as a return man—impressive marks for a player’s first collegiate season. He played the SEE CARTER | A10
BEING HIMSELF: Grand Valley State football starting running back Martayveus “Marty” Carter poses with his arms folded during the Laker football Media Day Tuesday, Aug. 22. GVL | EMILY FRYE
VOLLEYBALL
GV volleyball player Staci Brower uses height, skill to stand out BY JAKE CARROLL JCARROLL@LANTHORN.COM
Standing at 6 feet 1 inch tall, Grand Valley State volleyball star Staci Brower is currently taller than 18 NBA players. Her impressive height helped her notch two AllGLIAC First Team honors as
a sophomore and a freshman, as well as accumulate 34 solo blocks last season. With that statistic, Brower has the most solo blocks by any Laker since the 2000 season. As a freshman, she was honored as the GLIAC Freshman of the Year, the second Laker in history to be named to the AllConference team as a rookie.
BLOCK PARTY: Grand Valley State volleyball player Staci Brower (21) celebrates with her team after a block. GVL | KEVIN SIELAFF
Brower’s height has not always been an asset, though. In her sophomore year of high school, she suffered knee issues because of her rapid growth. “I had grown quite a bit the summer before,” Brower said. “My IT bands were severely tight, and (they) wrap around a bursa in my knee causing my legs not being able to straighten very easily. Eventually, I needed to get injections in my knees to make the swelling go down.” For some players being recruited out of high school, an injury like Brower’s might cause worry or doubt in their minds. However, regardless of her knee problems, Brower never had any doubt that she was going to GVSU. Ever since a tournament for her travel volleyball team hosted at GVSU, she knew where she wanted to go.
“I went to a tournament in Jenison during Staci’s sophomore year,” said Deanne Scanlon, GVSU volleyball head coach. “Nobody there is really ever all that good, but when I saw (Brower), I knew she could play.” Brower verbally committed to GVSU early junior year of high school and officially signed as a senior. Since she joined the team in the 2015 fall season, the Laker volleyball team has not beaten rival Ferris State with Brower on the roster. “Every time we play them, I obviously really want to win,” Brower said. “I think this year I’m a lot more mentally focused, and I think the team is a lot more connected.” Since 2015, the Lakers have won only five sets against Ferris State. The Bull-
dogs have won a total of 18. Brower’s contribution to the team will certainly help against the powerhouse volleyball program that is Ferris State. “Staci is by far one of the most hardworking people on this team,” said teammate Madilyn Keller. “She’s very dedicated and also a very giving person.” There are not many players who can match Brower’s abilities. Her 119 total blocks were fourth in the GLIAC last season, and she finished the season third in blocks per set with 1.10. Her first team nomination was wellearned and well-deserved. This season, Brower looks to improve her skills even more. Whether it’s becoming more mentally focused or better prepared to compete, Brower knows her approach
this season needs to adapt. “My freshman year I came in not really knowing what to expect,” Brower said. “I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself (as a freshman). After going through the season and continuing to play well, I started to build confidence.” That confidence continued to build throughout her sophomore season. Now that she is in her junior year, Brower’s confidence is at the same level of the artist of her favorite pre-game song, Kanye West. Well, maybe not necessarily that high, but Brower’s confidence is soaring, and she’s playing volleyball the way she wants to play it. This upcoming season is going to be a big one for Brower, who has the GLIAC competition in the palm of her hand.
FALL ARTS
GR A ND VA LLEY STATE UNIV ERSIT Y PR ESENTS THE 15 TH A NNUA L
20 17
CELEBRATION Enriching the Arts and Humanities in West Michigan
Grand Valley’s Fall Arts Celebration features distinguished artists, writers, poets, musicians, and dancers of our time. Please join us this fall for inspiring entertainment that is the hallmark of our signature events.
MUSIC
“The Timeless Genius of Mozart: The Grand Partita, K 361” MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 7:30 P.M.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG THEATRE THOMAS J. AND MARCIA J. CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS ALLENDALE CAMPUS
ART
“Afghanistan to Morocco: Journeys of Jim and Virginia Goode” EXHIBITION RECEPTION
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 5–7 P.M.
ART GALLERY THOMAS J. AND MARCIA J. CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS ALLENDALE CAMPUS
LECTURE
Jeffrey Chang: “We Gon’ Be Alright: Race and Resegregation in Today’s America” MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 7:30 P.M.
L.V. EBERHARD CENTER, SECOND FLOOR ROBERT C. PEW GRAND RAPIDS CAMPUS
POETRY!
“An Evening of Poetry and Conversation with Jane Hirshfield and Dan Gerber” THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 7:30 P.M.
L.V. EBERHARD CENTER, SECOND FLOOR ROBERT C. PEW GRAND RAPIDS CAMPUS
EXHIBITION DATES: AUGUST 25–OCTOBER 27
DANCE!
“Celebrating Originality: Defying Gravity with Aerial Dance Chicago” MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 7:30 P.M. LOUIS ARMSTRONG THEATRE THOMAS J. AND MARCIA J. CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS ALLENDALE CAMPUS
HOLIDAY CELEBRATION!!
“Noël, Noël, Joyeux Noël: A Celebration of French Music for the Holiday Season” MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 7:30 P.M. FOUNTAIN STREET CHURCH 24 FOUNTAIN STREET NE GRAND RAPIDS, MI
All events are FREE and open to the public. Want to know more about upcoming Fall Arts Celebration events? Please visit gvsu.edu/fallarts and provide us with your email address or call (616) 331-2185.
MEDIA SPONSOR:
AUGUST 28, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
A10 | SPORTS SOCCER
GV soccer adapting as a younger team Lakers add 12 freshmen, two transfers after core players graduate
BY BRIANA LEWIS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
Last season, the Grand Valley State women’s soccer team’s season came to an end in the NCAA National Championship with a 3-2
loss to Western Washington. The Lakers ended their threeyear winning streak and said goodbye to six pivotal seniors. Once the season ended and old players moved on to new experiences, the Lakers were ready to bring in and show-
case new talent in the form of 12 freshmen and two transfers. GVSU soccer now has the task of adapting as a younger team. Jeff Hosler, who is returning for his fourth season as the women’s soccer team’s coach, thinks the chemistry
among the team has been a positive so far. “The freshman group is a cohesive group to begin with, and our returning players have done a really good job of connecting with them, teaching them what
LOOKING AHEAD: Grand Valley State soccer player Dani Johnson scans the field for an open player during the GLIAC Conference Championship against Ohio Dominican. This year, the Lakers face the challenge of developing 12 newcomers and two transfers. GVL | EMILY FRYE
CARTER
CONTINUED FROM A9
first half of the campaign underneath Spencer on the running-back depth chart until an injury sidelined the starter for the rest of the season. Carter’s true debut came in the 2015 Division II playoffs against Colorado State Pueblo, when he carried the ball 26 times for a school record of 231 yards and a touchdown and threw a 22yard touchdown pass. “The opportunity was a great chance for me to prove what I can do,” Carter said. “My teammates had faith in me when Kirk went down. This is when I could step up, and I knew I had to do it for the team and do it for Kirk.” Even after such an eyeopening performance, Carter was still relatively unknown, but the momentum from his
playoff performance clearly carried over into 2016: Carter broke the GVSU record for rushing yards in a season and led the conference in carries (256), rushing yards (1,908), yards per game (146.8), yards per carry (7.5) and rushing touchdowns (20). He was honored as D2football.com’s Offensive Player of the Year, beating out players like the Chicago Bears’ second-round draft pick Adam Shaheen of Ashland, and made the first team All-American list. Carter’s dominance not only helped the Lakers win games, but also aided his teammates in performing better relative to previous seasons, too. “If you’re at the games and saw his impact, I think he helps everybody around him,” Mitchell said. “In the 2015 season, we had to throw the ball more, and you saw a lot of touchdowns but a lot of inter-
ceptions from Bart Williams. And last year he cut that in half, and a lot of that can be attributed to Marty Carter.” Williams, who is no stranger to putting together strong seasons, appreciates the monumental contributions from his star running back. “I think we weren’t as reliant on the pass, which is good for us, and a lot of that is because of Marty,” the quarterback said. “He earned a lot of extra yards. The game plan: It took a lot from other coaches to stop Marty. It helped me make better decisions and helped me keep the ball away from the other team.” Carter is no longer unknown—that is a certainty— but the speed and intelligence he possesses are practically unmatched in Division II, making him incredibly difficult for opposing defenses to plan for. Regardless, teams will still
have to devote a majority of their attention in his direction, opening up room for the Lakers’ wealth of other playmakers to have massive impacts of their own, and that’s assuming the extra eyes on Marty even slow him down. “It’ll be interesting, definitely,” Williams said. “If you watched any film in 2016, (Carter is) probably your number-one priority, but that’s what makes us good on offense. We have so much talent on offense at the skill positions, and it’s not just Marty at tailback. Honestly, too, if you’re game planning for Marty, it’s hard to contain him. If he’s game planned for, it’s not a bad plan to still get him that ball.” Another repercussion of his breakout season, though hardly an unwelcome one, is the attention Carter anticipates attracting from
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an incoming freshman, said the team feels more like a family. “There’s definitely a lot of the team bonding and a lot of just becoming closer; it makes it easier out on the field,” Schoolman said. “It feels like a family instead of just stepping onto a new team, and you feel like we’re already close, so it’s not scary when you mess up because everyone has your back and everything.” Hosler also believes the upperclassmen are doing a good job working with the incoming freshmen by getting them comfortable with the field and team. The juniors and seniors have been with the team long enough and have the experiences to know what it takes. In fact, the transition to a younger team did not change the team’s mindset. They continue to train daily, sometimes even twice a day, but the Lakers stay focused on their improvements and take each day as it comes. “We’ve always just focused on the details here, so details are extremely important to us, and the details help us get to the big picture that we want to be at,” Johnson said. “But we’re having fun. It’s kind of a new light, it’s a new energy, and that’s a big element of what we’re doing, too.” The Lakers kick off their season with an away game against Columbus State Friday, Sept. 1.
NFL scouts. It is not often a player gets professional buzz after only sophomore year, especially in Division II, but Carter is just that good. GVSU has a history of churning out solid pros, including the likes of Dan Skuta of the Bears, Tim Lelito of the Tennessee Titans, Charles Johnson of the Carolina Panthers, and Matt Judon and Brandon Carr of the Baltimore Ravens. However, history has favored the big guys out of GVSU: Of all the Lakers to ever make the jump to the NFL, 13 of them were linemen; five were wide receivers; three were quarterbacks; and only Eric Lynch, who played for the Detroit Lions from 1992 to 1996 and tallied a mere 209 rushing yards in his career, made it to the league as a tailback from GVSU. Though history may suggest that taking the next
step could prove difficult for Carter, he has no shortage of confidence in his ability. “I feel like I have an opportunity to perform at the next level,” he said. “All it takes is a little adjustment. Going to college was an adjustment, and I’m an adjustable player, so I feel like I can adjust. There might be some adversity, but I’ll get through it.” Carter has a multitude of reasons to continue playing hard, and the list begins with his children, Martayveus Jr. and Mar’Ree. He plays for his family and the teens struggling to get by in his hometown. He plays for his team, and he plays for the second chance he received out of high school. Carter plays to win, and if his drive and talent are any indication of what he is capable of doing, it’s fair to assume he is only getting started.
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we’re trying to do on the field and getting to know them off the field in the terms of our expectations,” Hosler said. The Lakers are preparing the fresh recruits through experiences, and one of them is just having a day-to-day mindset. “With this group, we really talked a lot about the daily process and really trying to train with the growth mindset and approach everything understanding that we got to improve daily,” Hosler said. “Sometimes it’s going to (be) incremental; one of the fun things with a young team is you will find days or weeks where there’s tremendous growth.” Even though this is just the beginning of their 2017 season, both freshmen and returning players feel close on and off the field. This is Hosler’s biggest signing class during his time as head coach with GVSU. For midfielder Dani Johnson, this will be her senior year playing with the Lakers. She, along with the other upperclassmen, are playing a huge role in this season with helping the incoming freshmen. “We like our nuggets,” Johnson said. “They’re willing to work for us, and we’re willing to work for them.” The Lakers were able to meet their new players in a welcoming style. GVSU defender Makenna Schoolman,
Come out to Meijer Mania at th e S t a n d a l e M e i j e r o n Thursday, August 24th from 8pm-Midnight for free food, prizes, and much more!
Travel the Amtrak! Students age 13-25 with valid student ID are eligible for 15% off the Value or Flexible Fare tickets! See AmtrakMichigan.com for more information!
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Housing
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Housing
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Entertainment This semester Grand Valley State University is presenting the 15th annual Fall Arts Celebration. From September 11 to December 4, there are going to be six free events ranging from poets to musicians and dancers for anyone and everyone to see. If you want more information about the upcoming Fall Arts Celebration events, please visit gvsu.edu/fallarts or call (616) 331-2185.
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