Issue 2, August 21st, 2017 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

ST U D E N T- R U N P U B L I C A T I O N S // M O N D A Y, A U G . 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 // VO L . 52 N O. 2

GRAND VALLEY

WELCOME BACK,

A L L E N D A L E & G R A N D R A P I DS , M I C H I G A N

LAKERS!

Freshman takeover

More than half of total students living on campus are in their first year

BY KAYLA TUCKER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

A

total of 6,030 students are expected to be living on campus at Grand Valley State University this fall, with approximately 3,550 first-year students making up more than half of that number.

Dena Willis, housing and residence life occupancy manager, said there are many benefits to living on campus, especially as a freshman.

“The number one reason for students to live on campus is to get involved, and it’s a great way to get to know other people,” Willis said.

“I also think there’s convenience to living on campus: You’re close to

classes, you’re close to food, you’re close to athletic events … All those things play a role in what we call the ‘student experience.’”

Another major factor, Willis said, is safety. Students living on campus are surrounded by “professional livein staff,” resident assistants and the GVSU Police Department.

“It’s a really nice step, especially for first-year students, to not totally move off campus, but you have kind of this buffer in which students can live here with an extra net of safety,” Willis said.

GVSU’s housing department does work with the off-campus apartments, which surround the university in Allendale. Willis said they try to meet once a semester, but

she keeps up a regular communication with them as well.

“We are here for students, and we know that our off-campus people house (students), and we want to make sure that our students have a successful experience there,” Willis said. “One of the ways that we do that is to collaborate with them and learn about their processes and how we can make things better for our students, while also knowing that we’re in competition with each other, and that’s okay because we want to find the right fit for every student.”

Second-year students have the option to live in a campus apartment, which Willis said is almost “unheard” of at other universities in the state.

Other amenities for students living on campus are free laundry, cable and Wi-Fi. Willis said the benefits reach far beyond that.

“When we talk about the student experience, I think the biggest thing is we’re connected to the university, so we are a great resource,” Willis said.

First-year students tend to face a certain amount of issues as they transition into adulthood and living in a new environment.

These issues could be homesickness, not getting along with a roommate, or breaking the rules and facing the consequences.

SEE CAMPUS | A2

GETTING SETTLED IN ON CAMPUS: A GVSU student decorates her dormitory space with photos and lights. Many students hang up pictures and artwork to make their new campus homes their own, even though they may be far from family, friends and their own hometown communities. GVL / ARCHIVE | AMY BRINKERHOFF

FIRST-YEAR TRANSITIONS

SCHEDULE

WED NES DAY

8:00 PM – 9:30 PM Transitions Welcome & “It’s Good to be Ugly: Success Secrets of the Motivationally Supercharged!” Presentation FIELDHOUSE ARENA 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM Playfair LUBBERS STADIUM

THU RS DAY

1:15 PM – 2:45 PM Healthy Relationships Presentation FIELDHOUSE ARENA

FRI DAY

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Convocation FIELDHOUSE ARENA

8:00 PM – 12:00 AM Meijer Mania STANDALE MEIJER

COMMUNITY

Formally welcoming the class of 2021

BY THERESA MUELLER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Every school year brings many unknowns for students, but particularly the incoming freshman class. Grand Valley State University faculty, staff and students take it upon themselves to ensure new students receive a welcome that displays the true comfort of the GVSU community.

The formal event to signify the collegiate start for the class of 2021 is the Convocation ceremony, which will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, in the Fieldhouse Arena.

Transition leaders and resident assistants will prepare students for Convocation with many icebreaking activities in the days leading up to the event.

Convocation itself is a “formal bookmark for the beginning of the school year,” said LeaAnn Tibbe, associate director of student life. The convocation ceremony has been a tradition since GVSU started and is “symbolic of a fresh new start.”

Throughout the event, there will be music and various speakers, and each componente will serve to “reassure and motivate the students,” Tibbe SEE WELCOME | A2

RENOVATIONS

Summer construction wraps up GV campuses experience expansion updates

BY JOSH VISSERS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Construction crews were busy on Grand Valley State University’s campuses this summer, and returning students will notice some finished projects, as well as others still underway, as they head to classes this fall.

not different,” McLogan said.

“And of course the bells will still sound the same,” he added.

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER In Allendale, the $20 million renovation of the Performing Arts Center is complete, with finishing touches being put on the landscaping.

“The building is now going to be named for President (Thomas Haas) and Mrs. (Marcia) Haas, who have made a significant donation to the university’s scholarship fund for students in the arts,” said Matt McLogan, vice president for university relations.

The building is now called the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts.

RALEIGH J. FINKELSTEIN HALL The new building north of I-196 in Grand Rapids, Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, is proceeding on schedule as well, with an expected completion date of May 2018. The project, which includes teaching facilities and a $9 million parking garage, was also intended to provide for some low-cost housing for the neighborhood, according to a memorandum of understanding between GVSU and the city of Grand Rapids.

“We have agreed that Grand Valley will allow some of its land on part of that lot to be used for affordable housing, and the plans for that are still in discussion,” McLogan said.

The university hopes plans for the housing will come together by the end of the year.

COOK CARILLON TOWER The Cook Carillon Tower’s summer renovations are also nearing completion. The repairs and cleaning will leave the familiar landmark looking “better but

HEALTH CAMPUS GVSU also recently announced a planned expansion of its health campus on Michigan Street in downtown Grand Rapids. The $70 million facility will be built on the

current site of the parking lot east of the Cook-Devos Center for Health Sciences, but groundbreaking won’t take place until next year.

ADDITIONAL LAND PURCHASES Parking behind the fire department in Walker will also be expanded, as GVSU takes possession of more land in Allendale. A combination of land donations and purchases has led to the addition of several hundred parking spaces near the corner of Lake Michigan Drive and Kinney Avenue.

Ferris Coffee and Nut also sold its downtown building near the YMCA on Winter Avenue to GVSU to expand its engineering program’s labs. According to McLogan, the renovations on the site will be minimal due to the lab’s simple need for open space. Ferris will vacate the building in the spring and summer of next year for classes to begin in Fall 2018.

A partnership with Consumers Energy also came to fruition with the opening of the John Russel Leadership Center. Built by Consumers Energy on leased GVSU property, the building houses training sessions for Consumers Energy employees.

2:30 PM – 4:15 PM “Building a More Inclusive Campus Community 2017” Presentation FIELDHOUSE ARENA 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM Class of 2021 Photo, Transitions Closing Ceremony LUBBERS STADIUM 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM Laker Kickoff Party and Laker Fanfest LUBBERS STADIUM

NEARING COMPLETION: The brick replacement project on the Cook Carillon Tower began Tuesday, May 9. The project, which is nearing completion, will serve to alleviate safety concerns with the state of the clock tower bricks. GVL | LUKE HOLMES

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A2 | NEWS

WELCOME

NEWS BRIEFS

CONTINUED FROM A1

NAMING CEREMONY FOR NEW PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ANNOUNCED

The new performing arts center has now been formally named the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts in recognition of the endowments made by the Grand Valley State University president and his wife.

A ceremony to commemorate this naming will be held Friday, Aug. 25, in the Louis Armstrong Theatre on the Allendale Campus from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Remarks will be given at 2:15 p.m.

SMARTBURNER BEING TESTED IN GV LIVING CENTERS A new stovetop burner is being tested in various living centers around Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus to prevent cooking fires.

The Smartburner, developed by Pioneering Technology, is a flat stovetop burner designed to replace the electric coil burners installed in many GVSU kitchenettes. The new burners are supposed to cook food “more evenly” and automatically shut off once a certain temperature is reached, reducing the amount of instances where fire alarms are set off because of burning food.

Six Smartburners were installed in the new HoltonHooker Learning and Living Center in common area kitchenettes, and data shows a decrease in the amount of fire alarm related incidents because of it.

Now, 25 more Smartburners will be installed in other living centers for the 2017-18 school year on GVSU’s Allendale Campus to further test the effectiveness of the new burners.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is the number one cause of household fires and fire injuries.

said. Although students themselves do not participate in the event, being part of the crowd gives them a moment to soak in the fact that they’ve officially made it to GVSU. The GVSU choral ensembles will perform the musical piece “Fight the Dragons.”

The choice of music aligns with the purpose of inspiring the students and creating a comforting welcome.

The event will also provide students with pieces of advice and words of encouragement from various speakers, including GVSU President Thomas Haas, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Maria Cimitile, student senate president Jonathan Bowman, and alumni Brittany and Briauna Taylor.

Tibbe said she saw alumni as a critical part of displaying the Laker Effect. Alumni speakers model how “(every

student) has a different way to connect with the university” and show students that even after graduation, “you’re always part of the Laker family.”

Bowman said he hopes to reassure students that GVSU “is a place for students.”

“I was once in those same seats,” Bowman said. “At the end of the day, everyone around you is going through the same thing.”

By touching on personal experiences at GVSU and explaining “what the Laker Effect

is to (him),” Bowman hopes students will consider what their Laker Effect will be by “using the next years to discover (themselves).”

Convocation will be followed by a class of 2021 photo being taken at Lubbers Stadium.

To lighten the transition from summer vacation to a fresh fall school year, additional welcome events—many of which are open to all students—are occurring on GVSU’s campuses this week.

JOHN BALL ZOO ADDS NEW EXHIBIT

Wyatt, the red panda, is the newest addition to Grand Rapid’s John Ball Zoo. The 5-year-old red panda is so popular, according to marketing manager Krys Bylund, that the viewing deck is not big enough to hold the crowds.

“Everybody loves him,” Bylund said. “He’s running up trees, running all over the place. People stick around and watch him because he’s so fun.”

Wyatt was brought over from the Chattanooga Zoo and is on the endangered species list under the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Red pandas are a part of a species survival plan by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. There are fewer than 10,000 red pandas left in the world. The program is designed to grow the captive population of red pandas in the hopes of someday releasing them into the wild.

Red pandas are native to the cool climate of the Himalayas, so Bylund said special accommodations have been made to make his exhibit climate controlled to deal with the Michigan heat.

Despite its name, the red panda is not in any way related to the giant panda. Red pandas are considered to be in a classification of their own. Its closest living relative is the American racoon, but according to Bylund, there is still no genetic relation.

GV ALUMNUS RETIRES FROM GRAND RAPIDS CITY MANAGER POSITION

Greg Sundstrom, who has been working for the city of Grand Rapids since 1981, is retiring.

A Grand Valley State University graduate, he began his position as city manager for Grand Rapids in 2009 during the economic recession.

His recent heart valve replacement surgery is one of many factors contributing to his retirement. According to an MLive.com article, he has recovered well from the surgery but wants to make the most of his health while it lasts. Sundstrom is 60 years old.

In the same article, Sundstrom insisted his retirement is of his own volition and that he has not been pressured by anyone to leave his position.

VOL . 52

NO. 2

Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief EMILY DORAN Associate Editor JENNA FRACASSI News Editor KAYLA TUCKER

PROMOTIONS Promotions Manager SHAYNA KOZKOWSKI ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager AMANDA FELLMAN Asst. Advertising Manager

Sports Editor ROBBIE TRIANO

IAN BORTHWICK

A&E Editor SIDNEY SELVIG

KATARINA ZOMER

Laker Life Editor TY KONELL Digital Editor MAITLYNN MOSSOLLE Image Editor

Campus Accounts Manager

Account Executive RACHEL MOORE Ad Designer CORBIN MOHR BUSINESS STAFF

EMILY FRYE

Business Manager SHELBY CARTER

Layout Editor BECKY OPPMAN

Asst. Business Manager ALEXIS LAMB

Layout Designer RACHEL SPRING

Distribution Manager MEGHAN FITZGERALD

WEB TEAM Web Manager JOSH GETTER

At the Lanthorn, we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. If you find any errors in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com.

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published twice-weekly by Grand Valley State University students 62 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

The Lanthorn is published on recycled paper and is printed with soy bean ink.

This means that our newspaper is entirely compostable. Help us do our part to be kind to the environment by recycling or composting this newspaper after you enjoy reading it.

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

RINGING IN A NEW CLASS: GVSU President Thomas Haas speaks at GVSU’s annual Convocation ceremony Aug. 26, 2016. Students, faculty and staff will once again gather this year to celebrate another school year and a new freshman class at the university. GVL | KEVIN SIELAFF

CAMPUS CONTINUED FROM A1

Many students begin to feel homesick as they start a new life living on their own with other people in a new place.

Some students live hours away from their families and communities, and it can be an emotional time. Willis advised students not to forget the GVSU staff around them.

“Reach out for help, especially with your RA,” Willis said.

“Your RA is there, and if you don’t feel like you connect with your RA, talk with your RA because maybe they can find someone that you can connect with. Know that the RA knows that, and the RA can get you connected to the right person.”

In addition, Willis said students should try something new because often homesickness can be associated with a fear of change or trying new things.

“You have to take risks, and sometimes that’s difficult for students,” Willis said. “Know that you’re not alone and there are plenty of other students that feel the same way and that we are here as the residence life staff to help and assist that student, whatever we can do.”

Living with people you just met can be scary, but also it could mean a clash of personalities.

“We’re not naïve to think that roommate conflicts don’t happen, because they do, and we just really ask students that they respect others and respect others’ opinions, views and all those different types of things so that they can get along and have a good experience here,” Willis said. “We’re not asking people to become best friends, but we are asking people to really respect each other and learn more about the world and about who they are as well.”

GVSU student Kayleigh Rehkopf lived in the Glenn A. Niemeyer Learning and Living Center her freshman year. As a first-year college student and an only child, she said she had a hard time adjusting to living with other people her age.

“For me, that was definitely an adjustment because I was an only child, so the only people I was used to living with were my parents, not people who were my age and faced the same daily struggles I did,” Rehkopf said.

“On one hand, that was nice because we could all understand one another’s troubles, but on the other hand, it’s still the fact of having two to four 18-year-olds living together.”

Rehkopf, who is now a senior majoring in biology for pre-medical studies, said she adjusted to the living situa-

tion by making time for herself away from her roommates.

“I adjusted by making sure I took time for myself and spent enough time doing the things I needed to do and liked to do,” Rehkopf said. “Living with

them was great, but sometimes I just needed some ‘me time.’”

Additionally, Willis said the college is no stranger to students breaking rules, like underage drinking in the halls.

She encouraged students to

make responsible decisions.

“We want students to make good choices and to make responsible choices and to understand that sometimes there are consequences for the choices that you make,” Willis said.

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A3

INCOMING CLASS

Tips for having a successful freshman year

BY DREW SCHERTZER DSCHERTZER@LANTHORN.COM

Freshman year of college can induce a range of emotions in students. It’s possible to feel excitement, sadness and nervousness all at the same time, as there are a lot of activities to do and people to meet.

Here are some suggestions that might make it a little easier:

direct communication with the GVPD. “The app allows you to set a timer when you are leaving,” Stoll said. “When you’re there, you deactivate the timer.”

If the timer isn’t stopped, the GVPD gets a notification of where the student is.

Let friends know where you are Sgt. Jeff Stoll of the Grand Valley State University Police Department said communication is crucial in ensuring safety.

“Your friends should be aware of where you are going and who is involved,” Stoll said. He suggested sending a text to a friend before going out with someone. This is a good way to make sure someone knows where you are, even if you’re just going to Burger King, Stoll said.

Register your bike Doing this is free and can be done on the GVPD’s website. It takes a few minutes to complete, and Stoll recommended it repeatedly.

“Last year in March, we recovered a bike only because of the registration number and sticker,” he said.

Stoll talked about how common it is for many bikes to share the same physical characteristics. After registering online, students will be mailed a sticker and will have a registration number to greatly increase the chances of a lost or stolen bike being found.

Download the RAVE Guardian app As a safety feature, this app gives students access to

Get involved in activities There are a lot of things to do on GVSU’s campuses. For starters, visit www.

gvsu.edu and navigate to the “Events Calendar” page.

Here, a long list of events happening around campus can be sorted by day.

Third-year student Katy Thomas suggests getting involved at your dorm as well.

“I remember a Wii tournament, ping pong and movie nights at my dorm,” she said. Thomas encourages students to talk to their resident assistant to find out more.

Balance school and a social life The stereotype is that college is solely to have fun. While it can be a great experience, people are still here to learn.

“It’s okay to make friends and go do fun things,” Thomas said. “But at the end of the day, if your grades stink, your parents and you will both be upset.”

Thomas said students should try to get their homework done right when they get back from class. She also said studying in groups with your friends is a great way to hang out, as well as prepare for class.

A HURRICANE OF HUGS: During one of last year’s transitions event, students participated in different activities, including a “hurricane hug” to open them up to other students at GVSU. GVL | EMILY FRYE

College years are often some of the best of a person’s life. It is easy to overlook the real reason students are

there, which is to get a degree. There are many activities to do around campus and thousands of people to

meet. Remember: Studying, getting involved and staying safe go a long way for a good college experience.

ENVIRONMENT

GV adopts new printing limits

BY MADISON MIAZEK NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

In an effort to go green and save paper, Grand Valley State University has adopted a new policy for printing paper start-

ing in the fall 2017 semester.

In previous years, there has been no limit as to how many papers a student was allowed to print. Last year alone, GVSU students printed a total of 27 million sheets

of paper on campus. On top of that, 5 million of those sheets were not picked up from the printing station.

The new policy states that each student has a limit of up to 40 sheets of paper for each

PRINTING TO A POINT: Jorge Puga Herrera prints off a syllabus for a class Sunday, Aug. 20, prior to the start of classes. Starting this fall, students will be limited to 500 pages of printing. GVL | EMILY FRYE

print job and a total of 500 sheets of paper for the semester.

So, if a student wanted to print 50 sheets of paper, the printer would only print 40 of the 50 sheets, and those 40 printed sheets would also count toward the 500 total for the semester.

The print release stations found on campus will be adopting this policy, but classroom lab printers will be unaffected by the changes. A student can still print unlimited sheets of paper from any classroom printer. Sue Korzinek, associate vice president and chief information officer in information technology at GVSU, defended this distinction: “We don’t want to inhibit what you’re doing in the classroom with the faculty.”

If and when a student passes their printing limit for the semester, they will not be allowed to print from a print release station.

Wasted paper spurs adjusted policy

“They would have to find other means of printing (on) campus,” Korzinek said. “What that would mean is you would have to find an open time in a classroom lab that has a printer that we don’t have restrictions on. (What) we don’t want to end up (happening) is having to pay for paper, having students that have to pay for that service after so many pages are printed, so we’re trying to see if we cannot get there, but we need the student population to help us do that and be conscious with that effort.”

Korzinek said they are trying to eliminate waste from big print jobs. Some students try to print their e-textbooks, which wastes a lot of paper.

This new policy will help to eliminate paper waste.

There are a few ways for students to learn about the new policy. To get the word out, the

IT department is working with the student television network.

“We are going to have a weekly little blurb that’s going to run on the TV,” said Dave Chapman, AV systems specialist and lab supervisor in IT at GVSU. Chapman said they are partnering with the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons to show weekly statistics on paper usage.

They will use the screens throughout the library so students and staff will see the effects of this new policy.

Along with eliminating waste, this policy helps to save GVSU money. Korzinek said they will need statistics on at least one semester with the new policy before they will know exactly how much the school will be saving.

MONEY

GV inaugurates $85M ‘Laker Effect’ fundraising campaign Funds to promote student success, ensure relevance of academic programs, facilities

BY EMILY DORAN EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

With the goal of promoting student success now and in the future, Grand Valley State University has initiated a comprehensive $85 mil-

lion fundraising campaign known as the “Laker Effect.”

The funds acquired through this effort will be allocated to three different initiatives categorized as Opportunity, Achievement and Relevance.

“The Laker Effect compre-

hensive campaign is needed to help all students succeed and to give employers access to the exceptional talent they need and expect from Grand Valley,” said Karen Loth, vice president for university development, in a written state-

ment. “It is about the transformative power of our university for our students and our community and the potential to do so much more. We call this ‘the power of what can be.’”

In the Opportunity category, $25 million of the total

NO TIME $300 FOR A PART TIME JOB? WE CAN HELP!

IN FIVE DONATIONS

goal amount will go toward donor-funded scholarships.

The objective of this initiative, Loth said, is “to help students start” at GVSU. Another $8 million from the campaign will be allocated to student success programs, such as tutoring, mentoring, counseling and leadership development. The objective of this initiative is to help GVSU students successfully navigate their college careers all the way through graduation.

The remaining $52 mil-

lion dollars will be invested in academic programs and facilities to maintain their relevance into the future. Of this amount, $30 million is being used to expand the Grand Rapids health campus, which began with the construction of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, which is expected to be completed in May 2018.

GO TO: www.gvsu.edu/giving FOR MORE INFORMATION

$50 $60 $50 $60 $80 1ST

2ND

3RD

4TH

5TH

Laker Effect comprehensive campaign goals

Relevance $52 million

LEARN MORE AT BIOLIFEPLASMA.COM 6331 Kenowa Ave SW Grandville, MI 49418 616.667.0264

540 Center Dr NW Walker, MI 49544 616.647.4672

Opportunity $25 million

2670 East Paris Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616.285.7900

NEW DONORS ONLY!

Must present this coupon prior to the initial donation.

Initial donation must be completed by 9.30.17 and subsequent donations within 30 days. Coupon redeemable only upon completing successful donations. May not be combined with any other offer.

Only at participating locations.

67007- 3000

Achievement $8 million

A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL

Becoming a ‘Laker for a Lifetime’

A

s a new freshman class starts its journey at Grand Valley State University, incoming students will probably hear the term “Laker for a lifetime” tossed around a lot.

But what does that designation really mean?

When students come to GVSU, they are entering into a thriving student body filled with individuals who exemplify the “Laker effect,” a pun on the unbearable lake-effect snow the university inevitably experiences throughout the winter from nearby Lake Michigan. The Laker effect refers, in part, to a GVSU student’s positive impact on their community and field of study.

Generally speaking, students here are held to high standards of achievement and are expected to make the spaces they occupy better through their academic and personal contributions.

An individual’s Laker effect is at the heart of what it means to be a Laker for a lifetime. When students graduate, they don’t just stop being Lakers, and they don’t just stop impacting the people with whom they come into contact or the fields in which they study and work. Instead, being a Laker for a lifetime means continually using the skills, training, and critical and creative thinking you develop as part of your liberal arts education to impact the world around you in a positive way in both your professional and personal pursuits.

In short, being a Laker for a lifetime means spreading a positive Laker effect long after you graduate. After all, isn’t the ultimate goal of a liberal arts education to equip students to answer the question, “How should we then live?” At GVSU, one possible answer is to live as a Laker

for a lifetime and spread your own Laker effect, both during and after your time at the university. How you do that is up to you.

To advance its mission of spreading a positive Laker effect, GVSU announced the launch of an $85 million fundraising campaign designed to collect funds to improve students’ experiences at GVSU in a variety of ways. The money will be put toward initiatives labeled Opportunity, Achievement and Relevance. The objective is to set students up for success with scholarships, see them through their college careers successfully with a variety of funded programs, and ensure they and their GVSU programs are equipped to remain relevant to meet the needs of ever-changing communities and economies.

So, how can incoming freshmen work to spread their own Laker effects and become Lakers for a lifetime? New students should take advantage of the vast academic, professional and other resources GVSU has to offer to challenge their ways of thinking and expand their minds, improve and add on to their skills and qualifications, volunteer and work in their communities, and make connections that will impact their future careers.

If you’re an incoming freshman, be sure to check out GVSU’s full list of transitions events, available at www.gvsu.edu/transitions/ transitions-schedule-45.htm, and talk to your transitions leader or resident assistant to get connected with resources to help you succeed.

Good luck with your fall semester, and welcome to GVSU!

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

Editor-in-Chief Associate editor News editor Sports editor A&E editor Laker Life editor

WHAT IS A LANTHORN? Lant • horn, n. [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.”

How to be prepared this school year

BY KELLY SMITH EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

It’s about that time again.

Summer vacation is winding down, and there are a lot of back-to-school commercials on TV and school supply sales at local stores. For us college students, it’s time to say goodbye to our (hopefully) relaxing four-month break and get back to the old grind.

I know from experience that leaving the pleasant life of summer and having to dive back into the world of

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:

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

WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? HAVE A PROBLEM THAT YOU NEED HELP SOLVING? SEND US AN EMAIL. EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

commitments can be very stressful and sometimes hard to adjust to. So, while everybody’s circumstances are different, I know of a few ways to make the transition back to school less stressful.

Try to get ahead if possible.

You probably don’t want to wake up the first morning of classes to realize you’re still missing a book. The bookstores are open in advance, so try to find the time to get in if you can. Even better, you can look online for books. I’ve almost always found cheaper prices on things from Amazon. com. This way, you can also save yourself some money.

Another issue is finding a classroom. I’ve been late the first day a few times because of that. If you have the time, you can find the classroom for yourself before classes start.

A new year always inevitably leads to meeting new people, whether it’s new roommates, new classmates,

or simply new friends in general. You don’t have to be a social butterfly to find someone with whom you have a lot in common. Maybe you’re the new student who’s having trouble adjusting to college life, or maybe you’re the one befriending the new student. Sometimes one of the best encouragements is knowing that you’re not alone.

And trust me, finding a strong source of encouragement is very important in getting through a rough time.

Also, never forget that sometimes getting used to something takes time. Personally, I’m quite resistant to change. Whenever I get used to a certain schedule, I want it to stay that way until I get absolutely bored with it, which sometimes never happens.

Going from simply working a summer job for money to having to worry about classes has never been super easy, but usually by the end of the sec-

ond week, it starts to become second nature.

I say this because we live in a very impatient world. It’s so tempting to think that because something doesn’t happen right away that it won’t ever happen at all. We’ve all done it at some point. The best way to combat this is to remind ourselves that time will help us in adjusting to our new schedules.

The beginning of the fall semester is always kind of rough, especially since the weather is still warm to remind us of the joyful times that we now have to put behind us, something that’s not as dramatic with the colder weather of January.

Starting the new school year can be stressful, and you won’t make it any easier on yourself if you’re not prepared. So, let’s get ourselves ready for this new school year. It may save us some headaches down the road.

Navigating roommate relationships

BY AMY MCNEEL EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Having a roommate is an inevitable part of college.

Whether you’re an incoming freshman or a fifth-year senior, one thing holds true: Roommates can either enhance your life or aggravate it.

Many students make the mistake of creating advanced expectations for their living situation. They go in believing that they will be perfectly compatible with their roommate and that everything will be marvelous sunshine and

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,

By Wren Miller

editorial@lanthorn.com

GV L ED ITORIA L B OA R D EMILY DORAN JENNA FRACASSI KAYLA TUCKER ROBBIE TRIANO SYDNEY SELVIG TY KONELL

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

daisies. They expect to not only find a roommate, but also a best friend.

While this hope is honorable, it is quite unrealistic.

There is much more to having a roommate than having someone to watch movies and go to football games with. Having a roommate means having responsibility and respect for not only you and your space, but for another person and their space as well. In all honesty, living with another human being in a confined space can be really hard, so don’t be crushed when you run into arguments and conflicts and realize that having a roommate isn’t as glorious at it seems.

Each person is different.

Some people are compatible, and some people aren’t.

When expectations and/or personalities don’t match up, conflicts arise. It is important to understand that conflicts are unavoidable when living with another person. The truth is, living with a roommate has its

pros and cons, and depending on the living situation, the pros will either outweigh the cons or vice versa. Either way, it is important to go into the relationship with an open mind.

If you’re compatible with your roommate, that’s great. If you’re not, make the best of it.

I went into my freshman dorm room expecting a roommate, while my roommate was expecting a best friend. The thing is, sometimes people don’t match up, and with the expectations of a best friend, one is very likely to be disappointed by the reality of things. When you have a roommate, you are required to live with them, not do everything with them and share the exact same interests.

Now, don’t get me wrong: As I said before, having a roommate can very well enhance your life. Last year, I met two girls who went in blind freshman year, and three years later, they were still rooming together. This

blew me away because I had never heard of roommates staying together for all four years. That’s because, contrary to the title of this article, roommates can double as best friends; however, it is extremely uncommon.

College is all about learning and growing as a person and as an intellectual, and living with a roommate is a learning experience in itself. It can be difficult and frustrating, but it can also be fun and rewarding. My advice to you is this: Do not go into your living situation expecting something terrible, but do not go in expecting something perfect, either. If you can be friends with your roommate, that’s great, but if you can’t, at least be acquaintances. Be respectful of your roommate’s time and space and realize that not being best friends is not the end of the world. I promise, it is okay to not be best friends with your roommate. Actually, it’s more than okay. It’ normal.

Monuments to the Confederacy: How a nation copes with its conflicted past

BY HUNTER KAAP RENCIS EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

In what organizers termed a “Unite the Right” rally, opposition turned to violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, when more than a thousand people gathered under white supremacist flags to protest the removal of a statue depicting Confederate Army Gen. Robert E.

Lee, according to CBSN. Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal and civil rights activist, was killed leaving the site of the protest when James Alex Fields Jr., a white nationalist from Ohio, drove his Dodge Challenger into Heyer and 19 other counter-protesters before slamming into the back of another vehicle. Fields then proceeded to reverse over the injured, accelerating through the crowd that immediately encircled his car, sending one man into the air and over the back bumper, while injuring several more.

In the last year, there has been increasing outcry from citizens across the South to remove public monuments that honor

Confederate leaders from the Civil War. The effort to remove these statues has been met with conflicting opposition. The debate surrounding the dismantling of Confederate statues has been subsequently and strategically harnessed by what is known as the “altright” movement, a mixed bag of white nationalist and anti-Semitic cohorts exemplified by neo-Nazi and other hate groups, including (but not limited to) the Ku Klux Klan and the Southern Nationalists, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Increasingly, the illdefined alt-right political movement has summoned supporters from around the country to protest the removal of dozens of

Confederate statues and inserted itself at the helm of the debate surrounding the integrity of what kind of moral values monuments like these are intended to represent. There are many Americans who do not believe in racial superiority or any other hateful creed but simply protest the removal of statues remembering the Confederacy because in tearing down the statues of Lee, Stonewall Jackson and other Confederate icons, there would be an effort to rewrite history. Similarly, others agree that an attempt to eradicate landmarks of the Confederacy is to strip the South of its heritage.

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

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A6 | NEWS POLITICS

Meet the 2017-18 student senate

BY JENNA FRACASSI ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

As the 2017-18 school year approaches, Grand Valley State University’s student senate is gearing up to get back to work.

GVSU’s student senate is

a non-partisan organization comprised of 50 members divided among seven different committees: senate resources, finance, campus affairs, educational affairs, diversity affairs, external relations and public relations.

Each committee is appointed a chair who sits on the student senate cabinet, along with the senate president and vice president. Members of the cabinet work individually with their respective committees, as well as collectively, to make sure

PEER LEADERSHIP: Kevin Chui makes a comment during a student senate meeting in the Pere Marquette Room Mar. 17, 2016. The GVSU student senate will be back in session this fall. GVL | LUKE HOLMES

the goals of the student community are best represented.

This year, Dan Ziegenfelder, vice president of student senate, hopes to “increase awareness to students about what kind of a resource student senate is for them.”

“We are here to help them, and there are so many ways we can do this through different meetings with administration, sitting on university committees, passing resolutions, etc.,” he said via email. “I want students to approach us willingly with what they want or need and know that we are here to listen and work towards making the appropriate changes.”

The overarching goal of student senate is to create a positive campus environment for all GVSU students.

The senators work to improve campus safety, academics, student life and more.

According to the GVSU

student senate website, the senate “works to investigate and resolve common student problems; advocate for the inclusion of students in the overall policy and decision-making processes of the university community; promote awareness of the role students play in the academic community; enhance the quality and scope of education at the university both inside and outside the classroom; and empower students with leadership opportunities.”

However, in order for senators to implement positive campus changes, GVSU students must be active participants.

“I would like to see more involvement from the student body in terms of attending general assembly to bring up campus issues,” said Kevin Chui, chair of the senate resources committee, via email.

“Students should realize that their voices do matter.”

Chui hopes to bring forward an “atmosphere where people can feel comfortable expressing their opinions and giving feedback on how to improve campus.”

Student senate general assembly meetings are held every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in the Pere Marquette Room of the Kirkhof Center on the Allendale Campus. There is a public comments portion during every general assembly meeting when all students have the chance to share their comments and concerns. If you are unable to make any of the meetings and still want to have your voice heard, you can fill out a form on the senate website.

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

TECHNOLOGY

GVPD, IT collaborate to roll out Desktop pop-ups to provide emergency notification system feature additional warning method

BY EMILY DORAN EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

This semester, the Grand Valley State University Police Department is collaborating with Information Technology at GVSU to add a desktop notification feature to the GVSUAlert! emergency notification system.

Currently, the system works by notifying the GVSU community of emergencies through emails, text messages and calls, depending on which services an individual opts to receive.

The new desktop notification will be an additional reporting measure. With this new feature, GVSU-owned-and-supported

computers outfitted with the appropriate software will show a pop-up alert notification any time the university transmits an emergency notification.

Certain conditions must be met for the pop-up notification to display on a computer screen. In addition to having the software installed, the computer must also be connected to the GVSU network, logged in and not in sleep mode.

“We’re still rolling (the desktop notification) out over the course of this month, and I suspect we should have most of it rolled out by the month of September, if not before,” said Capt. Brandon DeHaan of the GVPD.

The desktop notification feature provides another way for GVSU community members to receive alerts in the case of an emergency, which would ideally help ensure that they know about a situation in a timely manner. In theory, if a student is studying in a computer lab on campus and is not checking their phone for texts or emails, they will still be able to see an emergency alert via the desktop notification feature.

“Really, what the drive here is, … if we send any of these messages out, we want to make sure our students get them as rapidly as possible,” DeHaan said. “We really are encouraging all members of

our community to update their emergency alert options to the method they identify to be the quickest, … which often means text messages.”

Katie Clark, an IT systems analyst at GVSU, agreed that text messages are a convenient option due to their speed.

“Text message … (is) the best way to get a notification if you’re not sitting in a lab or in your office,” she said.

For now, the software for the desktop notification feature will be installed on computers in public labs, classrooms, and faculty and staff offices. Computers in some departmental labs, such as engineering, computer sci-

ence and the Language Resource Center, will not be included in the installation, at least for the time being.

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2ihVmjp FOR MORE INFORMATION

KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH: A GVPD dispatcher sits in front of several computer monitors Sunday, Aug. 20. GVL | EMILY FRYE

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:

STUDENT LIFE | A7

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

COMMUNITY

ARTS AT A GLANCE ART EXHIBIT LINKS STUDENT COMMUNITIES

The Grand Valley State University Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons art exhibit “Tied Together: An Interactive Visualization of Community Ties� is a recurring event that will be hosted from Wednesday, Aug. 16, to Friday, Sept. 24.

The exhibit, which will be located in the library’s Exhibition Space, is an interactive art project that will allow students to tie a thread around words they think represent them and their journeys to GVSU. For more information, contact Erin Fisher, library program manager, at fisher@gvsu.edu.

CAMPUS LIFE NIGHT TO OCCUR TUESDAY, SEPT. 5 Campus Life Night, the on-campus event in which hundreds of student clubs and organizations—as well as several departmental campus resources—set up their tables and give out information and fun freebies, is set to take place Tuesday, Sept. 5.

More than 400 registered student organizations, as well as businesses and non-profit organizations, are planning to be present at the event, located in Parking Lot H on the Allendale Camus, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

As the event will take place outdoors, a backup date of Sunday, Sept. 10, has been chosen in case of rain.

For more information about Campus Life Night, visit www.gvsu.edu/campuslifenight.

MEIJER MANIA AT STANDALE MEIJER

An event for incoming freshmen and returning students alike, Meijer Mania will be occurring Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Standale Meijer location.

The event, which is set to happen after freshman move-in, provides an opportunity for students to bond with their new roommates and other students.

Meijer Mania is an event that has evolved into a tradition to many Grand Valley State University students. Late at night, GVSU students go into Meijer to find what resembles a giant party: music, dancing and a huge amount of college students. Meijer employees are armed with samples of nearly everything at the event, which happens annually.

Meijer Mania will start at 8 p.m., and shuttles will be running from GVSU to the store to transport students.

FALL CONFERENCE ON TEACHING AND LEARNING SET FOR WEDNESDAY, AUG. 23 The 23rd annual Fall Conference on Teaching and Learning will take place at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the L.V. Eberhard Center. This year, keynote speaker Regan A. R. Gurung will focus the presentation around lifelong learning.

The day before, there will be a pre-conference workshop called “Using Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to Optimize Teaching and Foster Student Learning.� This will be an interactive workshop detailing the methodology of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and how attendees can modify and potentially improve their classes.

For more information on where to register for the workshop or keynote presentation, visit www.gvsu.edu/ events/23rd-annual-fall-teaching-conference/.

GETTING FIT: Students get active with a Zumba class on the Allendale Campus at the Recreation Center in 2016. GVL | EMILY FRYE

GV to host annual Laker Kickoff Party to welcome new students

BY SIDNEY SELVIG ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Laker Traditions team will host its annual Laker Kickoff Party Friday, Aug. 25, from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. in Parking Lot A on the Allendale Campus to welcome Lakers, particularly incoming freshmen, to Grand Valley State University.

Although this event is associated with freshmen because they make up the majority of the attendees, everyone is welcome to join the celebration of a new journey at GVSU. According to one of the coordinators for this tradition, GVSU student Sarah Ansbro, GVSU likes to start off the year right with pizza, games and dancing before the stress of finals and midterms hits. The Laker Kickoff Party encourages students to interact with new people and be a part of the Laker family. “The Laker Kickoff Party is an essential part of the traditions lineup,� Ansbro said. “The party helps to set a positive, open attitude for the entire semester, and it brings our family of Lakers closer together. If we act as a unified body, nothing can stop us.�

With the disadvantages

of summer planning, as there are no students on campus yet, advertising for this event is a unique challenge. Yet, Sarah Ansbro and the Laker Traditions team, as well as student senate member Kevin Chui, work with GVSU faculty and other coordinators to make sure the Laker Kickoff Party, and other events planned in the summer, comes together to form a great first taste of student life at GVSU. “For most incoming students, it’s their first time being away from home for extended periods of time, and feeling homesick is normal,� Chui said.

“So, planning this event has been fun, and it allows all of us to use our creative sides to give these students a true Laker experience.�

After the new student orientation and ice-breaking transition in the Fieldhouse Arena, the newcomers will join previous students to enjoy a live DJ, a performance from the Pompon Team, pizza, games, giveaways from GVSU and giveaways from some of the sponsors and apartment complexes surrounding campus. “The most significant part of this event to me is the music,� Ansbro said. “I believe music has the power to bring people together and

allow them to de-stress. Plus, who doesn’t love to dance?�

Over the course of the year, 10 traditions events are put on for students to attend.

Each event, from the Laker Kickoff Party to the ExtravaGRANDza, which takes place at the end of the winter semester close to exam time, is coordinated by the Laker Traditions team, comprised of spirited GVSU students. “My favorite part of being involved in the planning of this event has been expanding my social circle,� Ansbro said. “I have had the absolute privilege of meeting and working with so many new people, people I never would have met otherwise.�

CELEBRATION: Students bring in the new academic year with music, dancing and socializing at the Laker Kickoff Party Aug. 24, 2016. Free pizza and a DJ were at the event as well. GVL | EMILY FRYE

ATHLETICS

‘RecFest 2017’ to highlight Campus Recreation programs at GV

BY JESSICA HARSEVOORT JHARSEVOORT@LANTHORN.COM

Move-in week at Grand Valley State University can be exhausting. The light at the end of the tunnel, however, is GVSU’s RecFest. At this fun event, newcomers and returning Lakers can learn about other ways to “move� once the fall semester starts.

During RecFest, students can learn about the programs and services offered by Campus Recreation while exploring the recently renovated facilities.

RecFest 2017 will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27. This will be a free open-house party, and students only need their GVSU ID to gain access to the Recreation Center.

Once at the Recreation Center, students can participate in a range of activities. Attendees can balance on a slackline or relax with a massage. They can also try their luck with an interactive game, which will enter

them to win a Campus Recreation T-shirt or a grand prize.

In addition, there will be individual and team activities such as yoga, sporting competitions, rock climbing and hammocking. “The purpose of RecFest is to kick off the new school year, welcome students to campus, show off our recently renovated and expanded Recreation Center facilities, and provide an opportunity for participants to figure out what interests them,� said Kayla Cupples, the assistant director of marketing and special events for Campus Recreation.

The target audience for this event is new students. However, anyone can come to see the displays, ranging from intramural sports to student employment.

Last year, there were between 1,200 and 1,500 people browsing the tables set up by clubs, organizations and vendors.

By the end of the event, stu-

dents may make new friends or reunite with old ones, sign up for tryouts, or eat the free food. “The goal of RecFest is to spread the word of movement,� said Rachael Chase, who is a student leader in a couple of club sports organizations on campus. “Movement brings friends together, makes the body stronger and the heart happier.�

Campus Recreation programs and services are available to help students support their physical and mental well-being. “We want to help students, faculty and staff create lifelong healthy habits, get involved, be active and live healthy,� Cupples said.

Yet, while the objective has remained the same, the annual event is constantly evolving.

New spaces, new programs and new student resources have been added over time.

Chase’s favorite part of RecFest is seeing the new additions. “There are always new

clubs and organizations popping up,� she said.

Furthermore, maintaining an active lifestyle offers advantages to those in the GVSU campus community. “Recreation programs and services offer vast benefits,�

Cupples said. “These include physical health, stress relief, socialization, increased retention, student learning and development, and overall wellness.�

Chase has experienced such benefits from being involved.

She has met many of her friends though Campus Recreation activities by joining club sports and leadership meetings.

Whether students are looking to beat the “Freshman 15� or explore options to get involved, RecFest 2017 may have something for everyone. “I cannot be more thankful for what Campus Recreation has done for me during my time at GVSU, and I am excited for another year of RecFest,� Chase said.

ADVOCACY

Marking progress 3-!24 345$%.4 3!6).'3 3!6% ON SELECT -ICHIGAN ROUTES 3TUDENT SAVINGS JUST GOT BETTER .OW STUDENTS AGE WITH A VALID STUDENT )$ ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OFF THE LOWEST 6ALUE OR &LEXIBLE &ARE WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR TRAVEL AT LEAST DAYS IN ADVANCE AT !MTRAK-ICHIGAN COM

3EE WHERE THE TRAIN CAN TAKE YOU www.AmtrakMichigan.com

BY TY KONELL LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

In a constantly changing nation, new information, along with new ways of self-expression, are almost always coming into the light. To recognize this, Grand Valley State University will be holding its first celebration for the GVSU social justice centers.

GV to celebrate campus social justice centers

The event, which will be held Friday, Aug. 25, from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., will highlight the Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity, the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Campus Interfaith Resources and Disability Support Resources. “This is an exciting new event,� said Marla Wick,

10% off

with valid student ID

.8mi. from campus next to Taco Bell DDFO-1766_GVLanthown-10%off_Print081017.indd 1

8/10/17 8:37 PM

assistant director of the LGBT Resource Center. “The celebration will be a fun and informative way for new students to discover programming and resources that focus on social justice at GVSU. Students will have a chance to visit and learn about the various social justice centers.�

Officials within the social justice centers said they have hopes the celebratory event will introduce incoming students to the services that GVSU provides. “I think this will give incoming students a chance to acquaint themselves with the social justice centers early so they know how much they have to offer, how they can get involved and how much fun we have,� said Jessica Jennrich, director of the Center for Women and Gender Equity. “Each center offers different ways to be a part of social justice work on this campus and in the community.�

For example, the LGBT Resource Center offers some of its programs to people who identify outside of the LGBT community. “The (LGBT Resource) Center provides a welcoming space for students to

gather in community with one another and to seek individual support and referrals,� Wick said. “We also offer a lot of social programming in addition to training to help (allied) GVSU students, faculty and staff gain insight into how to be more supportive and affirming to the LGBTQIA+ community.�

Moreover, the Center for Women and Gender Equity not only offers a physical space for students, but it is also a space dedicated to victim advocacy. “We offer a place to hang out and study, excellent and informative programming, advising and scholarships, and so much more,� Jennrich said. “The Center for Women and Gender Equity specifically offers campus violence response and prevention services and ways to get involved in violence prevention work.�

Having a physical space for students to spend time with their peers and discuss what they learn in classes may be a major stepping stone to actively engaging in critical conversations with one another about social justice.

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

A8 | SPORTS QUICK HITS

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

FOOTBALL

GV CLAIMS PRESIDENTS’ TROPHY AND DIRECTORS’ CUP FOR 2016-17 SCHOOL YEAR

Grand Valley State varsity Athletics are no stranger to success, and the entire department was recognized for its accomplishments by earning the Learfield Directors’ Cup and GLIAC Presidents’ Trophy for the 2016-17 school year.

The Learfield Directors’ Cup recognizes the best athletic program in Division II. The Lakers totaled 1,020 points to capture their 12th Directors’ Cup in program history, making it the fourth consecutive season GVSU has earned the award.

The Laker women accounted for 625.5 points, while the men earned the remaining 469.5.

GVSU also claimed the GLIAC Presidents’ Cup, which recognizes the best program in general sports excellence in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. This is the 19th consecutive time the Lakers have claimed the award and the 24th in school history.

The Lakers earned 218.5 total points, finishing considerably ahead of runner-up Ashland (153.0). The GVSU men accounted for 94.5 points, while the women earned the remaining 124.0.

FORMER GV FOOTBALL RUNNING BACK OPENS CHIROPRACTIC THERAPY PRACTICE

Sports can be an outlet for players to develop life-long skills and lessons that can be applied throughout the course of their life.

One Grand Valley State alumnus and former athlete Aaron Shakarian used his athletic background to pursue his dream of opening a chiropractic practice called “The Joint” in Arizona.

Shakarian attended GVSU from 1992 to1995 and played running back under former GVSU head coach Brian Kelly, who now coaches at Notre Dame University.

In an interview with the Ahwatukee Foothills News, Shakarian said he “wouldn’t have made it” as an athlete if it weren’t for the help of chiropractic therapy.

Throughout his career, Shakarian has worked with professional and olympic athletes, celebrities and even the performers on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

DREAM CHASER: Former Grand Valley State linebacker David Talley, now a member of the Green Bay Packers, runs through his hitting drills during training camp. The Southfield native decided to enter the NFL after his junior year at GVSU, a rare decision for most NFL-bound Division II athletes. COURTESY | CHEESEHEADTV.COM

Green Bay bound

BY BRADY MCATAMNEY BMCATAMNEY@LANTHORN.COM

T

here are roughly 73,660 college football players across the NCAA’s three divisions of competition.

The chances of a high school football player making the jump to the collegiate stage is rather slim, as only roughly 6.8 percent of high school players play in the NCAA. If that jump is large, the leap from college to the National Football

League is gargantuan.

With the NFL having 32 teams and each team being allowed only 53 players, that makes 1,696 professional athletes on NFL rosters during the regular season. That means one out of about every 43 players will be on an NFL roster.

Those odds become even slimmer for students at Grand Valley State once you consider the discrepancy in perceived talent between NCAA’s divisions, as Division I holds the lion’s share of professional

players. Factor in again the difference in years (only 224 players can be drafted each offseason, though many players sign on as undrafted free agents). Additionally, some players are never drafted and sign on as international free agents or come over from similar sports like rugby.

Long story short? Making it to the NFL is, in a word, difficult.

In 2016, exactly six players on NFL rosters were former Lakers, including the likes of Brandon Carr, Charles John-

Former GV football standout David Talley makes NFL jump son and the recently graduated Matt Judon. That number is promising to grow to seven thanks to the athletic and driven linebacker who made his way to GVSU via Southfield, Michigan: David Talley.

“In (Talley’s) junior year, he showed flashes of some dominance at our level, and he had a really good senior year,” said Laker football Head Coach Matt Mitchell.

“Everything evened out, and he was consistent, and even though we lost in the playoffs, if you look at the tape, he

probably was one of our best players in that playoff game.”

After graduating in 2017, Talley sat down with Mitchell where he was told that he could either take his shot and make a play for the NFL or hang up his helmet.

After discussing with family, Talley made the decision to pursue his professional career at the highest level.

Talley and his agent fielded training camp invitations from a number of teams, but SEE NFL | A9

SOCCER

SEVERAL GV CLUB SPORTS ANNOUNCE OFFICIAL TRYOUT TIMES

Grand Valley State Athletics are known for their dominance in Division II collegiate play. But for incoming students interested in playing a sport, joining a GVSU varsity team may be too difficult or competitive.

Luckily for those interested, GVSU club sports offers the opportunity for students to compete at a high level.

The club women’s volleyball team and men’s ice hockey team (Division II and III) have announced tryout times for students interested.

GVSU’s club volleyball team, which finished 36-4-3 last season, is holding a mandatory informational meeting Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 9:30 p.m. at the Fieldhouse Arena.

After the meeting, the team will hold a three-day tryout Sunday, Sept. 17, through Tuesday, Sept. 19, at GVSU’s Recreation Center. Attendance for all three days is required.

The men’s club ice hockey team, which finished 23-43 last season, will begin its tryout process Tuesday, Aug. 29, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Ice Center.

The team will hold various games throughout that period to determine which players will be on the Division II team and Division III team.

For more information, check out www.gvsuclubsports.com.

‘WARRIOR’: GVSU soccer player Dani Johnson dribbles the ball past opposing defenders against Ohio Dominican during the GLIAC Conference Championship Nov. 6, 2016. The senior defender offically made it in the starting lineup during her junior year, starting 24 of her 25 appearances for the GVSU Lakers. GVL | EMILY FRYE

Brick wall

BY ARPAN LOBO SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Tenacity is something that every athlete needs, and it’s something that Grand Valley State women’s soccer senior Dani Johnson has in abundance.

Labeled a “warrior” by GVSU Head Coach Jeff Hosler, the senior is ready to take back her place at the core of the Laker lineup.

Johnson, a native of Toledo, Ohio, is returning for her senior season with GVSU. After making just 10 total starts during her freshman and sophomore seasons, Johnson broke out

to become a key figure in the Laker 11, starting 24 of her 25 appearances. After failing to capture what would have been GVSU’s fourth consecutive national championship in 2016, Johnson is eager to get back on the playing field.

“We do enjoy our time off, but I’m chomping at the bit (to return),” Johnson said.

“After having the result that we did last year, we have so much to work on and so much to conquer, especially with a ton of new people. It’s going to be fun.”

The Lakers will have 15 new players for the 2017 season, including 13 incoming freshman. Despite the burden

Senior Dani Johnson labeled leader of Laker defense

that comes with unfamiliarity, Johnson is looking forward to developing chemistry with her new set of teammates.

“I’m excited for the learning curves that I think are going to be thrown at us,” she said. “I think we have a solid group. We’re going to have some fun chasing the success we’re after.”

Johnson, who wears No. 16 for GVSU, plays in the holding or defensive midfielder position for GVSU. The position, referred to occasionally as the “number six role,” has the responsibility of protecting the defensive backline, as well as being the link from defense to offense. It’s a

role that Johnson relishes.

“Every now and then I’ll get the jitters to be in front of goal, but the holding midfield position really demands a lot,” Johnson said. “To distribute and to be that last person to get by before you hit the backline, I always want to be the brick wall that they have to get through before they have to go against my center backs.

“It is fun scoring goals, but I really like the defensive aspect to it. I may not have finished the play, but I may have been a huge contributor in starting it.”

Johnson is incomparable, according to her head coach.

He says her impact on the

team is difficult to measure.

“It’s hard to make a comparison to her with other midfielders,” Holser said. “Physically, it’s not going to match up.”

Johnson was recognized as an All-GLIAC First Team Selection during her junior season. She was also named a Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Midwest Region Second Team Selection. While Johnson has enjoyed individual accolades, she credits her teammates for her and the team’s success as well.

“I love them,” Johnson said SEE DEFENSE | A9

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SPORTS | A9

FOOTBALL

Leading by example

BY BRADY MCATAMNEY BMCATAMNEY@LANTHORN.COM

Arriving on a college campus for the first time as a freshman is a scary thing.

Most show up without knowledge of the surrounding campus and lacking an established friend group, leaving them feeling timid and small.

Fortunately for junior defensive lineman Dylan Car-

roll, who stands at 6 feet 4 inches tall and 260 pounds, he never feels small.

In fact, Carroll arrived to Grand Valley State with Laker blue already engrained in his blood.

“To be honest, my sister went here; she was two years older than me.

She had a little bit of an influence, but I came on my visit here and just fell

in love with the campus,” Carroll said of his decision to play for GVSU. “I’d have to say that the main reason was that I wanted to win. They have a great football program, so that was the main thing for me. Great coaches and players, great chemistry.”

Coming out of Portland High School, Carroll was already an accomplished

TRENCH WARRIOR: GVSU defensive lineman Dylan Carroll waits for the opposing ball to be snapped.

The junior finished second on the team and fourth in the GLIAC with 7.5 total sacks. GVL | EMILY FRYE

GV defensive lineman Dylan Carroll hopes to continue successes this season

athlete. Despite proclaiming himself to not be a “stats guy,” he wowed scouts with 149 tackles, nine sacks and 16 tackles for loss during his senior season, giving way to a selection to participate in the East-West Michigan AllStar game. Along with that accolade came a plethora of nominations, including three “Dream Team” selections and All-League, All-County and All-Area selections.

For Carroll, though, these accolades simply do not matter as much as his love of winning.

“I just want to become the best player I can become, and that’s helping however I can,” Carroll said. “I’d rather have five sacks and win a championship than have 30 sacks and be 0-11. Team-wise, it’s always our goal to win a national championship. It’s always our first goal to win the GLIAC, then look forward to a national championship.”

This attitude is one of the many traits that have his teammates and coaches regarding him as a great teammate and man off the field. A leader on the gridiron and in the locker room, he is consistently setting examples for his teammates to follow, whether it be relentlessly watching film, serving as the

returning leader in sacks or being a “big sweetheart.”

“We’ve always thought around here that if your best player is your hardest worker, it’s good for your team, and he’s that guy,” said Head Coach Matt Mitchell.

E.J. Whitlow, the defensive line coach who helped convert Carroll from an outside linebacker to a defensive end coming out of high school, also raved about his star pass rusher.

“He’s a great guy. He’s low-maintenance, and he’s a hard worker,” Whitlow said.

“There’s nobody in our program that would question how hard he works and how great of a teammate he is. He’s a Laker. He embodies that.”

All of that said, Carroll did not arrive on campus as the bright young star he is today. With a redshirt his freshman year, he went into his first year of competition with high expectations for himself. After recording three tackles in his first career game, he suffered a season-ending injury the very next game, which had him looking ahead to next year.

In 2015, Carroll began to make his impact, accumulating 32 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, while also forcing two fumbles,

recovering one and even scoring a defensive touchdown against Findlay.

Carroll was fortunate enough to play that season on the depth chart underneath three impactful mentors, including Baltimore Raven Matt Judon (who still comes back to Allendale to teach his former protégé some new tricks), Alton Voss (who was also Carroll’s roommate) and Sydney Omameh. Their impact continues to help, as Carroll cited their teachings as one of his biggest strengths coming into the new season.

“I think (my biggest improvements were) my pass rushing abilities,” he said. “I’ve worked on those, and learning from Judon and Voss and Sydney, I’ve worked on some new moves, and working with Judon, I feel like that will be my strong suit this year.”

They certainly aided him in 2016, as Carroll finished second on the team in sacks with 7.5, which was also good enough for fourth in the GLIAC. He led the Lakers in tackles for loss with 14.5, which was second in the conference, and ended up with 39 tackles overall.

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

VOLLEYBALL

GV volleyball makes 10-day trip to Italy, Slovenia

BY BRIANA LEWIS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State’s volleyball team took a hit last season after losing to Ferris State in the first round of the GLIAC quarterfinals tournament.

The Lakers moved on from last season as they looked forward to their 10-day Italy trip.

The trip kicked off Friday, July 21, allowing the GVSU team to visit Slovenia and Italy. The Lakers gained an opportunity to play five games against foreign teams.

The trip included firsttime experiences and moments that the players and travel crew possibly won’t ever have the chance to experience again. For Head Coach Deanne Scanlon, who just started her 23rd season

NFL

CONTINUED FROM A8

it eventually came down to two squads: the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans.

When deciding between the two franchises, Talley looked at each team’s history, tradition and his overall outlook for success. These were some of the same factors that led him to GVSU, and for him, Green Bay became the clear choice.

“The first few OTAs, it’s a

DEFENSE CONTINUED FROM A8

of her teammates in defense. “I worked really well with Shannon Quinn and Erika Bradfield last year. I’m really excited to get back with Shannon. She’s

for GVSU, the Italy trip was a type of experience that was hard for her to describe.

“I don’t even know how to put it into words,” Scanlon said. “It was so much more than what I even thought it was going to be, and there’s just so many little moments that I think are going to help us as we go through the season.”

The Lakers began their European trip with a hectic start. They had to quickly get off the bus, race through the train station and make it to their train. In fact, it was one of the most memorable moments for sophomore middle blocker Jayci Suseland.

“When we got to the train station, we had like a minute to get through, give them our tickets and get on the train,” Suseland said. “Everyone was

sprinting through the train station. It was crazy; it was a lot of fun. I think that was like one of the coolest things that happened to us.”

The team didn’t sleep for nearly 36 hours, allowing the women to spend a lot of time together outside of practices and games. The team members’ shared experiences made them grow closer.

Scanlon said when they’re going through a tough time during the season, they can reflect and remind themselves about that first day in Rome.

Junior middle blocker Staci Brower enjoyed her time experiencing a different culture, both on and off the court.

“We got to play a lot of higher-level teams, and then just the whole culture—it was different to be able to

play teams who don’t really speak your language, so it was just the whole aspect of it was different,” Brower said.

“The facilities weren’t as great as we were used to, so that made us very grateful.”

The 10-day Italy trip was a chance for the Lakers to be together earlier than the previous seasons had allowed.

In the past, the first time the Lakers would interact was the start of the preseason. With two or three girls per room, strong bonds were made that spread across the court.

“I think that we’re going to have a really strong team, and we have very talented people and a lot of skills on the team, so I expect really good things (this season),” Suseland said.

In fact, all the starters from the 2016 season, and 13 play-

ers overall, are returning to the team this season, many being upperclassmen. The Lakers have strong leaders ahead of them. As captain, senior setter

Katie Olson is making sure her teammates are performing better than they were last season.

GVSU volleyball expects to see a winning season.

little shell-shocking because I felt like I overcame a lot of odds; I felt blessed,” Talley said. “I’m in a meeting with guys like (Packers quarterback) Aaron Rodgers and (Packers linebacker) Clay Matthews. I just felt blessed.”

The GVSU product certainly earned his spot in those meetings. During his college career, Talley performed nearly 300 total tackles and earned a slew of conference and team honors, including an All-GLIAC nod in 2015.

However, his outstanding numbers were not the only attributes that drew the interest of pro scouts. “(He’s) very athletic,” Mitchell said. “He’s comfortable in the box; he’s comfortable outside the box, too. He can go sideline to sideline, special teams—he’s athletic.

For his size, he’s very athletic.”

Talley echoed the statements of his former coach, adding that he values his own intelligence and ability to pick up concepts and adapt quickly.

The 22-year-old has certainly adapted to the environment of professional practices and locker-room relationships, as he already feels comfortable with his position, coaches and teammates, including veterans such as Jayrone Elliot and Nick Perry.

Of course, one major factor involved in his current tenure with Green Bay is the rivalries the team has with other NFL teams, especially the Detroit Lions, since he is from Southeast Michigan.

After being asked what it was like being from the Detroit area and joining a team that perennially torments Lions fans, Talley answered with a laugh.

“My family members are definitely diehard Lions fans, but I wasn’t too big of a Lions fan to tell you the truth,” he said. “I saw the 0-16 Lions, so I wasn’t the biggest fan. My family gave me stuff at first, but they can definitely be two-way fans.”

As of right now, the Packers have not yet made a round of cuts from their

preseason roster, so it is still difficult to forecast Talley’s chances of making the official roster. That said, whether or not he survives into the season is hardly on his mind.

“That’s one thing I’ve never been big on,” he said.

“I try to take it on day by day, and whatever happens, happens. They’re going to decide what they decide, and me thinking on it doesn’t help. I can only control what I control.”

the voice in my head, and she always keeps me in check.”

Quinn, like Johnson, is returning for her senior season.

Despite having a disappointing end to last season, Johnson is focused on improving daily.

“I’m not the player to look

far ahead, and I don’t believe our team is either; we’re one day at a time,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to conquer our fitness when we get on campus, and we can’t even complete a game if we don’t have 11 confident people we can field. It’s going to be a day-by-day thing, like it should

be and like it always is.”

While her junior year ended with a defeat, Johnson is not spending any time dwelling on what’s behind her.

“It definitely stung that we don’t have that third national championship,

but you’ve got to bury it and you’ve got to focus on what’s in store for us this year,” she said. “It’s a whole new team, and we’ve got to focus on the task at hand.”

Going into her senior year, Johnson will look to carry the momentum from last season.

However, she thinks there’s always something to prove.

“I feel like I had one of my strongest seasons as a junior, but I’m only as good as my last time out,” she said. “I have a lot to prove still. It’s always a bit nerve-racking, but it’ll be fun.”

OVERSEAS: The Grand Valley State volleyball team poses with the famous Laker “L” in Slovenia. COURTESY | SCOTT RICHARDSON

MOBILE EYES Call 911 when: • someone is drinking while driving.

• a car is swerving or • someone is visibly intoxicated; walking to his/her car to drive.

What to do next: • explain the reason for the call.

• give a vehicle description and the license plate number.

• give a location (e.g. North on US 31).

www.miOttawa.org/SAP (616) 892-2700 | www.meadowscrossing.net

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A10 | SPORTS W. CROSS COUNTRY

GV cross country runner Kelly Haubert labeled ‘backbone’ of team

BY DANNY SCHWARTZ SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

In the seventh grade, a friend of Kelly Haubert’s talked her into doing cross country.

Haubert, originally from Liberty Center, Ohio, said cross country only had five athletes total between middle school and high school.

The program was actually going to be eliminated, and Haubert’s friend, who ended up being her boyfriend going on six years now, then convinced her to do track and

field in the spring, which she decided to do as well.

By Haubert’s freshman year of high school, a new coach came in, begged to take over the program so it wouldn’t be eliminated and recruited 16 girls who led them to state championships in Haubert’s junior and senior years.

In 2012, the year Haubert won her first national championship as a junior in high school, GVSU track and field coach Jerry Baltes also led his team to its first title. Soon after, former GVSU track and field

coach Nick Polk sent Haubert a photo of the GVSU squad holding the trophy up in the air and wrote her the first recruiting letter she had ever received. “He wrote me a handwritten letter,� Haubert said. “It said that we (GVSU) have also been a part of our first win and we would love for you to be a part of our future wins.

Even though I had never really heard of Grand Valley, it really struck me.�

Haubert eventually came up to GVSU for a visit, and that one visit made up her mind.

However, the transition from high school to college was a little harder than she had anticipated in her first year.

Haubert believes a turning point in her GVSU career was in her true freshman year at the Spartan Invitational, when she finished dead last on the team.

After being last, she told herself that she never wanted something embarrassing like that to happen again. “Every summer and season since I always try to do a little more,� Haubert said. “I’m always working on an area that

I’m maybe struggling with.

Working on the little things has really evolved me into the runner I am today.�

Baltes is very proud of the runner Haubert has become. “She’s been a work-inprogress over the course of her career,� Baltes said. “Her main positive qualities are work ethic and her determination to stay focused and get the job done.

She’s someone that came in who wasn’t super high on our depth chart and slowly progressed each year to the point that last year she was a key

contributor in winning the national championship in the fall.�

One of Haubert’s biggest individual accolades was when she had a big breakthrough in the 10,000-meter last spring at the Bucknell meet. Haubert placed third with a time of 34:58.98 and qualified for the NCAA Championships because of that. “She brings a good balance between being a positive teammate while still being able to be a leader that holds her teammates accountable,� Baltes said.

Baltes refers to Haubert as one of the backbones of the group, with her and Stacy Metzger leading the main pack, being the catalysts with Kendra Foley up front, and setting the tone and leading races, while Haubert and Metzger always established the pace for the rest of the group.

Haubert redshirted her first year at GVSU and could have graduated this year with her accounting degree, but she is coming back to get a second degree and finish up the 150 credits needed to get her CPA. This upcoming year will be her final year at GVSU. “I’m a very faith-based person,� Haubert said. “I very firmly believe everything that’s happened to me was planned, and I have a purpose for my life that’s bigger than I anticipated.

I think this is just one of the ways, through running, that’s been shown to me.

I’ve made wonderful friends, I have a wonderful boyfriend and I went to a great school, all because of running.�

LEADER OF THE PACK: Grand Valley State runner Kelly Haubert makes her way around the track during the 10,000-meter race Jan. 20, 2016. From finishing dead last on the team her freshman year, track and field head coach Jerry Baltes said Haubert’s improvments have given her the title as the team’s ‘backbone.’ GVL | EMILY FRYE

COLUMN

Column: My experience as a student athlete

BY LOUIS RICARD SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

ĺœ€ä”€ä?€ä¸€ä”€ĺŒ€ä?€ä„€ĺ¤€ĺŒ€ ㄀　㨀　　愀洀 - ă„€ă¨€ăŒ€ă€€ç€€ć´€

College is a big melting pot. It’s a combination of people from all over the world with different cultures, different agendas and different perspectives all gathered in one place with hopes of fulfilling their dreams.

Students form groups based on mutual interest, which could be their major, their religious beliefs, their political beliefs or, for some, a shared passion for an activity.

The two core groups found in most universities are Greek Life and student athletes.

I am part of the second group. I have been playing club rugby for Grand Valley State University since my freshman year, which makes me an official student athlete.

People tend to forget the term “student� when they think of college athletes. To be fair, some of the things said by popular players coming out of Division 1 programs have not helped our image.

When former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones said, “We ain’t here to play school,� it outlined a major issue in the world of college sports: Academics are often put second to the product on the field.

Not all student athletes are like this. At GVSU, most of our athletes happen to be great on the field and in the classroom. For example, Katarina Samardzija, a tennis player for GVSU, launched her own business while attending GVSU this past spring.

Student athletes are similar to any other student. We do not use our practice of a sport as an excuse, but as motivation. Being able to do something I love in college is a privilege, and I treat it as such.

But it does come with a price. I have a packed schedule from Monday through Saturday. Once again, most college students encounter this issue.

I see it as a more intense lifestyle. It’s one that forbids me to be bored at any time, while also teaching me how to appreciate the calm before the storm of midterms week or finals week.

Some of my peers may agree when I say that playing a sport helps me with my academic work. Putting all my energy in a physical activity enables me to relieve all the stress that tends to accumulate over school, bills or other emergencies.

In this melting pot, it is hard to find a place where we all fit in. It is one of the main struggles college students have to face.

I met most of my friends while playing rugby at GVSU. My three roommates are also my teammates. The rugby team is occupying a major place in my life, both schedule-wise and emotionally.

There is this phrase my coach always uses to describe the mentality of our club: “Once you step onto this field, you’ll always be part of our family.�

That is the defining term when we refer to a team: family.

The life of a student athlete is similar to anyone else’s in college, except for one thing. I’ve never felt prouder than when I get to put on the blue-andwhite jersey representing my school. There is nothing like it.

On the other hand, representing my school does not stop when I’m off the field, nor does it for any other student athlete. Everything matters: grades, attendance, behavior.

We are expected to excel inside the classroom just as much as we are on the field.

As much as I love rugby, education is my top priority, and it’s that way for all of my teammates, even our coach, who will excuse us from practice if school comes into play.

As entertained as I was when he said those words, I’d have to disagree with Jones: I am in fact here to “play school.�

"--&/%"-& $".164 -05 (

+6/& 0$50#&3 HIS STORY: Lanthorn sports writer and GVSU club sport rugby player Louis Ricard poses on the field.

During his time at GVSU, Ricard realized what it’s truly like to be a student athlete. GVL | LUKE HOLMES

AUGUST 21, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SPORTS | A11

COLUMN

HOLD ME BACK, MAN!: A visually animated Conor McGregor (right) gets in his final verbal jabs while UFC President Dana White (middle) holds him back against heavily favored contender Floyd Mayweather (left) Wednesday, July 12, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The two fighters will get a chance to combat in the boxing ring Saturday, Aug. 26, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. COURTESY | GETTY IMAGES

Column: Does Conor McGregor really have a shot against Floyd Mayweather?

BY ARPAN LOBO SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Since entering the UFC in 2013, Conor McGregor has been able to push the envelope whenever he’s tried to.

His list of accomplishments in the Octagon is long. Four years after joining the cage fighting organization, his biggest opportunity has been realized in the form of a matchup that seems impossible—facing legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather in the boxing ring.

On Saturday, Aug. 26, the two men will face off in what’s being lauded as a “money match” that could change the history of each man’s sport forever.

McGregor has been lauded in mixed martial arts circles for his ability to envision and attain heights that have evaded the grasp of the average UFC fighter. The Irishman has been the company’s biggest star, apart from Ronda

Rousey, and for good reason.

McGregor’s ability to promote himself made him a star before he even arrived at the Octagon in 2013. He was there for the company when Rousey was gone for almost all of 2016, headlining three of the organization’s biggest-ever shows. He’s headlined four of the UFC’s five most commercially successful shows, achieving at least 1 million buys for the last four pay-perview matches he’s headlined.

UFC President Dana White admitted earlier in 2017 that he was aiming to make this fight for McGregor as a display of gratitude for what “The Notorious” has done for the company.

But in granting McGregor his biggest payday to date (he’s expected to make more than $100 million), White has taken a huge risk. McGregor stands to make more against Mayweather than he has in his entire UFC career. From a purely financial standpoint,

McGregor would have no reason to return to the Octagon after the fight, and that has to be a major red flag for White and the rest of the UFC. McGregor, a sizable underdog, has cleared so many hurdles just to get to the fight, so meeting Mayweather in a boxing ring doesn’t appear to be that troublesome anymore.

However, Mayweather still represents the biggest challenge in all of combat sports.

His perfect 49-0 record has withstood tests from talented fighters like Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez, and none of them had to contend with switching to an entirely new sport.

McGregor’s punching power in the MMA won’t necessarily translate to the boxing ring. In the UFC, fighters wear four-ounce gloves, minimizing the padding covering a fighter’s fists. In Nevada, matches taking place at the 154-lb. weight limit are sanctioned

to be fought with 10-ounce gloves, although the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) voted unanimously Wednesday, Aug. 16, to use eight-ounce gloves. It makes sense, when one considers the fact that a man is making his professional debut against one of the greatest pound-forpound boxers of all time.

Even considering the size of the gloves, Mayweather has built a reputation and a perfect record as a defensive wizard.

The 40-year-old has been able to neutralize every single man he’s faced as a professional.

McGregor’s offense in MMA is based around a counterstriking attack, usually goading the other fighter into running into his left straight. While his punches’ success in the UFC is undoubted, their effectiveness in boxing will be questioned, especially against a specialist like Mayweather.

The promotion for the fight was based around a four-stop global press tour. In July, the

L A K E R E XC H A N G E Announcements

Announcements

Announcements

If youʼre interested in making a colorful splash this summer, then look no further! Artsy Jazzy offers unique designs for various products such as cell phone Brian's the beach better covers, Books: tote bags, bookstore!

Now carrying towels, shirts, flip flops and new and much more!used Thesebook itemsfor are purchase one-of-a-kind and rent for with the creatively Fall 2017 semester! appealing artwork from a Located near thestudent water local Grand Valley tower, planning it's worthtothe whoʼs be walk!

Guaranteedin to save next you showcased ArtPrize money! fall.

So, set the fashion trends this season while having fun under the sun with a cool 20% off your first order! Donʼt miss out at www.artsyjazzy.com

The GV Farmers Market runs every Wednesday in Lot G from 10am until 1:30pm until October. Come grab some fresh produce, breads, kettle corn, and more! For more information, visit gvsu.edu/farmersmarket

accusations of racism earlier in the tour, came out with a cringeworthy diatribe on how he couldn’t be racist because he was “half-black from the waist down.”

Mayweather, who could have walked away a winner on the tour stop had he just stayed silent, returned with a slew of misogynistic insults. In London, the Grand Rapids native made things worse by refering to McGregor with a homophobic slur. It was a black eye on what had looked like a major success until that point.

While the press tour was hit-or-miss, the fight has done a solid job of promoting itself otherwise. The pay-per-view record for a boxing match stands at 4.9 million buys for Mayweather versus Pacquiao in 2015. Dana White thinks that the record will be smashed Saturday, Aug. 26.

Whether or not buyers will get something worth the $100 they’ll be paying is another matter.

FREE CLASSIFIEDS FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF some restrictions apply email lakerexchange@lanthorn.com for more info on restrictions FOR COMMERCIAL RATES EMAIL

lakerexchange@lanthorn.com OR CALL

Employment

Daily Deals Food Outlet recently opened on June 12th in Allendale on Lake Michigan Drive. Name brand groceries at overstock price!

Visit this locally owned and operated business for your grocery needs. Looking for a job? They are hiring as well.

Visit www.ddfoodoutlet.com for more information.

If youʼre interested in making a colorful splash this summer, then look no further! Artsy Jazzy offers unique designs for various products such as cell phone covers, tote bags, beach towels, shirts, flip flops and much more! These items are creatively one-of-a-kind with appealing artwork from a local Grand Valley student whoʼs planning to be showcased in ArtPrize next fall. So, set the fashion trends this season while having fun under the sun with a cool 20% off your first order! Donʼt miss out at www.artsyjazzy.com

fighters and their respective entourages visited Los Angeles, Toronto, Brooklyn and London in a four-day stretch. The tour started on an awkward note, as McGregor looked completely unprepared for the format in Los Angeles, but he was able to recover in Toronto.

It was in Canada where the two fighters peaked in their ability to promote the fight.

Showtime Sports, the main promoter for the fight, likely hoped the press tour would finish there.

However, in Brooklyn, each fighter missed expectations wildly. It’s foolish and shortsighted to expect a pair of men who will literally try to punch each other into unconsciousness to greet each other with class and dignity, but McGregor and Mayweather left everyone in attendance and the thousands streaming the event online disappointed.

McGregor, whose “Dance for me, boy!” line prompted

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!

Employment

Housing

Are you looking for a yearround place to work? IKUS Life Enrichment Services is looking for staff members who are fun loving, responsible people to help create a great experience for disabled individuals. Email kpolzin@ikuslife.org to learn more!

Campus View offers affordable housing with tons o f a m e n i t i e s r i g h t n e ar Grand Valley's Allendale campus! Go online and check us out at www.campusviewhousing.com, or call (616) 895-6678 to schedule a tour!

Housing

Looking for a female to sublease my unit i m m ediat ely at Enc lav e Apartments. The rent is $638 per month, which includes all utilities including cable. Please contact me aprilaction@yahoo.com for additional information.

Meadows Crossing is the best off-campus housing in Grand Valley apartments.

Our townhomes and Allendale apartments in Allendale offer modern amenities, comfort, privacy, and a great location.

Conveniently located at the 48th Avenue entrance to Grand Valley State Universityʼs Allendale campus. Schedule a tour today and experience the best off-campus, GVS U apartments in the Allendale rental market!

Miscellaneous Have you got something to say? Put it in the Lanthorn!

We will post your subleasing ads, employment ads, and for your student organization here in the Lanthorn. Send what you want to say to lakerexchange@lanthorn.com !

616-331-2460

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.

Services Avoid the freshman 15 by joining Family Fitness Center in Allendale. They are running a deal of $9 per month or 30 days free.

Contact their Allendale location at www.tryfamilyfitness.com or (616) 419-3750 for more information!

Do you not have time for a part time job? Donate plasma at BioLife! You can earn $300 in 5 donations!

Learn more at biolifeplasma.com.

Find FREE CONDOMS available to pick up throughout campus and in Ottawa County. Also, free to low cost confidential STD testing and birth control options available at

www.miOttawa.org /SexualHealth

or call (616)396-5266.