Issue 4, August 31st, 2017 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

GRAND VALLEY

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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

FOOTBALL PREVIEW EDUCATION

Honors College to delay filling director position Writing professor Roger Gilles to hold post temporarily BY DYLAN GROSSER ASSISTANTNEWS@LANTHORN.COM

The Frederik Meijer Honors College at Grand Valley State University has chosen not to start a search committee for replacement of the former director of the honors college, Jeff Chamberlain, for the fall of 2017. Instead, the Honors College has decided to name Roger Gilles, a writing professor at GVSU with experience in administration, interim director for two years, until a number of “internal affairs” are dealt with. Some of those internal affairs include reorganizing the structure of the Honors College, eliminating redundant committees and committing to feedback to add more honors courses for third- and fourth-year students. “The interim period is a time to regroup and articulate the values of the program and to look inward a little and get ready to hire a permanent director,” Gilles said. Chamberlain expressed his desire to leave GVSU for the Hicks Honors College at the University of North Florida in April 2017. Because of Chamberlain’s late departure, Gilles said there was not enough time to form a search committee and begin finding a replacement for this semester. A new director is likely to begin in the fall of 2019. Gilles said the year will be informative for the faculty and staff at GVSU and will serve as a self-reflection for the Honors College as well. “This year is really about talking with the whole university and solidifying what the Honors College is all about and preparing for that search,” Gilles said. Gilles said his goal is to get more people introduced to the Honors College program, and to help them understand it, for the benefit of the new director. He said he knew Chamberlain personally and assured him he would try to maintain the progress Chamberlain had made during his time as director. “I think he did a fantastic job for SEE HONORS | A2

ST U D E N T- R U N P U B L I C A T I O N S // P R I N T · O N L I N E · M O B I L E // L A N T H O R N . C O M

T H U R S D A Y, A U G U ST 3 1 , 2 0 1 7 // VO L . 52 N O. 4

Stirring the pot GV students react to controversial preacher on campus BY DYLAN GROSSER ASSISTANTNEWS@LANTHORN.COM

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rand Valley State University was visited by a traveling preacher known as Gary Birdsong on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Birdsong is known for preaching controversially on college campuses and has preached at GVSU for the last 14 years, allegedly. Some views he expressed were his opposition to homosexuality, biracial unions, Islam, feminism, other religions besides Christianity and more. His visit was met with a strong reaction from the student body.

GVSU students voiced their disagreements both online and in person. Some students debated with the preacher, some took video, some made fun of him and some simply walked by. The preacher was located in front of the Transformational Link sculpture on the Allendale Campus carrying a sign that said “Fear God” on one side and “Stop Sinning” on the other. Many instances of students and Birdsong interacting were captured on various social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. In addition, many GVSU faculty and staff walked past the preacher without engaging at all.

Birdsong spoke on his Facebook page of drawing crowds of more than 200 students and said that his sign was taken from him by students on multiple occasions. Sydney Watson, a junior at GVSU and an interfaith intern at the Kaufman Interfaith Institute, was a bystander listening in on what Birdsong was preaching. Watson said everyone is entitled to their views but that when a demonstrator’s views make others uncomfortable, they have crossed a line and need to take a step back. “I think about the Muslim students that are hijabi-wearing that walk past this area, and he’s talking about how only Christians are good,” Watson said. “That makes

me very uncomfortable, so I can’t imagine how that would make someone else feel.” She said she believes in respectful disagreements rather than yelling and screaming. “I think his goal is to make people mad, so I think the worst thing to do is to go up to him and yell at him,” Watson said. Alex Childs, a sophomore at GVSU, is another student who listened to Birdsong’s preaching. Childs said he has been a Christian for three or four years and that the way Birdsong is presenting the Gospel is false and misSEE PROTESTS | A2

CREATING CONTROVERSY: Preacher Gary Birdsong visits GVSU’s Allendale Campus Tuesday, Aug. 29, and interacts with students passing by. Birdsong has been a frequent vistor of GVSU’s campus, where his vocal demonstrations have a history of upsetting students and causing conflict. GVL | SPENCER SCARBER

RESTORATION

Cook Carillon Tower renovation complete Construction project addresses brick deterioration BY JOSHUA VISSERS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

The renovation of the Cook Carillon Tower on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Cam-

pus has been successfully completed, including the finishing touches on the surrounding landscape. The renovation was done within a $500,000 budget, which didn’t require approval from GVSU’s Board of

Trustees. The work was completed by Pioneer Construction, with Burggrabe Masonry doing the masonry. “I ran the summer series right through all the construction, and they were very helpful with getting me in

FINISHING TOUCHES: Students walk by the newly renovated Cook Carillon Tower on GVSU’s Allendale Campus. The tower’s renovation, which was done within a $500,000 budget, was completed to resolve masonry issues. GVL | JOSHUA VISSERS

and out of the tower,” said Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, pianist and resident carillonist at GVSU. The concert series ended Sunday, Aug. 20. The masonry issue started with moisture and the cold Michigan winters interacting with the masonry. The tower, built in 1994, was originally designed after a Dutch tradition. “They operate cold towers, no heat,” said James Moyer, associate vice president for facilities planning at GVSU. However, with carillon bells waiting to be played from a room inside, a cold tower during Michigan winters wasn’t satisfactory. “We had to have heat immediately,” Vanden Wyngaard said. “If you’re going to sit there and play the instrument, you really need to be comfortable.” To solve this issue, a radiator was installed to facilitate year-round play, but the addition of heat caused the deterioration of the tower’s brick over the next 20 years in a process called “spalling” by masons. “We had faces of brick coming off the tower,” Moyer said. However, the connection between a radiator inside the tower and brick on the very outside of the tower takes experts to explain. “All masonry materials are meant to breathe,” said Grace Smith, project manager and historic preservation consultant for Designsmiths, who specializes in old masonry. “When it’s baked in the oven, the outer shell of

brick gets this natural crispy coating.” That coating is important because it is more difficult for moisture to penetrate than the rest of the brick and the interior walls of the tower, which are made of concrete block. “When you put heat inside, moisture that’s borne by the heat now begins to migrate to the exterior,” Moyer said. “When it gets to the exterior of the tower, it freezes just behind the face of the brick.” Even small amounts of water in the brick is a problem if it freezes. “If that keeps happening, that crispy coating will pop off,” Smith said. Other than replacing nearly all the exterior brick on the tower, two changes were made to keep this spalling from happening again. “If you go into the tower now, the interior face of the concrete block has been sealed so that the moisture doesn’t migrate through the interior block to the brick,” Moyer said. In addition, a layer of insulation with a vapor-barrier backing was placed between the concrete block and brick, which is typically done in heated towers, according to Smith. “That, we have been told, will solve the problem,” said Matt McLogan, vice president for university relations at GVSU, who also debunked any rumors of a tilt developing in the tower. “I don’t believe that’s true,” he said. “Had it been, we would’ve found it necessary to do foundation work and not just cosmetic work.”

AUGUST 31, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A2 | NEWS

HONORS

NEWS BRIEFS

CONTINUED FROM A1

GV GRADUATE CHOSEN AS DIRECTOR FOR GRAND HAVEN CHARITY FOUNDATION

Holly Cole, a graduate of Grand Valley State University, will serve as the new director of grants and programs at the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. The foundation offers many scholarships in its name to students from the areas of Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg, Allendale and Coopersville. According to its website, the foundation gives away more than $400,000 in grants every year.

the 10 years he was director,� Gilles said. “I was listening to everything he told me, and I just tried to make sure I was able to continue what he was doing.� The interim director said the main focus right now is to ascertain the best governing structure for the Honors Col-

lege in the form of committees. According to Gilles, there will be committees that will guide curriculum and oversee students and the hiring of faculty. He said there are currently committees that overlap or are redundant and everything must be reorganized. “Our main focus is trying to figure out the committee structure,� he said. “I think what we’re trying to do is to institu-

tionalize that work so that, going forward, more people are involved in those things.� Gilles said he is still new on the job and that everything from the website to the message the Honors College is sending out will be evaluated. “I’m still learning an awful lot; I’m trying to get the lay of the land exactly,� Gilles said. “We are really trying to look at everything to try to help run

things as smoothly as possible.� Gilles said he would like the new permanent director to be someone who is flexible, openminded and eager to involve people from all over campus. “I think it should be someone who is open to the entire campus and wants to involve people from around campus, and they should make sure students feel like honors is a possibility for them,� he said.

GRAND RAPIDS TO HOST LABOR DAY “BRIDGE WALK�

A five-mile-long walk will take place in downtown Grand Rapids Monday, Sept. 4, for Labor Day. The tradition, started by former Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, goes through seven of Grand Rapid’s bridges, which is the equivalent distance of the Mackinac Bridge. The walk will start at 10 a.m. on the Gillett Bridge and will finish at the Ah-Nab-Awen Park, where the West Michigan Labor Fest starts at 11 a.m.

SPOTLIGHT PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES MOVIE SHOWINGS FOR FALL 2017

Spotlight Productions has released its list of movies that will be shown in the Big Screen Theatre inside the Kirkhof Center. “Moonlight� will be shown from Monday, Aug. 28, to Thursday, Sept. 7. “Wonder Woman� will be shown from Friday, Sept. 8, to Thursday, Sept. 21. “Beauty and the Beast� will be shown from Friday, Sept. 22, to Thursday, Oct. 5. “Spider-Man: Homecoming� will be shown from Friday, Oct. 6, to Thursday, Oct. 19. “Get Out� will be shown from Friday, Oct. 20, to Thursday, Nov. 2. “The Hitman’s Bodyguard� will be shown from Friday, Nov. 3, to Thursday, Nov. 16. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2� will be shown from Friday, Nov. 17, to Thursday, Nov. 30, and “The Santa Clause� will be shown from Friday, Dec. 1, to Thursday, Dec. 14. Showings are everyday at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. All movies are chosen by Spotlight Productions, but suggestions can be sent to spotlight@gvsu.edu.

FORMER MICHIGAN GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM TO SPEAK AT FEMALE GOVERNORS CONFERENCE The Grand Valley State University Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies will be hosting a first-of-its-kind “Conference of U.S. Women Governors,� inviting former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to speak at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, in the Richard M. DeVos Center. At the conference, there will be several other former governors, including Janet Napolitano, Christine Whitman, Barbara Roberts and others. GVSU has partnered with the National Governors Association for this conference. The two-day event begins Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. in the L.V. Eberhard Center, where Whitman and Napolitano will speak on “leading change and forging common ground.� The event is free and open to the public.

INTERCULTURAL STUDENT RECEPTION

Grand Valley State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs will be putting on its annual Intercultural Student Reception Tuesday, Sept. 12, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event, which will take place in the Grand River Room of the Kirkhof Center, is intended to welcome both new and returning students. It is an opportunity for students to meet faculty and staff, mingle with their peers, explore various student organizations, and enjoy food and music. To add to the fun, there will also be a dance contest and prizes. For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/oma.

VOL . 52

NO. 4

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

PROMOTIONS Promotions Manager SHAYNA KOZKOWSKI ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager

Sports Editor ROBBIE TRIANO

IAN BORTHWICK

Laker Life Editor TY KONELL

KATARINA ZOMER

Digital Editor MAITLYNN MOSSOLLE Image Editor EMILY FRYE Layout Editor BECKY OPPMAN Layout Designer RACHEL SPRING WEB TEAM Web Manager JOSH GETTER

Campus Accounts Manager

Account Executive RACHEL MOORE Ad Designer LIAM CARTER Ad Designer CORBIN MOHR BUSINESS STAFF Business Manager SHELBY CARTER Asst. Business Manager ALEXIS LAMB Distribution Manager MEGHAN FITZGERALD

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 GVSU community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

GOING WITH THE FLOW: Students walk through the halls after leaving class in the Honors College Monday, Aug. 28. Roger Gilles, who will continue searching for a permanent director, will focus on committee restructuring and learning from his experience. GVL | HANNAH HILL

PROTESTS CONTINUED FROM A1

leading for those who may not know it as well as he does. “I almost started crying hearing him talk,� Childs said. “I don’t want these freshmen to think this is what Jesus is. (He’s a) loving God who knows we’re going to mess up and we’re going to do as much as we can to be like him.� Birdsong identifies as being a fundamentalist Christian and attends Faith Baptist Church in North Carolina. He often protests in the capital city of Raleigh, according to his Facebook page. The Dean of Students Office has issued statements in the past about the free speech policies at GVSU. One statement reads: “Lawful, non-disruptive public demonstrations are permitted at Grand Valley and are protected by the First Amendment, without regard to the point of view being expressed.� Jesse Bernal, the vice president for the Division of Inclusion and Equity, said bias incidents, which were created under GVSU’s antiharassment policy, have been filed in the past by students in regard to Birdsong’s preaching. However, he said there is no authority to prevent free speech and expressive activities at GVSU based on content. Bernal said he sympathizes with students who are offended or “challenged� by some of the views expressed by outside sources coming to speak at GVSU, but he still stressed the commitment the university has made to re-

PROTESTS: An anti-abortion rally took place mid-afternoon Monday, Aug. 28 in front of the Cook Carillon Tower. To come to campus, parties must first fill out a registration form. GVL | DYLAN MCINTYRE

spect people’s First Amendment right to free speech. “We have to uphold the idea of the right the public has to freely express their First Amendment right,� Bernal said. Bob Stoll, the associate dean for Student Life at GVSU, is in charge of managing individuals or groups that are outside of the university, such as Birdsong, who wish to engage in activities of free speech and expression on campus. Those parties must fill out a registration form with Event Services in the Office of Student Life before coming to campus. He said no individual or group who fills out a registration form can ever be denied access to speak at GVSU, unless the date they request to visit conflicts with another scheduled expressive activity.

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Stoll said the dates and times of outside parties visiting GVSU for expres-

sive activities are not explicitly put out to the public by the university.

AUGUST 31, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A3

TECHNOLOGY

Working overtime BY THERESA MUELLER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

While most Grand Valley State University students and staff lessen their workload during the summer months, GVSU’s information technology department intensifies its task force by utilizing the summer months as an opportunity to rejuvenate various devices around campus. An ordinary summer for the IT department includes classroom or lab updates for audiovisual technology, audio projectors, speakers and more. The IT department uses this time to refresh and ensure devices are kept up to date. This past summer, the IT department exceeded its usual process by updating more than 800 computers and upgrading personal computer operating systems to Windows 10. John Klein, GVSU associate director of academic services, said this was the highest number of computers updated at GVSU since 2009. “This was an unusual summer for us because of the volume of computers we replaced,” Klein said. Despite a higher workload, staff numbers remained relatively the same, consisting of about six full-time

staff supervising or guiding approximately 100 student workers across campus. The IT department’s process for upgrading computers to Windows 10 is far more complicated than simply the click of the button. Sue Korzinek, the associate vice president and chief information officer for IT, explained the two-step process, which involves the “pre-work” of reimaging, coding and choosing which models to use. These steps must be completed before any additional software upgrades can be made. “It’s not a simple process,” Korzinek said. “You’re taking apart a whole lab.” The process of upgrading is complex in itself, but to complicate IT tasks further, classroom access remains an issue during summer months. As many courses are still in session during the summer, classrooms and labs are consistently occupied. Yet, in the face of these obstacles, the IT department managed to upgrade more than 60 classrooms and labs by meticulously maneuvering their way around campus and strategizing the time and place for each restoration. With only one week of summer vacation left, the prioritization of classroom and lab updates was stalled when

IT department updates hundreds of computers across campus, fights virus concerns

an email virus broke out among GVSU email users. All it takes is one simple click for a phishing virus to rapidly spread to a multitude of users. This particular virus asked for personal account information, such as an individual’s username or password. The IT HelpDesk Twitter account posted several tweets Friday, Aug. 18, warning GVSU email users. One tweet read, “There are several fake emails going around with links asking you to login with credentials or payment information.” The IT HelpDesk further reminded users that “GVSU will never ask you for personal information like password or username.” A virus may originate with one user, but if the infected link is clicked, a duplicate message is sent to everyone in said user’s mailing list. “(The IT department) continually reminds people to ‘think before you click,’” Klein said. Virus outbreaks among GVSU users are a priority within the IT department due to security concerns. The IT department is responsible for locking out all accounts and resetting them, and a viral epidemic adds to the department’s prescribed tasks. A virus is always an inconvenient disruption, but the

timing of this bug happened during what is commonly the busiest week of the summer for IT. The week prior to the start of a new academic year primarily consists of phone calls from a multitude of students calling the IT HelpDesk to reset their forgotten email, myBanner or myBlackboard passwords. “The virus set us back,” Klein. “It tied up resources that would have been assigned to

getting classrooms ready.” The virus may have been an inconvenient eruption that robbed IT workers of time, but this didn’t stop technicians from working through the weekend. There remain a select few computers that require minor updates, but Korzinek is confident everything will be up to date by the time students and faculty return

after Labor Day weekend. “There always feels like there’s such a tight crunch at the end,” Korzinek said. “No matter how many people you have, you still have to get access to the place.” At this time, the GVSU IT department will continue its strategy of gaining access to available classrooms and working while everyone else is on break.

HELPING HAND: IT HelpDesk worker Cody Chinn assists students in the Mary Idema Pew Library. IT workers have been putting in overtime hours to solve GVSU’s technical problems. GVL | SARA CARTE

SUSTAINABILITY

Upcycling for a good cause

GV Regional Math and Science Center to collect, donate eclipse glasses BY JENNA FRACASSI ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s Regional Math and Science Center (RMSC) is asking the GVSU community to donate its solar eclipse glasses for a good cause, rather than simply throw them away. To accomplish this, the RMSC is participating in Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) and Explore Scientific’s “Eclipse Glasses Donation Program,” where glasses from around the U.S. are collected to be sent to schools in South America and Asia. According to AWB’s website, “the next two solar eclipses across populated areas are in 2019,” one being a total solar eclipse in southern South America and the other being an annular eclipse in southeastern Asia. However, a partial eclipse will be visible in most areas of both South America and southern Asia. “We are going to be able to

see a closer eclipse in 2024,” said Kathy Agee, science program coordinator for GVSU’s RMSC. “However, the material (of the glasses) will degrade before that. So, it’s not even going to be safe for you to save them for the next seven years because the plastic just doesn’t last that long.” Agee first found out about the campaign when she saw something on Facebook. “I just follow a lot of different groups on Facebook and stuff,” she said. “We do math and science outreach, and that’s the purpose of our department. I had followed something that was linked to Astronomers Without Boarders, and it said, ‘Hey, here’s an opportunity, and we’re working on this.’ So, I just followed that trail and found out that (donating eclipse glasses) is something that is going on.” Currently, as listed by AWB, GVSU is the only collection location for solar eclipse glasses in the Grand

Rapids area. Agee believed this initiative would find success at GVSU, crediting the general campus commitment to sustainability and education. “Our mission here at the Regional Math and Science Center (is that) we want to support teachers and students and science and math education,” Agee said. She hopes that donating these glasses will give children the chance to safely witness the eclipse and “better understand their world.” To further ensure these children have a safe viewing experience, AWB will examine each pair of glasses to make sure they aren’t damaged or counterfeit. “We want the children in Asia and South America to enjoy the eclipse like so many of us were able to, but also we want their eyes to be safe,” Agee said. “And so many schools in South America and Asia don’t have the funds to afford this. We’ve got these glasses; they

need them and can use them and want them, and we want to provide that service.” The RMSC is located in Mackinac Hall, Room C-1120, on GVSU’s Allendale Campus. Glasses can ei-

ther be mailed to the center or dropped off Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The deadline for donations is listed as Friday, Sept. 15, but Agee said they won’t

be sending the glasses in until the end of September. GO TO: http://bit.ly/VHLyiA FOR MORE INFORMATION

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A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL

Let’s protest better

T

his week, the Grand Valley State University community suffered through the radical, religious rantings of at least one protester on the Allendale Campus. Upperclassmen, staff and faculty know to expect this type of display at the beginning of the fall semester every year when representatives from fundamentalist organizations verbally accost passersby with their doomsday talk and condemnation of a wide swath of the population. For freshmen peacefully walking on their way to class, though, the sight and sound of one such demonstrator condemning “homosexuals” and other “sinners” to “hell” may have been an unexpected, unwelcome and shocking experience. The fact is, protesting in a verbally aggressive way is not an effective way to communicate ideas or convince others to change their views on sensitive topics. An individual who yells their beliefs at someone in a disrespectful, tasteless and cruel manner is not going to get anywhere, assuming their goal is actually to persuade, not simply to aggravate. That being said, it seems obvious that demonstrators who hold signs painted with inflammatory messages and loudly proclaim that entire groups of people are doomed to hellfire for eternity are not actually trying to persuade: They are trying to rile up their ideological opponents. Why they actively choose to go about looking for

heated, fruitless verbal sparring matches is another question, the answer for which is surely far more complicated from a psychological standpoint. Wisely enough, a lot of people at GVSU make a conscious effort not to engage with these types of demonstrators, while some individuals are understandably too bothered to pass by silently. It is difficult to ignore people who choose to be outwardly hateful, especially in a setting filled with thousands of people (in this case, students) whom they have never met before. Still, it’s usually a better idea to just keep walking. If someone is genuinely looking to persuade, not incite vitriolic or violent reactions, they would have more luck demonstrating peacefully with appropriate signs and handouts. Thoughtfully engaging with passersby in polite discussion is a far more effective method of getting people to listen to a message than shouting unwarranted, hateful comments. We can’t keep malicious protesters off campus, and we can’t silence their free speech rights. But we can control how we react to their comments. We can choose to keep walking and not give them the satisfaction of getting riled up and stooping to their level. And we can choose to protest better ourselves, engaging others in thoughtful dialogue and listening to what they have to say.

AUGUST 31, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

8/31/17

editorial@lanthorn.com

The evolution of words

BY AMY MCNEEL EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

“Now is no time to think of what you do have. Think of what you can do with that there is.” -Ernest Hemingway, “The Old Man and the Sea” In school we read the classics: books that have stood the test of time and hold words of both eloquence and grace. We read and study these books because they represent the pinnacle of language. As I have developed and grown to love what is now considered to be the classics, I realize that the writing of then is not the same as the writing of now. Our writing is not as detailed, it is not as complex and it is all-around simpler and

Editor-in-Chief Associate editor Sports editor Laker Life editor

WHAT IS A LANTHORN?

*0ƫđƫ$+.*Čƫƫn. [old English] Lanthorn is two syllables, pronounced Lant-horn. It is a lantern that was used in midto-late 16th century Europe. It was constructed of leather and a

single lens made of a thin piece of ox or steer horn. It was used for illumination and as a beacon. The Grand Valley Lanthorn slogan is: “Give light and the people will find their own way.”

GVL OPINION POLICY The goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s opinion page is to act as a forum for public discussion, comment and criticism in the Grand Valley State University community. Student opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity. The Grand Valley Lanthorn aims to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. The Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but will not discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by nor necessarily represent those of the university, its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff. Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits, and are reserved for letters to the editor only,

all other reader-generated content can be submitted to the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s YourSpace page by emailing community@lanthorn.com. Letters to the editor should include the author’s full name and relevant title along with a valid email and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500-650 words in length, and are not edited by the staff of the Grand Valley Lanthorn outside of technical errors for clarity. To make a submission, email at editorial@lanthorn. com or by dropping off your submission in person at:

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plainer. This new simplicity can be considered a good thing or a bad thing, but I personally consider it to be the latter. As a writing major and lover of 18th-century literature, I feel disappointed with the state of our language. We have gotten to the point that Old English and Early Modern English are almost illegible. Our misunderstanding has led us to the development of cheat sheets and “No Fear Shakespeare” books because what was once regular, everyday English is now too difficult to read, let alone comprehend. In all four of my English classes in high school, I spent hours upon hours paraphrasing writings of Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte and even more modern works such as those of Hemingway. The paraphrased paragraphs were an attempt to translate the words of old into the words of present day. They were simplified and easier to understand, but overall, they were much less tasteful and vivid. I started this article with a quote from “The Old Man and the Sea,” which was published in 1952 by Ernest Hemingway.

The quote, “Now is no time to think of what you do have. Think of what you can do with that there is,” is brilliantly written. However, Hemingway’s choice of words and order are now quite confusing. Today, in our modern language, his words would be simplified into a shorter, simpler sentence. “Be thankful for what you have” would likely be the translation. But why has this shift in our language occurred? According to John McWhorter, associate professor of linguistics at Columbia University, in “The 5-Minute Linguist,” language, like most aspects of our world, is constantly evolving. However, while most things, such as technology, have advanced and progressed throughout the decades, it seems that the evolution of language has had the opposite effect. It appears that there has been an overall “dumbing down” of words. There are many contributions to this evolution and dumbing down of our language, and it is evident that language shifts with the state of society. Today, there is a new speed. We are constantly moving, racing to get things

done and trying to convey messages as fast as possible. With advanced technologies, we have developed a new kind of talking that consists of abbreviations and attempts to make communication more convenient. Overall, language is constantly evolving, and by no means am I saying that we should attempt to stop that evolution—that would be foolish and unobtainable. I do appreciate the convenience of our modern language and how it represents our present society. I find comfort in short sentences and the ability to quickly and efficiently get a message across. However, I also appreciate the genuine beauty and passion of our past language. I am excited to see how our language continues to change, and I hope it changes in a way that is valuable to our society, for writers and non-writers alike. It seems to me that there needs to be a balance: We need to learn to write with the efficiency of today and the passion of decades gone by.

Nostalgia and moving forward

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

By Kayleigh Van Overen

BY KELLY SMITH EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Can you think of a time in your life that you were fond of ? Think of a time in your past when you felt happy or joyful, whether it’s recent or many years ago when you were younger. It doesn’t have to be anything major but simply a time when you felt happy to be alive. How often do you think back to those times? Do you ever find yourself longing for

those memories to become a reality again? I’m sure we all have something from our past that we miss, and that’s normal. Nostalgia is completely natural when life becomes a bit dull. However, I find that spending too much time thinking about the past prevents us from moving into the future. When I first began my career at Grand Valley State University, I joined the marching band with relatively high anxiety levels. Everything was so new to me because I had never actually marched before due to being in the front ensemble in high school. I was nervous and made several notable mistakes that first year both on and off the field. But despite that, I grew close to the people I was marching with. Naturally, we would lose more and more of those people to graduation as the following years passed. Now, as a fifth-year member of the

Laker Marching Band, I am the only remaining member of my section from my first year. Although every year has had its fun moments, there is that feeling of loneliness whenever I think back to that nostalgic first year of marching. We’ve all heard how we should keep moving forward in life, but I find it amazing how easy it is to allow ourselves to still look back more often than we should. Life can get a bit boring sometimes when we start doing the same things every day and every week. I can only imagine what the world outside of college is like. When things become too familiar, the excitement of doing something new fades away because it’s not new anymore. When this happens, it’s normal to think back fondly to times when things were new and exciting and to want that enthusiasm

back. However, there is a fine line between that and trying to live in the past. It’s been said that it’s all about the journey and not the destination. Personally, I only partially agree with this philosophy because you still need to be moving forward on the road to your destination in order to truly benefit from the journey. When you lose sight of the destination, your journey becomes pointless, and one of the biggest ways to lose sight of your destination is to be always looking back at what’s passed. I may be nostalgic about my first year of marching, but it’s gone, and me missing it won’t bring it back. When life becomes familiar and dull, there’s nothing wrong with thinking back to joyful and exciting times for motivation, but success comes from keeping our eyes on the prize, and that prize lies ahead, not behind.

VALLEY VOTE

THIS ISSUE’S QUESTION

QUOTE

Would you ever consider running for political office?

Have you ever engaged with a protester or demonstrator on campus?

“It’s amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper.”

Yes No

25% 75%

QUESTION OF THE ISSUE

LOG ON & VOTE www.lanthorn.com

-Jerry Seinfeld

HAVE YOU EVER ENGAGED WITH A PROTESTER OR DEMONSTRATOR ON CAMPUS?

JORDAN FISHER

PAIGE ASHLEY

“I’ve encountered them, but I try to let them be them. It’s not my place to jump in and interfere.”

“No, I try to avoid those.”

YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Accounting HOMETOWN: Muskegon, Michigan

YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Exercise science HOMETOWN: Grand Rapids, Michigan

MIKE FLICKINGER

NYIA SLADE

“No. It’s not my thing.”

“Yes. My first interview for a class I went Planned Parenthood. It was a bit drastic.”

YEAR: Freshman MAJOR: Premed HOMETOWN: Grand Rapids, Michigan

YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Multimedia journalism HOMETOWN: Detroit, Michigan

A5 | LAKER LIFE

AUGUST 31, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

EXTRACURRICULARS

ARTS AT A GLANCE

Gearing up for Campus Life Night

COFFEE AND MEDITATION AT 12-STEP MEETING For students at Grand Valley State University who wish to stop drinking or using other drugs, Alcohol & Other Drugs Campus Education Services (ACES) is hosting a 12-step meeting with coffee and meditation Tuesday, Sept. 5, from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. in Room 0073 of the Kirkhof Center. The recurring event promotes recovery while also offering a space and community of support for those who no longer want to use substances and is open to students, as well as faculty and other community members. Those who attend will be surrounded by people who have similar struggles in a non-judgmental atmosphere. For more information, contact ACES at 616-331-2537 or at aces@gvsu.edu.

More than 400 student orgs to be represented at annual event BY NICK KONDYLES LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

More than 400 registered student organizations will be represented at Grand Valley State University’s Campus Life Night this year. The annual event, designed to showcase GVSU’s many student clubs and organizations and connect incoming and returning students with extracurricular opportunities, will be held Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Parking Lot H. One campus organization, Spotlight Productions, is getting ready for the event. Spotlight Productions is a studentrun campus programming board that has been responsible for bringing celebrities, comedians, speakers and musicians

INTERNATIONAL FACULTY AND FRIENDS KICKOFF Grand Valley State University boasts many internationally diverse faculty and staff. To celebrate these employees, GVSU will be holding an international faculty and friends kickoff Wednesday, Sept. 6, in Room 2204 of the Kirkhof Center from 4 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. International faculty and staff are foundational in shaping the lives and intercultural competency of GVSU students, although all faculty and staff at GVSU are invited and encouraged to go to the event, where there will be appetizers and drinks for attendees. For more information, contact stoetznk@gvsu.edu, brownlua@gvsu.edu or kanabosn@gvsu.edu.

to GVSU in the past. “Our event schedule is now online, and more information about what we offer will be accessible at our Campus Life Night table,” said Andrew Travis, graduate assistant for Spotlight Productions. “We will have our hypnotist Tom Delucha return, and a Hollywood comedian named Barry Brewer will be coming on Tuesday. We will also be hosting a silent disco and a coffeehouse concert, which are both new this year.” Many organizations showcased at the event will be offering their event schedules for the academic year, along with free giveaways and some interactive games. A noticeable pattern among the groups at Campus Life Night will be the advertising

of upcoming events geared toward returning students, as well as freshmen. Another prominent student-run organization at GVSU is Laker Traditions, responsible for the Laker Kickoff Party, Homecoming, Family Weekend and the Intercultural Festival. “Laker Traditions are a celebration of Grand Valley, and each of the events held throughout the year are a way of establishing that we are more than a college,” said Rachel Jenkin, chairperson of the campus affairs committee for student senate. “Things are changing each year, and organizations like the Laker Traditions team do a good job of staying progressive and inclusive for students.”

CHP OFFERS EXPRESS ADVISING

The College of Health Professions (CHP) will be offering express advising throughout the first week of classes in Room 2201 of the Kirkhof Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Express advising is for Grand Valley State University students who have quick questions they want answered or small scheduling issues to work out. After the first week of school is completed, the next date for express advising will be Monday, Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 2201 of the Kirkhof Center. This advising will run through Friday, Dec. 15. For more information on express advising, contact Brianne Perez at perezbr@gvsu.edu.

2020 INFORMATION DESK TO GIVE FREE WHITECAPS TICKETS

INVOLVED: Students flood Parking Lot H on the Allendale Campus Sept. 6, 2016. More than 400 clubs and organizations will table at the fall 2017 Campus Life Night Tuesday, Sept. 5. GVL | EMILY FRYE

Sports fans at Grand Valley State University are in luck, as the 2020 Information Desk will be giving out free tickets to Whitecaps games from Monday, Aug. 28, through Thursday, Sept. 6. The Whitecaps are a West Michigan’s own minor league baseball team and a Detroit Tiger’s affiliate team. Twenty tickets will be given out per day, along with a food voucher for a hot dog and drink, and are available at the 2020 Information Desk in the Kirkhof Center.

ALUMNI

From teacher to life coach

GV grad shares ‘adulting’ tips on YouTube BY JESSICA HARSEVOORT

JHARSEVOORT@LANTHORN.COM

WHERE

FRESH & FAST MEET

Both organizations can be found at Campus Life in their respective booths. Students can pick up Valley of Color highlighters and GVSUthemed chip clips from Laker Traditions representatives. “These events are focused on trying to create a relationship between students and Grand Valley,” said Dan Ziegenfelder, president of Laker Traditions and vice president of student senate. “The whole idea is that they’re for meeting new friends and building a lively community.” Spotlight Productions will have sign-up sheets for any GVSU students who want to interview for coordinator positions within the organization or get involved and volunteer for the events that will be hosted this year. “We are always looking for students to either volunteer for Spotlight Productions or join our team for planning events,” Travis said. “As long as students get involved in some way, we have done our part. That’s the most important thing.” During Homecoming week this year, the organizations will be partnering to hold a game show night. The groups are aiming for more than 600 attendees. “Everyone is a team for events like these,” Ziegenfelder said. “Even if some members are part of different panels, we’ll be putting our full effort forward as a whole.”

™

There is no class on “life” for high school students and college students to prepare them for the real world. So, Kevin Spaans, an alumnus of Grand Valley State University, expanded his teaching beyond the classroom with a YouTube channel giving life advice to viewers. “There are a lot of things I think young people should know, but those things are not necessarily taught in school,” Spaans said. “There is either not enough time or school is not the right environment to learn such things.” Before graduating in 2013, Spaans spent his time at GVSU majoring in English for secondary education and minoring in history. He graduated from the Frederik Meijer Honors College in 2013. Currently, Spaans lives in Grand Rapids and commutes to Montabella Junior/Senior High School where he teaches English language arts and social studies. However, Spaans felt some information might be missing from the typical school curriculum. With the internet, he realized he could reach more people than just the students in his classes. In 2014, around the same time he started teaching, Spaans started a YouTube channel

with videos about life advice. The series, called “On Teens,” includes videos on various topics, including building self-confidence, speaking in public and being an adult. “Seeing people follow their passion and dreams and actually live up to their potential is the biggest thing that Kevin can possibly accomplish,” said Andrew Smith, the channel’s video producer. To encourage the success of others, Spaans switches from sitting in front of a class to sitting in front of a camera after work once every other week. With a white screen behind him, he typically talks about an idea based on a loose script. “I laugh at most of the jokes the first time,” Smith said. “The best part for me is to get to hear the humor in it.” As a result, Spaans and Smith may do a few different takes to get all of the material. Then, Smith edits the videos before they are posted every other Wednesday. For every subject, Spaans and Smith try to keep the value of learning alive by encouraging people to join the conversation with comments and questions. “Usually, we try not to have a completely onesided opinion,” Smith said. “We’re just saying, ‘These are some of our thoughts.’ So, go out, research and make your opinions.”

Furthermore, while anyone can watch the vlog, the target audience for many of the shows is young adults. “I hope that they watch the videos, hear me talk and realize another sensibility like theirs exists,” Spaans said. “There is somebody who understands life and sees it the way that they do.” Furthermore, whether in the classroom or online, Spaans can easily empathize with his audience. Smith said that Spaans is relatable because he is real, authentic and takes notice of teenagers’ interests. To connect with his students at school, Spaans spends much of his personal time cheering at extracurricular events, coaching sports teams and guiding field trips. On the internet, he uses stories, humor and advice to connect with viewers. Overall, although being a teacher and YouTuber are separate experiences, Spaans offers advice for every person. “Be aware: Try to notice what people do and why they do it,” Spaans said. “You can learn a lot about life and people if you just pay a little bit of attention.” Spaans and Smith hope to entertain and help people navigate life with the YouTube channel. In addition, Spaans can sustain his passion for connecting with others one class, or one video, at a time.

WE DELIVER! VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU GOING VIRTUAL: A still image of GVSU graduate Kevin Spaans’ YouTube channel, in which he gives life advice aimed at high school and college-aged students. COURTESY | KEVIN SPAANS ON YOUTUBE.COM

A6 | SPORTS QUICK HITS

AUGUST 31, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

FOOTBALL

GV ATHLETICS LAUNCHES ‘LAKER NATION’ MOBILE APP

Besides having the satisfaction of watching most of the Grand Valley State Athletics win on the field, court, track or in the pool, fans of the Laker sports may not get the recognition they deserve. That’s why GVSU Athletics developed and launched the GVSU “Laker Nation” mobile app, which records and rewards students and fans who regularly attend athletic events. GVSU Athletics partnered up with SuperFanU, the leading fan-loyalty and engagement company in college sports, in the development of the app. The application will award attendees of GVSU athletic events with “reward points” that can be used to redeem unique experiences throughout the 2017-18 season. When fans are at a Laker athletic event, they have the ability to “check in” on the app to keep track of their points throughout the year. Aside from the reward system, the app will provide an accessible guide to the athletic event schedule, game-day guides and promotional offers from GVSU athletic sponsors. Laker Nation is now running and currently available for free download in the Apple Store and Google Play.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RANKS NO. 1 IN PRESEASON POLL, MEN NO. 2

The Grand Valley State men’s and women’s cross country teams have been two of the most successful athletic programs in the school’s history. Both teams can add another accolade to their list of bragging rights as The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its preseason rankings where the women ranked No. 1 overall and the men ranked No. 2. The GVSU women are returning three runners from their championship meet with sophomore Stacey Metzger, senior Kelly Haubert and senior Rachel Bendewald. Metzger and Haubert both received AllAmerican honors. The women also totaled 199 points in the preseason poll and seven first-place votes. Adams State is second behind the Lakers with 193 points. The GVSU men’s team isn’t far behind the women, coming in second overall with 190 total votes. Ashland State took the first overall spot with 200 points and eight first-place votes. The men’s team will be in good hands as All-American recipients Zach Panning and senior Trevor Sharnas will be returning back for the Lakers this season. Both GVSU cross country teams will open their season Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Knight Invitational in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Grand Valley State football quarterback Bart Williams (right) prepares to snap the ball and hand it off to running back Marty Carter (left) against Truman State last season. The two GVSU veterans will have to take the majority of the offensive burden against Indianapolis Thursday, Aug. 31. GVL | EMILY FRYE

Preview: GV football opens season against Indianapolis BY BRADY MCATAMNEY

BMCATAMNEY@LANTHORN.COM

A

fter a disappointing playoff loss to longtime rival Ferris State last season, to say it was a long offseason for the Grand Valley State football team would be an understatement. But for the No. 2 ranked team in Division II

football, the wait to turn a fresh page on the gridiron is just about over. The Lakers are set to open their season on the road against non-conference opponent University of Indianapolis Greyhounds Thursday, Aug. 31, in Indianapolis. Nobody on GVSU’s current roster has faced the Greyhounds before, which is something head coach Matt

Mitchell is excited for his team to experience. “It’s fun,” Mitchell said. “I think competition against teams you haven’t played is always invigorating for both coaches and players.” The two teams have not met since the 2011 regular season when the Greyhounds edged out the Lakers 34-33, their first win over GVSU since 1999.

With the Greyhounds returning numerous starters from last season under the guidance of a brand new offensive coordinator, the retooled Laker defense figures to have its work cut out for them. “We have their 2016 tape, but we have no idea what they’re going to run,” Mitchell said. “In order for us to win, we have to be adaptable. They

do a good job of making you earn it because they’re going to be sound and over the top.” That being said, linebacker Collin Schlosser feels that despite the changes and uncertainty, the GVSU defense has set a game plan that’ll be ready for the unfamiliar Indianapolis offense. “Being a first game, SEE FOOTBALL | A7

SOCCER

GV CLUB BASEBALL, WRESTLING AND TENNIS ANNOUNCE TRYOUT DATES

As the school year finally gets underway, so do the opportunities to join the various club sports that Grand Valley State offers. The three major club sports (baseball, wrestling and tennis) have announced their tryout dates for the 2017-18 season. For more information, check out gvsuclubsports.com.

VARSITY SCHEDULE FOOTBALL Thursday 7:00 p.m. at Indianapolis WOMEN’S SOCCER Friday 4:00 p.m. at Columbus State VOLLEYBALL Friday 1:30 p.m. vs. Northwest Missouri State Friday 4:00 p.m. vs. Upper Iowa Saturday 12:00 p.m. vs. Missouri Western State Saturday 6:00 p.m. vs. Cedar Ville

STONE WALL: Grand Valley State women’s soccer goalkeeper Jennifer Steinaway lines up and prepares to punt the ball during the 2016 National Championship game last season. Steinaway accumulated an impressive 23-2-1 overall record as the Lakers goalkeeper, just one year after tearing her Achilles Tendon. GVL | EMILY FRYE

GV goalkeeper Jen Steinaway dominates in net, overcomes injury BY ARPAN LOBO SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

After missing her entire freshman season due to a torn Achilles Tendon in 2015, Grand Valley State University women’s soccer goalkeeper Jen Steinaway bounced back by accumulating an impressive 23-2-1 record in net. The Pinckney, Michigan, native made 26 total starts in 2016. After being redshirted from her injury in 2015, Steinaway would go on to play most of her redshirt sophomore season. Having

played just over 100 minutes over the course of her first two years with the Lakers, locking down the starting goalkeeper position also came with some learning experiences along the way. “Up until last year, I was kind of just a practice player,” Steinaway said. “(I was) learning the position as well as I could, but I didn’t get game experience. It was totally different.” Steinaway made her first collegiate start against California State, San Bernardino, last season. Using the experience from her time in net has

given Steinaway confidence as the Lakers get ready for their fourth season under head coach Jeff Hosler. “I learned from every game and every mistake by watching film to try and build and be the best player I could,” Steinaway said. “Now, leading up to this year, I feel like a completely different player. I’ve learned so much. Obviously, each team is different, but it helped getting that year under my belt so I could be prepared for this year.” The Lakers graduated several talented seniors after the 2016 season, including de-

fensive stalwart and current Grand Rapids Football Club player Clare Carlson. Adapting to a new backline is something that Steinaway has spent time on during the preseason. “We graduated a lot of good players and a lot of starters, but throughout the two weeks that we’ve been together, there have been a lot of players that have stepped up really well,” Steinaway said. “It’ll take time to get the chemistry that last year’s team had, but I think we’re on the right track.” Twelve incoming freshman joined the Laker pro-

gram for the 2017 season. Being able to gel with each other as teammates off the field is something that will help on it, Steinaway said. “I think just being together and building off each other’s energy really calms each other’s nerves,” Steinaway said. “We genuinely like to hang out with each other.” Steinaway will anchor a Lakers team that enters the season ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II Coaches’ Poll. The Lakers rank behind SEE SOCCER | A7

AUGUST 31, 2017 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SPORTS | A7

VOLLEYBALL

Jack-of-all-trades BY JAKE CARROLL JCARROLL@LANTHORN.COM

Whenever someone is making a custom player in a sports video game, there is always an attribute called “intangibles,” or an unmeasurable skill that can’t be measured on a stat sheet. If Grand Valley State volleyball player Kendall Yerkes were in a video game, her intangibles would rank among the best in her class. Yerkes has the skill set to do everything well on the court but doesn’t necessarily excel statistically in one cat-

egory. However, during her only season with GVSU, Yerkes led the team in digs and finished fourth in kills and fifth in total blocks. “I think for her to come in and lead the team that way is a huge bonus for us,” said Jason Johnson, associate head coach of the Laker volleyball team. “I think especially going into this season, it’s an even bigger positive knowing we have someone back who has been through it, understands it and can help with the success of the season, as well as helping to acclimate the younger players.” Yerkes is also one of two

players to start every game and play in all 108 sets throughout the season. Her versatile play style is one that warrants a high level of confidence from her coaching staff. Leading the team in digs with 345, she offers the defensive ability for GVSU to run its offense smoothly and without much worry. Per set, she averages 3.19 digs, statistically proving that nearly every time an opposing player spikes the ball, Yerkes is likely going to be there to save the point. Yerkes isn’t the type of player that other teams will form a game plan around,

GV volleyball’s Kendall Yerkes does it all

but she will still do some damage on the scoreboard. Offensively, she had 188 kills on the season, meaning she averaged about 1.74 kills per set. Not only was she able to lock down the defense, but she was able to notch some points as well. Yerkes also logged 5 doubledoubles (kills and digs) on the year, including four of her first five matches. When recruiting Yerkes, coach Deanne Scanlon and Johnson knew she would be used as a sort of utility player because of her “jack-of-alltrades” ability.

SILENT KILLER: Grand Valley State volleyball player Kendal Yerkes (2) jumps and sends the ball over the net against the Bulldogs of Ferris State Sept. 27, 2016. The sophomore is looking to continue the success she had during her freshman season at GVSU. GVL | KEVIN SIELAFF

During her sophomore year of high school, Yerkes was first shopping herself around to different universities. When she caught GVSU’s eye, both Yerkes and former teammate Maura Smith were invited to scrimmage with the team. “It was exciting, but I was very nervous,” Yerkes said. “Everyone has their eye on you, and you are scared to make mistakes. I knew, though, that I would fit in here.” Yerkes, after only one year, has not made an AllGLIAC team, nor did she receive any GLIAC accolades. Regardless of being the cog that makes the machine work, she is the one who receives the least amount of praise. Because she doesn’t get every dig or every kill, many do not notice how vital Yerkes’ contributions are to the Lakers. However, when asked about whether she thinks she received enough recognition for her efforts, she was grateful for what she has. “I think I get enough credit, especially from my teammates,” Yerkes said. “Being an outside, it’s more of a position that holds everyone together. Seeing that some of my teammates made (an All-GLIAC team), it should

be a reachable goal for me if I just keep working.” On the court, Yerkes appears to be in the zone constantly. She always seems focused and completely engaged in the game. Off the court, Yerkes is reportedly a different story. “Off the court, she’s kind of loud,” said Katie Randolph, a former club-team teammate said. “She is definitely fun and silly and fun-loving, but on the court she doesn’t get too crazy.” Randolph also spoke to how well-composed Yerkes is. “She was always someone who I could trust to give the ball to, someone I knew who knew what to do with it, even in tough, high-pressure situations,” Randolph said. Yerkes’ mental toughness should be able to push her game to the next level. The sophomore slump is not a myth, however. Players are not always guaranteed to improve just because they are a year older. Yerkes has shown she is able to improve enough every year to get to this point, and now she just needs to stay the course. GVSU women’s volleyball found a gem with Yerkes, a player who can do it all.

M. GOLF

GV men’s golf veterans bring positive outlook for season BY D’ANGELO STARKS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

This past spring, Grand Valley State’s 2016-17 men’s golf team finished in fifth place in the NCAA Super Regional, just one spot shy from qualifying for nationals. Luckily for the Lakers, the team only lost one senior to graduation leading up to this season. With an experienced core still intact, the Lakers look to move on from last year’s close call with one goal in mind: a trip to nationals. Coach Gary Bissell said one of the main strengths of this team is their overall experience. “This is the first year where we are actually older,” Bissell said. “We had been playing freshmen and sophomores for the past couple years. That’ll bode well for them, especially when it becomes championship time.” The advantage of having players with a lot of experience is the boost in leadership that it gives the team. Bissell listed his veteran golfers Domenic Mancinelli, Alex Scott and

FOOTBALL CONTINUED FROM A6

it’s challenging going into a new season because teams are going to change things up,” Schlosser said. “We don’t know what to expect, but based on the film and on their scheme, whatever they do, they’re going to do it well. They’re going to be in the right position at the right time, and we can count on that from them. They seem to like heavierset personnel, at least from last year with tight ends and whatnot. We’ll probably see a fair amount of that.” Additionally, all of the new looks in the Laker defense can feasibly throw a similar wrench into the Greyhounds offense, as the Lakers graduated multiple key members of the defense last season. “The film that they watched last year, there’s a lot of guys that they didn’t see on last year’s film that they’ll see on Thursday,” Schlosser said. “They’re probably feeling the same anxiety that we’re feeling right now.” While UIndy may trot out a capable offense, few schools in all of Division II are returning the amount of weapons and production that the Laker offense enters games loaded with. Laker veterans such as

Mitchell White as the three people he looks at as the extensions of the coaching staff. “Domenic and Mitchell are more vocal guys, and they are great at inspiring other guys to want to work harder and practice more,” Bissell said. “They are the glue guys on this team. Alex Scott is a true leader by example; he just does everything right. These guys do a really great job of being extensions of the coaching staff and keeping our guys together.” The most valuable lesson Bissell believes the team learned from their close loss is that every round is crucial to success. “We were doing really well on day two, but we just absolutely gassed it on the last four holes,” he said. “We want to be the leaders. We don’t want to have to make a comeback.” The Lakers had four players who were selected to the allconference team last year. “We want all of our guys to want to be an all-conference player,” Bissell said. “I’m hoping we can have five make the all-conference team this year. If we can have all five of our quarterback Bart Williams, running back Marty Carter, wide receiver Brandon Bean and tight end Nick Keizer plan to leave their mark on the matchup in one way or another. Despite not having tested their firepower against anyone but their own defense in offseason practice, GVSU is eager to see exactly how much they are capable of. “You can’t get a completely accurate representation against your own defense, so I think it’s just exciting to see what we’re putting into it,” Williams said. “There’s a lot of preparation, and it sounds exciting to get that first one to take that hard work and training and put it into a game.” The Laker offense may be in for a bit more than they bargained for in this opening game, as the team has yet to have solid options within the special teams unit emerge to take over the starting kicker job left vacant by the newly graduated Joel Schipper. With that kind of doubt plaguing a chunk of the team, it could be up to Williams and the rest of the offensive unit to pick up the slack. “I’m not really sure how coach Mitch is feeling about it, but if he calls on us to get a first down (on fourth down), we’re going to try to stay out there

top five make the all-conference team, that would be a pretty impressive feat.” Mancinelli was last year’s team leader in average score. He believes this team is primed to win this year. “We all worked hard this summer (and) grinded during summer tournaments,” Mancinelli said. “Coming close was (a) good experience for our team. It taught us what we need to do to make it to nationals. We have experience going into super regionals, and we can win a national championship. Now we know what we need to do to make it, and it’s on us to be getting better each day.” Scott had a strong summer after winning the Kent County Amateur Tournament and the GAM Championship. “The summer really built a lot of confidence for me, and that confidence helps going into the season,” Scott said. Scott knows that since he is one of the more experienced players on the team, it is one of his jobs to teach the younger players what it takes to win. “We have three freshmen with some good talent, as many downs as we can,” Williams said. “We have guys mature enough to go out there and not throw out blame. Any time the offense is out there, we expect to succeed.” The season will officially begin once the two teams kick off at 7 p.m. from Key Stadium in Indianapolis. The game will also be available for streaming on ESPN3, or fans can pile into Lubbers Stadium on the Allendale Campus for a free watch party sponsored by GVSU Athletics.

HOPEFUL: Grand Valley State men’s golf head coach Gary Bissell (right) instructs Domenic Mancinelli (right) on putting strategies and approaches at Meadoes Golf Course in Allendale. GVL | KEVIN SIELAFF

and for me it’s about helping them put that talent in the right place and knowing how to use it,” Scott said. The team has had a chance to see what it’s like to come close to a championship, and

SOCCER CONTINUED FROM A6

the team that beat them in the National Championship game last season, Western Washington. Despite the lofty ranking, Steinaway thinks that the team’s focus isn’t too far ahead. “Obviously, the National Championship is on our radar, but for right now, I think it’s one game at a time,” Steinaway said. “It’s definitely a motivator and gets us going, but for right now, it’s one game at a time.” That attitude has helped

they now have the experience and the hunger to try to capture a national championship. “We have the talent to contend for a national championship, show everyone that we are there for a the team and particularly Steinaway’s fellow goalkeepers in camp. Despite returning as the starting keeper, she knows that competition will be fierce throughout the season. “There’s going to be four of us competing for that spot,” Steinaway said. “Someone could be named the starter, but absolutely the three others are pushing that person to possibly take their spot.” Steinaway added that while she did start every game last year, she split time with Paige Pryson, another goalkeeper

reason and really make ourselves a name,” Scott said. The Lakers open the season Saturday, Sept. 9, versus Saginaw Valley State in the Al Watrous Invitational.

who is entering her senior year. The competition in preseason has made Steinaway and her teammates ready to get back on the field. “We’re all fit, and we’re all ready to go,” Steinaway said. “It makes our job easier going into the next weeks so we don’t have to catch up.” Steinaway and the Lakers open their season in Louisville, Kentucky, with a heavyweight matchup against No. 3 Columbus State Friday, Sept. 1, followed by a contest against Bellarmine.

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A8 | SPORTS CLUB SAILING

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GV club sailor Nicholas Smart earns National All-Academic Team nod BY ROBBIE TRIANO SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Whether it’s having the winningest football program in all of college football, claiming three of the last four women’s soccer national championships, or capturing four straight NACDA Director’s Cup trophies, Grand Valley State Athletics are highly regarded throughout the nation. But there’s one GVSU sports program whose recognition is seemingly found in unchartered waters: the Grand Valley State co-ed club sailing team. One Laker sailor who earned recognition for his contributions as a member of the sailing team is senior Nicholas Smart, who was rewarded with a spot on the 2016-17 Collegiate Sailing All-Academic National Team. The Collegiate Sailing AllAcademic National Team recognizes collegiate sailors who have achieved excellence in national and inter-conference competition and who have excelled at the highest academic level. Smart, a criminal justice major, checked both of those categories to earn the nod. Originally, Smart came to GVSU with the intention of playing for the baseball team during the duration of his college career. But in the fall of 2014, Smart discovered the GVSU sailing team. Luckily, Smart’s transformation from the land to the

water was smoother than most incoming sailors, as he is no stranger to the sport. After growing up surrounded by Michigan lakes and sailboats for a majority of his life, Smart accumulated around nine years of sailing experience before stepping onto the GVSU campus. “It was always just something that was always around me growing up,” Smart said. “Baseball was something I was good at, but the idea of sailing always drew me in.” The sailing team’s practice facility is located at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club, right next to Lake Macatawa near the city of Holland, Michigan. The program officially started in the spring of 2014 and currently has 17 members. The boats typically sailed by the team are commonly known as 420s, a two-person vessel with two sets of different sails: the mainsail and the jib. One person is in charge of steering the boat and controlling the mainsail (the skipper), and the other balances the weight of the boat, controls the jib sail and is the watchdog for the skipper (the crew). The tandem of Smart; a crew; and his skipper, Elliot Lee, has been GVSU’s most consistent and successful boat in the program’s brief four-year history. Lee has been grateful to be paired together with Smart. “It’s great to have Nick as a crew, almost as great as

having (him) as vice commodore (of GVSU club sailing),” Lee said. “He’s a natural athlete and improves every time he hits the water. Plus, he’s always juiced to go sailing all the time, and you need a guy like that around.” Over the course of their three-year collegiate sailing careers, the duo has competed together in regattas in New York, Chicago, Wisconsin and multiple other Midwest colleges. Smart said Lee was one of the best sailors he has competed with throughout the course of his sailing career. “With my athletic ability and his smarts as the skipper, we’ve really created a great duo,” Smart said. “(Lee) has a lot of respect in the sailing community, so it’s easy to learn from someone like that. He takes command of the boat, while allowing me to do my own thing as the crew.” As both Lee’s and Smart’s collegiate careers enter the final stage, both students have one major takeaway about their time with GVSU’s sailing program: the people they’ve met. “Whether its Grand Valley sailors or others I’ve met during regattas, the relationships I’ve (made) along the way have made this journey all worth it,” Smart said. “This season, we have been going full force at Macatawa Bay. We’re really hoping to go far in the standings because it’s time to put GV in the national spotlight.”

KINGS AT SEA: Grand Valley State club sailors and teammates Elliot Lee (left) and Nicholas Smart (right) are all smiles at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club. COURTESY | GRAND VALLEY CLUB SAILING TEAM

SWITCHING SIDES: Former Cleveland Cavalier guard Kyrie Irving (left) dribbles past Isaiah Thomas, one of the players who was traded to the Cavs in the NBA’s biggest trade this summer. COURTESY | TIMES UNION

Column: Breaking down the blockbuster Kyrie Irving trade BY LOUIS RICARD AND ROBBIE TRIANO SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Whether you’ve been paying attention to it or not, the National Basketball League (NBA), as it is right now, has never been more popular (or exciting). A major contributing factor has been this summer’s offseason of blockbuster trades and franchise-altering freeagency signings that have an equivalent amount of drama as an episode of Game of Thrones. The latest trade that had fans of the NBA dropping their jaws involved Cleveland Cavalier superstar Kyrie Irving going to last season’s No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics. The Celtics major trade piece was Isaiah Thomas, a 5-foot-9-inch All-Star point guard standing who just had the best season of his career. Irving was the second-best player on the Cleveland Cavaliers, behind Lebron James, and just came off a thirdstraight trip to the NBA finals this past season. On the other hand, Thomas became a crowd favorite this year in Boston while leading the storied franchise back to the Eastern Conference Finals. So, when the news broke out Tuesday, Aug. 22, that Irving was headed to Boston in ex-

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Rookie of the Year award making him a franchise player at only 25 years old. In terms of skill, Irving’s ball handling is among the top three in the NBA, and his range offensively allows him to score easily from outside and inside the three-point line. But if you dissect the trade closely, both teams gain exactly what they need to get better. Lebron James was very vocal to acquire a playmaker and a stronger bench all of last season, and he gets both Thomas as his playmaker and the other two as added depth. Having a better distributor and scorer in Thomas will help facilitate the game for Lebron and the rest of the Cavaliers. However, Thomas burdens Cleveland in one aspect: defense. His small stature makes it easy for opponents to shoot over or dribble past him, leaving the rest of the team to pick up Thomas’ slack. So in terms of quantity, it may seem like Boston gave a lot to acquire Irving. However, there is no doubt they received the best overall player from the deal. His quickness, strength and agility gives him an edge on any players in this league. If you thought the NBA offseason was crazy, just wait until the Celtics and the Cavaliers face off on the first game of the NBA season Tuesday, Oct. 17, in Cleveland.

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change for Thomas, small forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and Brooklyn’s 2018 unprotected firstround draft pick, I thought fake news had made its way onto my Twitter feed. Don’t get me wrong. Irving’s trade is no surprise, as the former Cavaliers point guard had made it known to the organization (and the media) that he wanted out when the season came to a close. The real surprise came from the Celtics, as Boston was never linked to any of the teams interested in acquiring Irving. After Boston signed All-Star Gordon Hayward, the team appeared to be in great shape for the upcoming season. In order to understand why the Cavaliers shipped one of their brightest stars, here’s some background to the whole situation. According to multiple reports from both sides of the trade, Kyrie Irving stated that he’s always wanted to lead a team, not play a supporting role. He did not know about Lebron James’ return until after signing the five-year max contract. Had he known, I believe he may have tried to find another deal elsewhere. Irving is part of a pointguard generation that has revolutionized the game. In terms of accolades, Irving already has a ring under his belt, multiple All-Star selections and a

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Did you know that in the last 15 years GVSU has decreased usage of electric, gas, and water? In the past fifteen years: electric usage has dropped 29.8%, gas usage has dropped 34.3%, and water usage has dropped 44.6%. If you have any heating, cooling, or water concerns please contact Facilities Services at www.gvsu.edu /facilitiesservices/. If you are interested in learning more about GVSU's strategic plan https://www.gvsu.edu /accountability/.