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Unveiling culture GV Muslim Student Association hosts second annual event BY LUCAS ESCALADA LESCALADA@LANTHORN.COM
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GV HOSTS ROBOTICS COMPETITION FOR LOCAL STUDENTS
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| EMILY FRYE
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ALUMNUS DISPLAYS PHOTOS FROM SYRIAN CRISIS
he Muslim Student Association handed out 100 Laker blue hijabs for the second annual “Wear a Hijab Day” on Thursday, March 19. Students who participated were encouraged to wear the scarf all day in order to see how others react to it. Besides wearing the hijab throughout the day, students were encouraged to attend an event at the Mary Idema Pew Library where they could discuss their experiences with other students. Members of the MSA also presented some historical information related to religious and non-religious headwear. Nargilya Gasanova, a GVSU graduate and ex-member of the MSA, led the discussion. She enticed discussion by providing cultural and religious background that encouraged discussion amongst audience members. Students who participated in wearing a hijab said it increased the amount of attention they received. A woman in the audience said most people tried to be sneaky while looking at her, but she definitely noticed she was getting more attention than before. Another audience member said he did not receive more stares than usual. He said he usually receives looks because of being African American, so wearing the hijab did not increase the attention others gave him. While most of the discussion centered around attention, other audience members saw some benefits to wear-
CULTURAL SUPPORT: GVSU alumna Nargilya Gasanova speaks at the
second annual “Wear a Hijab Day” during Islamic Awareness Week.
ing a hijab. Jenna Williams said the hijab made her feel different about her appearance – hair was no longer covering her face and it felt like she was fully exposing her features. Gasanova, who doesn’t wear a hijab every day, said the hijab can help women feel more beautiful. “As you cover your physical features, the accent, the focus stays on you,” Gasanova said. “On your character, on your words, on your actions, on your smile, and your eye contact and your habits and your kindness.” Amina Mohamed, a member of the MSA, agreed that a hijab can help accentuate a woman’s beauty, but she wanted to make it clear that this doesn’t mean that women who don’t wear a hijab aren’t beautiful. Growing up, Mohamed said she decided to wear a hijab because she wanted to imitate her mother. She would mimic her mother’s dress, so the hijab was just another piece of the puzzle. “To me, it wasn’t as much of a challenge just because the whole idea of covering my body was already something that I had built into my attire because my mom dressed like that,” Mohamed said. Objectification of men and women was also at the center of the discussion. Gasanova contrasted the objectifying images of half-naked men and women found in advertising with the idea of a hijab being constricting. Williams agreed that it was an interesting comparison. Wearing the SEE HIJAB ON A2
Haas hosts virtual office hours for public BY DREW HOWARD ASSISTANTNEWS@LANTHORN.COM
of his job will be supporting successful businesses and small businesses, both in Michigan and the statewide economy. “The typical day could involve meeting with other SBDC team members and small businesses and it could definitely involve working with other elements of Grand Valley, like outreach centers or with students,” Brophy said. “There’s a number of students that work as part of the marketing and research element of the SBDC.” Despite being busy and having a hectic schedule, Brophy is excited for this opportunity. “This is one of the top organizations in the nation,” he said. “The prior director built a tremendous organization, and I’m very excited about its role within the Seidman College of Business and the impact the organization has
tudents, faculty and staff were given the opportunity to talk with Grand Valley State University President Thomas J. Haas during his virtual office hours on Thursday, March 19. During the 90 minutes provided, Haas was questioned on a variety of topics, including sustainable land use, university athletics, environmental studies and the future of GVSU, among other issues. In response to a question concerning GVSU’s potential Division I status, Haas explained that it’s in a student’s best interest to stay in Division II. “Division II is the right place for us to be because of the proper balance between academics and athletics,” Haas said. “Being in Division II also helps hold down your tuition cost.” Another community member took the chance to question Haas about what steps GVSU is taking to reduce sexual assault on campus. “Preventing sexual assault is everyone’s responsibility, and we have invested significant resources in education, training and support programs,” he said. “Please join us by encouraging your peers to become educated and be active bystanders. GVSU continues to be ranked as one of the nation’s safest college campuses.” On a more personal note, Haas
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| KEVIN SIELAFF
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STRENGTHENING: Keith Brophy, business leader and entrepreneur, will take over for Carol Lopucki as the new executive director of the Michi-
gan Small Business Development Center. Brophy began his position on March 13, and he will continue to advocate for small businesses.
Michigan SBDC names new executive director Brophy aims to support businesses, grow economy BY ALYSSA RETTELLE ARETTELLE@LANTHORN.COM
eith Brophy, a local business leader and entrepreneur, has been named state executive director of the Michigan Small Business Development Center (MI-SBDC). However, Brophy is not new to the center; he has served on the advisory board for many years and launched his first business, Sagestone Consulting, with assistance from the SBDC. In this position, Brophy will provide leadership to the statewide MI-SBDC network, which consists of 11 different regions that span the entire state. Each office consists of over 100 team members and their mission is to work with high potential small businesses to help them succeed and to have a high impact on Michigan’s economy.
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“Grand Valley’s SBDC center is located in the Seidman College of Business, and it’s unique and very significant for two reasons,” Brophy said. “Grand Valley hosts the state headquarters that provides leadership across all networks and, additionally, Grand Valley hosts the West Michigan region. The businesses of West Michigan intersect directly with the SBDC and Grand Valley.” Brophy’s first day on the job was Friday, March 13 – although he’s already being kept busy. “I came in and spoke with team members,” he said. ” On Saturday, I was in Washington, D.C. and had meetings all the way into Monday and Tuesday. Those meetings were with other SBDC directors from other states across the nation and sharing practices, and then also meeting with elected officials with our Michigan senators and representatives to provide the economic impact statements of the MI-SBDC.” Though his days will vary, the constant
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