Issue 23, February 3, 2020 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N

Between the Yardlines GV alum supports communities on, off field

Football offensive coordinator suspended, resigns over comments CAMPUS | A2

Mantella hosts first Presidents’ Ball CELEBRATION | A5

M O N D A Y, F E B R U A RY 3 , 2 02 0 // VO L . 5 4 N O. 2 3

@ GV L A N T H O R N

LANTHORN.COM

A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS COLLEGE JOURNALISM GRANT AWARD FOR GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN READERS

A $1000 grant is being offered to a current student to cover the costs of an on-campus journalism project.

Applicants do not need to be journalism majors, but do need to have a strong passion for journalism, said Dror Liebenthal, leader of bold.org, a student scholarship platform.

Liebenthal continued to say that college newspapers are a staple of the journalism community and emphasized the importance of the scholarship.

“College newspapers are thriving, with a stronger impact than ever on student bodies; they educate students and spark conversation among them,” Liebenthal said. “Students are a particularly critical segment of our population because they have their entire lives as engaged citizens ahead of them.”

The requirements for the grant are the following: Applicants must be current students enrolled in any accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program at a 4-year, 2-year, vocational, or technical institution in the US. Applicants do not need to be journalism majors, but do need to have a strong passion for journalism.

CORONAVIRUS SPREADS THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE

Word of the newest virus has spread across the world very quickly. The Wuhan coronavirus has claimed the lives of at least 305 people total, and has been confirmed in more than 25 countries and territories. In response to the virus, the United States placed travel restrictions on Sunday evening.

According to many experts, although the coronavirus is new, it is not as deadly as it seems. They say that due to its novelty, we have yet to develop a way for our immune systems to fight against it.

However, shockingly, experts say that the influenza virus, or the flu, is actually more deadly, especially this time of the year.

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CAMPUS

Football offensive coordinator suspended, resigns over comments

BY NICK MORAN EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s recently-hired offensive coordinator Morris Berger was suspended Jan. 27 over comments about wanting to dine with historical figures such as Adolf Hitler, President John F. Kennedy and Christopher Columbus. Following a four-day investigation, GVSU and Berger jointly announced his resignation Jan. 30, which was followed by a campus-wide email updating the community on the situation.

With Berger’s suspension came national attention towards the university, with national outlets like The Washington Post, ESPN and CNN covering the story.

Berger, who had come to GVSU after serving as Texas State’s tight end coach, made his first comment following the suspension in a university press release announcing his resignation.

“Over the last 11 years I have taken great pride in the responsibility and privilege of being a teacher, coach, mentor, and a valued member of the community,” Berger said. “I was excited and proud to be at Grand Valley, and am disappointed that I will not get the opportunity to help these players in 2020.

However, I do not want to be a distraction to these kids, this great university, or Coach Mitchell as they begin preparations for the upcoming season.”

Shortly after the announcement, Berger posted an open letter on Twitter where he said he “failed to uphold (a) responsibility” to the GVSU community. In the apology, he expressed regret over his comment, saying there was “no justifiable excuse” for his actions “It is my hope that you will consider accepting my apology,” Berger wrote. “I recognize that I cannot undo the hurt and embarrassment that I have caused.”

Football head coach Matt Mitchell was also one to respond to the situation, saying he accepted Berger’s decision to resign and noting it would provide an opportunity for the team to move on and look toward the future.

“Nothing in our background and reference checks revealed anything that would have suggested the unfortunate controversy that has unfolded,” Mitchell said. “This has been a difficult time for everyone. I accepted Coach Berger’s resignation in an effort for him to move on and for us to focus on the team and our 2020 season.”

Following the announcement were two campus-wide emails; the first of which announced Berger’s resignation to the campus community. GVSU President Philomena Mantella explained process of and need for an investigation into Berger’s comments before stating that the university must be a model for dealing with societal issues.

“I understand that our community, as am I, is deeply concerned about this situation and its implications for our university...,”

Mantella wrote in the first email. “We acted expeditiously and responsibly by suspending Mr. Berger and requesting the Office of Human Resources commence an investigation into this matter. Although we received wide-ranging views on the appropriate action, we isolated the issues, affording a reasoned, principled process, which is what we owe all members of our community. Now we can move forward.”

In the second email, which came a day later on Jan. 31, Mantella focused on the first day of “the healing process,” which focused on reassuring inclusion for all students on campus. In addressing this, Mantella announced initiatives that will be held by GVSU to educate the community on a range of difficult conversations including the Holocaust, the impact of colonization on the Native American community and more.

“I know we have been impacted by the deplorable comments we read this week, particularly our Jewish, Native American and other impacted communities,” Mantella wrote in the second email. “What impacts some, ultimately impacts us all. My hope is that we can use the events of the week to open conversations that will provide an opportunity for learning, reflection and a deepened understanding. Grand Valley’s liberal education mission will guide our way forward.”

Mantella also provided resources for students, staff and faculty who may have been affected by the comments, such as the University Counseling Center, the Human Resources Office (for faculty), Campus Interfaith Resources and the Division for Inclusion and Equity.

TRUMP IMPEACHMENT TRIAL CONTINUES

Although President Donald Trump has already been impeached, he still remains in office pending a trial in the Senate.

The trial is to determine whether or not Trump will be removed from office.

If he his acquitted of his accusations, he will be able to stay in office and run for re-election in 2020. If he gets removed from office, Trump can still run in the 2020 election if the Senate grants him that right.

The senate will vote on the two articles of impeachment on Wednesday, Feb. 5. If Trump wins the vote, he will be the first president to get impeached but stay in office.

MOVING ON: After an investigation on Berger’s controversial comments during a Lanthorn interview, Berger resigned and apologized via Twitter and a university press release. COURTESY | YOUTUBE

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS CAMPUS

| A2

EDITORIAL

| A4

CELEBRATION

| A5

BOB DYLAN

| A7

LAKER EFFECT

| A8-9

ART EXHIBIT

| A10

LACROSSE

| A12

W. BASKETBALL

| A13

BASKETBALL

| A16

VOL. 5 4

NO. 23

Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF

Layout Editor VIVIANA RUBIO

Editor-in-Chief NICK MORAN Associate Editor AMY MCNEEL

Layout Designer KHOI TRAN PROMOTIONS

Associate Editor BRIANNE KERR News Editor SEAN CAUVET Sports Editor KELLEN VOSS Laker Life Editor YSABELA GOLDEN

Promotions Manager ALEX DAGASTINO ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager JESSE BECKER BUSINESS STAFF

A&E Editor MARY RACETTE Image Editor BENJAMIN HUNT

A3 | NEWS MEDIA

Grand Valley Lanthorn celebrates 100th newsstand milestone

BY AMY MCNEEL ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley Lanthorn, Grand Valley State University’s student newspaper, officially instated its 100th newsstand during an event held in its office. The newsstand will be installed this February by the commuter lots behind the Standale Fire Station in Walker, Michigan. This fills in the Lanthorn’s reach, which is as far West as Allendale’s Family Fare to GVSU’s health campus in Grand Rapids.

The Lanthorn held an event to honor the occasion, with representatives from GVSU, Allendale and Walker in attendance. Former Lanthorn adviser of 28 years Larry Beery said at the event that the newsstand represents an expansion of GVSU, with its presence reflecting GVSU’s growth.

“The University used to just be here, with the Great Lakes and buildings in Allendale,” Beery said. “The Lanthorn has growth with the University.”

In attendance at the ribbon cutting was GVSU President Philomena Mantella, who mentioned her support of not just the print product of the newspaper, but also the multimedia product as a whole.

“I’m pleased to see distribution and print is being maintained,” Mantella said. “It’s great to support the independence, the ethics and the quality of this newspaper.”

The additional newsstand will serve more than just readers. While students who commute or take the bus may especially benefit,

Business Manager RACHEL RUTGERS

HARD CUT: Grand Valley State University President Philomena Mantella and other university officials celerate the 100th newsstand with Nick Moran, Lanthorn editor-in-chief. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

advertisers will as well.

“Advertisers want a larger audience, so we are growing to support their commitment to reaching our readers,” said Advertising Manager Jesse Becker. “We want to offer advertisers better print and online delivery of their ad message, and increasing our number of locations will help accomplish this for them. Plus, this newsstand has a poster placement opportunity which is highly visible for ads.”

Editor-in-Chief Nick Moran said the expansion represents more than increased print coverage. This school year, the Lanthorn has released a podcast series, a new website, a new GOVERNMENT

Student Senate discusses supporting Lanthorn, passes voter resolution

Asst. Business Manager NEHEMIAH HUDGINS-LOPEZ

LUCAS SWARTZENDRUBER LSWARTZENDRUBER@LANTHORN.COM

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

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published weekly by Grand Valley State University students 31 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

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

look to its newspaper and will be releasing an app this month. All the changes being made are focused on creating a wider reach for Lanthorn readers.

“I think that this has come at a point in our history that we’re expanding to a multimedia platform and so this is just one step out of very many that we’re taking to reach our audience no matter who it may be,” Moran said. “This gives us the chance to really showcase the hard-hitting journalism that we do at an even broader level — maybe at this one newsstand, but it also is reflected on our website, soon to be our app and our podcast.

CENTER OF ATTENTION: At their meeting on Thursday, Student Senate met to discuss a statement for the Lanthorn. GVL | KATHERINE VASILE

Amidst the resignation of Morris Berger as Grand Valley State University football’s offensive coordinator, Student Senate debated whether to issue a public statement during their Jan. 30 meeting. This statement would have expressed the senate’s support for the Lanthorn against censorship.

“I think this was a good conversation in that senators are, of course, supportive of the Lanthorn, regardless of how they choose to cover Student Senate,” Student Senate President Eric-John Szczepaniak said.

Szczepaniak said Student Senate is responsible for funding the Lanthorn through the Student Life Fund. The organization’s finance chair prepares the publication’s budgeted and actual expenses, and Student Senate debates how much money to allocate toward the Lanthorn’s needs for the next fiscal year.

Lanthorn reporters cover Student Senate activities. Local stories range from the passage of resolutions such as W-19-01 to the body’s reinstatement of the Pledge of Allegiance. After all, Szczepaniak said it is important for Stu-

dent Senate to earn students’ trust and respect.

Lanthorn sports editor Kellen Voss, who interviewed Berger, addressed Student Senate during public comment. He thanked senators Max Vasquez and Kelly Dowker for reaching out to Lanthorn editor-in-chief Nick Moran and him on the matter. Voss said The Lanthorn fully supports the Student Senate, regardless of the outcome for voting on the public statement.

Szczepaniak said it is worthwhile to have constructive dialogue in Student Senate since it goes beyond how senators vote. He emphasized that the body wants to hear the senators’ thoughts on matters being considered.

Senator Alex Hicks explained the proposed statement of support does not reference recent events around the Berger interview’s initial removal and later reinstatement.

Additionally, she mentioned senators are not allowed to serve on the Lanthorn. In the process, Hicks said the Lanthorn should not have to ask for Student Senate’s support.

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

A4 | OPINION

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

By Athena Jasman

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

EDITORIAL

Inside the Newsroom: Reporting on the Morris Berger story

I

02/03/20

editorial@lanthorn.com

I think I just let a man destroy my brand

BY EMILY EATON SENIOR POLITICAL SCIENCE EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I felt it was appropriate to announce that I have managed to betray my own way of life by a happy little accident.

By accident, I mean I agreed to a Tinder date after months of bashing the website to my friends, and to the

entire university via my column. By happy, I mean I actually found a guy that adds to my happiness, as much as even typing that sentence makes me shutter.

You think I would’ve turned down the date with him considering that the week prior, my then-date drove in an oval around the same Michigan U-turns three times. But alas, I dragged myself out the door for another date.

It’s been months and I’m still waiting for him to bail, but there haven’t been any glaring red flags. He’s still showing up with ice cream if I so much as complain about class. My life is pretty easy, and one small inconvenience in mine accounts for a grand gesture for me in his.

Before him, I was the girl who bashed the guys I encountered. It’s been my brand. I felt it to be my civic duty to write about it, to warn everyone else of the dating atrocities I had witnessed. But he’s turned me weak.

He asked me to be his girlfriend after two weeks of dating, and, still holding onto my brand, I said it was too soon. Then he put a sticky note in one of my sweatshirts saying how much he liked me. A week later, I asked him instead. I had officially gone soft.

Despite this new relationship, I’m still well aware of his college-boy flaws. His biggest one lies in his (and every other guys’) obsession with Marvel. His deeply-devoted loyalty and love for Captain America far exceeds how he could ever feel about me. He also eats chicken tenders for breakfast. I almost broke up with a guy last year for not eating breakfast food, but that guy never wrote anything to me on a sticky note.

The absolute worst thing about finding him when I did is that we started dating right when all my friends decided to be single.

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

Who is really leading the witch hunt?

BY XAVIER GOLDEN SOPHOMORE ART EDUCATION EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

The President has been using the phrase “it’s a witch hunt” for a while now. He is, of course, referring to the genuinely legitimate investigations

into his unethical and potentially criminal activities. He is also unknowingly making a mildly profound observation.

You know how he does that sometimes, right? Like, when he said if he shot a man in the street, his supporters would still vote for him. I’m sure he didn’t actually mean that he was planning to abuse his power as the President of the United States, get caught and then retain the support of his cultish following; but he did abuse his power, he did get caught and he still has people screaming his name at his rallies.

Do you remember the time when he was accusing Obama of trying to start a war with Iran to swing an election, and then he did that same exact thing eight years later? As the saying

goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

This is all to say that I feel like his incessant use of the phrase “witch hunt” to describe the behavior of liberals is one of his accidental, mildly profound observations.

I am a leftist. One of those leftists that says “eat the rich” and has an intense distrust of law enforcement institutions. But I do also believe that a lot of liberals — on Twitter, in the election booths, and at school — are acting very similarly to one of those European mobs with the pitchforks and the torches and the yelling. They are, not infrequently, engaging in witch hunts.

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

t’s been a wild week for the Lanthorn. With Student Press Freedom Day recently behind us, we want to reflect and provide insight into what has been going on inside and outside of our newsroom over the past week.

What was originally a straightforward article getting to know Grand Valley State University football’s new offensive coordinator has become an international story, attracting attention from viewers far beyond our west Michigan community.

On Thursday, Jan. 23, the Lanthorn published an interview with newly hired GVSU football offensive coordinator Berger in a Q&A format. This format is consistent with how we have introduced other key figures entering or leaving the GVSU community in the past. The last story ran in a Q&A format was president emeritus Thomas Haas’ final interview with the Lanthorn.

We published the interview in full, including a part at the end where Coach Berger expressed his admiration for the leadership skills of Adolf Hitler, the German dictator responsible for the World War II genocide of some six million European Jews.

The story remained up in its original form until a representative from GVSU

Athletics called our sports editor on Saturday and requested that Berger’s final response be removed from the online piece.

When confronted by a university official in a position of influence, the “student” portion of “student journalist” kicked in first. In a lapse of journalistic vision, we removed the portion in question. We quickly realized that was a mistake.

We began an internal conversation about whether the final section of the interview should be reinstated. With our duty to the community in mind and journalistic ethics to guide us, we came to the decision that Berger’s comments were undeniably newsworthy to our readership, and we made the decision to revert the piece to its original state on Sunday, Jan. 26. We notified the Athletic Department of this revision immediately.

This decision was not made lightly. We decided not to bend to institutional censorship which would have effectively cast the Lanthorn as a branch of the Athletic Department’s public relations rather than an independent outlet of student journalists.

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

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 and columnist opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity.

The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by—nor do they necessarily represent those of—the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff.

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

Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits.

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

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

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A5 | NEWS

CELEBRATION

Mantella hosts first Presidents’ Ball

BY AUTUMN BABAS LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

In January 2019, the temperature hit record lows, with wind chills reaching fifty degrees below zero. Blizzards shut down Grand Valley State University for one entire school week, resulting in the cancellation of last year’s Presidents’ Ball, leaving thousands of students disappointed.

“I was named president of Grand Valley just before the Presidents’ Ball got cancelled because of the weather,” said President Philomena Mantella. “I know how disappointing that was to everybody, so I hope this year has kind of a special purpose because not only are we keeping it in a time of change, but because people have missed it.”

GVSU holds the Presidents’ Ball every year, hosted by the presidents of the university, the Student Senate and the Campus Activities Board. The event begins with a banquet where Faculty Awards are presented, followed by the ball itself, where students come together to celebrate the university and dance the night away.

As this is Mantella’s first year at the university, this January marked her introduction to hosting the Ball.

“We’ve been having a good time planning with her and catching her up on how this tradition goes,” said Jess Fillmore, President of Campus Activities Board and Director of Presidents’ Ball. “This is one of the biggest social events she has been able to go to, so she is really excited to get to talk to everyone and get a feel for this tradition that’s held closely to the hearts of a lot of students and faculty.”

Mantella continued the existing traditions of the Presidents’ Ball, but she did add a few extra touches of her own.

“The Presidents’ Ball is a very successful event,” Mantella said. “It’s become a signature of Grand Valley, so we don’t want to depart too far from that history and legacy.”

But unlike GVSU presidents of the past, who gave speeches introducing the Ball on their own, Mantella elected to share the stage with her fellow presidents and co-hosts: Fillmore and Eric-John Szczepaniak of the Student Senate.

“Rather than just the president of the university, these are two people that make things happen, that are exerting leadership, and I think it’s a really important statement to have the three of us speak together,” Mantella said.

Mantella has been in higher education

her whole life and has been thrilled to lead GVSU. There were several characteristics that drew her to this campus over others.

“The strength of the community, the strength of the learning experience, the great price point, the way in which the Grand Rapids community helped build the university,” Mantella said. “The aspiration to keep moving and making a greater impact was really inspiring to me and helped bring me here.”

As a result, Mantella has an abundant amount of school spirit, as was demonstrated Friday night at the Presidents’ Ball as well as in her everyday wardrobe, which is decked out in blue. She represents GVSU everyday through the school’s colors, from her blue lipstick to her blue nails.

“Being the president of Grand Valley, I see people when I am out casually and when I’m on the job,” Mantella said. “So what I try to do is always have them understand who Grand Valley is when they understand me. So I have been wearing the colors just about everywhere I go, so I represent the university and people see us.”

Mantella plans on keeping the Presidents’ Ball for years to come, and for Lakers to continue to celebrate the university together.

FIST PUMPING PHILLY: Getting the crowd pumped up, GVSU President Philomena Mantella celebrates her first Presidents’ Ball in style. GVL | MICAH HILL

ALL OF THE LIGHTS: Lights held high in the air, the crowd at Presidents’ Ball jams to the music from the dance floor. GVL | MICAH HILL

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A6 | NEWS GOVERNMENT

Citizens debate future of refugee resettlement in Ottawa County

BY NATHAN SLAUER NSLAUER@LANTHORN.COM

Over 200 citizens argued over the future of refugee resettlement in Ottawa County during the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Jan. 28.

After listening to three hours of impassioned discussion, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved ongoing refugee resettlement in an 11-0 vote.

Ottawa County joined local governments across the country deciding whether to accept refugees this month. President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring local governments to sign a letter of consent allowing agencies to continue refugee resettlement in their community in September of 2019.

The speakers split evenly between refugee advocates and detractors. The debate kicked off with Ottawa County resident Kim Greenland, who worried that Ottawa County lacked the resources to care for refugees.

“The reality of what we’re getting is not to be taken lightly,” Greenland said. “We’re not Santa Claus. We don’t have a never-ending supply of money.”

Refugee advocates responded by saying that the federal government pays for refugee resettlement. They also brought up studies showing how refugees fill holes in the labor market, start small businesses and contribute to the tax base.

Grand Haven Mayor Bob Monetza made the case that refugees contribute significantly to the local economy.

“I’ve seen refugees come in and become productive, law-abiding members of the community,” Monetza said. “This is a win.”

The focus of the conversation often veered away from practical issues toward more philosophical questions. Matters of contention included whether Ottawa County has a moral obligation to host refugees and how the arrival of additional refugees would affect the culture.

Christianity played a prominent role in the proceedings, with pastors sharing their church’s experience sponsoring refugees, as well as Bible verses appearing frequently in comments made by speakers of both sides.

Bing Goei, a small business owner, former State House candidate and Indonesian refugee, called for the commissioners to set aside their political beliefs and consider their religious convictions.

“Today, I am not a businessman,” Goei said. “I am not a refugee. I am not a Republican. Today, I stand before you as a follower of Jesus. And as a follower of Jesus, I stand before you today to ask you, the leaders of our locality, to continue to open your arms to refugees as my family and I were welcomed.”

But for some audience members, the political reality of the decision could not be ignored.

Rob Davidson, a former Congressional candidate, claimed that the commissioners feared how their vote might affect their chances of

SPEAK YOUR MIND: Citizens of Ottawa County share their beliefs regarding refugee resettlement during the Board of Commissioners before the Board’s official vote. COURTESY | CAROLYN MUYSKENS

re-election in a conservative county.

“The elephant in the room is that ten of you are Republicans,” Davidson said. “You get to the point in life where you say something is right or wrong.”

Several speakers requested that the commissioners table the vote and conduct a study on refugees, citing concerns about the security of the vetting process and the potential impact on the school system and government services.

Bethany Christian Services, a refugee re-

settlement agency, has resettled 28 cases in Ottawa County since 2015. The 75 Afghani and Congolese refugees who resettled in Holland through these cases received support from 80 churches and several families.

Under a Trump administration ruling that took place last year, the total number of refugees admitted into the U.S. dropped to 18,000. According to the United Nations High Council for Refugees, there are 25.9 million refugees around the world.

POLICE

GVPD continues to expand downtown coverage with help of Capt. Khatir

BY SEAN CAUVET NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

GRAND RAPIDS: GVPD Capt. Kourosh Khatir makes plans for expanded safety downtown on GVSU’s Pew Campus. COURTESY | GVPD

In the last few years, GVPD Pew Campus Capt. Koroush Khatir started to expand police coverage on the downtown campus, and it’s not why one would expect.

“It’s not that we promptly decided and it wasn’t precipitated based on something that happened,” Khatir said. “There was no big surge in crime. This goes back a couple of years where the Board of Trustees approved five police officer positions for the downtown campus.”

Khatir explained that although they got approved for more officers, the process of laying the groundwork took a while.

“It took us a while since no law enforcement officers had worked downtown before,” Khatir said. “We had to lay the groundwork and do the things that were necessary to get a police department downtown off the ground.”

JP West was the first officer that was assigned to the downtown campus. From there, Khatir has started to put together the vision that he had made in his head years ago.

“We started out with one police officer, about a year and a half ago, then we added a second one,” Khatir said. “Finally, we were able to add a third one. As we’ve been hiring police officers, we’re able to release them from the Allendale campus to come here.”

Khatir described the process of hiring officers for the downtown campus as a lengthy one. This is due to the amount of time it takes to train officers and get them ready for the job.

“One we hire somebody, they have to go through a lengthy process of training, being acclimated and there’s usually a contractually-driven bid process and the officers get to bid on shifts and what areas they want to work,” Khatir said. “Out of those that bid to come downtown, they get selected and come.”

Khatir said he hopes to have a full roster of

officers in the near future.

“Five officer positions were authorized downtown,” Khatir said. “We’re hoping to end up with four police officers and a sergeant to fill out the downtown division.”

So far, Khatir has added Andrew Dusendang last February, followed by Betsy Wenk. As for the whole process, Khatir said that they’ve built everything around their new office on 609 Watson.

“Fall of 2018, we established the first officer downtown,” Khatir said. “In anticipation of that, we built out the area at Watson. Before that, it didn’t really exist. The security presence downtown was split between an office in the parking ramp and the information parking counter at the Eberhard center.

Those aren’t around anymore, and we’ve all moved to Watson.”

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

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A7 | NEWS

BOB DYLAN

Never-before-seen photos donated to GV

BY MACKENZIE KELLER MKELLER@LANTHORN.COM

In 1964, 21-year-old photographer Douglas Gilbert set out on a week longer journey to capture the essence of Bob Dylan. Working for LOOK magazine, Gilbert took hundreds of candid photos of the up and coming star.

The pair spent time together in Dylan’s home in Woodstock and at the Newport Folk Festival. Many of the photographs taken were not focused on Dylan’s performance.

“I wanted to tone down the stage stuff and focus on who Dylan was as a person.” Gilbert explained years later.

However, upon presenting his layout to the editor, his photos were rejected for Dylan looking “too scruffy for a family magazine.”

Just like that, Gilbert’s story was killed before it got off the ground.

Gilbert kept onto his photographs for years after the project was shot down. After more than forty years of keeping them to himself, Gilbert published a book of some of the photos, titled “Forever Young: Photographs of Bob Dylan”.

Even with a book published, not all of Gilbert’s photographs had been seen by the public.

In 2020, that all changed when Gilbert made the decision to donate his collection of photographs, negatives, prints, slides and

even some letters from Dylan himself to Grand Valley State University.

“Now, having made this move to the university, it has been really satisfying,” Gilbert said. “I really felt like I was at the end of something anyway.”

Now 77 years old, Gilbert has developed glaucoma and has unfortunately lost almost 90 percent of his vision.

The Douglas R. and Barbara E. Gilbert Collection of photos is the largest collection to be donated to the university.

“Technically, they’re really strong,” Photography Professor Stafford Hiroshi Smith said. “They’re beautifully shot and capture a young Bob Dylan, but also other performers who weren’t really well known at the time.”

Other performers in the photos include Simon & Garfunkel, John Sebastian from the Lovin’ Spoonful, and Carol Burnett.

Currently, the photo collection is on display at Engagement Lab within the new art storage facility, which is located on Winter Ave. The exhibit is open to the general public, as long as the storage facility is notified in advance.

Gilbert currently has an exhibition of some of his favorite photos from his ten year long trip to Italy. The display, titled “Shadow and Light” will be at the Blue Wall Gallery on the DeVos center until June 19.

ROUNDTABLE: This famous Bob Dylan photo was among the collection of new photos that was donated to GVSU early in January. COURTESY | DOUGLAS R. AND BARBARA E. GILBERT COLLECTION

DEMOCRACY 101

What is the American Dream?: A closer look

BY AUDREY WHITAKER AWHITAKER@LANTHORN.COM

Get ahead on your degree this summer!

The Community Service Learning Center (CSLC) continues to tackle democracy and democratic engagement at Grand Valley State University this semester with the LIB 100/201 approved Democracy 101 series.

CSLC civic engagement associate Jane Johnston said that throughout the winter 2020 semester, Democracy 101 events will be deconstructing the “American Dream” by analyzing what that dream is and where it came from.

“The way that we set up the series is that we’re starting off with a few sessions on the history of the American dream,” Johnston said.

According to the CSLC website, The Mythology of the American Dream, hosted by GVSU professor Steve Tripp, was the third event in the winter 2020 series. The event was held from 6-8 p.m. on Jan. 29 in the Mary Idema Pew Library Multipurpose Room.

“For the mythology of the American dream, we really wanted to focus on how this idea came to be and how it has evolved over time in our country,” Johnston said. “Steve Tripp, who is a history professor here, specializes in American history, so he specializes in all of this kind of stuff.”

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Classes May 11 - Aug.18, with a variety of start dates.

LISTEN UP: Community Service Learning Center discusses the evolution of the American dream and its mythology. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

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FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

Laker for a Lifetime: GVSU Football leg Man of the Year nomination, Lit Buddies

FOR THE WIN: The GVSU community aimed to support Carr in the polls. COURTESY | GVSULAKERS.COM

BATTLE CRY: With his game face on, Brandon Carr takes the field for the Baltimore Ravens. Carr spent his college years at Grand Valley State University before playing for the Ravens at cornerback in the National Foo

A8&9 | SPORTS gend Brandon Carr talks Walter Payton s Boxes, lessons learned from Allendale

otball League. COURTESY | BALTIMORERAVENS.COM

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The pinnacle of all professional football is happening on Sunday in Super Bowl LIV, but even though the Baltimore Ravens will not be representing the AFC, one Raven and former Laker will be honored at NFL Honors the night before the Big Game.

Cornerback Brandon Carr has been nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. This is the third time in his professional career that he has been honored, as he represented the Ravens in 2018 after representing the Dallas Cowboys in 2015.

“It’s always an incredible honor,” Carr said.

“To be mentioned with the other 32 nominees, each and every year, guys are really passionate about their cause and really passionate about what they do outside the lines, myself included. To know the legacy that goes with it, with the previous winners and the players that came before me who started this philanthropy off the field to give back to our committees. I’m always honored and grateful to be nominated with the rest of these guys.”

Carr started the Carr Cares Foundation in 2012, which focuses on helping kids to become well-rounded, with an equal focus on educational enrichment and physical fitness for youth.

While he is an active participant in health initiatives and the NFL’s Play 60 program, Carr’s main goal is to lead reading initiatives to promote the literacy of third and fourth graders.

He made that goal come to fruition in 2019 with the giving away of “Lit Buddies Boxes.”

Short for “Literacy Buddies,” the lunchpale-sized boxes contain two books, a bookmark, pencils and a notebook. Additionally, Carr received the 2019 Inspiration Award from Pop Warner Little Scholars for his performance on the field and his commitment to bettering his community.

“It helps the kids stay with the times,” Carr said. “I have a lot of subscription services myself where I get (books). It provides and creates a personal library for the kids... Going around to all these different schools, I’ve found that kids oftentimes have libraries in their schools, but no libraries or ways to read at home. Growing up, I read a lot and it helped me a lot in the classroom and throughout life. Lit Buddies is just trying to create that same excitement for kids to want to read like I did.”

Each box incentivizes kids to read, with little tokens providing motivation. If the Baltimore-area kids read enough, they can earn everything from additional bookmarks to life-size FatHead posters of their favorites Ravens players, all while learning to have fun with reading.

An avid fan of Malcolm Gladwell, Carr had books around the house all the time and learned the values of education from his late mother, who taught third grade for 33 years.

He also has two aunts in Michigan who taught for over 40 years each.

“It’s all in my blood, as far as teaching young kids to love reading,” Carr said. “There are struggling readers everywhere, so we want to try to make reading fun for them.”

While Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers has won the award for the 201920 season, Carr and the other 30 nominees have been flown down to Miami to be honored for the work they have done in their respective communities.

“This year, United Way and the Boys and Girls Club will be sponsoring a community service day,” Carr said, which took place this past Friday. “My Super Bowl is my foundation.

I haven’t had the opportunity to get one myself, but this has a much bigger impact, so I’m excited to go represent for the supporters of the foundation and all those behind the scenes who put in the work.”

A four-year standout who played a key

role in GVSU’s national championships in 2005 and 2006, Carr said he still keeps up with his former Laker teammates, whether it be through text, social media or former teammates like linebacker Dan Skuta coming to his playoff games.

Carr has made a solid career for himself in the NFL, playing 12 seasons for the Ravens, Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs. He attributes lasting nine years longer than the average career of a professional career to the values instilled in him in his time in Allendale.

“I give Grand Valley a lot of a credit for the environment in our football program, environment on campus and in the classroom,” Carr said. “It was geared towards pushing you towards excellence. It said me up for the real world and set me up for competing. I’ve kept the DII chip on my shoulder my whole career, just trying to outwork people.”

Investing a lot of time with the GVSU tradition, Carr believes he embodies the phrase ‘Laker for a Lifetime,’ and was proud to come back this summer to see the new Hosford Football Center and see the same faces cheering in the stands.

When asked if he had any advice for current and future GVSU football players, Carr had a few messages: keep a positive mindset, stay well-balanced and most of all, Carpe Diem.

“I tell all the young guys that it’s about balance, and finding a routine that works for you,” Carr said. “It’s a daily commitment, there’s going to be some dark days and some ugly moments, but within that, you got to remember your ‘why’ and embrace the grind...

One of the reasons I’m here is I never let other people tell me what to, and that’s how I started over first-round draft picks from DI schools. I never took no for an answer. I always thought positive and knew that if I continued to work, I’d be ready for my opportunities and get things will happen.”

INSPIRING CHANGE: The Carr Cares Foundation encourages kids to become well-rounded students via education and physical activity. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

A10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE IMPROV TEAM WRAPS UP DECADE WITH THEIR FIRST 2020 SHOW

Opening the decade with laughter and improvised skits, GVSU’s improv group Subject to Change held their monthly show in Area 51 at the Kirkhof Center. Feb. 1, Subject to Change performed for the GVSU community for the first time on a Saturday with their “Decade Wrap” show. The group had to stray from their usual Friday show due to the Presidents’ Ball. However, the venue was filled with students ready to laugh.

At 8 p.m. Saturday night, all were welcome to enjoy the groups first show of the winter semester. The only charge to get in was $1. Subject to Change performed multiple improv games for the audience, varying in form. At all of their shows, the group strongly encourages audience participation to prompt their games.

ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO GRAND RAPIDS

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is a notable Michigan event which screens independent and experimental films.

The festival which takes place in March in Ann Arbor, Mich, will be touring to different cities and theaters.This year from Jan. 20-Feb.1, the Grand Rapids community was given the chance to experience the films featured in the 57th Ann Arbor Film Festival.

The Wealthy Theater in Grand Rapids welcomed the 57th Ann Arbor Film Festival Traveling Tour. In addition to this year’s experimental films, the festival included the program “Almost all ages: A Program for Younger Audiences,” which provided short films and animations which could be enjoyed by all ages in the audience. This event was free to the public, however, space was limited.

REACT! STARTS CONVERSATIONS ON STALKING

Stalking is a serious threat that college students could potentially be faced with during their time on campus. Sometimes the lines are blurred about what counts as stalking and how it should be handled. GVSU’s theater troupe ReACT! intended to address the topic of stalking and educate peers on how to identify and protect themselves from it.

In a high energy program, ReACT! encouraged dialogue about stalking in an effort to better students’ understanding of the topic. The hour long program by ReACT! was fueled by the Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equality. The purpose of the event was to help students identify a stalker and a target when they see it.

On Jan. 29 at Kirkhof Center, students gathered for this free Lib 100/201 approved event for an evening of education and protection.

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

ART EXHIBIT

GV faculty, staff, students find which shape is their shade

BY MARY DUPUIS MDUPUIS@LANTHORN.COM

A new exhibition titled “That Shape is My Shade” will be on display in the art gallery of the Haas Center for Performing Arts through March 23 and feature psychedelic paintings, stuffed sculptures and spaces for restorative rituals.

The gallery is free, open to the public and full of artwork created by Grand Valley State University faculty, staff and students.

The concept for the exhibition was developed by visiting professor Melanie Daniel, who is currently in her third and final year at GVSU as the Stuart B. and Barbara Padnos Distinguished Art-in-Residence Chair for the Department of Visual and Media Arts.

Joel Zwart, the Curator of Exhibitions for the GVSU Art Gallery, said this gallery is one of Daniel’s culminating projects. It was aimed to not only celebrate her time here but also as an educational vessel for her students. “(Daniel’s) position is designed to enhance the experiences of art students, and the GVSU Art Gallery is supportive of projects that promote teaching, mentoring and artistic production — all of which was accomplished in this exhibition,” Zwart said.

The preparation for the gallery was set into motion in the fall semester while Daniel began to craft the concept of the exhibition, as well as select artists to include alongside hers.

During an interview with Zwart, Daniel said that she and another artist involved chose the

CULMINATING PROJECTS: Art created by GVSU students, faculty and staff is featured in the new exhibit, “That Shape is My Shade,” in the Haas Center for Performing Arts. GVL | MICAH HILL

title of the exhibition from Steeley Dan’s lyrics because of the feelings the lyrics gave and the thoughts they inspired.

“We liked this (title) because it has a melancholy, bluesy feel, with an existential edge,” Daniel said. “Within this art making context the lyrics make me think of taking shelter under our own makings or identifying with the object, like an extension of ourselves.”

However, Daniel did not only have to select the title, but the other artists as well.

She said she purposely chose the artists in-

cluded in the display because of their similar styles of creating artwork.

Film and video production professor and artist Anal Shah recognized this and said that while there was the same common idea being shared, the variance in the outcome of the artwork was great.

“The show is curated with a theme in mind,” Shah said.

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LIVE MUSIC

A capella stands in spotlight at Presidents’ Ball MARY RACETTE ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Two of Grand Valley State University’s a capella groups were invited to perform at President Philomena Mantella’s first Presidents’ ball. GrooVe! performed during dinner while Midnight Snack performed their set during the dance portion.

SONG AND DANCE: A capella groups performed for the GVSU community at President Mantella’s first Presidents’ Ball. GVL | KATHERINE VASILE

GrooVe! opened up the night of a capella with their performance of the Jonas Brothers hit single “Sucker” and “You Will Be Found” from the Tony award-winning musical “Dear Evan Hanson.” In the middle of the dance, Midnight Snack took the stage with their performance of “Sunday Candy” by Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment. This song was chosen for its jazzy feel to match the theme of the night.

This year was the first Presidents’ Ball GrooVe! and Midnight Snack performed at.

Representatives from each group expressed their excitement to be part of such an event.

“We are so excited to be a part of President Mantella’s first Presidents’ Ball,” said GrooVe! President Jill Bucaro. “This is an event that many of our members look forward to every year and it’s exciting to be a part of making this night so memorable for everyone attending.”

Celeste Reyes, president of the all-female group Midnight Snack, said her group was asked to perform at Presidents’ Ball after a GVSU representative saw them

perform at one of their fundraisers.

This year, Midnight Snack is focusing on its brand and spreading its popularity across campus by performing more shows for their peers. They are also taking this year to work on expanding their online presence and making connections with other a capella groups on and off-campus.

Midnight Snack is currently in the process of planning their first music video and releasing their first single on streaming services. These are two accomplishments that the group has never done before and Reyes said everyone is very excited.

“This year is a year that we are really making a lot of advancements in the group,” Reyes said.

Looking forward to the performance, Reyes said, “It’s just going to be another way for us to be able to brand ourselves and get our name out there into the school.”

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FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

A11 | ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTOGRAPHY

Presentation captures decades of photographed oppression

BY ALLISON RAFFERTY ARAFFERTY@LANTHORN.COM

On Monday, January 27, American documentary photographer, filmmaker and visual artist Jon Lowenstein gave a presentation on some of the work he’s been conducting over the past 20 years. The presentation took place from 3-4:15 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus.

The event was free to the public and there were approximately 120 people in attendance.

Lowenstein’s work focuses on confronting the issues of wealth inequality, structural racism and violence. His work has been recognized all over the world and has been featured in exhibitions and museums internationally, as well as in newspapers such as The New Yorker, The New York Times and Newsweek.

The presentation was specifically about Lowenstein’s work following the lives of undocumented Latino immigrants coming to the United States over the course of the past 20 years. Those in attendance were able to learn about the migrant trail, from Central America through Mexico and the United States.

Lowenstein also gave attendees an insight into the lives of the many who partake in the largest transnational migration in world history. After his presentation, a Q&A was conducted with audience members.

The presentation involved Lowenstein showing many of the photos he has taken over the course of this project. These pictures depict-

ed scenes of violence, a person who had been killed, along with groups of people crossing the Rio Grande to enter the United States. As Lowenstein’s brother and associate professor at GVSU Jeff Kelly Lowenstein said, “There are a lot of pretty shocking images.”

When Lowenstein first started working on this project two decades ago, he did not expect that these political issues would still need to be worked on and covered today.

“I expected that we would be further along on the issue from 20 years ago,” Lowenstein said.

One part of the presentation that attendees may have been surprised at was when Lowenstein explained how he met a woman in 2000, and in 2019 she was still in the same neighborhood living the same impoverished lifestyle.

“He’s covered this issue for so long and yet there hasn’t really been any political change that you might have thought would happen during that time,” Kelly Lowenstein said.

Lowenstein is still working on aspects of the project to date and said that his favorite part of this project has been the people he’s met and the relationships he has built.

Following the presentation, Lowenstein said he hoped that people will “be able to see an issue in a more humane way.” He also said he hopes attendees realized that “we can all do our part to make things better.”

Kelly Lowenstein said that he hopes audience members “feel the importance of the human consequences of our immigration policies

PHOTOGRAPHED REALITY: Award-winning documentary photographer Jon Lowenstein visits GVSU’s Allendale Campus to present work created throughout the last two decades. COURTESY | TED

such as it is at the moment.”

Reflecting on the presentation’s broader implications, Kelly Lowenstein also said that he believes it is important for GVSU to host events such as this one because they exemplify the university’s mission statement to help its students think about not only what goes on around

them in West Michigan, but to also think about what’s happening throughout the world.

“Jon’s work provides an opportunity for students to think about in our community what’s happening, but also how our community fits into the larger society and the world,” Kelly Lowenstein said.

PIANO

Guest pianist brings beauty of piano to campus

BY AVA OSTACH AOSTSCH@LANTHORN.COM

KEYS OF BEAUTY: Pianist EunAe Lee performs recital on GVSU’s Campus. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

On Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m., Grand Valley State University will be welcoming pianist EunAe Lee to campus to perform a piano recital.

Lee is a musician from Korea, where she began her career as a critically acclaimed pianist. Here, there will be a welcoming atmosphere for students to engage in conversation with the guest performer.

The successful pianist began her days at the Seoul Arts High school and Yewon Arts School. Eventually, she moved to the United States where she got her education at Julliard, a renowned music school in New York and at Mannes College at the New School of Music working with famous musicians such as Richard Goode and Martin Canin. Throughout her career, Lee has also performed at notable locations such as the Lincoln Center in New York City and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Her background led her to go on to win numerous awards at various competitions all over the globe. She has participated in different music festivals all over the world such as the Bowdoin International Music Festival, The Yellow Barn Chamber music festival and the Gijon International Piano Festival. Lee said that preparing for performances is a key element to success.

“I go over my recital repertoire carefully and try to find the core messages that I need to convey, secure memory and complex technical places, and think about some pedagogical ideas that I want to convey during the master class,” said Lee. Lee will also be hosting a master class with several piano students on the day leading up to the event.

“The narrative perspective of music also intrigues me all the time,” Lee said. “When performing, I often feel like I’m telling the audience stories and these stories have to be convincing

to me first. If the music that I play moves me, then the audience can be moved by it too. The narrative and emotional power of music far outweigh other forms of art in my opinion, and I cherish this experience dearly.”

Assistant professor Sookkyung Cho said she hopes students attend the event so they can experience the beauty that can come out of a piano. “(Lee) is playing one of the masterpieces written for the piano — Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition,” Cho said. “It features an amazing array of sound from the instrument, and I hope that students will enjoy the colorful palette.”

Lee hopes that students can attend the event with a willingness to be able to see the beauty and joy that these pieces of music can convey.

Students will be able to relax and enjoy carefully tailored piano and learn more about the world of music when they come out to visit Lee on Monday evening.

A12 | SPORTS QUICK HITS GVSU TENNIS OPENS SPRING SEASON WITH ROAD WINS AT FINDLAY

The Grand Valley State men’s tennis team tallied a season-opening 7-0 win over Findlay Saturday , Feb. 1, at Grand Rapids Racquet & Fitness. All singles players (No. 1 Jack Geissler, No. 2 Jack Dausman, No. 3 Martin Matov, No. 4 Sean Miller, No. 5 Ignacio Morera-Lucas, and No. 6 D.J. Colantone) won their respective matches.

The Grand Valley State women’s tennis team picked up a 5-2 win Saturday, Feb. 1, over Findlay at Grand Rapids Racquet & Fitness. The Lakers won five of the six singles matches en route to the win. No. 1 Vera Griva, No. 2 Taylor Bennett, No. 5 Liv Hanover and No. 6 Olivia Huang all claimed straight set wins, while No. 4 Marija Leko picked up a three-set win.

Marily Canellopoulos dropped a three-set contest at No. 3 singles.

The men improve to 1-0 on the year and the women improve to 11-2 on the year.

TWO LAKERS LEAD GLIAC BASKETBALL IN BLOCKS PER GAME Two Laker post players have excelled at swatting away opponent’s shots this season. As of Feb. 2, both junior Christian Negron and senior Cassidy Boensch lead their respective leagues in blocks per game.

After recording four total blocks against Purdue Northwest and Parkside this week, Negron now leads all GLIAC players with 2.4 blocks per game.

After recording three total blocks this week on the road trip, Boensch now leads all GLIAC players with 3.4 blocks per game, which is a whole 1.1 blocks ahead of the second place player.

VARSITY SCHEDULE MEN’S BASKETBALL

Thursday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m., Home vs Wayne State Saturday, Feb. 8, 3 p.m., Home vs Ashland

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Thursday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m., Home vs Wayne State Saturday, Feb. 8, 1 p.m., Home vs Ashland

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Friday, Jan. 7-Saturday, Feb. 8, All Day, Akron Invitational @ Akron, Ohio Friday, Jan. 7-Saturday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m., Meyo Meet @ South Bend, Ind.

MEN’S TENNIS

Friday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m., @ Indiana Wesleyan Saturday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m., @ University of Indianapolis

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Friday, Feb 7, 12:30 p.m., @ Indiana Wesleyan Saturday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m., @ University of Indianapolis

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

LACROSSE

GV assistant lacrosse coach to lead Swiss National team

BY ZACK GOODROW ZGOODROW@LANTHORN.COM

One of the Grand Valley State University women’s lacrosse assistant coaches has been given an enormous opportunity.

Nora Boerger, a second year defensive coach on the team, is going to be the new head coach of the Swiss Women’s National Team. This will be Boerger’s second year coaching for the team, but her first at the helm.

It’s been a long journey in Boerger’s athletic career in playing and coaching before she took over the Swiss team.

Boerger’s experience with lacrosse and being a coach may have been non-traditional from other coaches in the game.

She went to college on a Division II basketball scholarship and played throughout her freshman year. However, during her sophomore year, her college added a new sport for students to play: lacrosse. She walked onto the team in its first year of creation and played strongly for the next three years.

After she graduated, she got a job at Ohio State and coached for the Buckeyes for two seasons as the director of operations. She then moved on to the University of Findlay as a defensive assistant and goalie coach. From there, she coached for Lenoir-Rhyne University, and helped the college win their first ever South Atlantic Conference regular season championship.

“I didn’t spend my whole life playing lacrosse,” Boerger said. “I just spent most of my time being a three sport athlete and being heavily involved in basketball. I think the transition was very smooth to coaching lacrosse and now I’m just enjoying the journey.”

Boerger’s journey then led her to GVSU, where she became the defensive coordinator for the team in 2018. Not only was it Boerger’s first year coaching with the team, it was head coach Mackenzie Lawler’s rookie season at GVSU as well. Lawler knew Boerger through one of her old coaching mentors from the University of Findlay. They knew each other from many different camps throughout the years, and when Lawler reached out to Boerger, she was eager to get started.

“It was a great fit right from the start,” Lawler said. “It couldn’t have worked out any better than it did during our first season here together.

Her style really compliments mine. I think we’re both very caring and energetic coaches. It was really great for me as a first year head coach to truly be able to trust her with our defensive unit.

They had a very successful season last year.”

Success is a good word to summarize the lacrosse teams fortunes last year. The team went 14-4 for the season, and made it all the way to the GLIAC championship. However, the team lost to No. 11 University of Indianapolis 18-17 in overtime. Overtime in women’s lacrosse are sudden death, and after a Indianapolis score, the team was unable to rebuttal and lost the game on a heartbreaking note.

The season was not over for Boerger, howev-

HYPE MAN: Assistant lacrosse coach Nora Boerger is now the head coach of the Swiss Women’s National Team. At GVSU, she is known as the team’s ultimate “hype man.” COURTESY | GVSULAKERS.COM

er, as she then traveled to Switzerland to be the associate head coach of the national team. One of Boerger’s previous bosses from a past university was named the head coach of the Swiss team. She then gave Boerger a call to become the new defensive coordinator for the team.

She has spent two very successful seasons with the team before being named the head coach for this year. During the Women’s European Lacrosse Championships in Israel, she assisted the team into winning the opening round against Spain 11-3. The team unfortunately fell to Norway and Austria in the semi finals. The team was very prosperous in 2019, Boerger has plans for the team as she begins her first season in command, whether in the game plan, players or the coaching staff.

“I have a twin sister who coaches at Central Michigan University,” Boerger said. “We’ve brought her on as our offensive coordinator.

I’m excited to see the things she’s going to bring to the team from an offensive standpoint. She’s a great coach with a lot of energy. Defensively we’ll make some changes here and there depending on who’s trying out or returning. We’ll see how the season goes.”

For Boerger, the process of going to coach the Swiss team has been smooth. The coaches on her staff are very determined, hard working and know the sport, making this transition as easy as it can be.

GVSU comes first to Boerger when she’s here in the states, and her superiors are very supportive and letter her go and take care of things for the Swiss team when it is needed.

All of these factors have made this experience a truly special one for Boerger.

“The experience is great and it’s been awesome,” Boerger said. “It’s very different though.

At the collegiate level everyone is younger and everyone overseas are adults. I think our youngest player is 25-years-old and they all have full time jobs. It’s a different dynamic and it’s a great

experience and very rewarding. They all work very hard and we have a lot of fun.”

Boerger has plenty of fun at GVSU as well.

Her players on the team love to be coached by her. She brings energy to the team alongside her experience. Her players and fellow coaches are also very happy for her and her amazing opportunity in Europe. “(Boerger) has made a huge difference for our team,” senior midfielder Megan Yoshida said. “We’ve had defensive coaches in the past, but she’s the first one that’s been specifically focused and locked in on our defensive unit.

I think it’s awesome that’s she’s coaching the Swiss team. Not only does it amplify us because we all think we’re a little cooler because now we have an international coach, she’s also very proven and this position shows that she is one of the best out there. I’m very proud of her.”

“I’m so excited for her,” Lawler said. “I know she had an amazing experience there last summer. It’s an amazing opportunity both for her to help grow the game of lacrosse internationally.

Swiss lacrosse is very different from how it is here in the states. It’s also an amazing opportunity for her to help grow Grand Valley. You’re on a national stage, she has an opportunity to grow, and we’re all just so proud of her.”

GVSU’s season starts Feb. 23 against Lake Erie college. They will continue to grow on their success from last season and hope to win the GLIAC championship this year. The Swiss national team will start playing games in the summer, and Boerger will be ready to push them towards a World Cup winning season.

Whether in the states or in Europe, both teams will have their marvelous coach and “hype man” on their sidelines.

“Coach Nora is the biggest hype man on our squad,” Yoshida said. “She comes and runs out onto the field and gives people chest bumps and a bunch of crazy things. There’s always something going on with coach Nora, and we love it.”

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A13 | SPORTS

W. BASKETBALL

GET OPEN!: Head up, guard Emma Wright (No. 13) looks to pass. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

TAKE THE SHOT: Eyes on the rim, forward Hannah Kulas shoots. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

WALK OF FAME: Leading with a trail a high fives, senior guard Jenn Deboer celebrates alongside her teammates. The basketball team soars to a solid 20-1 record this season. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

SHOOTING SMILES: Lady Lakers share smirks from the bench. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

GVSU Women’s Basketball cruises to 20-1, Boensch climbs points leaderboard, senior class becomes winningest of all-time

BY ELI ONG EONG@LANTHORN.COM

Purdue Northwest The No. 3 ranked Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team continued playing their lights-out defense, holding their opponent under 45 points for the sixth consecutive game, in a 64-42 win over Purdue Northwest on the road Thursday, Jan 30. The Lakers extended their winning streak to six games while also improving to 19-1 overall and 11-1 in GLIAC play.

Senior center Cassidy Boensch moved into fourth all-time in program history for points scored in a career, surpassing Marie Thomas (1,610 points) after moving into fifth place just last Thursday in GVSU’s win over Michigan Tech. Boensch finished with 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the Laker’s offensive attack and senior guard Jenn DeBoer posted a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds).

As a team, the Lakers shot a season-low 36.8 percent from the field, but took advantage at the charity stripe, shooting 15-20 (75 percent). The Lakers dominated points in the paint (28-14) and held Purdue Northwest to just 28.1 percent shooting from the field and 23.8 percent from behind the arc.

GVSU came out sluggish in the first quarter, with neither team gaining much of an advantage early. The Lakers led 10-6 at the end of the quarter before go-

ing on a 11-4 run to begin the second quarter, which allowed GVSU to seize a 21-10 lead with 6:38 left in the half.

Purdue Northwest was held without a basket for the final 4:04 of the half and the Lakers took a 33-14 advantage heading into the locker room at halftime.

Their lead continued to grow in the third quarter as GVSU pushed the margin to a game-high 31 points at 49-18 with 1:45 remaining in the third frame. GVSU cruised in the fourth quarter to their sixth win in a row and completed the season sweep of Purdue Northwest.

Wisconsin Parkside The GVSU women’s basketball team completed a season sweep of Parkside on Saturday, Feb. 1, defeating the Rangers 82-49 in their second and final conference play of the week. The Lakers improved to 20-1 overall and 12-1 in the GLIAC, while Parkside falls to 12-9 overall and 9-4 in league play.

“I think it’s one of the better games we’ve played all year,” said head coach Mike Williams. “I thought offensively we played with great tempo, we got good shots, made those good shots — which always helps — then defensively parkside is a good screening team so I thought we did a good job moving around screens and defending against penetration (in the paint).”

Following the win, the Laker seniors (four-year players) are now the winningest class in program history, breaking the school-record of 98 wins in four years set

by Crystal Zick and Erin Cyplik (20042008). Jenia Laporte, Jenn DeBoer, Victoria Hedemark, Maddie Dailey and Cassidy Boenschhave compiled a record of 99-20 (.831) throughout their career.

“This is a group — those seniors — that have paid their dues, waited their turn, and invested into winning,” Williams said.

“When I say winning, too, I don’t mean investing in becoming great individual players, I mean investing in becoming a great group of team players and when you go about that in the way they have, you have a chance to be as special as this group is.”

Senior guard Taryn Taugher tied a season-high with 19 points to lead the Lakers, while center Cassidy Boensch had 18 points and forward Maddie Dailey totaled 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Senior guard Jenn DeBoer dished out a team-high eight assists.

Taugher has been making a larger impact of late as the graduate transfer from Northern Kentucky continues to become more accustomed to her Laker teammates, which has not been lost on head coach Mike Williams.

“Taryn’s really starting to come into her own,” Williams said after the game.

“You know early on she came in and was concerned about not doing too much, but now she’s getting more comfortable in her role, shooting on balance and not off one foot while hunting her shots, especially from the three-point line.”

As a team, the Lakers shot a blistering 57.4

percent from the field and knocked down 14 of 20 attempts from the charity stripe. GVSU also dominated Parkside in points in the paint (46-26), points off turnovers (23-8) and bench points (18-9).

The game began fairly even with the two teams trading baskets throughout the first five minutes of the contest before the Lakers ended the quarter on a 13-4 run to take a 2515 lead into the second frame. In the second quarter, GVSU put the game out of reach, going on a 14-0 run to increase the lead to 39-15 with 5:17 remaining in the half. The Lakers led 50-27 at the break.

GVSU’s offense cooled off in the second half, but still managed to push the lead to a game-high 31 points at 60-29 toward the end of the third. After holding Parkside to just 22 points in the second half, the Lakers have now allowed under 50 points for the seventh straight game.

The Lakers will welcome Wayne State Thursday, Feb. 6 and No. 2 ranked Ashland Saturday, Feb. 8 to the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena next week for a pair of key matchups in GLIAC play.

“We’ve been playing with pretty good tempo recently, we’ve gotten up and down the floor pretty well so continuing some of that is key,” Williams said. “Then we have to continue to dig in defensively and take away what the other team wants to do.

Combine that with finishing games, especially on the glass, then I think we’ll be in good shape in the near future.”

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A14 | SPORTS M. BASKETBALL

GVSU Basketball reclaims first place in GLIAC with two big road wins

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The 2018-19 season was considered a successful one for the Grand Valley State men’s basketball team, as despite touting a fairly average record of 16-12 in the regular season, they beat the top three seeds in the GLIAC tournament on the way to a conference tournament win and a NCAA tournament berth.

As solid as the finish of that season was, this year’s Laker squad might be even better, as they’ve already earned their 17th and 18th wins of the regular season against Purdue Northwest and Parkside respectively to improve to 18-3 on the year, good enough for first place in the GLIAC. The team’s 17th win of the season came in an 82-78 win over the Pride of Purdue Northwest. With starting juniors Jake Van Tubbergen and Christian Negron dealing with foul trouble, freshman Marius Grazilius had a career night, fighting for 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds on 3-6 shooting. “(Grazilius) was ready to step up off the bench in that moment, and that really helped us to victory,” said GVSU coach Ric Wesley. “(Purdue Northwest) didn’t have a lot of size, so he was able to get six offensive rebounds, and he was really composed in there and used some nice up-and-under moves to get those in the basket.”

With GVSU up 11 on a Grazilius free throw, the Pride made a roaring comeback to cut it to a one-score game, but clutch free throws from senior Jeremiah Ferguson (18 points, 4-4 from the free throw line) and junior Isaac Gassman (12 points,

MAKING A STAND: Demanding the attention of onlookers, junior Christian Negron cuts off a Purdue Northwest player. COURTESY | PNWATHLETICS.COM

4-4 from the free throw line) iced the game as the Lakers sweated out a victory.

A 10-0 run by GVSU to start out Saturday’s game against Parkside was ultimately the margin of victory, as the Lakers were able to overtake the Rangers, 67-57.

Wesley said he was proud of the defense his team had on Parkside’s Brandon Hau, a redshirt sophomore who averages 12.1

points per game on 40.1 percent shooting from three. Even though he was able to total 10 points, he had to take 10 shots to get there, and the Lakers did a good job closing on his three missed threes.

“They haven’t a very good three-point shooting team, but Brandon Howe is a very good player,” Wesley said. “I thought our defense was really good. It was a lot

STANDING TALL: GVSU’s Christian Negron takes on a Parkside Ranger on Feb. 1. The Lakers defeated the Rangers, 67-57. COURTESY | PARKSIDE.COM

of activity up top, so we were just trying to disrupt the flow of the ball. We wanted our defensive energy to match their offensive energy, and for the most part, I thought it was pretty good.”

While Hau and junior Jamar Evans were able to connect on back-to-back threes to cut the Laker lead to six with 3:52 remaining, senior Ben Lubitz (13 points in the two games combined) hit a deep ball of his own. Ferguson led the team in scoring again with 18 points, but Van Tubbergen followed close behind with 17 points, shooting 6-of-8 and corralling eight rebounds.

While Wesley said that neither win was pretty, he argued that no win comes easy in the GLIAC, and he is just happy to get road wins against two conference opponents.

“It’s a tough league and every game is a grind-it-out affair,” Wesley said. “There are not going to be any more blowouts this year. It’s the GLIAC; these games are going to come down to the last 10 minutes every time. We’re not in the dog days, we’re in the home stretch, everybody in America is tired. It’s a war, it’s a battle and whoever comes out with the energy is going to win.”

Hopefully the Lakers come out with energy this week, as they stay home for GLIAC duels with Wayne State and Ashland.

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A15 | SPORTS

TRACK & FIELD

KEEPING STRIDE: A group of track and field athletes run on the track at the Kelly Family Sports Center Saturday, Feb. 1. Through the entirity of the Mike Lints Alumni Open, a handful of lady Lakers placed high in their events to make it a big meet for the team. Elainne Kimes took a top spot in the pole vault and Natalie Graber took first in the 1-mile with a strong time of 4.53.29. GVL | ALEXIS VELAZQUEZ

GVSU Track & Field athletes score big numbers at Mike Lints Alumni Open

BY HOLLY BIHLMAN HBIHLMAN@LANTHORN.COM

This past Saturday, Feb. 1, the Grand Valley State Track & Field athletes competed at home, leaving with some high scores and an optimistic outlook on the midseason before GLIAC Championships. With three weekends and five individual meets left before them, the team is cranking out the last of their qualifying scores and working hard to improve every meet.

On the women’s side, many athletes were placing high on the scoreboards for almost all of the events. Elianne Kimes excelled in the pole vault at 4.00 meters, along with Kassidie Stimmel and Carly Livingston tieing for third at 3.85 meters.

Natalie Graber took first place in the 1-mile with a time of 4.53.29, followed by Jessica Gockley and Hanna Groeber not far behind in second and third. Andee Kimes ran a 1.39.12 in the 600-meter run, Molly McLaughlin took second place with a 2.16.17 in the 800-meter run, Anna Obi scored a 12.04-meter triple jump and Angelica Floyd scored a 5.72-meter long jump.

In the shot put, Erika Lechner did especially well, winning first place with 14.04 meters, and Judith Essemiah took first as well in the weight throw with 18.05 meters.

The men performed just as well, starting with Andrew McFarland, scoring a 1.19.39 in the 600-meter run, followed by John Groendyk and Noah Fuerst taking first and second place in the 800-meter run with times of 1.52.95 for Groendyk and 1.53.07 for Fuerst.

The 4x400 meter relay went well for the men as well, taking fifth place with Andrew McFarland, Noah Fuerst, Tyler Walters and John Gro-

endyk at 3.24.05 minutes. Jacob Battani had a 5.21-meter pole vault, and finally, highlighting the meet, Connor Schwartz finished first in the 1-mile with an outstanding time of 4.09.97.

“I thought we had some great steps forward,” said GVSU coach Jerry Baltes. “I sort of divide the season into three parts, so we’re transitioning from the early season to the mid-season. This was probably the first mid-season meet where you really start to look and anticipate and hope to get those big performances and big jumps.”

An overall optimistic outlook on the remainder of the season for Baltes, but there is still a lot more work to do in order to keep up with the competition.

Next week a few athletes will be competing at Notre Dame in Southbend, Indiana, while a few others go to Akron in Cleavland, Ohio, hopefully scoring well and meeting some new competition for the season.

In two weeks, Friday and Saturday the weekend of Feb. 14-15, over 2,000 student athletes will be competing at GVSU, so the preparation only progresses for the track and field athletes.

“Every meet is a chance to qualify for the national meet, so the sooner you can get the mark and still move forward preparing for the national meet is a good thing,” Baltes said.

The pressure is starting to build for the runners without qualifying scores yet, but there is still two opportunities for high scores in order to compete nationally.

GVSU was ranked as No. 1 in the NCAA DII Track and Field index on Jan. 30 with a total of 203.29 points, followed by Lincoln and Northwest Missouri. The goal is to stay up there on the charts and show their competition what they can do in the next two weeks.

MOVING FORWARD: The GVSU men’s track and field team also placed high during Saturday’s meet.

On Jan. 30, GVSU was ranked No. 1 in the NCAA DII Track and Field index. GVL | ALEXIS VELAZQUEZ

FEBRUARY 3, 2020 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A16 | SPORTS BASKETBALL

GVSU Basketball reacts to tragic death of Kobe Bryant

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

After the tragic news of Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and seven others dying in a helicopter crash, it was quite somber in the GVSU athletics weight room, as the Grand Valley State men’s basketball team wasn’t their usual, chipper selves.

“It definitely was (sad) the next day,” said junior guard Steven Lloyd, who has looked up to the Laker legend long before he decided to become a GVSU Laker. “That next morning, we were in the weight room, it felt like everybody was down. Nobody wanted to talk, and as soon as I went into the gym, I immediately starting crying, because I couldn’t think of anyone else but him.”

It felt like just another day shooting at the GVSU Rec Center on the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 26, when Lloyd first heard the shocking and tragic news.

“I was shooting in the rec center, when one of my friends called me,” Lloyd said. “I didn’t get the first call, but I called her back and she told me ‘Go look at Twitter’, and that’s when I saw that he had been killed. Like everybody else, I didn’t believe it: this guy was immortal to me.”

Senior point guard Jayden Hodgson had a similar reaction when he first heard the news, as he didn’t think it was real either.

“I was sitting in my room on my bed,

FAMILY: Kobe Bryant watches a Los Angeles Lakers game with his daughter, Gianna Bryant. News of Bryant’s passing caused many to focus on his legacy. COURTESY | ALLEN BEREZOVSKY, GETTY IMAGES

and I just finished watching TV, and I was just about to start doing homework when I first found out,” Hodgson said. “I thought it was fake, because the first news source that broke it didn’t look credible at all. This was 10 minutes before any major news source broke the news, but I went to Google, and the date of his death was already in there. I was shocked, and I couldn’t believe it.”

Much like many young players who grew up playing in the 2000s, Hodgson

saw Bryant as someone he wanted to model his own game after.

“He meant the world to me, I haven’t felt this way about the death of a celebrity since Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter,” the Gosford, Austrailia native said. “The older generations say they grew up with Michael (Jordan), for our generation, Kobe (Bryant) was the guy we grew up with. He’s the reason why a lot of people picked up a basketball and learned the game, he’s like Lebron

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or Steph Curry to the younger generation.”

Senior point guard Jeremiah Ferguson, who also thought the death was reported inaccurately, said his lasting memory of Kobe Bryant was actually in one of the rare moments where his team lost a big game.

“I looked up to him, I had his shoes, I watched his highlights,” Ferguson said. “I remember the (2008 NBA Finals) against the Celtics when they lost. There was five second left and (the Lakers) were down (by a lot), game was over, and my Dad paused it, because Kobe kept playing. He kept trying to score, and I’ll never forget that my Dad pointed that out to me, ‘He never quit until the game was over’.”

Ferguson felt that the many tributes from the basketball world were touching, and were just what the five-time NBA champion and his thirteen-year-old daughter deserved.

“I think it’s well deserved,” Ferguson said.

“He should be the logo honestly. Why not?”

Hodgson agreed with his teammate, citing that the current Laker legend on the logo would most likely be fine with it, being that he saw Kobe Bryant as a member of his family.

“He deserves it, I think (the tributes) are awesome,” Hodgson said. “I really believe we should make him the logo, considering he’s obviously one of the best in the world. Jerry West doesn’t even want to be the logo anymore, I think that would be the ultimate way to honor his legacy and continue his name.”

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