Issue 3, August 26, 2019 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

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

2019 Convocation respects the old, rings in the new SEE WELCOME WEEK | A2

GVSU Basketball rounds out 2019 class with three talented players from Northern Michigan SEE BASKETBALL RECRUITING | A15

M O N D A Y, A U G U ST 2 6 , 2 0 1 9 // VO L . 5 4 N O. 3

@ GV L A N T H O R N

LANTHORN.COM

A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS GSA ANNOUNCES NEW E-BOARD, PLANS WELCOME EVENT

Grand Valley State University’s Graduate Student Association is a campus group that works to create a community for graduate students. The GSA develops the graduate student community through support and opportunities to connect with other students.

With the start of the fall semester underway, the GSA recently welcomed their new e-board and has planned a Graduate Fall Welcome. The event will give incoming and returning graduate students a chance to mingle and create a support group.

GLOBAL CAFE ACTS AS MELTING POT FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY

For students interested in studying abroad or meeting a diverse group, the Global Cafe is a weekly meeting to spread language and cultural diversity. Featuring complimentary tea and coffee, students are able to exchange culture, stories and language from noon to 1 p.m. each week.

Through international and exchange students, stories can be shared that are unlike what is heard in classroom settings. This event can also allow students interested in studying abroad to learn about different cultures, improve their foreign language skills and seek out a studying destination.

Student organization Bringing Together the World is also involved in the Global Cafe meetings. The group aims to be a melting pot for international and domestic students at GVSU through their events.

The Global Cafe’s first meeting will be Aug. 28 in Lake Ontario Hall 163.

WELCOME WEEK

2019 Convocation respects the old, rings in the new

BY AMY MCNEEL ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

While Convocation has been a Grand Valley State University tradition since the school’s beginning, the 2019 ceremony presented a new class, a new president and a new Laker tradition.

On Aug. 23, thousands of freshmen and their Transitions leaders funneled into the Fieldhouse Arena for the 2019 Convocation ceremony. Placing the ceremony at the end of move-in week and right before classes start allows faculty and staff to welcome freshmen to the GVSU community. This year, speakers included Maria Cimitile, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, University Academic Senate Chair Felix Ngassa, alumni representative Kyra Bolden, Student Body President Eric-John Szczepaniak and President Philomena Mantella.

Keeping with tradition, the ceremony started with faculty, staff, administration and Board of Trustees members filing into the arena in full academic regalia. Following their warm welcome, Cimitile greeted attendees and set the tone for the rest of Convocation. During her introduction, she explained the uniqueness of GVSU and the benefits of a liberal education.

“The foundational principle of liberal education is freedom – to be unshackled CAMPUS

DISABILITY SUPPORT RESOURCES MOVES TO THE CONNECTION, INCREASES SPACE

Beginning Sept. 3, GVSU will host a digital marketing program designed to train students in professional platforms like Google Ads, HubSpot Email and Google Analytics. The program will give students certificates in these platforms.

Offered by the Center for Adult and Continuing Studies, the program involves both online and in-person lessons, group work and networking opportunities.

For account manager Amanda Welsh, the program gave her a well-rounded education and also offered exposure to professional programs.

“It was more valuable to me that I gained additional digital awareness to be able to better articulate my thoughts and ask the right questions, and have more confidence in the digital landscape and solutions I can bring to the table for my clients and projects,” Welsh said.

AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

WELCOME BACK: President Philomena Mantella gave her first Convocation address Aug. 23. The event featured a plethora of speakers and a new tradition to welcome students. GVL | AMY MCNEEL

from prejudicial and situational constraints, to think and write critically, creatively and ethically,” Cimitile said. “Please remember: an education is not something given, but something earned. You must grab every bit of it and demand even more.”

Following speeches from Cimitile and Ngassa, GVSU alumna and State Represntative Kyra Bolden took the stage. Bolden is a 2010 graduate currently serving her first term as State Representative for Michigan’s 35th House District. Attending as the keynote speaker, Bolden represented the end-

www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

GV creates new biomedical & cybernetic engineering degrees

BY OLIVIA FELLOWS OFELLOWS@LANTHORN.COM

INNOVATION: New degrees aim to keep GVSU graduates prepared. COURTESY | AMANDA PITTS

less possibilities available to GVSU students.

“The memories and relationships I made during my time here shaped me into the woman and the public servant I am today,” Bolden said. “Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey here as a freshman or nearing the end, preparing to graduate, or you are faculty, I challenge you to never take your time here or the people you meet along the way for granted.”

LOG ON TO:

Grand Valley State University works hard to be an adaptive and advancing school, often creating new degrees to satisfy a changing job market and economy. As both of these things change, GVSU has created news degrees in biomedical science like Biomedical Engineering with electrical emphasis, which is for students who will apply the fundamentals of electrical engineering to solve problems related to healthcare. Projects like these include developing better monitoring systems and developing improved algorithms to detect tumors from medical images.

Additionally, the Biomedical Engineering with mechanical emphasis degree lets students apply fundamentals of mechanical engineering to tackle problems in the medical field that deal with the development of better prosthetics and rehabilitative devices.

Lastly, another degree will be in Biomedical Engineering with product design and manufacturing emphasis, in which students will

study the performance and design of new and existing medical products, plan production and manage production facilities.

Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering Samhita Rhodes, who is also the Assistant Director in the school of Engineering at GVSU, said that the new degrees will “increase the breadth of the engineering curriculum and give our students more options.”

“It will support the burgeoning medical device industry in west Michigan and will attract a more diverse population of students while addressing the needs of our industry stakeholders,” Rhodes said. “Typically, BME attracts more women students than other engineering disciplines – whereas 18 percent of all undergraduate engineers are women, that number hovers around 40 percent for BME so this aligns well with our program’s and the university’s strategic plan to foster diversity and inclusion.”

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AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS WELCOME WEEK

| A2

INTERNSHIP

| A5

ENVIROMENT

| A6

LEADERSHIP

A3 | NEWS LAKER EFFECT

| A8&9

RESEARCH

| A10

FOOTBALL

| A12

SOCCER

| A13

VALLEYBALL

| A14

BASKETBALL

| A15

VOL. 5 4

NO. 3

Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF

Layout Editor MAX GELDHOF

Editor-in-Chief NICK MORAN Associate Editor AMY MCNEEL

Layout Designer VIVIANA RUBIO PROMOTIONS

Associate Editor BRIANNE KERR News Editor SARAH EDGECOMB

Promotions Manager HOLLIE PICKELMAN ADVERTISING STAFF

Sports Editor KELLEN VOSS

Advertising Manager JESSE BECKER

Laker Life Editor YSABELA GOLDEN

Advertising Manager RACHEL MOORE

A&E Editor MARY RACETTE

BUSINESS STAFF

Image Editor BENJAMIN HUNT

Business Manager RACHEL RUTGERS Asst. Business Manager JACOB TAYLOR

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.

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FRIENDLY FACES: Student organizations aimed to make GVSU a welcoming place for incoming freshmen during welcome week. GVL | KATHERINE VASIL

Student organizations welcome freshmen to Allendale campus RACHEL MATUSZEWSKI RMATUSZEWSKI@LANTHORN.COM

They’ve registered for classes, packed up their belongings and have stepped foot on Grand Valley State University’s campus.

They are now officially Lakers. In the week before classes began, several organizations across campus set up events to help welcome new Lakers. These included Transitions, group exercise sneak peeks, express advising and more, all leading up to Campus Life Night, which was Aug. 25.

GVSU welcomes incoming freshmen through their program, Transitions. Residential Assistants help students move into their housing areas, review rules and accompany students to several events throughout the week. Students learn more about university policy, dining areas, Blackboard information, campus life and receive a campus tour. The student orientation programs helps prepare students with how to navigate their first time at the university and set themselves up for success at GVSU. The Recreation Center also provided opportunities for students to try group exercise classes for free. They offered sneak peeks in Zumba, kickboxing and high intensity interval training classes. For more classes including yoga and spin, students can purchase a group

exercise pass for the semester. There will also be a “try it before you buy it” week from Aug. 26-30 where students can experience the full workout class schedule for free.

“After students have moved in, we wanted to invite them over to try out our Group Exercise classes for free, meet our instructors and offer an opportunity to meet other students in a fun, safe and active environment,” said Associate Director of Recreation and Wellness Amy Campbell. “We also want to encourage students to start healthy habits early and by offering group exercise classes the week of move in.”

Express advising appointments were also available before the first week of classes. These appointments were in downtown Grand Rapids on the Pew Campus and held on a firstcome, first-served basis. Faculty and professional advisers are open to serving students throughout the year by appointment, and can be found on the Allendale and Pew campuses.

“We know that students sometimes have last-minute questions or want to adjust their schedules,” Associate Dean Joy Gianakura said. “Some have decided to change majors over the summer, or took classes this summer that might mean they need to make changes in the fall or winter. Our goal with walk-ins is to help students resolve any last minute questions or changes in order to start strong in the new academic year.”

Finally, parking lot H was packed with students and nearly 400 GVSU student organizations on Campus Life Night. Leaders of student organizations introduced new students to numerous clubs and teams they could join.

Outside of residential halls and classrooms, student organizations are the environment to find the college community many dream of.

“Campus Life Night is one of the rare times when most of our student organizations, campus departments, nonprofits and local businesses are all in one place,” Assistant Director of Student Organizations Eric Stevens said. “It’s a one-stop shop for involvement and the perfect opportunity to start your year off right by getting involved.

Students who are involved outside of the classroom are more likely to graduate and more likely to land their dream job.”

A student organization, Young Life, also volunteered throughout the week by helping students move in before appearing at Campus Life Night. They understand the value in friendships and want students to feel welcome at GVSU. “If I had any advice for someone new to campus, it would be to know what type of person you want to be and where you want to go in life, then find a community on campus that is headed in that same direction,” Eastern Ottawa Young Life staff leader Ryan Elders said.

“Your community will form you.”

A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL

Freshmen: it’s not all about you

C

ongratulations, freshmen! You just moved onto campus, you finished up Transitions and you’re (hopefully) ready for classes.

We know that the first week of college is stressful, and we also know you’re probably sick of having advice thrown at you. You’re supposed to go out, get involved, talk to your professors and make friends with others in your dorms. But freshmen, we have something to tell you: it’s not all about you.

This week, thousands of Lakers are returning to campus.

Upperclassmen, non-traditional students, international students and transfer students will be walking the campus, riding the 50 and sitting in classes with you. GVSU has a total of 21,680 undergraduate students, 2,997 graduate students and over 300 international students from all over the world.

Talking to other freshmen seems like all the rage.

Your RA’s tell you to keep your doors open and your Transitions leaders made you all do icebreakers. And sure, talking to fellow freshmen can be comfortable.

You’re all in the same boat.

None of you are truly sure of what you’re doing here.

None of you have found your place yet, so it can feel safer to approach them.

But you should stretch outside your comfort zone and talk to students outside of the freshman class, whether they are students

that were in your same position a few years ago or students whose journey looks completely different than yours. College is all about learning who you are and what you want to do, and one way to do that is to broaden your social circle.

Talking to older students in your major can help you understand if it’s really what you want to do and the best ways to foster your skills as you go. Talking to older students outside of your major can open your eyes to things you’ve never even thought of.

Campus Life Night can be overwhelming, but sometimes you’ll hear about that club you’ll stick with all four years from a tired senior taking their last gen ed. Even if you haven’t thought much about studying abroad, getting coffee with an international student can open your eyes to an unfamiliar culture. And maybe that non-traditional student in your six-to-nine can share a few things about being a “real adult.”

And sure, maybe there are some students who think they don’t have time for some bright-eyed freshman, but I think you’ll be surprised by the friends you can make once you venture out of Kleiner and into the larger Grand Valley community.

So, freshmen, while you are the newbies at GVSU and the next round of Lakers ready to take on the world, it’s not all about you.

It’s about every Laker you meet.

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

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

By Athena Jasman

8/26/19

editorial@lanthorn.com

The Tale of Tinder

BY EMILY EATON JUNIOR POLITICAL SCIENCE EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

A lot of people told me college is the place to find a man. I’ve met a manifold of men, none lasting more than a month. They always

come back (for your information), but that’s beside the point. Anyways, as the majority of us college singles do, in my desperate time of need, I turned to Tinder.

I shouldn’t call it online dating.

You might date, but honestly, you’ll probably just get a forehead Snapchat with an invitation for you to come “chill” at approximately 3 a.m. from a guy with a Patagonia hat on.

I knew this. I knew what to expect when I tested it out, and I told myself I was okay with it. For all the men who hurt me, it was payback time, baby, and I was taking it out on the entire male gender.

Yet my revengeful head, separate from my feeble heart, thought dating multiple men would be simple.

While watching The Bachelorette date 30 gorgeous men at once on national television, I kept contemplating. Could I tie down a Tinder tool? And could I do it while dating a bunch more?

I’ve matured from my couple months of online dating in a college town. I learned that if you expand your area of availability an extra couple miles, you’ll have more options. I also learned that if you actually plan a date — like out to eat — you’ll probably get stood up. That happened with bachelor number one. Reject me with your chest next time.

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When tech companies continuously invade our privacy, what is the last straw?

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.

AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

BY DYLAN GROSSER SENIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

To no one’s surprise, Facebook has been caught yet again in a scandal of using its social media platform to collect private data from users without them knowing. According to an article in Bloomberg

News, Facebook has been taking users’ audio conversations from the Facebook Messenger app and having them transcribed by contractors.

Facebook has said the purpose of this was to test the accuracy of its voice to text feature, and only did so with user’s permission. However, another Bloomberg article disproved this claim of transparency, finding the only option given to users to permit this inappropriate spying is a vague dialogue box asking users if they would like to “Turn on Voice to Text in this chat,” and a brief description of the feature.

As egregious as this privacy violation is, it’s unfortunately only one in a dozen of other user data blunders

done by mega tech companies in recent months. Just like in the case of Facebook, many tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft have all been caught red handed using their products and/or devices to spy on audio conversations.

These companies knowingly deceived users by withholding information for what their audio conversations would be used for, or that they were even recording conversations at all.

All of these companies now say they have suspended these specific data gathering efforts.

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

AUGUST 26, 2019

A5 | NEWS

GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS MOVE IN

GV lends a helping hand to incoming freshmen

BY MARIN SMITH NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

NEW YEAR: Volunteers moved students in for the new semester. COURTESY | AMANDA PITTS

This week, faculty and staff helped first year students feel welcomed during move-in week through the Helping Hands program at Grand Valley State University.

Helping Hands is a volunteer program provided by GVSU to help first year students with the move-in process. Faculty, staff members and students volunteered to assist with carrying items from cars, directing traffic and welcoming students to campus.

Marketing and Communications Manager Camille Curtis said that the program is “an essential part of the move-in process. Move-in wouldn’t be successful without the volunteers.”

“It’s a great way to give back to the community,” said assignment coordinator and volunteer Amanda Brower. “Every first-year student who’s lived on campus remembers their move-in process and it’s a great way to help them have a good experience” The program was implemented from Aug. 19-21.

INTRODUCTION: President Mantella meets students during move-in. The Helping Hands program gave GVSU faculty and staff an opportunity to help students settle in. COURTESY | AMANDA PITTS

INTERNSHIP

Students share Semester in Grand Rapids experiences KYLIE ELWELL NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Students involved with the Semester in Grand Rapids internship experience were a part of many different organizations throughout the city. While working their internship positions, they learned from business and city leaders.

“Semester in Grand Rapids is a cohort-based summer program where students take courses about Grand Rapids from a social justice lens and complete community-based internships,” said Director of Community Partnerships and Student Professional Development Kristin Moretto.

Three different students from Grand Valley State University shared their positions, places of internship and how the experience influenced and affected them after completing their semesters.

Delaney McDonald interned as a classroom assistant at the Cook Arts Center.

She would help out within the classroom by passing out materials, cleaning up and managing behavior of students.

“Overall, I am beyond grateful for the opportunity,” McDonald said. “My internship put me in so many situations that I don’t think I would have ever been in other-

wise, so I learned a lot about myself and the community I was working in. It was a really unique experience that I grew a lot from.”

Sarah Stromski got to work with the English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. This included writing curriculum along with aiding teaching lessons and activities. She was also involved with block party planning and reaching out to local businesses to get donations and volunteers for the event.

“It was a good summer to transition into teaching,” Stromski said. “I got to take classes outside of my major that were interesting, as well as relevant to myself. As someone who works and lives in Grand Rapids, the history classes gave me insight to how our community became what it is.”

Anthony Hanline was a learning lab intern in the Community Building & Engagement Department at Dwelling Place. He had learned access to hard and soft skills, which aided him in helping residents experience their own personal agency and contributing to their ability to engage and impact their community.

“It was a really challenging experience that I am grateful to have had,” Hanline said. “I began to understand myself and my skills better and how I can be of use in my community. Being a Grand Rapids native,

I would say that my time at Dwelling Place has made me a better citizen.”

Applications for Summer 2020 will

open in the fall. Students apply and are selected to participate in the program after a short interview process.

IMPACT: Students participating in the program gave presentations about their internship experience, which included working with Grand Rapids businesses this summer. COURTESY | RACHAEL MOONEY

AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A6 | NEWS ENVIRONMENT

GV professor receives grant to study climate change

BY SARAH EDGECOMB NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

When not teaching classes, Grand Valley State University professors often delve into projects, from writing books to creating new art. For affiliate professor of geology Ian Winkelstern, these projects involve traveling to collect and test fossil samples. Winkelstern and a team of Michigan State University researchers recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study climate change on the east coast. This fall, Winkelstern and two to three students will travel to the Carolinas to collect, prepare and test fossils.

Winkelstern said his latest study in Bermuda produced data suggesting historically cold temperatures, which the current climate may reflect. These studies in Bermuda inspired the upcoming research to further dig into how the global climate may be affected in the future.

The NSF grant study aims to predict climate change compared to historical climate patterns.

“It will allow us to... put real numbers on how global climate change in the past has affected regions,” Winkelstern said.

“That can kind of help us make more informed decisions in the future and also can help folks that make climate models, for example.”

Winkelstern elaborated that in order to fully understand historic climate change, climate models are necessary — but with temperature records only dating back to about 1850, these models need even older temperatures to be accurate.

His studies aim to complete these records and lead to more precise models.

MSU doctorate student Jade Zhang joined Winkelstern on the Bermuda study, supplementing her studies into the region’s climate. Her experience may reflect the educational enrichment that GVSU students can get from participating in the study.

Zhang emphasized that Winkelstern’s knowledge of the geography of Bermuda was a “great help,” and that one of their analyses is the first to be done.

While there is no current application process, Winkelstern said he will be looking for geology students who are willing to dig into the field and wade through river banks to find samples. After collection, students may also be involved in testing.

“Students could potentially be involved in all three phases there,” Winkelstern said. “The collection of it, the actual preparing and cleaning up of the samples and then also even the chemical analysis.”

The application process for the grant was submitted in Oct. 2018, involving a “lengthy and complicated” 15-page research proposal detailing funding and

GLOBAL IMPACT: Ian Winkelstern’s research revealed what historic temperatures were like around the world. The grant study provides an idea of what global climate may become. COURTESY | GVSU

how the study will create a broader impact, including how participating students may be benefited.

“The grant that we got funded is kind of a way to learn more about how the East Coast of the United States — the Atlantic Ocean — has responded to climate change in the past, and then that can inform us about what we might be about to experience in the future,” Winkelstern said.

“I hope it’s exciting for the campus community at large, it’s an opportunity for students to kind of engage with hopefully some cutting-edge climate change work,” he said. “We should get some really interesting data out of it, too.”

Students interested in participating in the study should reach out to Winkelstern for more information.

4 AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

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CAMPUS

Who goes there?

Sudoku Puzzle #P832AW

BY MACKENZIE KELLER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

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Presented by Puzzle Baron

Grand Valley State University is a unique and diverse university, though not Rated: everyone sees that at first glance. Junior Madeline Buning made it her goal to bring these differences to light in her Honors College Senior Project last semester.

“When people think of Grand Valley, they mainly think of the students and professors, which is not really all of who makes it up at all,” Buning said.

In her blog, titled “The Humans of Grand Valley,” Buning highlights students, faculty and alumni of different backgrounds to share their stories.

She even interviewed former president Thomas J. Haas.

The inspiration for the blog came from the viral project “Humans of New York.” In that project, Brandon Stanton interviews people from all across the state, and Buning aimed to recreate that project here at GVSU. “I always have loved people’s stories and what makes them who they are, so I wanted to incorporate that somehow,” Buning said.

As a psychology major, Buning wanted a project that would focus on people and humanities instead of numbers and figures. She said the experience of creating this project will stay with her throughout her career.

Even though she is only a junior, Buning started her senior project early, beginning in April 2019. She was able to interview seven students, three faculty members, six staff members, three alumni and the now-former president.

Finding people to participate in her project did not prove to be a challenge for Buning. She had a network of people recommending their friends that they thought would be a good fit for the project. She also reached out through the alumni association at GVSU, even though she knew of most of the alumni ahead of time.

“I knew I really wanted a different, diverse group of people,” Buning said. “I knew I wanted some diverse people based on race, and people that were involved in athletics.”

Though she was not able to represent every group she set out to, Buning was able to highlight many others.

The blog officially launched two weeks ago and is already rapidly growing in popularity. The traffic to the website is increasing after Buning and the professor who inspired her, Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, did a radio interview on the WGVU station earlier this summer.

The blog itself is finished, but the effects that it has on Buning and everyone who takes the time to read it will last a lifetime. The blog can be found at humansofgv.home.blog.

Super Difficult!

A7 | NEWS

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8 2 3 COMMUNITY: Madeline Buning’s senior project included stories from GVSU students, faculty, staff and alumni. COURTESY | MADELINE BUNING

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GO TO PRINTABLE-PUZZLES.COM | CODE: K997FL

Copyright © Puzzle Baron August 25, 2019 - Go to www.Printable-Puzzles.com for Hints and Solutions!

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AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS LEADERSHIP

President Mantella joins freshman class, sets sights on making her mark

BY NICK MORAN EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

President Philomena Mantella has done it all. She’s spent 30 years in educational administration, supporting lifelong learning and even flaunts a black belt in taekwondo.

Despite her experience, Mantella said the group she relates to most on campus is this year’s incoming freshman class. Just like the new students, she is actively learning about her new home, meeting peers and working to craft her Laker Effect.

“I consider myself a part of the freshman class,” Mantella said. “Every student class puts their mark on the university… It’s just a bit different in terms of their energy, their orientation, their areas of interest, so it will be curious to see what my class is like.”

Since her first official day as president July 1, Mantella said she has spent a lot of her time getting familiar with the university and its culture. Her schedule has included teaching and learning conferences, helping move students into dorms, addressing faculty at an all-staff meeting and speaking at Convocation. She said her goal with exploring campus in this sense is to learn how Grand Valley State University works among itself.

“Grand Valley really is a large and complex

organization,” Mantella said. “It’s multi-campus, multi-college, very embedded in not one community, but several communities. So, a lot of my days in the first six weeks has been really getting to know the university and where all of those areas of strength and opportunity are.”

Her first several weeks on campus have included more than just getting familiar with the university, but also establishing some structural changes off the bat. Mantella has already restructured university leadership to include some deans and faculty in directly supporting and advising university vice presidents.

With Mantella still standing in the first 100 days of her presidency, she said she has her sights set on some goals. Using the phrase “Listen. Engage. Act.” she wants to tap into spirits of collaboration and energy to make sure the transition doesn’t slow down GVSU’s growth.

“What happens in a presidential transition in particular because they’re long… is that there’s a lot of energy, a lot of mindfulness around not doing things that are long-view just before the president arrives,” Mantella said. “So I’m also interested in the places where that pent-up energy around “we need to act around these set of things” and trying to make those things come to the surface so everyone isn’t waiting a year for me to know

you and you to know me.”

Looking beyond the first 100 days, Mantella wants to focus on local impacts, which she said helps foster global impacts. Because of our

...A lot of my days in the first six weeks has been really getting to know the university and where all of those areas of strength and opportunity are.”

PHILOMENA MANTELLA GVSU PRESIDENT

privilege to be involved in higher education, she said that GVSU owes it to surrounding communities to be inspiring and promote growth.

Mantella noted being in her position labels her as a minority, as only about 30 percent of university presidents are fe-

Beyond the presidency: Mantella the person

BY NICK MORAN EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

MAKING A CONNECTION: President Mantella sits down with the Lanthorn staff. She plans to continue GVSU’s growth through familiarizing herself with the Grand Valley community. GVL | BENJAMIN HUNT

male. At GVSU, the president uniquely sits with other women in the university’s leadership, with women as the provost and Board of Trustees chair, and several women holding dean positions.

While innovation will stay on Mantella’s radar, she addressed the fact that GVSU has work to do in increasing its diversity.

“Wherever you are a minority voice, I think there’s more work to be done,” Mantella said. “People don’t necessarily relate to it in the same way because it’s not the norm – the norm is the majority voice.”

Mantella said her leadership experience is unique, with her background including internal and external leadership in both an academic and non-academic setting. With a “checks all of the boxes” mentality, she said “experiential learning” has been a key part of her leadership and meshes well with GVSU’s educational model.

Despite her term being in its infancy, Mantella said she has already embraced what makes GVSU so special.

“When you put the people, the programs, the campuses, the entrepreneurial spirit, the community’s connection to us and our connection to it – that all together, that fabric is so unusual,” Mantella said. “That’s what makes me so excited to be here.”

As president Mantella makes strides to better become familiar with GVSU, she also wants to share more of herself with its community to build a connection.

What helps her to do that every day?

Getting up early in the morning.

“The day starts very early for me – usually with a workout of some sort to get my blood flowing and my brain flowing,” Mantella said. “Then I usually write best in the morning, so I usually get some work done… It’s usually pretty active during the day in terms of this week, it’s been from college meeting to student meeting to meet and greets to walking the halls campus to campus, two or three locations in every different day.”

To keep a finger on GVSU’s pulse, Mantella said she’s been trying to meet as many people as she can. She’s also been active on Twitter (@PhillyGVPres), which she hopes to use to keep in touch with the community.

The feeling of having to learn how a community acts is new to Mantella. At Northeastern University in Boston, she

said she had her family with her, knew nearly everyone and felt integrated at the university. She said it has felt foreign at times, but her daringness to drop everything and lead GVSU has paid off.

“If you can, imagine putting your GPS on to go anywhere and then you’re leading a place that doesn’t fully know you and you don’t fully know it,” Mantella said. “It’s a really different kind of feeling.”

Since her move, the presidential family is only half complete. Mantella said her mother made the initial move with her to Michigan, but she’s still waiting on two key family members to arrive: her husband, Bob, and her dog, Lily, who students can expect to see around campus.

Outside of her office, Mantella said she’s passionate about working out, kickboxing, cycling and taking time to relax in the mornings. Being with her family is also an important part of her life.

Looking into the year, Mantella said her first-year bucket list is a long one.

It includes attending the first football game, seeing the marching band come together, speaking at Commencement and spending more time on campus as the seasons change.

A8&9 | NEWS

A10 | LAKER LIFE A LOOK AT LIFESTYLE HYPNOTIST RETURNS TO GV

If the first week of class has you already wishing for respite from the vagaries of college life, the Campus Activities Board may have you covered. This Thursday, Aug. 29 they’re welcoming comedian and professional hypnotist Chris Jones back to campus to entertain students who want to let go — or who want to watch their friends and classmates let go for them.

Jones will be performing at 7 p.m. in the Grand River Room (2250 Kirkhof Center). Students curious about his work can look up his run on Season 10 of America’s Got Talent, his upcoming prank show “Double Take,” his numerous television appearances, or his Twitter @1wordchrisjones. Questions about the event can be directed to the Campus Activies Board through their email, cab@gvsu.edu.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AT OMA OPEN HOUSE

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) works towards building and retaining a diverse and inclusive campus at Grand Valley. Students may have already observed some of their efforts through their Laker Familia and Black Excellence Orientation programs during Transitions Week. Students interested in learning more about what those and other OMA organizations do for campus can join them at the OMA Open House in their office at 1240 Kirkhof Center.

The event will go from 1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 27. Students who attend can eat snacks, play games, watch movies and learn about OMA programming like student cultural organizations, the OMA ambassador program, and their Professionals of Color Lecture Series.

Questions about the event of the Office of Multicultural Affairs itself can directed at their email, oma@gvsu.edu.

RESEARCH

Professor studies positivity bias among medications

BY KATHERINE ARNOLD LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

This month, Professor Amanda Dillard and two colleagues published the results of their study on positivity bias in the journal “Social and Personality Psychology Compass.”Their research focused on consumer reaction to products labeled with the term “natural,” especially focusing on products meant to improve health — do people tend to automatically think that medicines labeled as “natural” are more safe and effective than medicines labeled as “synthetic?”

This type of research directly impacts everyone who buys medications and is beneficial for the study of emotions and how they affect the way individuals make decisions. Once someone is aware that they might have such a bias, they are able to recognize when they might be using it and why they might be making it in the first place. This will allow them to make a decision that is based on an informed source or a better analysis, rather than relying on a face-value opinion.

To get to the heart of the matter, they conducted a literature review to analyze whether there was a positivity bias towards targeted phrasing like natural on advertised goods.

Different areas like health and medicine, as

well as food and beauty products, were tested in order to brainstorm a list of potential reasons for the existing bias and how this research could continue in the future.

Dillard describes this bias toward the term natural as “another illustration of how powerful emotions can be in decision-making.”

The idea for this project originated from a previous study, where it was discovered that college students chose a pain reliever advertised as naturally made over a synthetically created one.

This and other studies opened the door for this literature review and what steps would need to be taken to use this topic in further research.

Throughout the study, it was proven that such a bias did indeed exist, and furthermore that people tended to choose products labeled “natural” even when they were identical to the alternative — or even less effective.

“After further examination, we suggested three areas for building the research: the measurement of behavior, the examination of individual differences and the development of methods for reducing the bias,” Dillard said.

Even outside of her professional work, Dillard will use what she has learned from this study in the classes that she teaches. One class in particular, Health Psychology, works directly with this line of research. This study successfully

HIGHLY ILLOGICAL: Dillard’s research shows even health choices are based in consumer emotion. COURTESY | PROFESSOR AMANDA DILLARD

shows that biases can be an important part of decisions people make in regards to their health.

“As professors, it is important for us to not only know, but also do the research that we teach our students,” Dillard says. “I am grateful that I get to teach Health Psychology and can share my research regularly with my students.”

STUDENT LIFE

Campus Activities Board kicks off new semester

EXPLORE CAMPUS LIFE AT LIVE EAT REC FEST

For many Grand Valley students, the free access to the Recreation Center that comes with their ID cards is a major feature of their time on campus. At Live Eat Rec Fest, incoming freshmen and returning students alike can learn about what the Recreation Center, as well as Housing and Campus Dining, has to offer. The three have partnered together to put on their annual open house at the Rec Center itself from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Students who stop by can explore the fitness facilities, discover Campus Rec programs and their 50+ club sports teams, go on a housing tour, participate in sporting competitions and group exercise classes, and learn about employment opportunities with Housing and Residence Life, Campus Dining, and Campus Recreation. All interested students need to do is bring their ID card for access to Rec Center.

AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

BY YSABELA GOLDEN LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

PARTY: CAB prepared activites galore for the Laker Kickoff Party. GVL | KATHERINE VASILE

Last Friday’s Laker Kickoff Party started the semester with a laid-back celebration of returning campus life, entertaining students who wandered by the Cook Carillon Tower with music, food and a variety of games and activities.

“It’s targeted where it is within the transitions schedule for a reason,” said Campus Activities Board President Jess Fillmore.

“We designed it so incoming freshmen can just relax and meet some people outside of the pressure and business of transitions. It’s something to do with new friends — if you’re not super close to your roommates, grabbing some pizza and listening to music is a casual way to get to know each other better.”

The Campus Activities Board, who organized the event, is a more recent addition to the Office of Student Life. This time last year, they were two separate organizations — the former Laker Traditions Team and Spotlight Productions.

The Laker Kickoff Party signified the start of the fall semester, but also their fully combined debut for the upcoming year.

“We effectively had the same purpose,” Fillmore said. “We operated different types of events, but we were both campus organizations serving the same purpose, so we were always working together and trying to coordinate with each other. It just made sense to join together and pool our resources.”

Last semester, the two groups merged together as a “dry run” for future partnership. Now, they’re officially starting the year as the combined Campus Activities Board.

The original purposes of both teams are preserved within the CAB’s structure.

“Now we have Traditional Programs, which covers our big ticket events like Homecoming, the President’s Ball and our Spring Concert — events that are more long running in planning,” Fillmore said.

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AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

A11 | LAKER LIFE

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

GV musicians play national parks

BY AUTUMN BABAS LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

For most college level musicians, performing means playing for their hometowns. But for some Grand Valley State University musicians, it means concerts in National Parks across the entire country.

The New Music Ensemble is polishing off their commercial CD featuring commissioned works that represent the attitude and beauty of national parks. The group strives to touch the lives of others through their contemporary classical music everywhere they go.

“We’ve been working on this project since 2014, where we ask composers to write for a specific park,” said Ensemble Director and Grand Valley Professor Bill Ryan. “Then we go to the park to play the music that inspired it. There will be 11 total compositions from Arches, Capitol Reef, Wind Cave, Badlands, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks,” Their commercial CD, titled Dawn Forest, releases April 24, 2020. It showcases a collection of music that The New Music Ensemble has commissioned and played in the 14 national parks they have traveled to.

The music on the CD reflects the immense diversity of the parks while capturing their breathtaking landscapes and nature.

Ryan started The New Music Ensemble in 2006 with a vision for students to achieve more with their musical experience at GVSU. The group is an undergraduate classical chamber ensemble that is dedicated to leaving an impact through music. The group promotes contemporary classical music through commissions, tours, recordings, collaborations, outreach events and workshops.

“I am a composer myself and advocate for new contemporary music,” Ryan said.

“We have student compositions that we play as well as new professional pieces that are being written for us by composers. We didn’t have anything like that in place when I was hired. I wanted to start something where we would have a vehicle in place and to bring in composers and play students new compositions.”

The ensemble not only gives students the opportunity to advance as musicians, but encourages them to be creative, display their passion for music and prepare them for a future in the musical field.

“I think it’s a unique opportunity for students to present new music that has

NATURAL WONDERS: The New Music Ensemble performing on their July 2016 National Parks Tour through Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. The group has had several such tours since its conception. Their upcoming CD collection, Dawn Forest, reflects the group’s experiences. COURTESY | BILL RYAN

never been presented before,” Ryan said.

“You don’t get that opportunity a lot with classical music.”

Students are able to work directly with the commissioned composer that wrote the pieces specifically for each instrument. This gives students insight to the direction in how each part is played. It also allows students to understand the emotion and meaning the composer wants the audience to take away from the piece.

“I tell the composers the instruments and they write for them,” Ryan said. “If they are local, they will come in with rough drafts and performance material to work with the students on.”

Through fundraising, donations and grants, The New Music Ensemble has been able to showcase their music to a wide variety of people across the country.

They have performed in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New York and so many other fascinating venues.

The New Music Ensemble is no group of amateurs when it comes to dynamics, technique and skill level. They play on a national level and are quickly being recognized for their hard work. One of their biggest accomplishments was receiving the $4,000 New Music USA grant in July to help cover the costs associated with having the CD

professionally mastered for commercial release. This is the second New Music USA Project Grant they have received.

“Historically, our recordings have gotten a lot of attention on the national level, and we are very excited about this award,” Ryan said.

The grant isn’t the only way the group has been recognized for their talent and outreach. The New Music Ensemble has been profiled in numerous publications including The New York Times and Billboard Magazine. They have also been featured in WNYC’s Radiolab and have released four critically acclaimed recordings named to year-end best release lists by the New York Times, NPR, The Washington Post, The LA Weekly, andTime Out Chicago, among many others. Their recordings have appeared in film and television shows on MTV, Showtime and over 75 film festivals around the world.

The New Music Ensemble has also completed five tours: The Mid-Atlantic in 2011, National Parks in (2014, 2016, 2018) and Midwest in 2016. Ryan says the group will continue to travel and share their music.

The commercial CD being released this spring is a huge way the ensemble is connecting with others. The CD will be available everywhere and is a way people

can experience the journey The New Music Ensemble has crafted.

LUX LIVING FOR LESS meadowscrossing.net

A12 | SPORTS QUICK HITS GVSU FOOTBALL PRESEASON RADIO SHOW SET FOR AUG. 28

The 2019 GVSU Football preseason radio show, presented by Coors Light, will be broadcast live on ESPN 96.1 and the iHeart Radio app on Wednesday, Aug. 28, from 6-7 p.m.

Head Coach Matt Mitchell will join hosts Steve Lloyd Jones and Jake Levy to preview the 2019 season live from Main Street Pub in Allendale.

The show will preview the 2019 schedule, take a look at the Lakers’ opponents and provide analysis, highlighting battles for starting and key reserve roles, adjustments for the young offense and the expectations for a veteran defense.

In addition to the preseason show, it was announced last week that the GVSU Football Weekly Report will begin Thursday, Sept. 5, from 6-7 p.m. on ESPN 96.1 FM from Main Street Pub, as it will air every Thursday night throughout the 2019 football season.

GVSU MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 2019-20 SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED

On Thursday, Aug. 22, both the men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams for Grand Valley State announced their respective schedules for the 2019-20 season.

The men’s team will kick off their season with three straight home contests, the first which being Saturday, Nov. 9, against regional opponent Alderson Broadus at noon it the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. The women’s team will start off their GLIAC title defense Friday, Nov. 8, as they travel to the University of Missouri-St. Louis to take on the Tritons.

Notable non-conference games for the men include home games against Davis & Elkins and Truman State, and they will travel to face Indianapolis, Cedarville and Ohio Dominican in the Don Callan Classic.

Notable non-conference games for the women includes home match-ups with Lewis, Hillsdale and Findlay, as well as the team traveling for an away game against Central State (OH) before Thanksgiving on Wednesday, Nov. 27.

GVSU ANNOUNCES CONCESSION UPGRADES FOR 2019 FOOTBALL SEASON

This season, Lubbers Stadium will be featuring a few new concessions, as there will be new food selections and a few changes to concessions operations as concessionaire Aramark has responded to feedback from the fans.

The most visible change for 2019 will be a new pizza provider, as Jet’s Pizza will now be featured as the Official Pizza of Lubbers Stadium, which will be available in both the North and South ends of the stadium.

The North and South concession stands will also feature a new hot dog offering from Kent Quality Meats that will be $2, Johnsonville brats on a pretzel bun for $4 and reduced pricing for water and fountain Pepsi drinks.

Additionally, Dippin’ Dots will be introduced along the South concourse with an individual kiosk location.

AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

Cole’s World FOOTBALL

How Kotopka looks to fill in Williams’ shoes, lead Laker football to success

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

This season will be the first time in four years that Laker legend Bart Williams is not lining up behind center and leading the offense for Grand Valley State, but GVSU fans have no reason to fret with the man who has been waiting to replace him.

A redshirt junior from Plainfield, Illinois, Cole Kotopka is the projected starter for the 2019 GVSU football team.

Despite being primarily a backup these past two seasons, Kotopka has a decent amount of experience. In the 18 games he’s appeared in, Kotopka has completed 53 percent of his throws for 658 yards and four touchdowns.

One major skill that separates Kotopka from GVSU’s all-time passing leader is running the football, as Kotopka has proven to be more of a dual-threat option, rushing for 151 yards and three touchdowns last season. That ability to make plays both on the ground and in the air proved helpful in a key win against Davenport last season, as Kotopka replaced an injured Williams in the second half to run for 32 yards and pass for 81 yards, including a 53-yard game-winning touchdown to Nick Dodson.

That awareness in the pocket and a vast knowledge of what’s going on around him has helped Kotopka excel in practice this season, as head coach Matt Mitchell has sang his praise. “(Kotopka) is really comfortable with what’s going on and he’s very composed back there,” Mitchell said. “He’s got a really good feel for the game of football.

He’s doing a good job throwing it around.

We have a lot of different guys playing running back and receiver and tight end and at some point we got to whittle that down to the guys he’s going to be working with. He’s done a really good job handling a bunch of dudes, running routes, catching balls, so I’ve been impressed with his ability to do that.”

It’s impossible not to hear Kotopka calling out defenders and leading the offense when stepping on to the GVSU practice field, as Kotopka has shown to excel at being a vocal leader.

“I got to make sure I keep talking, because I know a lot of what guys are supposed to be doing at every single position, and make sure everyone can hear my voice,” Kotopka said. “I want them to hear me and everything, but I also want to lead by example as well — going out there and making sure I know what I’m doing.”

Mitchell has also been impressed with Kotopka’s leadership, as he sees the junior as a leader among this young offense.

POISED IN THE POCKET: Grand Valley State redshirt junior quarterback Cole Kotopka drops back at looks to pass at practice. Kotopka has big shoes to fill for the Lakers this season. GVL | ARCHIVE

“He’s done a great job, and we don’t have much senior leadership on offense,” Mitchell said. “Basically, we count on him and some of the other underclassmen to do what we need to do.”

Kotopka has learned a lot from working under Williams for his whole Laker tenure, with the most important trait being the poise that Williams had everywhere he went.

“I think it’s just the way (Williams) carried himself on and off the field,” Kotopka said. “Off the field, he was a great teammate to everybody and on the field, he’s a great quarterback and he made sure everyone felt comfortable around him.”

Kotopka knows that he only has a handful of games left to play in his college career, but based on his football I.Q., in-game experience and tutelage rubbed off from Williams, he should be able to do just fine, especially if all he wants to do is win.

“I just want to do everything that I possibly can to help the guys win,” Kotopka said. “I’ve been here for four years, and with these last two years of eligibility I have, I just want to win as much as I possibly can.”

Kotopka and the GVSU football team have two more full weeks of practice before their opening game against Edinboro at Lubbers Stadium Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.

AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A13 | SPORTS

SOCCER

PURSUIT TO THE GOAL: Grand Valley State midfielder Riko Sagara evades a Western Michigan defender to attempt to score a goal in a match at the GVSU Soccer Field. Similar to the role of a point guard in basketball, Sagara helps the team by not only facilitating the offense for the Lakers, but also by being an anchor on the defensive end, impacting the game in any way that she can for GVSU. GVL | ARCHIVE

Riko Sagara

GVSU Soccer’s point guard on the Pitch

BY ELI ONG SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

“Everything: Defend, attack, score, give assists, tackle, win the ball,” once said Manchester United Midfielder Paul Pogba about the requirements of being a midfielder.

There is no debate that midfield is one of the most important positions on the soccer field. A good midfielder does everything that Pogba mentions. This is exactly what Riko Sagara brings to the Grand Valley State University Women’s Soccer Team, and is akin to a point guard running plays on offense and helping coordinate their team on defense.

“Riko is a really creative player,” said GVSU Head Soccer Coach Jeff Hosler.

“Riko can really lead this team through her play. She’s hard working, she’s a smart soccer player with a high soccer IQ and I think she’s someone the rest of this team can definitely benefit from watching and playing alongside.”

Silent, steady, stalwart and intelligent.

That is how Hosler and fellow observers describe the reserved Sagara. She is someone who works harder than the rest to put her team in the best position pos-

sible to win, Hosler said.

“She’s an incredible playmaker,” Hosler said. “But we’ve also been trying to get her to develop more of a nose for goals and I think she’s taken that in stride this week.”

Sagara agreed that she needs to learn to be more aggressive on the attack, but her favorite part of soccer is still anticipating match-ups and reactions so that she can deliver passes to set up her teammates.

“Coach Hosler has been very adamant about me finding my nose to score more goals,” Sagara said. “But passing to my teammates has always been my favorite.”

Last season, Sagara notched 23 assists for the Lakers, which led all of DII Women’s Soccer and was a major reason why Sagara was a unanimous first team all-America selection by the United Soccer Coaches and DII Conference Commissioners’ Association at the end of the 2018 season, as well as the Midwest Region and GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year.

The road for Sagara to get to this level as an American collegiate soccer player has not been one on the straight and narrow since coming to the United States from Japan.

Long before she became a Laker, Sagara lived with a host family in Detroit during

her high school days and trained with the Michigan Hawks, one of the best club soccer programs in the country, Hosler said.

“We had a lot of really good conversations and she gave us her original commitment,” Hosler said. “But we had some trouble getting her into school because we have some rather high TOEFL expectations for international students,” TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, is a standardized test meant to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers who wish to enroll in English-speaking universities like GVSU. To overcome the TOEFL obstacle, Sagara chose to play at the NAIA junior college level until her English was proficient enough to be admitted to GVSU. “I went to an NAIA college in Tennessee, which was Martin Methodist University,” said Sagara. “Then after Martin Methodist, GVSU still wanted me, so I transferred there.”

When asked what motivated her to keep her commitment to GVSU and work hard to get to Allendale, Sagara cited their championship pedigree.

“Before I came to GVSU, they had won three straight national championships,” said Sagara. “All my life, no matter what

I do, all I have wanted to do is win and that is what GVSU is all about: winning.”

Hosler said that Sagara’s intelligence permeates itself within her day-to-day life and not just when she is out on the soccer field.

“When we first recruited Riko, the only English word she knew was hello,” Hosler said. “Now you can have complex conversations with her, she has really good understanding (of English), she has been able to manage the difficult course load Grand Valley provides.”

Her improved English has also allowed her to understand more during team meetings and absorb more information, which has allowed her to take her game to the next level, according to Hosler.

“Going back to the original question of leadership, she is someone who constantly expresses gratitude,” Hosler said. “She is someone who is incredibly disciplined—it really demonstrates what we expect from our players and she epitomizes that.”

The GVSU Laker’s Soccer team will look for that discipline to help lead them back to the national championship in December. Look for the Lakers to kick off their season at home against Rollins University on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 pm.

AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A14 | SPORTS VOLLEYBALL

GVSU volleyball wins academic awards, prepare for 2019 season

BY ROSEMARY BOOHER SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Earlier this summer, the Grand Valley State volleyball team was honored with 20182019 Team Academic Awards, which are awarded and announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), to collegiate and high school volleyball teams that hold a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average or higher on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

The Lakers went above and beyond in order to receive this award, as the team had eight players who earned a 3.5 GPA or higher and also had 13 athletes who recorded a GPA of 3.3 or higher. This season there will be eight letter winners from last year who will be returning to play for GVSU and continue their academic excellence. However, academic excellence is not the only thing that the team is striving for again this year, according to senior Kendall Yerkes.

“Our main goal obviously would be a national championship title, however I think making and attaining smaller goals is going to be more beneficial for us this season,” Yerkes said. “We are bringing in nine freshman and I think a huge part of our success early on is going to be how quickly we can

get them accustomed to our program.”

The team has been preparing for this influx of young players during the preseason, and creating an accepting culture and environment has been one of the main focuses this off season. The importance of a healthy relationship and an understanding of one another is very important to the team, according to Yerkes.

“This past spring, we really focused on our relationships with each other,” Yerkes said. “We had a pretty small group after graduating a lot of seniors, so it was a great time to really work on our relationships and team dynamics. We also focused on the culture that we want our program to have and the importance of accountability”.

Yerkes and Cavallaro are the only seniors this season and both have taken it upon themselves to make sure that the hefty load of newcomers are able to navigate their way through this season successfully. Coming into this season there are only two seniors, no juniors and 16 underclassmen on the roster, making the team a rather inexperienced one.

Despite the difficulty that the team may face with such young players, Yerkes believes there is still hope for a winning season.

“This team is going to be very different than last seasons,” Yerkes said. “There are a

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA: The Grand Valley State volleyball team show off their pearly whites while donning Laker blue on the GV logo at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. COURTESY | GVSULAKERS.COM

lot of new faces and a ton of good energy coming from our group as a whole. We aren’t going to have a ton of experience this year, but I think that if we carry that positive energy and excitement throughout the

season the record is going to follow”.

This season is bound to be one of growth and excitement, and it officially starts Friday, Sept. 6, in N. C. as the Lakers compete in the UNC Pembroke Invitational.

CROSS COUNTRY

GVSU Cross Country prepares for 2019 season with strong senior leadership

BY SEAN CAUVET SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

SWEET VICTORY: A former GVSU runner crosses the finish line and cheers. COURTESY | NCAA.ORG

Jerry Baltes, entering his 21st season as Head Coach at Grand Valley State, has won 62 GLIAC Coach of the Year Awards and groomed over 200 All-American athletes.

He attributes his continued success and motivation to his competitive nature.

“I always tell all my athletes, if we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it well.

I go into every year with the expectation and the hope to challenge for the National Championship,” Coach Baltes said. “We try to prepare our student athletes to be as good as they can possibly be, so I guess that is how I keep myself motivated and try to help our student athletes achieve their goals.”

Now that the GVSU Cross Country offseason is coming to a close, Coach Baltes is excited to get back into the swing of things.

“Our season is really a year-round season, but I’ve used this offseason to kind of take a breath and spend some time with the

family,” Baltes said. “We’re pretty busy with recruiting and with helping Rachael Walters, Zach Panning and Sarah Berger prepare for the US Championships at the end of July.

Our summer was short and quick but here we are ready for the new season to start.”

Colin Herrmann and Jacob Domagalski are runners that in Baltes’s eyes have grown and improved a lot over their four years at GVSU. “They are both entering their fifth year in our program and have both made constant improvement,” Baltes said. “I have high expectations for both of them. Colin came back for his fifth year after a breakout performance last year. We see both of them as being factors for the team to reach our goals this year.”

Colin Herrmann picked up a second minor, which allowed him to return for one final season with the Men’s Cross Country Team. He was not highly recruited out of high school, but that didn’t stop him from having a successful career at GVSU. “I think consistency has been the biggest

thing for me,” Herrmann said. “Putting in the work for four years just knowing that eventually it will all come together was the key. Thankfully, this past year, everything came together for me.”

Herrmann and Domagalski started on the Cross Country team together as freshmen. Herrmann said that he has gotten close with his fellow running teammate over the last four years.

“I’m looking forward to an increased role as a senior leader on the team with Jacob,” Herrmann said. “We have been through a lot together and it is cool that we are both still here entering our fifth year and to see how much we’ve both improved and grown.”

Domagalski says that he will look to past seniors like recent graduate Zach Panning for footsteps to follow in.

“I’m really excited about the role I get to play for the team this year,” Domagalski said.

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AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A15 | SPORTS

Anchor U.P. BASKETBALL RECRUITING

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State basketball team will look a lot different this upcoming season thanks to a talented incoming freshmen class headlined by three players from the northern part of Michigan.

Earlier this year, GVSU beat out northern GLIAC rivals such as Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan and locked down Marius Grazilus from Marquette, Blake Charboneau from Gaylord, and Tobin Schwannecke from Traverse City.

Assistant coach Taylor Johnson knew he had to have Grazilus and Charboneau in the Laker blue when he saw them play each other in high school on a trip up North to play NMU. “I go up there to watch Marius play in that big game, and he was matched up with Blake,” Johnson said. “They both played well, and after the game, I asked Marius about Blake, and he said ‘Yeah, we should get Blake.’ These are some tough up-north kids, and after we got Blake down on a visit, we knew that this is where we wanted to go.”

Johnson went on to mention that a lot of players from the North play with an uncomparable tenacity, partly because they want to head to the lower part of the state to play tougher competition.

“When it comes to playing basketball, they take a little more pride in it,” Johnson said. “They relish in it more, because it’s a great chance for them to be inside and be at a level to get down state. That’s the dream for all U.P. players, to get to the Breslin and representing the forgotten part of the state.”

Grazilus, a 6’11” post with good footwork and a decent three point shot, agreed with Johnson’s sentiment about U.P. players, as a lot of them tend to play with something to prove.

“The mindset is a little more blue-collar up here,” Grazilus said. “We have to play as hard as we can, more than most other players in the state.”

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TAKING IT TO THE HOOP: Blake Charboneau (left) and Tobin Schwannecke drive to the basket for their respective high schools. Both guys will be playing for the Lakers. COURTESY | GVSULAKERS.COM

L AK E R E XCHAN G E Housing

GVSU Basketball rounds out 2019 recruiting class with three talented players from Northern Michigan

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Be sure to check out Mead- Did you know that the originows Crossing if you want to al comic book Superman live at off-campus apart- couldn't fly, but could leap ments. Our townhomes and tall buildings in a single apartments in Allendale of- bound. But then he had to fer modern amenities, com- come right back down to fort, privacy, and a great loc- Earth. So, in the 1940s, ation! when animators for a new animated series decided it Live Campus View! With w o u l d b e t o o h a r d t o varieties like apartments, routinely draw him bending townhomes, and cottages, his knees, it was decided Campus view fits to your that Superman could take off needs. Learn more at campusviewhousing.com or into the air and glide through it. This allowed smooth ancall 616-895-6678 imation and superman Make sure you're prepared g a i n e d a n e w p o w e r . for classes! Grab your Best LifeI Editors "Yesterday saw a guy spill books, pencils, pens, note- By: bestlifeonline.com Scrabble letters on the road. pads, and anything else you could possibly need from the I asked him, "Whats the word on the street?" bookstore!

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AUGUST 26, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A16 | SPORTS

Ride FREE on All Rapid Bus Routes with GVSU I.D.

Get Social: @GVSUbus GVSU Bus System @gvsubus

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TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AT GVSU What’s with the new bus stations along Route 50?

Grand Valley State University’s bus service provider, The Rapid, received a federal grant in 2018 to improve service on Route 50 by implementing the Laker Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Construction began in April 2019 on new enhanced bus stations along the Route 50 corridor from Allendale to Grand Rapids.

The Laker Line BRT service will begin in Fall 2020, with larger capacity buses, dual access for faster boarding, and signal priority at traffic lights for a more streamlined commute!

40 FEET

length of current buses [in use Fall 2019]

60 FEET

length of articulated buses for Laker Line BRT [in use Fall 2020]

Rendering of the new Route 50 bus stop at the Kirkhof Center on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus.

new stations in use

only on allendale campus

for fall 2019

please use temporary or existing Route 50 bus stop locations off-campus

visit gvsu.edu/bus for schedule info

Kirkhof BUS STOP FOR Center ROUTE bus 50 stops FALL 2019

2

FREE Park & Ride Lots [in Standale]:

MEIJER

@Ferndale Ave.

WALKER FIRE STATION

@ Kinney Ave.

BUS STOP FOR

ROUTES 37 / 48 / 85

Current style bus BRT bus coming Fall 2020