Issue 17, December 10, 2018 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

GRAND VALLEY

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

M O N D A Y, D E C E M B E R 1 0, 2 0 1 8 // VO L . 52 N O. 1 7

SEMESTER IN REVIEW

A2 | NEWS

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

SEPT. 10

Grand Valley’s most generous contributor dies at age 92 on Sept. 6 MCKENNA PEARISO ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley community is mourning the loss of one of the university’s most influential leaders, Richard M. DeVos, who died at age 92 on Sept. 6. DeVos played a pivotal role in the university’s growth from its founding in the 1960s. He was a prominent figure in revitalizing Grand Rapids, and his work in improving higher education, health care, and the economic development of the city made GR what it is today.

Grand Valley’s President Thomas J. Haas said DeVos was one of the university’s greatest leaders who was imperative to the development of the Grand Valley community, most noteworthy being the establishment of the downtown Grand Rapids campus. DeVos served as President of the Grand Valley University

Foundation for 24 years.

Before that, his work for the university dates back to the 1970s during his time on the Board of Control. DeVos’s work with Grand Valley dates back to the 1970s when he worked on the GVSU Board of Control.

“Rich gave so much of himself to Grand Valley,” Haas said. “His enthusiasm and vision were contagious, and drew the entire community together to help provide a world-class education to West Michigan citizens.”

DeVos and his late wife, Helen, were some of Grand Rapids and Grand Valley’s most generous benefactors.

The DeVos family has donated an estimated $36 million to Grand Valley. Several of the university’s buildings are named for the DeVos’ including the Richard M. DeVos Center on the Grand Rapids campus, the CookDeVos Center for Health Sciences as well as the Richard M. DeVos Living Center on the Allendale campus.

“The university would not be what it is today without his and Helen’s leadership and generosity. His legacy lives on in the lives of the thousands of students he has touched,” Haas said.

Rich and Helen Devos also gave the initial gift in 2011 for GVSU’s Seidman College of Business in honor of William Siedman, a friend of the Devos family and former Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. chief who died in 2009.

The DeVos’ were also prominent figures in West Michigan through their philanthropy and business ventures. In 2011, the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital was constructed thanks to the donation from DeVos family. The 14-story hospital cost $286 million and is located on Spectrum Health’s Butterworth campus.

DeVos was also cofounder of Amway Corp., a company that is now worth an estimated $5.1 billion.

In 1992, DeVos retired from Amway due to health

problems and his son Doug DeVos became president of the company in 2002.

DeVos was also the owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team and remained the senior chairman of the NBA team until his death.

The carillon towers on Grand Valley’s Allendale and Pew campuses will be lit with a blue “Laker Light” for the next two weeks in honor of Devos. The funeral ceremony will be live simulcast in the DeVos Performance Hall at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids that is open to the public. A public visitation will be held September 12 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in the Ambassador Ballroom.

The legacy of Rich and Helen DeVos will live on in the building that bare their names and the lives they touched through their philanthropy.

“Our hearts are with the DeVos family at this time,” Haas said.

REMEMBERING RICHARD: On Sept. 6, Richard M. DeVos died at the age of 92. DeVos was integral to GVSU’s growth. COURTESY | NBA.COM

OCT. 29

GV expands health campus with new building on Medical Mile JAMES KILBORN JKILBORN@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University is continuing to grow its presence in Grand Rapids as it held a groundbreaking ceremony for its newest building on Tuesday, Oct. 23. The Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health will compliment GVSU’s existing Cook-DeVos Health Sci-

ence Building as well as the recently constructed Finkelstein Hall. The five-story, 160,000 square foot building will serve as an additional anchor to the Medical Mile corridor, illustrating the growing demand for health professionals in the greater Grand Rapids area.

Director of Simulation within the Nursing School Katie Branch sees the new facility as more than just

bricks and mortar, but as the new learning opportunities and experiences to be offered within its classrooms.

“The building was designed to be interdisciplinary in nature,” Branch said. “Supporting and inspiring collaborative work among students, faculty, staff. Healthcare is not effectively delivered by professions working in silos. Health-related students learning with, from,

HOME FOR HEALTHCARE: GVSU held a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 23 for the newest addition to its downtown campus: The Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health. COURTESY | GVSU

and about each other’s professions leads to collaborative practice and safer healthcare.”

Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders Lee An and Vice Provost for Health Jean Nagelkerk both see the building as a cutting-edge facility that will educate health professionals for years to come.

“The new five-story building will have 15 classrooms, 14 interactive laboratories and state-of-the sciences such as electronic 3D modeling and imaging of the body and its organs,” An said. “These features will create a lot of flexibility, collaboration and interprofessional team environments for student learning.”

Nagelkerk echoed An’s excitement, stating that the new building will provide space designed to promote learning.

“The innovative, state-ofthe-art, learning spaces are designed intentionally for shared learning to occur in a simulated healthcare environment,” Nagelkerk said. “The dedicated simulation space in the new building will expand throughout an entire floor providing a variety of learning spaces

including a simulated hospital area, ambulatory care space, telehealth area, counseling spaces, skills laboratory practice areas, a virtual anatomy space and a model living area.”

The new building’s location will be just as important as the technology-integrated learning experience. The Medical Mile, located north of downtown Grand Rapids along the sloping Michigan Street corridor, is the largest employment center in west Michigan with over 50,000 nurses, doctors, researchers and students working within the area daily. Institutions such as Ferris State University, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids Community College and others are tapping into the medical district’s resources, working closely with the hospitals that line the street. Coordination between local colleges, hospitals and institutions ensures that the next generation of health professionals practice the handson experience so valuable within the medical field.

“Building talent bridges from education to employment is an important aspect of

a student’s learning experiences as they develop their skills as a health professional,” Nagelkerk said. “The healthcare systems and organizations in our local area, region and state provide clinical experiences for our students. In addition, students have the opportunity to work part time in many different roles as they complete their educational program.”

Examples of part time opportunities include working as a scribe, nurse technician or certified nurse assistant.

The influx of health professionals and students to the area has prompted both GVSU and the city of Grand Rapids to develop strategies to mitigate traffic within the corridor.

Started in August, The Rapid route 19 runs the entire stretch of Michigan Street, connecting GVSU’s new medical campus to Bridge Street Market on the city’s west side. The Laker Line, which will replace Rapid route 50, will provide faster service between the medical center and Allendale.

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OCT. 22

GV, Saginaw Valley showcase fundraising rivalry with Battle of the Valleys JAMES KILBORN JKILBORN@LANTHORN.COM

East versus West, Cardinals versus Lakers, Grand Valley versus Saginaw Valley.

Grand Valley State University’s Student Senate is kicking off the 2018 Battle of the Valleys this week in preparation for the upcoming rivalry game occurring on Saturday, Oct. 27. Although the football game is often the focus during the week, the rivalry extends beyond the goal lines, as both schools are competing to raise funds for charity organizations within their communities. This year’s funds go toward the Replenish Food Pantry, an on-campus charity tasked with assisting students who may be struggling with food insecurity.

Student Senate VP of Campus Affairs Carter Engler sees the events as an opportunity to bring students, faculty and alumni closer together and demonstrate how generous GVSU is in supporting local charities that help those within the region.

“This game is so important because we are rivals — not

just because of the differing names, but each team plays a hard ball game and brings in a great fan base and school spirit moral boost,” Engler said. “This particular rivalry is significant because since it’s the most talked about and attended game, both schools have agreed to make the very best of this event by using the publicity to gain a better connection between students, alumni, local businesses and the surrounding community to fund raise for their own charity of choice.”

Student Senate Executive VP Morgan Mattler said that although the football rivalry has existed for much longer, the charity competition has become increasingly competitive, with both schools eager to beat the other when it comes to fundraising.

“There is a different feeling on campus during this week, as there is both anticipation for the football game, but more importantly a sense of motivation to out-fundraise Saginaw Valley through the annual charity competition,” Mattler said.

A number of events are planned for the week, including

V FOR VICTORY: Two students hoist the Battle of the Valleys trophy during last year’s fundraiser. This year, the funds that GVSU raised for the event went to the Replenish Food Pantry, an on-campus charity aiming to assist students struggling with food insecurity. GVL | ARCHIVE

a corn maze fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 26 as well as a Pie Day. “We have events we use [every year] along with new events,” Engler said. “Some returning events are our Pie Day where volunteers get a pie tin filled with ‘pie cream’ rubbed all over their face for a small price paid for by friends, roommates and pedestrians

walking through the building.

Last year we did a Paint N’ Sip and are revamping this event with Spotlight Productions to have a Pumpkin Paint ‘N Sip to get into the holiday spirit.”

A number of local restaurants will also donate a percent of their earnings to the cause. Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee’s and Uccello’s will

all participate in the fundraising week, illustrating a community-wide effort to beat Saginaw Valley State.

Both Engler and Mattler emphasized the importance of student involvement during the week and look to past Battle of the Valleys as proof that the students, faculty and alumni of GVSU are eager

to help fundraise for local causes, especially when competing with a school rival.

The duo said that students are encouraged to attend campus events and give their time and effort, as beating SVSU involves not only scoring touchdowns but raising money for a cause that will impact lives on campus.

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A3

AUG. 27

New dean of students is ‘excited to be a part of the GV family’ MCKENNA PEARISO ASSOCIATE@LANTHORN.COM

Just four weeks ago, Michigan-native Loren Rullman took on his position as the new dean of students and vice provost for Student Affairs at Grand Valley State University. Dean Rullman has already made it his mission to open his ears to Grand Valley students to better understand the GV community.

Originally from the northern town of Grant, Mich., Rullman was raised by two public school teachers who instilled a love for education in him. He has dedicated his 30 year career to students in higher education settings. He previously held the position of Associate Vice President of Student Life at the University of Michigan.

“There I was responsible for campus housing, student activities and organizations, campus recreation, campus dining, student unions and lots of the out-of-classroom student experience,” Rullman said.

The new Dean of Students now has 10 years of experience dealing with campus life at UM that will help him as he navigates Student Affairs at GV. Rullman has also had the opportunity to hire and work with Grand Valley graduates, which he said was always a great experience.

Moreover, Rullman is still settling in to his new digs at Grand Valley with the intent to become immersed in the university’s culture. From joining prospective students and their families on a campus tour to meeting RA’s and helping with move-in at the Black Excellence Orientation, Rullman has been busy learning everything he can about the GV community.

“Mostly what I have done for four weeks is spend all of my time meeting with people to try to understand Grand Valley’s history and culture, hopes, things that are working really well and what people hope for from student services,” Rullman said.

Even from first interactions, it is clear the new dean is someone who cares deeply about the students he works with. As Vice Provost of Student Affairs, Rullman plans to be a resource that focuses in on students and what they want for their campus life experience.

“Throughout my career, and even my four weeks here, I have been incredibly impressed with students capabilities, intelligence, aspirations, organizational capacities,” Rullman said.

“So I have learned not to assume that we know more than students about what students want for their experience.”

Rullman is excited for stu-

dents to return to campus and for the school year to begin.

Coming from a larger school, the dean will now be navigating a smaller university with a different environment. He has said that the size and excellence of Grand Valley assured him to take the position.

“One of the great things about this university is that it’s big so there are lots of opportunities for students, at the same time the culture here is very student focused and I love that about this place - the bigness for student opportunities and the smallness for personal intention,” Rullman said.

Moving forward, Rullman plans to create a student advisory board to meet with students directly about their needs and experiences. He also hopes Student Services can be a valuable contribution in the higher learning accreditation this November.

This accreditation is important for Grand Valley’s reputation and success.

However, Rullman thinks it is too early to start planning too much and is hoping to learn more from students as he settles into his new position.

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LAKER LOREN: GVSU welcomed Loren Rullman as the new dean of students and vice provost for student affairs. Rullman has experience working with student life at the University of Michigan. COURTESY | GVSU

SEPT. 17

GV to cut business ties with Papa John’s DEVIN DELY NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

PEACE OUT PAPA: A pizza delivery person leaves Papa John’s in the Connection. Due to CEO and founder John Schnatter’s controversy, GVSU is replacing Papa John’s locations on campus. GVL | ANDREW NYHOF

In June of 2018, Papa John’s Pizza CEO and founder John Schnatter came under fire for using a racial slur during a conference call. After the call was made public, the story was picked up by multiple media outlets and resulted in Schnatter’s resignation as CEO. Though Schnatter is no longer the face of the company, they are still dealing with the fallout as businesses and organizations continue to cut ties with the nationwide pizza chain, the latest of which is Grand Valley State University.

Around the beginning of the school year in August, the Papa John’s location in the Commons on GVSU’s Allendale campus was replaced by Oath Pizza. According to GVSU Vice President of Finance Greg Sanial, the location in the Connec-

tion is also on its way out.

Although the timing of this change has much to do with the comments Schnatter made in June, Sanial says the university has been considering ending their business relationship with the company for quite some time.

“We had started internal discussions about replacing Papa John’s in the spring,” Sanial said. “Sales have been declining, and the brand has not evolved as you’d expect it to do in that pizza market. We had sort of targeted the 2020 time frame for that change, but when the founder made those inappropriate comments on that conference call, we accelerated that process; those comments just don’t agree with the core principles here at Grand Valley State.”

Although the Papa John’s in Fuel was replaced immediately, replacing the franchise in the Connection is not as

easy. Sanial says this is due to a difference in the types of franchises at each location; the location in the Commons was an institutional franchise with a limited menu while the full franchise in the Connection has a full menu as well as delivery services and territorial rights.

“With the one that was in Fuel, it was very easy,” Sanial said. “It’s a much smaller operation, so it was a very easy change to make to the Oath Pizza that we have now. The existing territorial franchise has a full menu, so there’s more equipment, more training that’s involved; there’s also a longer notification process when we want to terminate the relationship. Aramark owns the franchise, and we work in a partnership with Aramark to operate the franchise.”

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NOV. 26

Proposed Title IX changes could affect how Grand Valley responds to assault LAUREEN HORAN ASSOCIATE1@LANTHORN.COM

On Friday, Nov. 16, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos proposed an overhaul to the rules regarding campus sexual assault. The new rules, which could go into effect as soon as spring of 2019, could affect the way Grand Valley State University addresses certain sexual misconduct allegations on and near campus.

These rules would be the first regulations to deter-

mine how schools should meet their legal obligations under Title IX, the 1972 law which prohibits sexual discrimination in federally funded academic institutions. The proposed regulations are now facing a 60day public comment period before they will be finalized.

The proposal aims to reduce the the liability of colleges and universities for investigating sexual misconduct claims and reinforce the due process rights of defendants, including the right to

cross-examine their accusers with an attorney. However, use of mediation was determined by the Obama-era guidelines, the Campus SaVE Act, to be harmful to the accuser, even when voluntary.

The power dynamic between the victim/survivor and the accused could cause the survivor to feel victimized again.

The use of mediation tactics in these situations would turn campus conference rooms into courtrooms.

One of the most significant changes that would go into

effect include the very definition of sexual harassment, in the context of campus-related incidents. The Campus SaVE Act offered a broad definition of sexual harassment as “unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature.” DeVos’ language in the proposal defines sexual harassment as “unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex that is so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it denies a person access to the school’s education program or activity.”

If the proposed changes do go into effect, the way

students report sexual assault at GVSU could change as well. Under the proposal, schools will only be held accountable for formal complaints filed through proper authorities. If a student reports an incident to their professor or resident adviser and that person fails to act, the university can’t be held liable because those individuals don’t formally handle complaints.

Students would have to make reports to the Title IX coordinator or campus

police to ensure that their case will move forward.

Under the proposal, fewer claims would be considered sexual misconduct and GVSU would only be responsible for investigating incidents that are part of campus programs and activities and that were formally reported to campus officials.

As the proposal receives feedback from the public and victim advocacy organizations, the language of the proposal is subject to change.

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A4 | NEWS NOV. 12

Changing the narrative

BY AMY MCNEEL AND NICK MORAN NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

From the outside looking in, Greek Life is often branded in a hostile and adverse manner. Nationally, Greek Life is largely associated with alcohol and parties, and news headlines place many chapters in a negative spotlight.

However, at Grand Valley State University, Greek Life members have been working hard to push against the national trend and preserve the higher morals they swore themselves to. On Wednesday, Oct. 31, Greek members met with GVSU’s Greek Life Board and Associate Dean for Student Life Bob Stoll for a Greek Life Town Hall, where Greek members planned to set their best foot forward.

At the meeting, the Interfraternity Council (IFC) planned to pitch a self-imposed dry period in attempt to remove themselves from the national trend and consider more sustainable solutions to alcohol abuse within the Greek community. However, once gathered at the Town Hall, the GVSU administration acted swiftly and decided to impose multiple sanctions on the en-

tirety of GVSU Greek chapters.

“The university said that they want us to see more self-governing, and they implied that we should do that more, but they haven’t ever given us that ability; everything just goes right over our heads,” said IFC Vice President of Public Relations Tyvin Whittaker.

The meeting was going to be a decisive step in their endeavor for self-governance and independent decision making, but in complete contradiction, GVSU administrators ended up taking matters into their own hands.

The imposed sanctions — which included a ban of alcohol, expansion and further progress on a relationship agreement, as well as creating a task force to investigate issues — were a shock to the GVSU Greek community, leaving many members frustrated and hurt.

“It’s kind of like the rug was just ripped out from under us,” Whittaker said.

“It was unexpected.”

Results of the Town Hall meeting have since left members of Greek Life wondering what exactly the university wants to come

out of the imposed sanctions. Whittaker said that administrators talked a lot about the sanctions themselves, but did a poor job of communicating the intended outcomes.

While the results of the meeting were unexpected and frustrating to many members, they have also had a positive effect by bringing the Greek

community together. Relationships between chapters are now stronger than ever, in contrast to the relationship between Greek Life and the university. Whittaker said that many Greek members feel personally attacked, which has severely weakened their connection with GVSU. Additionally, the Greek community feels that the

Greek Life reflects on image, aims to highlight pledged values administration lacks appreciation and promotion of the good things they do, such as philanthropy.

“The university just hasn’t done a tremendously great job in the past of promoting what we do good,” Whittaker said. “They only focus on the negatives.”

Whittaker also said that the university has sent mixed mes-

sages in relation to governance, which muddies their relationship. While there is a need for collaboration, Whittaker said that the IFC wants to be able to enforce rules within the community, which requires some trust from the University.

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GROWING GREEKS: Despite imposed sanctions, Greek organizations are striving to rebrand themselves to highlight their pledged values. IFC Vice President of Public Relations Tyvin Whittaker said the community should see all of the good work Greek Life does. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

NOV. 5

GV imposes sanctions on Greek Life, cite issues within the community

BY NICK MORAN NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

SERIOUS SANCTIONS: Following a Greek Life Town Hall on Oct. 31, GVSU imposed sanctions on its fraternities and sororities. The sanctions were cited as being proactive instead of reactive. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

Members of Grand Valley State University’s fraternities and sororities were gathered on Wednesday, Oct. 31 by Associate Dean for Student Life Bob Stoll and GVSU’s Greek Life Board to participate in a Greek Life Town Hall where administrators announced sanctions imposed on all GVSU Greek chapters. The sanctions come off the heels of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s fiveyear ban from GVSU last fall, and the recent two-year ban of Kappa Sigma.

During the town hall, Stoll cited four sanctions in a note from the desk of Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Loren Rullman. They include a ban of alcohol at Greek functions, an embargo of further Greek Life expansion, putting a relationship agreement between GVSU and Greek organizations on hold and the creation of a task force to investigate issues and expectations regarding Greek Life. The sanctions are currently in effect and will be until further notice.

“We can’t wait,” Stoll said during the event. “We have to do this now. We’re too close to a situation where we might lose one of you in this room and I can’t sleep with that.”

Throughout the town hall, Stoll elaborated on the sanctions. The ban of alcohol at chapter events follows the definition of gatherings from each chapter’s national governing bodies.

In terms of the ban on expansion, GVSU will not accept any new fraternities or sororities. Greek organizations currently in the process will continue without issue.

Rullman’s sanctions also put a freeze on a relationship agreement between Greek organizations and the university.

The agreement, which would outline conduct between GVSU and each chapter will not be completed and signed until conditions improve.

The announcement of the sanctions gave way to a presentation from Greek Life Board President Mikaela Padgen who responded to the new sanctions with a call for Greek Life as a whole to own up their flaws and find ways to improve on them. Padgen cited several headlines from the past few

months about the mishaps of fraternities and sororities throughout the country — including headlines about GVSU Greek organizations — saying GVSU unfortunately fits the national trend.

“We have for so long lacked awareness of the audacity of our community’s actions,” Padgen said. “Instead of focusing on and preaching the idea of a Disneyland of Greek Life, it is time to take responsibility as a whole for the actions of our Greek members.”

Following Padgen’s presentation, the board opened the floor for public questions and comments.

“You brought up chapters being afraid of calling 911 for help because of the repercussions that we have,” a Sigma Pi member said. “Where do you think that culture comes from?”

“What is the school going to do to repair its relationship with fraternities and sororities?” another speaker said.

“You guys don’t seem like dumb people; this crowd is not on your side right now.”

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SEPT. 17

GVSU sees increase in first-year enrollment, second-highest in school history

BY JENNY ADKINS ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

For the 2018-2019 school year, Grand Valley State University welcomed in approximately 4,000 first-year students for the seventh time.

This is one of its largest firstyear classes, with it being second in Grand Valley history. In Michigan, this is recognized as one of the highest freshman enrollment rates.

According to Philip Batty from the Office of Institutional Analysis, the last time Grand Valley saw record-breaking numbers was in 2016, welcoming a class of 4,380 students.

This year, GVSU’s total enrollment is 24,677 students, with a first-year class of 4,369 students. While Michigan is seeing a decline in high school graduates, President of Grand Valley Thomas Haas notes that this freshman class provides a four percent increase from the previous academic year.

“Considering the demographic challenges being in a downward trend, to have an increase of over four percent in the freshman class is something we are truly

proud of,” Haas said. “What I think GV is offering is relevant programs. We are focused on a student-centered model and people are choosing us because they can see them succeeding within a program here; I believe we’ve created a good choice for very talented students.”

In addition, numbers show an increase in students of color and diversity. This year, there was a six percent increase in students of color, rising from 678 students to 719. With that, the total percentage of racial and ethnic minorities ticked up from 17.3 percent to 17.4 percent.

Along with the spike in new students, Haas noticed that adult learners are now coming to Grand Valley to earn their undergraduate degree.

“Having an array of programs helps succeed in professional programs, and it’s important to the students who are choosing us,” Haas said. “We have something very significant which is in the Liberal Arts School. Students develop skills, critical thinking, communication, appreciation of inclusion and di-

versity; that is a factor that distinguishes us. I am really happy with those types of programs that focus on student success but provide more rigor inside and outside the classroom.”

Furthermore, among a wide variety of classes, Grand Valley provides a Career Services Fair to turn learning into opportunities.

“We are sold out for the career services program this year. We have 235 employers

that we are providing students,” Haas said. “It’s never happened this early. We have such an interest in employers and they are looking at us to provide them the talent that they need.”

Faculty and staff play a key role in a student success. President Haas enjoys reflecting back on freshman orientation and how this is the first step Grand Valley takes toward providing the best academic opportunities.

“We had faculty, staff and students in orientation to make sure students had answers to their questions and made the right choices.

That attention to that individual to ensure they have the best advising, the best array of programming, core curricular activities - all of that fits into a great collegiate experience for undergraduates,” Haas said.

Grand Valley State University has been chosen by

“Best Value” and “Best Public Regional University” by U.S. News and World Report. More than that, Princeton Review named Grand Valley among the “Best in the Midwest,” and for the past two decades, Grand Valley has been named one of “America’s 100 Best College Buys” by Institutional Research and Evaluation.

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FULL OF FRESHMEN: Filing into position, GVSU’s Class of 2022 pose together in Lubbers Stadium in August. COURTESY | GVSU FACEBOOK

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A5

SEPT. 24

GVSU professor turns attention to Great Lakes plastic pollution

BY JAMES KILBORN JKILBORN@LANTHORN.COM

Spanning 94,000 square miles, the Great Lakes are one of North America’s most impressive topological features.

The five lakes contain 21 percent of Earth’s total freshwater and act as an invaluable resource for the millions of people who live in close proximity to their shores.

As many people enjoy swimming, boating and fishing on the lakes, a new threat has emerged, endangering the long-term health and prosperity of the expansive bodies of water. Man-made microplastics, created from the degradation of plastic waste in water, is becoming a major concern within the Great Lakes. Fish and other organisms consume the plastics, which then makes its way into the food chain, endangering other organisms and disrupting the existing ecosystems.

Alan Steinman, professor and director of the Annis Water Research Institute (AWRI) is conducting research on which organisms are attracted to in micro-plastics. Doing so will provide a better understanding of how these plastics interact

with the base of the food chain, illustrating their negative effects within the Great Lakes.

The research will be conducted on Muskegon Lake due to the Research Institute’s familiarity with the site as well as the extensive data collected on the lake in the past. ”AWRI is located on Muskegon Lake, so it was a natural choice for our logistics,” Steinman said. “In addition, we have been studying Muskegon Lake for the past 15 years and have a robust long-term data set, so we will be able to put our results into context. We did want to have one set of micro-plastics in Lake Michigan to compare a very low-nutrient lake vs a moderate-nutrient lake but could not arrange for a buoy in Lake Michigan from which to deploy our frames.”

Alexandra Locher, professor within the Natural Resources Department, sees the push towards reusable items such as personal grocery bags and water bottles as a vital step in curbing plastic pollution in the Great Lakes.

“I really think that initiatives to use renewable and reusable resources would go a long way in reducing the amount of plastics within

the Great Lakes,” Locher said. “For instance, using thermos bottles or avoiding plastic straws at picnics on the beach would reduce the amount of plastic that gets blown or washed into the water. Companies are starting to get creative using renewable products like paper (i.e., plant-based straws) that are manufactured in innovative ways to be durable and functional.

“Conservation initiatives such as the Forest Biomaterials Initiative, which Michigan seems to be interested in pursuing, will help companies and consumers develop alternatives to using plastic for many things.”

Researching micro-plastics in Muskegon Lake will determine which plastics are most harmful for the environment and will give a better understanding of how the pollutants interact with species within the lakes. Establishing which species are attracted to the micro-plastics may yield answers in how to best mitigate the pollution within the lakes.

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WATCHING WATER: Lowering tools into Lake Michigan, an AWRI researcher monitors pollution in the water. Annis Water Research Institute professors are focusing on plastic polution. COURTESY | TONY PACKER

OCT. 22

“Walk for Freedom” raises awareness for human trafficking, slavery

BY SHILOH REYNOLDS SREYNOLDS@LANTHORN.COM

PROUD PROTESTERS: Marching downtown, activists participate in A21’s Walk for Freedom. GVSU senior Luke Booth said that the heartbreaking trafficking situation drove him to march. GVL | SHILOH REYNOLDS

“How much lower can you get than slavery?”

It’s a question posed by Grand Valley State University senior Luke Booth as he reflects on what sparked his interest to participate in A21’s Walk for Freedom, an event aiming to raise awareness and funds to end human trafficking and slavery.

“It breaks my heart when people don’t have a choice to get out of the situation,” Booth said. “That’s essentially slavery, whether it’s sex trafficking or child soldiering… when people don’t have the freedom to leave, that’s heartbreaking.”

The Walk for Freedom, which took place in downtown Grand Rapids on Saturday, Oct. 20, is a global effort initiated by A21, an organization founded in 2008 by Australian native Christine Caine. Those involved with the organization call themselves “abolitionists of the 21st Century” and seek to abolish slavery everywhere.

According to statistics on A21’s website, the human trafficking industry is growing

faster than any other criminal industry in the world. Of the millions of slaves globally, only one percent are ever rescued.

In 2012, the National Human Trafficking hotline had 69 trafficking cases reported for the state of Michigan. By 2017, that number had risen to 305. For Grand Rapids resident Annastesia Debose, the reality of trafficking happening so close to home prompted her to participate in the Walk for Freedom.

“Sex trafficking is really high here,” Debose said. “It’s too close to home for comfort.”

2018 marks the fifth global Walk for Freedom, and the third year Grand Rapids has participated in the event. Kaitlyn Geers has been in charge of coordinating all three of the city’s walks.

“I like to host because a lot of people are passionate about this issue of eradicating human trafficking, but don’t necessarily have the resources,” Geers said. “This is a day where people can come out in their community and give two hours of the time and make an impact.

That’s why I love it.”

The Grand Rapids Walk for

Freedom began at Ah-NabAwen Park. After check-in at 10 a.m., walk coordinators led a brief prayer and recited the Freedom Declaration that announced, “we’re here together in strength and numbers. We have the power to change the statistics... While human trafficking is destroying lives, we know that freedom will have the final word.”

Afterward, participants, most of which were attired in black shirts emblazoned with the caption “Abolish slavery with every step,” formed a single-file line and began to proceed on a route through the park and into downtown Grand Rapids. Although the walk was silent, participants had the option of using earbuds to listen to a podcast by A21.

Others held signs that bore messages including “2 million children are exploited into the sex trade each year” and “There are more slaves today than ever before.”

Participants in the Walk for Freedom encompassed a large range of ages. Jill Olsen, a worker for Women at Risk International, chose to walk with her 10-year-old daughter.

SEPT. 24

Office of Student Affairs announces Student Advisory Board

BY JENNY ADKINS ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

As the new Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Loren Rullman

kicks off his first semester at Grand Valley State University. His first main focus is to bridge the gap between students and university members. In doing so, the Office

of Student Affairs has introduced a Student Advisory Board that will be implemented this academic year.

“My goal is to hear directly from students. This is

a chance to hear what’s on their minds or get advice that can be concerning to me,” Rullman said. “It’s to provide an additional way beyond the existing structures that we have at the university.”

The Student Advisory Board is a select group of students who represent the diversity among the university. From academic discipline to background and age, student diversification remains a vital part of Grand Valley’s criteria.

This will become a platform for students to have their

voice heard and share their experiences and concerns among all GVSU campuses.

The board will meet monthly throughout the year to discuss any topics facing the importance of students and the institution as a whole.

In addition, the program will help Rullman see the perspectives of students and how the Division of Student Services can benefit each member of the university.

“We’d like to focus on other aspects aside from what organizations deal with,” Rullman said. “The Senior-Stu-

dent Advisory Officer works on complex and challenging situations. It’s important to work together as a group: how do we address that as a group?

Let’s figure that out together.”

The board’s overall intention is not to replace any department advisory boards or student organizations, but rather work with the new Dean of Students on issues that might not be involved in campus conversations.

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SERVING STUDENTS: To better hear about students’ areas of concern, GVSU’s new Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Loren Rullman introduced a Student Advisory Board. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A6 | NEWS NOV. 12

GVPD addresses false reports and safety notifications

BY LAUREEN HORAN ASSOCIATE1@LANTHORN.COM

UNCLEAR CALLS: Following a call about a drugging and rape near campus, Ottawa County police reported a week later that it was a false report. The claim is still being investigated. COURTESY | GVSU

Last weekend’s alarming notice that an alleged drugging and rape had occurred near campus left the Grand Valley State University community feeling startled and confused, and the confusion continued into the following week when it was determined by Ottawa County police that the incident did not actually happen.

It is still unclear at this point whether the subject intentionally made a false report or whether they had a legitimate reason to believe they had been assaulted.

The Grand Valley Police Department says this incident opens up a new discussion about reporting crimes.

“False reports have serious consequences,” said GVPD Captain Jeff Stoll.

Under Michigan Legislature statute code 750.411a, intentionally making a false report can have life-changing consequences for the person who makes the report. False report of a misdemeanor crime can cause someone to be charged with a misdemeanor, a hefty fine and up to 93 days in jail.

Intentionally reporting a felony crime, such

as drugging and raping, can cause the person who made the report to obtain a felony charge could see between five to 15 years behind bars, depending on how severely their false report may have impacted an innocent person’s life.

Any person who has genuine concern for their wellbeing or doesn’t feel safe in their community is encouraged to make reports, as GVSU and GVPD believe all students deserve to feel safe on and near campus.

When this incident was initially reported, there was no known suspect.

Because this poses an imminent threat to campus, GVPD sent out a notification to the entire GVSU community through the GVSUAlert! system. So far, two alerts have been sent out during the Fall 2018 semester, although GVPD has responded to more than 15 different sexual violence reports on and near campus, including stalking and rape.

Because the incidents were controlled and the suspects were known, GVPD does not view it as a continuous threat to campus and subsequently does not send out an alert. Students felt differently, though.

The results of a survey conducted between Nov. 4 and Nov. 10, show that 83 percent of GVSU students who partook in the survey think GVPD should send out an alert every time they make an initial response to a sexual violence report.

GVPD however, says that the victim’s interests are the highest priority in these cases and that these alerts may not be good for victims.

“These alerts go to 28,000plus people… We don’t want to victimize them all over again,” Stoll said.

Stoll acknowledged that campuses and law enforcement officials everywhere are taking sexual violence reports a lot more seriously than they did even 10-15 years ago. Part of the problem, Stoll said, is that victim’s needs were being disregarded.

In these cases, it’s always up to the victim/survivor to decide how to move forward, according to both GVPD and GVSU Victim’s Advocate Krystal Diel.

“Sexual assault is one of the most under-reported crimes and that is consistent with the students I talk with at GVSU,” Diel said.

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OCT. 1

Prop One: up in smoke?

BY JENNY ADKINS ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, Grand Valley State University hosted another Democracy 101 discussion, this time centered on legalizing and decriminalizing the recreational use of marijuana. While voting trends have indicated that the proposal is likely to pass, anti-legalization groups are still working to prevent the proposal from passing.

General elections are coming up on Nov. 6 and the vote for legalizing recreational marijuana, known as Proposal One, will come to ballot. The Democracy 101 discussion gave students, faculty and members of the community a chance to consider facts, perceptions and data while examining the authorization process of this issue.

Jina Lee, professor in GVSU’s criminal justice department, discusses the pros and cons of this substance.

“There will be a chance for law enforcement to save hundreds of dollars,” Lee said.

“However, there will be an increase in the risk of younger kids using this substance, which could result in more traffic-related accidents.”

States like Colorado have

seen a three percent increase in accidents, and although this is a small number in the scheme of things, innocent people still ended up injured due to marijuana intoxication.

In order to understand the foundation of this proposal, the first step is to learn the difference between decriminalization and legalization. People often mistake the difference between the two and use both terms interchangeably.

To define, decriminalization is lessening criminal penalties that correlates with marijuana possession, despite the possibility of the law stating the selling and manufacturing of the drug is illegal. This goes hand-inhand with the production and sale of marijuana in that it remains unregulated by the state.

Individuals caught using the drug will face civil fines as opposed to civil charges. Furthermore, legalization is simply the abolishing of laws banning possession or usage of marijuana.

This allows for the government of the state to regulate and tax marijuana use and sales.

In addition, Proposal One will consist of a numerous amount of changes if passed on Nov. 6. Individuals will have the ability to grow up

to 12 plants within their residence, there will be a sales tax of 10 percent on the substance and there will be revenue toward the education system and roads and violations will be classified as civil infractions for the benefit of younger generations.

Human rights advocate Dana Knight noted that although marijuana isn’t for her, she’d find comfort in knowing that it is easily available to the public.

“I’ve never smoked weed in my life, but I want weed to be there for me when I need it,” Knight said. “I have (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) after discovering my mother after she passed, and when it’s necessary, I want it to be there for other people who need it for medical purposes. I’m also advocating for the high numbers of black people who are incarcerated for weed-related crimes and for their charges to be eradicated.”

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, 3.3 percent of African-Americans are more likely than Caucasians to be incarcerated for weed-related crimes.

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PASSING PROPOSAL: Filling a room, students listen in on a Democracy 101 discussion about legalizing and decriminalizing the use of marijuana. That proposal came to the ballot Nov. 6. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

NOV. 12

Sustainable Agriculture Program earns national award for innovation

BY ALLISON RAFFERTY ARAFFERTY@LANTHORN.COM

CREATIVE CROPS: Sustainable Agriculture Project Manager Youssef Darwich works with students through the innovation-award-winning program. COURTESY | GRAND VALLEY SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities held their annual meeting in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 28, in which Grand Valley State University’s Sustainable Agriculture Program (SAP) won a national award for innovation.

Two SAP representatives, Campus Sustainability Coordinator Yumi Jakobcic and SAP Manager Youssef Darwich, were in attendance to accept the Innovative Project Award. Jakobcic explained that they were considered for the award after they responded to a call for submissions.

“We were recommended to apply for the award because we had demonstrated a lot of innovation and success,” Darwich said.

The SAP has become increasingly more advanced in its innovation since its humble beginnings in 2008.

“It was just a small community garden without a whole

lot of structure or oversight.”

However, that small community garden has turned into the multi functioning, interdisciplinary program that is now known as the SAP. “I think what sets us apart is our drive to engage multiple disciplines at the SAP,” Jakobcic said. “We are not a traditional farm run by only agriculture students. We are an interdisciplinary program at our core.

We are run by a diversity of representatives from across campus and we welcome everyone to participate.”

Darwich added that the SAP is “able to pull people from all around the university.” Pulling people from the around the university has been what the SAP has been doing for the last decade.

“We are helping students to lead more sustainable lifestyles, and what I like most about sustainability is that it’s applicable to every major, so they can carry these lessons and experiences with them no matter

what path they take after GVSU,” Jakobcic said.

The SAP opens up opportunities for classes to get involved and for student interns. In 2017, the SAP had over 20 interns from 12 different disciplines. According to Darwich, the variety of majors provides students with a glimpse into a world they may not have explored before.

“The biggest thing (is that) we give students a real world outlet,” Darwich said.

“It gives them an opportunity to explore areas they might want to go into.”

Jakobcic explained that students interested in joining the program simply need to go to the drop-in volunteer hours on Mondays and Fridays from 1-4 p.m. or on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“Come to the farm, come see us at events, stop by our office, consider an internship with us,” Darwich said.

“We are here to support students and look forward to working with you.”

OPINION | A7

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

Nov. 5

By Athena Jasman

Oct. 1

How smoking grass can help you pass These days, marijuana is pretty popular recreationally. Chances are either you smoke it regularly, you’ve tried it before or you know someone who has. Election time is approaching quickly and Michigan residents will soon have a chance to vote on Proposal One which aims to legalize the use of recreational marijuana.

Though the use of marijuana is often associated with poor grades and general laziness,

it’s worth it to consider which aspects of cannabis use can actually help students with their academic performance as well as potentially improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety.

Let’s look at the data.

A 2016 study conducted

by University of Michigan shows that 39 percent of fulltime college students aged 19 to 22 indicated that they used marijuana at least once in the prior 12 months, and 22 percent indicated that they used

at least once in the prior 30 days. This is the highest usage rate among college students since 1987 and it hasn’t changed much in the last couple years. If we play with the numbers and assume that 39 percent of Grand Valley’s student body uses cannabis regularly, that would be (roughly) 10,000 students.

That’s quite a crowd.

Let’s consider some other numbers: a 2017 study by the American Psychological As-

Oct. 8

sociation indicates that 41 percent of students struggle with anxiety while 34 percent deal with depression. This also averages out to roughly 10,000 GVSU students whose academic performance is potentially impacted by their mental health conditions. Research is now showing that weed could be a useful aid in working past depression and anxiety, especially in a world when many students turn to Adderall and other drugs in an attempt to

improve academically.

The high a person receives from using marijuana is entirely different than the effects of alcohol. Users should certainly avoid driving while high, but as for general decision making, communication and cognitive function, weed does not impair individuals nearly as much as alcohol and prescription drugs can.

For students who struggle with stress and sleeping well,

Nov. 12

cannabis is definitely a worthwhile solution. Marijuana generally reduces anxiety, helps users de-stress and relax enough to sleep through the night and wake up refreshed.

You don’t have to smoke to get the effects of weed, either.

Cannabis can be baked into foods and eaten, taken as a supplement like a vitamin or vaped like an e-cigarette.

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

By Xavier Golden

Kavanaugh: A year after Weinstein

BY YSABELA GOLDEN SOPHOMORE UNDECLARED MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

On Saturday, Oct. 6, one of the most contentious Senate battles in recent history— which is really saying something nowadays—came to a close with Judge Brett Kavanaugh being sworn into the Supreme Court. Considering the Republican majority in the Senate and the 1991 precedent of conservative Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas having been confirmed despite facing accusations of sexual harassment, the results are hardly shocking, but still a disappointment to liberals and survivors of sexual assault across the country. Republicans can look forward to the fruition of Trump’s campaign promise to overturn Roe v. Wade; Democrats can look back over the years since Thomas’ approval and wonder if the world has really changed at all. The atmosphere of the “Me Too” era might have resulted in Dr. Christine Blasey Ford being taken more seriously than Thomas’ accuser Anita Hill, or convinced Republicans on the judiciary committee to take precautions against appearing sexist, like hiring prosecutor Rachel Mitchell to ask their

questions for them, but ultimately wasn’t enough to block Kavanaugh from getting his dream job.

But Kavanaugh’s confirmation isn’t actually a turn away from the general trend since the outburst of accusations against Harvey Weinstein last October. The world has changed since Anita Hill was infamously slandered as “a little bit nutty and a little bit slutty.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, seemed committed to making his point when he said “I promised Dr. Ford that I would do everything in my power [...] to establish the most fair and respectful treatment of the witnesses possible.”

Maybe it was the threat of midterm elections on the horizon, but Judiciary Committee Republicans were on their best behavior during Blasey Ford’s half of the hearing, telegraphing to their female voters that they felt she (and by extent, they) had the right to be heard.

Unfortunately, being heard is as far as Blasey Ford and many other sexual assault survivors have been able to go. Though two of the most infamous offenders have been confronted with legal consequences for their behaviors Bill Cosby having been sent to prison and Harvey Weinstein

having finally been charged with first and third degree rape - the results of the Kavanaugh case are far more par for the course in terms of resolutions to #MeToo accusations.

Last November, Los Angeles created an entire task force to handle the surge in high profile accusations of sexual misconduct, taking on the cases of almost two dozen entertainment industry powerhouses. None of them have been charged in the year since. Most cases were thrown out for having allegations that went over the statute of limitations, as our legal system’s requirement for quickly reported hard evidence meshes poorly with #MeToo’s encouragement to come forward with long-private histories of abuse or harassment.

Though inspiring victims of sexual assault to come forward is certainly a progression from shaming them into silence, there’s a difference between growth in the way society treats accusers and growth in the way our legal system deals with the accused. We may live in a world where even Senate Republicans find Blasey Ford’s testimony “credible”—we just don’t yet live in a world where that testimony results in anything more than a hit to Kavanaugh’s reputation.

Nov. 19

You probably aren’t as big of a GVSU fan as you think

BY BRADY MCATAMNEY SENIOR M.M. JOURNALISM MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Do you have school spirit?

Most students will gladly answer with a gleeful ‘Yes! Go Lakers!’ but turnouts at sporting events would suggest differently. I understand completely that we’re a Division II school

so our teams’ games will more often than not be less intriguing than the likes of Michigan or Michigan State, but that does not mean that students should ignore Grand Valley State athletics completely.

On Saturday, Nov. 17, the Lakers played in their biggest game of the year – a DII playoff game against a national powerhouse in Northwest Mis-

souri State. We had the honor of being one of only 12 schools in the United States to host a postseason football game that day and, with the nature of it being a win-or-go-home scenario, the turnout from students and fans alike should have been rather sizable.

GVSU’s Lubbers Stadium is able to hold upwards of 17,000 people and, earlier this season, it held 16,563

fans for the Lakers’ primetime bout with rival Ferris State. On average this season, 12,742 people attended GVSU home games.

On Saturday, not even 10,000 fans showed up for what ended up being the final game of the season. Not even 8,000. Not even 6,000.

Not even 4,000. In fact, a pathetic 2,895 fans showed up to the game. That is

barely TEN PERCENT of the season average.

For a game that saw the Lakers lose by 25 points, that is quite possibly the most embarrassing statistic of the entire day.

I get it: it was cold outside. People don’t exactly like freezing their asses off when they could be inside getting wasted (which, in itself, is a problem for another

column), playing Fortnite or sleeping, so why go watch the team? People probably had good excuses for missing out, whether they headed home early for break or were buried in homework or had prior commitments. For everybody else, you have no LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A8 | OPINION Dec. 3

By Juliette Elton

SEPT. 10

GVSU increase in police services will keep downtown campus safer Grand Valley State Universities dedication to student safety has resulted in a push for more police officers on the downtown Grand Rapids Campus. The amount of student growth into the downtown area was highlighted as the driving force for this expansion of police coverage, but the crime of Grand Rapids should also be taken into account.

Although Grand Rapids has been considered a city on the rise of revitalization, it’s crime rate almost doubles the national average. According

to this week’s crime summary from the Grand Rapids Police Department, there were 62 reported crime incidents within a mile of Grand Valley’s downtown Pew Campus.

The largest fraction of these incidents were reported assaults. With the increasing number of students both attending classes downtown as well as residing in neighboring communities, the need for more police protection is evident. That is why the Grand Valley Police Department has partnered with Ottawa County to give GVPD more coverage

of the downtown campus.

This means there will be more GVPD officers patrolling GVSU buildings on the downtown campus. With the increase in university buildings downtown, such as the Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall and a possible new health building, an increased presence from GVPD has never been more needed.

There is also the need for student protection even once they have left a GVSU building. Many students utilize the bus system to get between classes in Finkelstein Hall and the Cook-DeVos

Center for Health Sciences from the various buildings on Pew campus. This 15 minute bus ride gives students the opportunity to see more of the Grand Rapids area, which can increase their safety risk being away from university buildings.

To combat this the GRPD now has the ability to dispatch GVPD officers to students or citizens that call to report a crime that is near campus. GVPD officers will be stationed and patrolling on campus and nearby, waiting to spring into action at

the first sign of conflict.

Many students have taken to renting homes in the downtown Grand Rapids area to be closer to classes and to the hustle and bustle of life in the city. The pitfall occurs when students end up in neighborhoods that may be more dangerous than the accommodations located on campus. While some students may choose to be close to campus, others may opt for cheaper options that could put them in more dangerous areas of the city.

While the increased pres-

Oct. 8

OCT. 15

ence of GVPD in the downtown area will help keep students safer, there are always precautions students need to be taking on their own to ensure their own safety. The first of these is for students to educate themselves about different neighborhoods in Grand Rapids before committing to any living arrangements. Students should also familiarize themselves with areas of caution that they may have to encounter and plan accordingly.

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By Xavier Golden

Love him or hate him, we need another Royko

BY NICK MORAN JUNIOR M.M. JOURNALISM & COMMUNICATIONS MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

I told myself I’d never write a political piece, but that was before a book full of columns by the great Mike Royko made its way into my hands.

Royko was a columnist that embodied the spirit of Chicago, for better or for worse. His columns would lift up the poor tavern keepers who were buried beneath growing redevelopments. Yet the next day, he’d be taunting one of Chicago’s deeply established cultures, such as the Irish or Polish populations.

Most days readers would be nodding in agreement, and other days it would be your turn to be the target. That’s the way it was — and that’s why people loved him.

If he was still around, you’d run into him a few drinks deep. You’d hesitantly approach him, and he’d greet you with a groan or hurl a slur at you. But by the end of the night, you would be sharing personal stories

Sept. 17

and discussing niche literature. That was Royko — strong, vocal and complex.

I’m 20 years too late on a eulogy. Let’s just chalk this up to a corny attempt to win over some extra credit from my Journalism History professor and move on. It’s easier that way. Maybe Mike would have seen that as spunky.

I bring Royko’s work into the spotlight because mulling through it will both inspire you and frustrate you. A part of that is because the world he comments on throughout the 60s and 70s has a variety of parallels to today with all of its political turmoil, distrust and radicalization.

We still have the hundreds of columns he’s left behind, and those alone are powerful enough to drive home important messages in a sociopolitical climate similar to that of the 60s and 70s.

When the US was berating President Lyndon B. Johnson, Royko came to the defense of the man who couldn’t seem to catch a break.

“Maybe he wasn’t the best president we’ve ever

had,” he wrote in a column.

“But we sure as hell aren’t the best people a president has ever had.”

Or when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Royko fearlessly blamed the entire country for creating a society that would allow a murderer to carry out the deed without a second thought.

“We have pointed a gun at our own head and we are squeezing the trigger,” he wrote. “And nobody we elect is going to help us. It is our own head and our finger.”

Sound familiar?

We have a plethora of outstanding writers, advocates and figureheads of our own today. They’re lined up like a spartan phalanx, prepared to deflect a flurry of blows from all sorts of confrontation.

And just like a phalanx, when we see one shield fly away and break the formation, the ranks crumble.

Insults are thrown about, lines are crossed and things are taken personally.

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By Xavier Golden

NOV. 12

From the silent voter: “I Voted” stickers met with bipartisan backlash

BY NICK MORAN JUNIOR M.M. JOURNALISM & COMMUNICATIONS MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

I’m taking the names of who I vote for to the grave.

In the political world, I’ve always lived by one rule: keep your political opinions and who you vote for to yourself. Growing up, my dad had a list of things you don’t talk about with others, including personal finances, religious views and politics.

Prior to this year’s midterm elections, I followed that list, and I did so out of both privacy and courtesy. But it took this round of elections to change why I did that.

While the issue has been around for a handful of years, it’s recently been picking up as a result of our currently hyper-political climate. If you’ve been online at all either before or after

the midterms, you’ve probably seen the same rhetoric that I’ve been seeing.

“If you don’t agree with me, I don’t want you following me.”

“I don’t get how people believe this shit.”

“If you vote for this asshole, you’re an asshole too.”

Posts like these turn digital discourse into a minefield. Timelines are flooded with both parties pushing citizens to wield their votes like pitchforks and rush to the polls to stomp out their opponents. Friends and family who were quiet for the rest of the year finally speak up about what they see as right, and celebrities use their influence disseminate their affiliations.

This rhetoric forces you to walk a tightrope, with one side accusing the opposition of supporting hatred and the other saying they’re leaving

this country to rot. And the thin rope below you: silence.

It’s a difficult line to walk when everyone is encouraging you to jump off, vehemently pick a side and be politically active.

Those who are proudly and publicly political try to crack the silent open in hopes that you’re on their team. Better yet, you may disagree and they have a chance to change your thinking or mindlessly scold you. It depends on the day.

Yet, the moment you open your mouth and make a stand on your own, half of the country is at your throat. You’re called a coward for being silent, but you’re called worse by some for speaking out: unamerican.

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LAKER LIFE | A9

DECEMBER 10 , 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE SEPT. 24

New eSports club sparks interest among students

BY AMY MCNEEL LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

“This might sound dumb, but I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about anything ever,” said Marshal Brummel, Grand Valley State University junior and President of the GVSU eSports club.

The club, which is a brand new GVSU organization, was started this summer by Brummel and four friends: Preston Janeski and Mike Ilg, who were former member of the Rocket League group on campus, Kali Zurawski, who was formally president of GVSU Blizzard Gaming and Marcus Jiles, who is currently in charge of the GVSU League of Legends group.

“I just really saw an opportunity for the gaming community in Grand Valley to come together and have a lot more of a connective poll with each other than apart,” Brummel said. “The community of gamers, we play tons of games. I think I have four or five games on my computer right now, and I don’t play all of them as much as I play my favorite, but it’s enough that you can relate to everyone. It was just a good opportunity to get a community together for people who don’t always have a community where you can actually meet people.”

Brummel explained that in the gaming community, it’s not uncommon to have friends

STUDENT ORGANIZATION: The GVSU eSports club was founded this year and has grown tremendously since its start. The club focuses on both casual and competative play, and students of all expereince levels are welcome to join. The club aims to provide a social space for people within the larger gaming community. COURTESY | ESPORTS CLUB

who live around the world. Creating an Esports club on campus gives gamers the chance to get together with others in their large community.

The club started off in the summer with around 12 members, but since then the number has grown immensely with over 140 current members.

“We were sitting there at Campus Life Night and were

just absolutely pumped,” Brummel said. “I told my eboard, ‘I’m expecting 100 people,’ and they were like, ‘there’s no way we’re getting 100 people.’ And I said, ‘we will get 100 people, I believe in it.’”

The levels of support shown to the club has exceeded Brummel’s expectations, and he is thrilled for what the future holds.

“We want to field competitive teams in every sport we can,” Brummel said. “Right now we have about four or five games that we think we can field at least two teams, which is really cool. It’s really fun to get a lot of people involved.”

The club is planning on participating in and hosting many tournaments this year, and they hope to get other Michigan

universities involved.

“One of the biggest things we’re looking to do right now is to do land tournaments, which basically means to get a whole bunch of people together on the same internet, and they play each other,” Brummel said. “We want to have University of Michigan people come out, MSU, and Michigan Tech and Western.

So I was planning that earlier and we were planning on doing that at Grand Valley, and I got a cold call from the Grand Rapids Griffins asking if we wanted to use their stadium. So we’re really excited about that.”

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NOV. 5

Delta Phi Lambda to showcase different cultures at annual event

BY AMANDA ROGERS AROGERS@LANTHORN.COM

DIVERSITY: Delta Phi Lambda hosted their 11th annual Global Gala, an event that showcases the different cultures in the Grand Valley State University community. The soroity aims to dispel Asian steryotypes and raise strong, diverse leaders. COURTESY | DELTA PHI LAMBDA

On Friday, Nov. 9, Delta Phi Lambda sorority will be hosting their annual Global Gala in order to showcase the different cultures at Grand Valley State University. This event will take place in the Grand River Room of Kirkhof Center at 6 p.m.

The event will consist of a variety of performances by student organizations as well as free food and raffle prizes.

“I am excited to be able to bring people together,” said Co-Planning Chair of the event and President of Delta Phi Lambda Jennifer Ung. “With a lot of hate and differences in this world, it is important to bring people together through common interests.”

Ung also said that their sorority believes it is important to be able to showcase the student organizations and how they are doing great things for the community. Global Gala is a great learning opportunity and a way to highlight the beauty of every culture.

There will be a total of eight performances throughout the night; one of these performances being Jowei Yek who will be singing “Yellow” by Coldplay in two different languages: Mandarin and English.

Yek said that he chose “Yellow” because it was the song that changed the view of the word ‘yellow’ from being a derogatory word against Asians to a beautiful word to describe love and the stars.

“I am very honored to be invited again this year,” Yek said.

“I think Global Gala is a great platform for me to share my culture with my friends and other students at Grand Valley.”

This will be Delta Phi Lambda’s 11th time hosting this event on campus.

Ung said that with being the only Asian sorority on campus, they want people to feel connected with their culture. After all, Delta Phi Lambda’s mission statement is to bring diverse experiences.

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SEPT. 10

GV alumni paddle across Lake Michigan

BY AMY MCNEEL LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

Last month, two Grand Valley State University alumni exemplified what it truly means to be a Laker for a Lifetime.

In the early hours of Thursday, Aug. 9, Eric Strickler, 2008 graduate, and Daniel Bonner, 2009 graduate, set off on a 79-mile paddle boarding journey. The two Lakers started in Wisconsin and paddled all the way across Lake Michigan.

“We paddled from Milwaukee over to Muskegon, and we were paddling for about 22 hours,” Strickler said. “It was 73 miles total that we paddled; 79 miles is the crossing distance.

We stopped six miles out because there were pretty trying conditions.”

The journey ended around 2:30 a.m. on Friday,

Aug. 10. The goal of the trip was to raise awareness and funds for the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership, an organization focused on the restoration of Muskegon Lake and the Great Lakes.

“I was a natural resources management graduate, and [Bonner] was a natural resources management minor,” Strickler said. “So I think we both, over the almost ten years since we graduated, wanted to contribute to the health of the Great Lakes in whatever way we could, and this was one way we felt we could do that.”

The Michigan natives were excited to support a local organization and the West Michigan environment.

“We wanted to support the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership both for the work they do on and

around Muskegon Lake, but also because it directly influences Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes Watershed,” Bonner said. “I grew up in Muskegon, and live and work here now, so it was something close to home that we could support.”

From their journey, Strickler and Bonner raised over $7,700 for the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership; money that will benefit the organization and the environment.

“They seemed like a great organization that represented our local community and their investment to the awesome water resources here in Muskegon, and that’s why we picked them as opposed to another, larger regional advocacy organization or national organization,” Strickler said. “We figured with our money we would make a

bigger impact because their budgets are smaller and it would be within our local community.”

From their journey, Strickler and Bonner not

only raised funds, but also gained insight and new perspectives about the bodies of water here in West Michigan.

“The biggest take away was

how vast and beautiful Lake Michigan truly is,” Bonner said.

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LAKER EFFECT: Two GVSU alumni paddled 73 miles across Lake Michigan to raise money for the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership. The Lakers raised over $7,700. COURTESY | HANSON PHOTOGRAPHY

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

A10 | LAKER LIFE OCT. 8

Poetry slam to be held for Domestic Violence awareness

BY AMY MCNEEL LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

In 1981, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence coined October as Domestic Violence Awareness month. Since then, the month of October has been a time to educate people on Domestic Violence and support victims.

This October, the Grand Valley State University It’s On Us As Lakers organization is partnering with Anchored in Poetry to present the Slamming the Stigma event. The event, which is taking place Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 9 p.m., is an open mic night focused one spreading awareness on Domestic Violence.

“We’re putting on this event together in order to create awareness of domestic and sexual abuse,” said Rachel Syrba, President of Anchored in Poetry. “It’s a creative outlet for survivors and victims, as well as being a learning experience for allies.”

The poetry slam will be a safe, creative outlet for students to share their work.

Attendees are welcome to share many different kind of works, from songs to poetry and spoken word.

“The theme is Domestic Violence related, so some topics might be sensitive to some,” said Maddie Vervaeke, President of It’s On Us As Lakers.

“But Domestic Violence is not the only thing that is to be talked about. This event will be in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Week.”

All people are welcome to attend the event, whether they wish to share work or not. It’s important to note that this will be a supportive, judgementfree place for people to share

EVENT: October is Domestic Violence Awarness month, and to shed light on the cause, the Grand Valley State University It’s On Us As Lakers organization partnered with Anchored in Poetry to host the Slamming the Stigma event. The event was a creative outlet that spread awarness about Domestic Violence. COURTESY | IT’S ON US AS LAKERS

their words and experiences.

“This is a safe space. A space that is welcoming to all people in all states,” Vervaeke said.

“There will be endless support and endless resources to help people who may need it. But we also welcome people who have not been in these situations to come with an open mind.”

This event is an opportunity for GVSU students who haven’t experienced domes-

tic violence to learn more about the affected community, as well as domestic and sexual abuse. Those who attend the event will walk away with new knowledge, and hopefully a better understanding of survivors.

“People should attend this event to learn more about domestic violence and see how this personally effects individuals who are survivors of

domestic violence,” Vervaeke said. “I think this gives a little more insight on this topic, rather, and the effects of it.”

Those who are nervous or skeptical about sharing their work are urged to attend the event and see how they feel when surrounded by other presenters.

“We have found that the intimacy of this event does help encourage individu-

als that they are not alone,” Vervaeke said. “It is amazing how many people find it in themselves to walk up there and speak.”

Overall, the event is an excellent opportunity to shed light on a prevalent issue in our society and stop some of the stigma surrounding Domestic Violence.

“People should know that any of their work is welcome,

and this is an uplifting community that’s here to support you,” Syrba said. “Even if you attend and don’t share your work, you’re sharing in the moment with all of us who will be there.”

The poetry slam is taking place at the Kirkhof Center Area 51. Some topics may be triggering for certain individuals.

NOV. 19

GV’s aMDI produces sanitation device, decreases hospital infections

BY AMY MCNEEL LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

LAKER EFFECT: Grand Valley State University’s applied Medical Device Institute (aMDI) partnered with Sterilogy to create the Hand Hygiene Compliance System, a three-device system that is designed to decrease healthcare-associated infections. COURTESY | REX LARSEN

Grand Valley State University’s applied Medical Devise Institute (aMDI) is devoted to innovation and the overall improvement of human health. aMDI is a collaboration of students, faculty and the GVSU community that connects students, education and health care to the community.

In partnership with Sterilogy, a hand hygiene company based in Michigan, aMDI undergraduate and graduate students, along with the help of Dr. Karl Brakora, developed the Hand Hygiene Compliance System: A three-device system that will be used to decrease hospital infections.

“The Hand Hygiene Compliance System is a product designed to be worn on the belt or waist of a health care worker, including doctors, nurses and any other health care worker that interacts with a patient,” said Jonathon Vinsko, aMDI electronics engineer. “They are required to sterilize their hands prior to engaging with a patient as well as after. This system monitors whether or not they complied with this requirement, as well as notifies them when they should be sanitizing.”

Vinsko said that the design process was challenging, especially since the team had to start from scratch. Before starting the designing and building of the project, the team had to think of the idea itself and validate that the idea was feasible. Once this process was completed, the team had to put the prototypes through multiple tests.

“The process involves a lot of brainstorming and talking through ideas, communicating with the team to try to get them to understand how you’re thinking and plenty of failed experiments,” Vinsko said. “Many crude versions of the device are made during concept validation before finally having something presentable, and even at that point there are many versions left to do before a product might become market-ready.”

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “On any given day, about one in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcareassociated infection.” For aMDI, the main goal of the Hand Hygiene Compliance System is to reduce these hospital infections. The device is small, compact and easily accessible, and will also notify health care professionals of when they should be sanitizing.

“This product is an awesome idea and I’m glad I had a part of it. It’s going to revolutionize the way health care workers sterilize themselves, and it’s definitely going to boost compliance,” Vinsko said. “This will long-term reduce the number of infections and make hospitals safer all around.”

Hospitals are supposed to be safe, healthy places for patients to recover, but without proper hygiene, hospitals can have the opposite effect. Vinsko stressed that the problem of hospital hygiene and infections is relatable to each and every person.

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DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | A11

NOV. 12

COMMUNITY: As part of the Grand Rapids Comic-Con, four students cosplay as Fullmetal Alchemist and Star Trek characters. The convention acts as a space for the girls to reunite each year. GVL | NICK MORAN

Grand Rapids welcomes third annual Comic-Con convention JENNY ADKINS ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

Celebrities, artists and experts on all things pop-culture flocked to Grand Rapids this during the weekend of Nov. 9 for the third annual ComicCon. Comic-Con is a national convention that showcases multi-genre entertainment as well as everything from the gaming and comic realms.

Comic-Con returned to the DeVos Place on Friday, Nov. 9 and continued through Sunday, Nov. 11. Fans were lined out the door, bearing Grand Rapids’ first snowfall of the season as they waited in anticipation to enter. The guests

who attended were fans with a passion for superheroes, anime, collectible merchandise, gaming and comics.

The crowds of Comic-Con filled the convention center for a variety of different reasons.

For some, it was a chance to meet a celebrity. Others wanted to explore an area of interest.

Most claimed it was an oasis of z for gamers, comic enthusiasts, artists and cosplayers alike.

Randy Reynolds, creator of a life-size replica of the scare floor in “Monsters, Inc.,” has been to Grand Rapids ComicCon several times over the years, and the event has become a place for him to interact with the kids while honor-

ing an important friend.

“Monsters, Inc. is a project I’ve been working on recently,” Reynolds said. “A good friend of mine, who was a teacher in the Lansing Schools District, wanted to put on a Monsters, Inc. (play) for the children. He asked me to help him out, which resulted in me building Mike, Randall and Sully in four weekends. He started to do shows with me; however, last May he passed away unexpectedly.

“I built the scare floor dedicated to him, and I reached out to his previous students to see if they wanted to get involved. Right now in the scare

room, the walls are bare; I’m hoping students will create artwork, and I can then hang it on the walls inside.”

A prominent factor of Comic-Con, and the most obvious when walking the floor, is cosplaying. Swaths of guests participated by dressing up as their favorite superhero, Disney princess, comic book character, movie character or other kind of character.

Four students anticipated Comic-Con’s arrival as it took them approximately four months to finish some of their costumes. Megan Korff, Alison Farmer, Annika Gibson and Morgan Peckham feel that cosplay is what brought them

together, being one of the most underlying and important aspects of Comic-Con as a whole.

“Cosplay is what brings me here,” Peckham said. “I’ve met a lot of friends through cosplay.

These three for example, I get to see them for the first time in a while because of this event. It’s what brings us together.”

Megan Korff and Alison Farmer dressed as their favorite characters from “Full Metal Alchemist,” a Japanese anime series, while Annika Gibson and Morgan Peckham imitated their favorites from the Star Trek.

As guests explored the convention center, there were various booths and vendors

featured along with celebrities from the entertainment world. A few highlighted guests included Kevin Eastman, cocreator of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” John Ratzenberger, voice actor known for roles in “Toy Story,” “The Incredibles” and “Superman,” as well as Jen Cohn, voice actor for the extremely competitive and popular multiplayer game “Overwatch.” Among these booths were also several upand-coming artists and writers using Comic-Con as a platform to showcase their work.

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DEC. 3

GVSU to host “Artist Talks” for graduating seniors SARAH EDGECOMB ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

A handful of Grand Valley State University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts students gave an “Artist Talks” presentation on Friday, Nov. 30 at the Mary Idema Pew Library as part of their Senior Seminar course. Each of the six seniors gave a presentation about their creative process, inspiration and work.

Meghan Moe Beitiks, a visiting professor at GVSU, explained that artist talks are a common occurrence in an artist’s career.

“The artist talk is a standard aspect of professional artist practice,” Beitiks said, adding that artists can be invited to give these presentations at

universities or art exhibitions.

“Especially within the context of academia, it’s a good, professional tool to have.”

These talks give graduating art students the opportunity to prepare for their careers with support from professors and fellow classmates.

“You get the experience of doing it, and it’s less scary because you have your peers who are also doing it and who are also just as terrified,” said Grace Sementkowski, a BFA student whose work centers around representation and the use of space through photography and unusual installations.

Although each presentation gave insight into the artist’s personal life, the students’ sense of community provided

ample support. Holly McDermott, a metals and jewelry artist whose art focuses on vulnerability and emotion, said that both the small class size and nature of art as a whole contributes to their closeness.

“We have this really unique connection...so our class has been really comfortable for us to be talking about such uncomfortable and personal things,” McDermott said.

Despite the anxiety that accompanies a major presentation, McDermott said that artist talks are necessary in the art world.

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EXHIBITION: “Artist Talks” gives students the opportunity to showcase and explain their artistic processes, techniques and inspirations behind their senior capstone projects. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

SEPT. 24

King Lear takes main stage at 25th Anniversary Shakespeare Festival MARY RACETTE ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

PLAYFUL: GVSU students put on a performance of “King Lear” as part of the Shakesepare Festival. The play illustrates modern-day issues through thematic elements and themes. COURTESY | KAREN LIPMAN

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Grand Valley State University Shakespeare Festival, GVSU students and guest actors will perform “King Lear” at the Louis Armstrong Theatre in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.

The series of events, titled “A Silver Coronation: The Grand Valley Shakespeare Effect”, will take place between Sept. 28 and Nov. 3.

Performances of “King Lear” will be at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 and 29, as well as Oct. 4, 5 and 6. Matinees at 2 p.m. will be held on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7.

“King Lear” was selected as the main-stage event

for the 25th anniversary of the Shakespeare Fewstival after an audience survey was conducted three years ago. According to Festival Director Karen Lipman, “King Lear” portrays themes that are notably relevant to modern society and this makes it the most commonly produced Shakespearean tragedy.

“Who am I? What is love?

Who really loves me? (are examples of the) big human issues which “King Lear” deals with that are still the big issues that we grapple with today,” Lipman said.

Professional actor Brian Webb-Russell will be joining the GVSU theater students in the production. Russell has been acting professionally since 1980 and is praised by

Lipman for his contributions to the quality of the show and for providing a model of how a professional actor works.

“We bring him back because of his generosity of spirit in working with the students.

He has the ability to mentor, teach and model without being condescending,” Lipman said.

Since being brought on board as a guest actor in 2000, “King Lear” will be Webb-Russell’s sixth role in the Shakespeare Festival. When reflecting on past performances and his incentive to keep coming back to GVSU, Webb-Russell said his motivation is always the community.

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DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLARTS

A12 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT NOV. 12

Grand Valley opera and visual arts students collaborate for audiovisual performance ARIE NIENHUIS ANIENHUIS@LANTHORN.COM

Throughout history, art and music have gone through a multitude of changes along with the progression of technological and cultural advancements. Music has shifted far from the classical styles of hundreds of years ago, and art has quickly transitioned into a highly dynamic and electronic landscape. However, with “Masquerade: A Baroque Extravaganza”, a group of music and art students at Grand Valley State University have proven that classic musical styles and highly modern forms of art can combine to form something truly new and beautiful.

“Masquerade” was a production born out of a collaboration between the GVSU Early Music Ensemble and Department of Visual and Media Arts as well as the Junior Company of the Grand Rapids Ballet School. Headed by GVSU Opera Theatre director Dale Schriemer and Julie Goldstein, assistant professor of film video production, the performance combines music from composers such as

George Frideric Handel and Henry Purcell with layered 3D projections. The performance took place three times during the weekend of Nov. 9.

Schriemer is incredibly proud of the event, comparing the experience to the Disney film “Fantasia” and other audiovisual works of art. In particular, he is hopeful that students appreciated the production’s older works of music more in such a modern artistic context. “(The performance) is an opportunity and an experience to think and work outside of the box,” Schriemer said. “The reason for doing it is that baroque music doesn’t always have a new audience. I have to bring old things and show a new generation how incredible these things are and recontextualize them. (Goldstein) has been very receptive to this.”

The production was notable for the way at which it forms something truly new out of two very different artistic mediums. In a similar method to Disney’s fusion of animation and music in Fantasia, Schriemer sees Masquerade’s fusion of ba-

roque music and 3D design as a presentation truly intriguing artistic expression.

“Out of opposites, we create a new thing,” Shriemer said. “We’ve taken (the ideas of Fantasia) and blown them up times twenty, and moved them forward. What kid hasn’t seen Fantasia? It still has play.”

For a multitude of GVSU students, in and outside of art, Masquerade was surely a highly valuable experience.

Music students experienced important works of baroque composition, artists saw forward-thinking applications of 3D projection, and the average viewer was surely inspired by the imaginative nature of the production, overall.

“The power of imagination is underrated,” Schriemer said. “How to solve problems in business, for example, comes from imagination. It isn’t formulaic…In the context of business, engineering, or medicine, imagination is key.”

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SPOTLIGHT: GVSU music and visual arts students partnered with the Grand Rapids Ballet School to put on three dynamic performances filled with dancing, projections and music. COURTESY | GVSU

OCT. 29

Celebrating Hispanic and indigenous culture through the sounds of Detroit

BY MARY RACETTE ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

DIVERSITY: Sacramento Knoxx put on a unique musical performance inspired by his culture and roots to the city he calls home. He uses indigenous influences to inspire others. GVL | ANDREW NYHOF

Ojibwe and Chicano artist Sacramento Knoxx provided an interactive storytelling experience for the Grand Valley State University community, though his multimedia performance of music was influenced by his Detroit roots.

The concert, held at the CookDewitt Center on Wednesday, Oct. 24, was brought on by the Office of Multicultural Affairs as a part of the Hispanic Heritage Celebration.

Knoxx’s style of music embraces his cultural and regional background. He acknowledges Detroit’s prominent culture of music, claiming his music is inspired by “everything that contributed to the Detroit music scene.”

To incorporate his

Ojibwe and Chicano heritage into his work, Knoxx uses traditional instruments such as Native American hand drums and percussion. Throughout the concert, Knoxx teaches words and phrases from the original Anishinaabe language of Detroit, also known as “Waawiiyatanong.”

The concert brought together GVSU’s Hispanic and Native American communities through music which contained traditional aspects of both cultures.

“We wanted to infuse Hispanic heritage celebration with our Native American Heritage Celebration,” said Chair of the Hispanic Heritage Celebration Committee Adriana Almanza. “This was a good way to incorporate the two identities together.”

During the 45 minute performance, Knoxx encouraged audience participation by immediately inviting everyone to stand around the stage, as opposed to scattered in seats.

The audience remained engaged throughout the concert as Knoxx periodically queued them to dance along with the music. For the final song, the audience joined together handin-hand in a large circle around the room as they participated in a Native American round dance.

Along with general audience engagement, willing individuals from the crowd were called onto the stage to learn and perform alongside Knoxx.

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NOV. 12

Haas Center for Performing Arts to host performance of “The Jungle Book”

BY JACOB CRESWELL ARTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Haas Center for Performing Arts, located on GVSU’s Allendale campus, will be hosting several performances of “The Jungle Book” throughout November. These performances will be put on by students within the the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance.

The performances will be held at the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, located on GVSU’s Allendale Campus at The Haas Center for Performing Arts.

The Department of Music, Theatre and Dance’s website discusses the setting and plot of the play, highlighting, “The Law of the Jungle rules Mowgli’s adventures while growing up with a wolf pack. However, when Mowgli’s identity is challenged after realizing his human origins, his

quest to master the laws becomes more complicated... and much more dangerous.”

Students and faculty within the department emphasize that this play, adapted by Monica Flory, is much darker in tone than the commonly known Disney movie. The website warns families that while children are welcomed, the thematic elements and themes are much darker than one might expect, reminding parents that certain scenes of the play may be frightening to younger children.

Furthermore, the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance notes that one main focal point of the play is the character of Mowgli, whom is often portrayed as a boy. This character will be depicted as a female protagonist in their rendition, played by GVSU sophomore Leanne Hoag.

“I remember I used to ask my grandma to watch

it when I was over at her house,” Hoag said. “It is honestly surreal to be playing a character that I am so familiar with, but it is also so different from the Disney version, that I am able to take a few essential elements from that movie and spin it to fit this version of Mowgli.”

Another key difference between both versions of the play is that, unlike the Disney version, this play will contain no songs.

“This play is more about survival in the jungle and the power hierarchy that results between predator and prey,” Hoag said.

The Jungle Book debuted on Friday, Nov. 9 and will continue through Saturday, Nov. 17. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m.

Student tickets are priced at $7 with adult tickets at $15 and faculty and staff tickets $13. All performances will be held at the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre.

ACTION: GVSU’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance produced a new rendition of “The Jungle Book” that included no musical selections and focused on life in the jungle. COURTESY | GVSU

SPORTS | A13

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS AUG. 31

One and oh

GVSU football rolls over Indianapolis to open season

BY BRADY MCATAMNEY EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

STRETCH FOR THE GOAL LINE: Grand Valley State running back Chawntez Moss extends his right arm to try and stretch the ball past the goal line to attempt to score against the Indianapolis Greyhounds at Lubbers Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 31. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

The No. 10 ranked Grand Valley State football team opened their season on a dominant note, defeating No. 13 Indianapolis 30-7 at Lubbers Stadium.

“Good team win. Obviously that’s a good football team we played,” said head coach Matt Mitchell.

“Great job by our guys, our coaches, offense and defense coming together and playing even when we were down. We never questioned anything, we just kept playing.”

GVSU quarterback Bart Williams completed 50 percent of his attempts for 243 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were to wide receiver Austin Paritee who led the Lakers in receptions and receiving yards with eight and 134.

Running backs Chawn-

tez Moss and Jack Provencher ran behind a dominant offensive line, picking up 135 yards on 15 carries and 54 yards on 12 carries respectively with both players finding the end zone.

The Lakers started the game by driving into Greyhound territory multiple times only for momentum to halt resulting in several punts.

Indianapolis struck first on an eight-yard touchdown run with 12:21 remaining in the first half and held GVSU scoreless for the next eight minutes before JJ McGrath’s 27yard field goal. The Lakers truly gained momentum, though, with a seven-yard touchdown connection between Williams and Paritee with only 1:02 remaining before halftime.

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AUG. 27

Grand Valley’s Gunslinger

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Every good football team needs a good quarterback: a confident leader who is calm under pressure and can make big plays in crunch time. Luckily for the Grand Valley State football team, they have that leader in Bart Williams.

The senior has been at the helm for GVSU for a while, starting 39 games for the Lakers. In those games, he has completed 642 of 1,090 passes for 9,854 yards and 105 touchdowns, ranking him first amongst active returning Division II quarterbacks in those respective categories.

Those impressive statistics have translated into success for the Lakers, as Williams has led GVSU to a 32-7 record in his starts, including two trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs and a semifinal appearance in 2015.

Heading into his senior season, the sky is the limit for what Williams and the GVSU football team can accomplish. After a few weeks in training camp, Williams feels like the team is picking up right where they left off

and is excited about how explosive this offense can be.

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress with our offense,” Williams said. “After coming back from the off-season, I feel like I’ve really gotten comfortable with our offense.”

Williams started playing football with his fifth and sixth grade team, where he started his football career as a running back. But after growing almost a foot taller in middle school, he made the shift to quarterback and never looked back.

After throwing for 3,121 yards and 36 touchdowns in his senior season at Grand Blanc High School, Williams made the Associated Press Divison 1-2 AllState First-Team and chose to come to GVSU to play college football.

“I think the coaching staff was a big thing, and the campus is beautiful,” Williams said. “I went to a big high school, so coming to a big college was important to me.

I like the big atmosphere and the coaching staff a lot.”

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POISED IN THE POCKET: Grand Valley State quarterback Bart Williams scrambles in the pocket and looks to find the open receiver in a game from the 2017 season against Davenport. Williams is now the all-time leader in passing yards at GVSU. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

NOV. 19

End of the line

BY BRADY MCATAMNEY EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

CALM UNDER PRESSURE: Grand Valley State quarterback Bart Williams looks to evade a Northwest Missouri State pass rusher to avoid getting sacked and trying to get a first down. GVL | SHEILA BABBITT

The No. 6 seeded Northwest Missouri State Bearcats ran the ball. Then they ran it again.

Then again. Then they ran the No. 3 seeded Grand Valley State Lakers out of the playoffs, beating them 42-17 in the first round of the Division II football playoffs. The Lakers’ season record ends up at 10-2.

The biggest play of the game came after GVSU scored their only offensive touchdown of the game – a two-yard run

by Jack Provencher – to cut NMSU’s lead to 21-17. After the ensuing kickoff was muffed, leaving the Bearcats at their own 16-yard line, running back Isaiah Strayhorn took the first play of the drive 84 yards for a score that would eventually serve as the clincher.

“We couldn’t stop the run in the second half,” said GVSU head coach Matt Mitchell. “Obviously, the biggest run was when we cut the thing back down to four points after a really good drive by our offense then we gave up about an 80-yard touchdown. We

GVSU football season ends in rout to Northwest Mo. State couldn’t get the guy down.

Down by two scores, it gets really difficult to run the ball, we couldn’t get stops and it put us in a bad spot.”

Overall, NMSU ran the ball 43 times for 356 yards and added an extra 92 through the air, averaging a whopping eight yards per play on the game. Meanwhile, the Laker offense struggled, picking up only 230 total yards on 3.5 yards per play, and converted on only four of their 17 third down attempts.

Quarterback Bart Williams completed 11 of his 25 pass attempts for 108 yards and one interception and was sacked four times while backup quarterback Cole Kotopka completed one of five for 20 yards and one interception while Williams was temporarily sidelined with a leg injury.

“Up front, they had a solid four guys,” Williams said. “They were getting good pass rush. They had a good scheme within the context of their defense to try and take away some of the stuff that we do really well and the combination of

those two, I think, we didn’t adjust well enough to it.

Didn’t get the job done, obviously, in the pass game.”

Provencher ran for 60 yards on 16 carries to go with his one touchdown while wide receivers Austin Paritee and Nick Dodson caught five and two passes for 58 and 57 yards, respectively.

The Lakers forced two turnovers: a fumble-turnedtouchdown in NMSU’s end zone recovered by defensive end Dylan Carroll and an interception by linebacker Tyler Bradfield.

The loss marks the end of the GVSU playing careers for 22 seniors, including the record-shattering Williams, all-conference honorees Carroll, Dodson, tight end Pete Cender, offensive lineman Ben Walling, offensive lineman Dave Dawson, linebacker Brendan McMahon, linebacker Tyree Horton, defensive lineman Kwanii Figueroa, defensive back Jacob Studdard and kicker JJ McGrath, among others.

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DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A14 | SPORTS DEC. 3

Rally with the Rapids gives special olympians once-in-a-lifetime experience

BY ELI ONG SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

When you entered Fieldhouse Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 27, there was a buzz in the air; a certain amount of electricity that most sports fans are familiar with this time of year.

With Grand Valley State cheerleaders on one baseline and the GVSU dance team on the other, warm-up music blared over the sound system as Special Olympics basketball players from Area 5 at Ferris State and Area 12 at GVSU went through their warm up routines.

As seats were taken, the dedication ceremony commenced where athletes on both teams were highlighted; capped by a speech from Area 12 basketball player Tiffany Neely.

“Special Olympics basketball has meant everything to me,” Neely said.

“Every day when I got out of school, I always had that to look forward to.”

From the opening tip, it was clear this meant a lot to the community as well. There were roars of anticipation for every shot put up and dribble move made, howls of excitement with every shot that sang the nylon song and steal snagged on defense.

CONTEST FOR THE CAUSE: The Area 5 at Ferris State and the Area 12 at GVSU Special Olympics basketball players gather together after their game at Rally For The Rapids at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. Through the charity event, the teams and the fans in attendance were able to help raise more than $3,000 for the event. GVL | DAN PACHECHO

The energy from the crowd never receded from the very first shot to the final buzzer.

“The players are warming up and the music’s pumping,” said Bryce Mullers, a member of the facility and event management class at GVSU that organized the event. “It

feels just like a real college basketball game, and I already have the jitters.”

Looking around you could see representation from GVSU and local area students from across the entire spectrum. Not only were the dance team and

cheerleaders there, GVSU and Cornerstone’s men’s and women’s basketball teams were in attendance, two of which, junior guard Chris Pearl and freshman forward Luke Hyde from GVSU, participated in a halftime dunk competition that kept the

crowd buzzing until the start of the third quarter.

Members of GVSU’s Greek Life were also in attendance and helped put on the event.

Sigma Pi and Alpha Sigma Alpha brought out the largest number of members from their respective fraternal and

sorority communities. Alpha Tau Omega members Brendan Brown and Nico Gonzalez helped referee and organize the event as well.

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DEC. 3

GVSU men’s and women’s cross country teams win national titles

BY JERROD FATTAL SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: After yet another dominant season, the Grand Valley State women’s cross country team gathers together after their race in Pittsburgh to celebrate winning the National Championship. This is the sixth title for the program. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS

The Grand Valley State men’s and women’s cross country teams both won national titles at the 2018 NCAA Division II Championships in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Dec. 1. The national title was the first in program history for the men, and the women’s squad continued to add to their dynasty with their sixth national title since 2010. The Lakers became only the third Division II program to ever win both titles in the same year.

Both of the teams came into Saturday’s race ranked outside of the top spots in the FloXC team rankings.

However, while other teams struggled to handle the constant rain showers (most notably during the Women’s 6K race), frigid temperatures and the muddy course, the GVSU runners showed their grit and performed in the poor conditions.

“It was soupy (on the course),” said head coach Jerry Baltes. “You had to stay out of trouble and watch where you were stepping. We had a race plan to put us in a position to handle that stuff and for the most part we executed it very, very well.”

Senior Zach Panning started the day off right for the Lakers by crossing the Men’s 10K Race finish line in second place with a time of 31:53.6 seconds.

It was his second runner-up finish in the past two years.

“Zach took a tumble about 300 meters into the race and was stepped on before bouncing up” Baltes said. “Luckily he wasn’t trampled but he lost about 20-30 spots. He did an incredible job handling that situation, bouncing back up and racing tough to put himself in a good position to finish second and nearly win it all.”

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NOV. 26

Jared Maddock The stalwart pipe protector

BY ELI ONG SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

“Goalies almost never get credit for winning a game, but they always get blamed for losing a game,” once said Steve Carrell, an avid hockey fan and actor best known for his role as Michael Scott on “The Office.”

That much is true for the average sports fan.

Common sense would dictate that the team with the fastest pair of skates and best puck handlers should win, right? The statistics may surprise you.

During the 2017-18 NHL season, the team with the best record in the eastern and western conferences, the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning, both finished in the top five in goals allowed against in their respective conferences.

The formula would not only appear to point toward being able to bang the biscuit

past the goalie, but to also have a guy in goal that’s good at not letting that happen to your own team as well.

Enter Jared Maddock, the senior in charge of stopping the puck for the GVSU DII men’s club hockey team.

In his fourth year navigating the net for the Lakers, Maddock has helped lead the team to a 9-3 record and while he has been a stalwart in goal for the past three-plus years, he said that his hockey career all started at the age of six and took off from there.

“I started playing hockey around when I was six years old in local leagues,” Maddock said “Then as I got older I got more and more involved and started playing in travel leagues in and around the Detroit area.”

What led Maddock to play goalie was a lack of skill out on the ice at forward or back on defense, and also a

natural interest in the nuances of the position.

“I wasn’t that great at forward or D,” Maddock said. “Plus I really liked the equipment a lot. I was really obsessed with all the pads and stuff as a little kid and I thought it would be cool to be that guy.”

Although he had an obsession with hockey growing up and loved the sport, Maddock was on the dean’s list all four years at his alma mater, Plymouth High School in Detroit, and chose to prioritize academics over sports when choosing a college.

“I wasn’t recruited [by GVSU],” Maddock said. “I chose to just go to school instead of playing junior hockey and I had some academic scholarships here, so hockey was just an added bonus.”

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NOT IN MY HOUSE: Grand Valley State goalie Jared Maddock gets as wide as possible and attempts to protect an incoming shot in a match at the Georgetown Ice Center. GVL | ANDREW NYHOF

DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SPORTS | A15

OCT. 8

2018 GVSU Athletic Hall of Fame Class inducted

BY ELI ONG SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

COMMEMORATION : Dozens of former GVSU athletes and coaches gather together with their former teammates and family members to celebrate their legacies at Grand Valley State. GVL | ELI ONG

As Grand Valley State University President Thomas J. Haas put it, “We compete against some of the best and we win.”

He’s got a point. 20 consecutive GLIAC Cups. 17 consecutive DII National Directors Cup top-two finishes. When it comes to athletics at GVSU, the statistics are often gaudy, but gaudy stats come with the territory.

On Friday, Oct. 5, GVSU’s athletic department hosted its 38th annual Charles H. Irwin Club Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The class of 2018 featured seven new members to GVSU’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

Once everyone had finished their entrée and dessert, GV athletic director Keri Becker opened up the ceremony by making note of how every induction class is special, but this class was even more so than usual. Included in this class were some of the most successful Lakers, in regards to team success.

Danielle (Alexander) McGuckin, representing the women’s volleyball program,

was a two-time first-team all-American at GVSU and helped the Laker women earn their first national championship over a previously undefeated NebraskaKearney squad in 2005.

Aaron Beebe, representing the men’s swimming program, is the most decorated male swimmer in the history of GVSU. Out of 28 opportunities to do so, Beebe earned 26 all-American plaudits.

David “Circus” Kircus, GVSU’s all-time leader in catches, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and points scored and arguably the most prolific wide receiver in NCAA history across all divisions, helped GVSU’s football program win their first national title in 2002.

Crystal Zick, a point guard on the women’s basketball team from 2004 to 2008, is the all time leader in assists in program history and hit the gameclinching three-pointer in the 2006 national title game.

The rest of the inductees follow the same trend. Former head baseball coach Steve Lyon was 552-205 at the helm of the men’s baseball program.

Krista O’Dell earned ten allAmerican plaudits in track and

cross-country. Pete Trammell, a combo guard/forward on the men’s basketball team from 2005 to 2009, won two Midwest regional titles and finished his career with a 113-20 record.

As aforementioned like much of his fellow hall of fame inductees, Trammell was no stranger to success while at GVSU. During his junior season where Grand Valley State tied a DII record with 36 wins, Trammell earned all-GLIAC and all-GLIAC Defensive honors while averaging double digits in points per game (10.2) and 40.8 percent from beyond the three-point stripe.

In an interview after the induction ceremony, Trammell was asked what allowed his teams to be successful during his playing days; Trammell didn’t hesitate with his reply.

“Defense,” said Trammell almost immediately.

During that 36-win campaign, the Lakers held opponents to 54.3 points per game on 36.3 percent shooting while also forcing nearly 16 turnovers per game.

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NOV. 19

Brower’s powers

GVSU volleyball legend leaves lasting legacy

BY JEROD FATTAL SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

In a player survey handed out before the season, GVSU volleyball head coach Deanne Scanlon asked her players who came to mind when they heard the words “respected, hardworking and great teammate.” “(Staci Brower) was the first person who came to the forefront and that is a great way to gauge her character,” Scanlon said.

Brower recently finished up her career at Grand Valley State on Wednesday, Nov. 8 in a loss to the Michigan Tech Huskies in the GLIAC Tournament, serving as a bittersweet ending to what has been an illustrious career for the Lakers filled with a myriad of accomplishments.

What exactly does Brower have on her resume? How about a 2017 GLIAC South division title, two American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region Honorable Mentions and a Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) AllMidwest Region Second Team nomination as a sophomore?

“I think it shows a lot

about the teammates I have had here,” Brower said. “Volleyball is not a single player sport. It takes an entire team.”

Maybe the most impressive accolade is the four consecutive All-GLIAC First Team honors Brower has been awarded. She is the only player in the program’s 49 year history to do so.

“It’s a huge honor,” Brower said. “It makes me think back to all of the times I went to the gym when it was freezing out and how it was all worth it.”

Four years ago when Brower first stepped foot on campus as a Laker, Scanlon knew she was going to be special.

“I saw similarities to former talented middle blockers we had in the past like (2017 GVSU Hall of Fame Inductee) Sabrina Bird,” Scanlon said. “She just bloomed when she got to college.”

Brower’s volleyball talent has always been there, but her love for the sport was something that wouldn’t come until later.

“I was planning on playing collegiate basketball my whole life, but I started having problems with my knees and couldn’t play anymore,” Brower said. “So in my

sophomore year (of high school) I started giving volleyball my full attention and I fell in love with it.”

That passion and love led Brower to a great career, but it couldn’t have been possible without her parents who rarely missed a game, even when the Lakers played in the Upper Peninsula.

In early November, Brower’s time wearing a Laker uniform drew to a close, and although Scanlon will miss her presence in the gym and on the team bus, where she said she has a laugh that echoes throughout that will leave you crying, Scanlon is more excited to see what she does next in her career.

Following her final year of schooling next year where she intends to graduate with a degree in recreational therapy, Brower is excited to focus on her career where she hopes to one day help others for the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Center in Grand Rapids; a fitting career choice for someone Scanlon described as a “nurturing, caregiving person.”

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SUPER SPIKE: Grand Valley State senior Staci Brower jumps up to spike a ball over the net against an opponent at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in a match from earlier this season. GVL | ARCHIVE

OCT. 15

Bigger and Better

GVSU Athletics announces Jamie Hosford Football Center

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

BIGGER AND BETTER: Thanks to the hard work of Keri Becker, Matt Mitchell and the rest of the team, the new and improved Hosford Football Center is set to debut in 2019. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS

Despite Grand Valley State being one of the most successful DII Football programs in the past 15 years, they do not currently have the state-of-theart facilities to match the stateof-the-art team. Thankfully for future football teams here, that is all about to change.

As part of the homecoming festivities on Oct. 6, the GVSU Athletic Department announced a building expansion to the football locker rooms and facilities, which will be named after accomplished former Grand Valley State football player and wrestler Jamie Hosford.

The Jamie Hosford Football Center will be built in two parts with a donorfunded expansion and a long overdue remodel of the two-story structure. Plans include an expanded locker room with 120 new lockers, multiple team meeting areas that will double as coaches’

offices and an athletic training and rehabilitation room designed to ensure the health and safety of current and future student athletes.

The new facilities will also provide visiting teams with enough lockers and showers to have a good experience at GVSU so they don’t have to be bused to the Fieldhouse to shower there after games A plan to renovate the dated facilities has been in the works for long time and athletic director Keri Becker is excited to see these plans finally coming to fruition.

“This plan has been in the works since I took the reigns, and as the athletic director, I wanted to make it a priority here,” Becker said. “It’s gotten to the point where we can’t neglect these renovations, and it’s an important part of recruiting quality student athletes. To see this finally hit the ‘go’ buttons is an exciting thing, and to see the support we get from the university and donors, because it’s not just me that wants this.”

These new facilities have an accomplished name tied to them, as Hosford earned 12 varsity letters at Grand Valley, as well as multiple All-American honors in both football and wrestling. He was inducted into the GVSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

Becker is proud of everything Hosford was able to accomplish for the university, and despite passing away in 2014, his impact is still felt at GVSU today. “[Hosford is] one of the most highly decorated athletes in GV’s history, and he reps the type of student athlete we have so well,” Becker said. “He stayed connected to not only athletics, but also to the university. He was a guy that anybody who knew loved, and really represents the student athlete, the alum and the community member that we like to see.”

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DECEMBER 10, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A16 | SPORTS OCT. 29

Undefeated

GVSU soccer blows out Davenport to cap off perfect season

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The 1972 Dolphins, the 2007 Patriots, UCLA men’s basketball in the 60’s and UConn women’s basketball in the 2010s: there are few cases in the history of sports where teams have finished their respective regular season undefeated, and the 2018 Grand Valley State soccer team joined that elite group on Friday, Oct. 26 with a 5-0 win against Davenport.

With this win, GVSU finishes the season with an impressive 17-0-1 record, including finishing the season on a 12-game win streak and winning all nine of their match-ups in the GLIAC. With this incredible regular season, the Lakers enter the GLIAC tournament this week as the top seed and will retain homefield advantage for the entirety of the tournament.

GVSU was able to top five goals for the first time since Oct. 3 with a offensive flurry pouring down on the Panthers all game long. Head

coach Jeff Hosler credits his team’s excellent spacing and aggressive play on the wing for earning the win.

“Our possession today was really good. We were confident out of the back, and our midfielders did a good job protecting the ball and finding pockets of space,” Hosler said. “We’ve been working hard over the last few weeks to have better wing play, get more aggressive in those wide spaces, and today we put that all together with the right runs.”

The scoring came from all over the roster for the Lakers, with Ava Cook chipping in two goals, one in the 13th minute and one in the 54th minute. Tara Lierman and Riko Sagara found the back of the net in the 37th and 58th minute, respectively, with Darline Radamaker also scoring her first goal of the season in the 60th minute.

Sagara not only scored in the contest, but also earned her 14th and 15th assists in the contest, securing her as the leader in assists among all DII women’s soccer players.

The win against Daven-

port puts the Lakers in a position to dominate the GLIAC tournament this week, as Hosler is not only proud of what his team has accomplished, but also hopes the players realize how good this team can potentially be.

“We put ourselves in a really good position to enter the postseason,” Hosler said.

“I encouraged them to spend the weekend to reflect back on some things that face us in the postseason, and understand that being committed is an important piece of that, because we got a big week coming up.”

With as dominant as this team has been this season, it’s safe to say that anything less than a victory in the GLIAC tournament would be a disappointing finish to the season. But with as high this team’s chemistry is, Hosler believes that they have the mentality to make a deep run, and the relationships they’ve established as teammates and young women can help them get there.

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PURSUIT TO SCORE THE GOAL: Grand Valley State forward Caitie Baron attempts to kick the ball toward the goal in a game at the GVSU Soccer Field in Allendale, Mich. GVL | KATHERINE VASILE

NOV. 30

Champs: GVSU soccer beats trio of conference foes en route to GLIAC title

BY KADY VOLMERING SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK: Grand Valley State defender Hailey Wentzloff attempts to make a pass to teammate Caitie Baron to advance the ball toward the goal. GVL | EMILY MODLOFF

The Grand Valley State women’s soccer team dominated the GLIAC tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 30, Friday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 4 to win the GLIAC championship, defeating Purdue-Northwest 6-1 in the quarterfinal, Ashland 3-0 in the semis and Ferris State 4-0 in the title game.

Though the Lakers were ahead for the majority of the match against UPN on Tuesday, they seemed to be offbeat compared to their usual intense style of play. Head coach Jeff Hosler said that the team’s performance showed a lack of respect for the game and for their opponent, and was looking for a complete turnaround for Friday’s game.

“Post season play is going to be whatever you make it, and today was a really good example of that,” Hosler said.

“Purdue made something happen, they created one chance and they scored because they believed. We had opportunities

much earlier in the game, frequently, to take any of that belief out of them, and we didn’t.”

Friday’s game was the third time the Lakers faced Ashland.

Their first match-up ended in a draw and the second ended up with a 3-0 win for GVSU. The Lakers created a sense of Deja Vu on Friday, as they beat the No. 5 ranked Eagles again by the same score.

Ava Cook notched her 15th and 16th goals of the season in the contest, scoring in the 18th and 52nd minutes. Madeline Becker also found the back of the net in the 26th minute.

“The whole point of our possession is to try and wear teams out, then they have to go to the bench and then go to the bench again,” Hosler said. “When those things happen, we tend to get a lot more favorable match up. Today I thought we did a really good job finishing our early chances, and that really set the tone for the match.”

After beating the Eagles on Friday, the Lakers have their eyes on the GLIAC

prize, and look to control the pace in the final against FSU. “Our main goal for Sunday is to just play our style,” Hosler said. “Dictating our style is really important. Playing the way we’re capable of, make the adjustments we need to against our opponent but still keep it in our framework.”

The GVSU soccer team played that style well on Sunday, beating the Bulldogs 4-0.

It was perhaps the most efficient game of the season for the Laker offense, as they scored four times on a mere 18 shots on goal.

Despite the stout Bulldog defense, the Lakers were able to score their first three goals in a span of three minutes, as Raemi DeWent, Riko Sagara and Cook each scored in the 27th, 28th and 29th minutes of the match, respectively. Caitie Baron also found the back of the net in the 84th minute to put the nail in the coffin and secure a GLIAC tournament win.

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NOV. 19

Tenacious ‘D’

GVSU men’s basketball uses defensive effort to win home opener

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State men’s basketball team was able to keep the ball rolling on Friday, Nov. 16 as they came away with a 97-81 victory over the Tiffin Dragons in a back-and-forth game at GVSU’s Fieldhouse Arena.

Sophomore standout Jake Van Tubbergen led all Lakers with 21 points and nine rebounds, with five of those coming on the offensive end. He wasn’t the only Laker to light up the scoreboard, as Zach West poured in 20 points, Jeremiah Ferguson finished with 17 and Hunter Hale contributed 16 to help GVSU to victory.

“I just try to get our team going when I crash the boards,” Van Tubbergen said. “I think it can help, but that’s just the spirit our team plays with.”

Leading the team in minutes played, Ferguson had a lot of time to be a floor general, as he got a

chance to lead most of the fast breaks for the Lakers.

He made an impact in more ways than one on Friday, as he led the team in assists (seven) and steals (five).

Ferguson tries to be a vocal leader and encourage his teammates, but the former Youngstown State Penguin said that cooperation comes easy since team chemistry has already formed and the players love playing with each other.

“I always try to be heard out there, and I think that helps my team out in the game,” Ferguson said. “We move the ball well, but I think that’s just us liking each other. We like playing with each other, so that makes it a lot easier.”

Head coach Ric Wesley loves to harp on his team for their inconsistent defense, but posting nine blocks and 14 steals helped lead the Lakers to multiple easy buckets in transition, which ultimately led to victory.

Wesley loved the way

that his guys controlled the tempo, as he couldn’t stop talking about how much this team likes to run in transition.

“I actually think we played really good defense,” Wesley said. “We were able to push the tempo, and we had a lot of extended runs.

Our team really likes to run.”

The one area the Lakers seemed to struggle in was fouls, committed 17 to Tiffin’s 13. To prevent that in future games, Wesley feels the team just needs to improve upon their defensive positioning.

“They were so aggressive, and really attacked the seams of the defense,” Wesley said.

“We got a little winded to their credit, we’ve got to be better at just keeping our body in front of the man. When we start reaching, that’s when we foul and we need better positioning at times.”

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JUMP FOR JOY: Grand Valley State starting center Isaiah Brock tries to win a jump ball. GVL I DAN PACHECO