G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N
New Beginnings Wooster hired as GV football’s head coach
Barrier-breaking art exhibit opens on campus MI minimum wage increase is only part of ongoing wage discussions M O N D A Y, J A N U A RY 3 0, 2 02 2 // VO L . 57 N O. 2 0
COLLECTION | A10
MONEY | A8
@ GV L A N T H O R N
LANTHORN.COM
A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FROM MICHIGAN’S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS On Jan. 25, Governor Gretchen Whitmer conducted Michigan’s State of the State Address. Some of the primary topics that Whitmer focused on were inflation, education, economic growth, climate change and gun control. With democrats holding the majority rule of both chambers of the MI legislature, Whitmer said she wanted to continue to work with minority leaders in order to work to solve issues within the state. Some policies that were presented by Whitmer to help lessen costs in Michigan included the announcement of a plan called “Lowering MI Costs” which would reduce the retirement tax and includes expanding the current Working Families Credit. It’s estimated this plan would save 500,000 homes about $1,000 a year and that expanding the credit would bring a refund of $3,000 to approximately 700,000 families. Lowering MI costs also includes the proposal of state funded pre-K for all Michigan families. Whitmer said the base of a good education starts young and would be beneficial to Michiganders’ future success. She also addressed funding for programs that help kids make up for resources and gaps in their education from the COVID-19 pandemic such as “MI Kids Back on Track.” Whitmer’s economic growth plan focused heavily on what Michigan can do in terms of “economic opportunity and personal freedom.” Whitmer said the “Make it in Michigan” plan would help recent graduates by setting up Michigan to be a place of economic development and expanding upon advanced manufacturing. This related to Whitmer’s call to expand clean energy at a local level both to help create jobs and to address the issue of climate change. Additionally, she said the MI Healthy Climate plan will help to preserve and protect the state’s natural resources. Whitmer said public safety and gun control are a top priority. With democrats holding both chambers the passage of gun reform bills seems more probable. Some of the ideas Whitmer had about further preventing gun violence include safe storage laws, universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders, often known as “red flag laws.”
JANUARY 30, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
LEADERSHIP
GV alumni becomes first Black woman to serve on MI Supreme Court BY PAYTON BRAZZIL NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Grand Valley State University alumni Kyra Harris Bolden to the Michigan Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman, and one of the youngest, to serve on Michigan’s highest court. Bolden graduated from GVSU in 2010, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in English. Bolden said after touring the university, learning about smaller class sizes and eating a taco bowl from Fresh, her decision was made. “I came home from the tour, and I had applied to a ton of different colleges, but I told my mom that I’m going to Grand Valley and I did,” Bolden said. Bolden said she enjoyed her overall experience at GVSU, but especially enjoyed her involvement in her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., in which she served as community service chair. One of her favorite memories was when her sorority collected cans and
donated them to a women’s center. Bolden said she was thankful for the supportive professors at GVSU, including English Professor Kathleen Blumreich, who attended Bolden’s wedding. Bolden said Blumreich helped her personally and professionally. “There was a point when I didn’t know if I wanted to go to law school,” Bolden said. “There’s that conversation that you have to have with yourself, ‘Is this a good idea?’ And she was one of the people that really encouraged me to go to law school and pursue that.” After graduating from GVSU, Bolden earned her degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. “It was a very different experience, being in a busy metropolitan area versus a secluded campus,” Bolden said. “Both experiences were very different, but I think they were very good for the place that I was in life.” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
JUSTICE: Bolden’s career has been inspired by the idea of implementing justice. She works to be an inspiration to her daughter, who she was pregnant with during her run for the MI Supreme Court. She is thankful to her mentors and family who have helped her follow her goals. COURTESY | BRIDGE MI
GRADUATION
GV winter commencement dates finalize, ease student concern BY JOHNATHAN CARROLL NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
FUTURE: Students who are graduating this semester and wish to walk at commencement must register by Mar. 30. When students apply for the ceremony, they will have the opportunity to record a pronunciation of their name for the announcer to read. Regalia is on sale until Apr. 7. GVL | SYDNEY LIM
Grand Valley State University recently announced the dates, times and additional information for the winter 2023 commencement. This announcement comes after various planning measures by the Division of Student Affairs to help determine the logistics for the event. Megan Wierenga, the Laker events and communications manager, said the Division of Student Affairs worked to gather information needed to select the dates and assign the college order during commencement. “We have gone through the necessary steps to confirm data regarding number of eligible graduates for each college (at GVSU), and level of degree, as this impacts number of graduate attendees and guests as well as the length of the ceremonies,” Wierenga said. Particular portions of the event, like the number of graduates crossing the stage and any hooding ceremonies for Doctoral candidates, were being considered during the selection process.
Wierenga said once the Division of Student Affairs went through this information the planning committee met to finalize the details of the ceremony. They then proposed which colleges would graduate on which day so the College Dean could approve the schedule. Some changes have come to the event over the last eight months. The 2022–23 school year is the first year in which COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted for the event. The previous commencement for the winter 2022 semester was in person, however, COVID-19 placed an Alert Level 2 on the event, requiring masks and no student procession. Similarly, the winter 2022 event limited the guest count to 8 tickets per student, due to COVID-19, however, this year’s approach is much different. Now, students do not have a hard limit on the number of guests, but the university asks that people be mindful of others within the number of people they bring.
LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
JANUARY 30, 2023
A3 | NEWS
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
CONTENTS LEADERSHIP
| A2
OPINION
| A4
RENOVATIONS
| A5
FOOTBALL
| A 6-7
MONEY
| A8
ADVOCACY
| A9
COLLECTION
| A10
SWIM AND DIVE
| A11
TRACK AND FIELD
| A12
VOL. 57
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief MARY DUPUIS Associate Editor AUDREY WHITAKER Associate Editor JACOB KIRN News Editor ELIZABETH SCHANZ Sports Editor ANTHONY CLARK JR
Laker Life Editor SABRINA EDWARDS A&E Editor
NO. 20
Videographer ZACH PLISKO Layout Editor DONOVAN LOPEZ Layout Designer REV BRONOWSKI PROMOTIONS Promotions Manager GRACE O’BRIEN ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager JORDAN GREEN BUSINESS STAFF
EMMA ARMIJO
Business Manager MORGAN JOHNSTON
Image Editor MEGHAN TRIPP
Asst. Business Manager LUKE KREGER
Multimedia Editor
Distribution Manager CAYLI CLARK
JAMES HERRICK
INCLUSION
GV community engages in discussions about race, experiences BY MADISON STEIGERWALD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) aims to create an inclusive and diverse campus through open communication, collaboration and shared lived experiences. Throughout the school year, OMA hosts several events and invites guest speakers to educate students and staff on issues of race, culture and inclusion. This past week, they held their monthly event, Conversations of Color, which aims to create discussions around race, identity and current events. “Conversations of Color focuses on relevant aspects of news and society, or heritage months that are taking place,” said Higher Education Graduate Student and leader of last week’s discussion, Mae Rickey. “We incorporate one or all of the Laker Connections Groups, including Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Native and Indigenous, Latino/ Latina and Black students.”
The conversation this month focused on race-based violence. While the topics discussed at Conversation of Color events are typically planned far in advance, this conversation was held on account of recent acts of violence against the Asian-American community such as the shooting in Monterey Park, California following a Lunar New Year Celebration. At a predominately white institution, Rickey said it’s important to shed light on issues for students of color and acknowledge the realities they face. The conversation included sta-
tistics regarding hate crimes in the United States. In 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security found that racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, especially white supremacists, would likely continue to be the most lethal domestic violent extremism (DVE) threat to the country. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
HEALTH
SMART Recovery promotes skills to manage addictive behaviors BY GRACE SMITH NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University’s Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AOD) has recently added a program called SMART Recovery, to provide another option for recovery support. SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery-Training and follows a secular four-point program to assist individuals overcoming addictive or harmful behaviors and help people on their road to recovery. This program includes skills to help
At the Lanthorn, we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. If you find any errors in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com. The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published weekly by Grand Valley State University students 31 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.
The Lanthorn is published on recycled paper and is printed with soy bean ink. This means that our newspaper is entirely compostable. Help us do our part to be kind to the environment by recycling or composting this newspaper after you enjoy reading it.
POSTMASTER: Please send form 3579 to: Grand Valley Lanthorn 0051 Kirkhof Center Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI 49401
DIVERSITY: Making sure that all students feel welcome in the GVSU community and have resources to be successful are the primary goals of OMA. GVL | MACAYLA CRAMER
LIFE: Managing addictive behaviors can promote wellness. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
cope with urges, manage thoughts, feelings and behaviors and build and maintain motivation in order to help individuals live a balanced life. “The slogan for SMART recovery is ‘Discover the power of choice,’” said Group Facilitator for SMART Recovery Tony Strout. “So, just emphasizing your power and taking your power to make the choices that you need to deal with any sort of addictive behaviors you may be having.” Strout said SMART Recovery welcomes not only individuals struggling with substance use, but any GVSU community member struggling with any caliber of harmful addictive behaviors. With a growing number of agnostic and atheist individuals over the last several decades, SMART Recovery seeks to fill the gaps of some religious-based or influenced recovery programs and works to provide a secular approach to recovery. SMART Recovery provides people with additional support options. “When I first heard about SMART Recovery, I just really loved SMART Recovery as another option,” said SMART Recovery Group Facilitator Nikki Osier. “I just wanted to provide another option (to GVSU) so people feel like there are
choices and you’re not stuck going to a meeting that you may not feel so comfortable with.” One of the major differences between SMART Recovery and other programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is the structure of meetings. SMART Recovery encourages collaborative discussion between meeting attendees in the absence of advice-giving. Likewise, they discourage words such as alcoholic or addict in order to reduce the stigma associated with recovery. By doing so, they hope to eliminate the use of the “rock bottom” ideology in order to encourage community members of all stages of addiction to seek the support of SMART Recovery. SMART Recovery shapes its program to promote recovery in ways that may be unique in comparison to other step-based programs such as welcoming medication-assisted treatment (MAT) where prescribed medication can help people in the process of recovery. Osier and Strout welcome any community member at any stage of their recovery process. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com X THE FULL ARTICLE
A4 | OPINIONS EDITORIAL
The balance between humans and technology exists on a fine line. Intelligence, whether organic or artificial, seems to be merging into one as the power of AI programs like ChatGPT comes to the forefront of discussion. Fear and concern around AI can come in many forms: taking human jobs, mimicking creative endeavors or eliminating the ways in which we synthesize information independently. There are some publications (e.g., CNET) already utilizing AI assistance to write articles. However, companies are unable to rely on this technology for 100% of the reporting, due in part to a number of errors in posts made by AI. With this technology still being fairly new, it’s impossible to cut out the human. If AI is going to be utilized full-scale, there needs to be a physical body to catch the mistakes. Other companies, like Buzzfeed, have announced plans to use this technology as well. The company will be partnering with ChatGPT to make content for its users, moving artificial intelligence into the core of its business model. However, Buzzfeed Co-Founder and Chief Executive Jonah Peretti warned that companies could use this for cost savings, publishing low-quality SEO articles just to get clicks. This will likely result in mass layoffs. However, we must view the benefits of AI as a tool that can assist humans, rather than an existential replacement of their minds, personalities and creativity. According to the Knight Foundation, AI has become an appealing resource in the journalism industry, helping to check gen-
GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON
1/30/23
JANUARY 30, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN
The Human Difference der and racial biases in stories, among other use cases. Using AI to template stories, transcribe interviews, automatically fact-check information and route engagement with social media users would reduce time spent on tasks that are tedious and costly for journalists and editors. Financial assistance in the newsroom from AI is an additional draw, as some major news companies are using synthetic systems to record and predict engagement among their audiences and create dynamic paywalls based on subscription predictions. According to journalism.co.uk, advances in text and image generation from artificial sources suggest that AI is becoming more accurate, reliable and creative. Still, pushing beyond the initial value of this technology and applying it towards the enhancement of human activity is a conscious choice that people must make daily. There is an irreplaceable value to what human emotion and intellect can offer to readers. As content consumers, we must obtain a new level of digital literacy, refusing to believe that everything created by AI is superior to the work of humans. AI will continue to expand, making its claim as a better, more intelligent alternative. However, its strengths come from those who use it; it is up to us to decide how and why we implement it into our lives, both personally and professionally. It is tempting to take the easy route - especially in a media landscape driven heavily by views, efficiency and profit maximization. In turn, we value quantity over quality; we become miniature content factories rather than experiencing and engaging deeply with information in the world around us.
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an increasingly prominent tool for journalists. As technology advances, the role of AI in journalism continues to evolve and expand, offering new opportunities for reporters to tell compelling stories and reach new audiences. But what exactly is AI, and how is it changing the world of journalism. AI refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way journalists gather and report the news, making it easier and faster to identify relevant information, analyze data, and generate content. One of the biggest advantages of AI in journalism is its ability to automate routine tasks, freeing up reporters to focus on more complex and creative work. For example, AI can be used to analyze large amounts of data, such as financial reports or public records, to identify trends, patterns, and connections that might not be immediately obvious to a human analyst. This type of analysis can be particularly useful in investigative journalism, helping reporters uncover stories that might otherwise go unnoticed. AI can also be used to generate news articles and reports, freeing up reporters from the time-consuming task of writing and editing. For example, AI can be trained to analyze large amounts of data and generate summaries or articles based on that information. While this type of content may not
By Abby Haywood
editorial@lanthorn.com
be as in-depth or nuanced as a piece written by a human journalist, it can still provide valuable information to readers, and it can be published quickly and inexpensively, making it a valuable tool for news organizations. Of course, there are also concerns about the potential for AI to undermine the role of journalists. Some worry that AI could lead to the production of low-quality, unreliable news, or that it could be used to spread misinformation or propaganda. In order to address these concerns, it is important for journalists and news organizations to be transparent about the use of AI and to ensure that the technology is used ethically and responsibly. In conclusion, AI has the potential to revolutionize journalism, offering new opportunities for reporters to gather and report the news in new and innovative ways. But as with any new technology, it is important to use AI responsibly and ethically, and to ensure that it serves the interests of the public and supports the important role that journalists play in society.transportation services, the costs of groceries, housing and technology needs as well as financial support. There are multiple locations of Replenish at GVSU, one in the Kirkhof Center, the Steelcase Library and the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences. Websites like foodpantries.org also provide information detailing local food services near Allendale such as food banks and pantries as well as volunteer opportunities for local drives.
OPINION POLICY The goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s opinion page is to act as a forum for public discussion, comment and criticism in the Grand Valley State University community. Student and columnist opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity. The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by-nor do they necessarily represent those of-the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff. Letter to the editor should include the author’s full name, relevant title
and a headshot, along with a valid email address and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500-650 words in length, and they are not edited by the Lanthorn staff except to fix technical errors or to clarify. Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits. To make a submission, email editorial@lanthorn.com or drop your submission off in person at: 0051 KIRKHOF CENTER GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ALLENDALE, MI 49401 616-826-8276
JANUARY 30, 2023
A5 | NEWS
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS RENOVATIONS
Fieldhouse construction plans to offer new spaces for students BY JOSEPH POULOS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Construction on the addition to Grand Valley State University’s Fieldhouse continues this month, with a focus on wrestling, as well as new camp and clinic spaces. Last year, a $14.1 million expansion to GVSU’s Fieldhouse was approved with Pioneer Construction serving as the general contractor and Integrated Architecture providing design services. The addition will be 22,280 square feet and will feature three new mat gyms, a weight room, a larger athletic training room, locker rooms and coaches’ offices. Keri Becker, GVSU’s Director of Athletics, believes the construction reflects the needs of an active campus and that progress is being made by the university to keep it that way. “When we do an expansion, it’s an in-
dication of the activity on the campus,” Becker said. “I’ve always said this is a very highly active campus in lots of ways.” Two men’s and women’s locker rooms will be included in the construction as well, each with 30 lockers, eight showers, a handicap-accessible ADA shower, sinks, a TV and a whiteboard. In addition, there will be a new officials’ locker room with two lockers. Four new coaches’ offices are planned for both men’s and women’s wrestling coaches. There will also be new quarters for strength coaches and athletic trainers. “It will house our new men’s and women’s wrestling programs since the Fieldhouse is packed as it is,” Becker said. Some new spaces will designate time specifically for the wrestling program. The university plans to renovate an existing 3,900 square feet of the facility too. In the space where the current training room and locker rooms are located, there will be a student academic advis-
ing center and a student-athlete welfare and development office. Next to the academic advising center, there will be a student-athlete lounge with a computer lab, collaboration rooms with meeting and study space, lounge furniture, television and a student-athlete refueling station. While there are some benefits directly for student-athletes, other university programs will now have increased space to continue their operations. “Our facilities are packed with athletic events and club sports and so I think this will take a pinch point off of the weight room,” Becker said. “It creates more space for camps and clinics in the summer as well.” The construction will benefit other students as well, providing more space for classroom instruction and practice. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
CHANGES: Expansion and addition to the fieldhouse creates new opportunities and area for student use. GVL | MACAYLA CRAMER
RESOURCES
Updates to GV scholarship website meant to help student experience BY ASHLEY MOUBRAY NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
University students pursuing degrees often face significant financial stress when paying for tuition, housing, food and other expenses. In an effort to alleviate this stress, Grand Valley State University offers many ways for students to apply for scholarships and relieve costs associated with a college education. One way to explore scholarships is through GVSU’s myScholarships system. This year, GVSU has made several changes to the myScholarships site. One change is a scholarship-matching resource featuring both internal and external opportunities. By answering a few questions on the website, students can navigate through a number of available scholarships personally tailored to their needs and interests. “Currently, students can access both Grand Valley scholarships and external scholarships within the upgraded system,” said Associate Director of Scholarships Samantha Mulder. “Before, (myScholarships) was two separate databases that we’ve combined into one.” Mulder said the new system protects students from illegitimate external websites through a company called Scholarship Universe which acts as a safety net. If a website proves untrustworthy, then it won’t appear in the myScholarships database.
“These external scholarships are fully vetted to make sure that they are legitimate, that they are not asking students for information they shouldn’t be asking for,” Mulder said. The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships upgraded the system in order to better serve the GVSU community. myScholarships also personalizes the application process by having students answer profile questions. Students using the site can expect to answer questions regarding their personal interests, community service, hobbies, intended enrollment, student status and other topics. “It also pulls information from myBanner,” Mulder said. “It filters down all of those scholarship options to show just the ones that students would be eligible for.” The scholarship office looked to not only change the myScholarship website, but to provide answers to questions on their website so that students can look to better understand scholarships at GVSU. “We’ve included a lot more information on our website this year to help,” said Scholarships Graduate Assistant Reagan Holek. “We’ve added a new section about the scholarship matching steps and timelines, myScholarships frequently asked questions, scholarship tips, resources and a section including our scholarship workshop dates and times.” After roughly a year and a half of planning, the new system opened to
APPLICATIONS: Students can receive assistance when working on myScholarships applications through various on-campus resources, such as the writing center. GVL | AIDA DENNIS
students on Nov. 1, exactly one month after FAFSA’s open date. This way students have time to file their FAFSA well before they work on and submit myScholarships applications. “There are scholarships that require students to show financial need or to have FAFSA on file,” Mulder said. “In order to give students time to file their FAFSA, we wanted to extend the open date. That’s going to help them better match with scholarships as well.” The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships said that errors often oc-
curred in the old system that made the application process difficult, frustrating and confusing. The staff is excited to now offer students a resource that could maximize their scholarship eligibility. “Being able to offer all that to students in one place is something that really attracted us to doing this upgrade,” Mulder said. “We were really looking at the total student experience.” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
JANUARY 30, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
BY ANTHONY CLARK JR. SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University’s football program welcomed their eighth head coach in program history, Scott Wooster, during an introductory press conference this past week. Wooster served as the offensive line/tight end coach and offensive coordinator for the Lakers over three seasons prior to his promotion to head coach as he stated enthusiasm to continue the success the team has achieved in recent seasons. “Obviously the biggest part of it was the opportunity to grow, build and serve these guys that were right out here (at this press conference) - it’s just such a special group,” Wooster said. “To be able to be the leader of this group of men, that was the most exciting part going through this week and the most honoring part.” Both GVSU Director of Athletics Keri Becker and Vice President for Finance and Administration Greg Sanial gave opening remarks about the hiring process as they both addressed the thought of how quick it may seem on the surface, their philosophies for who should be hired and what influenced the final decision. “What’s important is that we focus on the student-athletes moving forward,” Sanial said. “Coach Wooster was our best choice to position our athletes with success both on and off the field moving forward. What’s (also) important to note is a lot of times when you (a team) have coaching changes, it’s because you need to rebuild - we don’t need to rebuild at all.” Becker echoed the statements by her colleague while mentioning even though the process was swift, the search committee was not hasty in their decision. Becker mentioned that the university also sought counsel from a search firm to help find strong candidates for the position.
A6&7 | SPORTS
After conducting 14 total interviews, a selection was made. “I was looking for someone that articulates their vision in three ways: one; their vision of being a CEO of the program - all facets that go into a football program,” Becker said. “Someone who’s a man of character, integrity and would really care about (the) student-athletes beyond the gridiron. I then considered our football program: where was it today?” Coming off one of the best seasons in program history, Wooster helped to lead the team to winning the GLIAC regular-season title, the 2022 GLIAC Championship (first since 2016) and also was part of an offense that finished top-10 in the nation for scoring (37.9 points per game), total offense (449.8 yards per game) and rushing offense (228.7 yards per game). After falling to their conference rival Ferris State in back-to-back national playoffs the last two seasons, Wooster made sure to share his ambitions to be crowned as the national champions in the upcoming campaign. “When I came to Grand Valley State (in 2020) that path, that trajectory we’re on, that ain’t gonna change,” Wooster said. “We’ve already had some indepth conversations about what are those moves, what are those edges that are going to get us over the top. That’s why we’re waking up in the morning and will probably have sleepless nights making sure that those things are in place to do what we want to do and what we need to do. Senior left tackle Jordan Davis spoke for his team when mentioning the players are more than excited to have Wooster at the helm of it all, and also said their new head coach’s energy is secondto-none. “There’s high hopes, but it’s more so confidence,” Davis said. “The returning staff and players are excited that we got him because that’s who we want as a team. He gives off that energy that every-
body wants to be a part of.” Those that attended the press conference would tend to agree with Davis as a significant number of players showed their support and gratitude towards Wooster by overfilling the first few rows of seats. In what can be a challenging and exciting time period for a program in search of new leadership, Becker and the search committee knew that finding the correct individual for a head coaching position would raise several points that had to be considered. “We have a cupboard full of talented student-athletes and talented staff, (so we knew the new coach) must possess a deep sense of commitment, loyalty and dedication and the belief that they can be one of one,” Becker said. “No one man guarantees success, but he (Wooster) gives us the best chance of success,” Becker said. “He demonstrated characteristics and skills our program needs right now to get us to the national championship game. Most important of all; he’s a teacher, an educator at heart.” Becker also reflected on the comments made after the initial announcement was made at a team function, responding to the question of how difficult it was for the search committee to make their decision. “It was hard to just pick one, but it was easy to pick the one,” Becker said. Wooster’s speech during the press conference consisted of his gratitude towards those that coached him, his opportunity to grow as a coach and mentor and thanking those who currently or previously serve(d) with him. However, it mostly emphasized his passion to lead GVSU into its next chapter. “The pride and tradition of Grand Valley State is unmatched; it is one of one,” Wooster said. “And it is an absolute honor but yet so humbling to be the eighth head football coach of Laker football.”
A8 | NEWS
JANUARY 30, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
MONEY
MI minimum wage increase is only part of ongoing wage discussions BY CHLOE SCHRAM NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
This month, the minimum wage in Michigan was increased from $9.87 to $10.10 per hour. The minimum wage could increase again in early February, depending on how the appellate court rules in ongoing legal battles based on a 2018 proposal. If raised, the move could bring many changes to Michigan. According to Bridge Michigan, the 2018 proposal was supposed to raise the minimum wage to $12 per hour in 2022. Before voters could determine whether or not to move forward with the new law, Republican lawmakers struck down the effort since they held majorities in both the House and the Senate. This sparked the court proceedings in hopes of implementing further changes with the potential to increase the minimum wage to $13.03 per hour if the court affirms in favor of the increase. Attorneys have asked the Court of Appeals to decide by Feb. 1, but the court is not required to do so. Erkmen Giray Aslim, an assistant professor of economics in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, said despite opposition to raising the minimum wage, the raise
will benefit many people. “There is always the argument that high wage floors, raising minimum wages, destroys jobs,” Aslim said. “Raising the minimum wage may reduce poverty and inequality in Michigan, while reducing reliance on public assistance.” According to the Economic Policy Institute, low wages hurt all workers, but especially Black workers and workers of color. Additionally, low wages put women of color at a major disadvantage, as they are often underpaid. The National Fund for Workforce Solutions reported that median wages for white workers with a high school diploma and no college education are higher than wages of Black workers with an associate degree. “I think a safe spot for minimum wage is somewhere around 50 to 55% of the median wage in Michigan,” Aslim said. “Based on the 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage was around $22, so we are slowly reaching that 50% range.” By increasing the minimum wage in Michigan, workers and employees would earn more per year to support their families and themselves. Clare Meteer, a junior studying business management and dance, said she supports raising the minimum wage. “I think that the raise in minimum
EMPLOYMENT: Some Grand Valley State University student workers have recently been petitioning for higher wages for on-campus jobs. The new legislation from the state may play a role in future changes to pay scales and to what employees make hourly. GVL | AIDA DENNIS
wage will help all working people in Michigan who are underpaid, especially those who are supporting families,” Meteer said. Many students at GVSU are not only full-time students but also working employees. Meteer said she works multiple jobs on GVSU’s campus and thinks this change could possibly impact student workers. “I think student employees do so much for Grand Valley that they all deserve higher wages as well,” Meteer said. “I hope to see another increase (in the minimum wage) so that student workers can make a fair wage
while in school.” The Economic Policy Institute estimated that if national efforts under the Raise the Wage act were to increase the national minimum wage to $15 by 2025, it would increase earnings of 21% of the workforce - approximately 32 million people. The institute also found that year-round workers affected by this change would see their pay increase by $3,300. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
ECONOMY: Raising wages could help many workers across the state, especially as inflation rises, increasing costs of many day-to-day necessities like groceries, gas and water. The increase brings minimum wage closer to 50% of the median hourly wage. GVL | AIDA DENNIS
JANUARY 30, 2023
A9 | LAKER LIFE
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE
LAKER LIFE BRIEFS GV STAFF TAKE PART IN THE CAMPUS CLIMATE FOCUS GROUP The Division of Inclusion and Equity is offering a Campus Climate Focus Groups on Race, Ethnicity & Disability for faculty and staff from Jan. 30 through Feb. 3. Each discussion group will be held with a maximum of eight attendees. Those involved with the focus groups will be Charles Blaich and Kathleen Wise from the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium. The first event will be held in the Allendale campus, the following day it’ll be at the Seidman Center and the final discussion group will be at the Health campus.
LEARN MORE ABOUT NUTRITION
On Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. any student who may have questions about nutrition on campus can stop by the registered dietitian table in The Connection. A Laker Food Co. registered dietitian will be available to answer any questions students may have concerning what’s served on campus as well as any other nutritional questions.
LEARN ABOUT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
The Psychology Club will be hosting an undergraduate research panel on Feb. 1 from 6-7 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center in room 2259. The club will be allowing students to ask any questions they might have about undergraduate research. There will also be hot chocolate provided for those who attend.
ADVOCACY
GV hosts lecture series on transformational leadership BY SABRINA RIHTARSHICH LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM
On Friday, Jan. 27, the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies held an event on leading transformational change featuring Dara Richardson-Heron as the speaker. “The Frederik Meijer Lecture Series was established back in 2010, and its purpose is to bring in both local and national speakers whose careers give them unique perspectives on issues of leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Roger Gilles, the director of the Frederik Meijer Honors College. “This week, our speaker is Dara Richardson-Heron, who has over 25 years of experience as a physician, corporate executive and advocate for health equity, biomedical ethics and women’s empowerment.” Gilles said her visit is especially timely due to her experience of being the chief patient officer with Pfizer during the pandemic, as well as her service on the Board of Directors of two biomedical research institutes. Richardson-Heron was introduced by Rosalynn Bliss, who serves as the mayor of Grand Rapids, as well as
Grand Valley State University’s endowed chair for the Frederik Meijer Honors College. She opened by posing a question to the group, asking what was in their “leadership wheelhouse.” She said having the right elements in one’s leadership wheelhouse at the right time has the potential to “significantly enhance not only your own life but also the lives of others.” Richardson-Heron then shared insights into what’s in her own leadership wheelhouse, noting that the foundation of her wheelhouse was laid by her parents. She said her parents were her first
role models, and they often told her the phrase, “To whom much is given, much is required,” emphasizing the need to enhance the lives of others. She said practicing patience, perspective and perseverance, “the 3 P’s,” is essential to being a good leader. “Patience helps us keep our wits about us while we gain the insight, the lived experience, the understanding, the intelligence and all the things that we need to move forward,” Richardson-Heron said. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
PHILANTHROPY
Alpha Phi Omega gets ready for its rush at GV BY ISABELLE ENGLAND LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM
CELEBRATE HARRY STYLES’ BIRTHDAY WITH CAB
On Feb. 1 from 7-9 p.m. the Campus Activities Board will be hosting a birthday party for Harry Styles. There will be karaoke, mocktails, birthday cake, Harry Styles trivia and more. The party will take place in the Kirkhof Center room 2263.
WATCH A MOVIE WITH THE POLISH CLUB
On Feb. 1 the Polish Club is meeting to watch a Polish movie from 8:30-10:45 p.m. The group will be watching a movie they previously voted on in their last meeting. Attendees are welcome to bring snacks and blankets and can come in their pajamas if they choose. The Polish Club welcomes anyone looking to learn more about Polish culture, not just Polish students. The movie will take place in the Kirkhof Center room 1247.
SPEAKER: The Frederik Meijer Lecture Series hosted Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron, a physician and advocate for health equity, diversity and vaccine confidence. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
FRATERNITY: Students involved and looking to be join GV’s Alpha Phi Omega chapter gathered to give back to the community through different philanthropic events over this past week. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
Alpha Phi Omega (APO) is an all-inclusive fraternity at Grand Valley State University, where members have all different backgrounds, majors and ages. APO is a nationally recognized chapter that focuses on service projects with the goal of giving back to the greater Grand Rapids community. As their focus is giving back to the community, APO was nominated for the Care For Community award at the Student Life Awards. Throughout winter semester rush week, APO hosted several events in hopes of spreading their message and getting the word out about the opportunities the fraternity offers to prospective students. On Monday, Jan. 23, the fraternity hosted its first rush week event. This event doubled as a service project, where fraternity members made bracelets for a local children’s advocacy center as well as cat toys for an anti-animal cruelty society. This event was followed the next day by an information meeting. “My favorite part of being in Alpha Phi Omega is being able to give back to the community while spending time
with great people,” said APO President Jillian Roux. “APO is filled with amazing people who are all members because they genuinely want to do good for the community. When I joined, I was welcomed with open arms by everyone. I have been able to make great connections with those in the fraternity, as well as meet many new individuals as they join us at our events.” On Jan. 25, the fraternity celebrated the middle of rush week with another service project event. Students were welcome to join APO to make bears for children living overseas through the Hugs Project. To close out the week, APO held one final event at Kirkhof Center. The fraternity’s current members socialized with prospective members while making plarn, a plastic yarn that will later be donated to help make durable bedding mats for homeless people to sleep on. “Our fraternity focuses on giving back in a multitude of ways in hopes to impact as many people as we can,” Roux said. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
A10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE GV BANDS PERFORM AT HAAS CENTER
The Grand Valley State University Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra and Concert Band are performing this Friday, 3. The performance begins at 7:30 pm in the Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale campus. More information about the concert, parking, and the Music, Theater and Dance Department can be found on the GVSU events page.
GV MTD DEPARTMENT HOSTING WINTER AUDITIONS
The music program in the Music, Theater and Dance Department on campus is hosting the first auditions of the winter semester on Friday, Feb. 3. For interested students, visit the MTD Music page on the GVSU website and fill out the secondary application. These auditions are held for entry into the Fall 2023 semester. Remaining audition dates include Feb. 3, Feb. 18 and March 18. Applications are due by Feb. 18.
DISNEY ON ICE BRINGS “LET’S CELEBRATE” TO VAN ANDEL ARENA
Disney on Ice is performing at the Van Andel Ice Arena for a limited time. The iconic ice dancing show’s Grand Rapids theme is “Let’s Celebrate.” There is only one week remaining for tickets and performances before the show closes. Remaining dates include Thursday, Feb. 2 through Sunday, Feb. 5. For tickets and more information, visit the Disney on Ice website.
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN
@GVLARTS
COLLECTION
Barrier breaking art exhibit opens on campus BY HAILEY HENTZ ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
“Convergence: Cracks in the Glass Ceiling,” is an exhibit on display in the Haas Center for Performing Arts at Grand Valley State University that encourages students to push boundaries and engage in the conversation of racial injustice. It is co-curated by Muse GR, an art gallery in Grand Rapids that fosters an inclusive and passionate creative space. The display includes the work of eleven artists, including Grand Valley State University alumni. They use a wide range of media and styles to create a vibrant portrayal of art and culture. The contemporary art in the exhibition fuses together pop, street and graffiti, fiber and urban genres in its presentation. According to a learning guide provided to visitors by the GVSU Art Gallery, “Artists in this exhibition engage directly and indirectly with social and racial justice and economic issues. Stylistically, their works embody both joy and anxiety, while embracing the angst and excitement of living in 21st-century America.” The artists come from various locations such as Detroit, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and London to piece together a narrative of experiences and community. Three themes prevalent throughout the exhibition
PUSHING PROGRESS: Convergence: Cracks in the Glass Ceiling features art that incites conversation around racial injustice, inequalities and current issues GVL | BETHANN LONG
are “Breaking Barriers,” “Pushing Boundaries” and “Activism in Art.” “Some artists were connected through working together for years. 3-4 artists we have been art friends with, sometimes collaborating and the remainder were sought out after we admired their work,” said Muse GR co-creator Stephen Smith. Smith is a GVSU alum and teaches as an adjunct professor. “We like working with what we call “neo-artists,” or new artists to help them get their start,” Smith said. “We also cultivate talent and skills in people interested in art by providing classes and workshops.” The GVSU Art Gallery describes
inspirations of the exhibit drawing from trailblazing artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and David Hammons. Combining their contribution to culture with the evolving field of pop art creates a colorful and thought-provoking perspective represented in the galleries. “Of course the Picassos, the Van Goghs, we all know those,” said Andre Ray, an artist in the exhibition. “When I was younger, I didn’t know that there were people doing what I like on a high level.” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
FINE ARTS
GV alum returns to dance program as guest artist
TRUMPET DAY AT GVSU
BY ALLISON BAIR ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University is hosting Trumpet Day to encourage up-and-coming trumpet players to further explore their craft. Trumpet Day events include lessons, rehearsal and performances for guests on campus at GVSU working in conjunction with the GVSU Trumpet Studio and GVSU trumpet professor Alex Wilson. This opportunity is for middle and high school trumpeters. Anyone interested can register at the GVSU MTD website under the tab “Trumpet Day.”
FREE OPEN STUDIO AND ART CRITIQUE IN GR
On Feb. 1, Cultivate is hosting an open studio and critique session. This is a monthly series open for artists, makers and creatives in West Michigan. The event is free and open to the public. It will run from 6-9:00 p.m. at DAAC on Plainfield Ave in Grand Rapids. Cultivate’s creative purpose for these recurring events is to connect the artistic community across West Michigan in a night of conversation. For more information, visit the Grand Rapids Events page or the Cultivate website.
JANUARY 30, 2023
CHOREOGRAPHY: Proessional dancer Charlie Clark reflects on his time in the GVSU Music, Theater and Dance Program & how it has influenced his work with the current dance students in the program as he explores curation, expression and choreography. COURTESY | BRIAH DANSE
Grand Valley State University alumni Charlie Clark returned to the dance program as a guest artist for a weeklong residency. Clark graduated from GVSU in 2015 and has since been part of many dance companies. He is currently working independently, doing guest work at various dance companies. Clark said most of his time dancing professionally has been spent in ballet companies. “I spent a little over three years at the Minnesota Ballet, and then I was at Ballet Tucson and then (COVID-19) happened,” Clark said. “In between (dancing for the companies), I have done guestings all over the country with other ballet companies - some small companies, some modern companies.” In his time off from dance due to the pandemic, Clark put his MBA to use working at Coldwell Baker Richard Ellis (CBRE), the world’s largest commercial real estate and investment firm as a sales
analyst and strategist. Clark had planned to go to Los Angeles for commercial dance until he met Calin Radulescu, a former adjunct professor at GV. “(Radulescu) kind of changed my mind about ballet and I fell in love with ballet after that,” Clark said. “After my first year here at GV, I decided that was really the path that I wanted to go and I just fell in love with everything about that and put my mind to it and ran.” Clark has been in contact with the GVSU Dance Program’s Carrie Brueck Morris since he graduated. Morris was the one to call Clark and invite him for his guest artist residency. “It just really worked out with where my life is and was and now me kind of exploring more and more back into dance since COVID,” Clark said. “So it just kind of (worked out perfectly) for me to be able to come back for the first time since I’ve left almost 10 years ago now.” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
A11 | SPORTS
JANUARY 30, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
QUICK HITS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SNAGS TWO WINS AS KAMIN HITS CAREER HIGH The Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team defeated Purdue Northwest (88-47) and Wisconsin-Parkside (75-57), improving their record to 19-2 overall. Both matchups were the second meetings against both opponents this season, resulting in the Lakers sweeping each series 2-0. GVSU’s first meeting against PNW on Jan. 7 was decided by just eight points (62-54), but their second meeting (Jan. 26) improved dramatically as the team shot 53.3% from the field and held PNW to just 11 made field goals (11-43) to blow their opponent out of the arena. Senior guard Emily Spitzley (15), redshirt sophomore Rylie Bisballe (14) and sophomore guard Abrie Cabana (10) led their team in point production as the bench unit was a huge contributor to the win with 54 points. The second game of this past week, on Jan. 28, saw the Lakers overcome a slow start in the first half as the team was only able to convert eight of their 34 shot attempts (23% FG) and trailed 23-25 at the break. However, an explosive 52-32 scoring run in the second half would stun the Rangers and create enough of a cushion to take the win at home. Redshirt freshman guard Nicole Kamin led the team with her career high in points (20), followed by 13 points each from Spitzley, Bisballe and redshirt sophomore guard Hadley Miller. The Lakers are now 10-1 in GLIAC action as they maintain their No. 1 rank in the conference with just one game on the road this week against Davenport, on Feb. 4.
SWIM AND DIVE
Swim and dive teams dominate Wayne State at home BY BRIAN BLOOM SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University’s men’s and women’s swim and dive teams hosted GLIAC rival Wayne State University for the first time in over three years this past weekend as both teams secured the victory. Competing for the first time in two weeks didn’t faze the Lakers as the men’s team captured a 185106 victory, while the women’s side won 180-120. “The overall team enthusiasm (was incredible),” said Head Coach Andy Boyce. “We had some good times, we had some bad times, but we got the job done, worked hard as a group and supported each other.” During the men’s meet, GVSU saw winners in numerous events. Sophomore Jon Kantzenbach finished first in the 1,000-yard freestyle, finishing with a time of 9:17.28 and tallying nine points. In the 200-yard freestyle, three Lakers topped the leaderboard with sophomore Matt Bosch (1:39.63) and juniors Eric Hieber (1:42.97) and Zach Lowe (1:44.61) all finishing first through third respectively. Bosch also won the 100-yard free-
style with nine points (45:43) while Heiber won the 500-yard freestyle (4:38.60). In the 200-yard butterfly, senior Markus Kruse, freshman Kyle Raskay and Kantzenbach also finished in the top-three spots with times of 1:53.46, 1:55.35 and 1:55.37 respectively. Sophomore Aaron Dies placed first in the 100-yard backstroke (nine points) with sophomore Thomas Zoldowski finishing first in the 200yard backstroke. Junior Matthew
Lane won the 100-yard breaststroke (58:41) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:05.72). In the diving events, sophomore Zay Swilley won both the one meter and three meter dives with scores of 302.47 and 284.17 respectively, as senior Wrigley Fields followed his teammate for second place in the one meter dive with a score of 295.05. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
BASKETBALL
Men’s basketball winning streak snapped after loss to Parkside
GV TENNIS PREPARING FOR UINDY IN FIRST MATCH OF 2023 GVSU’s men’s and women’s tennis teams are less than a week away from the beginning of their 2022-23 spring campaigns. The men’s team hasn’t won a meeting against UIndy since 2011 with a losing streak of six-straight meetings (5-7 overall), while the women’s side face five-straight losses themselves (8-6 overall) as their last win was during their 2012 season. Both teams will host the Greyhounds at home on Feb. 4 starting at 12 p.m. 115 LAKER STUDENT-ATHLETES RECEIVE ACADEMIC HONORS THROUGH FALL SPORTS In a typifying moment of GVSU athletics, 115 total student-athletes were recognized for their hard work in their sport and in the classroom to be just one of two schools in the GLIAC to reach over 100 honors. Women’s volleyball, cross country, men’s football and women’s soccer were all recognized as a combined 73 Lakers were named to the All-Academics teams and 42 Lakers named to Academic Excellence teams. The full list of Lakers that received academic honors can be found at gvsulakers.com/archives.
COMPETITION: The dominating performance put on by the Lakers marks the eighth win overall for both sides, but the ninth win for the women’s. GVL | MACAYLA CRAMER
BY BREANNA HAMMER SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
TRIAL: Falling 0-2 to Parkside in the regular-season series marks the first season series to be concluded for the Lakers as they find a way to gain momentum in the remainder of their schedule. The Lakers are now ranked No. 6 overall in the GLIAC standings. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
Grand Valley State University’s men’s basketball had a busy week with two home games against Purdue Northwest (77-74) and Wisconsin-Parkside (62-73) as the Lakers’ overall record now stands at 12-9 overall (6-5 in GLIAC). The Jan. 26 matchup against PNW was a nail-biter as it came down to the last few seconds. In a very engaging first half, GVSU was behind by two points heading into the locker room (39-41). As the intensity continued into the second half, redshirt freshman guard Trevor Smith made a big play in the last twelve seconds of the game. After the opponent sank two free throws to bring the deficit to within a point, Smith drove towards the basket, shooting a floater off the backboard to put his team up three points. In a last-chance possession to send the game to overtime, PNW failed to score on two three-point opportuni-
ties, resulting in GVSU claiming the victory 77-74 and sweeping the season series at 2-0. Alongside Smith’s clutch basket to seal the win, graduate student guard Daniel Kiely and graduate student forward Chinedu Kingsley Okanu led the team offensively as Kiely finished with 17 points and four assists and Okanu earned his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. After an exciting game, Okanu stated how his teammates motivate him to get things rolling on offense. “I’m motivated by the fact I know my teammates need me as much as I need them in return,” Kingsley said. “The fact that I know my brothers have my back night in and night out makes me want to do the same for them.” Freshman guards Britain Harris and Jalen Charity were also key contributors in the scoring category as the pair notched 11 points apiece in the win. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
A12 | SPORTS
JANUARY 30, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
TRACK AND FIELD
Strutz headlines Bill Clinger Classic with
new record for indoor track and field BY MADELEINE SMITH SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
The Grand Valley State University’s men’s and women’s track and field teams hosted the Bill Clinger Classic last weekend. The Lakers performed at a high level, marking personal and program records. One of the highlights from this meet was junior Lindsey Strutz’s performance, setting program record for the women’s pentathlon with a score of 3615 - a record that also ranked Strutz No. 12 in the nation for the event. “It feels absolutely amazing to break my old school record by so much,” Strutz said. “The past few years at GVSU I’ve had a lot of setbacks because of COVID and mental health issues. I’m glad that today everything fell together and I was able to perform as well as I did.” This five-part event consists of separate competitions in 60 meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and an 800 meter dash. Strutz outperformed her previously held scoring record of 3361 from the 2022 indoor season as this past weekend she managed to take
first place in all five events. The women’s distance team proved their resiliency in the 3000m invitational on the track, taking four of the top five spots. Junior Kayce Rympa led the pack as she finished in first place (personal best of 9:51.85) as the third through fifth place were all Lakers: graduate student Grace Pagone (9:59.48), junior Sarah May (10:00.28) and sophomore Madison Ebright (10:03.98). Three Lakers would also headline the women’s one mile invite as junior Natalie Graber (4:44.98), sophomore Lauren Kiley (4:51.46) and junior Maria Mitchell (4:53.04) finished first through third respectively. “I’m so proud of all of my teammates, especially Destini (Dorkins) for (hitting a personal record) twice in the sixty meter hurdles today,” said sophomore Ashtyn Gluck. “She is progressing so well this season and I can’t wait to see everything she accomplishes.” Dorkins, a freshman this season, finished fifth-overall for the women’s 60m hurdles with a time of 9.2 seconds.
PERFORMANCE: Both sides of the program are trending towards having another illustrious season as the men’s are the reigning indoor track and field Champions. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
This meet also featured great personal achievements for many members of the men’s team. The men’s long jump event was won by sophomore Caleb Taylor with a 6.96m jump with junior Chanse Setzke finishing second (6.84m), while junior Nathan Spitzley took the win for the men’s shot-put invite with a 16.07m distance. Senior Jackson Blanchard also shined in the men’s 60m hurdles as his time of
8.10 seconds (NCAA DII provisional mark) secured first place. “There weren’t a ton of surprises (at this meet), just a ton of great races,” Gluck said. “A lot of people today had season PR’s as well as lifetime PR’s, which is not surprising to me given how hard each and every person works everyday.” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
BASKETBALL
Emily Spitzley talks hoops, milestones and team culture for women’s basketball BY ANTHONY CLARK JR. SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
Westphalia, MI is a small village roughly 55 miles east of Grand Rapids with a population of about 1,000 residents. Those who didn’t grow up in the community may not think anything more of it besides a farmers’ town. For fifth-year guard Emily Spitzley, it’s the place where the game of basketball all started. Grand Valley State University women’s basketball would eventually be the landing spot for Spitzley after high school. Like many true freshmen joining a team, Spitzley didn’t see a lot of action on the court as she adjusted to her new environment. Averaging just 4.8 minutes of playing time in her 24 games played in the 201819 season, Spitzley figured the best solution of gaining respect from her peers and herself most importantly would be to put her head down and grind. “I came in like a nervous little kid not stepping on anybody’s toes, kind of stay in your own lane (and) do your thing,” Spitzley said. “Over the last five years, I’ve been able to find that confidence, find that voice for myself overall. And
that kind of comes with getting better overall as a basketball player.” “At first I didn’t have too much to offer and I really had to work hard, had to battle injury and I had to (get) stronger, faster,” Spitzley said. “So finding some way to add to the team in that way was really important for me. Once I got going with that I felt like things kind of started falling into place which was special.” Suffering an injury is a fear for just about any athlete. Even with the advanced physical therapy and medicine available today, there is no guarantee that a player will return and play the same after being injured, especially after an ACL tear. The knee injury was not only a physical struggle for Spitzley, but the young guard at the time had to find a way to stay motivated mentally and emotionally in order to battle back to where she wanted to be after losing the majority of her second season. “It was tough because I had a really good summer before that (injury) and was getting some momentum in the sport,” Spitzley said. “(In a different lens), overall I think that was good for me. It was a way for me to find myself and who I am outside of basketball for
REFLECTION: Five seasons of battling through adversity, finding herself as an individual on and off the floor, staying focused and providing mentorship are all key elements to a historic career for Spitzley as she undergoes her final ride in a Laker uniform. GVL | MACAYLA CRAMER
a while.” Having a trivial moment like this in the earlier parts of her career have now allowed Spitzley to give back to her teammates that deal with significant injuries or are fresh-faced as incoming freshmen. “When people on our team have gone through ACL injuries that’s something I understand extremely well and (I have) been able to be there for people that need that,” Spitzley said. “It’s always good to see
people come back from that injury too because we have had so many of them.” “Overall I have had a lot of experience to share and if people are receptive to it, they can see that even if you start at the bottom of the totem pole; if you work hard and stay the course, you can figure it out,” Spitzley said. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE