G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N
Spotlight on Sex Ed GV highlights sexual health and awareness
Grand Rapids Art Museum opens expansive photography collection ARTS | A10
GV Black Student Union and other organizations honor Black NEWS History Month M O N D A Y, F E B R U A RY 1 3 , 2 02 3 // VO L . 57 N O. 2 2
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A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS SHOOTING NEAR GV Late on Feb. 11, multiple law enforcement agencies responded to reports of a shooting near the GVSU campus. Deputies with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and GVPD responded to a call of shots fired around 11:30 p.m. The call came from around the Campus View apartment complex located at 42nd Ave and Pierce Street. Law enforcement was told someone was hurt and there was evidence of a shooting, however, no victims were found. Anyone with information can contact Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office at 616-7384000 or Silent Observer at 877-887-4536. CHICKENPOX OUTBREAK AT GV On Feb. 6, the GVSU Community Health Advisory Team (CHAT) alerted the GVSU community via email of a “small cluster” of chickenpox cases reported on the Allendale and Pew campuses. The email said the infected students were being treated and those who had been in contact with them had been notified. Some symptoms of chickenpox include small, clear blisters on a red surface of the skin which are itchy to the person infected. The disease is highly contagious and is spread through respiratory droplets. The infection can spread to both adults and children. According to CHAT, to prevent further outbreaks of the disease and illness, individuals should receive the chickenpox vaccine. Additional preventative measures include washing hands, staying home when sick and cleaning frequently touched objects. If individuals experience any symptoms or are in need of vaccinations they can contact the Campus Health Center and the GVSU Family Health Center. GV TO HOLD SYRIAN AND TURKEY SOLIDARITY EVENT IN LIGHT OF RECENT EARTHQUAKE On Feb. 15, there will be a community moment of silence in order to honor the Syrian and Turkish people affected by a recent earthquake. The earthquake has affected over 200,000 people. Many people have died or are left without housing, food, shelter and other resources. The earthquake happened on Feb. 6, reaching a 7.8-magnitude. The earthquake caused significant damage to infrastructure and about 25,000 deaths, according to NPR. Temperatures in the region have stayed below freezing, leading to concerns around safety as many individuals search for shelter. A U.N. refugees agency estimates about 5.3 million people have been left without housing in Syria. President Philomena Mantella sent an email to the GVSU community about the event and offered other resources for people to help those impacted by the disaster. This included organizations like UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders and GVSU’s Turkish faculty members’ fundraising efforts. The event will take place in front of the Cook Carillon tower at the GVSU Allendale campus at 1 p.m.
FEBRUARY 13, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
LEADERSHIP
Students are optimistic about new GV Board of Trustee appointments BY MADISON STEIGERWALD NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
At the beginning of February, Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office appointed two new members to Grand Valley State University’s Board of Trustees, pending Senate approval. Although voters elect who governs three major public universities in the state, the governor appoints Trustees for the remaining public four-year institutions in Michigan. These trustees make many discussions about community and campus partnerships, create annual programs and manage business affairs. The new appointees are Ronald E. Hall (of Bloomfield Township, Michigan) and Shelley E. Padnos (of Fennville, Michigan). They will replace Megan Rydecki and Victor Cardenas, whose terms expired at the end of last year. Hall received a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point and later served as a captain in the U.S. Army. Additionally,
CHANGE: The new members on the GVSU Board of Trustees could create a change for GVSU. The board is heavily involved in decisions and can impact the entire GV community. Many students feel that the new members could further benefit GV. COURTESY | GVNEXT
Hall received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School. Hall is the president and chief executive officer of Bridgewater Interiors, L.L.C., an automotive interiors manufacturing firm located in Detroit. He also serves on several executive boards, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago - Detroit Branch, Corewell Health, the Skillman Foundation, the Detroit Regional Chamber,
Business Leaders for Michigan, Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association - Original Equipment Division and Detroit PAL’s advisory board. “I am honored by this appointment and humbled by the confidence being placed in me by Governor Whitmer,” Hall said in an interview with GVNext. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
WELLNESS
GV Healthcare Economic Forecast relays healthcare data for West Michigan BY JACK BLAKE NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
DATA: The analysis of various sources of data allows GVSU professors to better gauge how information about health care and the economy can impact West Michigan. This allows officials to better understand what choices would benefit the community and help people to make beneficial decisions. GVL | SYDNEY LIM
On Feb. 3, Grand Valley State University hosted its annual West Michigan Health Care Economic Forecast. During the event, GVSU professors presented data and findings about health and economic trends in the region. The forecast utilizes data collected from over a dozen accredited organizations both at the state and federal levels. The findings can be divided into those specific to the state and those that can be seen across the nation. Analyzing this data helps to better understand national issues at a local level. Erkmen Aslim, an assistant professor of economics at GVSU’s Seidman College of Business, said GVSU receives the data from multiple sources and understands how the data relates to trends in health and healthcare in West Michigan. “Specifically, to conduct our research, we obtain data from our insurance provider partners (Blue Care Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, and Priority Health), the American Hospital Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, among many others,” Aslim said. Receiving data from this vast array of sources is beneficial to GVSU’s
analysis. Comparisons can be drawn between how Michigan fares when compared to the rest of the country, in terms of health-related issues. The entire West Michigan Health Care Economic Forecast is 90 pages and covers issues such as vaccination rates and the impact of COVID-19 on West Michigan communities. Aslim said some of the national findings indicated COVID-19 vaccine rollouts were effective in increasing vaccine take-up. Additionally, the rollout also reduced delayed care and concerns over contracting or spreading the virus. However, there were large disparities in minority and economically disadvantaged groups. Those groups were less inclined to receive delayed care than the majority. Some of the disparities in the national data can be chalked up to a supply and demand issue. The demand for care was higher due to concerns about the pandemic and the supply of healthcare professionals was not adequate everywhere in the country. This of course leads to providers being forced to postpone appointments, all while juggling capacity issues in their facilities. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
A3 | NEWS
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
CONTENTS LEADERSHIP
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OPINION
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POLITICS
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SEX ED
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COMMUNITY
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MULTICULTURAL
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SNAPSHOT
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LACROSSE
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HOCKEY
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EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief MARY DUPUIS Associate Editor AUDREY WHITAKER Associate Editor JACOB KIRN
NO. 22
Videographer ZACH PLISKO Layout Editor DONOVAN LOPEZ Layout Designer REV BRONOWSKI PROMOTIONS
News Editor ELIZABETH SCHANZ
Promotions Manager GRACE O’BRIEN
Sports Editor ANTHONY CLARK JR
Promotions Assistant ELISE RAPEYKO
Laker Life Editor SABRINA EDWARDS A&E Editor EMMA ARMIJO
ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager MARGO DZURKO
GOVERNMENT
GV community reflects on annual State of the Union speech BY PAYTON BRAZZIL NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Last Tuesday, President Joe Biden addressed the House Chamber for his second State of the Union speech. In his speech, Biden touched on his achievements in his second year and his hopes for the future. Biden addressed areas with bipartisan support, such as combating the opioid epidemic and providing mental health care. Additionally, he highlighted more left-wing proposals, including an assault weapon ban, vetoing the nationwide abortion ban, a new tax on billionaires and labor union protections. However, some Americans feel that the focus of the State of the Union is clouded by the fighting of politicians and may no longer clearly examine potential policies. Throughout his speech, Biden’s remarks were met by heckling from some members of the Republican audience. Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy was seen signaling members of his own party to stop outbursts at least three times. Notably, when the President mentioned that “some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset,” GOP audience members shouted that he was a liar and booed at the accusatory statement. Biden responded, “So folks, as we
all apparently agree, Social Security and Medicare is off the books now, right?” Grand Valley State University student and GVSU College Republicans Vice Chair Zachary Schmidt said Biden made a mistake in this exchange. “President Biden should not have accused Republicans of trying to take away Social Security and Medicare, both of which Speaker McCarthy has said are off the table,” Schmidt said. Similar to Schmidt, Professor of Political Science Donald Zinman said after watching the exchange, he originally thought it was a mistake until he realized that Biden was looking for a reaction that would be consistent with his political aim. “I think maybe Biden was trying to get a reaction, to get the Republicans and the Congress to clap back at him about the Social Security and Medicare cuts,” Zinman said. “For him to use that sort of as a venue to say, ‘Oh okay, you deny that there’s gonna be any cuts to Social Security and Medicare, great!’” Zinman said he felt it was a way for Biden to be an effective messenger and that the speech was “coherent and lucid.” After viewing the highlights of the speech, Schmidt said he doesn’t think State of the Union speeches are useful. “I think they are basically just a campaign speech that the president gives using taxpayer money,” Schmidt
said. “I did not think that the speech was useful to the American people. President Biden spent more time on resort and airline fees than on addressing China’s aggression.” Similar to the idea of returning the State of the Union address to paper, Zinman partially agreed on using a different method for the speech. He proposed that the State of the Union address be written to Congress and televised to the American people. “I would rather us be spending the days after the State of the Union talking about the content and the substance of the message, as opposed to the theatrics and optics of who was in the audience,” Zinman said. “The best way to do that is to dispense with the speech in front of Congress, you deliver a written message to Congress but then you deliver the speech on television from the Oval Office.” Despite the media’s focus on the audience at the state of the union, Zinman said he hopes people will see the relevance of the speech. “I think the most important thing about these speeches is the content and the substance,” Zinman said. “It’s the ability of the president who has this one night of the year to command the stage and set the tone with their agenda and I certainly think that he did that.”
BUSINESS STAFF
Image Editor MEGHAN TRIPP
Business Manager MORGAN JOHNSTON
Multimedia Editor JAMES HERRICK
Graphic Design CHRISTOPHER MCCONNEL MORGAN MANN
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COMMUNICATION: The State of the Union allows the president to present new goals and plans for the country. GVL | AIDA DENNIS
A4 | OPINIONS GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON
FEBRUARY 13, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN By Abby Haywood
EDITORIAL
Valentine’s Day: Is love lost through materialism?
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2/13/23
editorial@lanthorn.com
Column: Why Austin Butler deserves the Oscar
BY MEGHAN TRIPP SENIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM
Award season is officially in full swing, and everyone’s buzzing about the top dog of all awards ceremonies: the Academy Awards. Nominations for the 95th Academy Awards were announced last Tuesday, and people are already making their predictions about who will take home the gold in each category. My prediction? Austin Butler deserves to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in “Elvis.” Usually, I don’t pay much attention to award ceremonies. It’s not because I think they’re over the top and super pretentious or anything. It’s just never really been my thing. That all changed when Butler graced movie theater screens everywhere. My first time seeing the film was a rollercoaster of emotions. I laughed and I cried, but I also sat there completely starstruck for the entire two hours and 39 minutes. I remember walking out of the theater and thinking to myself “that kid is going to win an Oscar for that.” The day Butler found out that director Baz Luhrmann was making “Elvis,” he immediately hired a singing, dancing and dialect coach, before even being
given an audition. When I saw the film for the first time, there were so many times when I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between Elvis’ singing voice and Butler’s. Not to mention how well he was able to perfect Elvis’ many accents over the years. For someone who claims not to be a singer or a dancer, he had us all fooled. For years, Butler studied the characteristics and personality of Elvis and his stage presence in preparation for the role. He listened to every interview he ever gave and watched every performance he ever did. He took note of every little hip movement and lip curl and portrayed those motions perfectly. If you watch them side by side, it’s practically identical. This kid did his homework and it totally paid off. Obviously, I wasn’t alive to experience the magic of Elvis Presley in real-time. After seeing the film and the hard work that Butler poured into this film, it honestly felt as though Elvis himself had been reincarnated in a way. Butler embodied him both as a person and an icon so well that I saw some qualities of the real Elvis in him. The levels of excitement sparked by Butler’s performance must have been what people felt when Elvis was still alive and performing. I didn’t quite understand all the hype about Elvis then, but now that I’ve seen the film I totally get it. He is keeping his incredible legacy alive, especially among the younger generations. Butler isn’t just another tacky Elvis impersonator you see in Vegas. He’s the real deal. He understood that Elvis Presley was a real person, and he wanted to make sure he gave this role his all out of respect for him and his family.
Members of the Presley family, including Priscilla and the late Lisa Marie, have spoken out multiple times praising Butler for his performance. He connected with them in ways not many people have, and they accepted him into their family with open arms. Now, for most people, Austin Butler is a name they’ve never heard of before. For me, it’s one I’ve recognized since I was in middle school. I remember seeing this kid’s face on Nickelodeon as a side character in “iCarly” and “Zoey 101,” while also portraying Sebastian Kydd on The CW’s “The Carrie Diaries.” Although he’s done some side work since then, this was his first major role. I couldn’t imagine the pressure and high expectations that come with having my first major role being Elvis Presley, but Butler practically came out of nowhere and knocked this one out of the park, so much so that Elvis himself would approve. In addition to his Academy Award nomination, Butler has already won a Golden Globe for Best Actor at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards for his role in “Elvis.” He also won the People’s Choice Award for the Drama Movie Star of 2022 as well as an AACTA (the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) award for Best Lead Actor in Film in 2022, both of which for his portrayal of the King of Rock and Roll. Now, I have seen a lot of movies in my life from a variety of different genres. I can confidently say I don’t think I’ve ever seen an actor or actress be so dedicated to their role in the way Butler was to his. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
h e c on s u m erist aspect of Valentine’s Day can take away from the original message of the holiday, which should be about showing love to those around you. While some may express themselves through gift-giving, it’s important to not get caught up in this aspect and instead concentrate on being thankful for loved ones around you. College students may have conflicted feelings about the holiday. Depending on their relationship status, many students may see this holiday as another Hallmark holiday or feel societal pressure to find a Valentine to spend the day with. More importantly, the argument of whether or not Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a money-making holiday for businesses disrupts the holiday’s meaning. According to Forbes, the economic aspects
surrounding holidays like Valentine’s Day draw the focus away from human relationships, possibly weakening other forms of social interaction. The materialistic concepts that inhabit Valentine’s Day today have created expectations that could even lead to social alienation. However, expressing love through words, actions and gifts doesn’t necessarily need to be towards another individual; self-love can be just as important. As most college students know, having time to yourself is a rarity, but having time to yourself to heal, relax or even grow as an individual is a difficult schedule to maintain. GVSU students should take the day to do something that they love, in whatever form that comes in.
OPINION POLICY
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 500650 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:
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
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FEBRUARY 13, 2023
A5 | NEWS
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS POLITICS
Whitmer’s bill to move up MI presidential primary faces varying responses BY JOSEPH POULOS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
On Feb. 1, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill to move Michigan’s presidential primaries up from the second Tuesday in March to Feb. 27 in 2024. The proposed change, bolstered by Democratic support, will not come into effect in time for the 2024 election unless Republican senators approve of the plan. The move has both political and economic implications for the state of Michigan but may play against the Republicans in a large way. Zachary Schmidt, Grand Valley State University Republican Vice Chair and GVSU Student Senate Vice President of External Relations was among the detractors of the new proposal. “This change was made with little Republican support and is against the RNC’s (Republican National Convention) bylaws,” Schmidt said. “As a result, the RNC could remove 85-90% of Michigan’s delegates from the RNC nominating convention.” President of GVSU College Demo-
crats, Jacob Welch believes that an earlier primary stands to benefit both parties and the state as a whole. “The pros are that we have a better spot when it comes to deciding on the president,” Welch said. “Both in the Republican and Democratic primaries, we’d have a larger sway. Michigan is a more representative sample of America and the fact that we are getting a larger say means that our primary victors will represent us better now, too.” Moving the primary up also means increased attention on the state of Michigan during presidential elections. Demand for political advertising, appearances by politicians and so on could impact the state’s economy. Welch compared Michigan to Iowa, a state well known for its important caucus and is typically one of the first in the nation to draw national attention, in what impact the date change could make. Having an earlier primary may affect candidates and the local populace. “(There will be) more advertisements, more politicians pressing the flesh,” Welch said. “I saw an article that described the landmarks that politicians will use. In Iowa, which used to be
ELECTIONS: Moving the Michigan primary forward could potentially impact elections in many ways. It is still to be determined if the date will be moved forward by 2024. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
the primary king, it was a staple for presidential candidates to go to the fairs and walk around eating obnoxiously large corn dogs. We’ll see a similar thing, maybe, here in Michigan.” However, the fairgrounds aren’t the only venues that will be affected. Whitt Kilburn, a professor of political science at GVSU, said the spotlight will now be on Michigan as candidates seek to appease the voters in the earlier primary. “Candidates tend to be more attentive to the particular economic needs of early primary states, at least in their campaign promises,” Kilburn said. “So this is all good for Michigan.”
Increased media coverage will also come into play, especially as the novelty of Michigan’s earlier primary will be at the forefront of local minds. “Michigan is already treated as a swing state, but there is so much more media attention that goes along with being an early primary state,” Kilburn said. Kilburn also said this could potentially cost the taxpayers more money as well. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
DECISIONS
Potential change in Ottawa County public health officer sparks concerns BY JONATHAN CARROLL NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
POSITION: The health officer manages many county health policies. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners is poised to make many changes to current policy. One change that has become particularly controversial is the commissioners’ move to replace its current public health officer. The circumstances for the change are leaving many county residents unsure about the future protocols and mandates relating to health in the county. In January, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners started to take steps to remove the current public health officer, Adeline Hambley. This action was in response to the mask mandates that had been implemented for public Pre-K to sixth grade schools, a mandate that has been expired for more than a year. The majority of board members are backed by the conservative organization Ottawa Impact. This new majority is looking to make several sweeping changes, including removing Hambley and replacing her with Nathaniel Kelly. Hambley has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in business administration, both from Grand Valley State University. Hambley has worked in the Department of Public Health for about 19 years and has been the environmental health manager since 2011. She
was appointed by the previous board to take on the role in December of 2022 following the retirement of the former Public Health Officer, Lisa Stefanovsky. Kelly also meets the academic requirements for the position, with master’s degrees in public health and occupational health from Columbia Southern University, an online for-profit college. Kelly is a Safety Manager at Pleune Service Company, a Grand Rapids-based commercial HVAC repair company. Kelly is known for his anti-mask mandate opinions and his vocal distaste for Governor Whitmer’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. In November of 2021, Kelly appeared in a parody video mocking a sign language interpreter. “I look forward to bringing the health department into a fold where we run on completely facts and technology-driven data,” Kelly said during the Jan. 3 meeting. There are multiple concerns about what Kelly’s potential appointment could mean for public health in Ottawa County based on views he has shared publicly in the past, including his advocacy for the drug Ivermectin and the use of neti pots in health kits to treat COVID-19. He also said that “...asymptomatic individuals do not transmit disease.” These sweeping changes come as a surprise to many because the board brought these changes without publicly
sharing the agenda before the meeting. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is looking into how this impacted Ottawa County residents’ right to participate in local decision-making. “It is crazy seeing someone fill a position that is known for science and then completely ignoring every study and test done to prove what is effective in keeping people safe,” said Ian Durst, an allied health science major at GVSU. GVSU’s Department of Public Health declined the request for a statement because of Ottawa County’s connection to the public health program. “Ottawa County Health Department is an extremely valuable partner to our program of public health,” said Ranelle Brew Full professor for the public health program at GVSU and the Masters in Public Health (MPH) program director. “I, and our entire faculty team, will respectfully DECLINE speaking on behalf of what is happening there at this time. It would not be professionally appropriate for us to comment in this space.” The state of Michigan still would have to approve Kelly’s appointment before anything can truly move forward. Hambley has been demoted to an internship role in the public health office until further notice. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
FEBRUARY 13, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
A6&7 | NEWS
Grand Valley State University recently held its second annual Sex Ed Week. Hosted the week before Valentine’s Day, Sex Ed Week events covered topics such as healthy relationships, body positivity and resources available for family planning. Coordinators of the events said they aimed to spread their message in an evidence-informed, sex-positive, inclusive, affirming and empowering manner. The event was sponsored by GVSU Recreation and Wellness (RecWell), the Center for Women and Gender Equity (CWGE) and the Ottawa County Health Department. Kate Harmon, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Well-being and Inclusion, said planning for this year’s Sex Ed Week began last semester. They reviewed attendance and feedback from the previous year’s events in order to gauge what students were most interested in. “The main purpose of health promotion efforts at the university level is to support student success,” Harmon said. “The committee chose events that provided a variety of educational topics in fun environments to help students learn to optimize their well-being.” According to the CDC, people between the ages of 15 and 24 accounted for about half of the 26 million sexually transmitted infec-
tions in the United States in 2018. Harmon said testing within the university can help students be aware of their own health and prevent the further spread of STIs. “We were fortunate this year to continue to offer free and confidential STI testing,” Harmon said. “Local health departments have assisted GVSU in providing STI test kits for our ‘Get Yourself Tested’ events. Events like this help our students protect their health.” In a previous interview with the Lanthorn, Student Health Promotions Coordinator Katie Jourdan said the inspiration for Sex Ed Week came from Tulane University, which hosts a similar program. Similar to Tulane, the event incorporated both informative and recreational events such as “Peaches and Cream Social,” “Unpacking Relationships,” “Get Yourself Tested,” “LGBTQ+ Sexual Health” and “Kinky Karaoke.” In order to reach as many people as possible, eight of the 13 events were approved by INT 100/201 and in collaboration with several GVSU professors. Additionally, Sex Ed Week coordinators structured the events to appeal to GVSU students from a variety of majors and minors. By collaborating with GVSU courses, coordinators hoped to reach many students who may not have attended the events on their own. Resources about issues relating to sex are not exclusive to one week. The Sex Ed Week planning committee acknowledged that many
students still have questions after the week of events has concluded. To address concerns, the planning committee aims to provide educational resources in a safe, inclusive environment. Future Sex Ed Week events are still up in the air. Although coordinators report a favorable turnout alongside increased interest, events will be determined by attendee feedback next fall. The Sex Ed Week planning committee’s main focus will continue to be promoting the well-being of students and closing gaps in sexual health knowledge. Students can continue to learn about sexual wellness through resources offered by RecWell including STI testing, free condoms and additional events held throughout the year. Members of GVSU organizations and clubs are also able to request sexual wellness presentations on topics of their choice from WIT Peer Educators. RecWell will also continue to offer confidential free STI testing on campus the second Wednesday of each month from 4-7 p.m. for the remainder of the semester.
The GVSU Sex Ed Week was met with opposition from some Kent County residents and board members. In the Kent County Board of Commissioners meeting on Feb. 9, opponents voiced their disapproval of the messaging used for the Sex Ed Week events, such as content about sex toys, LGBTQ topics and in-depth discussion about sex and health. During public comment, a Cascade resident voiced his concerns about Kent County Health Department being connected to the events. The individual read out the scheduled programming of the SexEd Week and said that taxpayers dollars were “not appropriate” for funding these events. The reaction of council members varied from support of GVSU’s Sex Ed Week to com-
plete opposition of Kent County’s connection to the events. Walter Bujak, Kent County commissioner for District 21 said that he disapproved of “the use of the Kent County Health Department logo as a sponsor of these events.” However, other commissioners offered support for GVSU’s efforts to promote public health and safety to students. Kent County Commissioner for District 18 Stephen Wooden said that it’s the health department’s job to prevent the spread of disease and infection. “When you’re in public health, I feel, your job is to reduce harm, not necessarily to editorialize on the way things are being promoted,” Wooden said. “And if there is a conversation about sex and you have means to help
prevent the transmission of sexually based diseases, I would hope our health department would provide that assistance to ensure greater public health.” Additionally, Wooden said that the use of humor in these events can help to promote conversations around topics that could often be uncomfortable. “Even if the method in which some of these are being talked about would not necessarily make a great evening activity for me, I express my gratitude to GVSU for providing a setting that is comfortable for students who may not have had other means to learn about sex and healthy sexual activity in their homes or in their high schools,” Wooden said.
BY GRACE SMITH AND ELIZABETH SCHANZ NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
A8 | NEWS
FEBRUARY 13, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
COMMUNITY
GV Black Student Union and other organizations honor Black History Month BY ASHLEY MOUBRAY NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Throughout February, many clubs across Grand Valley State University have been celebrating Black History Month. The Black Student Union (BSU) is just one organization promoting unity and inclusion among all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexuality. During Black History Month especially, BSU has been focused on celebrating the Black community. BSU’s Social Media Coordinator, Maya Woodson, said the organization has been taking extra steps to showcase Black happiness and community. BSU’s Instagram page has highlighted historical facts and stories about Black firsts and Black excellence. BSU partnered with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to host a game night featuring black history, pop culture and music. On Feb. 15, the BSU will put on “Trap ‘n Paint” to promote black music from the 1990s and 2000s. While these efforts are student-org-led, Woodson said GVSU could do more to help “uplift” Black organizations. Out of roughly 400 clubs, only 18 are Black-led. Woodson said the university involves itself most with Black organizations during Martin Luther King Jr. week and Black History Month. While the
university’s support during these times of celebration is appreciated, Woodson said she wishes there was continuous promotion as Black-led organizations do not disappear once February is over. She emphasized the point that it would mean a lot to students of color if GVSU promoted Black excellence and history more prominently throughout the year. “Black history is not just Black history,” Woodson said. “It’s everyone’s history.” GVSU sophomore Mere Morris said the current efforts to promote Black history are not enough. Word-of-mouth from her professors and other students are the only reasons she knew about events honoring Black history. “It’s nice that the university is doing stuff to promote Black History Month but I think it could do more to make students know about the events,” Morris said. The importance of Black history is not exclusive to Black History Month and is crucial to many students’ lives. Woodson’s father participated in the Oklahoma protests in the 1960s and his experiences are important in her personal life and work at the BSU. “Hosed down, put in jail, chased and bit by police dogs and spat on all at ages, six and seven - Black History Month allows me to reflect that we’re not far removed from the previous unjust treatment African Americans had to endure in this country,” Woodson said.
CONNECTIONS: Black Student Union creates a space on the GV campus for students to get together, engage in conversations, make friends and participate in various events. This allows students to make connections and form networks within the university. GVL | SAMUEL NELSON
Woodson said Black History Month was built on people of color coming together to share their own stories and that it allows for reflection, unity and understanding. Black History Month allows people across campus - and across the nation - to honor Black people and culture. “Black History Month is like a full-circle moment in a sense,” Woodson said. “Without those sacrifices, I wouldn’t be here at this university.” The BSU and other Black-led student organizations are not alone in their pursuits. GVSU’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) supports all diverse populations on campus. Woodson said many of the OMA faculty members are people of color. OMA faculty can offer different
perspectives and skills to students when problems arise. Woodson said OMA has consistently provided meaningful feedback and support. “It’s a safe space for the organization and us as individuals,” Woodson said. “It’s our one-stop-shop.” The BSU and other organizations will continue to host informational and celebratory Black History Month events throughout February. To learn more about Black history and join in on the celebrations, students can visit BSU’s Instagram or contact the OMA for more information regarding meetings, Black History Month events and other activities.
Making a difference through research, education, and outreach
Student Highlight Making a difference through research, education, and outreach
Student Highlight
Kathryn Geller 2020 R.B. Annis Foundation Intern “I could not be more grateful for the internship I got through AWRI. I have had the chance to work under Dr. Charlyn Partridge for 3 years now and it has been nothing short of incredible. I have had so many experiences with both lab work and field sampling, as well as helping with a variety of projects. I have worked on projects pertaining to gene expression in invasive Baby’s Breath flowers and am currently monitoring Hemlock Wooly Adelgid insects with eDNA. I know the work I do makes a difference and whether it’s hiking through Huron Manistee National Forest or learning lab skills that will help me far into the future – I love every day I’m there. The professors, graduate students, and even the powerhouse ladies in the main office are so pleasant and knowledgeable. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else, nor did I think that a summer internship would turn into such an integral part of my time at Grand Valley State University.”
Kathryn Geller 2020 R.B. Annis Foundation Intern
“I could not be more grateful for the internship I got through AWRI. I have had the chance to work under Dr. Charlyn Partridge for 3 years now and it has been nothing short of incredible. I have had so many experiences with both lab work and field sampling, as well as helping with a variety of projects. I have worked on projects pertaining to gene expression in invasive Baby’s Breath flowers and am currently monitoring Hemlock Wooly Adelgid insects with eDNA. I know the work I do makes a difference and whether it’s hiking through Huron Manistee National Forest or learning lab skills that will help me far into the future – I love every day I’m there. The professors, graduate students, and even the powerhouse ladies in the main office are so pleasant and knowledgeable. I SUPPORT SYSTEM: organizations and the Office of Multicultural Affairs create a couldn’t imagine being anywhere else, nor did I think that a summer internship would turn intoStudent such an integral part of my time at Grand Valley State University.” space where students can further get in touch with people of similar backgrounds or cultures
and get resources. This allows students to celebrate their differences. GVL | SAMUEL NELSON
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
A9 | LAKER LIFE
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE
LAKER LIFE BRIEFS PURCHASE A PLANT FROM THE BIOLOGY CLUB
On Monday, Feb. 13, the Biology Club will be selling plants in the Kirkhof Center from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All of the plants for sale have been grown and potted by members of the club. All proceeds will go directly to the club to help fund more sales. The club said these plants would be a great gift for a special someone for Valentine’s Day or for self-love.
PURCHASE A VALENTINE’S DAY CARD
In the Kirkhof lobby on Feb. 13 and 14, SIGIL, GVSU’s illustration and art club, will be selling Valentine’s Day cards from 1-3 p.m. All of the proceeds go to the artists who made the items. There will be cards, prints, buttons and more available for purchase. All items on sale are either handmade or printed.
STUFF A STUFFED ANIMAL
On Valentine’s Day, CAB is hosting an animal stuffing event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center. The first 100 attendees will be given a stuffed animal they can stuff themselves for free. Stuffed animals will be given out on a first come, first served basis.
MULTICULTURAL
The Vietnamese Cultural Association hosts the second annual Asian Night Market BY ISABELLE ENGLAND LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM
The Vietnamese Cultural Association (VCA) held its 2nd Annual Asian Night Market in collaboration with other Asian student organizations. The event was held in the Niemeyer Multipurpose Room and showcased several cultural organizations selling a variety of dishes. Along with the Vietnamese Cultural Association, the Asian Student Union, the Filipinx American Student Association, the Nepali Student Association and Grand Valley State University’s Asian-interest Sorority, Delta Phi Lambda, attended and brought food to sell. “We are the first and only Asian-interest Sorority on the GVSU campus,” said Vice-President of Delta Phi Lambda Kristin Swisher. “Our mission is to spread Asian awareness, empower women leaders and forge everlasting sisterhood.” Delta Phi Lambda brought several Asian and Chinese-inspired dishes to the event like mapo tofu, egg tarts and Vietnamese coffee with the goal of bringing people together through food and new experiences. “I believe these events are important for the campus because they showcase
DECORATE COOKIES WITH PSYCHOLOGY CLUB
On Feb. 15, students can join the Psychology Club to decorate cookies in the Kirkhof Center room 2259 from 6-7 p.m. The club will be decorating Valentine’s Day-themed cookies and screening a romantic comedy. All supplies will be provided for those in attendance.
CELEBRATE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR
The Asian Student Union will be meeting Feb. 18 from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Grand River Room in the Kirkhof Center to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the year of the rabbit. They’ll have traditional food, live performances and a cultural fashion show. Anyone is welcome to attend and learn more. During the event, ASU will also be fundraising for the Young Foundation, an organization that aids immigrant children in becoming US citizens.
REPRESENTATION: The clubs got together to showcase their different cultures. Besides food there was music and karaoke available. All proceeds went to the clubs who were selling the food. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
FOOD: The Vietnamese Cultural Association partnered with other Asian organizations to bring different foods to campus that represented their cultures. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
a variety of different Asian cultures in a positive light,” Swisher said. “Food is an amazing bridge to connect people and this event will display that.” Along with Delta Phi Lambda, the Filipinx American Student Association offered unique dishes. They wanted to showcase both savory and sweet dishes. They served Filipino spaghetti, mango floats and ube crinkle cookies. “For Filipino spaghetti specifically, we thought it would be an interesting way to introduce the common produce in the Philippines,” said Kelsey Marquez, a spokesperson for the Filipinx American Student Association. “It is hard to find tomatoes, therefore tomato
sauce is hard to find or is too expensive. Instead, Filipinos have adapted by making banana sauce, a sweeter variation of the beloved tomato sauce.” The Nepali Student organization featured veggie and chicken Mo:Mo, samosas and Nepali Chiga, which is a common Nepali spiced milk tea. The Vietnamese Cultural Association brought dishes like soy milk, bánh paté so and a pandan waffle a la mode dessert. The dessert is green in color and flavored with pandan extract. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
A10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE GV THEATRE PROGRAM OPENS NEW SHOW ON CAMPUS The Grand Valley State University Opera Theatre is presenting a new production this Friday on the Allendale campus. The production is called, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” The show will debut on Friday, Feb. 17, continuing the rest of the weekend and into the following week. The show is based on a book written by Rachel Sheinkin. Housed in the Louis Armstrong Theatre in the Haas Center for Performing Arts, the play features a cast of GVSU students, primarily those studying theatre. The show is directed by Pauls Macs. For more information about the performance schedule and ticket details, visit the GVSU MTD website or the GVSU Events page.
ART ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON DISABILITY EMPOWERMENT RECRUITS AT GV
The GVSU Employer Showcase is featuring the organization Artists Creating Together (ACT) on Wednesday, Feb. 15. ACT works to enrich the lives of people with and without disabilities in West Michigan through specialized creative expression programming. The showcase will give interested students a chance to learn about internship and career opportunities that are available through ACT, as well as what a day in the life on the job might look like. The event is a low-stress, casual interaction with representatives of the Artists Creating Together. The showcase will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in AuSable Hall in the first floor lobby.
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN
@GVLARTS
SNAPSHOT
Grand Rapids Art Museum opens expansive photography collection BY HAILEY HENTZ ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
“Presence: The Photography Collection of Judy Glickman Lauder,” is an exhibition on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) of influential photographs. The photography in the collection captures history-defining moments from the Holocaust and Civil Rights Movement, as well as celebrity portraitures and moments from daily life. “Photographs are, as writer Roland Barthes has said, ‘certificates of presence’: verification that a moment, a person, or a place existed,” said GRAM Director of Communications, Elizabeth Payne. “‘Presence’ is a riveting exploration of photography that captures the wide spectrum of the human experience.” The photographs on display from Glickman Lauder’s collection were chosen from the 600 pieces she gifted to the Portland Museum of Art. She grew her collection over time by buying pieces she felt a connection to. Together, the pictures create an overview of the 20th century encompassing a variety of subjects, themes and emotions.
EXHIBITION: The new GRAM photography exhibit features never-before-seen stills of historical importance, while also giving a voice to diverse photographers. GVL | ARCHIVES
“It’s important to have an exhibit showing all facets of human life,” Glickman Lauder said at a Feb. 16 GRAM event to celebrate the display’s opening. The exhibition includes the work of 70 artists, 25 of which are women. The diverse group of pioneering photographers includes James Van Der Zee, Diane Arbus and Gordon Parks. The artists included in the display are notable for advancing photography as an art form and its use as a means of portraying social culture.
Glickman Lauder has more than 80 years of experience in photography. As the daughter of award-winning photographer, Dr. Irving Bennett Ellis, she spent her childhood on the other side of his camera, often a subject in his famous shots. From a young age, she was surrounded by the art form and met innovative pioneers in the field such as Ansel Adams. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
DANCE
Performance series connects to introspective art in GR winter festival BY HALEY ROSENDALE ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM FEATURES A HUMAN RIGHTS MOVIE
Students are welcome to join the Latin American Studies program in the Kirkhof Center this Wednesday for a Human Rights Movie Night. The featured film is entitled, “Tambien la Lluvia,” which translates to “Even the Rain.” The movie tells the story of the brutal interactions between Christopher Columbus and the indigenous peoples in Hispaniola, with focus on globalization of the film industry and critiques of how history is represented today. Pizza and beverages will be provided. This event will be held in room 2270 from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 15. The Human Rights Movie Night is INT 100/201 approved.
FEBRUARY 13, 2023
ADAPTIVE: Dancing In the Annex is performing a site-adaptive movement piece at Grand Rapids World of Winter exhibit “Affinity.” Dancers in the piece rehearsed with no music to create an authentic series where each performance is unique to the moment. GVL | BETHANN LONG
The Grand Rapids-based dance company Dancing In The Annex (DITA) is featured in a series of performances during the World of Winter Festival. The World of Winter festival is a twomonth festival in Grand Rapids featuring art exhibits, dance performances, scavenger hunts, storytelling events and more. The interactive art installation “Affinity” uses sound and light to reflect the way the human brain stores memories. “Affinity” will be displayed at the festival from Feb. 3 through March 5. DITA is led by Artistic Director Amy Wilson. The dance company does many performances, concerts and collaborations. Wilson and her company have each received local and international recognition, including Art Prize awards in 2014 and 2015. The piece DITA is performing, “Blocking Out The Darkness,” was set specifically for the performance series
at “Affinity.” The piece was partly inspired by Affinity’s 112 points of interaction and 62 different combinations. “This site-adaptive performance will follow an open movement score, allowing for improvisation and spontaneity,” Wilson said. “Directly and in real-time, the piece will respond to architectural features of the installation, the particularities of the audience, and the mutually experienced narratives, blurring lines between audience and performer.” Being that “Affinity” is interactive, DITA had to connect their piece to the display. The performance series is designed to keep the audience and the dancers engaged and reactive from moment to moment, similar to the art display. “The piece begins and ends in the sculpture, and the dancers respond to the physical structure of the installation as well as the lights and sound,” Wilson said. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
A11 | SPORTS
FEBRUARY 13, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
QUICK HITS BASKETBALL TEAMS MAINTAIN WINNING STREAKS AT HOME Both the Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s basketball teams hosted Michigan Tech and the Northern Michigan Wildcats in a successful week of games. Feb. 9 saw victories for both sides as the women’s team took a dominating 60-43 win led by redshirt freshman guard Paige Vanstee (13 points, six rebounds) followed by redshirt sophomore guard Ellie Droste with 10 points - season series 1-1. The men’s team also defeated the Huskies in a tight battle (79-74) to close the season series 2-0 with junior forward Marius Grazulis dropping a near double-double (17 points, nine rebounds). GVSU also defeated the Wildcats 6452 (women’s) and 81-75 (men’s) Feb. 11 with Vanstee (11 points) and Grazulis (24 points, seven rebounds) leading their teams once again. GV TENNIS TAKES DOWN WALSH In a bounce-back meeting after their disappointing start to the spring season, the GVSU tennis teams both defeated the Cavaliers 6-1 each. For doubles matches, five of six pairs finished with victories. Women’s: senior Taylor Barrett and junior Vasileia Griva (6-2), freshman Rachel Sam and sophomore Estefania Hernandez (6-4) and freshmen Amanda Diaz and Anna Soteras (6-4). Men’s: seniors Unai Gonzalez and Sean Miller (6-2), senior Jack Dusman and Freddy Cossio (6-4) and freshman Patricio Sepulveda and senior Martin Matov (4-6 loss). For single’s action, all athletes besides Matov and junior Sophia Hanover won their matchups. LAKERS CONTINUE SETTING THE TONE DURING TRACK AND FIELD BIG MEET GVSU hosted a two-day meet last weekend that led to personal bests and national records. Junior Myles Kerner made history for the men’s shot put as his distance of 19.57m not only broke the GVSU record, but the Big Meet and Kelly Family Sports Center records as well. This mark also placed Kerner on the national list for the category. The men’s side also saw a first-place finish in the 4x400 relay event as freshman Fallou Gaye, graduate student Jackson Blanchard, freshman Ben Ireland and junior Miles Rhodes (3:13.61) received an NCAA DII provisional mark with their victory. For the women’s events, junior Natalie Graber (9:22.48) dominated the women’s 3000m run and was placed No. 1 on the Women’s National List for first-place victory in the event as she was followed by her teammate, freshman Lauren Kiley, who finished second (9:30.46) and was ranked No. 3 on the list. Junior Klaudia O’Malley, freshman Kate Zang, sophomore Taryn Chapko and Graber hit the trifecta record for the program, Kelly Family and the Big Meet for the women’s 4000m distance medley relay (DMR) with a time of 11:18.68.
LACROSSE
Women’s lacrosse prepares for 2023 season with high expectations BY BRIAN BLOOM SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University women’s lacrosse took a loss in both the GLIAC Championship and the NCAA DII Midwest Regional Championship last season. Despite this, the team was able to reflect on a record-breaking season that saw them boast a 19-2 record, the most wins in a season in the program’s history. “(The Midwest Regional) was a hard battle, we left everything out on the field,” said senior co-captain Molly Bursinger. “We proved something last season even though it ended in a loss. It showed us that we have the potential to be a national championship team.” Coming into this season, the team has lofty expectations and the recognition from preseason polls to back their confidence. GVSU was ranked No. 1 in the GLIAC preseason poll, No. 5 in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and No. 5 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine poll and boasts five preseason All-Americans: Bursinger, juniors Aislynn Alkire (co-captain) and Audrey Maloney, senior Shae Strehl and graduate student Maggie Hammer. With the hype that is being built during the offseason, Head Coach Mackenzie Lawler has her team more motivated than ever to build off what was started in recent seasons. “We want to lead the conference, that’s our base level goal, but (we want to know) what more we can achieve this year,” Lawler said. “We faced some adversity with a couple of players out with COVID, and this
PREPARED: As the defending conference champions for the past two seasons, GVSU is eager to start the season with hopes to make their mark on opponents. GVL | ARCHIVES
team is really hungry to prove that we deserve the number five ranking and get to the Final Four.” Alkire said the loss to UIndy in the regional match, the team that dealt them their only two losses last season, fueled a fire under the team while also allowing them to create a stronger identity. “Every team dreams of winning the national championship, (and) last season showed us that we are capable, we have the talent we need, and it showed us that we’re way closer (to championship contention) than we thought,” Alkire said. Trying times can bring a team much closer, and the Lakers realized all opportunities while on and off the pitch bring strong team chemistry into a new season. “Year after year we’ve had different challenges that have brought us closer together,” Hammer said. “This year our fire is the drive and trust we have in each other and ourselves, and the
confidence that we can compete for a national championship.” However, the road to success is never guaranteed and the first stretch of games will be tough for the Lakers to get through as four of their first six games are against ranked opponents including a rematch against UIndy. Despite the tough schedule, Lawler’s philosophy going into the season is much the same as last year, only this time the squad has deep postseason DNA. “Last year was such a record-breaking year, winning the most games in a season, the most in a row, winning the regular season and conference tournament and getting that first NCAA win,” Lawler said. “Our team knows the steps we had to make last year to achieve that and have been really focused on wanting to make that next step and get to the Final Four.” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
CONTINUITY: Five Lakers were named preaseason All-Americans as the team also received a handful of team preseason poll honors. With the return of veteran players and a strong system implemented into the program, GVSU believes they have what it takes to be “elite” and make a lot of noise not only in the conference and regionals, but the national level as well. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS
A12 | SPORTS
FEBRUARY 13, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
HOCKEY
DI hockey drops home game against PNW, recovers on the road BY MADELEINE SMITH SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
The Grand Valley State University’s Division I men’s hockey club battled it out against Purdue Northwest as they lost 2-5 at home but bounced back the next day with a 2-1 victory in Hammond. With the return of their previous head coach Carl Trosien for the first time since his departure in August, the anticipation leading up to the Feb. 9 matchup at home was one the team looked forward to. “Of course it was going to feel like a rivalry game,” said freshman forward Jackson Terpstra. “We didn’t feel the need to change any of our game plan as we were confident in it.” The Feb. 9 match started off strong as junior forward Eric Hulford scored the first goal of the game (10:54) in the first period, assisted by sophomore forward Sam Lechel and freshman forward Tristan Avolette. However, PNW responded late in the first period with a goal of their own to bring the scoreline 1-1 (16:07). Over 23 minutes of scoreless action in the remainder of the first and the entirety of the second period led into the final period of the match, but the efforts on both ends of the rink didn’t go unnoticed by Sekosan. “We made some nice saves and limited
their chances (during the second period), so we were sort of happy going into the third,” Sekosan said. Just as it seemed the game could potentially go down to the wire, PNW scored within the first 20 seconds of the third period (0:17) to take a 1-2 lead that they wouldn’t look back on. A deflating second goal by Purdue 14 seconds later (0:31) to take a two-goal lead. GVSU would find success minutes later (4:26) as junior forward Gage Thrall closed the deficit 2-3 off an assist by senior forward Evan Chomchai with plenty of time left on the game clock. Another stretch of scoreless action saw the tension grow with each passing minute. With the Lakers unable to find another answer and knot up the scoreboard, PNW took advantage of the opportunity and added another goal to their tally to take a commanding 2-4 lead (11:46). PNW would eventually seal the game with another goal (12:36) and hold out the Lakers from scoring again as the match finished 2-5. Even in the tough loss, Sekosan said he appreciated the fact the team executed some of their points of emphasis fairly well in the match. “It’s the nitty-gritty time of the year and turnovers cause problems,” Sekosan said. “We knew coming in that there was
COMEBACK: With an experienced and versatile core, GVSU has just six losses with the hope of winning their final game of the regular season on Senior Night. GVL | MACAYLA CRAMER
no way we’d go all of 23 (games) undefeated, so it’s a humbling experience to say the least and we’re gonna go and get ready for tomorrow.” The Feb. 10 matchup had a different outcome and the Lakers seemed to be much stronger on the ice while on the road. Thrall would be one of two Lakers to finish with a score as his goal came in the first period (5:50) off an assist from sophomore forward Josh Suzio and senior forward Zach Borchardt. Another scoreless second period would ensue as the start of the third period still showed 1-0 on the scoreboard in favor of GVSU. However,
PNW was able to score just under a minute into the period (0:54). Tied at one goal apiece, sophomore forward Carson Korte pushed his team out in front with his goal (2:43, assisted by Hulford) and the final score of the game with GVSU taking the 2-1 victory and closing the regular-season series 2-1 overall. Coming up next, the Lakers will celebrate Senior Night at home against Western Michigan on Feb. 17 in their second-to-last game of the regular season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Griff ’s Ice Arena.
CLOSE OUT: Even though the team dropped the Feb. 9 match up against Purdue Northwest, the Lakers finished the regular-season series 2-1 and are now 30-6 overall. GVL | MACAYLA CRAMER