Tag Archives: GVSU

GVSU, Beaumont Health developed medical device for people with neuromuscular diseases

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Sam Oostendorp, Jake Stephens, Jordan Vanderham and Austin Williams with the cough assist device they developed.

By Leah Twilley

Grand Valley State University

 

A group of engineering students from Grand Valley State University partnered with Beaumont Health to create a medical device that has the potential to improve the quality of life for people with neuromuscular diseases.

 

The cough assist device was created to help clear the airway of individuals with diseases such as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis. The device, about the size of a stack of textbooks, is patent pending and was recently licensed to be commercially manufactured in China, making it the first commercial licensing agreement for Grand Valley’s engineering program.

 

“We designed the device to be used for people of all ages who have pulmonary problems — from child to adult,” said Jake Stephens, one of four students who designed and built the device. “We aimed to make it simple and easy to use and are thrilled with how it turned out.”

 

Jordan Vanderham, a member of the student team, said several cough assist devices exist, but they are heavy, expensive and require electricity to operate. This new device is portable, lightweight and made out of plastic and vinyl. It includes a tube attached to a face mask and two valves to control air pressure and volume. It requires no electricity to operate.

 

Bassel Salman with the cough assist device

Through a collaboration agreement between Beaumont Health and Grand Valley’s School of Engineering, students majoring in product design and manufacturing engineering were tasked with designing and building a prototype of the device under the guidance of engineering professor John Farris.

 

The idea for the invention came from, a pediatrician who specializes in critical care at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak. He noticed a need for his patients to have a cough assist device that is more affordable and portable.

 

“I am hopeful this device will impact patient care by offering patients worldwide a better quality of life by decreasing the cost of more intensive therapy,” Salman said. “Compared with other cough products on the market, our device does the same at less cost.”

 

The Beaumont Commercialization Center negotiated a license with TechBank Medical, a Shanghai-based medical commercialization organization.

 

The cough assist device

“For developed markets, like the U.S., this technology will provide a truly portable device that is small, lightweight and does not require electrical power. For developing markets, like China and India, the design allows for those previously unable to afford a cough assist device to finally get relief from their disease, as the technology has a simple and low-cost design,” said Brad Yang, founder and CEO of TechBank Medical.

 

This is the first time Grand Valley has worked with Beaumont Health, but it’s not the first time students in the engineering program have given life to medical device ideas. The university has several similar collaboration agreements with area health care providers to identify needs and build medical devices. Engineering students have worked with Mercy Health and Spectrum Health, among others.

 

“These collaborations bring together clinical and engineering expertise,” said Linda Chamberlain, of Grand Valley’s Technology Commercialization Office. “We want the student engineers to have a valuable experience and the clinical teams we work with to have solutions. It’s a great way for us to work together to solve a problem.”

 

The students completed the project as part of a one-semester class; the group includes Sam Oostendorp, Austin Williams, Jake Stephens and Jordan Vanderham.

School News Network: Students seek ways to attract more people into teaching

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11th graders Payton Bidwell (left) and Mirabella Witte share some of their group’s brainstorming results about the problem of declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs (photo by Natalie Tomlin)

By School News Network

 

“How might Grand Valley State University increase the supply of students in the College of Education?”

 

This was the driving question students were given on the launch of a project at Kent Innovation High School this winter. Other questions included: “How do markets respond to changes to supply or demand? How might the college positively impact supply and demand in the marketplace? What does the data suggest about the supply of teachers?”

 

Teams of students were challenged to research the causes of the shortage and formulate a possible way for GVSU’s College of Education to address the problem. Their final product, a website, needed to include key data related to the teacher shortage, interpretation of data and a solution, as well as a supply and demand graph. Students also presented their ideas to a panel of GVSU education staff.

 

This project was designed by facilitator Rachel Haddad, who teaches English language arts and facilitator Jeff Bush, who teaches social studies and economics, in collaboration with two student teachers from GVSU.

 

Anastasia Motta, 11th grade, presents “Requirement Tailoring”

At first, Mirabella Witte and one of her teammates, Payton Bidwell, thought the problem seemed huge. But as they delved into the six-week project, their perspective changed. “By the end, we began to see our worth. We realized that we are where the problem is,” said Mirabella, a junior at Union High School.

 

Dedicated to project-based learning and collaboration, students at Innovation High work on real problems, researching and seeking solutions. Often, students present their ideas to authentic audiences, like the panel from GVSU.

 

As part of the project, several guest speakers visited to share knowledge of the teacher shortage from different perspectives: Dr. Kelly Margo, assistant professor from GVSU; Char Firlik, retired Kent ISD education consultant; and Coni Sullivan, assistant superintendent for HR and legal services at Kent ISD.

 

According to Paula Lancaster, director of teacher education at GVSU, “Statewide, since 2008, Michigan has seen an approximately 50% decline in the number of individuals enrolling in teacher preparation programs. At GVSU the decline has been nearly 30%. Over the past three years we have seen a stable uptick.”

 

Exploring How Supply & Demand Affects Teacher Job Market

 

Bush explained that one of the goals was to connect students to the concept of supply and demand as it applies to the job market. Students discovered that in part, fewer people are choosing to become teachers because of stagnant teaching salaries in comparison to STEM fields. But students also found that the shortage had to do with more than just money.

 

Silas Hinkle, 11th grade, presents “Advertising: Encouraging Future Educators”

Research showed a number of teachers left the field because “they didn’t feel supported.” In response, teams proposed developing mentorship programs to support incoming teachers, or setting up programs through parks and recreation departments.

 

After researching and pooling possible solutions, Payton Bidwell’s group focused on students who might have a passion for teaching, but were not being recruited during high school. They decided to propose a new program that could involve Kent Career Tech Center helping connect potential educators to GVSU. She said this idea could help high school students get exposure to the field of education and find those with a passion for it.

 

John Shinsky, associate dean for community impact at GVSU, was a member of the panel and said he was impressed by the rich conversation that resulted. The panel asked students follow-up questions, such as how they came up with their ideas or about alternative ways of implementing their solutions.

 

“Students did a tremendous job,” Shinsky said. “They brought a pure point of view to the issue. This is just one more example of the capabilities of our young people today. It was also fantastic to see K-12 and higher education coming together.”

 

Students also gained a new perspective after they presented to an audience.

 

“It was surprising how realistic our solution was and how serious the adults took us,” said Payton, a junior at Forest Hills Central High School, adding she appreciated the chance to connect with the teaching field. “I learned that every profession has benefits that you may not have known without looking deeper into the profession itself.”

 

Bush explained that student projects were judged in three areas: Communication and Collaboration, Research and Information, as well as Creative and Critical Thinking.

 

“It was exciting to give students the opportunity to connect with a local partner that affects them directly,” Haddad said. “Students did an excellent job being professional when grappling with a real world problem.”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

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GVSU cancels Lubbers Cup Regatta due to potential storm

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Action from the annual Lubbers Cup Regatta. (Supplied/Lubbers Cup)

With portions of West Michigan under a winter storm watch, including Kent and Ottawa counties, Grand Valley State University officials announced that they have cancelled the Lubbers Cup Reggatta for this weekend.

 

According to organizers the main issue is the winds that are expected to be up to 40 miles an hour. That makes any body of water unprovable, organizers stated in a letter to the teams. On top of that the National Weather Service is calling for a cold hard rain that could turn into ice. With temperatures dropping into the 30s as a high and not enough shelter, it was decided by organizers to cancel the regatta event.

 

From the National Weather Service as of 9:30 a.m. Friday, April 13: Active weather from a slow-moving storm system is expected through Monday. Substantial disruptions to commerce and weekend activities will be possible from the snow, ice and wind, especially in central to northern portions of Michigan. Travel may become dangerous in portions of northern Michigan from heavy snow as well as blowing and drifting snow. Ice pellets (sleet) or rain freezing on contact (freezing rain) is likely Saturday into Sunday in a large portion of Central Lower Michigan. The ice accumulations and strong winds may create multi-day power outages. Grand Rapids and Lansing could become cold enough for a portion of Saturday or Saturday night for a period of freezing rain.

Progressive/Conservative Summit to tackle difficult political climate, discussions

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By Nate Hoekstra

School News Network

 

Patrick Deneen associate professor of constitutional studies at Notre Dame and author of “Why Liberalism Failed”

Americans’ political positions are bitterly divided, driven apart by identity politics, partisan news coverage and algorithm-driven social media echo chambers. Meaningful, well-reasoned political discussion can be hard to find in this political climate.

 

With that difficulty in mind, the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University will provide substantive conversations about history, political thought and policy without the partisan rhetoric at its annual Progressive/Conservative Summit on April 13-14.

 

The two-day event will cover a wide variety of topics presented by authors, journalists and academics from various fields. Topics will range from the culture wars and identity liberalism to teaching empathy in a post-truth, pro-feelings age.

 

Mark Lilla, a contributor to the New York Review of Books and humanities professor at Columbia University

Presenters will include Mark Lilla, a contributor to the New York Review of Books and humanities professor at Columbia University; Patrick Deneen, associate professor of constitutional studies at Notre Dame and author of Why Liberalism Failed; and Molly Worthen, op-ed columnist at the New York Times and assistant professor of history at UNC-Chapel Hill; and many others.

 

Progressive/Conservative Summit 2018

April 13, 6 – 8:15 p.m. and April 14, 8:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Loosemore Auditorium, GVSU Pew Grand Rapids Campus

401 Fulton Street West, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are requested at gvsu.edu/hc

 

Molly Worthen, op-ed columnist at the New York Times and assistant professor of history at UNC-Chapel Hill

“The big aim of the program is to share knowledge with the hope of improving understanding, not necessarily finding one side that can ‘beat’ the other. We want to help people explore a variety of viewpoints,” said Scott St. Louis, program manager at the Hauenstein Center.

 

Progressive/Conservative Summit 2018 is presented in partnership with the Kate and Richard Wolters Foundation, the Progressive Women’s Alliance of West Michigan and the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal.

 

For more information, visit gvsu.edu/hc.

GVSU students to depict that ‘hell is other people’ during performances of ‘No Exit’

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From left to right: Jacob-Miller as Cradeau; Emily Cobb as Inez; and Rachel Renaud as Estelle.

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Three people, who have never met before, are brought into a strange room by a mysterious Bellboy who gives them barely any information about their situation except for the knowledge that they will be in that room together for the rest of eternity.

 

All three characters only have one thing in common: they’re all dead.
This is the foundation of the plot for the upcoming play, “No Exit,” which will be produced and performed by Grand Valley State University theater students as a part of the annual Performance Studios Series.
The P.S. Series gives upper-level theater students the opportunity to use the practical skills they have learned in the classroom. During P.S. Series productions, students have creative control over directing, acting, backstage production, set design and costume design.
Performances of “No Exit” will take place April 6, and 7, at 7:30 p.m. and April 8 at 2 p.m. All shows will take place the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus. General admission tickets will be $6, and tickets can be purchased through the Louis Armstrong Box Office by calling (616) 331-2300, or by visiting Startickets.com.
In “No Exit,” Cradeau, a French journalist; Inez, a Spanish secretary; and Estelle, an American socialite, quickly discover that the mysterious room they have entered is actually hell.
“This show is an exploration of why those characters find themselves in hell, what mistakes they made in the past and how living a fake life can lead you to ruin,” said Bruno Streck Rodrigues, a senior majoring in theater and communication studies who will sit in the director’s chair for “No Exit.” “Having to accept the fact that they are dead, unable to touch the outside world and slowly being forgotten, is a big part of the show.”
Expecting to find some kind of torturer in the hellish venue, the three characters quickly learn that the real torture is spending eternity with each other.
“They have to learn to ‘live’ with each other, but the problem of ‘living’ with each other, as the show itself says, is that ‘hell is other people,’” said Streck Rodrigues. “They can’t stand the thought that the other two people in the room are judging them for every little thing they do, and that is the real torture.”
“No Exit” marks Streck Rodrigues’ directorial debut, and the São Carlos, Brazil, native said it is his favorite play primarily because of the diversity of the characters.
“The show was written in 1943 by French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre, and yet one of the main characters is a lesbian, which is groundbreaking,” said Streck Rodrigues. “The male character in the original version of the play is Brazilian, like me, so I also really like my country being represented in theater.”
Grand Valley’s production of “No Exit” will be adopting the translated version by Paul Bowles in which the nationalities of Cradeau and Estelle were changed to French and American, respectively.
Emily Cobb, who plays Inez, said she looks forward to audiences reflecting on the themes of death, freedom and judgement found in “No Exit.”
“I believe this show will get people to think about life and death and it will leave an impression on them,” said Cobb, a sophomore majoring in psychology and theater. “A lot of great people put in the work to make this come to life and the results are spectacular.”

GVSU economist: 2018 ‘bounce’ continues

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Brian Long is a local business forecaster. Credit: GVSU

By Dottie Barnes

Grand Valley State University

 

For West Michigan, the first quarter of 2018 has started on strong footing, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.

 

Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of March.

 

The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) rose to +34, slightly better than last month’s +32. The production index held steady at +31. The index of purchases jumped sharply to +37 from +22, and the employment index edged up to +19, from +16.

 

“The bounce we reported last month has continued and the general mood remains optimistic,” said Long, “but the pricing pressure brought on by the recently announced tariffs has added a new dimension of stress to many purchasing offices. We have not seen this level of price pressure in several years.”

 

Long said the “floodgates” of new orders were opened immediately after the corporate tax cuts were signed into law. He said the recent bounce in auto sales appears to have quelled the fears that local automotive parts producers may be starting to slow.

 

Despite the shortage of labor, Long said several companies are still growing. “The strength of the economy has resulted in the office furniture industry holding steady,” he said. “Although there are a couple of exceptions, most of our industrial distributors are participating in the uptick of business and almost all of the manufacturing firms still cannot find enough new workers to fill open positions.”

 

The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”

 

For over 28 years, Dr. Brian Long has edited a survey of local purchasing managers for both the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids areas, which has proved to be a major indicator of current and future business conditions.  This survey appears in many local newspapers and national business publications, including the Grand Rapids Press, MiBiz, and the Grand Rapids Business Journal.  The survey is also a component of the Federal Reserve’s bimonthly survey of business conditions. 

GVSU visual and media arts seniors to showcase capstone works during multiple exhibitions

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The “x-height” exhibition runs April 9-12.
By Matthew Makowski
More than 50 students from the Visual and Media Arts Department will showcase works that represent the culmination of their educational journeys at Grand Valley State University.

 

“x-height” is just one of these upcoming exhibits. Kendra Smith said the senior graphic design exhibition is meant to represent the starting point of the future careers of the eleven participating students.

 

“Graphic design is not always featured in shows, so it is even more beneficial that we learn the process through this experience in school,” said Smith, a senior majoring in graphic design. “I personally had no idea about all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating and promoting an exhibit. Everyone has really used their skills gained in the program to step out-of-the-box and create work they’re really passionate about.”

 

Smith’s contribution to “x-height” includes branding elements for a fictional design museum called the Grand Rapids Institute of Design (GRID), including visitor guides, tickets, membership cards, a mock website and more.

 

“From a young age, I have always enjoyed visiting museums and gaining more knowledge,” said Smith. “I also have not had the opportunity yet to create design work for a public space, so I wanted to challenge myself to try something new.”

 

The “Control and Creativity (100 Questions I Asked Myself)” exhibition runs April 9 -12.

Justin Nienhuis, a senior studio art major with an emphasis on jewelry making and metalsmithing, said his solo exhibit revolves around 100 questions he asked himself while contemplating his showcase.

 

“I just wanted to be aware of what I was thinking about while I was creating my work,” said Nienhuis, from Holland. “In my show, I explore how a vessel could be formed in metal versus ceramics.”

 

“Control and Creativity (100 Questions I Asked Myself)” will showcase 20 works by Nienhuis, mostly consisting of pieces created from copper, brass, bronze and nickel silver.

 

Nienhuis said the Visual and Media Arts Department helped him develop the skills necessary to succeed in his future career.

 

“GVSU has some amazing professors, like Beverly Seley, the head of the jewelry and metalsmithing program,” said Nienhuis. “The art program has really been formed to help students learn how to not only make art, but also prepare us for being professional artists in the future by teaching skills like how to build a resume, website, and professional portfolio, and how to apply for grants.”

 

Below is a full list of upcoming senior thesis exhibitions:

 

x-height
Senior graphic design exhibition
Exhibition dates: April 9-12
Art Gallery, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Reception: April 12, from 5-7 p.m.

 

Control and Creativity (100 Questions I Asked Myself)
Senior BFA thesis exhibit by Justin Neinhuis, jewelry and metalsmithing major
Exhibition dates: April 9-12
Padnos Student Gallery, Calder Art Center, Allendale Campus
Reception: April 12, from 5-7 p.m.

 

Emerge
Senior illustration thesis exhibition
Exhibition dates: April 14-May 18
Nomad Galleries by Richard App, 74 Monroe Center Street NW, Grand Rapids
*Hours by appointment
Reception: April 14, from 5-9 p.m.

 

Teammates How Do/The Wall is Not Solid/how to ollie
Three senior visual studies exhibitions
Exhibition dates: April 16-22 (Monday-Thursday, from 5-9 p.m.)
106 Division Avenue South
Receptions: April 20, from 6-9 p.m.; April 21 and 22, from 2-5 p.m.

 

Fractal
Senior photography thesis exhibition
Exhibition dates: April 17-27
Art Gallery, Haas Center, Allendale Campus
Reception: April 19, from 5-7 p.m.

 

Film and Video Spring Showcase
April 24, from 7-10 p.m.
Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

 

For more information, contact the Visual and Media Arts Department at (616) 331-3486.

GVSU’s Sigal Lecture: ‘Social Justice as a Faith-based Imperative’ set for April 10

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The Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe (photo supplied)

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

An upcoming lecture at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) will explore the importance of social justice in various religious communities around the world.

 

The Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, general secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, will be the featured speaker during the 2018 Rabbi Phillip Sigal Memorial Lecture. In her role, Henry-Crowe oversees the church’s response to issues including civil and human rights, economic justice, environmental justice, health and wholeness, peace with justice, and women and children.

 

The free event will take place April 10 from 7-9 pm in the Eberhard Center (room 215), located on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus (401 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids, MI 49504). To register for this event, visit the Kaufman Interfaith Institute website, or call 616.331.5702.

 

During her presentation, Henry-Crowe will primarily touch on the importance of social justice in the Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), but her points will apply to many different religious, secular and spiritual traditions.

 

“With the rise of activism and an increase of literature on how religious, secular or spiritual traditions impact this activism, this lecture will be a good time to reflect on how social justice is imperative,” said Kevin McIntosh, Campus Interfaith Resources coordinator. “Susan will move from what justice means in these traditions to what social justice means now, and will focus on current issues, such as food, immigration and religious oppression.”

 

Two additional respondents will also participate in the lecture. Marlene Kowalski-Braun, assistant vice president for inclusion and student affairs at Grand Valley, and Muaz Redzic, Imam at the Bosnian Culture Center in Grand Rapids.

 

Kowalski-Braun will examine the definitions of the terms “social justice” and “inclusion and equity”, while Redzic will discuss how his Islamic faith pushes him to participate in social justice.

 

The annual lecture is named for Rabbi Phillip J. Sigal, a pioneer of the interfaith movement in West Michigan until his death in 1995. Aside from his duties at Ahavas Israel Synagogue, Sigal was instrumental in opening the lines of communication among several religions in the area. After his death, a group of local academic and interfaith enthusiasts established the Sigal Memorial Lecture in his honor. Since that time, the event has brought some of the most important voices in religion and social movements to churches, schools and other venues in West Michigan.

 

This year’s lecture is sponsored by Campus Interfaith Resources and the Kaufman Interfaith Institute.

 

GVSU Opera Theatre presents ‘Oklahoma!’ in early February

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Grand Valley State University Opera Theatre students will bring to life Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration, Oklahoma!, which remains, in many ways, their most innovative work, having set the standards and established the rules of musical theater still being followed today.

 

Set in the West just after the turn of the century, the high-spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the colorful background against which Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a winsome farm girl, play out their love story. Although the road to true love never runs smoothly with these two headstrong romantics holding the reins, love’s journey is as bumpy as a surrey ride down a country road. Succeeding in making a new life together and beginning that new life in a brand-new state provides the ultimate climax for these characters in Oklahoma!

  • What: Oklahoma!
  • When: Feb. 2, 3, 9, 10, at 7:30 pm; Feb. 4, 11, at 2 pm
  • Where: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
  • Tickets: $14 for adults; $12 seniors and GVSU faculty, staff, alumni; $6 for students, groups — purchase tickets through the Louis Armstrong Theatre box office in-person Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., by calling 616.331.2300, or online at startickets.com

GVSU presents ‘Anton, Himself: First and Last’ on Jan. 19, 20 & 21

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Roger Ellis

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

This single actor tour de force reveals the deeply personal and artistic sides of Russia’s most famous playwright, Anton Chekhov. The play begins with the dramatist immediately following the failure of his early masterpiece “The Seagull” (1895) and concludes with the success of “The Cherry Orchard” (1903).

 

Written by Karen Sunde, this semi-documentary drama skillfully captures the soul and the spirit of this giant of the modern stage struggling with his literary identity, with the opinions of an often-hostile public, and with the challenges of pursuing romance and serving as head of a family.

 

The one-man show will be performed by Roger Ellis, professor of theater at Grand Valley State University.

  • What: ‘Anton, Himself: First and Last’
  • When: Jan. 19 and 20, at 7:30 pm, Jan. 21, at 2 pm
  • Where: Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
  • Tickets: $12 for adults; $10 seniors and GVSU faculty, staff, alumni; $6 for students, groups — purchase tickets through the Louis Armstrong Theatre box office in-person Monday-Friday from 10 am-5 pm, by calling 616.331.2300, or online at startickets.com

GVSU presents Guest Artist Recital: Mika Sasaki, piano on Jan. 19

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Pianist Mika Sasaki has established herself as a sought-after soloist, chamber musician and emerging educator. Since her concerto debut with the Sinfonia of Cambridge in the United Kingdom at the age of 7, she has appeared twice with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and more recently with the 92Y Orchestra in New York City. She has performed at venues including the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Peter J. Sharp Theater, Palazzo Chigi Saracini (Italy), Minato Mirai Hall (Japan) and Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (Japan). Her solo debut album “Obsidian: Mika Sasaki plays Clara Schumann” was released on Yarlung Records in 2016.

  • What: Mika Sasaki, piano
  • When: Jan. 19, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

‘Ebb and Flow: Explorations in Painting by Herbert Murrie’ Exhibition at GVSU Jan. 15-March 30

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

For more than 40 years, Herbert Murrie had a successful advertising and design career based in Chicago. However, because of his artistic upbringing and drive, he always returned to the studio in pursuit of a more spontaneous and freeing output.

 

In 1988, Murrie began painting more seriously and by the late 1990s, he was exhibiting regularly. Over the next 15 years, evidence of his freed state leapt off the canvas. Controlled manipulation of paint and color bore witness to his understanding of design, while his process of working intuitively noted elements of the artistic movements he grew up with in the mid-20th Century.

 

Like many artists, Murrie often steps away from his art and then returns to work on pieces in his studio that he feels are unfinished. This exhibition examines the ebb and flow of his creative process, while looking back at his painting career and forward to a new body of work. It includes 26 pieces that span his career as a painter — from 1995 to the present. They are drawn out of private collections and the Grand Valley State University permanent art collection, which includes 16 works that were donated by Herbert and Lisa Murrie in 2015.

  • What: ‘Ebb and Flow: Explorations in Painting by Herbert Murrie’ Exhibition
  • When: Jan. 15-March 30; opening reception: Jan. 18, from 5-7 pm
  • Where: GVSU Art Gallery (room 1121), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts

GVSU announces 2018 speakers for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week

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April Regin

Two women who started national movements against acts of oppression will visit Grand Valley State University as keynote speakers during the campus’ 2018 commemoration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

April Reign, creator of the viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, is slated as the speaker on Monday, Jan. 15; and Bree Newsome, who climbed a flagpole in South Carolina in 2015 to remove a Confederate flag, is the Wednesday, Jan. 17, speaker.

 

Reign is an attorney and writer who lives in Washington, D.C. In 2015, she sent a tweet critical of the 88th Academy Awards ceremony and lack of people of color nominated in major acting and directing categories. Her #OscarsSoWhite tweet went viral and was a catalyst for a social media movement and caused the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to change its membership policies and voting rules.

 

Reign now has a social media following of more than 100,000, and is listed among the top 15 accounts on #BlackTwitter by the National Journal. She regularly appears at academic institutions, entertainment networks and studios to speak about diversity and inclusion.

 

As part of a collaborative effort among Grand Valley, Grand Rapids Community College and Davenport University, Reign also will give presentations at GRCC, Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids and Davenport’s campus during her two-day stay in West Michigan.

 

Bree Newsome

Newsome is a filmmaker and artist who was in the national spotlight in 2015 when the climbed a flagpole in Columbia, South Carolina — the state’s capital — to lower its Confederate flag. Her action came shortly after the mass shooting of nine African American parishioners at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. She was arrested along with another activist and soon #FreeBree was a Twitter trend and $100,000 raised for her $3,000 jail fine.

 

Her actions stirred the political pot in many communities. The Confederate flag was permanently removed from the statehouse by then-Gov. Nikki Haley and discussion moved across the country considering flags and monuments.

 

Newsome lives in North Carolina and works as an artist and community organizer. She earned the 2016 NAACP Image Award and was named to the Ebony 100, recognizing her commitment to civil rights.

 

Grand Valley’s 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week will run Jan. 15-20; visit gvsu.edu/mlkfor updates.

New report shows that collective giving is fostering diversity in philanthropy

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By Nate Hoekstra

Grand Valley State University

 

A new report from researchers on charitable giving has found that the growing trend of collective giving is helping foster diversity in philanthropy.

 

Collective giving groups, which are often known as giving circles, have become an increasingly popular way for donors with diverse backgrounds to support charitable organizations or projects of mutual interest.

 

The study was conducted by the Collective Giving Research Group (CGRG), which includes Jason Franklin, the W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy chair at Grand Valley State University’s Johnson Center for Philanthropy.

 

The study focused on the current scope and scale of collective giving groups in order to understand their impact on donor giving and civic engagement.

 

Researchers found that giving circles have engaged at least 150,000 people in all 50 states and given as much as $1.29 billion since their inception. A majority of giving circles are created around a particular identity — including groups based on gender, race, age and religion. Giving circles have become more inclusive of income levels as the average and most frequent amount given by individual donors may be decreasing, while total dollars donated by giving circles are increasing.

 

“Giving circles are a powerful tool to democratize and diversify philanthropy, engage new donors and increase local giving,” Franklin said. “This research sheds critically needed new light on this popular form of collective giving. In a time when philanthropy is increasingly focused on the giving habits of billionaires, this research is an important reminder that everyday givers are coming together and pooling their resources to make a difference in their communities and for the issues they care about.”

 

Other key findings include:

 

• Collaborative giving is becoming more inclusive with donors from a wide range of income levels.

 

Giving circles have always provided avenues for those without substantial means to participate in significant giving, but this latest study suggests these groups now attract members from a wider range of income levels. Today, minimum dollar amounts required for participation range from less than $20 to $2 million, and the average donation amount was found to be $1,312 – compared to $2,809 in 2007.

 

• Identity-based groups make up 60 percent of giving circles and drive much of the growth in collaborative giving.

 

Giving circles attract many types of people, including those who may not typically engage in institutional philanthropy. Most groups are formed around a specific identity including groups based on gender, race, age and religion.

 

• Women dominate giving circle membership, making up 70 percent of all members. This collective model of giving is particularly popular among women. While men have a presence in 66 percent of giving circles, they are only the majority of members in 7.5 percent of groups.

 

• Giving circles are connected to each other and to philanthropy.

 

Networks of giving circles have emerged since 2007, with 25 networks now in existence. Today, 45 percent of identified giving circles participate in a network or alliance group. Community foundations, corporate partners and other outside donors view these collective giving groups as an effective way to give, with 52 percent of giving circles receiving additional funds or grants from these sources.

 

The study was conducted by the Collective Giving Research Group and was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, via the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Researchers who co-authored the report with Franklin include Jessica Bearman from Bearman Consulting; Julie Carboni, Syracuse University; and Angela Eikenberry, University of Nebraska at Omaha.

‘Traveling with the Bangalore Wanderlusters’ at GVSU through March 2

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By Maya Grant

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

In fall 2016, Maya Grant traveled to India on a study abroad scholarship from the GVSU Padnos International Center. Grant, a sociology major, was led to India by a need to escape and explore. She studied at Christ University in Bengaluru, volunteered at a local non-profit and captured her experiences and interactions through photography. On the weekends, Grant joined a group of expats called the Bangalore Wanderlusters, and traveled throughout Karnataka and its neighboring states. This exhibition includes more than 25 photographs documenting her experiences studying abroad, and exploring the landscape and people of India.

  • What: ‘Traveling with the Bangalore Wanderlusters: Reflections on a Semester in India by Maya Grant’
  • When: Exhibition on display through March 2
  • Where: Blue Wall Gallery (Building B), DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

‘Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings’ at GVSU through March 2

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

From 1940-1960, the Australian government forced Aboriginal groups off their lands and into organized communities of the Central Desert region and along the northern coast. Papunya, located about 150 miles northwest of Alice Springs, was the final community established to collect these displaced groups, and where the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement began.

 

This exhibition is drawn out of a recent gift of Australian Aboriginal paintings to Grand Valley State University, created by artists from Papunya and the surrounding region. It features artwork that provides insight into Aboriginal life, retellings of important ancient stories and symbols, and the sacred sites of this vast and arid landscape.

  • What: ‘Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings from the Central and Western Deserts’
    When:     Exhibition on display through March 2
    Where:     Kirkhof Center Gallery (main floor), Allendale Campus

‘Strange & Magical Beasts: Etchings by Tony Fitzpatrick’ on display at GVSU through March 2

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Tony Fitzpatrick was born in 1958, and raised in and around Chicago as a member of a large middle-class Irish Catholic family. His father worked as a burial vault salesman, and often took Tony along to appointments around the city when he was suspended from school. Drawing was a pervasive part of his life, and he’d sketch anything that caught his eye. He graduated from Montini Catholic High School in 1977, untrained in the arts. Over the years, Fitzpatrick spent time as boxer, bartender, actor, waiter and tattoo artist. These experiences, coupled with an insatiable appetite for drawing, had a profound effect on his work.

 

This exhibition features 21 etchings by the artist. They are drawn out of a recent gift to Grand Valley State University’s permanent art collection of more than 120 works on paper. Filled with strange and magical beasts, they draw on his childhood imagination, Catholic upbringing and immersive experience in street culture.

  • What: ‘Strange & Magical Beasts: Etchings by Tony Fitzpatrick’
  • When: Exhibit on display through March 2
  • Where: West Wall Gallery, L. V. Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

‘Landscapes, Color & Light’ Exhibition on display through March 2

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By Virginia Jenkins

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Virginia Jenkins is a professor and former chair of the Department of Visual and Media Arts at Grand Valley State University. Landscape forms and images have been the primary focus of her work for more than two decades, and her areas of specialty are in painting, drawing and mixed media. This exhibition is drawn from a recent series created in response to the landscape of the Northwest coast of the United States.

  • What: ‘Landscapes, Color & Light: Paintings by Virginia Jenkins’
  • When: Exhibition on display through March 2
  • Where: Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall (first floor), Allendale Campus

At the GVSU Art Gallery: Mathias J. Alten, An Evolving Legacy

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

The German-born American artist Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) is often referred to as the dean of Michigan painters. Working in a traditional representational style, Alten incorporated the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in paintings infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over a more than 40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals.

 

Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection of Alten’s work in the world.

  • What: ‘Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy’
  • When: Exhibition dates: ongoing
  • Where: George and Barbara Gordon Gallery, DeVos Center, Building E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
  • Hours: Gordon Gallery hours are Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends

For more information about Art Gallery exhibitions, visit gvsu.edu/artgallery or call 616.331.3638. 

GVSU Music, Theatre and Dance Schedule for December

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Varsity Men’s Glee Club (photo supplied)

 

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

Arts at Noon

Arts at Noon brings nationally and internationally-known musicians to Grand Valley State University for 14 performances each academic year. All Arts at Noon concerts will take place in the Cook-DeWitt Center, located on the Allendale Campus. They will begin at noon and last approximately one hour. Every concert is free and open to the public. For more information about Arts at Noon, visit gvsu.edu/artsatnoon or contact Henry Duitman, series coordinator, at duitmanh@gvsu.edu.

December 6 – GVSU Brass Quintet Holiday Concert

The annual holiday concert featuring the GVSU Brass Quintet is an Arts at Noon tradition. The ensemble is comprised of Grand Valley State University music faculty, including Alex Wilson (trumpet), Richard Britsch (horn), Mark Williams (trombone), Paul Carlson (tuba) and visiting performer Paul Hardaker (trumpet). Each year, the quintet also performs multiple outreach concerts, and facilitates master classes and coaching sessions at high schools throughout Michigan.

 

Theatre at Grand Valley presents “Cabaret”

  • When: December 1-2, at 7:30 pm, December 3, at 2 pm
  • Where: Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Tickets: $12 adults, $10 seniors and GVSU alumni, faculty and staff, $6 students and groups “Cabaret” takes place in Berlin, Germany, in 1930. American novelist, Cliff, is searching for inspiration when he finds lodging at Frau Schneider’s residence above the notorious Kit Kat Club. Led by a saucy emcee and Sally Bowles, a sassy showgirl, the free-wheeling performers at the club turn Cliff’s world upside down. Can Cliff and Sally find happiness as anti-Semitism and homophobia are on the rise?

 

GVSU Early Music Ensemble Concert

  • When: December 2, at 3 pm
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Grand Valley State University’s Early Music Ensemble performs under the direction of Pablo Mahave-Veglia, professor of cello. This event is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Fall Dance Concert

  • When: December 2, at 7 pm, December 3, at 2 pm
  • Where: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

During this fall dance concert at Grand Valley State University, which is free and open to the public, the GVSU Dance Company and Freshman Dance Company will perform a diverse collection of dance works.

 

GVSU Choral Concert

  • When: December 5, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Cook-DeWitt Center, Allendale Campus

This concert at Grand Valley State University will feature the vocal expertise of three ensembles: Select Women’s Ensemble, University Singers and Cantate Chamber Ensemble. The Select Women’s Ensemble has earned a reputation for quality performances of challenging choral literature and performing both accompanied and a cappella repertoire that is representative of a variety of musical periods and styles. University Singers is comprised of students from all majors; over 90 percent of its members are non-music majors. The Cantate Chamber Ensemble is dedicated to the artistic performance of distinctive a cappella choral music for a small ensemble.

 

GVSU Concert Band Concert

  • When: December 6, at 7 pm
  • Where: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

For this concert at Grand Valley State University, which is free and open to the public, the GVSU Concert Band will perform a variety of selections, including “A Feast of Wind Treats,” “An American Fanfare,” “Ave Maria,” “Second Suite in F,” “Chimes of Liberty,” “Song for Lindsay,” and “Vesuvius.”

 

GVSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert

  • When: December 8, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

The Grand Valley State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble will perform under the direction of Kevin Tutt during this free concert, which is open to the public. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is widely recognized as one of the elite undergraduate wind ensembles, committed to the performance of the finest band literature. In 2016, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble released its first CD, titled “Under Western Skies,” which is available on iTunes and Amazon.

 

GVSU Varsity Men’s Glee Club Concert

  • When: December 9, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Cook-DeWitt Center, Allendale Campus

The Grand Valley State University Varsity Men’s Glee Club is an all-male ensemble comprising young men who represent a variety of musical and academic disciplines. The ensemble’s diverse repertoire includes literature that spans from Gregorian chant to the 21st century music.

 

GVSU Fall Senior Dance Concert

  • When: December 9, at 7 pm, December 10, at 2 pm
  • Where: Dance Studio Theatre, room 1600, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Join GVSU senior dance majors for a showcase of new works created as a part of their capstone projects. This concert will feature the diverse and unique choreographic visions of five students: Sarah Byington, Coral Howard, Mackenzie Matyn, Leigha McDaniel and Hannah Suydam. This event is free and open to the public.

 

Dan Graser Faculty-Artist Recial: The Solo Saxophone

  • When: December 10, at 7:30-9 pm
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Dan Graser, saxophonist and assistant professor of saxophone at Grand Valley State University, will present a free recital of the history of solo works for wind instruments in the 20th/21st centuries. This recital is free and open to the public.

 

For more information about Music, Theatre and Dance Department events, contact 616.331.3484 or visit gvsu.edu/mtd.

GVSU Fall Arts Celebration concert to feature holiday music from France

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By Matthew Makowski

GVSU

 

On Christmas Eve in France, churches and cathedrals are lit with candles, church bells can be heard ringing throughout the air and Christmas carols are sung by thousands of people. After midnight mass, French families traditionally celebrate with a feast called “le réveillon” — a cherished household tradition celebrating family, with food and wine that can last up to six hours until the dawn of Christmas morning.

 

Fall Arts Celebration at Grand Valley will honor these French holiday traditions through music with a large symphony orchestra performing selections including Renaissance composer Guillaume Du Fay’s “Magnificat,” Francis Poulenc’s “Gloria,” and France’s most beloved holiday carols, including “Pat-a-pan, Il est né, le divin Enfant” and “Minuit, Chrétiens” (O Holy Night).

 

“Noël, Noël, Joyeux Noël: A Celebration of French Music for the Holiday Season” will take place Monday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m., at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE.

 

The GVSU Symphony Orchestra will accompany a 90-member chorus, including Grand Valley’s University Arts Chorale and high school choir students from East Grand Rapids and Hudsonville. The processional will spotlight eight Grand Valley dance majors who will be dancing in the aisles. The Grand Rapids Symphony Junior Youth Chorus will also be featured, and Ashley Neumann, ’08, will return to perform as soprano soloist in Poulenc’s “Gloria.”

 

“Music is an integral part of this wonderful time of year as hearing the ageless melodies of the Christmas season often transports us back to when the excitement of Christmas morning was the best time of the year,” said Danny Phipps, chair of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department.

 

For more information about Fall Arts Celebration, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.

GVSU math professor recognized for contributions to science by national organization

3-bottom, , , ,
Ed Aboufadel

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Edward Aboufadel has been named a Fellow by the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for his contributions to the advancement of science or its applications. Aboufadel is the first Grand Valley State University faculty member to be named an AAAS Fellow.

 

“My initial reaction to receiving this award was one of pleasant surprise, because I was not aware that I was a nominee,” said Aboufadel, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs and professor of mathematics.

 

Aboufadel has been a member of AAAS since 1987, serving in a variety of roles, including secretary, an officer in the Mathematics Section of the organization, and task force chair.

 

Beyond his work with the AAAS, Aboufadel said he takes pride in his on-going program of scholarship in applied mathematics during his more than 20 years at Grand Valley. Much of his work has consisted of conducting research with undergraduate students. Some of his projects have included mathematically-based 3D printing designs, hiding messages in images, and the analysis of pollution in river systems using subway-like maps.

 

Aboufadel said he is most proud of a project through which he and two of his students helped develop an app called Street Bump. The app uses a wavelet-based algorithm to detect potholes within the city of Boston. Aboufadel and his students received a prize from the city for their work.

GVSU Brass Quintet Holiday Concert set for noon Dec. 6

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GVSU Faculty Brass Quintet (photo supplied)

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

The annual holiday concert featuring the GVSU Brass Quintet is an Arts at Noon tradition. The ensemble comprises Grand Valley State University music faculty, including Alex Wilson (trumpet), Richard Britsch (horn), Mark Williams (trombone), Paul Carlson (tuba) and visiting performing Paul Hardaker (trumpet). Each year, the quintet also performs multiple outreach concerts, and facilitates master classes and coaching sessions at high schools throughout Michigan.

  • When: December 6 at noon
  • Where: Cook-DeWitt Center, located on the Allendale Campus

Arts at Noon

Arts at Noon brings nationally and internationally-known musicians to Grand Valley State University for 14 performances each academic year. All Arts at Noon concerts will take place in the Cook-DeWitt Center, located on the Allendale Campus. They will begin at noon and last approximately one hour. Every concert is free and open to the public. For more information about Arts at Noon, visit gvsu.edu/artsatnoon or contact Henry Duitman, series coordinator, at duitmanh@gvsu.edu.

 

For more information about Music, Theatre and Dance Department events, contact 616.331.3484 or visit gvsu.edu/mtd.

GVSU students tackle importance of political awareness during performances of ‘Cabaret’

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The GVSU cast of “Cabaret.” Photo by Valerie Wojo

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

In Berlin, Germany, in 1930, three years before Adolf Hitler came to power, Cliff, an American novelist, is searching for inspiration when he finds lodging at Frau Schneider’s boarding house above the notorious and racy Kit Kat Club. Led by a saucy Emcee and Sally Bowles, a sassy showgirl and British singer, the free-wheeling performers at the club turn Cliff’s world upside down while the power of the Nazi party lurks just beyond the club’s doors.

 

This is the plot of “Cabaret,” which Grand Valley students will perform Nov. 16-18, 29 and 30, and Dec. 1-2 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 19 and Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. All performances will take place in the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts.

 

“These characters are focused on having a good time and living in an environment that is free and liberated, but what they fail to realize, or refuse to realize, is that a change in German politics is allowing the Nazi party to come to power,” said Dennis Henry, director and visiting professor of theater. “’Cabaret’ is a warning about the need for everyone to know what is going on in politics in order to prevent the rise of evil.”

 

Lindsey Normington, a senior majoring in communication studies who plays Sally Bowles, said that portraying her character’s denial has been her biggest hurdle during rehearsals.

 

“I’m the type of person who is generally very concerned when I feel like I see someone being treated unfairly,” she said. “Sally gives off a happy-go-lucky vibe, but she is more interested deep down in protecting herself over others.”

 

“Cabaret” marks the first theater performance to take place in the new Keller Theatre, and Henry said the production will take full advantage of the black box theater’s ability to provide flexible staging and audience seating formations.

 

“For this first production, we are arranging the seats in an ‘arena’ configuration, with the audience on all four sides of the playing space,” he said. “Since much of the play takes place in the Kit Kat Club, this arrangement will give the audience the feeling of being in the club with the performers, and there will even be some limited table seating on the edges of the stage itself.”

 

While the themes of “Cabaret” are serious in nature, Henry said the play itself is light-hearted.

 

“The songs are classics that will stick in your head and the characters of Sally and the emcee are some of the most popular and memorable characters of the American theater cannon,” he explained.

 

Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and Grand Valley alumni, faculty and staff, and $6 for students and groups. To purchase tickets, contact the Louis Armstrong Theatre Box Office at 616-331-2300 or visit startickets.com.

Grand Valley Writers Series hosts Vu Tran Nov. 14

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Vu Tran

Vu Tran’s first novel, Dragonfish, was a New York Times Notable Book and one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Best Books of the Year. His short fiction has appeared in O. Henry Prize Stories, Best American Mystery Stories, and many other publications. He is the winner of a Whiting Writers’ Award and has received fellowships from Bread Loaf, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Vermont Studio Center, and the MacDowell Colony. 

 

Born in Vietnam and raised in Oklahoma, Vu received his MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a doctoral degree from the Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is currently an assistant professor of practice in English and creative writing at the University of Chicago.

  • What: Craft talk
  • When: November 14, 2:30-3:45 pm 
  • Where: Kirkhof Center, room 2266 (Allendale Campus)
  • What: Reading and book signing
  • When: November 14, 6-7:30 pm
  • Where: Cook-DeWitt Center (Allendale Campus)

Authors from around the world will visit Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus as part of the 2017-18 Grand Valley Writers Series. The series has a rich history of bringing distinguished and emerging writers to campus to read work, visit classrooms and interact with students. For more information about the GV Writers Series, visit gvsu.edu/writing.

From Mathias to SoulTech, GVSU art galleries feature an array of work

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Mathias Alten-Tarpon Springs (1935)

“Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy”
Exhibition dates: ongoing
George and Barbara Gordon Gallery
DeVos Center, Building E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Gordon Gallery hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends

 

The German-born American artist, Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) is often referred to as the dean of Michigan painters. Working in a traditional representational style, Alten incorporated the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in paintings infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over a more than 40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection of Alten’s work in the world.

 

‘Kunnnby’ – Bush Lolly Dreaming

“Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings from the Central and Western Deserts”
Exhibit on display through March 2, 2018
Kirkhof Center Gallery, Allendale Campus

 

From 1940-1960, the Australian government forced Aboriginal groups off their lands and into organized communities of the Central Desert region and along the northern coast. Papunya, located about 150 miles northwest of Alice Springs, was the final community established to collect these displaced groups, and where the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement began. This exhibition is drawn out of a recent gift of Australian Aboriginal paintings to Grand Valley State University, created by artists from Papunya and the surrounding region. It features artwork that provides insight into Aboriginal life, retellings of important ancient stories and symbols, and the sacred sites of this vast and arid landscape.

 

“Balloon Popping” Nau-Kim

“2017 SeoulTech & GVSU Art & Design Student Exchange Exhibition”
Exhibit on display through December 8
Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall (first floor), Allendale Campus

 

This exhibition continues the collaboration between Grand Valley State University and Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), that was started in 2008. It features 40 photographs of artwork by SeoulTech art students, while a similar number of photographs by GVSU art and design students were sent to South Korea for a partner exhibition.

 

“Hunkered Down” Virginia Jenkins

“Landscapes, Color & Light: Paintings by Virginia Jenkins”
Exhibition dates: December 15, 2017-March 2, 2018
Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall (first floor), Allendale Campus

 

Virginia Jenkins is a professor and former chair of the Department of Visual and Media Arts at Grand Valley State University. Landscape forms and images have been the primary focus of her work for over two decades, and her areas of specialty are in painting, drawing and mixed media. This exhibition is drawn from a recent series created in response to the landscape of the Northwest coast of the United States.

 

“Traveling with the Bangalore Wanderlusters: Reflections on a Semester in India by Maya Grant”
Exhibition on display through March 2, 2018
Blue Wall Gallery (Building B), DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

 

In the fall of 2016, Maya Grant travelled to India on a study abroad scholarship from the GVSU Padnos International Center. Grant, a sociology major, was led to India by a need to escape and explore. She studied at Christ University in Bengaluru, volunteered at a local non-profit and captured her experiences and interactions through photography. On the weekends, Grant joined a group of expats called the Bangalore Wanderlusters, and traveled throughout Karnataka and its neighboring states. This exhibition includes more than 25 photographs documenting her experiences studying abroad, and exploring the landscape and people of India.

 

For more information about Art Gallery exhibitions, visit gvsu.edu/artgallery or call 616-331-3638.

Theatre at Grand Valley presents ‘Cabaret’ in Nov. and Dec.

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Photo courtesy Grand Valley State University

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Cabaret takes place in Berlin, Germany, in 1930. American novelist, Cliff, is searching for inspiration when he finds lodging at Frau Schneider’s residence above the notorious Kit Kat Club. Led by a saucy emcee and Sally Bowles, a sassy showgirl, the free-wheeling performers at the club turn Cliff’s world upside down. Can Cliff and Sally find happiness as anti-Semitism and homophobia are on the rise?

 

When: November 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, and December 1, 2, at 7:30 pm; November 19 and December 3, at 2 pm.

 

Where: Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

 

Tickets: $12 adults, $10 seniors and GVSU alumni, faculty and staff, $6 students and groups

‘Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings from the Central and Western Deserts’ at GVSU Nov. 3-March 2

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‘Kunnnby’ – Bush Lolly Dreaming, Michael Nelson Tjakamarra, Acrylic on Canvas

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

From 1940-1960, the Australian government forced Aboriginal groups off their lands and into organized communities of the Central Desert region and along the northern coast. Papunya, located about 150 miles northwest of Alice Springs, was the final community established to collect these displaced groups, and where the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement began. This exhibition is drawn out of a recent gift of Australian Aboriginal paintings to Grand Valley State University, created by artists from Papunya and the surrounding region. It features artwork that provides insight into Aboriginal life, retellings of important ancient stories and symbols, and the sacred sites of this vast and arid landscape.

Dancers to perform in the ‘vertical realm’ during GVSU Fall Arts Celebration

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Aerial Dance Chicago

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Fall Arts Celebration at Grand Valley State University will transcend the traditional dance floor and fly into the sky when Aerial Dance Chicago (ADC) presents a new world of athleticism coupled with an elegant showcase of dancing in the air.

 

“Celebrating Originality: Defying Gravity with Aerial Dance Chicago” will take place Monday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m., in Louis Armstrong Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus. The performance will be preceded by a carillon concert on the Cook Carillon Tower at 7:10 p.m. featuring Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carilloneur, and followed by a reception.

 

A pioneer and an international leader in aerial dance, ADC is dedicated to presenting original choreography and performance in the field. The ensemble launches itself into the creative possibilities found in a vertical realm.

 

“Aerial dance has evolved into a highly sophisticated and expressive art form, far beyond its origins in acrobatics and circus-based aerial arts,” said Danny Phipps, chair of the Music, Theater and Dance Department. “It is a visually stunning and innovative approach to modern dance that is a must see for anyone who loves dance.”

 

During the company’s Fall Arts Celebration performance, ADC will incorporate a variety of apparatus, including suspended fabrics, bungee cords, hoops, swings and ropes.

 

Founded in 1999, ADC is currently the only dance company in the Chicago region dedicated to choreography and performance in the field of aerial dance. In 2014, ADC opened Chicago’s first dance center dedicated to work in aerial dance.

 

“While there are more and more such companies developing nationwide, performances such as this are mostly centered in larger cities and urban environments,” said Phipps. “This will be a unique opportunity for everyone who attends Fall Arts Celebration.”

 

For more information about Fall Arts Celebration, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.

‘Celebrating Originality: Defying Gravity with Aerial Dance Chicago’ Nov. 6 at GVSU

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FAC Dance-Aerial Dance Chicago (photo supplied)

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Fall Arts Celebration will transcend the traditional dance floor and fly into the sky when Aerial Dance Chicago (ADC) presents a new world of athleticism coupled with an elegant showcase of dancing in the air.

 

A pioneer and an international leader in aerial dance, ADC is dedicated to presenting original choreography and performance in the field. The ensemble launches itself into the creative possibilities found in a vertical realm.

 

During the company’s Fall Arts Celebration performance, ADC will incorporate a variety of apparatus, including suspended fabrics, bungee cords, hoops, swings and ropes.

 

When: November 6, at 7:30pm

 

Where: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

 

*Concert will be preceded by a carillon concert at 7:10pm featuring Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carilloneur, and followed by a reception.

GVSU Music, Theatre and Dance schedule for November

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By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Enrich your life with these free performances in November at Grand Valley State University!

High School Vocal Day Concert

  • When: November 3, at 2 pm
  • Where: Cook-DeWitt Center, Allendale Campus

Now in its 7th year, High School Vocal Day at Grand Valley State University welcomes more than 100 high school students from around Michigan to a day of learning and performing alongside Grand Valley music faculty and students, as well as nationally known guest instructors. This concert will be the capstone performance for High School Vocal Day at Grand Valley. This busy day of workshops and seminars will conclude with a performance by Grand Valley student soloists and a choir consisting of both Vocal Day participants and Grand Valley students. This concert is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Faculty-Artist Recital: Sookkyung Cho, piano

  • When: November 7, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

This free concert will highlight the musical prowess of Sookkyung Cho, assistant professor of piano at Grand Valley State University. This concert is open to the public. Before Grand Valley, Cho served on the piano faculty at New England Conservatory Preparatory School and Continuing Education in Boston. She was also adjunct faculty in theory at Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and served as a Teaching Fellow in the piano minor and music theory departments at The Juilliard School.

 

Cho has performed throughout North America, Europe, and her native country, Korea, in prestigious venues, including the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall in New York, Chicago Cultural Center, Sarasota Opera House, Beaux concerts de la releve in Quebec, Château de Fontainebleau in France and Zijingang Theater at Zhejiang University in China, among others. She received a bachelor’s of music and doctorate of musical arts degrees from The Juilliard School, and her master’s from Johns Hopkins University.

 

GVSU presents Amosa Duo

  • When: November 8, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Join the Amosa Duo at Grand Valley State University as they present works for clarinet and piano by Schubert, Schumann, Lindberg, and Weinberg. Comprising Gary June on clarinet and Chia-Ying Chan on piano, the Amosa Duo is devoted to bringing the best of the clarinet and piano repertoires to the concert stage, including both well-known masterpieces and contemporary gems. This concert is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Laker Marching Band presents Bandorama

  • When: November 12, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: Kelly Family Sports Center, Allendale Campus

Join the 220-member Laker Marching Band at Grand Valley State University as they perform a sampling of their 2017 football season halftime shows. This performance will feature song selections ranging in genre from jazz and top 40 to “music from across the pond.” This concert is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Saxophone Studio Recital

  • When: November 28, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

During this free concert, Grand Valley State University’s Saxophone Studio will perform solo and quartet performances. The Saxophone Studio consists of multiple student ensembles, including the Yavin IV Quartet, GQ Quartet and Jubilee Quartet.

 

For more information about Music, Theatre and Dance Department events, contact 616. 331.3484 or visit gvsu.edu/mtd.

GVSU’s ‘Arts at Noon’ free concerts schedule for November

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Grand Rapids Symphony (photo by Terry Johnston)

 

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Arts at Noon brings nationally and internationally-known musicians to Grand Valley State University for 14 performances each academic year. All Arts at Noon concerts will take place in the Cook-DeWitt Center, located on the Allendale Campus. They will begin at noon and last approximately one hour.

 

Every concert is free and open to the public. For more information about Arts at Noon, visit gvsu.edu/artsatnoon or contact Henry Duitman, series coordinator, at duitmanh@gvsu.edu.

 

November 1–Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra

Members of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra will return to Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus for their annual Arts at Noon performance.

 

“As the premiere arts organization in West Michigan, the Grand Rapids Symphony provides amazing cultural and educational benefits to the region,” said Henry Duitman, Arts at Noon coordinator and GVSU Symphony Orchestra director. “Every year, the performance by the Grand Rapids Symphony during the Arts at Noon series brings the warmth of exquisitely played string and woodwind instruments to the audience in the Cook-DeWitt Center. This is always the most eagerly-anticipated performance of the semester.”

 

Akropolis (photo supplied)

November 15–Akropolis Reed Quintet

The Akropolis Reed Quintet takes listeners on musical adventures by performing an innovative repertoire with acclaimed precision. The quintet was founded in 2009 at the University of Michigan and became the first reed quintet to win the Fischoff Gold Medal in 2014. Championing the next generation of musicians, Akropolis delivers impactful outreach programs at schools ranging from kindergarten to conservatory.

 

The ensemble has released two studio albums to critical acclaim and commissioned more than 25 reed quintet works to date. Their dynamic concerts feature accessible contemporary works framed by invigorating arrangements of classical music spanning four centuries.

 

Nicholas Photinos (photo supplied)

November 29–Cellist Nick Photinos

Cellist Nicholas Photinos is a former and founding member of the four-time Grammy Award-winning new music ensemble, eighth blackbird. During his Arts at Noon performance at Grand Valley State University, Photinos will perform works from Petits Artéfacts, his debut recording on New Amsterdam Records. Formed in 1996, eighth blackbird performs throughout the world, with approximately 50 concerts annually, and has been featured on the 2013 Grammy Awards, CBS Sunday Morning and in The New York Times.

 

The group’s mission extends beyond performance to curation and education. The ensemble served as Music Director of the Ojai Music Festival (2009), enjoyed a three-year residency at the Curtis Institute of Music, and holds ongoing Ensemble-in-Residence positions at the University of Richmond and the University of Chicago. Photinos teaches at the Bang on a Can Summer Festival every July. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

GVSU New Music Ensemble to release new CD, ‘Return’

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Grand Valley State University’s New Music Ensemble releases a new CD on Oct. 27.

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Grand Valley’s award-winning New Music Ensemble has released a new CD that was composed by three alumni of the program.

 

The release of the ensemble’s fourth commercial CD, “Return,” will be celebrated on Friday, Oct. 27, with a concert from 7:30-9 p.m. in Louis Armstrong Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus.

 

The album’s three composers, Adam Cuthbért, ’10, Matthew Finch, ’15, and Daniel Rhodé, ’12, will be in attendance, and Cuthbért will open the show with a special performance. An opportunity to meet the composers and the members of the New Music Ensemble will take place following the concert. The event is free and open to the public.

 

Bill Ryan, New Music Ensemble director, said this project fulfills his longtime goal of producing a “100 percent homegrown project.”

 

“This recording represents everything I envisioned when I started the New Music Ensemble — an entire album composed by three outstanding creative thinkers who came through our program, enthusiastically performed and recorded by current students,” said Ryan. “The result is a strikingly beautiful 78-minute journey that has been the most gratifying experience of my career.”

 

The composers worked with the ensemble’s acoustic recordings, and manipulated some to create the 15 acoustic-electronic hybrid compositions featured on the album.

 

“There are moments when the instruments are clearly heard, and others where you may think you know what’s happenings or where you are just perplexed,” Ryan explained. “Clarity of the sonic division between the two worlds of acoustic and electronic is a great tool to play with in terms of engaging the listener.”

 

Students were encouraged to explore their instruments in new ways for the album, which Hannah Donnelly said is one of the unique experiences of being a member of the New Music Ensemble.

 

“Being a part of the New Music Ensemble provides students with a musical experience you won’t find anywhere else on campus,” said Donnelly, a senior majoring in music performance and psychology who plays the flute in the ensemble. “You come to rehearsal and are allowed to experiment with your sound, even if it’s ‘ugly.’ You definitely begin to learn the endless possibilities of the sound of your instrument.”

 

Ryan Schmidt, a senior majoring in music, said the process of creating “Return” helped him see the possibilities of music differently through feedback from the three composers.

 

“Something that I thought sounded bad or unacceptable was exactly what the composers wanted, and in fact, they wanted more,” said Schmidt. “For instance, the microphones picked up subtle noises that your mouth can make while wetting a reed or just setting the mouthpiece to play. The composers used these sounds that otherwise would be useless or strange, and made music with it.”

 

Schmidt added that this experience helped him better appreciate the creative process of developing new music.

 

“Most often, we are playing from a deceased composer’s score and it can feel like we are trying to replicate something that has already been done,” he said. “This process was so valuable because we were making something brand new.”

 

Cuthbért said the inspiration for the pieces he composed for the album stemmed from his internal questioning of how people can keep their humanity in the midst of advancements in technology and science.

 

“‘Location Sharing’ and ‘Background Refresh’ are two tracks named for minor features on our phones that streamline communication through pretty complex technology,” he said.

 

“Return” is available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes. The CD will be released on the Innova label, and the album was mastered by Grammy Award winner Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, whose other clients include Lady Gaga, Adele and Katy Perry.

 

The New Music Ensemble promotes contemporary classical chamber music, with a special focus on music of the past 20 years, through commissions, tours, recordings, educational events, workshops and videos.

 

Since the ensemble formed in 2006, the group has released three other critically acclaimed recordings, which have appeared on “best release lists” by The New York Times, Washington Post, LA Weekly and Time Out Chicago. Some of the ensemble’s recordings have appeared in film and television shows on MTV, Showtime, as well as at more than 75 film festivals around the world, and most recently in U.S. movie theaters as a part of the soundtrack for the film “As I AM: The Life and Times of DJ AM.”

 

The ensemble has completed four tours, including their most recent tour across four U.S. national parks in 2016. The group has also performed at the Bang On a Can Marathon in New York City, the College Music Society National Conference in Atlanta and at Carnegie Hall.

 

For more information about the New Music Ensemble, visit newmusicensemble.org.

GVSU dedicates new black box theater in honor of renowned vocalist

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This October, GVSU dedicated the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre.

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Grand Valley State University’s new Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre is providing students and faculty who are studying and teaching the performing arts with opportunities to tackle new types of productions.

 

The Grand Valley community celebrated the formal dedication of the Keller Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, on Oct. 17.

 

To honor Linn’s memory, the Keller family established the Linn Maxwell Keller Professional Vocalist Experience Endowment at Grand Valley in 2017. The fund provides enrichment opportunities for committed vocal performance students and will aim to encourage them in their professional career development. The Keller Theatre was named in appreciation for their generosity.

 

“The Linn Maxwell Keller Endowment will facilitate and empower our vocal students to move beyond their academic studies and ascend to distinguished achievement by providing needed resources to build artistic capability through advanced study, professional production and community outreach,” said Danny Phipps, chair of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department. “These experiences are critical to their success as they launch their professional careers as the next generation of performing artists.”

 

Fred Keller, Linn’s husband, said that the endowment supports her long-held desire to inspire young, aspiring musicians, especially vocalists.

 

The dedication included an inaugural cabaret in the theater, including six vocal performances by multiple Grand Valley students and alumni of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department.

“Linn was an incredible artist, and I’m so proud that we can have this space in her memory, and an endowment that is going to be inspiring students in the future,” he said. “You’ll never remember what somebody did or said, but you’ll remember how they made you feel, and that’s what Linn brought to the stage.”

 

Linn Maxwell Keller was a dedicated professional singer who performed in 28 countries throughout her career. The only child of two musicians, Linn was a mezzo soprano, performing on many operatic and concert stages, from the Essen Opera House in Germany to Puerto Rico and Carnegie Hall.

 

She went on to write and develop numerous original shows, including the critically acclaimed “Hildegard of Bingen and the Living Light,” and “St. Hildegard, Trumpet of God,” both of which were made into movies.

 

The dedication ceremony included an inaugural cabaret in the theater, including six vocal performances by multiple Grand Valley students and alumni of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department.

 

President Thomas J. Haas said the endowment and the Keller Theatre align with Grand Valley’s mission of encouraging students to reach their full potential.

 

“No matter what we do in the Linn Maxwell Black Box Theatre, we are going to be driven by sustained attention to excellence and quality,” said Haas.

 

A black box theater is an indoor performance space with plain black walls and a level floor, typically designed to provide flexibility in stage configuration and audience seating. Black box theaters gained popularity in the 1960s and the unique performance space creates a closer proximity between the audience and performers.

GVSU Fall Arts Celebration poetry night to explore the extraordinary in the ordinary

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Dan Gerber

One of the wonders of poetry is the potential for the intricacies of ordinary life to be described in extraordinary ways.

 

Patricia Clark, Writing Department chair, said this is exactly what audiences can expect to hear during this year’s Fall Arts Celebration poetry night at Grand Valley State University with acclaimed authors Jane Hirshfield and Dan Gerber.

 

“An Evening of Poetry and Conversation with Jane Hirshfield and Dan Gerber” will take place Thursday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m., on the 2nd floor of the Eberhard Center, located on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The reading will be followed by a reception and book signing.

 

Jane Hirshfield (Photo by Curt Richter)

“Jane’s vision is informed by her extensive knowledge of international poetry, so her poems take on an incandescence with the ability to layer steady affirmation with, at times, an underlying humor, and compassion for the sorrows, losses and inconsistencies of life,” said Clark.

 

Hirshfield has penned many collections of poetry and prose, including The Beauty, Come Thief, The Lives of the Heart, The October Palace and Given Sugar, Given Salt. Her book, After, was shortlisted for England’s T.S. Eliot Prize and named a “best book of 2006” by the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle and London Financial Times.

 

In 2012, Hirshfield was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, and in fall 2004, she was awarded the 70th Academy Fellowship for distinguished poetic achievement by the academy, which is an honor formerly held by Robert Frost, Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams and Elizabeth Bishop.

 

Gerber, a native of Fremont, is the author of a dozen books of poetry, fiction and essays. His most recent books of poems include Particles: New & Selected Poemsand Sailing through Cassiopeia. His work has received ForeWord Magazine’s Gold Medal Award, a Mark Twain Award for distinguished contribution to Midwest literature, a Michigan Author Award and a Michigan Notable Book Award. He is also the co-founder of the literary magazine Sumac.

 

Clark said Gerber’s poems provide a clear vision of the natural world and the “inner life.”

 

“Dan studies what’s at hand: an old dog, a fox he glimpses on a walk, a starry night, or a cabin in the woods,” she said. “Often, he, like Jane, begins a poem with something near at hand and then uses that object to find a deeper significance, perhaps about the past, family or life.”

 

For more information about Fall Arts Celebration, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.