The Laker Family Network is a resource of the Division of Student Affairs of Grand Valley State University.
To ensure continued delivery of this newsletter to your inbox, please ask your student to keep their Banner Self Service account up to date with your preferred email address.

Mark your calendar for a fun weekend on campus with your Laker, and experience life at GV. Join us for a variety of events and activities for all ages including a dueling pianos show and kick-off party, pancake breakfast, student small business market, football game, and more!

Belonging

The Dean of Students Emergency Fund helps students meet small financial needs after they have exhausted all other financial aid resources. Our goal is to provide flexible assistance in a timely manner to help students continue successfully in school. The emergency fund has helped students over the last year in several ways including (but not limited to) food insecurity, transportation costs for an unexpected family emergency, personal belongings lost in a disaster, and temporary lodging for students who find themselves homeless or in an unsafe living situation. 

We acknowledge that you have many different organizations and causes that you support. The Dean of Students Office and the students we serve would be grateful if you were to consider donating to the Dean of Students Emergency Fund this year to help our students overcome small financial barriers to continuing their education.

"During the Fall of 2022, I was in a horrible situation in which I needed to move out of a dangerous situation in order to better focus on my academic success. Without the assistance of the Dean of Students Fund to help with moving costs, I would have fallen behind academically and possibly had to fully withdraw. I am happy to say I finished the semester with all passing grades." 

-Emergency Fund Recipient           

If you have any questions, please contact Emily First, Assistant Dean of Students, at 616-331-3585 or firste@gvsu.edu.

Join GVSU Recreation & Wellness for the revamped GVSU Family Weekend Fun(d) Run (formerly known as the 5K). Participants will start near the Mary Idema Pew Library entrance and finish at the Cook Carillon Tower with views of our spectacular Allendale campus throughout our 2-mile course.

Participants will have the option to participate at their own pace or compete for a chance to place in our Top 10 and win a medal and prize pack. Proceeds from this event will be considered a gift to the university and donated to either the Recreation Leadership Scholarship Fund or Dean of Students Emergency Fund. We thank you for supporting our students! 

Registration is now open until Saturday, September 16 at 8:30 a.m. prior to the event starting.

The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency has recognized Grand Valley, for the ninth-consecutive year, by awarding its highest honor, gold status, for Veteran-Friendly Schools.

Wellness

They were so excited to head off (or back!) to college, and then… homesickness. If you have a homesick student, they’re not alone. And neither are you! Below are some tips for identifying homesickness and supporting your student through it:

• Encourage self-care. Encouraging students to exercise and do things that make them feel good, like watching a favorite show, participating in a favorite hobby, or connecting with new people through a student club or organization can help them take a break from how they’re feeling.  It also teaches lifelong coping skills! 

• Stay positive. While it is important to validate students’ feelings, express confidence in them and remind them that these feelings won’t last forever!  

• Step back rather than stepping in (even if it’s tough to do). Some parents’ first instinct might be to call their homesick student throughout the day or invite their homesick student to return home every weekend.  While well-intentioned, these can sometimes make homesickness worse.

If your student’s homesickness does not subside with time or is accompanied by concerning changes in mood or behavior, the University Counseling Center is available for support and resources. 

National Women's Health and Fitness Day is coming up on September 27. This day recognizes the importance of wellness for women of all ages. Student Health Services and the Campus Health Center (CHC) are available to support women in their health journey. Grand Valley also offers a variety of fitness classes and resources to help our community be the best versions of themselves!

Academics

Accountability Groups are an opportunity for students to connect with peers, sustain motivation, and be held accountable throughout the semester! Members will hold each other accountable to individual academic goals that will be developed at the first meeting and revisited weekly. Conversations will be facilitated by a Success Coach to assist in achieving members' goals, as well as discussion on academic strategies such as time management, organization, motivation, and study skills.

Transfer Student Accountability Group
Wednesdays at 4 p.m.

Setting Yourself Up for Success Accountability Group
Thursdays at 4 p.m.

Visit the Student Academic Success Center website to learn more and to register!

Is your student new to Grand Valley? We care about their success and would like to know how they are doing!

Between September 14 - 25, students will receive an email with a link to complete our mySuccessCheck survey. Please encourage your student to keep an eye out for the email and take the survey. You can help us help your student succeed here at GVSU!

The 11th annual GVSU Teach-In, entitled Power, Privilege and Difficult Dialogues will take place on Wednesday, November 8 (Pew Campus) and Thursday, November 9 (Allendale Campus). The Teach-In is a GVSU-centered social justice event, featuring session presentations that engage participants across a variety of challenging issues related to inequality, systems of oppression, and social justice. Do you have a student who may be interested in helping lead the conversations? They can learn more about presenting a session and submitting a proposal by Monday, October 9.  

The Tutoring and Reading Center (TRC) is open and ready to help your student learn like a Laker! The TRC is located in Henry Hall 112 and serves as a one-stop shop for content and reading support. Students can make an appointment ahead of time in Navigate, or come in for a “just in time” appointment to review course concepts, study strategies, reading comprehension strategies, and more. We support many 100 and 200 level classes for content tutoring and support any student at any level with reading tutoring, including ESL and international students.

For more information about appointments and hours, visit the TRC website and follow us on Instagram @gvsututoring!

As the new school year begins to take shape, it’s important for students to have a clear idea about their future career plans. The Career Center has resources that can put students on the right path to achieve their goals at GVSU. Here are 3 of the best ways your Laker can get involved with the Career Center! 

Join a Career Community 

Career Communities are networks specialized to fit the needs of specific industries. Your student will get newsletters, opportunities, and connections based on their field of interest. Encourage your student to join a Career Community or take our Career Community Quiz to see where they best fit. 

Attend Career Events 

• Students can find an Employer Showcase that sparks their interest! 

• JCPenney Suit Up : Oct. 1, 3 p.m.- 6 p.m.  

• Career and Internship Fair: Oct. 12, 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.

Explore our Resources 

• Follow the Career Center on Instagram and TikTok (@gvsucareers) 

• Listen to our Work Like a Laker Podcast for tips about all things career based! 

• Visit the Career Center website for more helpful resources and information! 

Financial Aid

There will be some changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year. This includes a shorter form, simplified questions and data that is automatically populated by the IRS. As a result, the FAFSA has been delayed and is expected to be available in December 2023. Please watch for more information from Financial Aid on what you can expect.

GVSU also offers a variety of scholarship opportunities based on interest, academic performance, special talents or major.  Students may search and apply for these opportunities each year through www.gvsu.edu/myscholarships. The majority of deadlines fall between February 15 and March 1. Students can begin to submit applications for Grand Valley scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year in November.

As always, if you have any questions or need more information regarding Financial Aid, please visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships website.

Other Resources and Reminders

Important Dates:

Fall Break: October 22-24

Fall Commencement: December 9

Classes end: December 9

Examinations: December 9 -16

Academic Calendar

Events Calendar