Can democracy be built upon the bloody soils of genocide?[1]
--Sandy Grande
Without a forward-thinking elementary school teacher named “Mrs. Cole” in my fourth grade life, my early education would’ve been significantly more flawed than it was. Layered on top of the early 1970s comforter of the settler narrative of U.S. History, was Mrs. Cole’s intentional reminder that there was also a dirty layer of mass murder and displacement that also covered the cozy notion of our nation’s democratic history. She generously invited school groups, scout groups, and community organizations to her land off Brooklyn J road to show them the sites of indigenous encampments, her collection of arrowheads she found in the glen, and told us stories of the people who thrived on that land for centuries.
I was born on Ho-Chunk territory, though we called it Winnebago at the time.
Coming to terms with our past is as important—and often as uncomfortable—as coming to terms with our privileges. Uncovering the narratives that have been long forgotten, or buried, is an important part of the Kutsche Office of Local History.
The Kutsche Office will present the 15th Local History Roundtable: Changing Lands—Past, Present, Future on Wednesday, March 20, from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Come for some or come for all of the presentations and networking. The evening keynote, at 6:00 pm in the GVSU DeVos Center’s Loosemore Auditorium downtown, will be given by Dr. Jennifer Bonnell (York University, Toronto). Other panelists include current Brooks colleague Andy Schlewitz and former Brooks colleague Andrea Riley-Mukavetz.
Whether it is the untold story of the non-human inhabitants of these lands, or stories of our human predecessors, we all are better off if we understand the fuller context of the beds in which we lie.
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Mark Schaub, Dean of Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies
[1] Grande, S. (2004) Red Pedagogy: Native American Social and Political Thought. Lanham MD: Rowan & Littlefield. P. 29.
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Save the date! On Friday, March 15, at 11:00 a.m., Brooks College will be holding a virtual town hall. An e-mail meeting invitation with the Zoom link was sent out, and you can also RSVP on the event page to receive the link.
Join us virtually to hear an update from Dean Schaub and discussion of the DEI-AB report from our task force. This is also a great opportunity for you to share your concerns and ask questions, or give your colleagues an update on your own program. We hope to see you online!
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First Annual Day of Giving |
On March 21, Lakers are uniting to support student success for the first #GVDayofGiving. A gift to your favorite GVSU fund can help ensure every student has the resources they need to uncover their passions and pursue their dreams. Simply go to the Day of Giving campaign page, select your preferred fund, and donate!
This year, Brooks College is featuring the Sustainable Agriculture Project (SAP) for Day of Giving. SAP is a scientific station and lab where students can get their hands dirty while exploring their majors through the lens of agriculture. The purposes of the SAP include seeding sustainable food practices, cultivating leadership and learning, nurturing place-based learning, and growing community. Students also grow and sell produce through farm shares and at an on-campus farm stand, gaining experience running an agribusiness.
Support our students, the environment, and building a more sustainable community by selecting Brooks College as your preferred fund, and making your Day of Giving gift to the Sustainable Agriculture Project!
A Day of Giving celebration including a variety of fun activities will take place in the Russel H. Kirkhof Center lobby from 10:00 a.m. through 1:00 p.m. on March 21. By making a gift and/or sharing the campaign page, you can inspire others to participate and create a ripple effect throughout the GV community. Be sure to use #GVDayofGiving to boost the impact of your post and be a part of this Laker effect!
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Climate Change Awareness Concert |
The ENS 242 Popular Culture in Climate Change class taught by Dr. Becky Williams and Dr. Steven Nathaniel will be working with students from the School of Music to compose audio-visual pieces that represent an aspect of climate change. We would like to extend the opportunity to any interested GVSU student who would like to perform an original music composition, a prepared musical piece, poetry, dance, short-form theater, or any other visual/audio representation of climate change.
Along with the concert we are holding an art competition for pieces that represent climate change in the areas of 2-dimensional art, 3-dimensional art, photography, and digital art.
We are seeking to create a unique concert experience that communicates the urgency of this issue but also shows how progress is being made leaving attendees with a sense of hope. This concert will have a contest with cash prizes for top original works in musical composition and in the four categories of art.
Deadline to submit original art pieces for the competition: March 3
Deadline to register to participate in the concert performance: March 3
Deadline to submit original music pieces for the competition: March 18th
Dress rehearsal (required): March 25th from 1:30-2:45p
Concert date (required): April 1st, 2024 at 6:00pm
For more information please visit: https://www.docrjwilliams.com/2024climateconcert.html
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
Ryan Schmidt: schmirya@mail.gvsu.edu
Becky Williams: williarj@gvsu.edu
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Student Scholars Day seeking volunteers
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Student Scholars Day is coming up quickly! Festivities will kick off on Tuesday, April 9, with National Book Award Winner Dr. Imani Perry, author of South to America: A Journey Below the Mason Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation, followed by presentations and performances from students on Wednesday, April 10. An art exhibition will open on April 10 and remain displayed through April 28.
Did you know that this showcase of student research and creativity needs more than 100 volunteers to make the magic happen? Sign up today for a volunteer position! You can work registration, be a greeter, or a session host. To find out more, register to attend, or sign up to be a volunteer, visit the event website.
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Featured Brooks College Events |
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| Feminism Matters in 2024: A Talk with Jessica Valenti |
Tuesday, March 12, 7:00 p.m. Loosemore Auditorium, Richard M. DeVos Center, GVSU Pew/GR campus
The Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGS) program is hosting this talk from Jessica Valenti, a fierce feminist advocate and bestselling author who focuses on reproductive rights and access to healthcare.
Called “one of the most successful and visible feminists of her generation” by The Washington Post, her work has appeared in the New York Times, Salon, and Ms. She is the author of the national bestseller Full Frontal Feminism. Her speaking style is informal and relatable, with an emphasis on making feminism funny, engaging, and enraging.
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| 15th Annual Local History Roundtable: Changing Lands: Past, Present, Future |
Wednesday, March 20, 1:00 - 8:00 p.m. Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall & Loosemore Auditorium, Richard M. DeVos Center, GVSU Pew/GR campus
Each year, the Kutsche Office of Local History hosts a free public conference that explores different aspects of West Michigan history. This year, historians, gardeners, chefs, and other community activists will come together to discuss how humans have changed the very soil of West Michigan.
This year's keynote presenter is Dr. Jennifer Bonnell, Associate Professor of History at York University. Bonnell's work breaks down the history of honeybees in the Great Lakes region, how beekeepers and honeybee-driven agriculture have changed the Midwestern landscape, and how the threat of Colony Collapse Disorder changes everything.
Please register at the Roundtable event website if you plan to attend (registration not required but this helps anticipate event seating). We hope to see you there!
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Brooks College Photo Montage |
Check out what has been happening around Brooks College since the last newsletter!
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Joseph Portelli, an ENS major (class of 2026) and SAP intern, has a passion for photography. He hopes to record the changing of the seasons at the SAP as the sun returns and the northern hemisphere warms up. He captured these photos from inside the hoop houses, as they continue to grow through winter.
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On February 12, a World Café event was hosted by LEADS Student Michelle Miller. The event was focusing on Mental Health and Teenagers and was held at the Pleasant Valley Community Center. The World Café was an assignment for her INT 312 Collaborative Communication course, taught by Kate Fairman, affiliate professor in SIS. There were a dozen community members who actively participated in generating ideas on the subject and possible next steps. Darien Ripple, assistant professor in SIS, was present and shared that it was a great experience!
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The Michigan Model Arab League Conference took place February 15-17 at the L.V. Eberhard Center. Chad Lingwood, Middle East Studies program coordinator, was the local coordinator for the conference and leads the student participants of the Model Arab League. They are looking forward to participating in the National Conference in Washington D.C. in March!
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The keynote speaker for the Michigan Model Arab League Conference was Dr. Russell Lucas, MSU professor of International Relations and Global Studies. Dr. Lucas gave a public talk on campus, "Who Cares About Arab Public Opinion?", which garnered great turnout from the GVSU campus community.
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Soup's On: Stew Edition brought Brooks College students, staff, and faculty together on February 26 and 27 to enjoy a hot bowl of three different kinds of stew. The Feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew) was a particularly popular choice!
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Denise Goerisch, Director of Interdisciplinary Studies and associate professor, presented her sabbatical work during the Sabbatical Showcase on February 26. Denise researched the effects of COVID-19 on student well-being and presented her findings after conducting a survey, interviews, and analysis of relevant documentation and statistics.
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Leifa Mayers, associate professor of SIS and faculty-in-residence for the Frederik Meijer Honors College, also presented her sabbatical work during the Sabbatical Showcase on February 26. Leifa researched the professional discourse on the ethics of Human Germline Gene Editing (HGGE), and the relationship between science and society. She outlined the movement toward a reproductive justice framework for gene editing technologies.
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Brooks College faculty and staff gathered to shower Daniela Marini (assistant professor in SIS) and Max Counter (affiliate professor in SIS) with gifts in anticipation of the birth of their daughter Ruby!
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Photo Credit: Lauren Seymour
On February 27, students and a few faculty and staff members flexed their Black history and cultural knowledge at the second “For the Culture Quiz Bowl,” while enjoying music and food from many cultures.
The tournament-style trivia event focused on Black history and culture from around the world. Topics included history, language, geography, politics and pop culture. Jakia Marie, assistant professor in SIS and coordinator for the African/African American Studies program, planned the Quiz Bowl and played the role of host. Check out this GV Next article for more details!
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Denise Goerisch, Director of Integrative Studies and assistant professor in SIS, was awarded a Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center (FTLC) Grant for her proposed project, "Changing the Student Debt Landscape Symposium." This project will be completed with Heather Moody and Brian Deyo from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) within GVSU.
Congratulations, Denise!
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Jakia Marie, assistant professor in SIS and coordinator for the African/African American Studies program, was awarded a Pew FTLC Grant for her proposed project, "Experiencing the Cape Coast Castle and the Assin Manso Last Bath."
Congratulations, Jakia!
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Patrick Johnson, Director of Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors, will be presenting at the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) in March on the subject of “From Writer's Block to Writer's Bot: ChatGPT and the Future of Writing Assistance.”
Congratulations, Pat!
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Crystal Scott-Tunstall, ENS internship coordinator and affiliate professor in SIS, was featured in an article titled Black Excellence in Sustainability 2024, from the Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. Crystal is a member of many important committees and councils in our community, and co-chairs the Kent County Food Policy Council. She is a passionate advocate in our community for inclusion, equity, and sustainability.
Congratulations, Crystal!
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Jeremiah Cataldo, professor in the Frederik Meijer Honors College, published an article titled Trauma of (Un)civilized (Wo)man in Hosea in the Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament on February 28, 2024.
Congratulations, Jeremiah!
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Leslye Allen has decided to return to her role in the College of Health Professions Dean’s Office. The search process is underway for a new Office Assistant for the School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS).
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Congratulations to the following Brooks College faculty and staff, thank you for your service to Grand Valley State University!
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1 Campus Drive
224 Lake Ontario Hall
Allendale, MI 49401
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