Laker Club Talks
Winter 2024
Join us for complimentary appetizers, beer, wine, and other beverages as we explore a variety of topics, perspectives, and ideas that empower us to form meaningful relationships and find common ground through impactful conversations in a relaxed and informal setting.
Please register to secure your spot
Scott Wooster, GVSU Football Head Coach
Thursday, March 14, 4 p.m.
Laker Club, Allendale Campus
Building a Legacy: Lessons from Generations
Coach Scott Wooster will share lessons learned from dad, gramps, and 23 years as an assistant coach that shape how we create the ultimate college football experience for our young men, lead GVSU Football to dominance, and fuel the legacy we are forging at Grand Valley.
Recent Talks
Keri Becker
Leadership during the modernization of college athletics
February 29, 2024
Keri Becker went to college and never left. Since 1996, she has worked on only two college campuses. From her early days as a student-athlete to head softball coach to athletic director chair, she has watched the business of college athletics evolve. Today, we stand on the brink of what will be the most transformative time in college sports history. Keri will delve into the evolving landscape of the NCAA, exploring the challenges and opportunities that campuses and athletic leaders will face as the NCAA modernizes to meet the needs of the future.
Jackie Zhang
The Longest Journey I Have Ever Made
February 19, 2024
Dean Jackie Zhang will share three stories of his personal and professional journey: from patient care to population health/healthcare management, from China to U.S., and from other public and private universities to Grand Valley State University.
Jennifer Drake
Turning Points
February 1, 2024
Jennifer Drake, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Dean Jennifer Drake will offer reflections on leadership drawn from a journey through the transformative experiences that often go unnoticed on a traditional CV.
Fall 2023
Kara Van Dam
Rediscovering Home
October 12, 2023
Kara VanDam, Vice Provost for Graduate and Lifetime Learning
After growing up in Grand Rapids, VanDam called a lot of places home over the next 30 years: Chapel Hill, Barcelona, Chicago and D.C. Then a stroke of fate set her course for a return to West Michigan. What’s it like to come home when so much has changed?
Steven Hodas
From Pulling Stumps to Pushing Strings
October 18, 2023
Steven Hodas, Executive Director, GV NextEd Co-Lab
Steven Hodas, Director of the NextEd Co-Lab, reflects on differences in culture change within K12 and higher education.
Robert Talbert
Active Learning is Personal
October 19, 2023
Robert Talbert, Professor of Mathematics and Senior Faculty Fellow for Learning Futures
Professor Talbert shares how his experiences as a student set the stage for how he teaches today, along with discussing active learning and his personal mission to make it the default setting for higher education.