GVFaces: Jenna Stehouwer

March 22, 2022 (Volume 45, Number 14)

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From her job as a preschool teacher to her current role as the academic department coordinator for Visual and Media Arts, Jenna Stehouwer remains a passionate supporter of students.

Stehouwer has made changes to her career path, but said her motivations remain the same.

“I picked up where I left off with a role in advocacy,” Stehouwer said. “The same efforts that I was trying to put forth in small children's lives are the same efforts that I’m trying to put forward with our Grand Valley students.” 

Stehouwer earned an associate degree in early childhood development from Muskegon Community College, which is where her career began.

“Early childhood education was important to me because one of my biggest missions in life is advocacy, and trying to help people who may be underrepresented,” Stehouwer said. “Early childhood education afforded me the opportunity to be one of the first people in children’s lives who are helping to form the way that they think, grow and develop.”

After working as a preschool and pre-kindergarten teacher for nearly 10 years, Stehouwer briefly worked in the medical industry but said she felt higher education was where she belonged.

“Ultimately, the biggest impact I hope to have in the Grand Valley community is ensuring student voices are being heard,” Stehouwer said. “I want to make sure, whether it's through their art or other opportunities, they are seen in our community just as much as everyone else.”

Stehouwer encouraged all students to visit the Calder Arts Center to participate in events, including upcoming gallery exhibitions and the Film and Video showcase scheduled for later in the Winter semester.

“We have a beautiful student gallery that will host a lot of our senior shows and it would be wonderful to have more guests visit this awesome building,” Stehouwer said.

For more information on events, visit the Visual and Media Arts department website. 

 

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