Horizons Summer 2024
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President's Desk
It was exciting to gather at last month’s Enrichment Dinner and celebrate our success in elevating education. GVSU continues to be recognized for our ability to produce graduates equipped with real-world experience and critical thinking skills who are ready to lead Michigan into the future. As we look ahead, we acknowledge how we’ve arrived at this moment. GVSU was shaped by you and the entire community – a community that fully understands the impact education makes on every aspect of life – and, as we move forward, your support is vital as we seek to meet the increasing needs of our region.
Student Impact
Growing with Grand Valley
Embracing a diverse array of experiences, from hands-on learning in labs to leadership development and community engagement, Ashley Perryman '24 & Class of 2025 embodies GVSU's commitment to a balanced education. As she pursues a combined degree in health sciences and public health, Perryman shares how her involvement in various student organizations shaped her growth. Recognized as the 2023 Homecoming Royal, she highlights the supportive environment that fosters personal and academic development, emphasizing the vital role you play in shaping future leaders.
Donor Impact
A Legacy of Support
The Harris family recently received the Grand Valley University Foundation's Enrichment Award for their community philanthropy and commitment to GVSU. John Harris '77, his wife Diane '76, and his brother Tom '80 were all integral in generating support for the Harris Family Athletic Complex – a 22,000-square-foot addition to the Fieldhouse Arena – and helping reinstate the university's varsity wrestling program. Inspired by the generosity of their parents, both their gift and their philanthropic leadership will leave a lasting impact on the GVSU community.
Learn more about the Harris family
A People-First Mentality
To honor generations of giving, the Verplank family was recently given the Grand Valley University Foundation's Enrichment Award. Brothers Gary and Midge founded Shape Corp. in 1974 and turned it into a multi-business enterprise with locations all over the world. Midge, Gary, and his wife, Vicki, all believed in putting people first, and their spirit of generosity is evident throughout the enduring impact of their philanthropy. Wanting to carry on their family’s legacy, Tony and Kyle Verplank offered the corporate support that helped create GVSU's Shape Corp. Innovation Design Center. The family’s passion for protecting our natural resources also helped to grow the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute.
Learn more about the Verplank family
Investing in the Future
Mercantile Bank recently launched the Mentoring, Aspiring, Preparing (MAP) program, giving GVSU students the chance to explore career paths in banking. Offering a $15,000 annual scholarship and four years of paid internships, the program equips participants like business administration major Nadia Miller, Class of 2025, with invaluable hands-on experience. Led by Misti Stanton, Mercantile's vice president of diversity, equity & inclusion, this initiative is building a pipeline for students from historically marginalized communities to explore career opportunities they might not have considered otherwise.
Fund Spotlight
SUPPORT LAKERS EXPANDING THEIR HORIZONS
Students who are the first in their family to attend college and want to participate in a university-approved study abroad opportunity can seek support from the First Generation Study Abroad Fund. These opportunities not only enrich our students’ academic journeys, but also equip them with cross-cultural skills and perspectives that are increasingly essential in today's interconnected world.
You can support this, and other Laker study abroad programs, in our first-ever Study Abroad Crowdfunding Sprint! Learn more and make a lasting impact on students' global educational experiences.
NEW ENDOWMENTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND GILLETT SOCIETY MEMBERS
Thank you to the donors who established new endowments and scholarships and to the new Gillett Society members who have included Grand Valley State University in their estate plans. You are empowering learners in their pursuits, professions, and purpose. Because of your gifts, Grand Valley's impact on our community continues to grow.
Events
Enrichment Dinner 2024
On June 4, we gathered to celebrate all the ways you help Grand Valley elevate our students' experiences. The Enrichment Dinner recognized the leaders in our GV community, with special recognition given to awardees the Harris family and Verplank family.
