Grand Valley alumni served a combined 2,585 hours between March 24-30.

Community Outreach Week is a program supported by the Alumni Association and the Community Service Learning Center. Alumni, students, faculty and staff members and friends of Grand Valley completed 49 group and 110 individual projects around the world during the week.

The purpose of COW is to unite Lakers in providing volunteer support and outreach in ways meaningful to each individual or group. Opportunities included sorting food at food pantries, neighborhood cleanup, equine therapy, mentoring, coaching and recycling projects.

More than 70 alumni and students ran as part of the Laker for a Lifetime Team at the Fifth Third River Bank Run on May 10 in Grand Rapids.

Spectators crowded the spirit station for a friendly competition against other groups along the course for a chance to win money for the Grand Valley Fund. The team, sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance, raised $6,006 for student programs and scholarships at the university through their own fundraising pages.

The celebration continued after the finish line at the post-race party on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. To learn how you can be part of the Laker for a Lifetime Team next year, contact team director Abigayle Sloan, ’07, at [email protected].

A capacity crowd celebrated and recognized Laker graduates who gave their time to Grand Valley at the annual Volunteer Celebration and Alumni Service Awards on May 16 at the L. William Seidman Center.

Kevin, ’98, and Jacqueline, ’00 & ’05, Schafer received the Alumni Service Award for their combined service of nearly four decades to Grand Valley and the Grand Rapids community.

It is with mixed emotions that I provide you with my final presidential update. My term will be complete in September, when I will hand over the gavel to Mike Tappy, ’78, who will lead the Alumni Association for the next three years.

I have been blessed to serve as the president of the Alumni Association since 2011 and it has been a pleasure serving on the board for a total of six years. We have accomplished a number of objectives during tenure.

There are a couple of very important things that I have learned along the way. The first is that Grand Valley graduates are passionate about their alma mater. As we continue to grow our alumni involvement throughout the U.S. and in many other countries, it is important to share the great accomplishments of our university. The second is that Grand Valley needs alumni support to continue to be one of the best higher education institutions in the country.

It is my last request as Alumni Association president that if you have not begun to support Grand Valley with your time or financial support, please do so. Our university cannot thrive without our alumni.

Thank you for your encouragement and support these last three years. GO LAKERS!

Sincerely, Julie Bulson, ’99 & ’07