Meijer co-chair to address GVSU graduates

More than 1,000 Grand Valley State University students will participate in the winter commencement ceremony December 7 at Van Andel Arena.

Students will hear an address from Hank Meijer, co-chair and co-chief executive officer for Meijer Inc. Meijer, who joined his family’s retail business as a grocery clerk when he was 11 years old, worked as a reporter, editor and publisher for newspapers in Detroit before rejoining Meijer in 1979 as assistant advertising director.

Grand Valley Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m.
Van Andel Arena, downtown Grand Rapids
The ceremony will live stream at www.gvsu.edu/commencement

MEDIA NOTE: Skybox 101B is reserved for media. The box offers a mult box and an elevated, unobstructed view of the podium and platform.

During the ceremony, the Alumni Association will present two awards. Kevin Lehnert, professor of marketing, will receive the Outstanding Educator Award; and Linda Scott, ‘95, chief academic officer at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing, will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Contemporary artist Cyril Lixenberg will receive an honorary degree. Lixenberg, known for his sculptures and graphic prints, has a long history of involvement with West Michigan art communities. His monumental sculptures and colorful screen prints are exhibited throughout Grand Valley’s campuses. In the 2001 and 2013 he donated a total of 385 works on paper to the university, making it the largest Lixenberg collection in the world.  

Notable student
Abigail Parish, a biopsychology major, will participate in the ceremony. As a student in the Frederik Meijer Honors College, Parish traveled to Cuba, Panama and Costa Rica on medical mission trips, and worked with individuals with developmental disabilities for two years. Upon graduation, she will apply for nursing school. Parish can be reached at [email protected] or (248) 672-2743.

Students and families can tag their photos from the ceremony with #gvsugrad13.