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A person in a cap and gown walks across the stage with their hand up waving at the crowd.

GVSU in photos, April 2023: A focus on Commencement and our Laker graduates

BY Amanda Pitts
Image credit - Top photo by Kendra Stanley-Mills

May 2, 2023
Photo from above showing a street with cars, a lot of people in caps and gowns coming out of a lit up arena.
GVSU graduates, their family and friends stream out of the Van Andel Arena after the Friday Commencement ceremony on April 28.
Image credit - Amanda Pitts
A college graduate has their graduation cap adjusted by another graduate.
A graduate has their graduation cap adjusted prior to Commencement.
Image credit - Image credit: Lauren Seymour
A soon-to-be graduate poses for a photo with a man's arm around his shoulder.
A soon-to-be graduate poses for a portrait before the start of Commencement on the morning of April 29.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person helps another person with their academic regalia.
Mary Albrecht adjusts the regalia of the Saturday afternoon Commencement speaker Javier Guillen before the ceremony on April 29.
Image credit - Amanda Pitts
Decorated mortar boards
Image credit - Image credit: Amanda Pitts
Image credit - Image credit: Amanda Pitts
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
A variety of decorated mortar boards were seen during the weekend Commencement ceremonies.
A college graduate pumps her fist and shouts while on a cellphone.
Graduates wave and shout to get the attention of their loved ones in the crowd prior to Friday's Commencement ceremony April 28.
Image credit - Emily Zoladz
A person holds their mortar board while searching the audience.
Close up photo of a person bathed in dark blue/purple light, the 2023 on their tassel stands out.
A person has a pensive look as they sit holding their Commencement program.
There were many reflective moments during the Commencement ceremonies on Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29. Photos by Amanda Pitts
Two college graduates hug and smile
Two graduates hug during the Commencement ceremony at Van Andel Arena on Friday, April 28.
Image credit - Emily Zoladz
A person waves at their loved ones in the crowd.
A person shouts out to their loved ones in the crowd.
A person waves at their loved ones in the crowd.
There were many exciting moments as soon-to-be-graduates located their friends and family in the Van Andel Arena. Photos by Amanda Pitts
Close up of a baby wrapped in a blanket being held by his mother.
Soon-to-be-graduate Courtney Ramdeo holds 2-week-old baby, Ralph, just before crossing the Commencement stage.
Image credit - Image credit: Amanda Pitts
Two people in commencement caps and gowns talk with each other, with a sea of other people in caps and gowns behind them.
Two soon-to-be-graduates talk excitedly before the start of their Commencement ceremony.
Image credit - Image credit: Emily Zoladz
A college graduate pumps a fist in the air after receiving their diploma.
A graduate waves in excitement after while crossing the stage during Commencement.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
People dressed in academic regalia clap and smile.
Faculty members clap after a musical performance during a Commencement ceremony.
Image credit - Image credit: Amanda Pitts
After a hooding ceremony, a graduate is congratulated.
Katherine Moran, associate dean for graduate programs in the Kirkhof College of Nursing, right, congratulates Kristi Cooper after Cooper received a post MSN-DNP degree.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person dressed in a cap and gown has their hand on their mouth in a gesture to symbolize blowing a kiss to her friend below.
On the ramp leading up to the Commencement ceremony stage, Tyanna Marzean blows a kiss to a friend.
Image credit - Amanda Pitts
A graduate celebrates on stage after receiving their diploma with their hands up high above their head.
A graduate celebrates on stage after receiving their diploma.
Image credit - Amanda Pitts
A graduate celebrates after getting a degree.
A graduate celebrates after receiving their diploma for a master's degree in social work.
Image credit - Emily Zoladz
Zeek, a service dog wearing a graduation cap walks across the stage during a commencement ceremony.
Zeek, a service dog wearing a graduation cap, walks across the stage along with a student to receive their degree during Commencement.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person in a cap and gown hugs a person wearing academic regalia on stage.
Graduate Corinn VanWyck hugs President Philomena V. Mantella on stage during Commencement.
Two people wearing academic regalia stand on stage during a Commencement ceremony.
Board of Trustees Chair Susan Jandernoa, left, and President Philomena V. Mantella, right, smile on stage during Commencement.
Photos by Amanda Pitts
A person in a cap and gown celebrates on stage with one hand high in the air and the other clutching their diploma.
A master's degree graduate celebrates on stage during Commencement.
Image credit - Emily Zoladz
College graduates react to receiving their degrees.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
Image credit - Image credit: Emily Zoladz
College graduates react to receiving their degrees as they walk across the stage during Commencement.
A group of people in caps and gowns celebrate at Commencement.
A group of graduates celebrates after the ceremonial moving of the tassels at Commencement.
Image credit - Amanda Pitts
A person hugs another person, both wearing caps and gowns, with a crowd behind them in an arena.
A line of graduates clap and cheer.
Master's degree graduates celebrate during Commencement. Photos by Amanda Pitts
Madison Fehn hugs a friend before the start of Commencement on April 29.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A person wearing a cap and gown and surrounded by others in the same garb, holds their tassel after moving it from right to left.
The moving of the tassel is an exciting tradition that occurs toward the end of every Commencement ceremony at GVSU.
Image credit - Image credit: Amanda Pitts
A graduate shouts and pumps a fist into the air in celebration.
After moving the tassel from right to left, McKenna Larkin pumps a fist into the air in celebration during Commencement.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
A graduate kisses a baby.
Jamal Dawson kisses 10-month-old son, Emerson, after receiving a degree in human resources on April 29.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
People hold photos on sticks in the air.
Family and friends raise photos of their graduate in a show of support.
Image credit - Image credit: Lauren Seymour
Family surrounds a college graduate to pose for a photo.
Reniyah Curtis, center, is surrounded by family holding signs after Curtis received a degree in allied health sciences.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
A mother holds her hand to her son's face before graduation.
"I've been emotional for a week" Michele Kenaga said about son Alex Fadely. "We're so proud of him." Fadely received a master's degree in accounting on April 29.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two people hug after graduation.
Image credit - Image credit: Emily Zoladz
A person wearing a graduation hat hugs a person.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
Recent graduates hug family and friends after receiving their degrees at Commencement.
A person sticks out their tongue while posing for a photo with graduates.
A person makes a funny face while posing with recent graduates for a selfie photo after Commencement.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A mother and son pose for a photo before graduation.
"I've got the feels today," said Sarah Cooper while hugging son Jaysen Holly. Holly, right, received a degree in biomedical sciences.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
Two graduates hug outside the Van Andel Arena.
Two graduates hug outside the Van Andel Arena.
Image credit - Image credit: Emily Zoladz
A graduate poses for a photo.
A recent graduate poses for a photo outside of the Van Andel Arena April 29.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
A silhouette of a graduate.
Jesse Goodyear enters Van Andel Arena, where he graduated with a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting and finance.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills

And a few of our other favorite images from the month

A person walks through snowy campus.
A student walks through the Allendale campus during a heavy snowfall on the morning of April 25.
A portrait of an indigenous person at a Pow wow.
Banashee Cadreau, an alumnus of GVSU, poses for a portrait before the start of Grand Valley's 22nd annual Pow wow.
Photos by Kendra Stanley-Mills
People are silhouetted as they walk through an entrance of a building.
Students walk through the entranceway of the L. William Seidman Center on the Pew Campus April 14.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
A woman throws her arms up to a person spinning a game wheel.
Abby Sachs, program manager with Peter C. Cook Leadership Academy, reacts to a student spinning a game wheel at a Reach Higher Showcase booth on April 21.
Image credit - Image credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
People stand outside around some small race cars.
Provost Fatma Mili listens to engineering students at the April 21 Reach Higher Showcase talk about the project race cars that they build and maintain.
Image credit - Image credit: Amanda Pitts
A mother and daughter pose for a portrait in their caps and gowns with a pink blossoming tree in the background.
Eva VanWyck, left, earned a degree in exercise science, while her mother, Corinn VanWyck earned a degree in integrative studies through the LEADS program. The two graduated on the same weekend.
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills

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