Laker Club Talks
Fall 2024
MEET THE NEW DEANS
This semester, the Laker Club Talks will spotlight our new deans, offering an opportunity to hear their stories and visions for the future.
Join us for an engaging conversation and enjoy complimentary appetizers, beer, wine, and other beverages.
Dean Linda Lewandowski
Wednesday, October 9, 4 p.m.
Join us at the Laker Club (Allendale Campus) or view the livestream at the University Club in the DeVos Center (Pew Campus). Complimentary refreshments will be provided at both locations.
Linda Lewandowski
Dean, Kirkhof College of Nursing
Bloom Where You Are Planted
KCON Dean Linda Lewandowski will share her leadership journey, from growing up in rural Michigan to navigating the various “halls of academia,” highlighting the opportunities for growth and the lessons learned at each stop along the way.
Please register to secure your spot for the Allendale Laker Club Talks.
Can’t make it to the Allendale Campus? No worries! Join us for watch parties at the University Club in the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. Complimentary refreshments provided. Both talks will be livestreamed. No RSVP needed—come and enjoy!
For questions, please contact Morgan Knapp at [email protected] or (616) 331-2185.
Dean Marouane Kessentini
Monday, October 7, 2024
Marouane Kessentini
Dean, College of Computing
Sapere Aude “Dare to Know”
Sapere aude, Latin for "dare to know," encourages us to step out of our comfort zones and embrace learning new things. Dean Kessentini will share three stories and three key takeaways from his sapere aude journey. His hope is that they will inspire and equip us to make a difference—with people who make a difference—at a time when it truly matters.
The recording will be shared soon.
Winter 2024
Jennifer Drake
Turning Points
February 1, 2024
Jennifer Drake, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Dean Jennifer Drake will offer reflections on leadership drawn from a journey through the transformative experiences that often go unnoticed on a traditional CV.
Keri Becker
Leadership during the modernization of college athletics
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Kari Becker, Director of Athletics
Keri shared details about the evolving landscape of the NCAA and explored the challenges and opportunities that campuses and athletic leaders face as the NCAA modernizes to meet the needs of the future.
Scott Wooster
Building a Legacy: Lessons from Generations
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Coach Scott Wooster, GVSU Football Head Coach
Coach Scott Wooster shared lessons learned from dad, gramps, and 23 years as an assistant coach that shaped how GVSU created the ultimate college football experience for our young men, lead GVSU Football to dominance, and fueled the legacy we are forging at Grand Valley.
Fall 2023
Kara Van Dam
Rediscovering Home
October 12, 2023
Kara VanDam, Vice Provost for Graduate and Lifetime Learning
After growing up in Grand Rapids, VanDam called a lot of places home over the next 30 years: Chapel Hill, Barcelona, Chicago and D.C. Then a stroke of fate set her course for a return to West Michigan. What’s it like to come home when so much has changed?
Steven Hodas
From Pulling Stumps to Pushing Strings
October 18, 2023
Steven Hodas, Executive Director, GV NextEd Co-Lab
Steven Hodas, Director of the NextEd Co-Lab, reflects on differences in culture change within K12 and higher education.
Robert Talbert
Active Learning is Personal
October 19, 2023
Robert Talbert, Professor of Mathematics and Senior Faculty Fellow for Learning Futures
Professor Talbert shares how his experiences as a student set the stage for how he teaches today, along with discussing active learning and his personal mission to make it the default setting for higher education.