As part of the annual Faculty and Staff Campaign, the Grand Valley State University Development Office invited students to the Kirkhof Center on Feb. 14 to write appreciation letters for GVSU faculty. 

Students had the option of including their name in the letter, or they could request that their letter be sent anonymously. Participants waited in lines that wrapped through Kirkhof Center to write their appreciation letters for professors and faculty who have impacted them in various ways. The event was meant to connect the GVSU community by providing an outlet to spread joy and share positive experiences.

Cheyenne Koenigsknecht, a GVSU student said she wrote a letter to thank her criminal justice professor for always asking how his students are doing. Koenigsknecht said he is a genuine and lively professor who is extremely patient with his students. 

“They (GVSU professors) work so hard, and they don’t have to care about us, but they do,” Koenigsknecht said. “They always look out for us to make sure we’re getting the most out of college, and I really appreciate that about all of our professors here.”

Another student, Lizette Solorio, said she wrote a letter to Stephanie Bender, affiliate professor in GVSU’s Biomedical Science Department. Solorio said Bender was her BMS 208– Human Anatomy instructor during the fall semester, which also happened to be Solorio’s first semester in college. 

“Her (Bender’s) class made me realize that classes are going to be difficult, but if you put the work in, you’re going to get the results you want,” Solorio said. “She always encouraged us that if we want to be the best we (can) be, (then) we have to show up and do the work. They (professors) put so much work into classes – the professors here at Grand Valley really care about students, especially Professor Bender.” 

Professors weren’t the only members of the GVSU faculty who were shown appreciation. Some students took the time to write cards for faculty whose work often goes unnoticed. Lex Larkspur, a GVSU student, said she wanted to share her gratitude to Randy Hill, who is part of the maintenance department staff at her living center. Larkspur said people like Hill keep the university running, with the majority of their work happening behind closed doors. 

“I think that people tend to know their professor’s names, they tend to know the staff they see everyday face to face, but when it comes to people like Randy, they are the ones who are doing the work without the thanks,” Larkspur said. “I think that those people deserve a lot more congratulation and celebration than we give them right now.”

Similarly, Shajuana Johnson, a student worker at Panda Express in the Kirkhof Center, said she wrote a letter to thank her boss. Johnson also said she’s happy to see so many deserving members of the GVSU faculty being recognized for their hard work and dedication to helping students.

“I think it’s important to take time to appreciate professors, staff and faculty because they are the reason Grand Valley is running – meaning they do all the hard work,” Johnson said. “They come here every day ready to work, (but) I also think they are underappreciated. A lot of them go above and beyond for us students, and at the end of the day, it feels nice to have them, and this is the least we can do for them.”