GV fashion club prepares to debut magazine
494 Fashion Magazine, a student organization at Grand Valley State University, is looking ahead to the upcoming school year with intentions to release the group’s first traditional publication.
Previously having hosted many photoshoots and artistic projects, the group spotlights film and video, photography and writing from students interested in displaying their artistic talents and expanding their repertoires. With an emphasis on fashion, the club provides a platform for creative expression through aesthetics and styling, as well as the opportunity to refine skills such as sewing and pattern-making.
Sophia Gafa, a film and video production major at GVSU, founded the 494 Fashion Magazine Club in November 2023. Gafa expressed the club was created for students to have fun and express themselves, on top of creating content for their portfolios.
To read more about GVSU’s first fashion magazine, click here.
Acclaimed author highlights Chinese American heritage at poetry reading
On Oct. 24, Grand Valley State University’s Department of Writing encouraged students to spend their evening at the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids for a poetry night with acclaimed poet Paisley Rekdal. The event was part of the University’s Arts Celebration program, which is organized by the Department of Visual & Media Arts (VMA), and provided a culturally educational experience for students.
The yearly programming includes free arts, literature and performance events for GVSU and the local community. Every year, the celebration features a poetry reading. This year, Rekdal read from her newest book, “West: A Translation,” and educated those in attendance about the struggles that Chinese Americans faced during the Chinese Exclusion Act. Rekdal also accompanied her reading with videos and historical essays for viewers to follow along.
One side of Rekdal’s family is of Chinese heritage, and she grew up on the West Coast. She added that the Chinese Exclusion Act affected a lot of Chinese American families, including her own, and wants to educate and inspire others through her books and poetry.
To read more about Rekdal’s visit to Grand Rapids, click here.
Local band warms up the Arboretum during fall festival performance
Grand Valley State University’s Campus Activity Board (CAB) hosted a local band, the Phabies, on Oct. 24 in the University’s Arboretum as part of GVSU’s Fall Festival. Reette Thorns, a GVSU student who won CAB’s Got Talent Show in May 2024, served as the concert’s opening act.
Students, sitting on blankets, gathered with friends around the Arboretum, sipping hot cider that was provided during the show. CAB decided to host the event at the Arboretum, as the location had previously served as placement for previous fall events, such as last year’s Haunted Aboretum. To keep the excitement at the Arboretum and maintain community on campus, CAB invited the Phabies and Thorns to perform.
“I just think (the Arboretum is) such a beautiful space on campus that I’m not sure a ton of people either knew about or utilize,” said Dana Krol, a first-year graduate assistant for CAB. “We thought (that) if we could use this (the Arboretum) for an event with the fall colors, the leaves changing, it could be great.”
To read more about GVSU’s Fall Festival concert, click here.
Student Reading Series provides GV writers with encouraging community
On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Grand Valley State University’s Department of Writing hosted a meeting of the monthly Student Reading Series (SRS). The meeting, which was hosted by GVSU students Hannah Applebee and Angelina Firmalan, aims to provide a welcoming space for student writers to share their work in an informal setting.
The theme of this month’s meeting was “cozy,” and was emphasized by tea, snacks and a sweater contest that followed the readings. When students first arrived, they were encouraged to mingle with their peers before settling into armchairs around a fireplace to read their original, written works.
One of the student writers in attendance was Kassidi Mott, a junior at GVSU. This was her first time attending SRS, and she shared a short fiction piece that the audience said they loved.
To read more about the monthly Student Reading Series, click here.
Perseverance takes center stage in dance capstone showcase, “Strength in Motion”
Janelle Weiberg stands at the front of a room with mirrors and ballet barres, explaining a movement to the dancers that stand behind her. Weiberg’s choreographic work titled “Tensile Strength” showcases explorative, contemporary dance forms that portray different interpretations of anxiety. Her cast of six dancers glide through the space, manipulating the use of pedestrian qualities and the natural weight of the body. As her last rehearsal comes to a close, Weiberg faces her cast, going through last-minute notes for the dress rehearsals and performances ahead.
Weiberg is one of five seniors completing their capstone this semester, “Strength in Motion,” through Grand Valley State University’s dance program. The showcase is a collection of 10 entirely student-composed works ranging in movement style, theme, emotion and performance. Each senior’s group piece, as well as a self-choreographed solo, will take center stage during the performance. The showcase will take place on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. This event will have free admission and will take place in the Haas Center for Performing Arts in Studio 1600.
“I am extremely proud of the work I have put out, and being a part of each stage of the creative process,” Weiberg said. “The most rewarding moment of this process has been watching my group dance evolve and become an experience audience members can be immersed in.”
To read more about the GVSU dance program’s capstone showcase, click here.
