Being a Laker for a Lifetime can truly mean for a lifetime, as Grand Valley State University has a thriving alumni community and offers a range of events and opportunities for people to keep in touch and stay active in the Laker community following graduation.

The Padnos International Center (PIC) is excited to be hosting the GVSU Global Laker Alumni Event in Chicago on Thursday, March 29. This event has seen massive success in West Michigan, and the PIC is eager to take it to a new location and reach even more Lakers, GVSU study-abroad alumni, international alumni and friends. 

The event will take place at Cafe Iberico in downtown Chicago from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Any Lakers who are interested in attending should RSVP at www.gvsu.edu/pic/mar29chicago.

One alumna who is excited to attend is Ann Sun. Sun graduated from Grand Valley in 2014 with a major in statistics and minors in international business and German.

“There isn’t one specific reason why I chose to attend Grand Valley,” she said. “I liked the programs they offered, and the campus felt really welcoming.”

Sun spent time working at the PIC as a study-abroad peer adviser during her undergraduate years, and she said this opportunity really shaped her overall experience.

“I can still remember walking into PIC on a snowy day as a freshman asking for a job application,” she said. “At PIC, I found a place I belonged and was accepted. PIC wasn’t just a study-abroad office to me. I made lifetime friends there and learned about the important things in life.”

Now, Sun lives in Chicago and works as a customer analytics analyst at CB2. She is also currently pursuing a master’s degree in analytics at the University of Chicago. Sun said her experience at GVSU continues to influence her work life and her personal life even now.

“Grand Valley gave me the necessary tools to be successful post-college,” she said. “Having to balance between school and work during undergrad taught me the importance of being ambitious, especially as a female in the STEM field.”

After attending a Laker alumni cooking class event in Eataly, a restaurant in Chicago, Sun realized there were many other GVSU alumni living in the Chicago area. 

“It was really awesome knowing there are fellow Lakers here and that there is a support network for us,” Sun said.

Because of her experience at that Laker alumni event, Sun is excited for the upcoming Global Alumni Happy Hour, saying, “I’m looking forward to catching up with friends and meeting new ones.”

Any Laker is welcome to attend and may bring along their family and friends. There will be a cash bar, so plan accordingly. Contact Alissa Lane at [email protected] or 616-331-3898 with any questions.

Correction: In the first edition of this story, CB2 is incorrectly referred to as being formerly known as Crate & Barrel. Crate & Barrel was also misspelled. We apologize for the errors.