Family Health Matters to highlight WGVU manager’s fight with cancer

WGVU Public Media presented the story of its General Manager Michael Walenta and his fight with cancer on the next edition of “Family Health Matters.”

Titled “One Family’s Journey,” the program followed the whole Walenta family in an up-close and personal look at the struggles of cancer.

WGVU TV aired the story at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 29. In addition to this program, WGVU Public Media has created the project “Managing the Journey: Celebrating Life & Hope” in an effort to support families with cancer patients.

For additional information, go to wgvsu.org.

GV classics professor draws national attention for new book

A new book by a Grand Valley State University classics professor is being recognized on a national level for its never-before-published classic Greek texts.

Written by Diane Raynor, “Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works” is being celebrated for its translation of all the works of ancient Greek poet Sappho. Raynor’s book is now the only publication in existence to include three newly discovered poems from 2004 and 2014.

The book has been reviewed twice by The New Yorker literary critic Daniel Mendelsohn. The full article can be read at www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/hearing-sappho.

For more information about Raynor’s book, go to gvsu.edu/s/RI.

Lakers to be featured in Grand Rapids Urban Institute

The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids is set to feature the works of two Grand Valley State University students at a special exhibit in addition to pieces from artists recognized on the international level.

Works from GVSU students Kryzsztof Lower and Annie Teall will be featured in the “Terms of Service” exhibition. “Terms of Service” is known to feature art that focuses on identity and individualism in an environment that is being increasingly monitored.

Lower’s work “3 Minutes of Sleep” was created back in 2012 and chronicles a whole night of sleep through a digital print with images of himself sleeping.

The exhibit will run from March 30 to April 17 with an opening reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 3.

The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts is located at 2 W. Fulton, Grand Rapids. For more information about Terms of Service, go to termsofservice2015.tumblr.com.

New study on Gerald R. Ford Airport

A new study from a Grand Valley State University economics expert shows that the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is responsible for supplying more than 40,000 jobs in West Michigan.

Airport officials worked with Paul Isely, professor and associate dean of economics in the Seidman College of Business at GVSU, for six months as he accumulated data for his study.

The study shows that the airport is responsible for $3.1 billion in economic output and has created, on average, 271 jobs every year for the past 25 years. Also, approximately 6,500 households admitted they would not have moved into the area without the existence of the airport.

For more information about the study, contact Paul Isely at (616) 331-7418 or [email protected]

Culture wars discussion

The Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University will be presenting a discussion between Cornel West and Robert P. George on the topic of culture wars within the American public.

West is a political philosopher and race theorist known for his appearances on the Colbert Report, CNN and the Late Show with David Letterman. George is a conservative Catholic philosopher of jurisprudence and natural law at Princeton University.

“The Culture Wars: A Workable Armistice?” is set to take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 2 at the L.V. Eberhard Center located on the GVSU Pew Campus.

For more information, go to hauensteincenter.org.