GVSU community mourns the death of John Canepa

The Grand Valley State University community is in mourning after the death of John Canepa, a philanthropist and business leader. Canepa passed on Thursday, Jan. 25, at the age of 87 after sustaining injuries in a Monday, Jan. 22, pedestrian-vehicle accident in Grand Rapids.

Canepa was considered a leader in the Grand Rapids community for his involvement with the Grand Action organization, which he co-founded with Dick DeVos in 1993. Grand Action is behind many projects in the city, including DeVos Place, Van Andel Arena, Downtown Market and the renovation of the Grand Rapids Civic Center.

In a statement, GVSU President Thomas Haas said that “John was a longtime, dedicated friend to Grand Valley. He played a critical role in initiating Grand Valley’s presence on Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile, which has led to a vibrant and growing health campus. The move was considered bold at the time, and we will miss his leadership, steadfast support and wise counsel. He was a pillar in the community, and our prayers are with his wife, Marie, and his family.”

Canepa received a Lifetime Enrichment Award from GVSU in 2007 and was given an honorary degree in 2014.

Medical incident involving student occurs on Allendale Campus

On Thursday, Jan. 25, there was medical incident that took place on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus. According to GVSU Police Department Acting Director Brandon DeHaan, a student was transported to the hospital for a possible stroke. DeHaan said the student was awake and alert at the time of transport, and there is no update on the status of the student at this time. 

Talk scheduled about inequality, immigration in the U.S.

Marina Kaneti, assistant professor of area and global studies at GVSU, will be holding a short course for faculty on structural inequalities in the U.S beginning Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 11 a.m. to noon. 

Faculty who enroll will have weekly access to a presentation or podcast and will participate in a group discussion online or in person. The course will cover a number of topics, and each presenter on a topic will share facts on structural inequality, evidence of progress and how it fits into contemporary conditions. 

To enroll in the course and gain access to online materials, contact the Faculty Teaching and Resource Center (FTLC) at [email protected]. To have access to the live discussions, register in Sprout. For additional information, contact Dana Munk at [email protected] or Patty Bolea at [email protected]. 

‘Stalking in the Media’ event taking place

The Grand Valley State University Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity is holding an event titled “Stalking in the Media” on Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Pere Marquette Room.

The event is designed to discuss the warning signs of stalking in music, television and media in general. More information can be found at www.gvsu.edu/events/stalking-in-the-media/.