Through the lens: Studying Abroad in Haiti

From May to June 19, associate professor of geology and Frederik Meijer Honors College faculty member, Peter Wampler, gave students the opportunity to experience life in Haiti and to gain insight on the Haitian culture.

“The tall tree says it sees far, the wandering see says it sees more,” is the infamous Haitian poem that was the driving force behind the recent service-learning expedition for 12 GVSU students and faculty members. 

During the trip, students participated in several service learning and community-based teaching experiences. These opportunities allowed students to engage in service learning and what it’s like to give back to a community, which allowed them to apply their efforts towards first-world problems in rural Haiti. 

Located in the exhibit will be narratives and reflections from faculty members and students that participated in the trip, as well as photographs documenting their experiences, multiple original Haitian paints and voodoo flags. 

The exhibit is titled “Wandering Seeds: Experiencing and Engaging Haiti Through Study Abroad” and will take place in the Red Wall Gallery in Lake Ontario Hall through Dec. 14.

St. Cecilia Music Center honors 135-year anniversary with numerous jazz performances

On Thursday, Oct. 11, the St. Cecilia Music Center in Grand Rapids kicked off their 135-year anniversary with a jazz series that includes several events. The main event was centered on jazz trumpet, Arturo Sandoval, who is a 10-time Grammy Award winner.

Arturo Sandoval, son of the legendary jazz performer Dizzy Gillespie is classified as one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and is seen by millions at the Oscars, Grammy Awards and Billboard Awards.

Among Sandoval’s performance, The Kenny Barron Quintet will also be performing on Nov. 1. The Los Angeles Times named Barron “one of the top jazz pianists in the world” and he was named the Best Pianist in 2017 by the Jazz Journalists Association for the seventh time. 

Season subscriptions and single tickets are available by calling (616) 459-2224 or by visiting www.scmc-online.org.

The Grand Rapids Civic Theater Presents: Number the Stars

On Thursday, Oct. 18, The Grand Rapids Civic Theater will be hosting a performance for Special Community Night titled, “Number the Stars.”

“Number the Stars” is appearing for the first time at the Civic Theater, and is a NewBery Medal award-winning novel that forces readers to think about the concept of bravery, and how one person can make a difference. 

The powerful story is centered on a young Christian girl who is willing to risk her life to save her closest friend who is Jewish. The play will be set in Copenhagen, Denmark during World War II. The story’s plot reflects the enriched history of the world, whether that be good or bad. The writer’s overall goal is to illustrate to the audience that through the dark, light can be found. 

The performance is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. with all tickets priced at six dollars. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.grct.org.