Healthy Choice Initiative makes eating healthy easier

Students, staff and faculty members will have an easier time discerning between healthy and unhealthy food options on campus with the help of the new Healthy Choice Initiative.

Under the new initiative, menu items in campus restaurants and quick-service locations that are fresh or low in calories, sodium and saturated fat will be clearly labeled with a Healthy Choice checkmark.

Campus dining and the health and wellness task force collaborated together to create the initiative.

A full list of healthy choice-approved items and general eating tips can be found on both the campus dining and health and wellness websites.

5×5 entrepreneur competition offers up to $5,000 prize

Five teams of entrepreneurs will have a shot at winning $5,000 when they present their research projects to a panel of judges at the Grand Valley State University 5×5 competition on March 23.

Going along with the 5×5 theme, teams will have just five minutes to present five slides to a panel of five judges. The judging panel is made up of local entrepreneurs, business owners, and GVSU’s student senate president.

Sponsored by GVSU’s Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the competition is set to take place from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. in Room 201 of the Eberhard Center.

For more information about the 5×5 competition, visit www.5x5night.com or www.gvsu.edu/cei.

Students to compete in fourth annual Juried Student Exhibition

Three student art pieces will be chosen to permanently join Grand Valley State University’s art collection during the fourth annual Juried Student Exhibition.

Art pieces featured in the exhibition come from more than 90 students within the school of communications art and design department. The exhibit will extend beyond traditional artwork and include ceramics, photography, jewelry, graphic designs, printmaking and more.

The three pieces chosen to join the university’s art collection will be determined by Henry Mathews, director of galleries and collections. GVSU’s art collection currently consists of more than 13,000 pieces.

The Juried Student Exhibition is open for public viewing from March 21-31 in the Padnos Student Art and Design Gallery, located in the Calder Art Center. An awards ceremony and special reception will take place on March 24 from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m.

For more information about the competition, visit www.gvsu.edu/art.

Campus Climate Survey results lecture

Jesse Bernal, vice president of the Division of Inclusion and Equity, will host a lecture to discuss the results of this year’s Campus Climate Survey on March 22.

Administered in November 2015, the Campus Climate Survey is purposed with gauging the attitudes and behaviors of students, faculty and staff in an effort to create a more inclusive campus.

Bernal’s lecture is LIB 100 approved and will take place from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Mary Idema Pew Library Multipurpose Room. Following the lecture, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in a discussion about how to change bias at Grand Valley State University.

The Division of Inclusion and Equity will host another Campus Climate Survey discussion the same day from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in Room 2204 of the Kirkhof Center.

Irish on Ionia draws 20,000 participants

More than 20,000 people were estimated to have attended the sixth annual Irish on Ionia, Michigan’s largest St. Patrick’s Day street party.

Hosted by the new Waldron Public House, the event took place downtown on Ionia Avenue, taking up three city blocks and ran from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Attendees were treated to live entertainment, beer tents and even a free breakfast for those who arrived early enough.

A video of last year’s Irish on Ionia as well as more information about the event can be found at www.irishonionia.com.