At Grand Valley State University, some second-generation Lakers try and build a legacy that is equal to or greater than that of their parents’ on campus. With a growing alumni base that now stretches several generations, GVSU families try and build a “Laker legacy” by being leaders and examples for the GVSU community.

Some get to watch their legacy begin to blossom as they live their lives and touch those around them, as is the case with Alena Zachery-Ross and her son, Cordell Zachery.

Zachery-Ross, who graduated in 1995 with degrees in psychology and special education, built up a legacy on campus by being involved, creating student organizations and being a leader both on campus and for her children.

Zachery, who will graduate after the fall 2016 semester with a degree in advertising and public relations, has followed that model of his mother before him.

The pair have created their own legacy and continue to grow it through their involvement on campus both while enrolled and as an alumna.

“I think, If you could sum it all up into a phrase, our Laker legacy is ‘If you want it, go get it,’” Zachery said.

Zachery is currently interning at Steelcase in Grand Rapids and is currently on the board of directors for a group of professionals in the Grand Rapids area who specialize in professional and community events called BL2END (Business Leaders Linked to Encourage New Directions), is the vice president Alpha Kappa Psi and was the former president of Alpha Phi Alpha, who he helped grow on campus.

“When I came into Alpha Phi Alpha I was the only person on campus who was in the organization,” Zachery said. “I had to put on events by myself while going to class, while going to school and had to collaborate with different organizations like NAACP (and) student senate. It was really hard for me to sell myself and sell my organization when you’re the only one in it.”

Zachery-Ross was a school teacher in the Detroit area until taking a job as superintendent of schools for the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy system and is on the nomination and awards committee for the GVSU alumni board.

While on campus, Zachery-Ross was involved in a wide array of programs from re-instituting the chapter and serving on the executive board for her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, being involved in the GVSU honors program, playing clarinet in the band to helping found and being the president of the Minority Teachers Education Center (MTEC) on campus.

“(MTEC) started from me being the first president, and my daughter was able to be a part of it, so really starting with writing out what the guidelines were, literally sitting down and writing by-laws and organizing that,” Zachery-Ross said.

Another thing Zachery-Ross prided herself on was being a member of all those organizations, keeping good grades and raising two children.

“They were a part of campus,” Zachery-Ross said. “I just rolled them around with me. They were in the stroller on campus.”

Zachery-Ross also said she always had places for her children to go because she had made connections with people in the housing staff, her sorority sisters and even the head of the honors program at the time.

The pair not only have a lot in common when it comes to their GVSU experience, but a lot in common in their hobbies and activities. The two love to do things together, including cooking, traveling, fishing in local lakes and rivers, reading leadership books, line-and-hustle dancing and singing karaoke.

Both Zachery and Zachery-Ross draw parallels from their individuals experiences at GVSU from creating and building up programs on the GVSU campus and being leaders in their communities. Both are active in community service and work toward building a better community for those around them. In their willingness to try new things and take advantage of all the opportunities, they hope to continue to build their Laker legacy.

“We don’t stay in and have things define us,” Zachery-Ross said. “We aren’t just the sorority person or fraternity (person). We’re not just an academic person, we’re not just involved in leadership, (we) like to really be a part of it. They talk about the liberal arts education, we are the example of that.”