Homecoming week

GVSU will be hosting several events and activities as part of this year’s homecoming week. Beginning on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 9 a.m. there will be a Homecoming 5K Run/Walk to showcase the beauty of campus in the fall. The cost is $30 for adults, $25 for GVSU students and there will be a free Kids Fun Run. All participants will receive a post-race breakfast. Awards will be given to the top three finishers of each division. 

Later that day, the GV community will get pumped for the football game during the Homecoming Recreation Tailgate. Participants are responsible for their own tailgating supplies, beverages and snacks. Tailgate parking is first come, first serve and will cost $10 for lots closest to Lubbers Stadium. The Lakers will take on Dixie State at 7 p.m. for the Homecoming game. 

FAFSA filing workshop

On Friday Oct. 5 from 12 to 3 p.m. in Henry Hall room 114, GVSU’s Office of Financial Aid will be hosting a FAFSA filing workshop to assist students in the application process. The FAFSA application opens on Oct. 1 and closes June 30, 2019. Students who attend the filing workshop should bring their FSA ID, their 2017 Federal Income Tax, and any W2 forms from 2017. Any questions can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid. 

Coffee and conversation

The Community Service Learning Center and the Campus Democratic Engagement Coalition (CDEC) will be hosting a series of events dedicated to forming a dialogue about what it means to be an American. The first scheduled coffee and conversation will be held Friday Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the east lawn of the Kirkhof Center. Participants are welcome to come enjoy a cup of coffee, a Panera bagel and some insightful discussion on the American dream. In the case of poor weather, the discussion will be held in the Kirkhof Solarium. 

GVSU wellness summit

A two-mile campus walk is scheduled for Oct. 5 from 10 to 11 a.m. beginning at the Cook-Carillon Tower as part of GVSU’s Wellness Summit. The Summit will begin after the walk at 11 a.m. and activities will continue until 2 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center lobby. Wellness Summit participants are welcome to come learn about wellness programs and resources on campus from student, faculty and staff presenters and have the opportunity to get a flu shot. Sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine, students and faculty are encouraged to attend and learn more about promoting healthy living on campus. 

Secchia breakfast lecture

This year’s Peter F. Secchia Breakfast Lecture will feature speaker Missy Young, the chief information officer for Switch Inc. who will be presenting on artificial intelligence. The lecture is scheduled for Oct. 3 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the William Seidman Center on GVSU’s downtown campus. Breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m. and the presentation will begin promptly after. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at gvsu.edu/seidman. The event is free but seating is limited.

Young is an expert in technology trends and data strategies thanks to her work with global technology company Switch. She entered the technology field in the mid-90s as a network engineer and has since become art of the Forbes Technology Council, an invite-only community for technology executives. 

Health forum to focus on water quality

The first Health Forum of West Michigan event of the year will focus on water quality in the groundwater, the Great Lakes and area rivers. The “Water Quality and Safefty” forum will be held Friday, Oct. 5 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in the Loosemore Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public and attendees are urged to RSVP online at gvsu.edu/vphealth.

Panelists for the health forum include Erik DeLong, deputy city manager for Grand Rapids, Eric OsWald of the Department of Environmental Quality, Annis Water Resources Insitute and many more speakers. Sponsored by GVSU’s Office of the Vice Provost for Health, health forum events are held the first Friday of every month and focus on a health topic that is affecting the community.