VAGTC offers free advice to Michigan businesses

Michigan businesses have the opportunity to receive expert advice from the Van Andel Global Trade Center at Grand Valley State University through free international market research.

Marketing research from the VAGTC is gathered with specific businesses in mind. The research aims to help both small and medium enterprises that are hoping to move into new markets.

The VAGTC will help businesses within the following areas: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa, Saint Joseph and Van Buren.

For more information, contact the VAGTC at (616) 331-6811 or at [email protected].

PRIME exhibit

Final projects from 11 Grand Valley State University senior graphic design students will be featured in “PRIME: GVSU Senior Design Show” starting tonight.

The exhibit is purposed with displaying what each of the students has learned over the course of their four years in the program. Each student has been given the opportunity to showcase their individual personalities and design styles for attendees to enjoy.

PRIME will go from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will take place inside the Conference Centers of WMU-Grand Rapids, located at 200 Ionia Avenue, SW, Grand Rapids.

For more information about the PRIME exhibit, go to primetheshow.com.

MWest Challenge

100 students from 10 different universities in the West Michigan area are set to compete for $30,000 in the latest MWest Challenge on Friday, April 17.

The MWest competition is purposed with allowing students interested in business the opportunity to create their own start-up organizations through a cash prize incentive. Since the last MWest competition in November 2014, seven teams have been able to create a new business in Michigan.

Hosted by Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the MWest Challenge will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Eberhard Center located on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

For more information about the event, contact Grand Valley State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at (616) 331-7582.

Dance Troupe performs for charity

The Grand Valley State University Dance Troupe will  perform three separate shows inside the Allendale High School Auditorium with the purpose of collecting donations for Kids’ Food Basket.

The Kids’ Food Basket is a nonprofit organization devoted to ending childhood hunger in the greater Grand Rapids and Muskegon areas. By attending a performance, the $5 ticket cost will go directly toward funding the Kids’ Food Basket mission.

Performances will occur at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 10; 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11; and 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.

Tickets can be bought at the door or at the GVSU 20/20 desk. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free of charge.

For more information, contact Caty Hoffman at [email protected]

Earth at Risk film screening

Grand Valley State University’s Change U series will host a screening of a film concerning the relationship between capitalism and the environment at a free event on Friday, April 10.

Titled Earth at Risk, a 50-minute film, showcases a conversation between Stephanie McMillan, cartoonist and political organizer, and Derrick Jensen, author and eco-activist. The short-film aims to show that the current state of the planet may be the cause of capitalism and large corporations.

The screening will occur from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room 2263 of the Kirkhof Center. For more information about the event, contact Change U at [email protected].