GVSU celebrates MLK Jr. with week of events

The Grand Valley State University community will commemorate the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. from Monday, Jan. 16 to Saturday, Jan. 21. GVSU has several events scheduled, including keynote speeches from nationally renowned orator Kevin Powell, an activist and the president of BK Nation, and Kimberlé Crenshaw, a law professor at UCLA and author of several activist books.

Powell’s speech will be held in the Fieldhouse Arena Monday, Jan. 16 at 1:30 p.m. Crenshaw will present Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 4:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Grand River Room.

Along with these keynote speakers, the university has several other events planned every day except for Friday, Jan. 20. Such events include panel discussions on race, privilege and other related topics; a silent march from James H. Zumberge Hall to the Fieldhouse; and numerous other events. For more information about the event schedule, visit GV now.

GVSU professor receives mathematics award

Ted Sundstrom, a Grand Valley State University Mathematics professor, wrote a book titled “Mathematical Reasoning: Writing and Proof” that has since been adopted as a teaching tool by almost 50 universities in the United States. Sundstrom will receive the Mathematical Association of America’s Daniel Solow Author Award as recognition of the work he put into the book. 

The book, Sundstrom said, is made specifically for students in their first course of a mathematics major at a university. It is aimed at introducing students how to go through the process of writing and constructing math proofs. The book also has an emphasis on active learning. 

Sundstrom also made the book electronically available for people to download. It has since been downloaded more than 50,000 times.

Sundstrom will receive his award in July of 2017 in Chicago at MathFest. He has been a professor at GVSU for over 40 years and is set to retire in April. 

American Red Cross to hold campus blood drive

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Pere Marquette Room 2204. The blood drive is being held after a reported winter shortage of donated blood. Potential donors should be hydrated and well-fed before donating blood and will need to bring a list of medications they are taking, as well as a valid form of identification, to the blood drive. For more information, visit www.redcrossblood.org/. 

GV community mourns passing of former staff member

Former director of institutional marketing at Grand Valley State University, Jacqueline Jean Vansen, died Tuesday, Jan. 3 at the age of 51.

After graduating from GVSU with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 1987, Vansen worked as the director of institutional marketing from 1988-2015. She also spent time serving as the graphic designer, and later the creative director, for “Grand Valley Magazine.”

There will be a visitation Thursday, Jan. 12 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at A. J. Desmond & Sons in Royal Oak, followed by a funeral mass Friday, Jan. 13 at Gesu Catholic Church in Detroit.