Art of the Pitch workshop

Michael Lowenstern, vice president and managing director of advertising at R/GA, will give a presentation about teaching students effective strategies for pitching ideas to an audience.

At the “Art of the Pitch workshop,” Lowenstern will have students bring in their own pitch to deliver to an audience. Following the pitch, Lowenstern will engage with the students in discussing better ways to manage stress and improve their public speaking abilities.

Lowenstern brings with him experience in advertising for large companies such as Verizon, Walmart, Nike, MasterCard and more.

The presentation will take place from 4:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sept. 24 in Room 1021 of the Grand Valley State University L. William Seidman Center.

To RSVP, visit www.bit.ly/1KN6LgN.

Mathematics taught through cooking

The new student colloquium speaker series from Grand Valley State University’s math department will begin with a lecture that aims to teach students mathematics theories and methods by way of baking metaphors.

Titled “How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics,” the lecture is taught by Eugenia Cheng, scientist in residence at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.

Cheng’s book of the same name will provide the template for her presentation as she teaches students new ways to think about mathematics in relation to cooking.

The presentation will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 in Mackinac Hall, Room A-2-117.

Students and faculty are encouraged to show up at 4 p.m. in Room A-2-610 to talk with Cheng one-on-one.

Community Reading Project selects new book

This year’s Community Reading Project at Grand Valley State University will coordinate discussions, group panels, films and more throughout the year revolving around the latest book selection “Citizen: An American Lyric.”

Written by Claudia Rankine, “Citizen: An American Lyric” focuses on the ways in which racism affects social and cultural life within America today through poetry, prose and images.

The first discussion will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Sept. 30 in the multipurpose room located on the atrium level of the Mary Idema Pew Library.

For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/read.

ArtPrize concert to interpret the work of Mathias Alten

Members of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra will use original musical composition to interpret three paintings by artist Mathias Alten at the Grand Valley State University ArtPrize concert.

Titled “Mathias Alten Triptych,” the composition aims to interpret three of Alten’s paintings: “The Grand River,” “The Approaching Storm” and “Gull of Leland.”

These paintings and more of Alten’s work can be seen at the George and Barbara Gordon Gallery, located in the DeVos Center on the Pew Campus.

The performance will take place at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 in the Loosemore Auditorium located in the DeVos Center.

For more information, contact GVSU’s music and dance department at (616) 331-3484.

College of Health Professions tackles worldwide health threats

Grand Valley State University’s College of Health Professions will host a conference concerning global health threats and strategies for improving people’s health.

Faculty members at the conference are expected to lecture on a variety of issues such as therapeutic recreation programming in post-tsunami Japan, medical laboratory science education in Zimbabwe and community health in Haiti.

The conference will be from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the DeVos Center, located on the Pew Campus.

RSVPs for the free event are expected no later than Oct. 8 and can be made at www.gvsu.edu/chp.