Students urged to get flu shots

Australia had an unusually early and severe flu season this year, an outbreak that may be on its way to the United States. Public health experts at the Center for Disease Control, who often use Australia as a portent for flu season in the United States, are urging Americans to get their flu shots as soon as possible.

This academic year, Grand Valley is encouraging students to get vaccinated by joining the 2019-2020 Alana Yaksich National College/University Flu Vaccination Challenge. The competition is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Alana’s Foundation, a memorial non-profit dedicated to educate the public about the importance of yearly influenza vaccinations.

This week’s flu clinics are Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the 125C Richard M. DeVos Center in Grand Rapids from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9 at the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and Thursday, Oct. 10 in the Fieldhouse Arena Upper Lobby on Allendale Campus from 12-2 p.m. Clinics continue until Oct. 30, and more dates and times can be found at www.gvsu.edu/events.

Prepare for your future

Grand Valley’s Career Fair is a huge event that attracts over 230 regional and national employers with thousands of jobs, internships and co-op opportunities — which can be overwhelming for students who’ve never attended before. That’s why the Career Center of the Division of Student Affairs is hosting a “Career Carnival” so those interested in the upcoming Career Fair can get their questions answered before the big day.

In addition to general advice about how to navigate the fair and follow up with potential employers once its over, the center is also holding a drop-in workshop to refine resumes, formulate elevator pitches and take headshots for online profiles, services useful for anyone on the job market whether you decide to attend the Career Fair or not.

The “Career Carnival” will be held in the main plaza of the Richard M. DeVos Center on GVSU’s Pew campus. The event runs Thursday, Oct. 10 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The Career Fair itself will be Oct. 16 at the DeVos Place Convention Center.