The event took place Wednesday, Sept. 18 in the Russel H. Kirkoff Center. Students across campus were invited to attend the free event in efforts to learn more about candidates’ campaigns and promote GVSU student involvement in local elections. The event centered around the power young voters have to make change. GVSU students can be especially influential in local elections, as the campus population makes up such a large part of Ottawa County.

“The student body has the ability to transform the outcome of the election,” said Becky Patrick, who is currently running for Ottawa County commissioner. “It’s (voting) for their own good and the good of the community.”

The event featured Lois Maassen and Marcia Mansaray, both of whom are running for state representative positions in their districts. The event also featured Troy Lampen, who is running for a seat on the Allendale Public School Board, and Cathy Seaver, who is running for a seat on Allendale Townships’ Board of Trustees.

The event lasted two hours, with time for each candidate to pitch their campaign and answer questions or concerns raised by students in attendance. 

Students in attendance took the opportunity to raise concern about the Confederate statue in Allendale Township’s Garden of Honor. The statue has been a topic of conversation for a number of years, with many groups calling for the statue’s removal and replacing it with a better

representation of the Allendale community.

In 2021, the Allendale Board of Trustees voted against the removal of the statue in a 5 to 2 vote. Seaver played a large part in the fight to remove the statue, and expressed disappointment that the statue still stands.

“When I think of the families, especially Black families that come to Grand Valley and bring their children here, going to that park and seeing that Confederate statue, and how unwelcome that would make me feel, that’s not okay,” Seaver said.

Multiple candidates mentioned their concerns about Ottawa Impact (OI), a far-right Republican group that has dominated in recent township elections. OI has maintained a majority in local

government, and the Ottawa County Department of Public Health has been forced to cut programs such as the Health Education and Nutrition and Wellness, which support community initiatives like suicide prevention, substance abuse and food assistance.

Maassen said she decided to run for the 89th district in the Michigan House because she wanted to ensure her young granddaughter’s rights would be protected. 

“I need to be able to look (her) in the eye and tell her that I have done what I can to make sure that she, as a young woman, can have access to the vote,” Maassen said. “(It’s important to me) that she can make her own healthcare decisions and her own reproductive health decisions.”

During the discussion portion of the event, a student asked Lampen why GVSU students should care

about voting in Allendale School Board elections, especially when many GVSU students did not attend the local K-12 schools. Lampen said public education supports intercommunal culture.

“The school system affects the community in more ways than just educating students, it creates a culture in the community,” Lampen said. “It creates opportunities for the community to engage with the school and students.” 

On campus, numerous volunteers have been circulating GVSU urging students to sign up to vote in Ottawa County, with Election Day coming up on Nov. 5. For more information regarding student voting at GVSU, visit the GVSU Votes! website.

Grand Valley State University librarian Kim Ranger announced their retirement after over 30 years of service at the University’s libraries. Ranger is expected to finish their employment at the end of the Fall 2024 semester. 

Ranger initially started at GVSU on Jan. 2, 1990 as a visiting librarian, and in April of that same year, accepted a tenure track position. Originally working as a government documents and liaison librarian, Ranger worked with many departments over the years. Currently, Ranger focuses on journalism, broadcast news, theater and Spanish documents.

“My favorite thing about being a librarian is the variety of tasks we do, helping with curriculum, getting library resources to support classes (and) teaching students to do library research,” Ranger said. “I learn something new every day.”

One of Ranger’s favorite memories from their employment is when they took sabbatical to Australia in 1999 to learn about information literacy. Upon returning from the trip, Ranger became the information literacy coordinator at GVSU for a few years before transitioning to a general liaison librarian again. 

In 2017, Ranger spent another sabbatical in Australia writing a book, titled, “Informed Learning Applications: Insights From Research and Practice.” Ranger said they continued their love of travel by attending several professional conferences in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. Ranger said they hope to continue traveling as much as they can. 

GVSU’s libraries offer quiet and comfortable spaces for students and staff to relax and get homework done. The first library on GVSU’s Allendale Campus was in Zumberge Hall, and held space for 5,000 students. The old library building has now been converted into administrative offices by the University. Built in June 2013 and holding space for nearly 25,000 students, the main library on the Allendale campus now is the Mary Idema Pew Library.

GVSU currently has four libraries, including the Mary Idema Pew Library, Pew Campus’ Steelcase Library, the Frederik Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors also located on the Pew campus and the Seidman House, which holds the GVSU’s Special Collections and University Archives. 

The Mary Idema Pew Library features multiple outdoor areas on its third and fourth floors. Ranger highlighted that these areas, along with other natural spaces on campus, like the arboretum and Ravine Nature Trails, have been huge pluses of working with the University. 

Ranger said their professional relationships that have developed over the years at GVSU have been incredibly impactful to them.

“Every interaction can benefit from kindness, respect and willingness to be open to learning from other people,” said Ranger.

Ranger said that after retirement, they plan to read for pleasure, take art classes, play viola and classical guitar and take hikes in the nature preserves around the Kalamazoo area. 

Ranger’s colleagues have begun the process of filling the position Ranger will leave behind in December, and expect a new liaison librarian to start in January 2025. 

The merchandise was available before GVSU’s move-in week, so those traveling through the airport to the University had the opportunity to see GVSU represented and grab some gear before coming to campus. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport previously has sold gear from other universities in Michigan. To make the partnership happen, GVSU worked with several team members at the airport. 

“The airport itself was very open to adding GVSU to their lineup,” said the University’s Executive Associate for Public Affairs and Communications Sarah Abel.

Abel said those in charge of the project hope students or families traveling to West Michigan through the Gerald R. Ford Airport feel pride and excitement that the University is part of their experience.

“The benefits for the University in this situation are huge,” Abel said. “Now, when people arrive and depart from Gerald R. Ford International Airport, GVSU is represented as a flagship institution in the community. The partnership itself provides visibility to the college, and (is a) convenient way to shop and represent GVSU.”

Many in the GVSU community feel that gear sales are a milestone towards more recognition for the University, and will better represent a large demographic of the city in which the airport resides. Incoming freshman Lauren Palencik said she was excited about GVSU merchandise being sold at the airport. 

“It makes me feel like I go to a well-respected school,” Palencik said. “It’s great when a city can take pride in an academic institution within the area.” 

GVSU freshman Olivia Carlson said she will enjoy seeing merchandise representing her university at the airport. Carlson also thinks it is a great marketing opportunity for GVSU.

“I love that in Grand Rapids, our school is being promoted,” Carlson said. “Who doesn’t want some awesome GVSU merchandise?” 

GVSU is not only just branching out by selling gear at the airport. In March 2024, a new Laker Store opened up in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids next to Rosa Parks Circle. The store allows for more students on the Pew campus and GVSU fans in Grand Rapids to support the University.

In 1967, alumni Mary Ohm completed her Bachelor of Arts degree and later returned to the University in the 80s to get her master’s degree. Ohm said she thinks back to her time in college fondly. At the time of her attendance in the 1960s, GVSU consisted of only one building, Lake Michigan Hall, and an unpaved parking lot. 

During Ohm’s sophomore year, she lived in the Grand Valley Apartments (GVA). Ohm said rent was far cheaper than it is now, recalling a rate of $75 a month. The apartments had two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen with dining space, a bathroom and a balcony. Ohm recalled that her roommate quickly moved back home after feeling homesick. 

The GVSU campus was officially established in 1960, seven years before Ohm graduated. In 1963, the college accepted their first class of 225 students. In 1967, a total of 138 students graduated alongside Ohm. 

In GVSU’s 2023-2024 data collection, there were roughly 22,000 total students for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. As of 2024, there are a total of 303 undergraduate and graduate programs offered for students, which range from nursing to engineering to writing. Current students at GVSU have the opportunity to choose from hundreds of majors and areas of study, with advisors on hand to help guide them to their goals. 

Ohm said she feels pride for her alma mater, especially in regards to advancements she feels the University is making, and said she is happy that GVSU is always growing and expanding its programs. 

Since graduating from GVSU, Ohm has stayed in the Grand Rapids area and dedicated her life to education.

“I married a year after graduation, (and after), we stayed on the west side (of the state of Michigan),” Ohm said. “Since then, I have lived in Wyoming, Hudsonville, Grandville and now in Jenison. I have always liked the Grand Rapids area, and taught for 35 years for Grand Rapids Public Schools.”

The 2024-2025 school year began Aug. 26, nearly 60 years after Ohm’s college experience. Ohm said visiting campus was a welcome trip to her alma mater, the place “where everything began.”

“I feel pride whenever I visit GVSU, knowing that I was part of the beginning,” Ohm said.

Owners of Long Road Distillers, Jon O’Conner and Kyle Van Strien, have a personal history with GVSU. As alumni, the pair bonded “over a shared commitment for the neighborhood they both call home,” according to the Long Road Distillers website. 

The cocktail was officially released Monday, June 24, and is now available for purchase throughout the state of Michigan. Long Road Distillers sell Lake + Valley Lemonade in stores, bars and restaurants across the state. To see where Lake + Valley Lemonade is distributed, visit the Long Road website under the Spirit Finder.

The 12 oz. cans feature GVSU’s logo and signature color scheme. A percentage of all sales from the cocktail will go directly into GVSU’s general fund, as stated in the press release, as it is an officially licensed product of the University through Affinity Licensing. 

Lake + Valley Lemonade features Long Road Distillers’ original vodka and contains five percent alcohol with 120 calories. O’Conner stated the drink’s flavors of lemon and blueberry with a hint of basil are a nod to the area surrounding GVSU’s Allendale campus. 

“With GVSU’s main campus being in Allendale, (and considering) all the blueberry orchards around there, the (drink) was a way to do something that was significant to that region,” O’Conner said. 

Many students say they are looking forward to the opportunity to test out the drink once the fall semester begins. 

“I’m excited to get back to Allendale for the drink,” said GVSU senior Julia Miezal. “It’s a great way to celebrate Grand Valley and it’ll make games that much sweeter.”

GVSU senior Hannah Bernhardt also said she is curious about the alcoholic beverage.

“Grand Valley’s new Long Road alcohol was something that was really interesting to me,” Bernhardt said. “Last week, I walked into Meijer to get a few groceries and saw the new drink right at the front of the store.”

The Laker-themed alcoholic drink was established after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill legalizing the sale of alcohol at college athletic events in the state in 2023. After the bill was signed, colleges across Michigan have applied for liquor licenses and begun alcohol sales. GVSU was one of them, notably hosting their very first sale of beer from concessions at the homecoming football game in October 2023. 

Bernhardt said she was surprised the University would move from not selling alcohol at athletic events to having their own themed drink– all in the four years that she has attended.

“Seeing them create an alcoholic drink is simply crazy to me,” Bernhardt said. “I never expected Grand Valley to make their own drink to sell in Michigan stores and on campus at Lubbers Stadium.”

Deputy Director of GVSU Athletics Doug Lipinski said the university is happy to be working with graduates on this new venture in the press release for the beverage.

“We are humbled to partner with a GVSU alumni owned business that is anchored in our West Michigan community,” Lipinski said. “Jon and Kyle’s commitment to quality, service and excellence aligns with GVSU Athletics value of championship excellence.”

This semester, there are seven seniors in the dance major taking their capstone class, DAN-495 Senior Project. The course asks students to choreograph two pieces, one a group piece and the other a solo. Students hold auditions to cast dancers for their pieces, hold rehearsals weekly, design lighting, do a professional-style photoshoot, fundraise and more. To showcase choreography and creativity, the concert includes multiple performances to conclude senior dancers’ experiences at GVSU.

Senior Carly O’Donohue explained how she began her pieces for the concert.

“I am a visual planner, so I started writing a lot of my thoughts and ideas and I used Pinterest to look for inspiration there,” O’Donohue said. 

O’Donohue said she didn’t fully know her plans until she cast her dancers, relying on her love for storytelling and creating to fuel her pieces. Once she had an idea of what she wanted, O’Donohue looked next to music.

“Music plays a huge role in dance,” O’Donohue said. “Especially when you are trying to convey a certain story.” 

O’Donohue’s group piece is about “loving someone who is struggling through life and just wanting to protect (them) from the bad.” Her piece follows two humans who share a deep connection, with one of them constantly being “tossed around” by the other dancers who represent the hardships of life. 

From her years in the dance program at GVSU, O’Donohue had a list of artists she admired that she looked to for inspiration as well. O’Donohue largely credits her success in her piece to the collaborative process with her cast, who “showed up every rehearsal with ideas and the willingness to create together.” 

To O’Donohue, the most challenging aspect of the capstone project was her solo. Most dance majors choose to choreograph a solo and a group piece to be performed in their senior concert. She admits that she procrastinated on this piece, and often struggled with believing in the ideas she had.

“I didn’t feel like my idea was good enough until almost halfway through the semester,” O’Donohue said. “It is just very challenging being by myself, in a studio with a mirror staring back at me.”

In the end, her solo became a “confrontational” story about wishing for time to slow down and that it’s okay to not know what the future holds.

Senior dance major Hannah Kunkel said it was intimidating to start from scratch when choreographing their two pieces. To help ease into the process, Kunkel worked through the choreography in chunks.

“Going bit by bit helped me focus and not get overwhelmed by a big picture or final project,” Kunkel said.

The inspiration for their group piece originally came from the Willie Nelson album, “The Red Beaded Stranger.” Kunkel was inspired by the vintage Western sound when learning about music history in class last summer. Their group piece specifically is about their experience in the queer community.

“I wanted to combine historical and contemporary queer experiences in a way that can resonate with a diverse audience,” Kunkel said.

Their solo, also a personal story, is about dancing with a chronic injury and the uncertain future it presents. Kunkel also admitted their solo reflects the sadness they feel closing this chapter at GVSU.

“The joy and excitement I feel for these milestones are beginning to be overturned by the sadness of the endings I face,” Kunkel said. “I am using my solo as a vessel to take in my last performance with GVDD.” 

Both O’Donohue and Kunkel are grateful for the dance program.

“The dance program has brought me my forever best friends,” O’Donohue said.

Kunkle said the dance program has a community where “you can find the people you truly connect with and know will be there to support you.” 

This year’s performances take place on April 12, at 7 p.m., and April 13 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The performances will be held at the Haas Center for Performing Arts Dance Studio Theatre, Room 1600. Admissions for this event is free.

X as a platform has seen many shifts since its creation with major shifts over the two years when Elon Musk took over the app as CEO. NBC News reported that in February the platform was down 18% of its daily active users. These shifts could potentially be reflected in how Grand Valley State University student use the app. 

Twitter, or X, as it is now known, was created in March 2006. Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s original CEO, posted the first ever “tweet” on the platform that read “just setting up my twttr.” From there, Twitter quickly gained a following.

In July of 2007, Twitter received $100,000 series-A funding, led by Union Square. By 2011, Twitter had become an essential tool in protests around the world. The app was specifically instrumental in the wave of anti-governmental protests in the Arab Spring, which took place throughout Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. In 2016, Twitter had a prominent role in former President Donald Trump’s campaign, with the app quickly becoming his main source of discourse. Twitter was criticized by many because several believed the social media app was giving misinformation a higher platform.

In 2020, misinformation and controversy continued to escalate with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, both Trump’s campaign and Trump’s personal account got banned from Twitter.

In 2022, Musk officially took over Twitter as CEO. He celebrated the news with a tweet stating, “Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in.” From there, Musk immediately made numerous changes, firing multiple people. Quickly, the site began having multiple issues, with reports of bot activity increasing, and user moderation plummeting.

Musk then modified the paid user subscription now called X Premium, formerly known as “Twitter Blue” in November 2022. This granted payers multiple benefits, including a larger character limit and the ability to edit their posts after posting. Unfortunately, this subscription allowed for even more misinformation to spread. Accounts that had been previously verified under the previous Twitter system, known as “legacy verified” would no longer be verified unless they paid for premium. 

Then in July 2023, Musk announced the app’s name would be changed from Twitter to X, although many still refer to the app by its former name. 

The platform’s recent and past controversies beg the question if young adults, specifically GVSU students, are still using the platform. 

Jerry Abe, a student at GVSU, uses X roughly every day. He said he primarily uses it for sports and news updates. 

Since Twitter turned into X, Abe said he actually uses it more, though he isn’t sure why. Abe said he enjoyed some design aspects. 

“I like the icon a lot better,” Abe said.

As for the political aspect of X, Abe said he doesn’t go out of his way to search for politics on the often-political social media platform. 

GVSU student Zen Martin said they created their account at the end of 2023. Martin got the app primarily to keep updated on their favorite gaming creators. Martin said they try to avoid politics on X, although they feel there is sometimes no way around it.

“In my personal opinion, I try (to) avoid it. I only use Twitter for one game developer, and other artists,” Martin said.

The Student Senate went through restructuring this year, due to a bill proposed by Senate President Quinten Proctor and Senate Executive Vice President Maggie Hallead called the Omnibus Bill. The organizational change aims to be more representative of the student body.

The Omnibus Bill came following a significant decline in Student Senate participation after the pandemic and some standing issues in the organization.

“At our first meeting of this school year, we only had 12 seats filled out of the 50 seats available and none of us had any experience in any leadership positions on Senate,” Proctor said.

It was incredibly difficult for the Student Senate to tackle the issues facing students with limited senators. Proctor said the reason the Student Senate was on such a steep decline was partially from several seniors graduating, as well as organizational flaws, “because we were so stuck in doing the same things and following the same processes that we had always done,” Proctor said.

Through the Omnibus Bill, the Student Senate adjusted to the current college experience, reserving seats for students in each college within the University including graduate, international and first-year students.

Riley Gessler, a nursing major, is currently running for a college representative seat of the Kirkhof College of Nursing. Being part of the Student Senate is incredibly important to Gessler.

“I love to see real changes happen and I know I could do that with this organization,” Gessler said.

If Gessler wins the spot of Kirkhof College of Nursing representative, they will be able to be a part of things that truly matter to them.

“I get to help with inspiring events such as Elect Her, Last Lecture, Exam Cram and many more,” Gessler said.

Gessler explained if they were to win the senate seat, they are interested in adding the Grand Valley State University Student ID in the Apple Wallet and making physical textbooks more accessible. Overall, Gessler is pleased with the restructuring.

“(The Omnibus Bill) has been very helpful for me and other Senators. I see this new and improved Senate as a way to give more benefits to the students and for us to run more smoothly,” Gessler said.

Freshman Anna Richards is also running for one of the new seats on the Student Senate. Currently a double major in Human Resource Management and Marketing, Richards is running for the new Seidman College of Business seat. If Richards wins, she plans to address “the price gouging of food and other items in the P.O.D stores around campus.”

Since the Omnibus Bill passed, the Student Senate body has grown to 33 members. Restructuring allowed the Senate to expand engagement and adjust each Student Senate member’s workload to be significantly lighter. 

The Senate also reorganized its Cabinet positions in the Omnibus Bill, adding a Chief of Staff position and a judicial branch to keep up with checks and balances. For the first time, students can vote for the President and the Vice President, although only one ticket is on the ballot, voting closes on March 25. Student Senate meetings are now held at both Allendale and Pew campuses to better reach all students.

The new Omnibus Bill is a stepping stone into a new era for Student Senate and the Senate remains hopeful that the new changes will better reflect the student body.

The joint-ticket pair Quinten Proctor and Paris Lawson are the sole candidates for Student Senate president and executive vice president positions as voting opens for students this week after the Student Senate restructuring plan.

Proctor, the current President of Student Senate, said GVSU senators are responsible for bringing student interests to campus administration.  

“The Board of Trustees charges us with being responsible for representing the student body and ensuring that the student voice is heard in University policies,” Proctor said.

According to Proctor, Student Senate works directly with faculty and University administration to make changes and recommendations, along with passing legislation to “recommend policy changes (and) to support different initiatives and developments that are happening on campus.” 

The Student Senate paused legislation in 2023 for restructuring that changed the composition of the senate body and reimagined the function of student government at GVSU. In the State of the Student Senate Address on Jan. 25, the senate announced the passage of restructuring legislation called the Omnibus Bill.

The Omnibus Bill introduced nine proposals regarding visibility, representation and function within the senate. The new model of the organization holds 19 seats for senators to be elected at large by the student body, 15 seats divided between each college at GVSU, four seats for freshman, one seat for an international student and one seat reserved for a graduate student. This model adds to 40 total senators, an entirely different structure then the previous year’s 50-seat model. The Omnibus Bill created also created a judicial branch and a chief of staff position in the senate, and requires that candidates for president and executive vice president run in a joint-ticket.

These changes have caused some sifts in student senate elections because there are different requirements for each seat, as well as different expectations for those who would like to run for student government.

Student Senate President Proctor and Vice President of Diversity Affairs Paris Lawson are running for Student Senate president and executive vice president. Proctor is double majoring in Political Science and International Relations. Lawson is currently majoring in International Relations and minoring in human rights and legal studies.

The two began their campaign on Feb. 10, announced through an Instagram post under the handle of @vote_proctor.lawson. The post explained that the senate’s structure would be slightly different than previous years because the Student Senate President and the Vice President will be directly elected by the students at large instead of by the members of Student Senate, also resulting from the Omnibus Bill. Proctor and Lawson have continued to post to their candidacy Instagram account, explaining their campaign plans along with reminders to vote for them.

Nancy Hoogwerf, the current vice president for allocation, and Magdalyn Hallead, the incumbent executive vice president, were running as president and executive vice president respectively, but suspended their campaign. This leaves the Proctor-Lawson ticket as the sole voting option for those positions.

Both students joined the Student Senate to try and make an impact on their community. Proctor joined the Senate two years ago. He found the Student Senate was a way for him to make a difference on campus and to be a part of a community of people who had similar motivations. Lawson said she joined the Student Senate because she wanted to make sure every voice was heard and was interested in “creating a safe and positive environment on campus.”

If elected, the Proctor-Lawson campaign aims to keep faculty and student involvement in legislation. “We hope to continue advocating for the needs of our diverse student body and collaboratively work with both students and faculty to do so,” Lawson said. 

According to Proctor, the pair will meet with faculty to “ensure the University has the resources and capacity to adequately support all of the students here.”

Proctor and Lawson said they are determined to make the GVSU campus a community where everyone feels at home.

“I would love to begin work to create a more vibrant and energetic campus community,” Proctor said. 

On Monday, March 18, the Student Senate is holding a “Meet the Candidates” event where students will be able to learn more about the specific campaigns of other individuals running for student government. This event will take place in the Kirkhof Center, and attendees will receive a free donut. 

Student Senate has weekly General Assembly meetings every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Room 2204 in the Kirkhof Center. Voting for new senators is open from March 18 through March 25. Voting information is available on the Student Senate’s page on the GVSU website. To keep up with the Student Senate race, visit the Student Senate’s Instagram. 

The Gun Control Night of Action event gave the GVSU community a space to advocate for gun control policy change and to better understand the forces in play with regards to gun control and gun policy in students’ immediate experience. Students not only shared their experiences and opinions but were encouraged to email government representatives to encourage steps towards enacting change.

The event began with a short speech from Emily Bush, who is currently running for Congressman for the 10th district in Michigan. Bush explained she was originally compelled to run for congressman after her son, a former student at Oxford High School, had to run for his life when a shooter opened fire in the Nov. 30, 2021 school shooting. 

“Part of what I do every day is pushing the needle on gun violence prevention which, as we all know in this country, is something that continues to happen every single day,” Bush said.

The event continued with a speech from GVSU Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Brandon DeHaan. DeHaan talked about gun violence trends in the area.

According to information collected by the GVPD over the years, the Blue Bridge near the Grand Rapids Pew Campus is the location with the most gun violence occurrences between the GVSU Allendale or Pew campuses.

Part of Dehaan’s presentation addressed the importance of preparedness for an active shooter. According to Dehaan, part of GVSU’s prevention and response tactics he identified as the “15-minute rule” that he has set up in case an active shooter is ever on campus. With the 15-minute rule, GVPD are required to send updates of an active shooter situation every 15 minutes via email and text so that students are kept as updated as possible. Dehaan encouraged an open discussion and answered multiple questions regarding how the GVSU Department of Public Safety prepared for these incidents.

A large reason students attended the Night of Action event was to make a change in their community and address a problem they feel deserves attention. President of the GVSU Students Demand Action Club and former Oxford High School student Emma Long said attending prevention and advocation events can contribute to positive change.

“I always say that even if you feel like you’re not making a big change, every name on a petition, every person that shows up in a crowd, you are making a difference,” Long said.

Freshman student Katie Hogan attended the Night of Action event to share her stories of gun violence and to speak up for what she believes in. 

“I remember hearing about it from Illinois and hearing these instances that all happened in Michigan, it’s been really eye-opening that almost everyone here has a first-person connection to [a] gun incident,” Hogan said. “The fact that we’ve become so desensitized to (gun violence), just everybody having conversations about everything.”

Students and community members were able to advocate for themselves and others while attending the event, showcasing the strength of gun violence survivors, the relevance of the issue in students lives and speaking to the greater trend of gun violence in the United States.