The Grand Valley community mourned the death of 海伦狄维士, one of the university’s most steadfast supporters. The wife of Amway co-founder Rich DeVos died October 18, at age 90.

海伦·德沃斯是一位热心的慈善家，她一生的捐赠对西密歇根州及其他地区产生了重大影响. Her generosity and love for helping others have enhanced the community greatly, especially in the areas of education, 音乐, 艺术和医疗保健.

在她一生中, 海伦为GVSU和大峡谷大学基金会提供了卓越的领导和服务, for which she most recently served as a member of the Advisory Cabinet.

“海伦对教育的变革力量有着深深的热情，”校长托马斯J. 哈斯. “作为一个终身学习者，她是我们学生和她认识的每个人的伟大榜样. 我们将怀念她多年来的慷慨支持和指导，以及她的友谊.”

这对夫妇与这所大学有着长期而稳定的关系，改变了学生和该地区的未来. 在20世纪90年代, 海伦和里奇非常积极地为“大设计2000”活动争取土地和资金, an effort that expanded the Grand Rapids Pew Campus. The university recognized their support with the naming of the Richard M. 狄维士中心.

In 2000, 海伦和里奇得到了朋友和社区的支持，筹集了必要的资金，在大急流城市中心的医疗大道上建造了库克-德沃斯健康科学中心.

海伦和她的丈夫都曾担任“塑造我们的未来”活动的名誉联合主席, which helped expand scholarships for students, improve and expand Grand Valley’s facilities, strengthen key programs and provide much needed support to faculty. The DeVoses also made the lead gift to help build the L. 威廉·塞德曼中心.

Grand Valley honored Helen with the naming of the 海伦狄维士 Presidential Scholarship, an award granted to students who show promise in 音乐 and the arts. The university also granted her an honorary degree in 2010. She was recognized as a Grand Steward of the university in 2011, and was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame with an Enrichment Award in 2014.

作为对海伦的致敬, 艾伦代尔和皮尤大急流城校区的钟楼上挂着蓝色的“湖人之光”，大山谷的旗帜降了半旗.

9月20日，数十名地区退伍军人和执法官员在爱国者卫队骑手的带领下，将“愈合之墙”从艾伦代尔校园护送到康斯托克公园的第五第三棒球场.

“治愈之墙”是华盛顿特区越战纪念碑的半比例复制品.C., was on display at Fifth Third Ballpark September 21-24, 作为LZ 密歇根的一部分, 一件值得纪念的事, honor and celebrate veterans and their 家庭 members.

WGVU公共媒体是LZ 密歇根的共同赞助商，并帮助将“治愈之墙”带到大急流城.

Grand Valley社区庆祝了新装修和扩建的Thomas J. 玛西娅·J. 哈斯 Center for Performing Arts on August 25.

两层楼的, 47,000平方英尺, $20 million addition includes the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box 剧院, 扩大剧院服装商店, 新更衣室, two classrooms for costume design and fabrication, four 音乐 ensemble rooms and additional rehearsal spaces. A separate dedication of the Keller 剧院 took place in October.

The renovated center is named in honor of 托马斯·J. 哈斯和他的妻子Marcia感谢他们对中心项目的支持.

In an emotional speech at the dedication, Marcia expressed gratitude for the students involved in the arts and for the university.

“Arts of all kinds benefit people of all ages, 汤姆和我对艺术有很深的欣赏，我们认识到我们的生活是如何被所有的艺术丰富的,玛西娅说. “我们的大山谷家庭是如此特别，我们很高兴有这个机会回馈社会.

丹尼·菲普斯, 音乐主席, 剧院, 及舞蹈系, 他说，该中心代表了一种承诺，即为大学社区和其他地方提供最好的表演艺术.

“今天围绕着我们的是来自大峡谷行政部门和捐助者对艺术研究本质的深刻承诺和理解的切实证据，以挑战我们的学生超越现在的梦想，创造更美好的未来。,菲普斯说.

“Providing desperately needed production and performance space, 这个新设施将使我们不断发展的项目能够扩大对学生的积极影响.”

安娜Petrenko, a senior majoring in 音乐 education, 告诉人群，扩建是大峡谷致力于通过舞蹈影响人们的研究的证明, 戏剧和音乐.

“In a nation where many arts programs are the first to be cut from a school’s budget, 我的心充满了骄傲，能让大峡谷公开展示艺术在这个校园的重要性,彼得连科说.

二战期间, Detroit native Joseph Olexa fought in the Invasion of Normandy, 比利时的解放, the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge as a member of the U.S. 陆军第26步兵师.

在他任职期间, Olexa exchanged hundreds of letters with Agnes Van Der Weide, who would eventually become his sweetheart. The pair discussed popular culture of the 1940s, 家庭, military life and their own developing relationship; Van Der Weide even moved to Grand Rapids during the course of the letters.

这些信件由博天堂官方大学的学生重新制作，并由大学图书馆的工作人员利·鲁宾斯基和杰奎琳·兰德在研究期间进行了解剖 播客的第一季, “致信:来自大峡谷州立大学特别收藏和大学档案的播客”.”

Rupinski, archivist for public services and community engagement, 他说，制作这个剧集是为了让人们更多地了解大学拥有的各种历史藏品.

欢迎一年级学生来到他们新的学术之家的毕业典礼演讲者们给出了建立联系的重要性的统一信息, accepting challenges and stepping out of comfort zones.

8月25日，玛丽亚·西米蒂尔首次正式担任教务长兼学术和学生事务执行副校长，向聚集在现场的观众发表了讲话. She encouraged students to develop relationships with their professors, calling faculty members the “guides” who open the doors of learning.

“A liberal education is not something given to you, it’s earned,” Cimitile said. “The faculty will guide you to all that you know and demand that you push yourself.”

托马斯·J. 哈斯提醒听众，哈佛大学的价值观是诚信、学术和服务. He encouraged students to develop a passion for lifelong learning, 包括向代表不同文化或提出不同观点的人学习.

“Find someone who is different from you and they will enrich your life,” 哈斯 said. “我们必须承诺恭敬地倾听他人的意见，然后恭敬地表达自己的意见.”

两个姐妹, 布里奥娜·泰勒和布列塔尼·泰勒, gave advice as successful alumni who have backgrounds in nursing, 业务, 创业和体育. Briauna, who earned degrees in 业务 and nursing, encouraged students to find their niches and step out of comfort zones. Doing so, she said, will broaden their perspectives and aid them after graduation.

Stephen玻璃, acting vice provost for Student Affairs and dean of students, asked students to reflect on their path to Grand Valley and remember challenges, opportunities and people who helped along the way.

“Now you are here and you have a new set of challenges,” Glass said. He encouraged students to persist, ask for help and say “yes” to new opportunities.

在格兰德黑文著名的音乐喷泉表演中，由于Grand Valley工程专业的学生进行了升级，现在有了新的流动的水形态. 今年夏天, 五名学生完成了他们的毕业设计，设计和建造了两个新的水景.

The fountain now includes helix and wave-shaped water formations, 除了它原有的两个特点——前后扫荡和上下运动之外. The new features debuted at the fountain’s last show of the season on September 16.

特里·史蒂文斯, affiliate professor of engineering, said water features have not been updated since the fountain was installed in 1963. “The water formations have been the same for 53 years, so the  city wanted to see something new,他说. 史蒂文斯是Grand Haven音乐喷泉委员会的成员，并于1983年安装了喷泉的初始工业控制系统.

该项目于1月份开始. Students spent the winter semester researching and designing the features; they built, tested and installed the new equipment during the spring and summer semesters.

该小组从原型开始, 然后定制了第二个设计，其中包括许多必须安装在喷泉上的部件. The wave feature includes 50 nozzles, for example.