Liberal Studies Commons^™

Dialogues That Dig Deeper: Surfacing The Multiple Faces Of Homelessness In Grand Rapids, Mi (Report Two), Leah Marshall, Annie Taccolini, Joshua Fields, Faith Boyd, Caleb Brinson, Jessica Tharnish, Adi Sahitolli, Jeff Bradford

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

This community dialogue was designed to identify current gaps in responses to homelessness in Grand Rapids as well as options for addressing those gaps. Given the feedback received, this report focuses on (1) mentorship programs similar to the aftercare program at Dégagé, (2) facilitated housing, and (3) ideas for fostering social connectedness.

Through primary and secondary research as well as an analysis of our dialogue, our team was able to identify key areas of need in the fight for consistent, stable housing. Below you will find an outline of those ideas, more theoretical research on the subject, and data on …

Dialogues That Dig Deeper: Surfacing The Multiple Faces Of Homelessness In Grand Rapids, Mi (Report One), Lauren Maher, Sarah Bennett, Cameron Costa, Ryan Fookes, Jason Matthews, Erica Clark, Aleaha Lorimer

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

This Community dialogue was designed to discover what homeless individuals need, in terms of services and assistance, to prevent the perpetuating cycle of homelessness itself. After the discussion, our team hopes service organizations in Grand Rapids will take our findings into consideration in their efforts towards designing and implementing programs around homelessness.

Adapting The Past To Improve The Future, Noah Fettig

Senior Projects

Though the trend of greenhouse gas emission is declining, the equivalent of 6,870 million metric tons of CO₂ was emitted in the United States in 2014.[1] About one quarter of this pollution is emitted by the transportation sector.[2] Instead of waiting for the next technological development in transportation to provide us with clean vehicles, what if we could adopt past transportation systems to reduce our emissions and increase future sustainability? This study explores the idea of adopting intra- and inter-urban electric rail and a people’s car to reduce the annual U.S. transportation emissions using historical examples, the …

Re-Examining The Use Of Behavioral Assessment Tools For Employee Selection, Jennifer Orme

Senior Projects

The use of behavioral assessment tools, in the hiring process, has become a common practice for many private and public employers with the goal of finding the right fit for their organization and reducing employee turnover. This study re-examines the use of behavioral assessment tools for employee selection. Through secondary analysis, and evaluating the hiring data of a local municipality who uses these tools as part of their hiring process, I was able to determine the effectiveness of behavioral assessments in candidate selection. Although behavioral assessment tools can add great value to an organization, their low validity and unsupported claims …

Eliminating Silos In Regionally Distributed Organizations To Encourage Knowledge Sharing, Todd H. Talsma

Senior Projects

This study explores silos and their effects on knowledge sharing in business. When a business has functional areas working in isolation, knowledge is not shared amongst the entire organization. This study uses secondary analysis research to explore how silos are created in business and how collaborative leadership has the ability to counteract the effects these silos have on knowledge sharing. The findings show the need for leadership to work toward creating a collaborative culture in which team members are empowered. Organizations, which implement a collaborative culture require leaders who are willing to empower other team members. The scope of this …

Project Summary And Developmental Programs For Ishew, Lindsey Lequia, Dallas Rohraff

Honors Projects

On a seemingly normal day during my study abroad in Ghana, we noticed that the sun was shining in a sky that seemed to have no clouds. We were taking a trip to visit the water source of a community that contained nearly 1,000 people. Although it amazed us to think that that many people were fetching water each day from a river, we understood that others do not have access to the purified, city water that we are fortunate to have at home. When we pulled into the community, the reality of their lifestyle contrasted with what we had …

Examining Employee Engagement To Predict Retention Rates, Jacob Morris

Senior Projects

The 21^st Century brings many changes to the workplace. Organizations today are starting to focus more energy on engaging and retaining employees. An interdisciplinary approach through a secondary analysis was used to understand the correlation between employee engagements; retention and the ways engagement surveys can be administered. The findings suggest a correlation between employee engagement and retention rates. This study also discusses engagement survey format. However, of the study show engagement is not segment specific but rather it is company specific. In addition, this study does not examine ways organizations communicate the findings of engagement surveys to employees.

Design Thinking Accelerated Leadership: Transforming Self, Transforming Community, Danielle L. Lake, Michael E. Ricco, Judy D. Whipps

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

Higher education institutions are continually seeking to recruit nontraditional adult students yet struggle at the same time to meet their needs effectively. The following case study offers strategies to address this situation by documenting the pedagogical design and initial outcomes of an interdisciplinary, nineteen-month leadership-themed liberal studies undergraduate degree completion program at Grand Valley State University. As an innovative, accelerated, hybrid cohort model, it incorporates a wide range of high-impact practices focused on developing the skills leaders use and employers require. The curriculum integrates practices from motivational and experiential learning, community-based learning, and design thinking to scaffold students' learning across …

Transforming Discourse: Interdisciplinary Critique, The University, And The Academic Study Of Religion, Brent A. Smith

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

In the book Interdisciplinarity, Joe Moran traced the rise of interdisciplinarity as an inherently transformative approach to the gathering and ordering of knowledge in the modern university. Interdisciplinarity challenges the university as an epistemological project by historicizing it as a context for knowledge production. The academic study of religion arose in this setting and has developed within the intellectual forces—the lines of inquiry and allegiances to certain discourses and ways of organizing knowledge—that marked the modern university. Over the past few decades, the concept of “religion” has been historicized and scholars have argued over whether the “sacred” is in …

Prevention Of Sexual Exploitation And Trafficking Among Minors In Michigan, Lindsey Upchurch

Senior Projects

This research paper explores the need for comprehensive prevention methods related to the issue of sexual exploitation and trafficking of minors in the state of Michigan. Scholarly work conducted by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council (2013) supports that, overall, there is an inadequate amount of empirical data concerning this issue. Inadequate empirical evidence consequently results in a lack of overall success in preventing sex trafficking among minors. In addition, a report from the Michigan Commission on Human Trafficking (2013) also identifies this problem, while offering alternative ideas surrounding prevention, through collaborative efforts. A human-rights based approach to …

The Impact Of Natural Disasters On Children In The United States, Samantha M. Przybylski

Senior Projects

The goal of this paper is to consider the unique experiences of children in natural disaster preparedness, response and recovery. This paper seeks to stress the importance of taking special interest in children’s needs during times of crisis. Through a case study of Hurricane Katrina, an exploration of the disservice children receive in noted. In closing, a possible solution-oriented approach is discussed.

Representational Politics In Video Game Media – Gender In Pokémon, Glenn R. Miller

Senior Projects

The Pokémon franchise is a global powerhouse however it lacks representation that is necessary for the variety of races, sexualities, genders, and sexes that inhabit the countries where the games are released. These are fleshed out with the analysis of the works of Anne Fausto-Sterling, Jack Judith Halberstam, Judith Butler, and a critical analysis of the releases and features of the Pokémon games. An observance on representation is also conducted.

An Interview With Barbara Roos, Joe Hogan

Cinesthesia

Barbara Roos started teaching when Grand Valley was just a few buildings erected on a slab of midwestern prairie. Nixon was in office then, and young draftees were still being sent to Vietnam. In those days, Grand Valley – not yet a university but a cluster of colleges – was alive with the spirit of the counter-culture. William James College, among the most pedagogically experimental of the colleges, was interdisciplinary and non-departmental – it emphasized harmony between theory and practice, thought and action. At James, Roos co-founded the film and video program. In the following interview, she talks with guest …

Seeds Of Promise Community Dialogue Report Of Deliberative Findings Two, Bryan Baldwin, Adalberto Calderon, Jordan Dickerson, John Hamilton, Crystal Ranger

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

As a part of Grand Valley State University’s LIB312: “Dialogue, Integration, and Action,” we – a team of Liberal Studies majors in the fall of 2015 – codesigned, facilitated, and analyzed a community dialogue with residents in the Grand Rapids neighborhood surrounding Seeds of Promise. Occurring on November 5th, this community dialogue was designed to

• Provide a space for residents to share their stories,
• Prioritize their key values,
• Identify a broad range of possible interventions for addressing the issues of most concern to them.

The design of this dialogue was informed by a range of skills and techniques from a …

Seeds Of Promise Community Dialogue Report Of Deliberative Findings One, Stephanie Hill, Ellerie Ambrose, Cassondra Groters, Joerdon Daldos, Earl Whitney

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

As a team of Liberal Studies students at Grand Valley State University, we co-designed and facilitated a community dialogue in the fall of 2015 located at Seeds of Promise in the Madison Square neighborhood of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Residents from the surrounding neighborhood were invited to come for dinner and dialogue so they could share their concerns, prioritize their values, and begin to identify a broad range of interventions on issues of concern to them. The dialogue focused on concerns surrounding crime and safety. It was collaboratively designed to build upon community identified issues through surveys and discussions with host …

Restore Innovation Portfolio Team One, Joanna E. Allerhand, Selina S. Dorking, Scott A. Perham, Cassandra A. Skinner

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Restore Innovation Portfolio Team Two, Ian A. Davis, Claire E. Heinzmann, Kade A. Roggentine, Donatela Pllumbaj, Brittany M. Costantini

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Restore Innovation Portfolio Team Three, Nicholas R. Thompson, Jessica L. Hamlin, Leah R. Marshall, Rebekah J. Tarumoto, Logan Crowe

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Restore Innovation Portfolio Team Four, Tyler P. Alcantara, Luciano M. Delorenzo, Kayla R. Dora, Laura C. Sample, Hannah M. Swanson

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Team Earthship, Alaina Maceachern, Katie Riling, Mandy Thompson

LIB 322: Wicked Problems of Sustainability

Through a Grand Valley State University course on “Wicked Problems in Sustainability”, our team was formed focusing on energy efficiency. Inefficient energy within our homes is one of the biggest culprits in unsustainable energy use; “The amount of energy wasted by 75,000 average American homes in a single year is equal to the waste that occurred in the 2010 BP Oil Spill” (erc-co.org). Looking at more energy efficient ways of living, we explored Earthships. “The Earthship is the epitome of sustainable design and construction. No part of sustainable living has been ignored in this ingenious building” (earthship.com). As a design …

Education Energy, Stephine Deeren, Stephanie Snook, Dustin Vandervest

LIB 322: Wicked Problems of Sustainability

Team Education Energy formed at Grand Valley State University’s Traverse City campus in the winter of 2015 through a course called “Wicked Problems in Sustainability” (LIB 322). For their project Team Education Energy reached out to Traverse City West Middle School with the idea to create an energy fair. The mission of the project was to help promote ideas of environmental stewardship and to engage and utilize student’s creativity in contributing to the solution of energy efficiency and energy use. The middle school students formed teams and used these concepts to determine what energy efficiency improvements could be made within …

Boardman Lake Trail, Kelsey Stephenson, Earl Whitney, Sarah Carden, Blase Masserant

LIB 322: Wicked Problems of Sustainability

Today in the United States, a significant portion of energy use is devoted to transportation needs. To address sustainable energy use in transportation, Team Wicked Awesome formed in the class LIB 322: “Wicked Problems in Sustainability” at Grand Valley State University in the winter of 2015. Looking to wicked problem solving methods, we examined Traverse City’s need for alternative options for transportation (other than single occupant vehicles). As an alternative mode of transportation, we looked into a number of ways to promote bicycle ridership and came to discover there was a tentative plan to complete a portion of the Traverse …

Restore: Bringing Awareness To Food Insecurity And Food Justice At Grand Valley State University, Amanda Anderson, Jenna Hielkema, Skyelar Lenderink, Ryan Marshall

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

As food insecurity is becoming a factor among many college students, campus food pantries are opening across the country. ReStore is a food pantry at Grand Valley State University, created in April 2009 to help students who are not able to afford food or are unable to get to the local supermarket. The number of these students is alarming. Statistics show 25 percent of students, at the University of California at San Diego, skip meals due to not having money to buy food. ReStore is an asset to GVSU where it helps reduce food insecurity on campus. Campus food pantries …

Heartside Gleaning Initiative: A Partnership To Increase Community Volunteer Base Through Spectrum Health Of West Michigan, Heather Carpenter, Kelsey Kasbaum, Janelle Navarini

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Heartside Gleaning Initiative (HGI) is a non-profit organization who seeks to empower Heartside, Michigan and surrounding communities to become healthier by increasing their access to healthy foods and nutrition education (Web, HGI Mission and History). HGI combats the effects of food related illness and aims to restore healthy food security into the neighborhood through the collection and distribution of fresh produce to low-income families and individuals. All produce distributed has been donated by various local farmers in the West Michigan area.

Finding a consistent, reliable source of helping hands during the gleaning season is paramount to the success of HGI. …

Improving The Lives Of The Diabetic Community At Grand Valley State University, Stephanie Grieger, Crystal Juarez, Dayle Micale

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is an organization whose mission is to improve the lives of those affected by diabetes. This is done by funding research, raising awareness in the community, educating the public on the disease, and making resources available to those affected by diabetes. Being students of Grand Valley State University, we had the opportunity to collaborate with the West Michigan ADA to improve the lives of those with diabetes on the GVSU’s Allendale campus. To do this, we created a convenient way for those with diabetes to keep track of their carbohydrate intake by creating a guide …

Access Of West Michigan: Promoting Food Equity Through Storytelling, Kaitlyn Bowman, Matt Corr, Zoe Saye, Rebecca Timmerman, Guy Witham

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Personal accounts addressing real-life experiences are a testament to humanity, and allow future generations to act and improve upon them. Currently, large cities are facing malnutrition and are often labeled “food deserts” (Walker et al., 2012). While restaurants and convenient stores are bountiful in large cities, the variety of food they offer is not. Access of West Michigan is an organization providing workshops, simulations, and programs to educate the general public on the importance of health and nutrition. In the present paper, we address the challenge to further educate and inspire community members to get involved and allow Access to …

Putting An Emphasis On Local And Healthy Living, David Thom, Amber Kingery

Liberal Studies Undergraduate Research

Local First is an organization located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that works to promote a lifestyle built upon local product consumption. Local First works with a wide variety of compa-­‐ nies to achieve this goal and is not limited to one specific area of the market. Four students from Grand Valley State University have teamed up with Local First to address and improve ar-­‐ eas in need of attention. Nutrition, Diversity, and public awareness of Local First are current areas described as needing improvement by both the students and the Local First executive as-­‐ sistant. Students designed, printed, and distributed …

John Of Salisbury's Metalogicon And The Equality Of Liberal Arts Education, Abigail E. Dehart

Grand Valley Journal of History

When examining the historical development of society, perhaps the most determining factor is education. During the development of Western education, there is, conceivably, no time more formative to modern views of education than the Middle Ages, for out of it emerged the first universities, and with that, what has contributed largely to today’s concept of general education programs. Of the Middle Ages, the twelfth century was particularly formative to the shaping of education, and has even been called the birthplace of Western pedagogy. One of the best twelfth-century sources we have regarding this time in history is John of Salisbury’s …

Transformative Possibilities: Liberal Education At Grand Valley State University, Judy D. Whipps

Other Faculty Publications

The readings in the book Reflect, Connect, Engage (2013) offer both an invitation and a challenge as they open the reader to possibilities of transformation. By engaging these voices you are welcomed into a community of learners that includes all of us at Grand Valley, students, faculty and staff, all of us learning from each other as well as from work of great thinkers and activists. GVSU is founded on the practice of liberal education -- an education that holds the possibility of permanently enriching our lives, assisting in the development of the capacities and skills necessary for our vocations, …