How well do you know your campus? Obviously, we can all locate the major buildings like the lake halls, Mackinac (even if it is IMPOSSIBLE to navigate on the inside), the library, and Kirkhof. Even more so, we all know the shortest and quickest routes to Kleiner, Fresh, or the Connection from ANY given point on campus. However, do we really know the Allendale campus as well as we think we do? The following are five places on campus that you probably could learn a little more about.
1. The Alumni House
The Alumni House is yet another cool-looking building you’ve probably passed a million times and have never been in (unless you’re a member of GVSU’s Future Alumni Association or Student Senate). Founded in October of 2000 because of generous donations by the GVSU Alumni Association, the Alumni House is available to Lakers of all shapes and sizes. With a dining room that sits 150 people, a sitting room, a bride’s room, and even a few rooms that you can rent for overnight stays, the Alumni House is a great place to host events from weddings to conferences. To learn more, visit www.gvsu.edu/alumnihouse.
2. The Children’s Enrichment Center
To make a point that literally anyone can be a successful Laker student, both young children and parents alike can embrace their love of learning on the same campus! The Children’s Enrichment Center is a preschool that was first founded in the early 1970s located just north of the soccer fields off of 42nd Street. You’ve probably passed the cool dinosaur out in front of it on your way to or from a football game. Though technically any family can take advantage of the preschool’s services, having an affiliation with GVSU can get you a discount. If you’re a student pursuing an early childhood education degree, or if you enjoy working with young children, it might be worth your while to check out the Children’s Enrichment Center. To learn more, visit www.gvsu.edu/child.
3. The Seidman House
You pass this building all the time and have never thought to go in it. Believe it or not, Seidman House used to be Grand Valley’s Kirkhof before the school expanded. Now, it is home to the University Archives, Digital Collections, and Special Collections. From Lincoln ephemera to original GVSU press releases, Seidman House has some cool pieces of history to share with you. If you are a hipster, interested in history, or can’t find a space to study in the library, Seidman House is the place for you. To learn more, visit www.gvsu.edu/library/seidman-house-28.htm.
4. The Calder Art Center
Unless you are an art major or you decide to take ART 101 as a gen ed, you probably would never enter or pass the Calder Art Center on a day-to-day basis. Home of GVSU’s Department of Art and Design, the Padnos Student Gallery, and 48 residents, Calder itself resides at the end of Calder Drive (shocker) on a southeastern plot of the Allendale campus. If you have an extra hour or two, you can go explore the building and find yourself amazed at all of the visually pleasing and thought-provoking artistic pieces on display there. To learn more, visit www.gvsu.edu/art.
5. The Sustainable Agriculture Project (SAP)
Did you know that GVSU has its very own farm right on campus? The SAP, located on the far south end of the Allendale campus off of Luce Street, began in 2008 as a result of eight students from an environmental studies course with a dream to start a GVSU community garden. Whether you are a biology major interested in studying plants, a business major interested in learning about the economic impacts of agriculture, or just a regular college kid who likes good food, there is something for you to discover at the SAP. The SAP is an example of the many ways Grand Valley provides students with opportunities to gain integrative and collaborative experiences; the SAP is open to students of all kinds with the potential to be engaging from multiple perspectives. There are many ways to get more involved with the SAP: you can take classes right on the farm, you can get your hands dirty and volunteer, you can join GVSU’s Farm club, and you can buy food from the SAP stand at the GV Farmer’s Market. To learn more, visit www.gvsu.edu/sustainableagproject.
If you have some extra time on your hands, it could be fun to go exploring the Allendale campus in a little more in-depth than the freshman tour guides take you. We’re all Lakers, here! Don’t be afraid to wander into a building or stumble upon a place and start asking questions about it. You never know, maybe you’ll discover your new favorite study nook or hangout spot.
