Almost out the door...

A lounge in the corner of South C Apartment Complex

Well, I suppose there’s time for one more update before the holiday. I hope everyone has a fun weekend (but restful certainly wouldn't hurt, either).

As long as I have the moment here, I wanted to mention how impressed I have been with a lot of the GVSU administrative staff lately. I’ve been interviewing several members of varying levels of administration over the course of this semester, and there are quite a lot of cool people working here. Aside from the fact that they’re all very enthusiastic about the jobs they do, I have a very strong understanding that the experience and welfare of the students at this university is top priority for them. I’ve had the chance to talk to a few staff members who have been here for quite some time, and it’s been very interesting to hear some of the stories of how the campus has changed or how the social atmosphere here has evolved, and most of them have more than a few humorous anecdotes to share. And that’s about all I have to say; just a little praise for Grand Valley administration. I’ve known for years now that GVSU has top rate faculty, and that the staff in dining, athletics, facilities and maintenance are some of the best you can find, but I didn’t realize until recently that this university is in as good hands as it is in terms of policy and direction.

All that aside, I think I speak for everyone in the admissions office when I say that we’re wishing all of you guys a safe and fun holiday weekend. Take care, and we hope to see some of you soon.

-Kyle

Odds and ends

Some of the artwork inside Padnos Hall of Science (photos are back)

Well, the weather has certainly taken a turn for the colder, and with Thanksgiving break just around the corner, it means we’re at the end of the fall. You might say that it’s the autumn of… well, autumn, I guess. Anybody have big Thanksgiving plans? I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m just looking forward to having an extended weekend. Classes finish up on Tuesday of that week, but Admissions will be open on Wednesday, and then it’s four days off. But I wouldn’t say it’s all break that weekend, I still have a senior project on my mind.

So lately I’ve been working on a few other projects for the admissions office, and have had a chance to talk with a lot of current students in an informal capacity about GVSU and the services offered here. There’s been a lot of talk about activities on campus, meaning that it’s probably a good time to make an update on campus life. Clubs and student organizations have surpassed 320 at this point, meaning that there are no fewer than 320 ways to get involved on campus (and, as always, it only takes four students to start a new club). Athletic events are going quite well lately; we have the first football playoff game of the season on Saturday, and tickets are free (which is nice; I didn’t know for sure if playoff games were covered for students). It also looks like the Padnos International Center is having a few on campus events, such as information meetings for students considering study abroad programs or a study abroad photo contest. And with the holidays approaching, there are quite a lot of fundraisers and charity events ramping up on campus. Blanket drives, book/toy drives, and winter clothes collections, they’re all taking place in the coming couple of weeks. It’s nice to see the student body get as excited as they do for on campus events, and to see as much spirit as you can find on campus for athletics, but it’s also great when the student body joins together and reaches out to the community.

But things here are getting a little too sentimental for me, so I figure it’s a good time to sign off, before I need a box of tissues. Post any questions or any break plans you have.

-Kyle

Visits, interviews, and competitions

Hello, everyone, it’s been a little bit longer than I’d like, but things are back up and running smoothly again (hopefully). As always, it’s been a whirlwind of activity around here; our counselors are right in the middle of their travel season, so keep an eye out, you may have one of our representatives visiting you soon. If you’re interested in visiting the campus, definitely consider giving us a call soon; a lot of our visits are starting to fill in for the remainder of this semester. Not that I’m trying to rush anyone, since there’s still plenty of time to make final decisions on college (refund dates haven’t changed, it’s still May 1 to withdraw most deposits), I would just really encourage any student considering Grand Valley to get an application in. December 31 is the deadline for the merit award scholarships, but don’t think that you have to have visited the campus to apply.

As a last note on career services, they seem to be pay off for me. Maybe. The update here is in the fact that I had a major interview this morning, and all week long I’ve been asking advice of staff members and working with career services (I had a staged interview just this Wednesday). From the looks of things, this has all helped; the interview went pretty smoothly, but I’ll know in a couple weeks for certain.

As far as admissions events go we’re just around the corner from scholarship competitions. The deadline for these isn’t until December 31, but for anyone who has already applied for admissions, been accepted, and been notified of award qualifications, December 4 is the first day available and a great chance to get in and take care of your merit competition early.
But it’s just a quick update for today, and hopefully setting us back on your regular blogging schedule. As always, post any questions that you have, and let us know about any college visit plans.

-Kyle