Annual Report - Brooks College School of Interdisciplinary Studies
This Word Cloud was created by SIS Faculty during their retreat in the fall semester.
SIS Highlights
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SIS Welcome Picnic
SIS Director Jack Mangala gave a moving address to SIS faculty and staff during the SIS Welcome picnic in August.
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Left to right: Anthony Meyer, Max Counter, Alex Mangala, Justin Pettibone, Dan Cope
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SIS Social
On August 25, the SIS faculty enjoyed a two-hour cruise with live music on the Grand Lady Riverboat. SIS Director Jack Mangala poses for a picture with his wife Jackie, and SIS faculty members Max Counter and Daniela Marini.
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Summer Research
Assistant professor Becky Williams with Environmental and Sustainability Studies major Kendra Slater, as she presented her OURS S3 Undergrad Research Project.
Promoted and Visiting Faculty
Top Row: Haixia Liu and Monika Moore were promoted to tenure track faculty. Bertha Amisi has been promoted to tenure track for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Middle Row: Visiting faculty Sai Isoke, Evan Edwards, Allison Woods
Bottom Row: Visiting faculty Jose Amoros, Jenna Lyons, Tammy Stachowicz
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Religious Site Tour Series
Each year, the Religious Studies program has a series of sacred site tours to expose students to different belief communities. On September 21, they partnered with the Kaufman Interfaith Institute to host a sacred site visit at the West Michigan Hindu Temple. Over 60 students observed a puja and took a guided tour of the temple.
WGS Open House
On September 20, the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGS) program held a Welcome Back open house. Attendees were invited to create their own Barbie, Ken, or Allen!
The event theme was centered around the Barbie movie, as it includes feminist themes that explore gender roles within society. The open house also featured WGS Trivia, Powerful Women Bingo, snacks and swag!
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WGS Student Wins Scholarship
Several WGS faculty were in attendance on September 20 to support WGS student Ruhi Khanna, as she was awarded the Jean Enright Scholarship during the Women's Commission award ceremony.
Left: Ayana Weekley, Danielle DeMuth, Ruhi Khanna, and Julia Mason.
Right: Julia Mason, program director of WGS, poses with Ruhi Khanna.
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SIS Panel Appearance
Krista Benson, Becky Williams, and Dan Cope presented with sophomore student Eli Klunder at the National Women's Studies Association 2023 Conference in Baltimore. Their panel was titled, "Empowering Learners with ChatGPT: A Collaborative Approach to Ethical and Accessible Use."
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Wing Wednesdays
Throughout the academic year, the African/African American Studies program hosted Wing Wednesdays. Free chicken wings and sides were given out to students of the program and Brooks College. AAAS Program Coordinator Jakia Marie hosts the event.
Creative Learning
Assistant professor Ramya Swayamprakash gave the students of the INT 301 Creativity and Innovative Problem-Solving course a creative mid term: creating their own pulli kolam designs. The kolam is traditionally drawn as an act of charity, to bring prosperity to a home and also ward away the evil spirits.
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Brooks College Social
Brooks College faculty and staff gathered on October 19 at 40 Acres Soul Kitchen for the Brooks College Social!
Left to right: Amy McFarland, Matsya Swayamprakash, Aubrey Dull, Ramya Swayamprakash, Dawn Rutecki, and Jakia Marie.
Pumpkin Pageant
The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGS) program held their Pumpkin Pageant on October 25. Attendees enjoyed company, candy, soup, and doughnuts while they decorated pumpkins and colored pictures.
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Town Hall
Brooks College held its first in-person town hall (since the pandemic ended) on November 17 in the Honors College multipurpose room. Dean Mark Schaub provided updates and fielded open questions from attendees.
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For The Culture Quiz Bowl
Photo Credit: Lauren Seymour
On February 27, students and a few faculty and staff members flexed their Black history and cultural knowledge at the second “For the Culture Quiz Bowl,” while enjoying music and food from many cultures.
The tournament-style trivia event focused on Black history and culture from around the world. Topics included history, language, geography, politics and pop culture. Jakia Marie, assistant professor in SIS and coordinator for the African/African American Studies program, planned the Quiz Bowl and played the role of host.
Check out this GV Next article for more details!
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Brooks Breaks
Brooks College faculty and staff taking a moment to relax and socialize over tea. Afterward, Lynnette Keen (Dean's Office Assistant) led the group in a series of easy stretches that helped everyone feel recharged.
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Fall Sustainability Showcase
On December 1, the Fall Sustainability Showcase was held in the Kirkhof Center's Pere Marquette room. Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ENS) students discussed their final projects with attendees, and community and campus partners.
Model Arab League
The Michigan Model Arab League Conference took place February 15-17 at the L.V. Eberhard Center. Chad Lingwood, Middle East Studies program coordinator, was the local coordinator for the conference and leads the student participants of the Model Arab League.
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A New Arrival
Brooks College faculty and staff gathered to shower Daniela Marini (assistant professor in SIS) and Max Counter (affiliate professor in SIS) with gifts in anticipation of the birth of their daughter Ruby!
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Ruby was born on April 1, 2024.
World Cafe
On February 12, a World Café event was hosted by LEADS Student Michelle Miller. The event was focusing on Mental Health and Teenagers and was held at the Pleasant Valley Community Center. The World Café was an assignment for her INT 312 Collaborative Communication course, taught by Kate Fairman, affiliate professor in SIS. There were a dozen community members who actively participated in generating ideas on the subject and possible next steps. Darien Ripple, assistant professor in SIS, was present and shared that it was a great experience!
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WGS Students in DC
A group of 12 Women, Gender and Sexuality Majors and Minors traveled to Washington DC for the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in March.
Student Scholars Day
Student Scholars Day events were held on April 9-11. Brooks College student Shajuana Johnson, who is majoring in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGS) with a minor in African/African American Studies (AAAS), presented during the poster session.
Professor Leifa Mayers (Honors faculty-in-residence, SIS) was one of many who stopped by during the session to view her project.
Sabbatical Showcase
Leifa Mayers, associate professor of SIS and faculty-in-residence for the Frederik Meijer Honors College, presented her sabbatical work during the Sabbatical Showcase on February 26. Leifa researched the professional discourse on the ethics of Human Germline Gene Editing (HGGE), and the relationship between science and society. She outlined the movement toward a reproductive justice framework for gene editing technologies.
Denise Goerisch, Director of Interdisciplinary Studies and associate professor, presented her research on the effects of COVID-19 on student well-being and presented her findings after conducting a survey, interviews, and analysis of relevant documentation and statistics.
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Brent Smith Retirement
On April 15, we gathered to celebrate Brent Smith and wish him a Happy Retirement! His family was in attendance, as well as colleagues past and present, to send him into retirement with love and care. Brent gave a moving farewell address.
Check out this spotlight article to read his speech.
INT Field Trip
Anthony Meyer took his INT 100 "Reflect, Connect, Engage" students on a field trip to the Padnos Recycling facility in downtown Grand Rapids. They saw cranes, giant magnets, and shredders that eat cars and trailers. Billions of pounds of material are kept out of landfills and recycled for new uses through the facility.
Winter Commencement
Left to right: Becky Williams, Ellen Adams, Amy McFarland, Joe DeLeon, Danielle DeMuth, Crystal Scott-Tunstall, Ayana Weekley, Dan Cope.
Brooks College faculty gathered before the graduation ceremony on April 26 at Van Andel Arena.
End of Year Student Awards and Showcases
ENS Academic & Service Awards
Academic Achievement
Miranda Gonyeau**
Katherine Carron**-
Annabelle Robinson**
Madeline Brennan**
Ella Carr**
Vladimir Tomorsky**
Avery Koan**
Emma Sherman**
Carly Sowirka**-
Kaitlin Escobar**
Maxwell Gradisher*
Jacob DeBoer*
Distinguished Service
John Read**
Michael King**
** ENS Major
* ENS Minor
- Honors College
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The ENS Academic & Service Awards honors graduating Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ENS) majors and minors who have achieved academic excellence, as well as students who have demonstrated an exceptional level of dedication to the ENS program or field while at GVSU. The event featured a light breakfast and a time to gather with family and peers to enjoy well-earned recognition on the day of graduation.
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Certificates were distributed by Program Director Amy McFarland (left), with additional remarks by Jack Mangala (center), Director of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Crystal Scott-Tunstall (right), affiliate professor and ENS Internship Coordinator.
Winter Sustainability Showcase
Student art projects feature recycled materials that express environmental themes.
Two ENS students chat between presentations at the Sustainability Showcase
After the presentation portion of the showcase, students set up tables with their projects displayed, to have an interactive dialogue with attendees.
Community sustainability partners, such as Community Action House, New City Neighbors, Community Food Club of Greater Grand Rapids, Access of West Michigan, and Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds, had tables at the showcase to provide information on their work and services.
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Integrative Studies Senior Showcase
Left: INT senior Jason King gives his presentation.
Right: INT senior Elaina Northuis gives her presentation.
On April 24, the Integrative Studies (INT) Showcase was held in the Regency Room of the Richard M. DeVos Center on the Pew/Grand Rapids campus. The INT senior students presented their these and projects.
Left: INT senior Cassie Kendra was presented with the Wendy Wenner Outstanding Thesis Award, by the founding Dean of Brooks College, Wendy Wenner herself.
Right: The INT alumni panelists were Joe Kiser, Brielle Friar, and Julia Ervin.
Along with outstanding presentations, a panel of INT alumni shared their insights and reflected on their Integrative Studies degrees. The Stan Krohmer Outstanding Project Award was presented to Rachel Enders, and the Wendy Wenner Outstanding Thesis Award was presented to Cassie Kendra.
Global Studies & Social Impact Senior Showcase
On April 9, students of the Global Studies and Social Impact program (GSI) presented their research projects. The topics were widely varied but all extremely relevant issues that were explored in very intelligent and progressive ways. The audience enjoyed free pizza while they soaked in all of the outstanding presentations!
