March 25, 2025 (Volume 48, Number 14)
Article by
Thomas Chavez
Film and video major Kobe Wright, right, helps Emily Grob write in Japanese as part of the Global Language and Culture Festival at the Kirkhof Center on March 20.
Grand Valley hosted its second Global Language & Culture Festival on March 20. The event brought in roughly 700 high school students from eight schools to engage with GVSU’s language programs and multicultural groups at the Kirkhof Center.
Students had the opportunity to visit tables and speak with different language programs. These tables often included items of cultural significance, like clothing, food and art, among other things.
Music from different languages and cultures played while students explored different activities such as board games from other countries, escape room boxes, multilingual VR experiences and multilingual puppet shows. Some faculty members taught their classes in the Kirkhof Center that day to give high school students an opportunity to sit in and experience a collegiate language class.
“We’re highlighting the positive impact of languages, intercultural understanding and cultural humility in our lives, education and careers,” said Janel Pettes Guikema, professor and chair of the Modern Languages and Literatures Department. “Just getting students to see that it’s more than just your Spanish One class at your school.”
This article was last edited on March 21, 2025 at 10:31 a.m.
The 5-minute presentations highlighted faculty expertise and sparked cross-unit connections.
December 9, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 8)
Article by
Rita Cooper
A painting of Ford by his son was also unveiled at the event.
December 9, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 8)
Article by
Julianna Schrier
University Awards for Excellence and awards from two departments will be presented on February 10 on the City Campus.
December 9, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 8)
