January 27, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 10)
Article by
Michele Coffill
Traverse City resident Matthew Showalter, a Navy veteran, will be one of 25 GVSU adult learners inducted into an honor society in February.
Twenty-five adult learners will be inducted into the inaugural cohort of the Grand Valley chapter of the Alpha Sigma Lambda national honor society during a ceremony at the Eberhard Center.
Matthew Showalter plans to participate in the event, traveling from his home in Traverse City with his family. Showalter is a U.S. Navy veteran who retired due to medical reasons in 2021. He and his wife have two children and another due in February.
"My path to obtaining a degree has been anything but linear," said Showalter, an allied health sciences major with a concentration in pre-physician assistant studies.
Showalter said his wife was completing a master's degree in social work, so his own degree progress stopped as he supported her goals. Returning to the classroom with work and life experience has given Showalter a different perspective, he said.
"It's given me resilience and a renewed sense of commitment to accomplish the goal before me," he said. "My children are a huge part of why I returned to school and why I was interested in the honors society."
The induction ceremony for students and their families is February 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Eberhard Center.
Benefits for students include access to annual scholarship opportunities through Alpha Sigma Lambda.
This article was last edited on January 21, 2026 at 1:39 p.m.
Aviation students can complete the Bachelor of Applied Science degree program in Traverse City, or online, and have tangible professional benefits within the industry.
Featured
June 16, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 18)
Article by
Kate VanDerKolk
A Detroit News article centered on university governance and a Brookings article called the Thompson Scholars program a model solution for increasing access for students from middle-income families.
June 16, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 18)
Now working in the Division of Enrollment Development and College Futures, Ngassa discusses how his background serves as a bridge between enrollment and academic affairs.
June 16, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 18)
