Campus departments become village for area students during youth violence prevention program

October 1, 2024 (Volume 48, Number 3)
Article by Michele Coffill

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Students, faculty and staff members are pictured with It Takes a Village youth. The youth violence prevention program was initiated by the City of Grand Rapids.

Photo Credit: courtesy of Kobe Rhynes

Students, faculty and staff members became an important part of the village for area youth ages 12-17 who participated in youth violence prevention programming during August through an initiative led by the City of Grand Rapids.

Partnering with the city on "It Takes a Village" were Grand Rapids Public Schools, the Urban League of West Michigan and several nonprofit organizations. Programs, games and workshops that filled three August weekends came in response to increased crime in Grand Rapids.

B. Donta Truss, vice president for Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach, asked graduate students Abdul Ciise and Kobe Rhynes to plan events and lead conversations with participants around budgeting and plans after high school. Ciise said his response to be involved in planning and programming was an enthusiastic "yes."

"We needed to think quickly about programming, but we have so many available resources here at the university and people who were ready to step up," said Ciise, who is studying higher education with an emphasis on college student affairs leadership. 

Participating departments included the Division of Enrollment Development and Education Outreach, TRIO, Admissions, Financial Aid and the School of Social Work.

Salvadore Lopez-Arias, professor of social work, said he and his wife, Sarah Keranen-Lopez, director of TRIO Educational Talent Search, volunteered to present two sessions: an introduction to college information and stress responses.

"I discussed the impact of stress and the need to seek help and talk to someone, such as teachers, counselors, social workers and parents," Lopez-Arias said. "They then highlighted things that were stressful for them. It's important to create space for healing after violent events; I'm glad we got to be a part of that." 

And there was plenty of fun. Rhynes, who is studying public health and came to GVSU from Fort Valley State University through the HBCU-HSI Pipeline Consortium, said the Laker volunteers played several basketball games with the students. Basketball also came up during one of the circle conversations.

"Lots of the kids had dreams of being professional athletes, and while it is OK to dream, we tried to make a point that the likelihood of reaching that level as a player is very low and that there are other avenues to be associated with a team, like as a coach, physical trainer or nutritionist, for example," said Rhynes.

Truss said he appreciated the willingness and leadership of Rhynes and Ciise and other Laker volunteers.

"I was so pleased with the response from our students, faculty and staff, who gave of their time to participate in this initiative," Truss said. "What this group of Grand Rapids youth needed at that time was their village to show up and care about them and their futures. GVSU is a part of that village along with other community groups that showed up. We all deserve an opportunity to be successful."

Mark Washington, Grand Rapids city manager, said he was grateful to Grand Valley and other organizations that provided programming, adding programs will continue next summer.

"GVSU’s longstanding presence in our city, along with its service-oriented students, faculty and staff, makes it an ideal partner for this initiative," Washington said. "Their commitment to applying academic research in practical ways is helping to create a safer, more vibrant community for our youth."

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