Faculty and staff sketches

May 19, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 17)

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Adam Harris, second from right, accepts an award from YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit staff (from left) Lynette Simmons, Ariel Wilkerson and Parrish Underwood.

Faculty and staff members who have given presentations, were recognized for outstanding contributions or had their research published are detailed below. The campus community can submit a sketch online for future publication. 

In the News
Joel Schut, associate professor of music, and students were interviewed by MLive for a story about the Acrisure Amphitheater theme song recorded by the GVSU Symphony Orchestra.

Chad Frederick, associate professor of geography and sustainable planning, and students were interviewed by WZZM-TV for a story about their feasibility project to turn part of U.S. 131 into a low-speed boulevard. 

Innovation High School students involved in Grand Valley's GEAR UP program were interviewed by FOX 17 for a story about their participation in NASA's Galaxy Frontier Project.

KCON graduate Nathan Schloegl was interviewed by NBC's Today for a story about changing careers to become a nurse after his son was born and became a patient at Corewell Health's Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

Kimberly McKee, associate professor and director of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, was interviewed by WOOD-TV for a story about the Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Network and the support it offers.

Sketches
Adam Harris, director of TRIO Upward Bound Detroit, received the John Copeland Social Impact Award from the YMCA of Metro Detroit. The award recognizes people who unite others in building a stronger, more inclusive community. 

William Neal, emeritus professor of geology, was a co-author of three articles: “An Integrated Physical-environmental Protocol for Shoreline Health Assessment,” published in Total Environment Advances; “Invisible Pressures: A Global Review of Unconventional Coastal Pollution Sources and Their Environmental Impacts,” published in Marine Pollution Bulletin; and “Sandbags on the Beach: Quick Help, Long Term Trouble,” published in Frontiers for Young Minds.

Marlene Kowalski-Braun, associate vice president for Inclusion and Equity, gave a presentation at the American Association of Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C., as part of the National Cohort for Shared Equity Leadership. The session focused on GVSU faculty and staff fostering a shared equity leadership approach.

Amy Russell, professor of biology, was a co-author of an article, "Molecular Versus Microscopic Analyses Tell Different Stories of Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) Diet in Alaska," published in the journal Acta Chiropterologica.

Adrienne Wallace, associate professor of advertising and public relations, was a co-author of a book, The PR Agency Handbook, published by Bloomsbury. Wallace also gave presentations, "Business Basics for Career Success" and "Beyond the Prompt: Teaching Strategic and Creative AI use in PR Education," at the AEJMC Public Relations Division Virtual Conference.

Kirkhof College of Nursing faculty Christina Quick, Amy Rohn and Della Hughes, and graduate students Mary Claire Meimers, Emma Buchele and Madeline Krawciw were authors of an article, "Integrated Healthcare for Youth in Foster Care: A Narrative Review," published in the Journal of Pediatric Health Care. The article received the journal's President's Choice Article award.

Amanda Buday, associate professor of sociology, received a $258,921 grant from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust for "Fishing for Purpose: Angler Motivations for Fishing in Drowned River Mouth Lakes." Buday and a team of undergraduate students will conduct surveys over three years with anglers at Muskegon, Pentwater and Pere Marquette lakes to understand how important fishing is for household provisioning.

Kelly Margot, associate professor of teaching and learning, received a $431,840 grant from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) to support after-school, weekend and summer enrichment at schools in the Detroit metro area. 

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Faculty & Staff Sketches