Gaming the lottery

From a $2 scratch-off ticket to a Powerball ticket, playing the lottery is part of everyday life for many people around the world.

Professor Jeff Kelly Lowenstein has led a global investigation to uncover the lottery industry since 2016. With help from Grand Valley students and students in other countries, his investigation has uncovered cheaters, and a plan by lottery officials to extract more money from people with low incomes.

Some states have changed the way the lottery is run because of the investigation.

Learning across generations

The number of adults in the country over age 65 will nearly double to 84 million people by 2050; this drastic increase will have far-reaching implications for families nationwide.

As the population ages, it has different needs. A unique class of honors students and senior citizens meets weekly to create a resource for the community, "The GPS of Aging."

Along the way, they are also learning to communicate between the generations and becoming friends.

Give it to me straight

Some of the most life-changing advice can come from people who are straightforward, trusted and dedicated to bringing others to a higher place. Those attributes can be used to describe local professionals who are working alongside Grand Valley students as mentors through the Seidman College of Business Professional Mentorship Program.

Jalen Gipson jumped at the opportunity to be part of the program and learn from a mentor.

 "I'm just trying to be a sponge right now," he said. "I want to absorb anything and everything that helps me learn about myself and career choices."

Flying high

A partnership between Grand Valley and West Michigan Aviation Academy supports students learning STEM disciplines, focuses on helping teachers develop curriculum and extra-curricular activities, and includes support of a graduate assistant (pictured, second from right). 

"We've been able to expose our students to different topics and opportunities that we couldn't purely on our own," said WMAA faculty member Peter VandenBerg.

Q&A Marcia Haas

Marcia (Knapp) Haas has served as first lady of Grand Valley for more than 11 years. She said she felt an immediate connection with students and the university when her husband, President Thomas J. Haas, was given the nickname T-Haas by students shortly after they arrived on campus.  

She discusses her family, favorite campus events and a few other things close to her heart.