GVSU international students plan 'Survivor' screening party

Two students are from Palau, site of the reality series

Two Grand Valley State University students will watch CBS's "Survivor" with a more critical eye. They are natives of Palau, the island setting for the next installment of the reality series.

Students Laurleen Joseph and Lekelong (Lex) Secharraimul will serve as hosts for a "Survivor" premiere party on Thursday, February 17, at the Kirkhof Center at the Allendale Campus. They, along with other members of the International Club, will make and serve food with an ethnic flair. The screening party will begin at 6 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center lobby. Students then plan to watch "Survivor" on a big-screen television at 8 p.m. Media members are welcome to cover the event.

Joseph, an accounting major, said "Survivor" contestants may have a hard time coping with Palau's humidity. Secharraimul said Palauans are known for their island hospitality and they are very proud of their beautiful beaches and rock islands.

Grand Valley's connection to Palau goes to the top of its administration. GVSU alumnus Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr., class of 1979, is the country's president. Palau's total landmass is 170 square miles and the population is 18,500. It has been a sovereign nation since 1994 and consists of 16 states.