Mary Buikema, executive director at Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, is the keynote speaker for the Venderbush Leadership Reception March 18.
The biannual event recognizes student leadership on campus and is named after Kenneth R. Venderbush, who came to Grand Valley in 1969 as an associate professor, and served as a dean and vice president of Student Affairs.
The reception is set for 2-4 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, room 2204. RSVP online at www.gvsu.edu/leadership.
Buikema started at Habitat for Humanity in 2010. Under her leadership, Habitat for Humanity of Kent Country has received recognitions that include the Chamber of Commerce’s Non-Profit of the Year EPIC Award and Center for Community Leadership Systems Thinking Award. Prior to her current position, she was a builder, designer and project manager for BDR Custom Homes Inc. in Grand Rapids for 15 years.
At the reception, new members of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society will be recognized and the Student Organization Center will present the Immediate Impact Award.
In 2013, Buikema was a presenter at a Wheelhouse Talks event, a series hosted by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University. Watch the video here .
For more information, contact Brendan Gallagher in the Office of Student Life at [email protected] or (616) 331-2365.
