Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017 - 34

President Thomas J. Haas shakes hands with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
after signing paperwork making the university a partner in the Detroit
Promise, and making it easier for more Detroit high school students
to attend Grand Valley. At far right is Sandy Baruah, CEO of the Detroit
Chamber. (Elizabeth Lienau)

University partners
with Detroit Promise
Grand Valley made it easier
for more Detroit high school
students to become Lakers.
President Thomas J. Haas
signed documents in Detroit
February 10, making the
university a full partner in
the Detroit Promise.
Detroit Mayor Mike
Duggan; Sandy Baruah,
CEO of the Detroit Regional
Chamber; and Peter
Remington, president
and CEO of the Michigan
Education Excellence
Foundation, participated
in the signing ceremony at
the GVSU Detroit Center,
following a Grand Valley
Board of Trustees meeting.
The Detroit Promise is
funded by the foundation and
administered by the Detroit
Regional Chamber.
It ensures that Detroit
students graduating from a
high school within the city
will have a tuition-free path
to a college degree.
"Grand Valley is an
outstanding university and
we are happy to continue
to send Detroit's talent to
GVSU," Duggan said. "This
partnership is one of the most
important things we have

G R A ND VA LLE Y M AG AZ INE

34

done in the city to
help our top students
pursue education at a
four-year university."
Also during the Board of
Trustees meeting in Detroit:
Leaders from Grand Valley
and Wayne State University
School of Medicine signed
a partnership agreement
that provides Grand Valley
premedical students
enhanced opportunities
for admission.
Jean Nagelkerk, vice
provost for health, said the
early assurance program
reserves up to five medical
school spots for qualified
Grand Valley students.
Recruitment has started
for students who would be
admitted to medical school
in 2018.
Richard S. Baker, M.D.,
vice dean for medical
education and professor
of ophthalmology at WSU,
said the program also acts
as a recruitment initiative
that supports groups who
are underrepresented in
medicine, including students
from underserved high
schools or those who are firstgeneration college students.

SPR ING 201 7

Research delves into
leadership advancement
for women of color
Women of color who are in leadership
positions in West Michigan do more work
than their titles indicate, and reported
feeling like an outsider in their workplaces
or volunteer groups.
Statistics and stories of area women
of color were shared during two events in
March at Grand Valley, led by two alumnae
who conducted research about race,
gender and leadership in West Michigan.
Shannon Cohen and Patricia Sosa
VerDuin surveyed 120 female leaders of
color as part of their fellowship with the
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community
Leadership Network.
Cohen said there is a lot of quantitative
data available about numbers of women
leaders. What is missing, she said, are their
stories. "Without narratives, you lack a
complete picture of the walls, ceilings and
floors that restrict movement of women of
color," said Cohen, a principal of Shannon
Cohen Inc.
They surveyed 120 women of color, ages
30-60, then followed with focus groups
to learn more about their successes and
struggles at work and home. Results are
highlighted at right.
They shared recommendations,
including widening the job candidate pool
by connecting with area affinity groups,
and rethinking pipeline programs and
relational portals that lead to hiring.

75%

are motivated to
lead because
of being a
difference maker

65%

may hold an
assistant or
mid-level job title,
but were doing the
job of director

57%

said being the first
and only woman
of color in a group
is a barrier
to advancement

55%

said they feel like
an outsider

The full report is
available at
sisterswholead.com.

TICKETS FOR GVSU NIGHT AT
COMERICA PARK ON SALE
Comerica Park in Detroit
could turn Laker blue during
a special Detroit Tigers game
night created for the Grand
Valley community.
"GVSU Night at Comerica
Park" on July 26 is a special
opportunity for Grand Valley
students, faculty and staff
members, alumni, friends and
family to join as a community
and celebrate the university at
the Tigers game.

GAME DETAILS:
Wednesday, July 26, 7 p.m.;
Detroit Tigers host Kansas
City Royals.
$5 from each ticket purchased
via gvsu.edu/tigers/ will
support the Grand Valley
Scholarship Fund, a general
fund dedicated to supporting
students through scholarships.
http://www.sisterswholead.com http://www.gvsu.edu/tigers/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Grand Valley Magazine Spring 2017
