Saginaw Valley State University

After another strong performance in a statewide contest, a Saginaw Valley State University student qualified to compete in a second event at the National Forensics Association Championship Tournament.

After years spent working tirelessly to reach her potential as a vocalist, Alivia Combs is rising to the top of the singing competition among her peers.

SVSU has accepted new students for the fall 2019 semester.

SVSU has accepted new students for the fall 2019 semester.

The creative spirits behind a Saginaw Valley State University-produced magazine featuring poetry and art from Saginaw and Bay county residents will host a publication party for the public this week. Still Life, produced by the SVSU's Writing Center and the SVSU Center for Community Writing, will unveil the second issue during an event scheduled Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at Counter Culture Arts Collective, 620 Gratiot in Saginaw.

The Saginaw Valley State University forensics team continued its record of success during a strong showing at the Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League (MISL) Novice State Championship hosted by Northwood University on Saturday, Feb. 16. With six other universities in attendance, SVSU's team earned second place in the Team Sweeps category, where the competition is ranked by adding the total combined points earned by each team in the contest's individual categories.

The childhood lemonade stands were just a warmup for Maggie Walker, a Saginaw Valley State University student whose entrepreneurial ambitions led her to start a retailing business as a college junior and win a first-place statewide award for it recently. The SVSU accounting major from Laingsburg received the first-place nod in the entrepreneurship category of the Michigan Collegiate DECA competition hosted in Dearborn Feb. 1-3. She and five of her SVSU classmates at the contest qualified for Collegiate DECA's national competition scheduled for April in Orlando.

Saginaw Valley State University student-musicians will take the stage Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Rhea Miller Recital Hall. This performance will feature classical music from composers, from the 17th century to the 20th century. The concert will feature a range of vocalists and musical instruments. The recital is open to the public and is free of charge. For more information and a detailed list of music department events and performances, please visit svsu.edu/music or contact (989) 964-4159 or music@svsu.edu.

A cast of 10 talented students-actors will perform in Saginaw Valley State University's production of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime," playing Wednesday through Sunday, Feb. 20-24.

Saginaw Valley State University's theatre department will stage its production of Simon Stephens' play, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," from Wednesday to Sunday, Feb. 20-24, in SVSU's Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts. Based on Mark Haddon's best-selling 2003 novel of the same name, the play follows 15-year-old Christopher Boone (played by freshman Jared Kaufman, a communication and theatre education double major from Bay City), who has been accused of killing the neighbor's dog. Throughout the production, Christopher overcomes his fears and embarks on an unforgettable journey to solve the mystery of the real killer. The adventure changes his life forever. Tommy Wedge, the play's director and an SVSU assistant professor of theatre, says "Curious Incident" will be unlike any other production audiences have witnessed at SVSU. "Not only is this a very technically-challenging play - with 400-plus light cues, rear projection, a raked stage, and student-created soundtrack - but, for the first time in our department, we are offering a sensory-friendly performance," Wedge says. That sensory-friendly version of the play - slated for the Sunday, Feb. 24 performance at 3 p.m. - will dampen the intensity of the sound and lighting elements for the sake of audience members sensitive to such elements, including individuals with autism. This more inclusive version will feature warnings for jarring lighting and sound effects, make the main floor open to audience members who want to move around (the balcony level will be reserved for attendees seeking a more traditional theatre experience), and open an "activity room" near the theatre. The activity room - open before, during and after the production - will feature staff and activities for attendees who want to take a break from watching the production while it's underway. Wedge, the father of two children on the autism spectrum, says handling the subject of autism has been a rewarding challenge for the student-actors. "The spectrum is so wide, and its manifestations so varied, that it has made this process a very educational one, especially for our actors," he says. "I think what they've developed is thoughtful and truthful, and I'm proud of what they've built." Hannah Ducolon, an elementary education major who plays the role of Judy - Christopher's mother - says the unique presentation of the play makes "Curious Incident" an important production. "This play shows that those who may be 'atypical' are just as capable as any other human being," the Bay City native says. "They just process things differently, which is displayed in every aspect of this production." "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. performances Wednesday through Saturday, Feb. 20-23, and a 3 p.m. performance Sunday, Feb. 24. The production is recommended for audiences 13 and older due to mild adult themes and language. Tickets are $13 for general admission, and $10 for senior citizens and students. Tickets can be purchased online now. For more information, please contact the SVSU Box Office at (989) 964-4261.

More than 600 students earned academic degrees from Saginaw Valley State University at the end of the fall 2018 semester.

There were more than 500 students from Saginaw Valley State University whose determination and commitment to academic excellence earned them a spot on the fall 2018 semester President's List. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must take at least 12 credit hours and earn a 4.0 grade point average.

More than 2,000 students from Saginaw Valley State University earned a spot on the fall 2018 semester Deans' List. To be eligible for the Deans' List, a student must take at least 12 credit hours and carry a semester GPA of 3.4 or better.

About 1,000 people donated funds to Saginaw Valley State University's Relay For Life initiative, with $27,000 in proceeds now set to benefit cancer research.

Since Saginaw Valley State University's moot court program was established in 2010, SVSU never has failed to qualify competitors for the nation's most elite tournament. Thanks to countless hours of preparation preparing for and rehearsing oral arguments, SVSU students have earned another impressive showing, and that streak will continue for a ninth consecutive year in 2019. SVSU students Lindsey Mead and Justin Weller will advance as a team to the American Moot Court Association national tournament Jan. 12-13 at Florida A&M College of Law in Orlando. Mead will make her second consecutive appearance in the annual contest, which features 120 of the nation's best undergraduate moot court competitors. Acting as teams of two attorneys, students competing in moot court tournament are tasked with arguing two hypothetical legal cases based on real-life courtroom battles. The competition is judged based on the clarity of the students' argument, their public speaking skills, their ability to answer questions, and how well they know the law and the case. The SVSU moot court program has excelled in those categories since their inception. Julie Keil, SVSU associate professor of political science, has served as the team's adviser for all nine years; today she is joined by Amy Hendrickson, SVSU associate professor of law. SVSU students have competed well over the years, and SVSU consistently has been ranked among the nation's elite programs. Its current ranking by the American Moot Court Association at No. 19 is its highest yet, ahead of larger institutions such as Texas A&M University (ranked no. 21) and University of Louisville (No. 23). Last year, SVSU ranked No. 24 out of the more than 425 higher education institutions that fielded teams for the American Moot Court Association. Mead, an English major from Saginaw, and Weller, a political science major from Bay City, earned their invitation to the 2019 national tournament based on the strength of their performance at a regional American Moot Court Association tournament hosted by SVSU in November. The pair advanced to the semifinal round, finishing third in a competition featuring 46 teams from 11 colleges and universities. Three other SVSU teams finished among the top 16 teams at the SVSU-hosted tournament. Those teams featured the duos of Justine Brabaw, a political science major from Breckenridge, and Erik Byron, a political science major from Birch Run; Joshua Cianek, a political science major from Auburn, and Lauren Legner, a psychology major from Bay City; and Ted Meckley, a political science major from Saginaw, and Porche Spiller, a sociology major from Saginaw.

Ten Saginaw Valley State University students are engaged in a year-long leadership development initiative following their selection for the highly competitive Roberts Fellowship. The program annually challenges SVSU students in both academic course work and extracurricular activities designed to enhance their potential as future political, economic and civic leaders. The program culminates in a trip to Asia to provide the Fellows with an international perspective on leadership. The class recently selected for the program will travel to Asia in May 2019.

After two brain surgeries and one spinal surgery, 20-month-old Joey Stagray has yet to take his first steps. Diagnosed with spinal bifida, he often watches while his 4-year-old sister runs, jumps and plays across their Sterling farm. But family members say Joey now can keep pace with his active sibling thanks to the support of Saginaw Valley State University students determined to help him move despite his physical limitations. Joey and another child with physical disabilities - 4-year-old Finn Edmonds, of Bay City - recently took home ride-on toy vehicles modified for their specific physical needs by SVSU computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering students. The mini-vehicles were given to the families during a gathering Friday, Oct. 12, at SVSU's Pioneer Hall.

Saginaw Valley State University's Wind Ensemble will be performing its first concert of the 2018-19 season Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public. The ensemble is directed by Norman Wika, SVSU assistant professor of music. Wika also directs SVSU's Cardinal Marching Band. He performs with the Tulsa Symphony and the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. Thursday's concert features clarinetist Gary June, an adjunct faculty member at SVSU. The program will feature music with a Halloween theme from contemporary composers Scott McAllister and Thomas Miller. Musical pieces include "Off to Transylvania," "Dawn and the Vampire" and "The Death March and the Book." For more information on SVSU's music program, call (989) 964-4159 or visit www.svsu.edu/music/.

Saginaw Valley State University hosted the Summer Engineering Symposium Friday, Aug. 17, when students presented projects they worked on with collaboration from engineering industry partners. In total, 37 students - all mechanical engineering majors - presented their projects for six different companies: Duro-Last, Huhtamaki, Kremin, Millet, Motiv and Nexteer Automotive. All SVSU mechanical engineering majors are required to collaborate with outside clients or university organizations as part of their senior projects. The eight teams of students' projects include a wheelchair basketball shooter, a bowling automated ball quality control check, a plastics cup stack dispenser, an auto electric home gym and a roofing automated pull tester. For more information on SVSU's College of Science, Engineering and Technology, please visit www.svsu.edu/collegeofscienceengineeringtechnology/.

Saginaw Valley State University students elected their 2018 Homecoming queen, king and court recently. Kayla Flintoft and Tyler Boylen were elected as the 2018 Homecoming queen and king, respectively, Saturday, Oct. 13 during a halftime ceremony at SVSU's home football game against Northern Michigan University.

In its attempt to douse a fire, "Card-Bot 1.0" is blazing a trail for a new STEM-oriented student organization at Saginaw Valley State University.

More than 1,800 students from Saginaw Valley State University earned a spot on the winter 2018 semester Deans' List.

There were more than 500 students from Saginaw Valley State University whose determination and commitment to academic excellence earned them a spot on the winter 2018 semester President's List.

Jessica Schafer-Thomas started tossing T-shirts. That action sparked an interest in sports marketing that has landed the recent Saginaw Valley State University graduate one of the most coveted internships in the industry.

Nine Saginaw Valley State University student members of the Residence Housing Association and National Residence Hall Honorary recently attended the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) annual conference at Arizona State University May 25-27. Throughout the conference, students participated in workshops to further develop their leadership skills and to learn more about different programming opportunities to bring back to the residence halls. The conference marked the end of Ashley Murdock's term as the coordinating officer for development and education for the Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (GLACURH) Regional Board of Directors. GLACURH is an organization for student leaders in college campus housing operation and includes students from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ontario and Wisconsin. Murdock, an SVSU communication major from Oxford, was the first SVSU student to ever hold that position. The Residence Housing Association is an organization that improves the on-campus community for residential students through planning various activities and programs. The National Residence Hall Honorary is a student group that is dedicated to recognizing leadership and success in both student groups and individually. For more information on the National Association of College and University Residence Halls, visit www.nacurh.org/.

Saginaw Valley State University is stepping up its efforts in sexual assault prevention with help from a $25,044 grant from the State of Michigan. The funds will support SVSU's Bringing in the Bystander program, which is based on an initiative created by the University of New Hampshire. SVSU has participated in the program since 2015. The recently-awarded $25,044 grant from the State of Michigan Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program funded training for more students through the Bringing in the Bystander initiative. The program's impact will reach beyond SVSU's campus, said Michele Gunkelman, SVSU's director of Residential Life and one of the program's campus coordinators. "It's not just here at SVSU where we have an impact," she said. "Our campus is the main focus, but we also have a responsibility to our students to give them skills to take into the workforce and the community." Using the funds, 30 students and staff were trained during an 8-hour workshop. These trained facilitators in return plan to train other program participants. Campus leaders say at least 1,000 students will receive the training by December 2018. The grant also will be used to launch a "Know Your Power" poster campaign - also designed by the University of New Hampshire - and a video contest for SVSU students. Videos submitted will demonstrate good pro-social bystander behavior to reduce sexual assault and stalking. The project at SVSU is led by Gunkelman and Cortney Heileman, SVSU's assistant director of Student Wellness Programs. For more information on the Bringing in the Bystander campaign at SVSU, visit www.svsu.edu/titleix/trainingeducation.

A Saginaw Valley State University student recognized for his leadership and passion for bettering SVSU students' life on campus has added another national award to his resume. Pedro Marin, a marketing major from Grand Blanc, earned the Student of the Year award from the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) during its annual conference May 25-28 at Arizona State University in Tempe. NACURH is an organization for student leaders in college campus housing operations.

The work of Saginaw Valley State University students were featured recently as part of SVSU's annual Science and Engineering Symposium.

Six Saginaw Valley State University students showcased their determined spirit by besting a number of their mechanical engineering peers - many from larger higher education institutions - during a national competition recently. During the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' (ASME) annual Student Design Competition, SVSU placed 22 out of 50. Penn State University hosted the contest April 13-15. This year's competition involved "robot soccer," which tasked teams with building robots designed to play the role of soccer players. SVSU's team created two robots - one designed for offense and the other for defense. Despite Bluetooth-related interference, the team landed five goals, outscoring competition such as University of Wisconsin, Virginia Tech University, and Clemson University. The opportunity allowed SVSU's ASME students to network within their field and practice solving real-world engineering problems that will benefit them moving forward with their future careers.

Saginaw Valley State University senior Women's Tennis student-athlete Danielle Slonac has been honored as a YWCA Emerging Leader Honoree for the Great Lakes Bay Region. Slonac was honored as part of the Award Ceremony on Wednesday, March 21 at the Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw.