Saginaw Valley State University

For more than 50 Saginaw Valley State University students, spring break is not a typical vacation. They will be traveling across the U.S. to volunteer as part of the student-run Alternative Breaks program. Five teams of students are traveling to volunteer for community organizations throughout the country during SVSU's spring break March 5-11. The complete lineup of Alternative Breaks programs includes the following: *Champion Athletes of the Ozarks, located in Springfield, Missouri. The organization is designed to help children and adults with special needs. SVSU students are helping with daily activities. *Appalachian South Folklife Center, located in Pipestem, West Virginia. SVSU students are helping perform housing repairs along with other community service projects. *Arkansas Children's Hospital, located in Little Rock, Arkansas. SVSU students are assisting with daily activities needed throughout the hospital. *Kingdom House, located in St. Louis, Missouri. SVSU students are assisting in after-school programs where children eat healthy meals and focus on their academics. *Chesapeake Bay Foundation, located in Annapolis, Maryland. SVSU students are helping to keep the Chesapeake Bay clean and educate others about the importance of keeping such natural resources safe. SVSU's Alternative Breaks program sends students on community engagement-geared trips during both the traditional college winter and spring breaks each December and March. You can learn more at www.svsu.edu/officeofstudentlife/serve/.

Saginaw Valley State University students rose to the challenge and delivered inspiring performances at the Michigan DECA conference in Grand Rapids. All 6 SVSU students who competed qualified for the national contest in April, despite the fact that SVSU had never before sent students to the competition. DECA is an international association of high school and college students interested in marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service.

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 2017 semester President's List.

More than 1,900 students from Saginaw Valley State University earned a spot on the fall 2017 semester Deans' List.

Men's Basketball senior guard Mike Wells Jr. earned the weekly honor after leading the Cardinals to a pair of victories...

The senior guard added another honor after his career weekend in leading the Cardinals to a pair of victories...

Saginaw Valley State University moot court program expects to face its toughest challenge yet during its ninth year competing in the national tournament.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Chad Gailliard capped-off his first season with another great honor...

Saginaw Valley State University student Alissa Rhode, an athletic training major from Grosse Ile, recently learned that her determined research efforts will result in being published in a leading scholarly journal - a rare achievement for an undergraduate. Her article, "Injury and Illness in Marching Band and Color Guard Members and the Need for Athletic Trainers: A Critically Appraised Topic," will appear in the Fall 2017 edition of the Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Science.

Eight teams of Saginaw Valley State University students are spending a week of their winter break traveling to seven states in order to volunteer their time as part of SVSU's Alternative Breaks program.

Saginaw Valley State University will host its annual fall Engineering Symposium on Friday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. During the event, 29 mechanical engineering students will demonstrate their senior project.

As the winter semester's close approaches, members of Saginaw Valley State University's Honors Program are set to graduate.

Four Saginaw Valley State University students attended the Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students (BACCHUS) Initiatives General Assembly. The conference, which took place Nov. 16-19 in Denver, was hosted by the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The event brought students and advisers from across the nation together to network, collaborate, and share ideas related to university-based peer health education programs. The students in attendance were all members of the SVSU Peer Health Education Program, a student wellness program geared towards educating students on a range of topics relating to alcohol and drugs, sexual responsibility, and other health-related topics.

Students from across the state came together in Ann Arbor this past weekend to discuss how they are helping their college fight back against violence on campuses.

Saginaw Valley State University student actors and vocalists will summon the spirit of the season - along with the comedy and comforts of 1960s- and '70s-era Christmas TV specials - during the Department of Theatre's 9th annual holiday-themed production.

SVSU sends students and faculty to present at regional sports medicine conference Saginaw Valley State University student Taylor Taraski's study on the mobility of Division II football players won high praise at a recent regional sports medicine conference. On Friday, Nov. 10, Taraski was among the four exercise science students that traveled to Grand Rapids to present at the two-day Midwest Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. Of the 670 people that attended, this Oxford native won the award for Outstanding Undergraduate Poster Presentation with her presentation "Movement Deficiencies in Division II Male Football Athletes as it Relates to Class and Position." Jeremy Knous, associate professor of kinesiology at SVSU, mentored Taraski on this project. The study involved examining 43 student-athletes by measuring their physical performance during a number of exercises. The project concluded that identifying deficiencies in physical performances would allow for the utilization of training protocol aimed at enhancing performance. Three other SVSU exercise science majors presented their own projects at the conference as well, under the guidance of Meghan Baruth, assistant professor of health sciences; Samantha Deere, assistant professor of kinesiology; and Becca Schlaff, associate professor of kinesiology. Kiersten Mead, from Saginaw, discussed her work entitled "Care Provider Physical Activity and Nutrition Discussions According To BMI." Anya Odabasic, from Midland, outlined her research on the "Patterns of Sedentary Behavior in Pregnant Women." Ashlyn Swafford, from Tekonsha, presented her work, "Examining Relationships Between Pregnancy Symptoms and Gestational Weight Gain."

On Friday, Nov. 10, four Saginaw Valley State University students traveled to Grand Rapids to present at the two-day Midwest Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Saginaw Valley State University's nationally-ranked undergraduate moot court program continued its success at the American Moot Court Association regional tournament in Ohio at the University of Akron College of Law Nov. 17-18.

Acting as teams of two attorneys, students in a moot court competition are tasked with arguing a hypothetical case. They are judged based on the clarity of their argument, their public speaking skills, their ability to answer questions, and how well they know the law and the case.

Saginaw Valley State University's Percussion Ensemble and Valley Steel, a steel drum band, will perform in concert Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall. The SVSU musicians will be joined by the Heritage High School band. The SVSU Percussion Ensemble, directed by Patrick Fitzgibbon, SVSU drumline coach, and Valley Steel, directed by Brandon Haskett, SVSU associate professor of music, will showcase the collective talents of 16 students as they present eighteen through twentieth century pieces. The groups will perform pieces composed by celebrated musicians such as George Hamilton Green, Johann Sebastian Bach, William Schinstine, Dave Longfellow and Matt Dudack. Admission to the concert is free of charge. For more information, please visit svsu.edu/music or call 989-964-4159.

The Saginaw Valley State University Wind Ensemble will perform a recital Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall. The group will perform highly acclaimed works by nineteenth and twentieth century composers such as "Lincolnshire Posy," by Percy Grainger; "O Magnum Mysterium," a responsorial chant, by Morten Lauridsen; "Tower Music," a lyrical, chorale style piece meant to reflect the eleventh century European tradition of watch tower performances, by Alan Hovhaness; and "Amparito Roca," by Jaime Texidor. Norman Wika, SVSU assistant professor of music, will conduct the 22-student ensemble. The recital also will feature five guest artists. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information about this recital, please visit svsu.edu/music or call 989-964-4159.

SVSU senior cornerback Ryan Verhelst was named the GLIAC Football Defensive Player of the Week following his performance in the team's 14-9 victory over regionally-ranked Tiffin University on Saturday, Oct. 28. Verhelst, who is a junior eligibility-wise but went through the senior day pregame ceremony, had a huge game in his final outing at Wickes Stadium. He recorded a career-high nine tackles in SVSU's 14-9 home victory over regionally-ranked Tiffin University on Saturday. Verhelst had two interceptions and a pass breakup as well, stopping two key Tiffin drives in SVSU territory, including one late in the fourth quarter when the Dragons were driving. Verhelst now has five interceptions for the season, which is tops in the GLIAC. Saginaw Valley hits the road for the final two games of the 2017 season, beginning on Saturday (Nov. 5) at Northwood University for the annual Axe Bowl game. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Northwood's Hantz Stadium. @svsu_football | #svsufb | @SVSUAthletics | #GoSVSU --- www.svsucardinals.com ---

Fifteen seniors in the Medical Laboratory Science Program at Saginaw Valley State University attended the Coagulation Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 12 in Plymouth, Mich. The event featured several different speakers who delved into topics relating to "Value-Based Hemostasis Education for the Clinical Laboratory."

Three SVSU students received the inaugural FIRST Robotics Scholarship.

Three students received the inaugural FIRST Robotics Scholarship.

Three students received Saginaw Valley State University's FIRST Robotics Scholarship, a renewable $4,000 scholarship offered to students who have been involved in the FIRST Robotics competition circuit.

Saginaw Valley State University students elected Mikaela Ashton, a senior management major from Grayling; and Mitchell Kennedy, a senior accounting major from Bad Axe, as the university's 2017 Homecoming queen and king. Ashton and Kennedy were crowned Saturday, Oct. 14 during the halftime festivities at SVSU's football game against Ferris State University.

Fifteen seniors in the Medical Laboratory Science Program at Saginaw Valley State University attended the Coagulation Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 12 in Plymouth. The event featured several different speakers who delved into topics relating to "Value-Based Hemostasis Education for the Clinical Laboratory."

The Saginaw Valley State University forensics team earned a first-place finish during a Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League competition at Oakland Community College Friday, Sept. 22.

Saginaw Valley State University soared into new territory this October with the theatre department's first production with an all-female cast, "Decision Height."