Week of April 24th, 2023

The end of every academic year brings several traditions. Over the past few weeks, students from various academic disciplines have been showcasing and/or presenting their scholarly work. 

Congratulations and a job well done to all the students who presented their work over the past few weeks. A special thank you to all the faculty mentors and community partners who helped these students along the way. It is awe-inspiring to learn about the incredible scholarly work being conducted and completed by our Cardinals.

There is only one week until our May commencement ceremonies. We are excited to commemorate over 1,000 of our students as they begin their promising post-collegiate future.  

The schedule for commencement on Friday, May 5, is as follows: 

The SVSU campus community is welcome to attend the Board meeting next Thursday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. in Wickes Hall 350.

Saginaw Valley State University honored two longtime supporters as well as outstanding faculty and staff during the university’s 32nd All-University Awards Banquet Friday, April 21. Dr. E. Malcolm Field, a nationally renowned neurosurgeon from Saginaw, and Avril Roundtree, an avid supporter of the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, each received the Distinguished Service Medallion.

Approximately 300 faculty, staff and honorees attended the banquet, which was the first for SVSU President George Grant Jr., who lauded the dedication of SVSU faculty and staff.

Warren Fincher, professor of sociology, earned the 2023 Franc A. Landee Teaching Excellence Award.

Khandaker Abir Rahman, associate professor of computer science and information systems, received the Earl Warrick Award for Excellence in Research.

Ken Jolly, professor of history, claimed the House Family Award for Teacher Impact.

In theater, the magic that happens on stage is possible because of the people behind the curtain. SVSU theatre major Abbey Kuhns recently earned accolades for her work behind the scenes. 

Kuhns, a resident of North Street, in St. Clair County, was a 2023 national finalist in the Projection Design category of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Awards for Excellence.  

“This is a huge honor!” said Dave Rzeszutek, professor of theatre.

More than 110 outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the U.S. participated in regional festivals as part of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).

Nikolas Baker is one of 175 college students recognized for their nonpartisan democratic engagement work in 2022.

Thanks to his efforts to encourage fellow students to participate in the democratic process, Saginaw Valley State University student Nikolas Baker has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as part of the 2023 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll awards college students doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement at participating campuses.

Baker, a political science major from Standish, joins a group of 175 students recognized for their voter registration, education and turnout efforts ahead of last year’s historic midterm elections. The 2022 midterm elections saw one of the highest youth turnout rates for a midterm election in the past 40 years — an estimated 23 percent of young people ages 18 to 29 turned out to vote. 

SVSU has exciting and educational programs for K-12 students (and even adults). These programs foster curiosity and help students develop their passions, all while giving them a firsthand experience of SVSU's campus and facilities. Discover the different camps we have available this summer and let your child have a blast exploring new possibilities on a college campus.

Jackie Popko recently set a new school record for runs scored. She has crossed the plate more than 160 times in her Cardinal Career. She and her softball teammates will host Ferris State at noon and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29. 

Our baseball team defeated Northwood 5-4 in the annual Dow Diamond Classic Tuesday night. The team will host Purdue Northwest Friday, April 28 game at 3 p.m., followed by games Saturday, April 29 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m.

Congratulations to the women’s golf team, who advanced the championship round of the GLIAC Tournament. The team’s runner up finish places them in a good position to earn a spot in the NCAA Regional.  

If you have suggestions, comments, or something to share with us, please e-mail us at svsutoday@svsu.edu

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