Grand Valley State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Grand Valley State College (1960–1973) (1983–1987) Grand Valley State Colleges (1973–1983) |
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| Motto | Educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies. |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1960 |
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Academic affiliations
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $209 million (2022) |
| President | Philomena V. Mantella |
| Provost | Jennifer A. Drake |
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Academic staff
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1,760 |
| Students | 22,011 (fall 2024) |
| Undergraduates | 19,002 (fall 2024) |
| Postgraduates | 3,009 (fall 2024) |
| Location |
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Michigan
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United States
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| Campus | Allendale campus: suburban 1,322 acres (5.35 km2) Robert C. Pew Campus: urban 65 acres (0.26 km2) Health Campus: urban 14.5 acres (0.059 km2) |
| Colors | Blue, black, white |
| Nickname | Lakers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division II – GLIAC |
| Mascot | Louie the Laker |
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Grand Valley State University (often called GVSU or Grand Valley) is a public university in Allendale, Michigan, in the United States. It started in 1960 as Grand Valley State College. Its main campus is very large, about 1,322 acres, located west of Grand Rapids. The university also has campuses in Grand Rapids and Holland, plus smaller centers in other Michigan cities.
As of fall 2024, GVSU has over 22,000 students from all over Michigan and many other places. It also has nearly 4,000 staff and teachers. The university's sports teams are called the Lakers. They compete in NCAA Division II and have won many national championships.
Contents
University History
| University presidents | |
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| President | Years |
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| James Zumberge | 1962–1969 |
| Arend Lubbers | 1969–2001 |
| Mark Murray | 2001–2006 |
| Thomas J. Haas | 2006–2019 |
| Philomena V. Mantella | 2019–present |
How Grand Valley Started
In 1958, a study showed that the Grand Rapids area needed a four-year college. A local businessman, Bill Seidman, helped lead the effort to create one. The Michigan government officially started the college the next year. People held a contest to name it, and "Grand Valley State College" was chosen.
Many people and businesses in West Michigan donated money to buy land and build the first buildings. In 1961, the college chose a large piece of land near the Grand River for the new campus. Building started the next year.
| University enrollment | |
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| Year | Enrollment |
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| 1963 | 225 |
| 1965 | 1,144 |
| 1970 | 3,301 |
| 1975 | 7,340 |
| 1980 | 6,984 |
| 1985 | 7,667 |
| 1990 | 11,726 |
| 1995 | 13,887 |
| 2000 | 18,579 |
| 2005 | 22,565 |
| 2010 | 24,541 |
| 2015 | 25,325 |
| 2019 | 24,033 |
| 2021 | 22,406 |
First Years and Growth
Grand Valley State College welcomed its first 225 students in 1963. The first group of 138 students graduated in 1967. In the late 1960s, the college added its first dorms and new academic buildings, including the Zumberge Library. This library was named after James Zumberge, the university's first president.
In the 1970s, Grand Valley organized its school subjects into different colleges. The name of the school changed to "Grand Valley State Colleges" in 1973. Later, in 1983, the "s" was dropped, and it went back to "Grand Valley State College."
Becoming a University
In 1987, the Michigan government passed a law changing the college's name to Grand Valley State University. In the 1980s and 1990s, the university added more campuses and centers in other cities like Grand Rapids and Muskegon.
In 2004, the university changed its structure again, creating colleges like the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Seidman College of Business. Grand Valley celebrated its first 50 years by raising almost $100 million. This money helped build new places on campus, like the Mary Idema Pew Library.
New Buildings and Expansion
Since 2012, GVSU has continued to grow with new construction projects. These include new science labs and updates to the Zumberge Library. The university also bought land in Grand Rapids to expand its healthcare programs. In 2013, GVSU added to Au Sable Hall and built a new store and dining area for students.
University Campuses
Grand Valley has three main campuses. The largest one is in Allendale, about 15 miles west of Grand Rapids. Two other campuses are in Grand Rapids. There are also smaller learning centers in Detroit, Holland, Muskegon, and Traverse City.
Buses run between the three main campuses, paid for by the university. This bus service, called the Laker Line, is free for Grand Valley students and staff with their ID cards.
Allendale Campus
The Allendale campus is the main and oldest campus. Most of the university's programs are here. It covers 1,322 acres and is divided into north and south areas. The campus has many sculptures and athletic facilities, including Lubbers Stadium.
Academic buildings on the Allendale campus have many classrooms, labs, and computer labs. The Mary Idema Pew Library is also here. The Kindschi Hall of Science, a modern science building, opened in 2015. A new living center for students, the Holton-Hooker Learning and Living Center, opened in 2016.
Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus
The Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids campus is in downtown Grand Rapids, right by the Grand River. It has 11 buildings, including the Richard DeVos Center and the L. William Seidman Center. This campus also has student housing, classrooms, and the Steelcase Library. The Steelcase Library was updated in 2025.
Health Campus
The Health Campus is in the "Medical Mile" area of Grand Rapids. It is home to many of GVSU's health programs. The Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences opened in 2003. To make space for more health programs, GVSU built Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall and the Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health.
Regional Centers
GVSU has three locations in Muskegon, Michigan. One is at Muskegon Community College, offering various programs. The Lake Michigan Center houses the Annis Water Resources Institute, which studies water. The Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) focuses on clean energy.
The Traverse City Regional Center works with Northwestern Michigan College. It offers degrees in education, social work, and liberal studies. The GVSU Physician Assistant program also has students at this campus.
The Meijer campus in Holland, Michigan, opened in 1998. It offers continuing education programs. The Detroit Center, opened in 2012, houses charter school offices and a business development center.
How Grand Valley Works
Grand Valley State University is run by an eight-member board of trustees. The Governor of Michigan chooses these members, and they serve for eight years. The board picks the university president, makes rules, and manages the university's money. The president then carries out these rules.
Campus Safety
The Grand Valley Police Department keeps the Allendale Campus safe. These officers can also work anywhere in Ottawa County, especially in Allendale, because the township does not have its own police department. They handle parking, traffic, and lost and found items. The Allendale Fire Department serves the campus.
The Pew Campus Security and Regional Centers team handles safety for the Grand Rapids campus and other regional centers. This team works with local police departments when needed.
Learning at GVSU
Grand Valley State University is a large university with many students living on campus. It offers over 200 areas of study. This includes 82 different undergraduate (first college degree) majors and 36 graduate programs. Students can earn certificates, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.
In 2012–2013, GVSU awarded over 4,400 undergraduate degrees and over 1,000 graduate degrees. Some of the most popular majors in 2021 were Biomedical Sciences, Health Professions, Exercise Science, Marketing, Psychology, Nursing, and Finance.
Most students live on the Allendale campus. In fall 2014, over 400 international students from 82 countries were studying at GVSU.
Different Colleges at GVSU
The university has seven colleges that grant degrees:
- F.E. Seidman College of Business
- College of Education and Community Innovation
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering and Computing
- College of Health Professions
- Kirkhof College of Nursing
- Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies
GVSU also has the Frederik Meijer Honors College. This college offers a more challenging and varied education for students who live together in a special learning environment. It is located in the Glenn A. Niemeyer Learning and Living Center.
The university has a strong art program, with studies in illustration, graphic design, ceramics, painting, and sculpture. Art students learn at the Calder Art Center, named after artist Alexander Calder.
Studying Abroad
The Padnos International Center helps students who want to study abroad. Grand Valley offers over 4,000 study abroad programs. Students can choose from programs connected to GVSU or independent ones.
Getting into GVSU
Getting into GVSU is considered "more selective." For the class entering in Fall 2021, GVSU accepted about 91.7% of students who applied. The middle range of SAT scores for new students was 1010-1230. The middle range of ACT scores was 21-27.
University Rankings
| USNWR National University | 228 |
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| Washington Monthly National University | 187 |
| Forbes | 481 |
U.S. News & World Report ranked Grand Valley highly among public universities in the Midwest. In 2014, it was ranked third in the "Top Public Regional Universities in the Midwest."
US News & World Report also noted that almost all Grand Valley graduates find jobs or continue their education after finishing school. In 2024, Washington Monthly ranked Grand Valley 187th among national universities. This ranking looks at how universities help society, like promoting social mobility and public service.
Research at GVSU
Grand Valley researchers work on many projects. The Annis Water Resources Institute studies water resources, including water quality and how land use affects rivers. GVSU's Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) has received money to test wind energy on Lake Michigan. This research uses a floating buoy to collect data from different spots on the lake.
Partnerships with Michigan State University
GVSU works with Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. They are part of the Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners. This partnership helps provide learning chances for doctors, nurses, and other health professionals.
They also have a program called the Early Assurance Program. This program saves spots in MSU's medical school for top GVSU students who want to work in areas where doctors are needed most. Students in this program agree to work in underserved areas after they become doctors.
The two universities also have an online program for managing clinical trials (testing new medicines). This program started because local drug companies asked for it.
University Libraries
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Grand Valley has several libraries, and each one has books and resources that fit its location and the programs it serves. Books can be moved between the different library locations every day.
- Mary Idema Pew Library (Allendale)
- Lemmen Library & Archives (Allendale)
- Steelcase Library (Grand Rapids)
- Frey Foundation Learning Center (Grand Rapids)
- Curriculum Materials Library (Grand Rapids)
The university libraries offer places for students to research, work together, or study alone. Together, the libraries have over 60,000 print and online journals. They also have more than 1.4 million books, including over 829,000 e-books.
The Mary Idema Pew Library on the Allendale campus was finished in 2013. This large, $70 million building holds 150,000 books. It also has a special robot system that can store and find 600,000 books. The U.S. Department of Energy helped fund this library to make it energy efficient.
Special Collections
Grand Valley receives many government documents from the United States. The Curriculum Materials Library has teaching materials for students from preschool to twelfth grade. It helps education majors prepare for their future classrooms.
The Lemmen Library & Archives has the University Archives. This includes rare books, Michigan novels, and a collection about Abraham Lincoln. It also has a large collection of Latino oral histories.
The university has over 15,000 pieces of art, including sculptures, prints, and paintings. Most of this art is displayed in university buildings across all campuses. The Digital Collections database has photos, letters, and interviews from the libraries' special collections.
The Dorothy A. Johnson Collection focuses on giving, volunteering, and leading non-profit groups. It is one of the most complete collections of its kind in the United States.
Student Life
The Office of Student Life at GVSU is in the Kirkhof Center. This office helps with community service, student groups, and campus events. As of fall 2016, GVSU has over 486 student-run organizations. These groups cover many interests, like academics, sports, culture, and performing arts.
Where Students Live
Grand Valley State University has 29 living centers (dormitories) and three apartment complexes on its main Allendale campus. It also has two dorms on its Grand Rapids campus. In total, there are over 6,000 beds for students. GVSU also has six dining halls where students and teachers can eat.
Fraternities and Sororities
GVSU has 30 fraternities and sororities. In winter 2016, about 1,600 undergraduate students were part of these groups. This was about 7.8% of all undergraduate students.
Student Media
GVSU offers different media outlets for its campuses. The Grand Valley Lanthorn is the student-run newspaper. It is published twice a week during the school year and is free.
GVSU also has several electronic media options, including radio and television stations. The university owns and runs WGVU-TV, a public television station, and WGVU-FM, a public radio station that plays jazz, blues, and news. WCKS ("The Whale") is the student-run radio station, broadcasting online. Grand Valley TV (GVTV) is the student-run television station.
Music Programs
The music program at Grand Valley offers many performing groups. These include bands, an orchestra, and the 230-member Laker Marching Band. The Performing Arts Center (PAC) has rehearsal rooms, classrooms, and the Louis Armstrong Theatre.
The New Music Ensemble (NME) has released popular CDs. They have performed at famous music festivals and venues. Grand Valley's trumpet ensemble has won first place in the National Trumpet Competition several times.
Student Government
Student government at Grand Valley is called Student Senate. There are 50 student senators who work on different committees. Their offices are in the Kirkhof Center.
Sustainability Efforts
Sustainability is one of Grand Valley's main values. The Office of Sustainability Practices helps the university be more eco-friendly in its operations and teaching. One notable program is a community garden near the Allendale campus. This garden is also a learning lab.
The university has a plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020. Grand Valley's efforts in sustainability have received high ratings. In 2011, it was ranked among the top universities in the world for its sustainability efforts.
Many buildings at GVSU are certified as LEED buildings. This means they are designed to be energy-efficient and good for the environment. All new buildings and major renovations at GVSU must meet LEED standards. These efforts save the university millions of dollars each year on energy bills.
The Student Environmental Coalition (SEC) is a student group that promotes environmental awareness on campus. Several academic programs also offer studies in sustainability.
Sports at GVSU
The Grand Valley State Lakers are the university's sports teams. They compete in NCAA Division II and offer 20 different sports for men and women. The university is a founding member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
Grand Valley's teams have won 28 national championships in various sports. GVSU has also won the NACDA Director's Cup many times. This award goes to the best athletic programs based on how well their teams finish nationally. Grand Valley was the first college east of the Mississippi River to win this cup in Division II.
The official mascot of Grand Valley State is Louie the Laker. The university's fight song is "GVSU Victory!"
Famous People from GVSU
See also
- List of colleges and universities in Michigan
