Year in review: Top 15 stories of 2016

From visits to campus by presidential contenders, to a professor's research on an emerging speech therapy technique, to the groundbreaking of the health campus expansion, 2016 has been a year full of unforgettable moments at Grand Valley State University.

Here are the top 15 memorable stories of 2016. They were chosen based on their impact on campus, in the news and on social media. 

Inside-Out: Students, prison inmates learn side-by-side [STORY]

Intern cares for cheetahs in southern Africa [STORY]

Professor one of four experts in country to use horses for speech therapy [STORY]

Haas marks 10 years of leadership on campus [STORY]

Student receives tuition assistance from Make-A-Wish Michigan [STORY]

Student recognized by White House for work with ‘It’s On Us’ [STORY]

Recreation Center addition provides more fitness space [STORY]

Grand Valley breaks ground on health campus expansion [STORY]

Laker overcomes adversity to graduate [STORY]

GVSU ranked as a high-value college by Money Magazine [STORY]

Grand Valley’s Mary Idema Pew Library named a Landmark Library [STORY]

Grand Valley prepares student to ‘rock the vote’ [STORY]

Three Laker alumni to compete at U.S. Olympic Team Trials [STORY]

Presidential rallies at Grand Valley: Clinton [STORY] , Kasich [STORY] , Sanders [STORY] , Trump Jr. [STORY]

New leadership at Grand Valley: Becker named director of athletics [STORY] , Sullivan named new dean of students [STORY]