Today, it’s not uncommon to hear phrases like ‘AI’ or ‘machine learning’ thrown around in conversations. But when Tony Boos started his time at GVSU in 2022, these new technologies were only beginning to gain mainstream awareness.
After two years at a community college, where he received his associate degree in network administration, Boos wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted to pursue.
“When I first came to Grand Valley, I figured I’d do some kind of programming. I remember having a vague interest in AI, but I figured I’d never be able to do that,” recalled Boos, who is earning a degree in computer science.
After working as an undergraduate research assistant alongside Zach DeBruine, assistant professor of computing, he now not only knows what he’d like to pursue, but has the confidence, skills and knowledge to achieve it. His research with DeBruine has focused on machine learning with genomics data, specifically single-cell RNA sequencing.
“Basically, you isolate a single cell, sequence the RNA in it, and get a measure of different genes and how expressed they are. Some turn on and off, like metabolism. You don’t want those genes turned on and constantly digesting, because you’ll just digest yourself. It’s got to turn off at a certain point,” he explained. “We’re trying to train the model to learn the structure and specific information: A heart tissue is going to go through a different part of the model than if you give it lung tissue.”
This ability to articulate complex topics is one of the biggest skills he’s developed in his time at GVSU, Boos said. “I’ve gotten used to discussing very high-level concepts, even ones that I've never heard about before.”
The close-knit relationships with faculty and experts in the field is what contributed to this confidence and ability to synthesize complex topics.
“I think doing the research work has helped with that, being on the same level as these professors,” he recalled. “I never had a problem just going and talking to my professors, and every semester, it gets easier.”
Currently in the process of applying for jobs and graduate school opportunities, Boos knows that the worlds of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence are evolving quicker than ever – but he feels ready to enter the field, whatever that might look like for him.
“So much has changed from when I first came in here versus now – myself, my perception of what the field is and where it's going,” he said.
After a fulfilling and transformative experience at GVSU, his advice to future Lakers is to make the most of the resources available on campus.
“If you want to make the most of your time here, you have to go looking for it. It's not going to be handed to you. There are a lot of resources here if you want them.”
– By Sarah Dudinetz
In December 2002, only one thing could keep Kristi Cooper from accepting her master’s degree from Grand Valley — and that arrived just two days before Commencement.
Kristi went into labor with her oldest son, Sam, which meant missing the ceremony that would have celebrated her achievement: a master’s degree in nursing.
Now, 22 years later, Kristi will earn her fourth degree from GVSU — a master’s in public health — on April 26. And this time, she’ll have some company among her fellow graduates at Van Andel Arena.
As fate would have it, the Seidman College of Business and the College of Health Professions will share the same Commencement ceremony, allowing Sam Cooper — who will earn his bachelor’s in supply chain management and finance — to graduate alongside his mom.
“To be able to share this milestone with Sam, it's just really exciting,” Kristi said. “I'm hoping it's also a special time for him, something that we'll always remember, graduating together and celebrating that.”
Kristi’s connection to GVSU runs deep. If there was anyone who epitomized the “Laker for a Lifetime” ideal, it’s her. Her degree this April marks the fourth she has earned from Grand Valley — a bachelor’s in nursing (1994), a master’s in nursing education (2002), a doctorate in nursing practice (2023), and now her master’s in public health.
After receiving her master’s degree in 2002, Kristi joined the faculty at the Kirkhof College of Nursing. In February, she was honored for her 20 years of service to the university.
For Sam, walking the stage with his mom is more than just a coincidence — it’s a full-circle moment.
“It’s obviously a huge moment,” Sam said. “Growing up and looking up to my mom, she always made sacrifices for me and the family to better our lives.
“To be able to finish off my educational journey with her, and having her as a role model as a lifelong learner, it’s very inspiring for myself that maybe there's more education further down the line, or there's something else that could be learned. The work never stops, and there's always more to learn and to grow yourself as a person as well as a professional.”
– By Brian Vernellis
Ava Grillo knew she wanted to perform from the moment she got to Grand Valley. Pairing an advertising and public relations major with a theater minor allowed her to consistently act in shows and improve her craft, while also learning the ins and outs of another creative field.
“I spend a lot of time on the performing arts side, and find that when I go to my PR classes, I’m there to work,” she said. “I do what I need to do and really learn. And then theater classes are always super fun and I learn a lot from those too, but that's a nice little escape to something that's not as stressful.”
Grillo has performed in a variety of shows during her time in GVSU’s theater program. Her favorite was the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” her first lead at Grand Valley.
“It was my sophomore year and where I met some of my best friends that I have today, so that was huge” she said. “That's what really welcomed me into MTD (Music, Theater and Dance) besides just my classes.”
The environment and friendships forged in the Performing Arts Center are among the things Grillo will miss the most after graduating.
“It's so cheesy, but like seriously, I've created the best memories in that lobby hanging out between classes, during lunch, before rehearsal, after a rehearsal; just having quality time with my friends.”
Grillo has also put her performance skills to work as a “face” of Grand Valley during her time working for University Communications, where she frequently stars in TikToks and other social media content. After three years of her face populating GVSU’s feeds, Grillo said that she does get recognized as the “TikTok girl” on occasion.
“It lets me know that my work has had an impact whether it's been on or off camera,” she said. “It’s cool to know that I left that kind of mark. It helped me make a lot of connections, and it was fun to be on camera.”
Her efforts in building up GVSU’s TikTok is a perfect example of how Grillo has combined what she’s learned in the theater and APR programs: She knows how to put on a show, but also how to sell herself.
“Everything I've learned in APR, like how to speak appropriately and communicatively, has been very helpful [during auditions], and then in my APR classes or in my job, not being afraid to step out and be on camera is so important,” she said. “It's so fun, connecting those two things. I didn't even realize how well this major and minor can work together.”
– By Julianna Schrier
Natalie Thang chose to attend Grand Valley because she wanted to stay close to home in Kentwood, where she is the primary caregiver for her younger brother. She applied to GVSU through the Lifelong Educational Attainment for Determined Students (LEADS) program.
LEADS gave Thang the flexibility she needed to succeed in her courses while maintaining proper care for her brother. That flexibility was something she learned to seek out in her other commitments while at Grand Valley, in particular while part of the GVSU Rowing Team.
Thang will graduate with a degree in integrative studies, which she said will help with her full-time job at TRIO Townhomes, where she began working during her first year at Grand Valley.
“Working in housing, I know that I’m going to be working in teams. To get things done, you need to be able to communicate with other people and work with each other efficiently,” Thang said. “That’s what integrative studies offers.”
Thang said she has already seen a change in the way she manages and works in her current position by applying her undergraduate studies to her work.
Thang’s time at TRIO Townhomes has done more than provide her with a workplace to apply her studies. One of Thang’s co-workers, McKenzie Sandel, served as the president of the GVSU Rowing Team, and she set out to recruit Thang to join the team. Sandel is now the varsity women’s Rowing Team coach.
“Throughout my time working there, she had been adamant that I go in and try,” said Thang, who joined the rowing team in the winter of 2024.
It was not an easy transition for Thang to spread her responsibilities across being a full-time student, full-time employee and rower. Add her role as caregiver for her younger brother, and the transition became a struggle. Thang was persistent. She saw herself struggling in the classroom and reached out for help.
“I exhausted a lot of Grand Valley’s resources,” she said. “My counselor was amazing in helping me navigate this.”
Thang reached out to the academic chair of the rowing team and was put in touch with the resources she needed to get back on track. She found a fellow rower in the same major and began studying with them. She signed up for tutoring, and she communicated with her coach for flexibility with attending to her brother’s needs. Through these efforts, Thang found the balance she needed.
“Club sports offer a lot to help with your academics, so it really wasn’t a problem balancing school, work and rowing after I found those resources,” she said.
This past season, Thang served as the rowing team’s academic chair, helping connect her teammates with gaining access to the same resources she found helpful as a student athlete.
It is no surprise that what Thang will miss most about Grand Valley is her time with the rowing team. Through GVSU rowing, Thang said she saw an increase in her persistence, work ethic and motivation. She is going to miss cheering on her teammates to beat their personal bests and the relationships she built with the team.
Thang is grateful for Coach Sandel’s persistence in getting her to join the team.
“I may not have had four years, but I had this year,” Thang said. "And that’s changed me as a person.”
– By Thomas Chavez
Jourdan Watson had multiple graduate school programs to consider and said he chose a new opportunity at Grand Valley because of what it could offer.
Watson is among 14 students from the HBCU/Hispanic Serving Institution Consortium who will graduate later this month. They represent the largest HBCU/HSI cohort of graduating students since the consortium began in 2021. There are 10 partner institutions in the consortium. Watson earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics (in three years) from the first partner: Fort Valley State University in Georgia.
"I was weighing my options about graduate schools when I learned about this program," he said. "While this program was new, I knew it had to be solid to offer these opportunities to students."
Those opportunities worked well for Watson. Shortly after arriving at Grand Valley, he secured an industry-sponsored graduate fellowship at Gordon Food Service. Through this university program, participating companies sponsor a student by providing a paid internship and covering the cost of tuition. Watson worked as a software engineer for two GFS teams.
He's now completing an internship as a data analyst at Meijer, working with the loyalty customer analytics team. "I'm using Python and other coding languages to deliver insights on customers' buying habits and help to improve customer retention through the shop and scan program," said Watson, who will earn a master's degree in applied statistics.
After a class in Python at Fort Valley, Watson said he wanted to learn more. So, he self-taught himself more about the programming language.
In June, he'll begin a full-time role at GE Aerospace headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. This opportunity came after Watson's internship at the company last summer, which was spurred after attending a National Society of Black Engineers conference in Kansas.
"It's funny because before I pursued math as a major, I always wanted to be a pilot," he said.
At GE Aerospace, Watson will be in the digital technology leadership program and rotating among the company's departments for two years. After two years, it develops into a senior leadership role.
As he nears the end of his time in West Michigan, Watson said he's grateful for the connections he made at Grand Valley and in the region. He is paying that forward by connecting with prospective HBCU/HSI students who are interested in enrolling in GVSU.
"I just had a conversation with a student I had connected with earlier and he said he's coming here for a master's degree," Watson said.
– By Michele Coffill
Sign up and receive the latest Grand Valley headlines delivered to your email inbox each morning.
