Pictured:
Front Row (L-R): Justin Jacqmain (PSY), Jake Dunkerson (HS/OT), Jennica Young (HS), Maddy Searles (HS), Katalin Geeck (PSY), Tim Pionk (PSY)
Back Row (L-R): Evan Nudi (PSY), Dr. Charles Weaver (HS), David Mudd (PSY), Dr. Jeff Smith (HS), Kasey Moritz (PSY), Bob Underly (PSY)

Winning Student Research and Creativity Institute proposals were chosen through a competitive selection process.

More information about the SRCI program can be found on the SRCI website 

Many Americans recognize the opening words to the Constitution of the United States, but fewer may know much about the document that expresses the fundamental framework of our system of government.

Saginaw Valley State University invites community members to learn more about the Constitution during a “Writing the Constitution” event on Friday, April 10, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Writing Center, Zahnow Library 250. The event is open to the campus community and the public.

Participants will have the opportunity to copy the United States Constitution by hand while reflecting on the document’s significance as part of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The event is part of a statewide series organized by Michigan Writers.

The event is sponsored by SVSU’s Writing Center and English Department, along with the College Republicans, College Democrats, the national political science honor society Pi Sigma Alpha and Cardinals Vote.

Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to attend. Light snacks will be provided.

For more information, visit .

Written by Donna Hoke and directed by Dave Rzeszutek, SVSU professor of theatre, the production reimagines the beloved story of the March sisters through a modern lens, exploring themes of family, identity and resilience for today’s audiences.

Performances are scheduled for Wednesday through Saturday, April 15-18, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for the public and are free for SVSU students. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office one hour prior to each performance.

The production will be held in the Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts on SVSU’s campus and is open to the public. 

The cast includes:

• Stephanie Crachiolo, a theatre major from Sterling Heights, in the role of Jo
• Jaiden Gardner, a theatre major from North Branch, in the role of Laurie
• Ella Koenigsknecht, an English education major from Saint Johns, playing Amy
• Isabel Losa, a theatre major from Saginaw, in the role of Beth
• Ann Russell-Lutenske, B.A., 1986, a community member, playing Mom
• Leo Schynk, a theatre major from Cologne, Germany, portraying John
• Addi Williams, a cell biology, molecular biology an biomedical sciences major from Otsego, in the role of Meg

“Little Women…Now” is produced by special arrangement with Stage Partners. For more information about SVSU Theatre productions, visit svsu.edu/theatre.

The state championship event is an economic boon for businesses throughout the community, with past competitions generating more than $4 million in direct spending.

FIRST in Michigan seeks to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators. Their mission is to establish a sustainable robotics competition team at every high school in the state. Teams compete in qualifying district events, with winners being determined by a point system. The 160 top-ranked teams advance to the state championship. Winners at the state level will advance to the FIRST championship in Houston. 

SVSU faculty, staff and students volunteer their time to support local schools and education programs and on campus during the FIRST in Michigan state tournament. 

For more information about the competition at SVSU, visit . 

As part of the relationship, SC4 graduates will also receive guaranteed admission to SVSU, further strengthening a seamless transfer experience for students across the region.

“Expanding educational offerings, degree pathways, internship experiences and more is good for our students, good for our communities, good for our employers and good for our state,” said George Grant Jr, president of Saginaw Valley State University. “Like SC4, we believe that students should be challenged in the classroom — we want them prepared in their career fields — but we want to remove confusion in other areas so students can focus on learning. These agreements are an important step in that direction and will help students build their careers to meet the workforce needs our employers face every day.”

As part of the agreement, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) concurrent pathway agreement was finalized, providing SC4 nursing students with a streamlined, coordinated route to complete their BSN degree at SVSU. This innovative pathway allows students to enroll simultaneously at both institutions, meeting critical workforce needs while accelerating career advancement.

“This initiative is about removing barriers and expanding opportunity,” said SC4 President Kirk Kramer. “Our organizations share a common vision of helping all students prepare for high demand careers. By bringing SVSU programs to the SC4 campus, students can earn advanced degrees close to home, saving time and money while staying connected to their community.”

The MOU establishes a framework for growing academic collaboration, including the development of new degree pathways aligned with regional workforce demands. SC4 and SVSU are currently finalizing the initial programs to be offered, with the goal of launching courses on the SC4 campus in Port Huron as early as this fall.

As the project evolves, additional programs are expected to follow, providing students with expanded options to complete advanced degrees locally. These future offerings will continue to build seamless, student-centered pathways that support educational attainment and strengthen the regional economy.

By combining SC4’s long history — over 100 years — in providing accessible, high-quality education with SVSU’s robust upper-division and graduate programs, the endeavor represents a powerful investment in the future of St. Clair County. Together, the institutions are creating new possibilities for learners — from recent high school graduates to working adults — to achieve their academic and professional goals. The work is perfectly aligned with Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to increase the number of working-age adults with a postsecondary degree or skills certificate to 60% by 2030.

For students throughout the Thumb and beyond, the message is clear: four-year degrees and advanced educational opportunities are coming to Port Huron, strengthening career prospects and the St. Clair County region.

SVSU will conduct two commencement exercises, at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Both ceremonies will be held in the Ryder Center on the university’s campus. Both ceremonies will also be livestreamed here.

Graduates from the College of Arts and Behavioral Sciences, the Scott L. Carmona College of Business, and the College of Science, Engineering and Technology will be recognized in the 10 a.m. ceremony. Graduates from the College of Education and the Crystal M. Lange College of Health and Human Services will participate in the ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

Ontario Premier Douglas Ford will address graduates at both ceremonies. SVSU President George Grant Jr will confer upon Ford an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the morning ceremony.

Ford, the 26th premier of the province, was first elected to the position in 2018 and re-elected in 2025. In this role he oversees a broad provincial mandate encompassing health care, education, infrastructure, economic development and social services for a population of more than 16 million residents. He also represents Ontario within the Great Lakes‑St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers organization, working with U.S. governors and Canadian premiers to strengthen cross‑border cooperation on economic development, environmental stewardship and regional trade impacting Michigan and the broader Great Lakes region.

Prior to entering the political arena, Ford gained practical business experience in his family’s business, Deco Labels and Flexible Packaging, a printing company established by his father in 1962. Rising through the organization, Ford served as president from 2002 until he stepped away in 2018 to serve as Ontario premier.

Following the May 2 commencement, this semester’s graduates join more than 56,500 SVSU alumni in all 50 states and 62 countries. More than 47,500 SVSU graduates live in Michigan, building careers in high-demand fields.

Vedantam will present “The Challenge of Change” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required.

In the lecture, Vedantam will explore why humans — despite intelligence and ingenuity — often struggle to change behaviors, habits and systems, even when change is necessary for success. Drawing on research from neuroscience and psychology, the talk will examine how unconscious thinking shapes decisions and how individuals and organizations can overcome resistance to change.

Vedantam will address questions such as why individuals hesitate to step outside their comfort zones, why organizations struggle to pivot to new opportunities and why leaders and managers often repeat the same mistakes when implementing new initiatives.

In his reporting, Vedantam focuses on human behavior. He is the creator, host and executive editor of “Hidden Brain,” which launched in 2015 and is now one of the world’s most downloaded podcasts. The “Hidden Brain” radio show debuted in 2017 and is broadcast on more than 400 public radio stations across the United States.

He is the author of two nonfiction books: “The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives” and “Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain.”

The lecture is made possible through the Field/Spicer Endowment in Science and Engineering and the Dow Visiting Scholars and Artists Program.

For more information about the University Lecture Season, visit svsu.edu/publiclectures.

During the two-day campaign, which took place on March 18019, donors were encouraged to give to one of 10 priority initiatives or to the purpose that mattered most to them. This year, donors supported 63 different funds, including academic programs, student scholarships, athletics and the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum.

“Within the context of a university giving day, I’m a big believer in ‘your gift, your choice,’” Vice President for Development Brian Brunner said. “We have so many meaningful ways for donors to impact student success, and it was exciting to see so many areas supported across campus.”

This year’s success was bolstered by individuals and local businesses that pledged more than $100,000 in matching and challenge gifts. In addition, a dedicated group of ambassadors helped spread the word across social media, while 65 SVSU student volunteers reached out to alumni and friends, contributing a total of 275 hours of calling.

“I continue to be impressed by the generosity of the Cardinal community, particularly our on-campus community,” Brunner said. “The support we received will have an extraordinary impact on our students.”

Oppor2nity Days 2026 at a glance

• $208,000+ raised
• 137 SVSU employees contributed $63,396
• 10 university initiatives highlighted
• 63 funds supported across campus
• $100,000+ in matching & challenge gifts 
• 30 ambassadors promoted the campaign
• 65 student callers engaged in outreach

Written by Susan Zeder, a leading playwright for young and family audiences, “Wings” is an uplifting story that follows a young girl, B — just B — on the cusp of her 10th birthday. B is certain that before she could walk, she could fly. Now she is in a race against time to rediscover that ability before she turns 10. When lightning strikes B’s treehouse during a summer thunderstorm, a mysterious woman appears. Speaking only in strange squawks, single words and occasionally the letters “KHAQQ,”  — the call letters of the plane Amelia Earhart was flying when she disappeared — the stranger and B try to help each other remember how to fly, literally and metaphorically.

For Stephanie Crachiolo, a music major from Sterling Heights, playing the lead, B, is different from other roles.

“The biggest challenge has been embracing B’s youthfulness,” Crachiolo said. “She’s a nine- (almost 10-) year-old, and I’ve never played a child before so it’s been a really fun experience tapping into that childlike wonder and excitement! She truly is such an excitable sweetheart, and discovering her character has been such a fun experience that I’ve been so grateful to have!”

Filling out the cast are:

• Brook Treynor, a psychology major from Greenville, in the role of A (mysterious stranger)
• Jaiden Gardner, a theatre major from North Branch, in the role of Dad/Man
• Isaac Pease, a theatre major from Flint, in the role of Attendant
• Addi Williams, a cell biology, molecular biology and biomedical sciences major from Otsego, in the role of Wingman
• Tyler Obermiller, a theatre major from Mio, in the role of Sound Op

Peggy Mead-Finizio, associate professor of theatre, directs the play. She said an interesting aspect of this production is the duality of student’s role as cast and crew.

“The type of storytelling in the play is a challenge because the Sound Designer is actually a character on stage. We have a student designer who also happens to be an actor playing the role of Sound Op. His name is Tyler Obermiller. He is splitting his time between being in rehearsal and creating sound cues.”

Obermiller was excited about being asked to fill both roles — sound designer and Sound Op. Yet the challenges of both led Obermiller to make a bold move, contacting the composer and sound designer from the original production, Christopher Baine. Obermiller explained:

“Because of the complexity of both the character and the sound design, I reached out to Christopher Baine and to my surprise, he responded. We set up a meeting where we discussed how Sound Op functions within the play and the unique challenges of the design. He expressed how impressed he was that I had taken on both roles, given the demands of each. During that conversation, he shared original music and preliminary paperwork with me and generously gave permission for us to use his music in the production. While we are incorporating some of Christopher’s compositions, the overall sound design is entirely my own.”

“When She Had Wings” is an uplifting, family-friendly production. Tickets are $15 plus fees and can be purchased online here at any time or at the SVSU box office one hour prior to show time. SVSU students can attend the play at no cost.

For more information about “When She Had Wings” and other SVSU theatre productions, visit svsu.edu/theatre.