Welcome to the Laker E-ffect, the monthly newsletter of the LSSU Office of Alumni Relations. Please note: Due to document size limits, this newsletter is clipped. To view the full newsletter, click at the bottom where you see: [Message clipped]  View entire message. Thank you!

Great Lake State Weekend

October 18th-19th

Registration is officially open! Get ready to connect with your Laker family during this year’s Great Lake State Weekend (GLSW), on October 18 and 19. GLSW is a campus-wide celebration welcoming the LSSU community, alumni and friends for fun-filled events the whole family will enjoy!



Some of the weekend festivities are:

• Laker Hockey vs Stonehill College BOTH Friday and Saturday Nights
• Dr. Stephen Mulholland ’83, former Laker Hockey great turned renowned plastic surgeon and entrepreneur, will share his journey from the ice rink to medical innovation. Gain insights into his dynamic career and the world of entrepreneurship on Thursday, October 17th at 6:00pm in the Kenneth Shouldice Library.
• Alumni Awards and Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony. Read more about our Alumni recipients, Jeanna Trotman, Steve Davies, and Robert Stephen Mulholland MD, and our Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, Keith Aldridge, Chris Nance and Eric Menk in this edition of the Laker Log.
• Campus Open House for Prospective Students
• Tours of Nursing SIM Center and Labs
• SET/Robotics Open House
• Foundation Board Inaugural Arts Center 20th Anniversary Open House, 5K Fun Run, Oozeball, Movie in the Pool just to name a few!
• Enjoy food, games, facepainting and family friendly entertainment (including LSSU’s own BEERBONI) at the Board of Trustees Tailgate event on Saturday, from 4-6pm

Tickets for the Alumni Awards and Hall of Fame Ceremony taking place during GLSW on Saturday, October 19th at 11:30am are now on sale! This event offers an opportunity for alumni and the community to partake in this special celebration.

This event is sponsored by the LSSU Alumni Association and reservations are required, so  Register for GLSW 2024 to purchase your tickets prior to October 10th.

LSSU Hosts Annual 9/11 Tribute

Students, faculty, staff, local law enforcement, and local firefighters attended LSSU's annual 9/11 tribute this month to honor the victims of the attacks 23 years ago and remember the brave first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect and serve their fellow Americans.

Click here for more photos from the event: LSSU Commemorates 9/11

Orange Shirt Day is Monday, October 30th

Orange Shirt Day is dedicated to raising awareness about the historical injustices faced by Native children and families due to the residential boarding school systems.

The color orange symbolizes a commitment to recognizing the past, acknowledging the impact of this system, and working towards a future where Every Child Matters.

Please join us in front of the LSSU Native American Center (Eskoonwid Endaad), on September 30th, at 10 am for a group photo. You can pick up your orange shirt at the NAC this week.

We encourage you to take time to learn more about the history of residential schools in the U.S. and Canada.

National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition -https://boardingschoolhealing.org/

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation - https://nctr.ca/

LSSU Announces Launch of First MBA Cohort

R.W. Considine Hall—formerly South Hall—at LSSU, which houses the Lukenda School of Business

Lake Superior State University (LSSU) is excited to announce the launch of its first Master of Business Administration (MBA) cohort, which is at 80% capacity. With a 72% acceptance rate, the program continues to attract top candidates, further showcasing LSSU's commitment to shaping the next generation of business leaders.

The inaugural cohort stands out for its diverse perspectives, ensuring a rich array of viewpoints in every classroom discussion. The participants represent professionals from 10 different industries, all of whom are actively working in their respective fields, enriching the learning experience with real-world insights.

LSSU’s MBA program offers flexible design to help working professionals continue their growth and succeed in today’s ever-changing business landscape.“We are thrilled by the strong interest and participation from working professionals. The diverse industries and backgrounds represented in this cohort will drive exceptional collaboration and innovation,” said Dr. Ralf Wilhelms, MBA Program Coordinator.

For more information on LSSU’s MBA program and future opportunities, visit the MBA website or contact mba@lssu.edu.

About LSSU MBA Program: The LSSU MBA program offers a comprehensive curriculum focused on leadership, strategic thinking, and practical business solutions, tailored to meet the needs of working professionals. 

LSSU Athletics Hosts Family Fun Day

at the James Norris Center

LSSU Atheltics hosted their annual LSSU Family Fun Day on Sunday the 22nd in the Bud Cooper Gym. Student athletes took time to meet fans, take pictures, and serve free ice cream to attendees.

Students, their families, and community members were welcomed with carnival games, pizza, bouncy houses, raffles, and other events set up by the athletics programs.

LSSU Assistant Women's Basketball Coach, Alix Carter, stated, "If we want them to support us and go to our games, we need to show up for them. We need to get everyone together and create that small-town energy," highlighting the importance of LSSU's bond with the community and mutual support.

For more information on LSSU athletics programs, visit the LSSU Athletics homepage.

Celebrating 50 Years of Women's Athletics at LSSU

Thank you to all the current and former athletes who celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Women's Athletics at LSSU this past weekend, September 19th-21st! We had a great turnout for the event, and everyone enjoyed reminiscing with former teammates and friends, and making new memories!

To seem more photos from the event, click here.

Welcome to LSSU, Lakers!

Move-in for the Fall 2024 semester kicked off on Wednesday, August 21st. First-year students at LSSU received valuable assistance from campus RAs, Laker Success Mentors, housing staff, and numerous dedicated volunteers who ensured a smooth and efficient process. A big thank you to everyone involved for their hard work, and we hope all our new Lakers are settling in comfortably!

College of the Great Lakes Ecology and Education

Congratulations Dr. Hari Kandel for being published in the American Society of Microbiology!

Dr. Kandel co-authored the "Continental-scale insights into the sugarbeet diffusion juice microbiome". Below is a quick summary otherwise follow the link to read the full article.

Factory processing of sugarbeet roots is the industrial process of producing sugar from sugar beet crops. This study examined bacterial communities as contaminants of raw diffusion juice of sugarbeet, an intermediate product to produce crystallized sugar. Raw diffusion juice was obtained at varying times of storage from 21 sugar factories (20 factories in 2022) located in 11 sugar-beet-producing states including Michigan. Bacterial communities in raw juice samples were characterized for their diversity and abundance using DNA extraction and sequencing techniques. Distinct clustering of bacterial diversity was observed according to factory regions, with the Great Lakes region showing TM7 as the most abundant one, especially in the 2022 processing campaign. Variation in weather parameters, pre-harvest crop conditions, and variable storage practices could be attributed for such diversity in the microbiome of sugarbeet raw juice. Lactic acid bacteria such as Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus are identified as major bacterial contaminants in raw sugar beet juice. The findings of this study will be useful to the sugar beet processors in developing mitigation strategies to minimize bacterial contamination in factory processing and reducing sucrose loss.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01093-

College of Engineering & Technology

Earlier this month, EGNR 101 (an introductory engineering course) had their annual Egg Drop competition! Seamore was there to make sure the students had a great time.

Special thanks to our local Sault Fire Department for showing up and supporting our department.

Click here for more photos from the event:

Additional photos from the Sault Fire Department here.

Alumni in the News

Mark Savoie '93, an LSSU alum and current board co-chair of MyMichigan Medical Center Sault's Board of Directors, has been appointed to chairman. Savoie is the president and CEO of Central Savings Bank and has served on the Sault Medical Center board since 2019. He is also an active member on the board of MyMichigan Medical Center Midland, Early Childhood Investment Corporation, and Michigan Banker's Association,

Savoie is originally from Manistique and earned a Bachelor of Science in finance and economics from LSSU in 1993. He has been an Elks member for over 20 years, and currently resides in Sault Ste. Marie, MI with his family.

Savoie is set to take over for the current board chair on January 1, 2025.

Read more about Mark Savoie and his appointment here.

Friends of Lake State

Don Gerrie, Sault Ste Marie Mayor and husband of LSSU nursing faculty member Jaimee Gerrie, was selected as President of Municipal League Board of Trustees. Gerrie has served as the Sault Ste. Mayor since 2019, and served as the city commissioner before that from 2007 to 2019. He grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, graduated from Sault Area High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration/accounting from Alma College and attended MBA courses at LSSU.

Gerrie's service to his community is not limited to the City of Sault Ste. Marie. He has volunteered and been selected for leadership positions on the boards for several local organizations, including Sault Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of the EUP, Sault Historic Sites, Northern Transitions, Presbyterian Church Trustees, and the Sault Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

After his selection, Gerrie said, "I am excited about the community wealth building concepts that the League is working to advance and is working together with its members on. I come from a small community, work with rural communities and know the challenges we face. I am interested to learn about the challenges larger communities face, and how we can work together to move forward.”

Read more about Gerrie's selection here.

Caleb Cavendish Named Head Coach of LSSU's Men's and Women's Golf

LSSU Athletic Director Tory Lindley announced the selection of Caleb Cavendish as new head coach of LSSU's Men's and Women's golf team on Friday, September 20th. Cavendish brings with him experience as the Director of Golf at the Sault Ste. Marie Country Club, Assistant Golf Pro at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids, and Head Golf Professional at Riverwood Resort in Mount Pleasant. He is also a Professional Golfer's Association of America Associate.

Read more here.

Matt Stith Begins First Season as Head Coach of LSSU's Men's and Women's Cross County and Track & Field Teams

Matt Stith has entered his first season as Head Coach at LSSU with success in mind and the experience to make it happen. He brings with him 30 years of coaching experience, most recently at Elizabeth Forward High School in Elizabeth, PA. There, Stith coached several athletes who went on to compete at the NCAA DI, NCAA DII, NAIA, and JUCO levels, as well as an All-American and several collegiate conference champions.

Read more here.

An ITA Tournament to Remember for

Laker Women's Tennis

The Lake Superior State (LSSU) women's tennis program had a showing to be proud of at the 2024 Midwest Region Fall ITA Tournament, highlighted by senior Maddie Whip (Sydney, Australia) coming out on top as the champion of the Draw A consolation bracket on Monday. She made a strong comeback from a shaky first match alongside fellow singles players Tayla Braiser (Bathurst, Australia) and Trinity Ly (Brampton, Ontario). Martina Oviedo (Cordoba, Argentina) took her opponents to third set super-tiebreakers in B Draw singles. First-year player Kyna Decruy (Melbourne, Australia) earned her first collegiate win, and Valentina Parodi (Albissola Marina, Italy) swept up a win in her first round matchup.

Read more here. 

Laker Volleyball Kicks off GLIAC With Back-to-Back Wins

The Lake Superior State (LSSU) volleyball program (5-5, 2-0 GLIAC) picked up their second conference victory in as many games behind a career best 10 blocks from Morgan Deming (Boyne City, Mich.) after a 3-0 sweep of GLIAC newcomers Roosevelt (1-8, 0-1 GLIAC) on Friday.

Both teams battled early with Roosevelt earning a 10-8 lead, but LSSU dug in and enforced their will, pressing ahead to win the next 17 of 21 points to dominate the remainder of the set and featuring kills from Gia Waters (Minneapolis, Minn.) and aces from Jordyn Haller (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) to claim the opening set by a margin of 25-14.

Read more here.



Lakers Weekend at USA Hockey Arena

Get ready for two action-packed games with the Lakers at USA Hockey Arena! LSSU will take on the NTDP U18s at 7pm on Friday, October 11, and Simon Fraser at 3pm on Saturday, October 12. Come support out favorite hockey team at the games, where a portion of the game tickets will be donated back to Laker Athletics!

See below to purchase tickets!

Great Lake State Weekend Speaking Event Featuring Outstanding Alumnus, Robert Stephen Mulholland MD '83

Join us on Thursday, October 17th at 6pm in the Kenneth Shouldice Library for Ice, Scalpel, Start Ups: An Innovation Journey, as LSSU Alumnus and former Laker Hockey player, Robert Stephen Mulholland MD '83 shares his journey from the ice rink to medical innovation. This event is open to everyone!

Dr. Mulholland is the 2024 recipient of LSSU's Outstanding Alumnus Award. This award is being presented on Saturday, October 19th. For more information on the Alumni Awards & Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony, click here.

Superior Ice Showdown in Traverse City

We are excited to announce an exclusive ticket sale for the highly anticipated 2024 Superior Ice Showdown, where our LSSU Lakers will face off against Ferris State on Saturday, November 16th, at 6:00 PM at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City.

This special online ticket sale is available only to LSSU fans and will run from 9:00 AM on October 1st through 5:00 PM on October 3^rd, or until tickets sell out.

To ensure our dedicated Laker fans have the best chance to secure their tickets, you will need to enter a special code to access the sale. All tickets are general admission, and quantities are limited, so don't miss this exclusive opportunity to cheer on the Lakers!

Important Details:

• Game: LSSU vs. Ferris – 2024 Superior Ice Showdown, Centre Ice Arena, Traverse City
• Date: November 16, 2024 Time: 6:00 PM
• Ticket Sale Period: October 1st (9:00 AM) – October 3rd (5:00 PM)
• Link to Purchase Tickets: Superior Ice Showdown Ticket Sale
• Special Access Code: LSSU1600
• Tickets: Limited and general admission

Finally, please join us for the pre-game alumni event at the Traverse City Country Club sponsored by Rehmann. The event will take place from 3pm-5pm, and you do not need a game ticket to attend: Click Here To Register.

We encourage you to act fast as tickets are expected to sell quickly! Let’s pack the arena with Laker Blue and support our team in this thrilling CCHA rivalry game!

Laker Pride for your Ride!

Lake Superior State University fans, alumni, and friends can display their Laker pride with the LSSU affinity license plate. The Michigan Secretary of State's Office offers specialty fund-raising license plates, including state-supported universities. $25 from the sale of each new license plate goes to the LSSU Alumni Association and we receive $10 for each renewal. Proceeds help fund various alumni programs and services, like Great Lake State Weekend!

September's Photo of the Month features student research technicians (l to r) Jack, Alana and Sam, displaying painted turtles they encountered while conducting wetlands research this past July for LSSU's Center for Freshwater Research and Education.