Location
Grand Valley State University is in Allendale, just outside of Michigan's second-largest city, Grand Rapids.
GVSU features two distinct campuses that do more than provide places to learn — they exemplify our brand by transforming potential into purpose through immersive, inclusive, and innovative living and learning environments.
Our Valley Campus in Allendale is the foundation of the Grand Valley student experience. Set in a scenic, welcoming environment, this campus is the academic, residential, and social heart of Grand Valley — a place where ideas are nurtured, friendships are formed, and futures begin to take shape. With strong support services, a vibrant campus culture, cutting-edge learning facilities, and dedicated faculty members, the Valley Campus gives students the space to explore their interests and the encouragement to ask "what if?"
Just a short drive away, our City Campus in downtown Grand Rapids propels our students' growth with real-world momentum. Here, our nationally recognized programs in business, engineering, and health care are embedded in one of Michigan's fastest-growing urban hubs. This allows students to apply their skills right away, through internships, co-ops, research, and professional partnerships. This is where classroom theory meets resume-building experience — where "what if I could work in that field?" becomes "I already am."
This model enables Grand Valley to deliver a "Future for All." From the welcoming, growth-centered culture of the Valley Campus to the high-impact, career-driven opportunities of the City Campus, students experience a dynamic, personal, and transformational education
Off-Campus Opportunities
West Michigan offers a wealth of extracurricular and recreational opportunities for students. Downtown Grand Rapids offers GVSU students a walkable center for art, music, culture, and dining. With six museums, public art, a symphony, ballet, opera, local theaters, touring productions, live music, professional and college sports, Grand Rapids is the hub of culture in West Michigan. The region is also a gateway to outdoor recreation, where students enjoy wide-ranging activities like biking, hiking, water sports, winter sports, dog parks, and beautiful Lake Michigan beaches.
With more than four hundred student organizations and intramural sports, student life thrives on campus and there's a lot to do always, particularly when you factor in what nearby Grand Rapids has to offer. Speaking of which, in addition to lots of internship and volunteer opportunities, with a popular and safe city nearby, students have access to the full college experience and can go downtown and spend time at a local coffee shop [or] at a sports or music event. On campus, everything is very updated and modern and dorms are nice and a good size for freshmen and upperclassmen. Generally, students keep to themselves and study and then get together on the weekends. Other activities include the very popular football games, as well as heading to the recreational center to exercise or participate in a group class, or [getting] involved with an on-campus club.
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