The Grand Valley University Club

The University Club worked to earn money to start this endowment in honor of Dr. Richard E. Flanders. Dr. Flanders died on April 10, 1989 at age 58. Flanders had been with Grand Valley for 25 years before his death. He was also on of West Michigan’s most noted archaeologists, locating over 144 sites in 17 counties.

Flanders attended Iowa State Teachers Colleg for two years and then enlisted in the Marine Corps. He returned to Iowa after his tour and completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology and anthropology at the University of Iowa. Flanders was the founder of the original social science program at Grand Valley in what was then the college of arts and sciences. He also offered the first anthropology and sociology classes.

Flanders was also one of the original founders of what was then called the faculty club, which is now called the Grand Valley University Club. He was the president of the club and served on the club’s board of directors for most of his career at Grand Valley.