“My girlfriend and I went in the practice room a few times and we
pounded it out on the piano, worked it out, and submitted it,” Tracy said.
With no prior music writing experience, Tracy and Bell won the
competition with a grand prize of $50. President Emeritus Arend D.
Lubbers presented them with a check during the Homecoming game.
Tracy has had a connection to the Grand Valley campus since she was little.
“When I was a little girl, my dad would take us over here when they
started to build,” Tracy said. “So, my first memory of the campus was
the four original buildings.”
She attended Grand Valley when there were only 5,000 students on
campus. Tracy described the school as a family and said she hopes that
as the university grows, that will continue.
“The fact that a cohesive family feel is still a part of this
university is huge,” said Tracy.
Tracy started her own family at Grand Valley, meeting her husband in
the marching band. She earned a bachelor's degree in group social
studies with an emphasis on psychology and a minor in music and education.
After graduating, she worked as a teacher and raised her family only
four miles from Grand Valley. Tracy said she moved to Florida 13 years
ago to be closer to family.
Learn more about Grand Valley's Homecoming events.
