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M O N DAY, S E P T E M B E R 17, 2 01 2

Tye Dye Thom gives lessons on listening

BY ANYA ZENTMEYER
GVL EDITOR IN CHIEf

hances are if you take classes on Grand Valley State Universitys Allendale Campus youve seen, bought something from, and most likely debated with Tye Dye Thom. He didnt want his real name published in the story, but between his patchwork pants, long hippie hair, and a tent tricked out in tye dye and reggae swag, hes hard to miss. He co-owns a company, called Enchanted Planet, which is based out of Tennessee, and for the last 14 years hes travelled to college campuses across the United States to pitch up his tent, and try to make a living and an impact at the same time. His story, like most cartoons college-aged kids hold dear to their development, began in the late 90s. A University of West Florida graduate with a degree in history, he was living in New Orleans when a dishwasher walked into a friends restaurant and shot

ANYA ZENTMEYER | GVL

Forever young: On-campus vendor, Tye Dye Thom, stands in front of his tent on GVSUs campus.

three people an $800 hit that claimed the lives of three of Tye Dye Thoms close friends. It was a restaurant that I went into every day, and they were people that I cared greatly for, so I said I couldnt live in New Orleans anymore, he said. Departures and arrivals He started in the southern

states, and after his mother became ill and he moved her to Bowling Green, Ohio, he started exploring the Midwest. He made it to GVSU in the mid-2000s, and right away, he said he knew it was a place that he could get used to. You might think its lip service, you might think Im just trying to politically correct, but I came

here and the people who work the (Office of Student Life) Kellie and Fred and Michelle and Bob and all those people it just was so easy to fall in love with this place, he said. Its one of those things where, they give you enough rope to hang yourself. So if you come and you dont do a SEE TYE DYE THOM, A3

TYE DYE THOM

CONTINUED FROM A1

good job, or if youre rude to the students, or if you dont pay them, then you cant come back. Basically, they give you the opportunity to pass or fail on your own accord, and Ive done well enough to be invited back. GVSU likes him, too. Bob Stoll, director of the Office of Student Life, said Tye Dye Thom has been a fixture of campus life at GVSU since he came. Thoms been coming for a lot of years, and he brings stuff that people are interested in, but he also brings a sense of engagement in the sense that often well talk to students about world affairs and issues, Stoll said. He has a good way of talking about philosophy and helping students feel better as the day goes on. Philanthropy and politics From Alternative Breaks to fraternities and sororities, Tye Dye Thom has donated a part of his earning to a multitude of student groups at GVSU; right now, hes raising money for the Crones and Colitis Foundation, and he thinks of the donates as an important part of his mission on campuses he vends at. He says he chooses what he donates to based off its impact he wants to donate to inclusive groups that support people from all walks of life, which makes sense if you consider his role as a campus conversationalist. Sparking discussion that has been known to start heated debates between both patrons and bystanders, its not about winning favor for his particular point of views. For him, its about opening the floor up to debate itself. I find that students who are the most troubling

Its important to have an opinion.

Its important to make sure you can change your opinion, because the only thing consistent in this world is change.
ON-CAMPUS VENDOR

TYE DYE THOM

to me are the ones who think they already have the answers, he said. To compare it right now to the political arena, there are people that believe in Barack Obama and there are people that believe in Mitt Romney youre 20, you should believe both of them. You should try and be able to filter through the information. His goal in bringing up hot-button social and political issues, he said, is to see if students can argue without being argumentative and disagree with someone without being rude. Facilitating civil discussion and encouraging thoughtful inquiry is really all that Tye Dye Thom is after. For the most part, at this school, Ive really never had a student be rude about it, they just may believe differently about it, he said. And thats what makes the strength of our country, is that we believe differently from each other Im trying to see if they will let me make a point, if they will let me allow them to make a point the idea of, you know, listen I just spoke, now you speak, now I speak. Because right now, he said, it seems like everybody is just talking over each other theres just too much noise.

In his opinion, the only way to be a good leader is to be a good listener, and discussing politics is just a perk for his larger mission, dedicated to openness to fallibility. Its important to have an opinion, its important to make sure you can change your opinion, because the only thing consistent in this world is change, he said. He said working with college kids keeps him young, on the edge of whats hot in both his products and in the music world. Oh, and for the record, he did follow the Grateful Dead for 10 years, which is how he got into the vending business in the first place. And though tragedy led him to where he is today, its that sense of adventure and the consistency of change that has kept him there. So, understand that life is too mysterious to take serious, he said. You have to have a little fun in your day, and college kids keep me fun. He wont be back on campus until November and in the interim, hell continue vending at colleges nationwide. And though Tye Dye Thom has spent the last 14 years setting up camp on the campuses of most of Americas colleges and universities, he said

theres no place quite like GVSU. You can actually see the promise of America being fulfilled in these students. Thats not republican, thats not democrat, thats just human. editorial@lanthorn.com

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