President Mantella invites faculty and staff to engage

President Philomena Mantella welcomed the campus community back for Fall semester with an invitation to share ideas for the university's future:

Dear Faculty and Staff,

The rhythm of academia infuses the fall with excitement and possibilities. This fall, I imagine we all feel that excitement more keenly as we open a new chapter in the life of Grand Valley State University.

I am joining all new students, faculty and staff members in steeping myself in our culture and community. I am humbled and honored to serve as the university’s fifth president and privileged to expand upon the good work of those who have created and nurtured Grand Valley. It is truly a remarkable university and I thank each of you for your dedication and energy.

Since my arrival July 1, I have been meeting and talking to many of you as I deepen my understanding of our history and current state, while listening to your ideas for the future. We will have more opportunities to engage this fall and beyond; those dates will be announced soon.

Grand Valley has a noble mission – one that requires all of us to be students as we digest the unprecedented changes of today’s world. It requires us to move fluidly from learners to leaders and back to learners as Grand Valley asserts its excellence in the changing marketplace. We will be drawing on everyone’s abilities, talents, and creativity to reach higher together.

Together, we have the opportunity to inform and shape the evolution of Grand Valley to serve the students of today and in the future. We must continue our university’s notable history of being nimble and adaptable, while igniting innovation.

Let me stress, our efforts to meet the demands of all learners will not change the essence of a Grand Valley education. I am deeply committed to the value of shared governance and the need to maintain personal connections with students as we pursue new audiences and opportunities.

Grand Valley has the ability to break out of the crowd of public comprehensive universities by expanding its reach, differentiating learning outcomes, and aligning with the public good. People want access, excellence, and relevance from universities today. Grand Valley will deliver.

Opportunities to connect will be available at the Reach Higher Together tab at www.gvsu.edu/president as the year progresses. I look forward to our ongoing conversations and recognize that our path to greatness requires giving the best of ourselves with honesty, courage, and a deep sense of purpose. We will meet this challenge, and we will reach higher together!

Sincerely,

Philomena V. Mantella, President