Governor appoints two attorneys, alumnae to GVSU Board of Trustees

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointment of two attorneys from opposite sides of the state to fill two open seats on the Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees. Their eight-year terms will begin January 1, 2021.

Noreen K. Myers, an attorney in private practice from East Grand Rapids, and Mikyia S. Aaron, a labor attorney from Detroit, may live in different regions of the state, but they are both GVSU alumnae who say they have a passion for Lakers and the university’s future.

This will be Myers second time serving as a trustee on Grand Valley’s board. She was appointed by Gov. Granholm in 2005 for her first term. She is looking forward to the chance to serve Grand Valley and its students a second time.

“As the first alumna to serve on the GVSU Board and the first alum to chair the board, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to once again serve this remarkable institution,” said Myers. “GVSU President Philomena Mantella has appropriately characterized the university as ‘...an institution confident of what it is and not struggling with what it wants to be.’ I share her opinion and it is with confidence that I look forward to working with an outstanding group of board colleagues, educators and administrators to effectively impact and enhance Grand Valley's outstanding ability to deliver a high-quality liberal arts education.”

Aaron said she is elated about the appointment and eager to spread the word in Detroit of what a Grand Valley degree can bring. She cites her excellent experience at GVSU as an undergraduate and how it prepared her for law school and her career. She found Grand Valley to be an inclusive place, and right now she wants to be part of its vision.

“I am most looking forward to being a part of the university at a time when changes need to be made because of the state of the world,” said Aaron. “I’m excited to be part of that change. I want to be helpful to students in the digital era when higher education is changing and GVSU is leading.”

Myers and Aaron will replace Mary Kramer and John Russell, whose terms expire at the end of this year. Their appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the Michigan State Senate.

Grand Valley State University attracts more than 23,300 students with high-quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is a comprehensive university serving students from all across Michigan and dozens of other states and foreign countries. Grand Valley offers 95 undergraduate and 43 graduate degree programs and has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids and Holland. The university offers programming and classes from outreach centers in Battle Creek, Detroit and Traverse City; the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute and the Muskegon Innovation Hub are located in Muskegon. The university is dedicated to individual student achievement, going beyond the traditional classroom experience, with research opportunities and business partnerships.