President's corner

June 11, 2024 (Volume 47, Number 19)

President Mantella seated in chair wearing a blue jacket and black shirt

President Philomena V. Mantella

Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills

June brings a variety of celebrations and opportunities to strengthen our commitment to an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere through our active efforts to create a sense of belonging.

This week, GVSU is hosting the third annual Black Boys and Men Symposium. This unique, national event looks holistically at the lives of Black boys and men in a variety of educational and other contexts. The symposium focuses on creating a vision for equitable transformation throughout the academic pipeline, from K-12 to higher education and beyond. Hundreds of youth service providers, K-12 educators, higher education faculty and staff, and community leaders are expected to participate.

Juneteenth is on June 19 and the Office of the President and the Division of Inclusion and Equity are proud to host the Juneteenth Jubilee Breakfast. Everyone is invited to stop by for food, music and a celebration of community, which is designed to complement other events taking place that day around West Michigan.

June is also Pride Month, a time to celebrate and come together with the LGBTQ communities to foster the spirit of inclusion and welcoming that is the heart of GVSU’s commitment to creating a culture of educational equity. In that spirit, the university is sponsoring several events including the Grand Rapids Pride Festival on June 22 and the Holland Pride Festival on June 29.

All of these unique learning experiences for both our campus and the greater communities are valuable opportunities to continue to collaborate as we build an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging and an opportunity to be their true self.