April 22, 2025 (Volume 48, Number 16)
Article by
Shelby Harrison
From left are Marouane Kessentini, Jennifer Drake and Christopher Pearson signing an agreement between GVSU's College of Computing and UM-Flint's College of Innovation and Technology.
Grand Valley's College of Computing and the University of Michigan-Flint's College of Innovation and Technology (CIT) formalized their commitment to collaboration by signing an agreement April 11 on GVSU’s Health Campus.
The agreement paves the way for a unique academic partnership that will allow select students from GVSU’s College of Computing to pursue both a master’s degree from GVSU and a doctoral degree in computing from UM-Flint’s CIT. The agreement was signed by Provost Jennifer Drake; Marouane Kessentini, dean of the College of Computing; and Christopher Pearson, dean of CIT.
The agreement also enables GVSU’s College of Computing faculty members to serve as dissertation advisors.
The signing follows an initial meeting held on February 5, when faculty from both institutions gathered to explore potential avenues for academic collaboration. During the event, about 20 faculty from both institutions connected over lunch and shared their current research interests. About 50 GVSU students attended and many expressed interest in pursuing graduate education and engaging in cross-institutional research initiatives.
“This partnership brings together two forward-thinking institutions with a shared commitment to innovation, access and excellence in computing education,” Kessentini said. “By working together, we can provide our students and faculty with even greater opportunities to thrive and lead in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.”
Pearson said, “We’re excited to build meaningful connections with GVSU that will allow us to leverage our combined strengths and enhance learning experiences for students at both campuses.”
– Shelby Harrison is the marketing and communications director for the College of Computing.
This article was last edited on April 21, 2025 at 12:16 p.m.
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