President's corner

February 20, 2024 (Volume 47, Number 13)

President Mantella in office dressed in black jacket and white shirt with arms crossed

President Philomena V. Mantella

Photo Credit: Amanda Pitts

It was inspiring to attend our recent Faculty Awards Convocation and celebrate the winners and how their work uplifts our students and our entire GVSU community. Our faculty motivate, inspire and connect with our students every day while equipping them with an enduring education and the skills to pursue their professions and passions. It’s always a highlight to be able to gather and recognize these efforts.

The quality of our faculty is at the foundation of our success. From adjuncts to those in their early career to those who bring the knowledge gained from decades of service, every faculty member brings passion, wisdom and a continued quest for excellence.

The ethos of collaboration and innovation is instrumental in helping us fulfill our mission. While the award winners excel across varied programs and specialties, one consistent thread is a focus on relationships. Whether it's students, other faculty or the greater community, the honorees connect and create spaces for collaboration that allow learning and growth to flourish.

Events like these play an important role in allowing us to support one another, it is this collective strength that fuels us to reach higher and inspire a love of learning in our students. In that spirit, I challenge all of us to spread the word about our award winners and celebrate our success! Let’s take this work and multiply it, or as the students say, let’s make it "go viral" so that the world beyond our campus can see the brilliance that is on display every day.