President's corner

May 14, 2024 (Volume 47, Number 18)

President Mantella in blue jacket with arms crossed in front of wall with three lights in background

President Philomena V. Mantella

Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills

The weather is warmer and our campus has a little less traffic, but there’s no change in our passion to have the structures, strategies and people in place to continue our forward trek to serve our students.

I know that many of you will be working on projects in the coming weeks in our continual pursuit of better ways to prepare our students, such as the CLAS Voyage Summer Institute. This is a great example of scaling our success to increase the number of lives we can positively impact.

It’s also exciting as we prepare for our new deans of the Kirkhof College of Nursing and the College of Computing to begin in July. Both Linda Lewandoski and Marouane Kessentini, respectively, bring an enthusiasm for building and innovation to their respective colleges, both of which sit at key points in the intersection of business and education due to the high demand for talent in those areas.

Our Padnos College of Engineering will also be under new leadership. Retiring Dean Paul Plotkowski will conclude his work at the end of May when Associate Dean Tim Born will take over as interim dean while the search continues for Dean Plotkowski’s successor.

And our dedication to making sure every learner has a chance to pursue their dreams is being exemplified by our Financial Aid and Admissions and Recruitment staffs, who are guiding members of our incoming class through the FAFSA delays, registration and orientation. They are doing so with a commitment to make sure every learner has a chance to pursue their dreams.

We know our obligation to our learners doesn’t stop in the summer and I thank everyone whose love of educating and dedication to our students and their families is pushing us to new levels.