Dr. Philomena (Philly) V. Mantella is the fifth president of Grand Valley State University (GVSU), Michigan's third-largest public university, with more than 22,000 students, 3,000 faculty and staff across three campuses, and six regional centers. 

Since her appointment in 2019 as GVSU's first female president, Mantella has led a bold and inclusive agenda to expand the university's reach and relevance. Dr. Mantella is committed to aligning higher education with the demands of a dynamic, knowledge-based economy and has been nationally recognized for forging numerous strategic partnerships with industry. She has accomplished this while also continually prioritizing providing value to students and the community.

Under Dr. Mantella's leadership, GVSU has also launched innovative programs designed to serve non-traditional, underrepresented, and adult learners. These efforts have resulted in increased enrollment and some of the largest and most diverse incoming classes in the university’s history, even amid national enrollment declines and heightened challenges to higher education. 

Dr. Mantella's expertise and Grand Valley's growing presence in the Midwest and in higher education are reflected through the numerous boards she serves on, including The Federal Reserve Board of Chicago (Detroit Branch), Corewell Health (Michigan’s largest employer), The Economic Club of Grand Rapids, The Conference Board’s Committee for Economic Development, the American Council on Education, the Business-Higher Ed Forum and the Michigan Association of State Universities.

Before joining GVSU, Dr. Mantella worked at public and private institutions in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Michigan. She earned a Ph.D. in college and university administration from Michigan State University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Syracuse University.

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