President's Letter

   As University president, I look forward to visiting with you personally, perhaps at orientation, Homecoming, commencement or other activities. Engaging in meaningful conversations with members of the Ferris community is one of my highest priorities. This University, like all great schools, is about the people who learn, teach and have their lives changed here.
   When I think about Ferris and its people, I envision this community in the broadest possible terms: faculty, staff, students, Big Rapids, Grand Rapids and our satellite campuses, alumni, donors, legislators and many others. Ferris has made a magnificent difference not only in the lives of thousands of individual alumni, but in this much broader community. I look forward to visiting with you about the mission of Ferris, its future and the ways it can best serve all those who benefit from Woodbridge Ferris’ continuing legacy. Through the exceptional work of faculty, staff and administrators, the University never lost focus or momentum during the presidential search and transition. I am dedicated to continuing the steady progress of the University and witnessing the milestones that are before us.
   This fall, we will celebrate the dedication of the Granger Construction and HVACR Center, supported with a generous donation from Alton Granger and his wife, Janice. On campus, students are beginning their studies toward a new undergraduate degree in Forensic Biology, and both on campus and online toward a master’s of Business Administration. And, the completion of the State Street improvement project is a physical sign of the University’s close ties to Big Rapids.
   With the success of Bulldog hockey last season, perhaps it’s appropriate to quote one of the game’s greatest players. Wayne Gretzky once said, “Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where the puck is.” Ferris is a forward-looking institution focused on the future.
We have the vision, the technology and most of all the people to anticipate the future, rather than simply react to events in the present. I’m proud to be a part of a Ferris State University whose clarity of mission makes it possible for us not only to imagine the future, but to make it better for all of us.

Sincerely,

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