 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||
 |
President's Letter |
Throughout its history Ferris State University has long been an educational institution where students acquire the knowledge and develop the abilities that employers across the state and country need. If you are a reader of the Wall Street Journal, perhaps you saw the article entitled, "Where Have All the Welders Gone?" It highlighted the problems of this industry in finding the highly skilled people it needs, and featured recent Ferris graduate Will Chermin and his new position with the John Deere Company. One of the things that set Ferris State University apart is that our graduates are prepared for the challenges of the workplace and to be leaders in the new economy. That is not the only indication we are doing something right. Even as the University increases admission standards, we continue to grow. 12,575 students enrolled system-wide for Fall 2006 - a record number for our school. This year's new students are also the best prepared in our history, with an average ACT of 21.3 and an entering GPA of 3.18. As a learning-centered university, we are committed to fostering a world-class learning environment. Here in Big Rapids we are hard at work renovating classrooms across campus. I hear frequently from faculty and students about the difference these improvements can make in helping to support student learning. To ensure that support for our programs is state-of-the-art, we will soon realize our goal of creating a wireless network that extends the length and breadth of our campus. As the Wall Street Journal article makes clear, the electronic revolution has not done away with the need for people with traditional manufacturing skills. What has changed is that graduates must have a wider and better developed skill-set than ever before. To meet the changing needs of our students and the workplace, Ferris State University continues to change, expand and evolve our educational offerings. What has not changed is our commitment to students, graduates, faculty and staff. The successes we are experiencing could not have happened without your support. This past year the University received cash contributions from 6,069 donors - a 25 percent increase over the previous year. The University also signed $2.3 million in planned gifts. This increased funding is critical to provide support for student scholarships in these challenging financial times. I want to extend my sincerest thanks to all who help Ferris students pursue their dreams. From one member of the Ferris community to another, thank you so very much for your part in making all of these good things possible and for making a wonderful difference for our people and our university. Sincerely, David L. Eisler |
||||||
