SVSU President Reflects on First Three Months

The new president of Saginaw Valley State University took office a few months ago, and has been spending time getting to know students and staff, as well as the university’s role.

Doctor George Grant Junior says he wants SVSU to be a community-focused institution, responding to local needs.

“In looking at the community, we want to see what the needs are,” said Grant. “We know we need more people in healthcare. We know we need more engineers. We need more people in business. We need more people with mental health skills and services. So we’re looking at all of those areas, and then seeing what unmet needs are out there where we might create a program to help meet those needs.”

Grant says that kind of progress begins with access and opportunity, exposing students to different areas of study, and removing hurdles to pursuing an education.

Additionally, while he may have only spent three months as president, he’s leading the institution into it’s 60th year of operation.

“We’re still planning. There’s gonna be a lot of activities that’ll be student-centered to help them see that they’re part of something bigger,” Grant said. “There’s going to be speakers, workshops, and conferences all around those 60 years, and then what we’re planning going forward.”

Grant says that they want to show staff, students, and the community how they can be a part of the next 60 years of SVSU’s history.