The warmth Amy and I have encountered from alums and friends of Michigan State University in our first whirlwind months on campus has been humbling and inspiring. In scores of encounters and events, already MSU’s special relationship with the global Spartan family has made a wonderful impression!
As an educational leader, I count curiosity as an important attribute. Much of my attention in my first 100 days has focused on a listening and learning tour of the university through visits to 48 colleges and administrative units. I have met amazing faculty and staff members, dedicated leaders and bright and enthusiastic students. I have been struck by how many of our students come to us from multigenerational Spartan families, whether they come from Michigan or beyond—another testament to Spartans’ enduring passion for this university.
We met many such families over spring graduation weekend when we congratulated more than 9,500 students on the attainment of their degrees. I reminded all our grads in our commencement ceremonies that they join a global family of degreed Spartan alums more than half a million strong and urged them to stay connected and engaged.
My favorite place on any campus is still the classroom. I love my interchanges with students and their professors and instructors, whose professionalism is vital to Michigan State’s mission and students’ success. Attending our annual recognitions of MSU’s exceptional teachers, mentors and faculty researchers has been a highlight of my experience here so far.
Such excellent teaching, learning, scholarship and research deserve equally capable facilities for Spartans to achieve their fullest success. State-of-the-art facilities are also a prerequisite for MSU to fulfill its potential as a leading global research institution and a passionately public university. We need to continue to assess our building needs as we move forward and, recently, helping break ground or vital upgrades and moving other projects forward gave me great encouragement that our means will match our aspirations.
Two recent building projects we launched, the Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center and expansion of our Plant Science Greenhouses, will support our research, teaching and partnerships in the plant and animal sciences with modern and capable facilities for many years to come. And a new biomedical research building in Detroit in collaboration with our partners at Henry Ford Health will add capacity and synergy to our joint research into cancer, neuroscience, immunology and infectious diseases, together with a focus on health inequities and disparities.
We are also excited about our new state-of-the-art Student Recreation and Wellness Center and our beautiful multicultural center, both currently under construction. The recreation facility will contribute to students’ well-being and success, and the multicultural center will support our welcoming campus and foster cultural and intellectual curiosity and understanding.
People are the center of our university’s mission of advancing knowledge and transforming lives, and I am excited by our plans to support all those we serve with world-class programs, facilities, research and outreach. Thanks to all our alums, donors and friends who provide the extra margin to make it all possible.
Go Green!
Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D.
PRESIDENT
PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF KINESIOLOGY