Welcome to Saginaw Valley State University

Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to welcome you to the Saginaw Valley State University community. I believe you made a great decision to join us. At SVSU, students are at the center of everything we do. We are proud to be a teaching institution focused on providing outstanding educational opportunities with an emphasis on experiential learning, research and design, and community engagement. We are proud to serve as a cultural and intellectual resource for our region. Most importantly, we are proud of our graduates who have gone on to rewarding careers in all sectors of society.

SVSU students appreciate our commitment to their success. When I talk to students about SVSU, they consistently tell me that they value our small class sizes, personal interactions with faculty, the challenging but collegial atmosphere and the opportunities to do hands-on work. This is an accurate reflection of the learning experience at SVSU for students in all programs. Faculty who care. Challenging courses. Learning beyond the classroom.

SVSU is honored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching with their Community Engagement Classification, a designation held by only 7% of colleges and universities in the United States. This recognition highlights our dedication to serving our region as well as our commitment to student learning through curricular engagement and community outreach. About 85% of our students have engaged in at least one community-based project by the time that they graduate and 90% of departments offer service-learning opportunities. These experiences deepen student learning of course content, teamwork, leadership, civic responsibility and at the same time provide faculty with additional options for pedagogy and scholarship.

I admit that I am shamelessly biased, but I know that SVSU is a very special place. We are large enough to offer many options for teaching, research and service, but small enough that every single member of the campus community can have a significant impact on students and on the future of our university. I invite you to do just that. Be there for our students. Get involved with the many opportunities on our beautiful campus and find ways to make a great institution even better. I wish you a great year! Don’t hesitate to contact me with questions, ideas, or just for a good discussion. I want to know how you are doing.

Sincerely,

Deborah Huntley, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs