95.3 / 88.5 FM Grand Rapids and 95.3 FM Muskegon
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Michigan U.S. Sen. Peters invites GVSU's incoming President Dr. Mantella to SOTU Address

Dr. Philomena V. Mantella portrait
gvsu.edu

As a guest of Michigan U.S. Senator Gary Peters, Grand Valley State University’s president-elect will join members of the U.S. Congress for Tuesday evening’s State of the Union address. WGVU spoke with Dr. Philomena Mantella.

“It was a personal call to my cellphone from Senator Peters and I thought what a wonderful welcome into the state.”

Last month, Dr. Philomena Mantella was named Grand Valley State University’s fifth president. While she won’t officially take office until July, she tells me meeting with U.S. Senate and House leadership is a tremendous occasion.

“And then when he went beyond the welcome to extend the invitation I was really thrilled for Grand Valley State and for the opportunity for visibility of Grand Valley State University on the national level so that was really exciting for me.”

Dr. Mantella says she and Senator Peters will have time set aside for discussing how Grand Valley can play a role in preparing the 21st Century Workforce.

Patrick Center, WGVU News.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.