Value, impact draw nearly 6,500 new students to Grand Valley

Retention continues to be strengthened, with rates for last year's first-year students up 1.4% over the previous year, and retention for transfer students increasing for the fourth straight year, up 5.6% since 2022.

While student numbers are up, so too are the credit loads, driving faster times to degree completion and lower overall costs for GVSU students.

As a key economic engine for Michigan, Grand Valley's growth and strength is an asset for the state, Mantella wrote in a letter to the campus community. She expressed confidence in the university's work to advance its mission, serve its students and invest in the community.

At Grand Valley, investing in and engaging students starts early with programs like the Grand Valley Pledge and 8th Grade Pathways, which provide more students with tuition-free access to a Grand Valley degree and demonstrate that college is available and affordable.

"Connecting with students and their families as early as middle school is a reflection of our larger commitment to developing the talent needed to drive Michigan and our economy forward," said B. Donta Truss, vice president for Enrollment Development and College Futures.

The Grand Valley Pledge met full tuition needs for 2,800 Michigan students from lower income families, and 8th Grade Pathways provides support, encouragement and a promise of aid to nearly 2,000 students in Michigan communities.

This year, the GVSU Board of Trustees also approved the largest investment in student financial aid in the university's history, another vital component to the value of a GVSU degree.