A number of our students devoted their spring break to volunteer service, including 44 who participated in Alternative Breaks projects through Student Life. Teams traveled to:

• Hinesville, Ga. to assist military families in need.
• Morehead City, N.C. to assist with restoration of domestic homes.
• Atlanta, Ga. to assist with easing the burden of homelessness.
• Newark, N.J. to assist education providers with getting information to at-risk youth.

All of these students also will complete a service project in the region, using what they learned through their experiences. 

My congratulations to our student-athletes who qualified to compete at the NCAA national indoor track and field championships in Birmingham, Ala. over the weekend. Tyler Grob (heptathlon) and Emily Short (3,000 meters) captured All-American honors, as did the women’s distance medley team of Short, Diamond Taylor, Taylor Stepanski and Lauren Hill.

We have received a number of strong nominations for the House, Landee and Warrick awards again this year. Committees are now reviewing those submissions and the winners will be announced at the All-University Awards Banquet Friday, April 19. I hope you can attend.

Prior to the break, Emily VanFleteren, a secondary education major from Troy, was selected Student of the Year by the Michigan Organization of Residence Halls Association, and our director of Residential Life, Michele Gunkelman, was named Advisor of the Year. In addition, SVSU’s delegation received the Best Roll Call honor and the Best Banner Award at the statewide conference.

My thanks to those faculty, staff and students who have agreed to meet with leading student success expert Vincent Tinto during his visit to campus this week. All of us have a role to play in improving our retention and graduation rates. Tinto will be giving a talk to the campus community Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall. Please consider attending if your schedule permits.