A message from the president

As seen in the Spring DU Review magazine

At Davenport University, we are always looking ahead, predicting what our students will need and boldly moving forward. Many of you have supported our ELEVATE campaign, which continues and will wrap up later this year. This bold vision to meet the needs of our students, our employers and our communities created programs that are innovative in their approach and desperately needed. They are launched and they are successful! That is the Davenport way.

Our First-Generation Success Initiative is part of ELEVATE and it is changing lives. We introduced a peer mentoring program that is helping these first-generation students (neither parent has a college degree) stay at Davenport and stay on track to earn a degree. It has been remarkably successful. Students who participated in the 2019 pilot program retained at a rate of 91%. Students who did not participate retained at a rate of 49%. Peer mentoring is working and growing, and so is its impact. In this issue of DU Review, you can read about 130 first-generation students being inducted into Davenport’s new chapter of the Tri-Alpha Honor Society. 

Another success story rising out of our current vision and our ELEVATE campaign is in the area of mental health. We knew there was a need, and both degree programs we introduced in fall 2023 exceeded enrollment expectations: the Master of Arts in mental health counseling and the Master of Science in nursing, with a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner concentration. This fall, we introduced a new accelerated five-year path through a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in mental health counseling. The story in DU Review shares the details of the streamlined program and the career opportunities that await graduates.

Also in this issue, you can explore Davenport’s Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx). You might see some opportunities for you or people on your team to pursue courses on leadership, management, technology or a variety of other options. We are excited to share how IPEx is transforming individuals and companies with a global reach and a local impact.

As we continue to strengthen the initiatives outlined in our current vision, we are planning for what lies ahead. We are committed to being a leader in the application of artificial intelligence (AI). We are already making sure every faculty member and student is comfortable using the tools of AI. But we know the changes will come fast and furious, and we need to anticipate and lead in the use of AI. Our university community is collaborating on what our next five-year plan will look like and how we will prepare our graduates to be adaptable, no matter how technology changes and advances. 

As Davenport University continues to evolve and grow, we are incredibly grateful for the support of our alumni and supporters, as well as the enormous contributions from our faculty and staff. We always keep students at the center of our work. Thank you for being part of our journey. We look forward to the future we can shape together.