KALAMAZOO, Mich. — FOX 17 reporter Julie Dunmire sat down with Western Michigan University's newest president, Russ Kavalhuna. Kavalhuna himself is a Western graduate. His first day on campus was July 1, and Julie was there for the special day.
“This in a way is a homecoming for you. What’s it like to be back in West Michigan, and back at Western?
“It’s almost hard to describe, it’s so meaningful. It’s almost like a pinch me moment. I’m from here. I went here. My family, I think I counted 15 degrees amongst my family. This feels like where I’m from, and where I should be. And to be part of it, and its trajectory upward. Which is where we are now. It feels like it’s almost a dream,” Western Michigan University President Russ Kavalhuna said.
What do you want to do for that upward trajectory?
“We’ve got several things we need to accomplish. One is to continue to give access to students and make them successful, and have them move on to good careers. Another thing is that we want to increase our research expenditures, and we also want to be an economic driver for our region. Those are things that are moving in the right direction, but it’s things we will continue to have to make headwinds on as we move in the right direction,” Kavalhuna said.
When it comes to how the university is performing, where do you think there’s opportunity for growth?
“Enrollment’s always going to be a challenge for every institution, particularly in the state of Michigan, where we’ve had a decline of population and high school graduates. We’re going to continue to push to make sure enrollment is a priority. We also really want to do a better job explaining our value proposition. Higher education is in a time where folks are asking, are you really worth our investment of our time and our money? And western has a fantastic story to tell on that. I know because I’ve lived it. But we have not always been as proud to thump our chest on what we’re strong on. The truth is, I come from a past where my job was to advocate. And I’m proud of this place. And I intend to advocate, on behalf of it,” Kavalhuna said.
How do you see Western fitting into the greater Kalamazoo community, as part of the fabric of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo County?
“We want to be the place that draws in all these different community players, to have them all benefit from being around each other. For example, we want to be the place where all the K-12 districts want to send their students, and learn about dual enrollment opportunities, which is where high school students earn college credit while they’re in high school. We want all the regional employers to think that we are the place that will build the workforce that they need for tomorrow’s economy. We want all the local and regional government entities to think, if we have a problem, we’ll find a place and a table to sit at Western Michigan University to devise strategies. So all those community players, we need them to see western as the site, the place where all that kind of collaboration takes place. And frankly, we can do it. We’ve got the physical location. We’ve got the staff. We’ve got the students. And frankly, Kalamazoo, I may be a bit biased because I’m from here, but it’s a fantastic place. We have all the necessary ingredients to be the site for this to come together," Kavalhuna said.
What do you feel has prepared you for this job?
“Well one of the things that prepared me is I went to the best university on the planet. I came from a small town, and went to Western Michigan University and learned how to fly airplanes. But I also learned how to be a leader at Western. And I also spent some time as a mid level administer at Western, and learned how to lead teams. In some previous lives, I was an airline pilot, and a lawyer, but the real formative training about being a leader, and caring about what this institution means, came from it. From Western, is where I learned it,” Kavalhuna said.
