Grand Valley State University associate professor Diane Kimoto Bonetti died June 21 after spending 22 years at the university. Kimoto Bonetti served as associate professor of public, nonprofit and health administration and was also a member of the College Advisory Committee for the School of Public, Nonprofit and Health Administration (SPNHA).

Professor and SPNHA director Richard Jelier said that her ability to connect with students contributed to her impact.

“She was one of those professors that was extremely approachable to students, very unpretentious, very warm and inviting,” Jelier said. “She had some really unique skill sets in being able to connect with students and make material really alive and interesting to them.”

Kimoto Bonetti used her experience in communications to foster relationships with both students and the community through partnerships with organizations like the Michigan Department of Health and Healthy Kent. Her expertise was also beneficial in communication and career development workshops as well as grant writing courses. 

“She brought a lot of life experience into the classroom for kids to relate with, and she also really believed that students need to be connected to our community,” Jelier said. “She created a lot of student projects that required them to connect with real community-based organizations.”

A private memorial was held for Kimoto Bonetti Sunday, June 30 and was “well-attended,” according to Jelier. While GVSU currently does not hold plans for a university-wide memorial, Jelier said that students have approached him about starting a scholarship in her name.

“She was the kind of professor that no one would ever feel intimidated talking to… a lot of students gravitated to her with any unique problems or challenges they might have,” he said. “She loved students, she loved connecting with them, she went the extra mile to know what made students tick. She will really be missed.”